How to Use a Graduated ND Filter

If you photograph landscapes, one of the best pieces of kit you can buy is a graduated ND filter.

These neutral density filters can be life-savers in situations in which there is a wide dynamic range, or, in other words, a sky that's a lot brighter than the landscape.

Naturally, this is a situation that's often encountered in landscape photography, which is why having a graduated ND is so important.

The question is, how do you use a graduated ND filter?

ND Grad Types and Uses

 

To begin, it's important to note that not all graduated ND filters are made alike.

Cheap, poorly made filters won't do you any favors as they will reduce the sharpness of your photos and are more likely to create color casts in your images.

Instead, when buying a graduated ND filter (or any filter, for that matter), you want to outfit yourself with something that's high-quality and durable.

For my money, that means going with Formatt-Hitech Firecrest Ultra Graduated ND filters, like the one shown below.

These filters are made with a lap and polish technique, which gives them incredible durability for long-lasting performance.

What's more, the lap and polish process produces filters that are hyper-neutral, meaning you don't have to worry about color abnormalities in your photos.

Instead, you get professional-grade results that are the peak of clarity and sharpness.

Using graduated ND filters requires an understanding of the different types that are available.

Primarily, there's soft-edge grads and hard-edge grads.

The former has a wide area of transition from the filtered to the non-filtered area. These are ideal for use when photographing landscapes that do not have a definite horizon, as shown above. 

Hard-edge grads, on the other hand, abruptly shift from filtered to non-filtered glass.

That hard transition is ideal for situations in which there is a distinct, flat horizon.

Since most landscapes do not have a definite horizon, a soft-edge grad is usually the best bet for most situations.

How to Use a Graduated ND Filter

The best time of day to use a graduated ND filter is in the morning or the evening, near sunrise or sunset.

That's because at this time of day, the sun is illuminating the sky, making it quite bright, but often the landscape is cast in shadow, making it quite dark.

Now, there are different strengths of filters, which are measured in stops. The higher the stop, the more filtering power.

Since the sky is usually brighter than the landscape by about 3-5 stops in typical conditions, a 3-stop graduated ND will do the trick most often.

However, if the sky is really, really bright, you can add a 2-stop filter in front of a 3-stop filter to get 5 total stops of power.

To put the graduated ND filter's powers to good use, you have to have a filter that mounts to the end of your lens via an adaptor ring that's sized for your specific lens.

These holders, like the one shown above, help create a tight seal between the filter and the end of the lens.

You need that tight seal to prevent light leaks or reflections off the filter from interfering with the shot.

All you have to do is slide the graduated ND into the filter holder, adjust its positioning by either taking a test shot and examining the results, or using live view to make adjustments before taking a photo.

Now, since a graduated ND filter darkens the sky, and you already have a darkened landscape, you might find that the images you initially take are underexposed.

To correct for this, you will need to adjust your exposure settings to brighten the image.

If you're shooting in aperture priority mode, you can easily open the aperture by a stop or two or boost the ISO to get a brighter image, and the camera will adjust the shutter speed to get a good exposure.

If you're dabbling with longer exposures, shoot in shutter priority mode, make adjustments to the shutter speed and ISO to brighten the exposure, and the camera will adjust the aperture as needed to get a well-exposed image.

Get a complete tutorial on using ND grads in the video above by Professional Photography Tips.

Using Graduated Neutral Density Filters Requires Some Fine Tuning

Slapping a graduated ND in front of your lens and firing off shots isn't how to get the best results.

Instead, you'll need to fine-tune the positioning of the filter on the vertical and horizontal axes.

That means shifting the filter up and down in the holder to determine the best spot relative to the horizon.

That also means rotating the filter holder to accommodate horizons that aren't straight.

It's also a good idea to take multiple test shots, including every time you adjust the positioning of the filter.

This allows you to get eyes on the results and make further adjustments as needed.

Using your histogram as a guideline for how the exposure is looking is also critical.

As shown in the graph above, your camera's histogram is a graphical representation of the highlights, shadows, and midtones in the photo.

You want the histogram to peak in the middle and fall off towards the left (shadows) and right (highlights).

If you aren't familiar with using a histogram, refer to this detailed guide.

With that, you have a quick how-to guide for mastering the use of a graduated ND filter!

Article By:- Photographytalk.com

Top Long-Range Microphones for Photographers

I know what you're thinking...

Why would a photographer need a long-range microphone?

The answer is simple: as advanced as our cameras have gotten for still photography and videography, their microphones leave a lot to be desired.

After all, there's only so much you can do with that tiny microphone hole in your DSLR or mirrorless camera.

When you're shooting a wedding or event, making videos of birds and wildlife or honing your skills as a paparazzo, you need great audio to match the quality of the video you take.

So, if you have designs on creating top-notch videos, you need top-notch audio quality to match.

Here's a short list of the best long-range microphones for photographers.

Best: Sound Shark

Sound Shark is hands-down the microphone of choice for photographers shooting video.

There's a lot to like about this rig, starting with its small size.

You don't want an unwieldy microphone to deal with as you're shooting, and since Sound Shark mounts to your camera's hot-shoe, it's out of the way.

It's lightweight, too, so you don't have to worry about lugging around a big, heavy microphone that will only slow you down.

Another feature to love about this microphone is its incredible performance.

People five or six feet away sound as though they're wearing a lapel mic, and with technology that helps amplify sound by focusing it onto a single point, it's able to eliminate background noise, resulting in audio that is crystal clear.

That's an obvious benefit when you're shooting video at a wedding or event where there's tons of conversation and even music happening around your subject.

Birds can be recorded from over 50 feet away with great results.

The performance of Sound Shark is so good that it's been used for professional soccer and the NBA playoffs. Larger versions of the Sound Shark are used regularly for high-profile events like the Super Bowl and the World Series. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!

The Sound Shark is capable of such excellent results because it's manufactured to the highest tolerances - just a few thousands of an inch.

That ensures that Sound Shark produces the highest-quality audio that simply blows other long-range microphones out of the water.

If you want to truly impress your clients, you need the audio to match the quality of the video. You can do that with Sound Shark.

Better: Shotgun Mic

Another popular type of microphone is the shotgun mic, like the Rode VideoMic Pro Compact VMP Shotgun Microphone shown above and below.

These microphones get their name from their long, skinny shape. Likewise, much like a shotgun, the performance of these mics is specialized directly forward.

That is, their pickup pattern is best when the subject is directly in front of the mic, no more than a few feet away.

Shotgun mics are popular for movie and TV production because they can be mounted to a boom and placed directly overhead the actors and actresses to pickup their voices.

Shotgun mics perform their best when they're very close to the subject.

Naturally, this isn't always possible when you're shooting video for a client, nor is it always possible for you to have an assistant with a boom to get the microphone close to the action.

Another thing to keep in mind with shotgun microphones is that if you're outside, you have to have a windscreen. Though these microphones typically come with a foam windscreen, they tend to be worthless if there's more than a slight breeze.

That means you need to invest in a zeppelin to eliminate the sound of the wind.

You can find shotgun mics just about anywhere, so they're widely available and can perform well given the right conditions. But compared to a parabolic mic like Sound Shark, shotgun mics simply fall flat.

Good: Wireless Handheld Mic 

The obvious benefit of a wireless handheld mic is that it's designed to be right there amongst the action and do so without any cables to act as a tripping hazard.

Depending on the microphone, you can get range up to 200 feet, which gives you all sorts of flexibility in terms of where you setup your video camera in relation to the subject.

What's more, some wireless handheld mics, like the innopow Metal Dual UHF system shown above and below, is that the microphones have an incredibly long battery life - up to 17 hours of continuous use.

The problem, of course, is that a handheld mic has to be held by someone. It's not exactly like you can ask the bride to hold a microphone as she's reciting her vows.

Additionally, unlike the Sound Shark or a shotgun mic, a handheld mic will be visible in the video. That's particularly true because the subject needs to hold the microphone near their face to get the best quality audio.

Even if you put the microphone on a low stand, it'll still be visible in the shot and it presents a tripping hazard as well.

The audio you can get from a handheld mic can be good given the right conditions, and they are extremely portable and easy to use.

However, when it comes to getting the best audio for your videos, handheld mics simply lag behind the likes of Sound Shark and shotgun microphones.

Article By:- Photographytalk.com

How to Remove ANYTHING From a Photo in Photoshop

How many times have you taken a photo, thought it was great, and only realized later that there's something in the shot that you don't want to be there?

It's happened to me plenty of times over the years, despite my best efforts to pay attention when I'm composing and framing the shot.

But despite our best intentions, sometimes unwanted features find their way into our photos.

Thankfully, we have tools that enable us to remove objects in Photoshop.

In the video above by the Photoshop Training Channel, Jesus Ramirez presents a tutorial on three different Photoshop tools you can use to remove anything from a photo.

Whether it's a beach ball or a photobomber or a car, these tools will do the trick!

Remove Objects in Photoshop With Content-Aware Fill

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

In the screenshot above, you can see how the woman on our right has photobombed the picture.

Removing her is actually quite simple if you use Content-Aware Fill.

The first step is to duplicate the layer. Then with the Lasso Tool, freehand a selection around the woman trying to keep it close to her body to preserve as much of the original background as possible, as seen in the screenshot below.

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

The next step is to fill the selection.

To do so, go to Edit > Fill > Content-Aware. Make sure you have the Color Adaptation box selected and press OK.

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

Once you do so, you'll notice that the woman disappears from the shot.

All you need to do is press Command/Control D to deselect the selection, and your photo will be good to go!

Patch Tool

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

Another method by which you can remove unwanted objects from your photos is the patch tool.

In this example, Jesus uses the image above for this tutorial, and we'll learn how to remove the three people from the image.

As above, the first step is to duplicate the layer so you can work on the image non-destructively.

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

Then, select the Patch Tool, which is nested under the Spot Healing Brush.

Also make sure that Normal is selected in the Patch Dropdown Menu at the top of the screen and that Source is selected as well.

Next, using the Patch Tool, you draw a selection around the pixels that you'd like to replace.

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

After that, you need to find a source area that matches the background you'd like to replace the selected pixels.

As shown above, once you do that, you click and drag the selection you've made to the source area. Doing so will give you a preview of what the selected area will look like.

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

As you can see in the final product, the patch tool did a decent job of eliminating the unwanted people from the shot.

It's not perfect, but with some fine-tuning, it could be!

Advanced Photoshop Method for Removing Objects

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

What happens if you have a more complicated object to remove, like the SUV in the image above?

In that case, you have to use a process that's a little more complex, but generates excellent results.

Again, the first step is to duplicate the background of the original image, only this time you need to duplicate it twice.

Doing so allows you to create a top-most layer for the model and one under that for the background.

Working with the model layer, use the Quick Selection Tool to select the model. Once the selection is perfected, create a layer mask.

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

Next, you need to create a layer that only includes the background.

To do so, use the model layer mask. First, Command/Control Click on the layer mask to load the selection.

Then, select the background layer. Once it's selected, go to Select > Modify > Expand, which will make the model layer mask larger. As you can see below, the selected area has now expanded beyond the border of the model.

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

With the background selected, press Shift + Backspace to open the Fill window.

Then select Content-Aware and be sure that the Color Adaptation box is selected. Press OK.

YouTube Screenshot/Photoshop Training Channel

Photoshop will work its magic, and as you can see above, it will remove the model from the background layer.

Upon closer inspection, you can see that it hasn't done a perfect job, but that's not a problem because the next step will build a new image on this background.

As you can see in the screenshot above, we'll need to duplicate the wall, windows, and columns behind the car to take the car's place in the photo.

That process is fairly complicated and involves a number of steps, so it's best to go to the 10-minute mark in the video to see Jesus in action to complete this step.

Remember, the Content-Aware and Patch Tool are both excellent means of removing less complicated objects from your photos, and will likely be all that you need for most situations.

With these photoshop editing tips, you should be able to tackle just about any problem that requires you to remove objects in Photoshop!

Article By:- Photographytalk.com

How to Protect Your Camera Gear When Shooting Outdoors

If you've ever taken photos in the rain, the wind, or the snow, you know how difficult it can be to protect your camera gear.

Likewise, if you've worked in crowded spaces (like an outdoor wedding) or spent the day scrambling up and down rocky trails, you understand the worry of having your expensive gear protected from potential accidents.

There are many dangers out there for your gear, but that doesn't mean you can't take measures to keep your pricey investments from getting damaged.

In this quick guide, I offer up a few tips for how you can do just that.

Invest in a Good Camera Bag

It never ceases to amaze me that someone will drop several thousand dollars on a great camera and a couple of lenses, and then carry them around in a cheap, flimsy bag.

A great way to ruin your gear is by having it clanking around in the bottom of your old, ratty backpack!

If you want the most camera protection and lens protection when you're on outdoor shoots, it's imperative that you invest in a dedicated camera bag that was designed from scratch to protect its contents.

That means getting a bag that has compartments for your camera, lenses, and other accessories, like the one shown above and below.

That also means having a bag that's got padding and bumpers that protect your gear from the inevitable bump and bruise along the way.

But a good camera bag isn't just about compartmentalizing and padding your gear.

Instead, you want a bag that keeps the elements out, like the Holdfast Fundy Streetwise Bag.

Not only does this thing have a weather-resistant waxed canvas exterior, but it also has a sheepskin-lined interior.

That sheepskin offers your gear the finest in organic padding while also being weather and flame resistant.

If two layers of weather protection doesn't keep your gear safe, I don't know what will!

If Your Gear Gets Wet, Let It Dry

I've been out shooting on my fair share of wet days, and even though I have weather-sealed cameras, I never pack them up without them drying first.

Moisture is one of the worst things for camera gear, and the last thing you want to do is put your wet camera body and lenses in a bag and close the lid tightly. The humidity inside the bag will be ripe for creating problems with your camera's sensor, mirror, and your lenses.

So, before you pack up your gear, use a dry cloth to get them as dry as possible.

Also have some silica packs (those things that come with new shoes) to help suck any remaining moisture out of the bag.

Then, when you get home, pull everything out and let it dry even more.

If It's Cold Out, Don't Warm Up Your Camera

Another way that moisture can damage your camera is through condensation.

A primary means of condensation forming in your gear is when the camera or lens is room temperature and you head out for a photoshoot in the cold.

It can also happen when you bring a cold camera or lens inside to a warm environment without any time to acclimate.

That means that if you're shooting a wintery landscape, don't put your camera under your coat to warm it up. All that will do is make condensation more likely.

Likewise, when you wrap up your outdoor shoot in cold weather, don't just bring your camera in and set it next to the fire.

Instead, put your camera and lenses in air-tight bags, like Ziplocs, and let them acclimate to the interior temperature before you pull them out of the bags. The bags will prevent condensation from forming during that warm-up period.

Avoid Changing Lenses in the Wind

Another primary enemy of well-functioning photography gear is dust, dirt, and grit.

Though it's not possible to avoid those things finding their way onto your lens and into your camera, you can minimize the opportunities they have to do so.

One of the best things you can do to protect your gear when shooting outdoors is to avoid making lens changes, or at least minimize the number of lens changes you make.

Since the wind kicks up dust and dirt, that means there's even more particles in the air that can interfere with your gear, thus the reason why minimizing lens changes is a good plan.

If you absolutely have to swap lenses, find shelter of some kind - a tent, your car, or even a plastic trash bag - to minimize dust and dirt as much as possible.

These tips for camera and lens protection are all pretty basic common sense, but sometimes, that's precisely the kind of tips that have the most impact.

Article By:- Photographytalk.com