Photography  

Taking the plunge into underwater photography can be a big step in a couple of ways. Underwater cameras are not inexpensive and, in most cases, the housing to keep water out at deeper depths can be as expensive as the camera itself.

Taking pictures can be challenging because of the limits to adjustments you can make to your equipment once you are in the water and the medium itself forces photographers to learn new techniques and modify picture taking habits to get decent results.

Although it sounds like a lot of bother, and it is, when all of the aspects are working in sync underwater photography can be absolutely stunning. The chance to digitally capture the animals, plants and majestic scenery of the underwater world is worth the cost and time it takes to become an expert in the field.

Gearing up before you go

When it comes to your gear, you have to understand that the medium you will be working in is the enemy of 90 percent of the gear you will use. Digital cameras have less moving parts than older analog cameras, but they have many more delicate electronic components that the merest hint of water – especially sea water – will destroy in a heartbeat.

This is the primary reason that even waterproof cameras need a housing when diving. Although it makes using the camera awkward and changing lenses or batteries impossible, the housing can protect your investment if a seal fails on the camera itself. Waterproof and water-resistant cameras still have openings and slots that allow access to the inner workings. No matter how good an off-the-shelf seal seems, they were not designed to withstand the rigor of being constantly immersed.

Don’t forget the other side of the equation, as well. Diving gear – tanks, wet suits, regulators and more – can be costly, too. Training and practice dives all add to the cost of your underwater adventure. This, however, shouldn’t dissuade you from learning how to take quality underwater photographs, but it should be factored in when it comes to how much the hobby is going to cost you.

The waterproof camera is your first step

The most important piece of equipment should also be your first. A good underwater camera is, obviously, essential to underwater photography and it needs the functions and options to make quality photos, be easy to operate, have plenty of accessories and be durable. With all of these qualifications, it’s easy to see why underwater cameras are so expensive.

The Olympus TG-4, in the lower middle range of cost, durable and packed with options, it is a good choice for beginning underwater photographers as well as seasoned veterans. If it has a disadvantage, and this varies by opinion, is that it has a limited selection of add on lenses. Currently, a teleconverter is available that gives the camera a greater focal length and strengthens the optical zoom feature of the camera.

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Don’t forget the flash

In addition to the camera and housing, you will need at least one, and preferably two, underwater strobes. Unless the water is perfectly clear and you are not too deep, you will need an external light source to reduce backscatter and to compensate for slower shutter speeds used due to depth. Decent strobes generally cost in the one to two hundred dollar range and, with practice, can make a huge difference in photo quality.

There are three main aspects to remember when buying a strobe. The first is power. When it comes to strobe lights, the stronger they are the better. The second is the recycle rate with a strobe that can recycle to a full charge within one second being optimal. The third aspect is size. Smaller and lighter is better because you have to lug one or two strobes along with your camera and other gear.

Putting it all together

Probably the most important thing about underwater photography is getting stuck in and taking pictures. If you can’t afford everything, start off small and hit the water. Take pictures under all conditions and see what you can and cannot do with the available equipment.

Upgrade over time and use the time to sharpen techniques and learn both your and your equipment’s limitations. Starting small allows you to learn how to take good pictures with non-optimal equipment and when you finally have the best that money can buy, you have already got the basics of underwater photography down. You will never take an underwater photograph sitting in your chair at home. Getting up and moving forward can start you down the road of a lifelong hobby. In every endeavor, taking the first step is always the most difficult, so get up and start now. There is no better way to learn from your mistakes than to make a few.

By  Ian Pearson	Embed
Author Bio - Aside from primary area of interest and expertise in business consulting, Ian could be tagged also as a passionate sports fan, nature and photography enthusiast, always trying to keep up to date with tech innovations and development, with particular interest in trying to master the fine art of Social intelligence.

Gadgets  

If you are also among those photography enthusiasts, who love to capture the moment with your mobile phone, here are some techniques you need to excel in. As the lines of the digital world are getting more and more constricted over mobile screens, soon the digital camera lens will be available in mobile phones.

It doesn't matter which phone you own, the first thing you check out is the quality of photos you can click on it. However, it is not only the resolution or lens that matters, There are a few other techniques that can really help you in taking better pictures. Here a synopsis of most crucial ones:

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● Setting Focus - One of the most basic rules of photography, make sure whenever you are clicking a photo you know that the subject is in sharp focus. For example, on iPhones you just need to tap your screen lightly to see if the subject is in the frame or not. In case, your subject is in motion you need to tap screen right before the shot is taken so that your target remains in focus.

Once you have clicked a sharp image you can always give more attention to your focal point and blur all others by using some simple app like ‘blur the background’.

● Get Close - A number of cell phones start clicking well only when you take them close to the subject. Highly responsive camera phones have small sensors that can offer a wide range of field that you can come under focus along with your object. These work perfectly as compared to large cameras that have large sensors and long lenses.

Make sure when you are getting close you have enough control over the lighting of the target. See if there are any over-bright patches that may throw off camera’s meter or make the subject appear darker than it is. Small size detailed shots can come very rightly if you know the right technique.

● Try To Crop And Not Zoom - There are a number of smartphone camera phones that come with the digital zoom option. However, the best way to take the picture is by not acknowledging their existence. Even the live previews will show you how degraded the pictures look the moment you zoom in it. While zooming, the camera extrapolates the scene that is already there.

There are a number of smartphones that come with 8-megapixel or higher resolution which means you can easily crop the photograph and still be left with enough resolution to display on the web.

● Keep Away Filtering, Always Edit - For those who wish to have unmatched images, you may not want to filter with similar kind of filters that are already being used by so many others. It is not an anti-Instagram move, however, the predetermined “retro” washes are not out of date. Every other app that you use for this purpose has more or less similar filters, even the handsets don’t matter be it latest in the series of Lyf mobile phones or MI mobile phones.

It is better to get a full-on editing app like Photoshop Express or iPhoto or SnapSeed. These will allow you to give the required shape to your photo with logical adjustments like color temperature, sharpness, or contrast. That is the stuff you will actually do with the picture taken from your actual bigger camera.

It is equally logical to place your image into Lightroom or some other software and not share them right away. Choose your own style than going on with what all others are doing, being unique is in fad never forget that.

● Never Ever Add Fake Blur - Field depth is always one of the biggest challenges for smartphone clickers. The wide angled lenses and small sensors make substantial background blur a little tricky. However, if you fake it that would look very cheap and would ruin the complete picture. The blur added from any app is applied over the complete background evenly over the frame and that is not how a lens takes in the picture. So, it looks very artificial. Next, you can’t be precise while selecting your subject that is under focus which will do blunders for your final image. If you wish the viewer to stay focused on one thing, better make it a central object in the frame.

In the end, try to keep the backgrounds as plain as possible. Even if you have to tell your subject to turn around or stay a few steps away, do it, it will be worth it in the end. It is better to take some pain while clicking the picture than adding unnecessary add-ons later that destroy its original beauty.

SOURCE  ACS

By  33rd Square

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Author Bio - Lisa Parker, a tech geek having keen interest in all flashing trends in the market whether it’s related to gadgets, technologies or anything. Recently she wrote for Price-hunt.com and has written articles on LYF Mobile phones, Android and on different topics. She likes to showcase her skill sets through my writing.

Gadgets  

Having a camera means that you are ready to take your first pictures. This is fun, but if you don't have the appropriate camera accessories, it can be disappointing.

Acquiring a camera doesn't mean that you are ready to go to the field. Here are some of the accessories that you should have together with our camera.

A reliable tripod

Sometimes you might go to the field and find that the pictures you are taking require the camera to be still. A good example of this is the HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos. These photos need your camera to be still. If you move the device when capturing, the photos will be blurred. The tripod has to be very firm and stable. Otherwise, what will be the need of this tripod if it keeps on shaking?

Fast, high capacity memory cards

The images taken by a DSLR camera are large images in size. This means that you will need space to store as many pictures as you can. The camera comes with its memory card but as a photographer you should invest in extras. Everything but Stromboli LLC. gives you more information on these type of cards. You should have extra memory cards with you all the time in the field.

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An extra camera battery If you have ever bought a DSLR camera, you will note that it comes with one battery. This is good, but it's better to invest in another battery. Charge both of your batteries and make sure that you always carry them with you in the field. Sometimes, your battery charge can run out during a photo shoot session. If you don't have an extra battery, your photo session will be ruined.

Lens wipes or a lens cleaner

This might sound odd, but a clean lens is crucial when it comes to good photography. There are many of them in the market. They are not expensive but get one that is high-quality and does not use chemicals to keep your lenses clean. Remember you cannot always go to a clean environment for a shoot. Sometimes you will find yourself on a dusty road. Lens wipes will enable you to shoot quality photos in these circumstances.

Your photography session is ready to start when you have these four accessories. These are the most basic ones. However, depending on the kind of digital photography you venture into, you might need extra advanced accessories other than these.

By Lizzie Weakley

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Author Bio: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. Lizzie enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her 3-year-old husky Snowball.