Photography

Instagram says photos are dead, what do you think?

The demise of Instagram photos? Not so fast. Photography remains timeless.

Instagram says that photos are dead. But that may be true for Instagram. I don't believe that photos are dead in any way, shape, or form. I think platforms change. We think about Google Plus and how many people that were so involved in that. And then it went away. But photos are still here. So I wouldn't worry too much about the platform. The different platforms are going to change. But photography stills are as rich and beautiful and engaging as ever. So don't worry about the platform. Just keep shooting.

Photos are not dead, just the platforms that display them may change. Keep taking pictures regardless of the platform.

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Instagram may claim that photos are dead, but I disagree. While this statement may hold true for Instagram itself, I firmly believe that photos are far from dead. Platforms come and go, like the example of Google Plus, which had a significant user base but eventually disappeared. However, photography as an art form and means of expression remains vibrant and captivating.

The beauty and engagement that photos offer are timeless. So, rather than worrying about the fate of a specific platform, I encourage photographers to focus on their craft and keep capturing moments through their lens. Photography will continue to thrive regardless of the ever-changing landscape of social media platforms.

What's in your camera bag? A Nikon z-9, versatile lenses, and more!

The question is, what's in your camera bag? I just got back from Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park, which is absolutely beautiful. So with me I brought my favorite camera the Nikon z-9. So this is my primary camera so I like to bring that with me everywhere. On all my trips, a smaller camera that I like to bring with me is easy 30. So this is a smaller more discreet camera. This is great for like, social Gatherings and that kind of thing. So it's also very easy to put in your Your camera bag or a messenger bag, that is a nice alternate camera lenses. My very favorite is the 14 to 24. This is my wide angle lens. So I use this for vast Landscapes and also for a treetop. So it's a lot of uses for a wide-angle lens. I do like the 24 to 70. This is a mid-range Zoom. So I like to use this for. Let's see, I'm going on a hike and I want to bring just one lunch. This is a nice lens to be able to do The cityscape or landscape. I also brought a 100 to 400 millimeter lens, so this is fantastic. It's not too heavy. I can bring this on on short hikes and this is easy to use. I do like that range of 100 to 400 MM. And I do use a teleconverter so as a 2x teleconverter so that works great with that particular lens. So, on this trip, I bought a 50 millimeter lens. So this is a great lens to bring with you pretty much anywhere. We're cityscapes Landscapes, it's a really great lens to use, I used a prism with it in Boulder. So I went down on Pearl Street and shot all this cityscapes lights, and it was all glittery and pretty. So, prism makes it pretty magical. So, that's one of the lenses that I brought with me. I also brought lots of memory cards, so this is from think tank. This is amazing. So, I put all memory cards in this little container. I also like to bring a l bracket, so L bracket keeps my camera, super steady? And of course lots of batteries and lots of microfiber cloth. So that was what was in my camera back on my last trip.

In my camera bag, I brought my Nikon z-9 and a smaller camera, the easy 30. I also brought the 14-24 wide angle lens, the 24-70 mid range zoom lens, the 100-400mm lens with a 2x teleconverter, a 50mm lens, lots of memory cards, a l bracket, and lots of batteries and microfiber cloth.

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In my camera bag, I have my favorite camera, the Nikon Z-9, which is my primary camera that I bring everywhere. I also carry a smaller and more discreet camera, the Easy 30, which is great for social gatherings and easily fits in a camera bag or messenger bag.

As for lenses, my go-to is the 14-24mm wide-angle lens, perfect for capturing vast landscapes and treetop shots. I also have the 24-70mm mid-range zoom lens, which is versatile for hikes and allows me to capture cityscapes and landscapes with just one lens. Additionally, I brought a 100-400mm lens for shorter hikes, and I use a 2x teleconverter with it for added reach.

On this particular trip, I also brought a 50mm lens, which is great for various scenarios like cityscapes and landscapes. I used a prism with it in Boulder to capture magical and glittery cityscape lights.

In terms of accessories, I carry lots of memory cards in a Think Tank container, ensuring I have enough storage. I also have an L bracket to keep my camera steady, plenty of batteries, and microfiber cloths for cleaning.

That's what was in my camera bag on my last trip to Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Mastering Long Exposure Shots: Unleash the Power of Time

How do I set up for a long exposure shot? I absolutely love to work with long, exposures. It's one of my favorite ways to shoot. So the first thing I will do is put my camera on a tripod and I will find my composition and the second thing will be to do an establishing shot. So I have an idea of what I'm shooting. Is everything in the composition correctly and what I also showed her speed and that I'll be using so I do use an app to calculate exposures for me. It's called Dandy time where there's a lot of them out there, but that will take your base, shutter speed, and calculate it. Once you add a filter on there. So this is the 15 stop neutral density filter. So this once you put it on, it's really really hard to see through the camera, but if you increase the iso you could do it. Temporarily however, so 15 stop neutral density, filter camera, has the foundation kit on it. So I use this, it holds two different filters. So, Once I'm all set up to make the shot, I will put the filter right into this lot right here all the way down. So there are many to shoot a long, exposure shot, if I need to or want to, I can place. This is a reverse graduated neutral, density filter. I can also place that in so I will make this make the shot and make sure that the camera is on that. Right? Vibration reduction is off since it's on a tripod. I won't need that feature. I will use a cable I will release to be able to trigger the shutter. So once I determine what my shutter speed will be based on the iso, it will often go into the four to six minute range. So, once the cameras all set up, it will shoot this filter on and make a shot that ends up in the four to six minute realm. So this is how you do it. It's not terribly complicated. It's amazing. What happens over time so that's the most expressive thing about long exposure photography. if you're showing your illustrating what happens over time, in a single image,

To set up for a long exposure shot, put your camera on a tripod, find your composition, use an app to calculate the correct shutter speed with a filter attached, use a cable release to trigger the shutter, and use vibration reduction if necessary. The shutter speed will often be in the 4-6 minute range.

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To set up for a long exposure shot, follow these steps. First, place your camera on a tripod and find your desired composition. Take an establishing shot to ensure everything is framed correctly and note the initial shutter speed.

To calculate the correct exposure, you can use an app like Dandy Time or any other similar app that takes your base shutter speed and factors in the effect of filters. For long exposure shots, you'll need a neutral density filter, such as a 15-stop filter. Attach it to your camera using a filter holder like the foundation kit.

Once you're ready to take the shot, insert the filter into the holder. If desired, you can also use a reverse graduated neutral density filter for additional effects. Ensure that vibration reduction is turned off since the camera is on a tripod.

To trigger the shutter, use a cable release. Determine the appropriate shutter speed based on the ISO settings, which will typically range from four to six minutes for long exposures. With the camera set up and the filter in place, take the shot.

Long exposure photography captures the passage of time in a single image, and it can produce stunning results. It's a relatively straightforward process that allows you to create expressive and captivating photographs.

What are some of the best tips for low light photography?

Mastering Low Light Photography: Tripod, Stabilization, ISO

The best tips for low-light photography. The first tip would be to use a form of stabilization, use a tripod. So tripods come in, many shapes and sizes. But traditional tripod, three-legged tripod is super helpful. In some situations, you can get away with very short tripod as called a platter pod. Basically there's a tripod, head screwed into a flat Mount tripod. That is super helpful for cityscapes and that type of shooting another Consideration, would be to he's a remote release or a cable release that way. As you're pressing the shutter, you're not shaking the camera that will also help. And the last tip I would say, is to check the iso. So, if you're going to be shooting handheld, make sure your ISO matches, your capabilities of hand, holding the camera, otherwise use the tripod, that will give you the sharpest shots.

Use a tripod, remote release or cable release, and check your ISO to ensure sharpness in low-light photography.

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When it comes to low-light photography, here are some of the best tips:

1. Use a form of stabilization, such as a tripod. Traditional tripods with three legs are highly beneficial. In certain situations, a shorter tripod called a platter pod can be used for cityscape photography or similar scenarios.

2. Consider using a remote release or cable release. This allows you to trigger the shutter without physically touching the camera, reducing the risk of camera shake.

3. Pay attention to your ISO settings. If you're shooting handheld, ensure that your ISO is set appropriately for your ability to hold the camera steady. If needed, use a tripod for the sharpest shots.

By following these tips, you can improve your low-light photography and capture clear, well-stabilized images.

Capturing the Unpredictable Beauty: The Allure of Landscapes

What attracted you to landscapes? I would say landscapes because they're vast, they're open, the weather is what it is. You can plan and research, but the weather is always going to be what it is at a particular time. So I always try to make sure I have the right lenses, come on the right time. Maybe it's a blue hour, maybe it's sunrise or sunset, so I'm trying to make the most of a beautiful landscape. The thing about a landscape is that there's no fixer. Somebody can't come in and fix things and make it go along. You just have to work with what you have. I really like that. I think that having a lot of opportunities to work with, maybe it's a long exposure, maybe it is a time lapse, those are all interesting things to work with. Bringing a variety of lenses to be able to tell a story in different ways, that's really attractive to me about shooting a landscape.

I am attracted to Landscapes because of the vast range of opportunities they offer. You have to work with what you have, which is challenging and exciting. You can use things like long exposure and time lapse to tell a story in different ways.

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What attracted me to landscapes? I find landscapes appealing because of their vastness and openness. The weather plays a significant role, and while I can plan and research, it's always unpredictable at a given time. This pushes me to ensure I have the right lenses and be present during the optimal times, such as the blue hour, sunrise, or sunset, to capture the beauty of the landscape.

One aspect I appreciate about landscapes is that there's no fixing or altering the scene. You have to work with what nature presents to you. This challenge excites me. I enjoy exploring different techniques like long exposures or time lapses to create unique visuals. Having the opportunity to tell a story through various lenses adds to the attraction of shooting landscapes.

What is the best apertaure for landscape photography?

Unlocking the Perfect Aperture for Stunning Landscape Photography

What is the best aperture for landscape photography? This answer is always going to vary for landscape photography on generally using a wide-angle lens. And so if I'm shooting something like stars, I may be shooting wide open so that may mean that I'm not narrowing the aperture for any particular purpose other than shooting the Stars, so I can shoot wide open. If I'm shooting seascapes then I might want to narrow the aperture 25.6, that's still very narrow depth of field. But I'm only getting things on the shoreline like the rocky Beach, perhaps and the waves. So those are things that are important to me. So I don't need the depth of field to capture soft clouds in the background or the sky. However, if I'm shooting something that requires more depth of field, maybe there's something in that foreground or middle ground that I might need to narrow the aperture to be able to accommodate that particular scene. So, that's when things change. So I might be shooting at f11 or F-16 that type of thing. Sometimes, it's tapes trying to get more in the foreground and more in the background. So I'll need that wider depth of field, so there isn't a set aperture that's going to work for all landscape photography. So it's not one size fit all, it's a variety of apertures that will best suit your particular landscape photography aperture.

There is no one single aperture that works best for all landscape photography. It depends on the specific scene and what elements are in the foreground, middle ground and background that will determine the best aperture to use.

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The best aperture for landscape photography is not a one-size-fits-all answer. It varies depending on the specific landscape and the desired outcome. When using a wide-angle lens, the aperture choice will differ based on the scene being captured.

For example, when shooting stars, it may be best to shoot wide open, allowing for a larger aperture. This is done to capture the stars without narrowing the aperture for any specific purpose.

On the other hand, when photographing seascapes, narrowing the aperture to around f/8 or f/16 may be preferred. This allows for a narrower depth of field, focusing on specific elements like the rocky beach and waves, without needing to capture soft clouds or the entire sky.

If the scene requires more depth of field, such as when there are foreground or middle ground elements that need to be in focus, narrowing the aperture further to around f/11 or f/16 may be necessary.

In summary, there is no single aperture that works for all landscape photography. It depends on the specific scene and the desired outcome, requiring a variety of aperture choices to best suit each landscape photograph.

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Deborah Sandidge is a professional photographer and Nikon Ambassador specializing in world travel and artistic imagery. As an author and instructor, Deborah encourages others to connect with the fascinating people, beautiful places, and diverse subjects that surround us. 