A nice long list of photography related questions

[Rachelsne]

Ok so as I am trying to learn as much as I can and I keep posting random questions about simple things, I thought I would try and think of all my nooby questions and list them.

I hope by asking these it will help others too, Ill also link to this thread from the FAQ thread.

If one question has been answered but you wasn't to add your 2 cents, please do so

Ok so here goes.

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
e.g 50% of the time when shooting portraits, never, only land scapes, always....

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
e.g for portraits maybe you could never be without your flash, or bird photographers without your tripod...

What has been your best resource for learning ?
(apart from this forum of course)

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
(defined by having a real photography business and earning money from it (part time or full time)

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
I read some where that if you have a lens of 300mm then you should shoot 1/300 is that correct Post a link if you have one...

How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
Assuming they are not on Auto or P, is it because when you take pictures for a long time you look at whats in front of you and you just know what settings you should be using? I seem to be so much slower than other people around me.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
I may add more questions, as I am sure I had more, but now as I come to write them down I cant remember all of them.

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
I have a friend who takes film pictues and she loves long and thin pictures,some pictures look outstanding with unusual crops but is it really practcal as frames would be expensive and hard to come by.

Thank you for helping me with these and :heart:previous questions!:hail::hug::
​

 

[Overread]

Well I will answer what I can:

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?

At the moment I use my tripod for almost every single shot - I am mostly using my sigma lens *see sig* and find that handheld its just too unreliable (especially when at the 200-300mm end). Stick it on to my tripod and suddenly I get much better shots and a better keeper rate.
I have even used it when tracking birds in the sky (once or twice) and I think its a very key part of any kit - especially if you don't have an IS lenses.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.

well barring the camera and the lenses I will have to say my tripod - it makes getting those shots right so much easier even if its more weight to carry

What has been your best resource for learning ?

So far my best "resource" for learning has been the Internet and forums (sorry but its the boring truth). I think the only way to really beat the advice you can find online is with a tutor/mentor. Books are good and are great sources of fixed information and great references, but the Internet gives you that interaction with others.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?

Not a pro = but if you would like to know its been 5 months and a few weeks getting this far

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?

I recall hearing and reading that you should never go below your lenses focal length in speed (say you are shooting at 300mm you should not go below 1/300sec) when hand held. On a tripod, wall, monopod you can go much lower if you choose

How do some people manage to set their camera settings so fast?

I think this is down to several things; firstly knowing your kit and practise with it - the more you do the faster, in time, you will get; secondly I believe many of the high end cameras have more custom button settings - allowing a user to switch settings much quicker

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Get your camera = go out = and play with it as much as you can (note this applies to all cameras, but is mostly a comment aimed at DSLR users - simply because of cost and other such things on SLRs)

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?

Myself at the moment I crop a shot to look its best (as best as I can at least) mostly as I still have a long way to go to getting the shot perfect in camera before editing. I don't worry about frames at the moment as I am not pro with my stuff - were I to move pro though I would recon that staying within certain limits would be very important - you have to consider getting things framed for your client.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
Maybe 5% of the time - probably not often enough. Usually, it's when doing some still life stuff

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
My brain and a sense of visual awareness?

What has been your best resource for learning ?
As it's been quite a while since I started, I'd have to say a whole series of magazines (Creative Camera specifically) and a John Hedgecoe manual

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
When I manage that I'll let you know how long it took

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
Think its the inverse of the focal length. So 50mm = 1/60th, 135mm = 1/125th, 200mm = 1/200th and so on

How do some people manage to set their camera settings so fast?
It's just knowing your camera and using it as often as you can until it's ingrained - I've had my 350D for over 2 years and still need to get the manual out.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Don't believe everything you read on the internet

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?Mostly, because that that's how I've thought about the original framing of the shot. The vast majority of my shots aren't cropped at all. I began in the era where cropping was done in camera

 

[lifeafter2am]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
About 40% of the time I guess. If the subject is being nice and not moving then I will try to get the tripod out so I can focus stack easier.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
Besides camera and lenses, my flash. It would be almost impossible to shoot at higher levels of magnification without it.

What has been your best resource for learning ?
Other people.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
I have made money shooting before, contract type stuff, but never what I would consider a "true" pro.

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
This has already been answered.

How do some people manage to set their camera settings so fast?
Practice, Practice, Practice. I almost always shoot full manual, and know my camera's controls inside and out.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Shoot as much as you can.

 

[Socrates]

1. I rarely use my tripod. More often than not, I can find a somewhat horizontal surface and use my custom-made bean bag.

2. Most important piece of "kit" is gee, I don't know.

3. In the past, I read a lot. Now, I learn through experimentation. Also helps to call Nikon's hot-line occasionally.

4. I'm not a pro. Hell, I'm not even a good amateur!

5. Shutter speed = 1/(150% of focal length) because the 1/(focal length) guideline assumes a 35mm FoV. VR pretty much makes this discussion moot.

6. I don't know the answer with any certainty. I would think that many years of experience help a lot.

7. Don't take any wooden nickels.

 

[Rachelsne]

Thanks for the answers so far, Ive just added another question at the bottom of the list

 

[Jim H]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
Slippery slope. I use it 100% of the time when I know in advance that the situation calls for it.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
I know you were looking for specifics - but for me it is good glass. As to the why - all comes down to opportunities. Indoor wedding without flash, wildlife as the sun is going down, etc.

What has been your best resource for learning ?
Other photographers

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
Such a subjective term. Think there are far to many levels of pro. Let's chat again after I get my M.Photog and Cr.Photog (maybe 5 and 20 years from now)

When using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
You have quoted a textbook answer yourself. My instructor from WAY back always said to double that.
How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
Practice, practice, practice and an excellent understanding of exposure.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Take the shot anyway.

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
Always crop to by 8x10x72dpi for web display.

 

[*Mike*]

Fun thread. )

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
I hardly ever use a tripod. Maybe if I did a different kind of photography... But, IS is my friend. )

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
This is a hard question. Can I cheat a little? A good lens, and a capable flash.

What has been your best resource for learning ?
The willingness, and desire, to find insight, information, and advice wherever possible. Way too many hours on forums. Lots of books. Lots of conversations. Lots of shooting.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
Years. Hard to say how many... The line between hobbyist and pro is blurry.

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
This depends on a few things. Focal length - shorter is more forgiving, subject, individual ability, and IS. A good starting place is 1/focal length. But, that's not a rule by any stretch. Watch your images and see if you need to go faster or can handle slower.

[/I]How do some people manage to set their camera settings so fast?
Lots of practice is a big part of it. Knowing your camera body with your eyes closed. And, the camera itself play a small part. Do you have two control wheels, or just one?

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Personally, it would be more business related than photography - which says something right there. Photography-wise? Pick up an old art text book - and then a bunch more. Look at the old masters.

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
Yep. Almost always... For clients, it's easier to sell. Other times, people aren't used to looking at strange sizes and it throws them.

 

[AndrewG]

1. Tripod. For landscapes and anything indoors requiring long exposures-I never use flash.
2. Kit. Hand-held light meter because an incident light reading will give a more accurate exposure in some situations than a reflected light reading from the meter in the camera.
3. Best resource. Books of photographs by some of the greats; Cartier-Bresson, Steichen, Kertesz etc.
4. Best advice. Buy a fully manual, non-autofocus, non-programmable 35mm film camera, one 50mm f1.8 lens and go out and learn the relationships between aperture and shutter speed, composition and accurate exposure so you don't have the option of fixing a poor picture using digital trickery... THEN, once you know the fundamentals get a DSLR and a computer and use the valuable knowledge you will have gained.

 

[PattiS]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
I never use a tripod.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
I love my 5D and prime lenses (35mm, 50mm, 85mm. 100mm, 135mm).

What has been your best resource for learning ?
early on:
Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson
classes at BetterPhoto.com
more recently:
learning from other professionals at seminars/workshops and in online forums

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
About a year after I decided it was what I wanted to do.

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
I don't follow any hard fast rules, although I do try to keep my shutters over 250ish.

How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
PRACTICE!

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Keep yourself in your photography- ALL of your work should be your personal work.

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
Yes.

 

[Mav]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
e.g 50% of the time when shooting portraits, never, only land scapes, always....

I rarely use a tripod, but for longer exposure sunrise or sunset shots they're a must. Even VR/IS won't help you at expsoures longer than 1s, and in general you want to be at the lowest possible ISO or these types of shots anyways. A lot of this is style dependent though. If you're in a studio or you do portaits a lot you'll be on a tripod all the time, but this isn't my thing.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
e.g for portraits maybe you could never be without your flash, or bird photographers without your tripod...

A good "Mark I Eyeball"! All the gear in the world will not get you great photos unless you have an eye for good shots, and the inspiration to get them. For people shots though, good flash and/or lighting techniques will make a much bigger difference than any fancy lens. And for outdoor and scenic stuff, a good alarm clock! Want to catch that first magical light? You'll need to be up and well on your way to your location while most people are still sleeping. And understanding spouse will help too, when you rudely leave dinner to catch that magical sunset while most people are eating or chatting.

What has been your best resource for learning ?
(apart from this forum of course)

Ken Rockwell's Tech Guide is a great resource for anyone into landscape/scenic type work, and for other stuff as well. It's one of the best sites out there for photography. A lot of the tech stuff isn't brand specific so anybody can benefit, although it's mainly a Nikon oriented site. Ken isn't a serious people/portrait shooter guy though, so for that I've just surfed around some of the forums seeing what other people are able to achieve. NikonCafe is a personal favorite for that, in paticular Lens Lust and the People/Portraiture/Weddings forum.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
(defined by having a real photography business and earning money from it (part time or full time)

N/A here, but in 2 years since I got into DSLRs (had a photographic interest long before that) I'd say I've learned enough to easily do part-time or full-time photography if I wanted to, although I still have a lot to learn. I'm one of those people with the mindset that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know, and the stupider I feel. Not exactly great for confidence, but I've done professional level work and gigs and wouldn't hesitate to do it given the time. Full-time job and a 1yr old at home with my wife working too = very little free time to do anything even on the side.


What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
I read some where that if you have a lens of 300mm then you should shoot 1/300 is that correct Post a link if you have one...

Some people say you need to do 1/450 for 300mm (1.5/1.6x crop factor) but I've never had a problem hand-holding at the traditional 1/focal length rule. I think this was more important in the film days where you needed an extra margin since you couldn't instantly review or delete or retake shots if they were blurred. Take the shot, look at your LCD, and if it's blurry delete and take it over. I can commonly get by with some pretty stupidly slow shutter speeds vs focal length, and it's no big deal on digital if you're in marginal light to take a couple of shots and just pick the sharpest one.

How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
Assuming they are not on Auto or P, is it because when you take pictures for a long time you look at whats in front of you and you just know what settings you should be using? I seem to be so much slower than other people around me.

Most of that comes with experience.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
I may add more questions, as I am sure I had more, but now as I come to write them down I cant remember all of them.

Your Camera Doesn't Matter :mrgreen:

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
I have a friend who takes film pictues and she loves long and thin pictures,some pictures look outstanding with unusual crops but is it really practcal as frames would be expensive and hard to come by.

I don't crop in my editing programs - I crop at the printer. I never know what I might do so I just leave it full-sized.

 

[Alex_B]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
Anytime there is time and patience for it.
Always for panoramas. Often for landscape and architecture, Always at night. For sports I usually use a monopod. I hardly ever use it for speeds beyond 1/1000.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
My cameras and my lenses. without them I could not take any pictures

What has been your best resource for learning ?
Trial and error since very young, not much reading.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
Not a pro, never planned to be one.

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
People say 1/(focal length) is what you can do handheld on small format (35mm). But this is only a very rough number. As stated by others, with smaller sensors you have to adjust this. But also it really depends on the final print size you want to achieve. For a slide projected on the wall or a huge print, or if you crop alot, 1/(focal length) might be very slow! Also, it depends on the person, how steady your hands are, and it depends on how exhausted you are. On some wilderness trips there were moments where I could not hold my camera steady enough for 1/(3x focal length)

How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
just training ... you get better with time and use your brain less and less. but there are also moments where i miss the shot since i was too slow.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Hmm, I think when someone said I should not stick to the format of my recording medium (4x3 or 3x2).

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
see above I do not print small scale for albums. Hence I am not bound to standard formats there.

 

[SBlanca]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?

not very, could use it more....i've only used it for a few things around the house...forum challenged etc.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.

a camera....then a memory card and a computer...
seriously...I dunno, i guess it's what you think is the most important thing.

What has been your best resource for learning ?
the internet in the whole, experimentation, photo mags.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
i'll come back to this one when i'm a pro

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
i believe you're right in what you read/heard
How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
you get used to it, also you find the setting that will be most fitting for what you're gonna shoot..also, cameras are designed so things are within finger reach
What is the best advice you have ever been given?

use your head

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?

i don't usually crop

 

[Overread]

I'm going to reply again - because I can and because that adbot sent this back up and I find it interesting how (in under 2 years) my responses have changed quite significantly from my first.
Bold is the question - quoted is my first answers to this from the past - and new typing is my responce if asked now (with a reflection on my past answer)

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
e.g 50% of the time when shooting portraits, never, only land scapes, always....

At the moment I use my tripod for almost every single shot - I am mostly using my sigma lens *see sig* and find that handheld its just too unreliable (especially when at the 200-300mm end). Stick it on to my tripod and suddenly I get much better shots and a better keeper rate.
I have even used it when tracking birds in the sky (once or twice) and I think its a very key part of any kit - especially if you don't have an IS lenses.

Well that lens was the Sigma 70-300mm fsomething to something (I forgot my lens speed sorry Judge Joe Brown :blushing and now I have the 70-200mm f2.8 IS L as my main lens and I have to say the IS has lead me toward two things. First I no longer use my tripod for every shot - infact I hardly ever use my tripod these days and yet I still manage to get good handheld shots. A lot of this is down to the IS in the lens itself, but there is still one area (which affected me then and affects me now - partly though laze now I will admit) I slip up on and that is shutter speed. One has to get this fast for a good handheld shot and often enough its very easy to let that shutter speed slip as we crave after a low ISO whilst fighting dimmer lighting.

However there is another side to this and its more important than having a tripod - its having the right tripod. My old tripod was a light wieght cheapy with a cheap 3way head on it - I loved it. It was so light I could use it all day without worries, whilst opening out the legs and using it took only seconds - my current tripod is far more stable, far more versatile and far far heavier. The head(s) I have are also far slower to use and not as easy as the old 3way (I have a pistol grip that I honestly have never really got on well with and a geared head - fantastic head but far too slow for movement tracking).
Research the right tripod and setup well - it might cost you a heck of a lot, but this is one area where you can safly invest cash and 20-30 years down the line still be using the same gear (if you look after it well)

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
e.g for portraits maybe you could never be without your flash, or bird photographers without your tripod...

well barring the camera and the lenses I will have to say my tripod - it makes getting those shots right so much easier even if its more weight to carry

I honestly don't know how to answer this question now as so many little things have appeared in my setup that are important for certain areas and subjects. It's hard to nail it down to a single item that I find invaluble every time though at a pinch I would say my flash - 580EX2 - with a lumiquest softbox. It's about the only bit of gear that I find currently adapts and finds a use in almost any situation where I need to boost the lighting and don't have the option of using reflectors or other methods. A better beamer for wildlife and possibly a few other diffusion/manipulation methods and I think its very solid and core item for any photography kit.

What has been your best resource for learning ?
(apart from this forum of course)

So far my best "resource" for learning has been the Internet and forums (sorry but its the boring truth). I think the only way to really beat the advice you can find online is with a tutor/mentor. Books are good and are great sources of fixed information and great references, but the Internet gives you that interaction with others.

Yep I'd give pretty much the same answer now as then. Sadly as I've got more into this I've found a lot highstreet books far too light in real content and information - especaily when it comes down to personal experiences and setups. Better books are out there but they often are off the shelf and either hiding in used book stores or commanding a high price tag.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
(defined by having a real photography business and earning money from it (part time or full time)

Not a pro = but if you would like to know its been 5 months and a few weeks getting this far

Still not a pro though might be getting a little closer - also its been a few more months now....


What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
I read some where that if you have a lens of 300mm then you should shoot 1/300 is that correct Post a link if you have one...

I recall hearing and reading that you should never go below your lenses focal length in speed (say you are shooting at 300mm you should not go below 1/300sec) when hand held. On a tripod, wall, monopod you can go much lower if you choose

I would only add that one must remember that a slower shutter speed will affect the subject if they are moving - static subject and you can go very slow - but wind or any other movement and you've still got to keep that shutter speed fast even on a tripod.
You can also trick things and use a slower speed on a tripod (or monopod - or handheld if you're good) if you master the dark art of panning shots.

How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
Assuming they are not on Auto or P, is it because when you take pictures for a long time you look at whats in front of you and you just know what settings you should be using? I seem to be so much slower than other people around me.

I think this is down to several things; firstly knowing your kit and practise with it - the more you do the faster, in time, you will get; secondly I believe many of the high end cameras have more custom button settings - allowing a user to switch settings much quicker

Yes this is all true - I've started proving it

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Get your camera = go out = and play with it as much as you can (note this applies to all cameras, but is mostly a comment aimed at DSLR users - simply because of cost and other such things on SLRs)

I'd probably only add this: zarias.com :: The blog of editorial photographer Zack Arias Transform :: A short film for ScottKelby.com
For those dark days when all seems lost and each frame feels worse that the last.

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
I have a friend who takes film pictues and she loves long and thin pictures,some pictures look outstanding with unusual crops but is it really practcal as frames would be expensive and hard to come by.

Myself at the moment I crop a shot to look its best (as best as I can at least) mostly as I still have a long way to go to getting the shot perfect in camera before editing. I don't worry about frames at the moment as I am not pro with my stuff - were I to move pro though I would recon that staying within certain limits would be very important - you have to consider getting things framed for your client.

Yep I'd still go along with that

 

[LBPhotog]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?

Not as often as I should, and I know better, but it's simply much easier to hand-hold and skip the extra cup of coffee in the morning. Plus, in a studio setting, it's easier to be "free" opposed to working around a tripod (unless I HAVE to)

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.

My SB-800 and my DEMB bounce card, you'll have to pry those things out of my cold, dead hands *lol*

What has been your best resource for learning ?

Other photographers who I admire, and who are doing the same type of work that like to do. Also, a friendly competition between myself and the photographer I mentored under, it's amazing what you can learn when you are trying to outdo your teacher.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?

Not there yet; but, I picked up my first camera (a Kodak DISC camera [and, no, not a floppy disc] 25 years ago ... only to have returned to serious photography in the last 5 years or so.

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?

The general rule is that when you are hand holding your camera you should never have a shutter speed slower than the focal length you are shooting ... if you have a 70-300 on your camera your shutter speed should be somewhere over 1/300 of a second.

How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?

Know your equipment! Know how to accesses your settings and know what your equipment can do. Wouldn't drive a car without knowing how to check the oil, change a tire, replace wiper blades and put gas in it. Same thing goes for your camera, or anything else you use on a regular basis.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

If you ever have a chance to go to Nikon School, spend the $300 and go for the two days they put it on, you will get SO MANY great pieces of advice (I've got notebooks full of advice from these two days 5 years ago, I can't regurgitate them all right here).

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?

Yes, since I do a lot of printing I don't think I would crop outside of photo proportions - even for the web.