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How to Switch Lenses on Your Camera

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Photo by Andrew Magill (used under the CC-Attr license)
In a previous post, I talked about the importance of being careful when switching your camera lenses, in order to avoid dust from gathering on your camera’s sensor. But I didn’t elaborate much on how to switch your lenses, so here’s my method for switching camera lenses:

  1. Put your camera on a flat surface, so that the lens is pointing straight up
  2. Unlock the lens on your camera body, and turn the lens just a little bit so you can let go of the lens and it remains unlocked (but it’s still resting on the camera body)
  3. Remove the cap on the bottom of the new lens you want on your camera
  4. Hold the new lens in your right hand, and twist off the lens on your camera with your left hand
  5. Quickly mount the new lens with your right hand and lock it onto the camera
  6. Put the cap on the bottom of the old lens

[Read more…] about How to Switch Lenses on Your Camera

Total Lunar Eclipse This Saturday

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Photo by Jiyang Chen
Photo by Jiyang Chen (used under the CC-Attr-SA license)
This Saturday, December 10th, there will be a total eclipse of the Moon, visible from western North America, and much of Asia and Australia. To see it in the western US, you’ll have to wake up pretty early (about 4:45 AM PST if you want to see the entire show), but it’s well worth it.

In a total eclipse, the Moon turns bright red (due to the way the light from the Sun is scattered as it passes through our atmosphere), and it’s truly a beautiful site. In fact, it was a lunar eclipse that originally inspired me to get a digital SLR 🙂

If you’re interested in photographing the eclipse, check out this great blog post by Michael Frye. He offers some good tips, especially about exposure. [Read more…] about Total Lunar Eclipse This Saturday

Evolution of a Nature Photograph

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Fringed Gentian / Photo by Vic Berardi
Fringed Gentian / Photo by Vic Berardi
Sometimes when you come across a subject, you immediately know how to photograph it and create a pleasing image. But, other times (and perhaps, most of the time), it takes some thought and experimenting to find that image you’re looking for. You start off with a basic shot, and continue tweaking or evolving it, until you eventually obtain that image you set out to create.

For example, one day earlier this fall, I set out to photograph one of my favorite fall wildflowers: the Fringed Gentian (Gentiana crinita). They’re generally found in open areas next to higher quality wetlands, and usually grow in clumps of a hundred or more flowering plants.

Photographing them can be challenging since their habit of growing in clumps can make it hard to isolate one or a few of them in an image. Nevertheless, the Fringed Gentian is a beautifully delicate wildflower that deserves the very best attention in depicting that very beauty and fragility. [Read more…] about Evolution of a Nature Photograph

Why You Shouldn’t Rely on Auto White Balance

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Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi
Don’t you love it when something is “automatic”? It’s just one less thing to worry about, right?

Well, as you probably already know, “automatic” doesn’t always work (especially when it comes to cameras). But, that’s what makes photography so fun 🙂

One of those automatic features of your camera that doesn’t always work is white balance.

[Read more…] about Why You Shouldn’t Rely on Auto White Balance

Panheads Vs Ballheads

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When you’re shopping for a tripod, one of the decisions you’ll have to make is whether to get a panhead or a ballhead. But, what’s the difference? Which one’s better?

Well, here’s a quick summary of each type of head, along with some thoughts on which one you might prefer: [Read more…] about Panheads Vs Ballheads

Be Careful Where You Buy Your Camera Gear

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Photo by Martin Taylor
Photo by Martin Taylor
Photography is an expensive hobby. So, it’s always tempting to look for the lowest price on some new gear you need.

But, unfortunately, there’s a lot of counterfeit gear out there and many retailers mislabel items on their website. So, it’s important to use a little caution when shopping for new gear.

For example, a few months ago, photographer Lee Morris (from the great blog, F-Stoppers) purchased a Nikon MB-D11 battery grip on Amazon for $216. It turned out to be a fake (even though “Nikon” was written all over it), that normally sells for about $40.

There’s also a lot of unauthorized retailers out there that usually have attractively low prices, but many of them will end up shipping you fake stuff (if they even ship you anything at all).

So, who can you trust? [Read more…] about Be Careful Where You Buy Your Camera Gear