My Weekend with a Canon 1Ds MkII

Last weekend got off to a great start with a cheeky text. A friend had told me they could borrow a Canon 1Ds MkII Digital SLR from work and of course I jumped on this chance. After all, the Canon 1Ds mkII is one of the best Digital SLR Cameras on the market and it came complete with a Canon EF 50mm macro lens and a Canon EF 45mm Tilt Shift Lens. To those who are now puzzled a macro lens lets you get really close to little things, like bugs, while a tilt shift lens gives you a chance to get creative (or blurry depending who is giving you an opinion).


Also the timing couldn't have been better, with sunny blue skies meaning optimal photography conditions for hard contrasts and a chance to really capture some bright nature photographs. Of course, it wouldn't have been fair to leave my trusty Sansung GX10 at home (after all, not many Digital Cameras in that price range have the same features and quality), so I filled my camera bag with lenses and started outside. Driving out to the country I've never really looked at my surroundings in detail, so being on foot I took my time and eventually came to a small footpath which lead to a public bridalway. The views were fantastic, being able to see right over towards Leeds, and the hedgerows and plantlife meant the butterflies and other insects were out in full force. I excitedly prepared for my fist ever true macro shot.......a beautiful red emporer had settled just in front of me, almost as if posing for the camera....light meter....check...focus....check...press the shutter and.....it's gone.
Maybe next time.

Photography in the Summer time - Child portraits with a difference.

Yesterday saw the start of a weeks visit from my sister in law (also a keen photographer) and her 5 year old son. Other than the extra-early wake up calls I’m quite looking forward to spending some time with them. Children and family portraits are a great way to use your digital camera in ways that get the most out of your environment, not just the image quality. Show a roomful of doting parents two photographs of their child, one while they frown with hi-def clarity and artistic lighting, the other snapped on a camera phone, where the child is beaming at the lens, and I would be willing to gamble a quality macro lens they would choose the camera phone.
That’s not to say that all child portraits should be snapshots with little effort, and the British summertime is great for getting vibrant, full of life, shots that really make the child come to life and add that extra depth to an image. Take them to a park or a nearby bridleway while the sun is shining and a little lens flare can help to make the image a little more interesting. Disobey the rules and face towards the sun while your subjects run around and the resulting silhouettes can capture the magic of moving and playing.

A child’s natural curiosity and desire to learn as they play means the expressions they pull will be priceless. Imagine capturing the first time they see a butterfly, or that guilty, cheeky smile as they run up to give you a mud-covered hug! Kids aren’t afraid to get dirty, touch strange insects or explore under rocks, and this is when their personality could really start to shine.
Another favourite of mine is quite simple. Lie down with your camera! Too many people stand up, point their digital camera at a downward angle and click. Bringing the lens down to a child’s eye level can really add depth to an image and will help you frame that smiling face without a sunhat blocking the way.

If you’re lucky enough to have a digital SLR then don’t be afraid to play with the settings. Over exposing pictures isn’t always the best thing to do but tweaking the aperture to allow in that extra bit of light can really emphasise contrast and make your photos that little bit different.
Of course not every day is perfect, but summer sun can break through rainy clouds to provide some great backgrounds if you want to put a little more time into a child portrait. Site them on a windowsill and capture a reflection with the sun streaking through, or while raindrops are still fresh on the window.

I mentioned earlier that even camera phones can work well in summer, and this is because they’re fun and simple – everything that digital photography should be. On the beach, park or even indoors, the quality may not be as good but summer photos aren’t always about the print, they’re about the memories, and what better way to cheer yourself up in the dreary winter months than seeing the sun shining when you answer a call – all ready for next year’s summer photography fun.

Festival Photography - Free and Easy

I managed to attract a lot of attention last weekend with my Samsung GX10 Digital SLR. Street Festivals are a great way to get some vivid colourful photos and there are always plenty of performers willing to strike a pose .With this in mind I popped along to Leeds Pride with a couple of friends. So why the attention? It seemed that anyone and everyone would take a quick glance at the camera, notice it had a speedlite and lens hood attached and instantly assume I was working as a professional photographer. When I told them the images would go on my blog or a Facebook photo gallery, they still seemed equally as keen to hang around while I sorted my light meter.

Back to the point, festival photography can really boost a portfolio with colour and diversity, not to mention it’s usually free and can be quite fun. Street Performers will often create an interesting image with striking movement, or simply posing, while stall vendors can offer a slice of life digital portrait unlike anything you’d find anywhere else. Of course, there are plenty of opportunities for live music photography (a personal favourite of mine) should the festival feature any open air stages.

Anybody can take a shot from the crowd with a camera phone, but getting into the pit is usually a different story. At local open air festivals you often find little to no security leading up to the local band stages so get creative, crouch down low and start building that rock star image portfolio. If security guards do happen to be blocking any stage access, they are more often than not a emotive bunch and like the stall vendors, another great opportunity for some reportage photography.

Last but not least is the colour. Festivals are more often than not a vibrant source of life and colour, especially in the summer months. With a bright blue sky you get the full effects of strong light bringing the most out of your subjects and depend on your choice of digital compact camera or digital SLR, playing with the manual settings here will really open up the possibilities of what you can achieve with a portfolio of digital pictures. But what if the weather turns? I hear you say. Simple, just use the grey skies to your advantage and try using digital picture editing software with good effects to make a creative piece.

Summer doesn’t last long in Britain so lets make the most of it, and we’d love to see your pictures here on Camera Wars!

Sony Digital SLR brings an affordable contender to the full frame market.

For many the idea of a Full Frame sensor in a digital SLR may seem like common sense, but for anyone who doesn't understand the benefits it's quite simple. A full frame sensor is roughly twice the size as that found in 'lower end' SLRs. If both cameras had the same resolution this means a bigger area for each 'pixel' to capture the light, which in turn means better quality at higher speed settings, for example when shooting in dark locations. Until recently this benefit was only available in the higher end Canon and Nikon Digital SLR cameras, but now Sony has entered the ring with what it hopes will be the new entry standard to full frames. So what are the benefits? To start with, Sony's A900 Digital SLR is cheaper than it's nearest competition (The Canon 5D MkII and the Nikon D700 respectively), and it features the largest resolution in it's class (a whopping 24 Megapixels). However it's a case of quality over quantity in the world of Digital SLR cameras and while the Sony A900 appears to do a fantastic job of keeping up in the features department with built in anti shake and a 5fps burst mode (holding down the shutter will allow you to take five shots a second in succession) a direct comparison in this months Digital Camera Magazine states that it delivers excellent results, however feels "crude and noisy" and rates the Canon 5D Mk II Digital SLR as the better of the three.

In summary, the A900 Sony Digital SLR delivers warm, rich colours and a high resolution, at a great price for those new to the market, however at high speed settings (that some would argue are the whole point of full frame digital SLRs) the Canon and Nikon Cameras appear have the advantage.