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Archive for May, 2013

Photography Tips: Choosing Your Camera

Photography Tips, Choosing Your Camera

When choosing a camera, you can often get lost (or told some porkies!) about certain features of a camera. I’m by no means an expert but I think that sometimes, unless you really want to be a professional photographer, tips from an expert can be overwhelming! Here’s a few basics I found out when I was shopping for my DSLR.

Optical zoom vs digital zoom // When choosing a camera, optical zoom is the important factor.
Optical zoom is a function within your camera that basically draws the image closer allowing you to take a better quality image from further away. When you zoom in and/or crop your image on the computer, the image will still be a high quality.
Optical zoom is measured like 2x, 4x, 8x and the higher the number, the better the optical zoom.
Digital zoom is not really a zoom function. It basically takes a section of the image and makes it fill the screen. So if you take a smaller area of the photograph and make it larger it will become more pixelated and/or blurred and therefore not a good quality photograph.

Moon, Sky, Clouds, Night

Megapixels // The more pixels there are doesn’t necessarily mean the camera is better.
Pixels are mainly important if you want to print your photos. If you are using your images digitally on a website (say, for selling on Etsy or uploading to your blog) then you don’t need to go spending loads of money on the most pixels you can get your hands on.
The more megapixels there are actually increases the image file size so if you do have unnecessary megapixels, then you will be clogging up your memory card and computer with huge files that you don’t need.
10 megapixels is plenty for website photography and even my DSLR camera only has 10 megapixels, however make sure you have at least 4 or 5 megapixels.

Spring, Summer, Magic Hour, Redhead, Red Hair

Memory cards // Don’t get ripped off when buying a memory card. Even if a sales assistant is “doing you a deal” a shop will likely be charging more than online. Everyone has a smartphone to hand these days, so just take a moment and check online for memory card prices before your purchase in store.
My card is a huge 8GB and I bought it from Amazon for £9.99 with free delivery (the same one is now £5.50!!). This is more space that you will ever need and with my huge DSLR files I can take well over 1000 photographs.

Live view // This is seeing the photography subject on the large screen while taking the photo vs the old fashioned viewfinder. My camera doesn’t have live view so I have to use the eye piece to take my pictures and honestly? I don’t miss it at all. The model up from mine had live view for an additional £1oo+ and I didn’t want to go over budget for it. Completely a personal preference, but I think it stops me from being lazy with my photography.

Dog, Pet, Cute, Puppy, Play, Toy

Read reviews // Amazon is fantastic for reviews, even if you aren’t buying your camera from there, check out the reviews for the product. There’s nothing quite like real people like you telling you the pros and cons!

See them in the flesh // Go to a physical store and pick one up, get the feel of it; How heavy it is, how big the buttons are. Does it feel like plastic, will you break it easily? Etc. You don’t have to buy the camera from the shop, just tell the assistant you need to think about it and don’t have the money with you today.

Go with your gut // When I was buying my DSLR the majority of people told me to go with Canon vs Nikon. After doing a lot of research, my gut still told me to choose the Nikon model I’d been eyeing up and I am so glad I did! I just love the feel of the Nikon cameras and lenses.

Ladybird, Nature, Tree

Pay for insurance // Now I’m not saying you should pay hundreds of pounds for an additional policy, absolutely not(!), but places like Currys do insurance for about £3 a month and sometimes it covers ‘accidental damage’ for those droppers in the group. Make sure you read the details very clearly before paying it out, but if it’s affordable then go for it!

I hope some of these tips are helpful to you! Don’t feel overwhelmed and remember – Google is your friend! If you’re unsure on any features, just give it a Google :) Loves x xx

posted by onetenzeroseven in Photography and have Comments (3)

Take Care Of Yourself

Blossom, Nature, Spring

Forgive my absence this weekend, on Friday evening I damaged my back muscle, couldn’t move and ended up in an ambulance to hospital. Whoopsie.
As well as posting you guys a little update, I also wanted to bring you a friendly warning; Take care of yourself.

For the past few months I’ve had back pain in the same area at the small of my back. I’ve treated it with heat but little, if any, rest.
I work too hard, I spend my evenings sitting on a broken sofa or curled up on the floor making jewellery. I carry heavy boxes at work and I never ask for help as “just because I’m a woman doesn’t make me weak“. Hmm. This resulted in me going to hospital, missing my friend’s wedding and not being able to pull up my own damn underwear after visiting the bathroom. Now who’s weak?

I’ve improved a lot since Friday and I can now get around the house on my own, up and down the stairs and carry things; The only thing I’m still struggling with is bending over so I’m going to be OK, but I have to make some changes. I need to equip myself with a better seat and workspace. This all costs money and time and effort, but you can’t put a price on your health.

If you’re cutting corners or putting something off, you need to make changes too. You are important, don’t forget that.

Regular posting shall now resume, all being well! Loves x xx

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posted by onetenzeroseven in Photography,Uncategorized and have Comments (12)