Know Your Gear
Posted on: March 26, 20109 Comments |
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Last week I asked how we were doing and what you wanted us to write about. This week I thought I’d hit on one of those subjects mentioned. Keep in mind that I’m not a professional. Like many of you, I’m learning as I go. The words below are just my opinion, from my own personal experiences. I don’t typically take a straight forward approach to anything and experimentation is king in my book.
Getting to Know Your Camera
The cameras we carry around with us have so many functions it can be overwhelming. It doesn’t matter if you shoot Nikon, Canon, Sony, or any other brand, they all have the same basic functions but use different terms and techniques of employing them. I shoot just as much film as I do digital, so I like to break it down to the basics. Once I go in and setup all the custom functions, I leave them and just deal with the things you’d find on a camera built forty years ago; ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture.
The first thing I did when I pulled my camera out of the box was start flipping through all the custom functions. If I came across something I didn’t know I hit Google, spent a couple minutes reading, then turn the function on or off. In most cases I shut everything off, as I don’t want my camera auto correcting anything.
The next thing I did was to start learning the buttons. If you don’t know how to use your camera in the dark then learn. I find it helpful to know where all my buttons are. This way I don’t have to take my eye away from the viewfinder if I need to change something. If you take your eye away from the viewfinder, you’re going to miss out on great pictures. Turn the lights out and start pushing buttons. Learn what each button does and figure out how to make change on the fly as quickly as possible.
Shoot manual and shoot RAW! It may take a while to get it right; your pictures may suck for a while and you may have to adjust things like white balance in post, but you’ll pick it up quickly. Learn from the mistakes you make and you’ll be getting it right in no time. Know your camera.
Only had a few tries before security busted this kid. He tried the trick five or six times and if I didn’t know my buttons I wouldn’t have been able to adjust my shutter speed and viewpoint quick enough. My eye never left the view finder, I had to trust it would turn out okay.
Get to Know Your Lenses
I’m lazy. I don’t like carrying around a bag full of lenses and gear. A lot of the time I take my camera, one lens, (maybe and extra battery) and nothing else. If it’s a bright day I put an ND filter on the lens before heading out. If it gets dark I unscrew the filter and put it in my pocket.
Like your camera, every lens will behave differently. I think the biggest learning curve in photography is learning how each lens will behave in different situations. Light changes from one minute to the next, so knowing how a lens is going to react is pretty important.
Lenses are expensive! If you’re thinking of investing in a new lens think about the type of photography that interests you. It doesn’t make much sense to buy a 300mm lens if you shoot portraits, and what can you accomplish as a wild life photographer with a wide angle lens?
Since I can’t afford to buy the biggest and best lenses, learning to get the most out of what I have is important. I don’t own a lot of lenses, but I thought carefully about the lenses I wanted. I love primes and don’t find myself in need of a long lens, so I sold my longer zooms and invested in the fastest primes at the focal lengths I found best for what I do. They are not the best lenses but it’s what I could afford.
When I get a new lens I put it on my camera and leave it there for at least a month. I use it in all situations and light conditions and learn the lens. At first I’m often disappointed, but with time I learn the sweet spot, learn how to handle the lens in low light, and figure out how to finagle the best possible pictures using a combination of lens and camera settings.
I knew this shot would work because I know my lens, had an ND filter on it, and knew what it does . I saw the image before even leaning down to take it. I adjusted for exposure and hit the shutter button blindly. It took me three shots to line it up properly without looking through the viewfinder.
Artificial Light
Light, gift of the Gods! Well, not so much of a gift as it is a drain on your bank account, and profits for the major manufacturers. If you’re smart about it you can get up and running on the cheap and get some excellent results.
Off camera lighting can be simple and cheap, or it can be expensive and confusing. Light is something that I think we’ll talk a lot about here on the site, but I’ll hit it briefly here. If you are getting started you can get a good/useful light setup for a few hundred dollars. There’s no need to spend $500 on a strobe when there are alternatives that will get you that same basic functions at under a hundred dollars. A cheap light stand, an umbrella, and a way to fire off the strobe are all you need.
If you are just getting started or thinking about buying an off camera setup go for it and don’t get discouraged. When I first started using off-camera lighting I was disgusted at the photos I was taking. I thought I wasted my money. I kept at it, researched lighting, dragged my family (against their will) in front of the camera, and just kept at it. I did a lot of self portraits while learning-a lot-and the more and more I worked at it the better my pictures looked.
There is no way I could have pulled this off a year ago, now I don’t think twice because I practiced my lighting over and over and over, on myself, my wife, the kids. There was no need to complicate the shot with three lights, gels, and all sorts of modifiers. Just One light and an umbrella. I know my limits and know that I need to keep it simple.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Experimenting is fun and a great way to learn, but when it counts, you’ve got to nail the shot. If I can leave you with one piece of advice let it be this… keep it simple!
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March 26th, 2010 at 2:34 am
Brian – Your photos are mindblowing…
(Still reading your article – will post again later
March 26th, 2010 at 2:48 am
Fantastic article.
I also keep a lens on for a good month after buying it – even if it frustrates the hell out of me to use it where it really doesn’t fit.
Another bit I can add is to join the flickr group for that specific lens and post your images there. I learned a lot about the (insane/beautiful) flare you get on the Sigma 10-20mm from the flickr groups, and how to deal with its distortion.
My next conquest is strobism, and my triggers are flying back from the UK as I write this. (Saving up for my second SB800 too). I can’t wait to open up another whole realm of photography.
I fear there is another 365 in my near future (or perhaps just a 52 weeks) to make sure I get back into daily practice – It really makes all the difference.
I personally don’t shoot in RAW, because I just don’t have the inclination to mess with the photos in Photoshop / Lightroom. Processing is a chore for me. (Although I have some to do right now – damn bounce off a varnished pine ceiling => full CTO)
Thanks for another great post, and I really am envious of your photos here.
March 26th, 2010 at 9:25 am
I’m going though this process with my new camera right now and trying to get to the point you describe. Switching manufacturers is forcing me to be really deliberate about it — wipe out and rebuild my muscle memory. But it is fully worthwhile endeavor. If only I didn’t have to be at work so much.
Once the camera is fully in hand, I’m going to pick up where I left off — a few feet from the starting gate — with the strobes.
Robyn’s right – Wag, your photos here all really sing and are a testament to why youve got to know the basics to shoot simple outstanding photos.
March 26th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
probably my favorite post on the site so far B. first of all, that shot of the skater is just amazing. the timing is great but the grain of the b/w blows my mind. second, your tips are great for people of all experience. i think even as we get better at our craft, we have to always be reminded of the “back to basics” ethos that we all started with at one point. since getting my T1i a few weeks ago, I have been doing as much shooting with my eye at the viewfinder as possible. using the in camera light meter has really helped, and i’m finding that a tiny bit of overexposure on it is where i really prefer things.
thanks for the excellent article here man.
March 27th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Getting to know ones camera is excellent advice, knowing where all the buttons are and what they do so you can change them quickly in a pinch is something I think a lot of people don’t do – and sometimes they miss the shot as a result!
While I agree that shooting raw is good(though it is not an acronym so no need to capitalize, lol), I disagree with shooting in manual most of the time. Shooting in A/S-priority mode provides the same amount of flexibility, but you have to understand how your meter works, and how to expose your photos properly. I have yet to encounter an exposure that is less than 30 seconds that my cameras meter was inaccurate on! Exposure compensation is just as powerful as shooting in manual, but a lot of people avoid it for some reason!
And with that rant aside, getting to know your gear is something every photographer should do, the only thing it can do is improve your ability to take photos
March 27th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Well written and extremely informative. I loved learning all about my camera and the lenses. My uncle and I shoot with Olympus so he was always helping me learn the tricks and let me borrow his expensive lenses. I only own 3 lenses and have messed-around with strobes when i had the cash to rent them or rent a studio. I am learning new ways to make soft boxes and light strips at home since i am so poor!
all in all, as you mentioned, it’s ever-so-important to learn how to walk before you can run…
thanks for this!
March 29th, 2010 at 12:36 am
@C-Towner: I completely agree – I am almost always in A-Priority, unless I am shooting off-camera-flash, then I like full control.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Great article.
Unfortunately too many snappers are driven by the idea of having the latest body on the market rather than actually getting to grips with the kit they have. Once you have mastered the basics of photography and are starting to feel restricted by the camera you have, then upgrade to keep your development going. I have found a lot of people who upgraded to a higher grade of camera without pushing the capabilities of their current kit only got frustrated by the money they spent on a camera that was ‘too complicated and difficult to use’
I currently have a reasonable selection of glass that i use for work, but on a random wander with the camera i normally just bolt on an 18-200mm and make the most of it. It covers most of the range i require, and a little bit of creative shooting can always give you that extra edge.
April 2nd, 2010 at 1:51 pm
i know i didn’t do this when i first decided to play around with photography. it became a matter of ‘what looks good when i preview the photos on the little screen.’
luckily i actually wanted to learn what i was doing with the camera, so i tested out all the settings, saw what each type of setting and each combo produced. i’m definitely still learning. i’m far from being able to know the exact numbers to plug in for manual settings, but i’m definitely much closer to knowing the range of what i should program the shutter and aperture to.
sticking a new lens on for at least a month is a great idea. i’ve had an 85 that i get frustrated with, but now i realize it’s only b/c we’re still acquaintances. i need to build up that friendship still
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i’m really really loving this site. everyone’s perspectives, tips and tricks are so encouraging and helpful.
thanks guys!