Been working on a few projects over the holiday season! And also been given a little time to think about is there something that I can give my followers as a thank you for all their kind support.
So I come up with a few ideas one of which has gone live on my ko-fi page..
I have created a kind of cinematic landscape photography cheat sheet. It’s free or if you like to it give the option of leaving a donation of you choosing. But it is free if you want it for free. You just have to leave a few details and click download. Details are just so that I know people are downloading. You won’t be pestered by 101 emails from me.
The sheet is printable please don’t print to give away just send anyone you think would be interested this page link and tell them to download it.
It helps me know I’m helping others and also lets me know if I doing something right 😉
So without further ado! Here is the link!
Click this image to be taken to our ko-fi download page.
Having been a photographer for over 20+ years I’ve had the pleasure to use a mix of lenses, bodies, brands.
I’ve seen people pixel peeping and making sure that their images are so sharp, that you could almost cut yourself!
Brands are bringing out bigger, brighter, and better bodies almost monthly in a bid to be ‘brand of the year’ and with those brands comes megapixel perfection! 24mp, 40mp and some even 100mp plus.
Lenses have become increasingly clearer, with better and better glass including Zeiss, Sony G master, Sigma Art, Canon Rf, there are so many it’s hard to name them all and to keep up!
With that, comes the cost! The price of quality comes at a premium. And sometimes that’s where those starting out differ from those who are well established and possibly have a bank balance to burn.
Media shows us that the best images/video make the cut!To stand out you need to have 4/8k video or 100mp images with perfect colours, the right depth of field and beautiful bokeh!
But do we need this ! The tools help us create higher quality content but depending on what you’re doing with the output image it’s not the best all and end all!
I’m not done here but, Whats your opinion? Leave a comment
The last few weeks I’ve been sharing images to a number of media outlets! Including and not limited to printed products, social platforms, websites and even local news papers.
All of which have been images taken using all different brands/quality of body and or lens variations. I’ve had amazing feedback on the images with people sharing them, comments left, right and centre, and over the last 4 months seen images picked for publication without any question of … what camera brand, lens, pixelamount those images were taken with.
This has lead me to question whether we need the best of the best and do we need to buy the latest version of our chosen brands, because something new has been added to the latest version.
So last week I set myself a challenge! Get published with low quality gear!
Now I shoot with two brands Sony and Nikon, I have two cameras of each brand! Not going to be specific with models. Or details. But I set myself some basic rules that the lens choice had to stick to;
Priced under £100.
Had to be second hand.
Needed to be multi use. (Landscape / macro / zoometc)
Had to fit kit I owned.
Didn’t need to be brand specific. (Like Nikon for Nikon or Sony for Sony)
So I popped to the local camera shops with the mind set of getting a telephoto lens, that possibly has macro brand of Sigma or Tamron.
It didn’t take long to find the candidate! the Tamron 70-300 macro lens,
For starters, it seems like it has a lot going for it. It’s both telephoto and macroand looking in the window of the local Camera World. It’s under £100 by £5 and walking past Cex I see it for even less £85 well it’s looking more and more appealing. But times run away and blooming shop was shut! So guess it’s not meant to be!
But now I have an idea of what I’m looking for– Time to head home!
With the shops shut what will any tech guy do ! Yes head to the big World Wide Web! And the trusty MPB. For those that don’t know about MPB. They are a fantastic online company buying and selling all things photography. I’ve used them many times for lenses and bodies, so it will always be my next stop if local shops don’t have what I’m wanting.
If you want to save money, stick around for a link to saving £20 on any new purchase. At MPB.com
Back to searching! So a few clicks later and it’s on screen, there was three available for sale second hand and it didn’t come as a shock but the price was OVER half the cost of camera world and CEX
I didn’t waste time! Clicked the buy button and sorted out the details and just two days later there it was on the door step! Now ! You can see that this one is classed as GOOD condition.. and for the sum of £41 can’t really ask for much more ! Personally I think the rating was a little low! Opening the box of this very well wrapped up product soon showed me it was great condition! And like always ! I couldn’t wait to try it ! So with my trusted model I snapped the first shots …
Model Marlie ! Low window light ..
Setting F7.1 – 1/1600s – iso 400 @ 202mm
Okay first off this lens isn’t fantastic ! But again what more could you ask for from a lens that’s not brand new, that’s been out years, possibly been used a lot. Though the look of the lens seems like it’s been in a bag and not used for a while.. but on testing showed its self to be pretty sharp, focused after a couple of clicks and focus motor wasn’t too loud either !
TOUCH WOOD ! ALL GOOD! So far
Now to get some pictures and see if I can get published 🙂
The next day came and I thought I would head to town to get some local shop / location pictures
These are the pictures I captured.
Again these images are not perfect, but pretty clear and the best I could get at 70mm. Now to post them to the pages that could potentially take my images and make publications out of 1 or more!
A week later looks what happened! Here is one of the images in the local news paper.
It’s not perfect but it’s still a publication.. and I still haven’t really used the lens to its full potential. Yet..
This shows that any quality of lens and camera body has the potential. You don’t need the all singing all dancing gear ..
Don’t get me wrong having the best gear will make things a little easier or even have a better quality overall but this shows it’s not all about spending £1000’s on gear … you can do it on a budget if need be …
Maybe it’s all in the eye of the photographer and his editing skills 😉
Watch this space for more on this lens and using low quality lenses to get published and paid work !
Get £20 off for your first purchase at MPB. By clicking the link below! This is a promotion and I believe a limited time offer! If asked use code Adrian Day at checkout.
This video is a short three minute video showing three ways you can make your subject stand out in lightroom.
These simple editing tips will quickly have you editing in a new way and is so simple it takes just seconds to create .. and get great results!
So
What do you have to lose. Click the image below to get taken to our YouTube channel to see this cool and interesting way of making your subject stand out!
Hope to see you there! If you like it please give us a subscribe and maybe if you have time a like and comment 🙂 we love a good chat !
Okay I will stop now check it out in the link below 🙂 have a great day !
Hey guys and girls another short and simple post just to let my followers know that there is a new video live on my YouTube channel .. just lick on the link /image below to go see it ..
Trust me if you’re a new photographer you’re not going to want to miss this trick!
Hey guys and girls short post tonight asking for your support and kindness over on my new tiktok page!
Would really appreciate it if you have tiktok that you pop over and show some support. By watching sharing liking my new video.. linked below (click the image)
Photography is an art form that has evolved over time with the advancement of technology. One of the essential aspects of photography is ISO, which determines the sensitivity of the camera’s sensor to light. ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization, which sets the standard for sensitivity ratings in photography.
In this short post we will discuss what ISO is and how it works and categorize it into three categories: basic, in-depth, and advanced understanding.
Firstly three images .. starting from 100 in picture one 3200 in picture 2 and 6400 in picture three. to see the way images have less detail and also more noise the higher the ISO
Image 1 shot at ISO 100 – Nikon 7200Image 2 shot at ISO 3200 – Nikon 7200Image 3 shot at ISO 6400 Nikon 7200
Basic understanding of ISO:
ISO is a measure of the camera’s sensitivity to light. The lower the ISO number, the less sensitive the camera is to light, and the higher the number, the more sensitive it is. In simple terms, ISO determines how bright or dark an image will appear. For instance, a low ISO number of 100 will produce a darker image, while a higher ISO number of 800 will produce a brighter image.
In-depth understanding of ISO:
ISO is one of the three essential elements of exposure, along with aperture and shutter speed. Aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that allows light to enter, while shutter speed is the duration of time the shutter remains open. ISO plays a vital role in exposure because it allows the photographer to adjust the camera’s sensitivity to light to achieve the desired exposure.
A low ISO setting is ideal for shooting in bright conditions, such as outdoors on a sunny day. On the other hand, a high ISO setting is suitable for shooting in low light conditions, such as indoors or at night. However, a high ISO setting can introduce digital noise or graininess to an image, which can result in a loss of detail and clarity. It’s essential to strike a balance between the ISO setting, aperture, and shutter speed to achieve the best exposure and image quality.
Advanced understanding of ISO:
In addition to its role in exposure, ISO can also affect the overall mood and style of an image. A low ISO setting can produce a sharper and cleaner image with less noise, while a high ISO setting can create a grainy or gritty look, which can be desirable in certain types of photography, such as street or documentary photography.
Another advanced technique is ISO bracketing, which involves taking multiple shots of the same scene with different ISO settings. This technique is useful for capturing images in unpredictable lighting conditions, such as during a sunset or sunrise, where the light changes quickly. By taking multiple shots at different ISO settings, the photographer can choose the best exposure and eliminate any unwanted noise or graininess.
In conclusion, ISO is an essential aspect of photography that determines the camera’s sensitivity to light. It plays a vital role in exposure, image quality, and overall style and mood of an image. Understanding the basic, in-depth, and advanced aspects of ISO can help photographers make informed decisions when setting up their camera and capturing their vision.
This is part of basic learning with photography. There are more technical details to iso but I don’t want these posts to resemble a ikea instruction manual lol! And more make it a simple understandable read.
This is My Ten simple tips to create beautiful lighting that flatters for professional photos or perfect selfies
1: Use natural light whenever possible. Natural light is often the most flattering and easiest to work with. Putting your subject in the right place at the right time of day with natural light can be the softest lighting to work with, and most effective.
All natural overcast day light
2: Experiment with different times of day. The quality of light can change significantly depending on the time of day, so try shooting at different times to see what works best for you or your subject.
3: Use reflectors or a white card to bounce light back onto the subject. This can help fill in shadows and add dimension to the subject. Bring out a glow to the eyes and under the chin to make an image more appealing to the eye.
4: Experiment with different light sources. In addition to natural light, you can also use artificial light sources such as studio strobes or continuous lights. Even a simple ring light can be a creative tool or a small video light will add a pop to your pictures.
5: Pay attention to the direction of the light. Light that is coming from the side or from behind the subject can create a more dramatic effect, sometimes a bright light from behind will result in a more silhouetted looking image.
Natural light with a reflector to reduce shadows and add a catch light to the eyes
6: Use diffusers to soften the light. This can help reduce harsh shadows and make the light more flattering to the subject. A simple white sheet over a window will give a soft touch to any image.
7: Avoid shooting directly into the sun. This can create harsh shadows and cause lens flare and in turn make the images soft with less contrast. Though this rule isn’t always bad. It can also be creative if used in the correct environment .
Bright side light from back lighting in mid day sun
8: Use negative fill to create shadows. By placing a dark object near the subject, you can create shadows and add depth to the image. If you have a very light room from natural light through a window or a white bedroom this idea will be great, even a dark sheet/ blind or black card will reduce some light giving more depth to a subject.
9: Experiment with different apertures. Aperture controls the amount of light that enters the camera, as well as the depth of field. This can be found on all manual settings in camera or on smartphones. This is perfect to add a little creative look when using a low F number ..
10: Keep an eye on the colour temperature of the light. Different light sources can cast different color temperatures, which can affect the overall mood of the image. Use a colour checker or white balance tools to help ensure accurate colour. For instance house lighting and sunlight can produce a warm tone to an image.. where a window lit by indirect light or even a snow scene will have a cooler more white look..
Please remember that these are my personal tips, we all have our own ideas. There’s nothing wrong with using a bunch of the above methods and then in your preferred editing software creating something much more refined or dramatic.
Let me know what you try and how it works out for you.
This weeks ‘More Info Monday‘ is about the shot I took last week (Friday 15th October) free reference card download with this post
Back story!
While I was taking a well earned break from writing new scripts for the New YouTube Channel
I was sitting in the bay window, Drinking a very hot coffee and munching on custard creams ! While watching the better half outside filling up the bird feeder .. on her new bird table,
Now if you’re a photographer like me this sparked the mind into capture mode. See I’ve taken a few weeks away from people photography.. ! So I’m missing the thrill of the shutter .. I thought ‘Let’s try and capture a starling’
Now you’re probably like most people and asking why a starling! There’s so many other birds like robins and blue tits ..
Well I love looking at starlings, there’s something about their plumage this time of year thats just beautiful! Now when I post the images below I hope that you will see what I’m getting at! . Also to me everyone seems to neglect the starling family and always head right for the money shot with a robin .. it’s too normal for me 😉
Main story
So I headed to the camera bag unzipped it and took out the camera of choice the Nikon D7200.
Again I bet there’s a question 🙋♂️ why the D7200 and not your Sony gear! The answer is simple .. the Nikon D7200 is a 24 mp Crop sensor not a full frame 24pm like the Sony bodies I have .. see the way I see it is I’m pretty close to the bird table and with the crop multiplying the lens choice by 1.5 ish this will give me a nice close up shot. while still being in a warm house with my coffee ! (Can’t forget the Coffee! )
Now lens choice was questioned as I do have a bunch of lenses for the Nikon one being the sigma contemporary 150-600mm but being close to the table I thought better of it and decided let’s use the 55-300mm Nikon lens, remember this on the D7200 is equivalent to 83 – 450mm due to the crop!
Perfect ! All set..
.. so once the good lady come back into the house I perched myself by the window (pardon the pun ‘perched’ ) did I mention that’s where the coffee was 😉 I opened the window and waited !
And waited …..
I could see and hear the birds but they wasn’t coming to the feeder because I was to close .. I could see them on the roof opposite my upstairs window ! New plan leave the comfort of the bay window and head for the bedroom window ..
New plan of action.
See when I was in the bay window there was a close wall as a backdrop the setting I would have used would have been pretty simple .. ISO 100 f6.3 and at least 1/250 as these bird would be standing pretty still .. and maybe I could get some wing movements .
Now I’m up in the bedroom I have a different backdrop .. the birds are on the roof and tv aerial so I have sky to deal with .. I want detail in the blue sky.. so I need to find a good balance between bird detail and sky brightness. First test shot I started with was iso ..
ISO. Native 100 to get the best for low noise .. I wanted a lot of light coming in so the widest aperture of the lens F 5.6 was best I could do.
Now this time the birds are moving a lot so needed a faster shutter speed and there was clouds so didn’t want to blow them out wanted some detail. So shutter speed 1/1000 I snapped a few shots and no detail in the birds and dark sky
I forgot to mention this is 5:30 ish pm evening setting in .. but still some sun behind the clouds . Giving lovely soft but bright light ..
A few winds later the shutter speed was set to 1/640s looked out the window and realised every starling was gone!
All but one ! The one you will see pictures shortly! He / she was stunning ! Beautiful colours .. deep black tone and speckles on it’s under belly.. I couldnt ask for a better looking starling .. though it was perched on the tv aerial it did look great with cloud and blue back drop.. but the distance was about 5 metres away could be a little far for perfect detail knowing this lens .
I pointed my camera at the sky a quick test shot and sky perfect lots of detail and perfect white clouds
Now’s my chance bird still alone .. I pointed the camera at the starling zoomed the lens to best fill the frame … focused and started reeling off shot ! About twenty total .. now I’ve worked with models but this bird was such a poser ! 😉 head up head down tilt to the side even a one leg pose !
I got a little carried away and,
Forgetting I didn’t take into account the bird deep tones before reeling off the shots I quickly pressed the review button and to my surprise pretty much perfect ! Just a tad under exposed on the bird but lovely detail, lovely tones and nothing a little post production couldn’t fix !
So in post all these images had done to them was. Simple adjustments in lightroom .. my normal
Shadow lifted , highlights dropped, detail clarity vibrance +10 and a little tone curve adjustment ..
Now this is the finished product .. well five images .. I’ve also done a card with shot details on that if you’re on a phone you can screenshot so that you have it so that you can try the settings to capture a few starling shots of your own..
If you do please tag me in the images on Instagram be great to see what you managed to get and how you got on..
Also if you liked this post and want to see /read more of how I got the shot.. settings so on.. please follow the blog I would love to have you along on my journey.. and more will be coming in the future like presets and review /news
Okay here’s the pictures and under that the card download file for reference.. let me know what you think !
Now you all know I’m first and foremost a photographer .. a portrait and boudoir photographer predominately.. but over the last year I’ve been taking time out to gain skills in landscape and nature photography..
Also having won a number of competition with my landscape work I feel I’m doing pretty well! Like having my work shown at the fujifilm print life stand at the Birmingham photography show.
Fujifilm print life stand !
Now I know I’ve been doing short posts and running this is because I’ve been doing so many things I’ve not had time to do deep messages and long posts!
Well I’ve just started to add to that! Even more!
With a new section to my website and my Adrian Day YouTube channel this is going to be where I post tips, tricks and reviews of photography products and ideas to help all you guys and girls become better photographers and to enjoy the craft and the creative side of the industry.
But before I start posting videos and blog posts about this I would love to hear from others as to what you would like to see! .. I know what I look for but that’s me ! I don’t just want to post what I want to know .. I want to post at the needs of others !
See this could be anything for creative tips like using a prism or coloured lighting. Or it could be what I suggest to be the best lens for portraits or landscapes
It could be that you want to know about editing and how I edit my images using Adobe Lightroom or photoshop.. and what you want to learn specifically like colour toning or black and white conversion
Maybe you only have your phone to take pictures and that’s a perfectly great option as they say “the best camera is the one you have with you!” and want to know the best apps I use to edit the questions are endless!
But please feel free to comment below with your questions and I will write them all down and create future posts to answer your questions !
Also coming soon to help users of lightroom I’m going to start putting together downloadable products Things like brushes for photoshop and presets and Lut’s for both Lightroom and photoshop
These will be priced at silly prices ! So anyone can obtain them on the smallest of budgets to help them grow and learn faster! I currently have over 50 presets from colour to black and white! Ready to go! Just sorting out the website over the next few weeks to make them downloadable for you all!
There is so much more to come ! So if you have read this far please hit the follow button so that you can be notified when I post.. and as I say please leave a comment below if you find this page helpful and have a question you want answering!
Once again thank you everyone for your support and sticking with me over covid months ! It’s much appreciated!
BTW WHEN LEAVING A COMMENT .. YOU DONT NEED TO ADD EMAIL ADDRESS OR OTHER DETAILS BUT PLEASE LEAVE A NAME SO I CAN RELATE THE POST BACK TO YOUR QUESTION.. .. BUT PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BE GREAT TO CONNECT TO YOU ALL!
Adrian Day Photography 
