To make abstract images with your EOS DSLR

Whether you are somewhere strange or take pictures of the familiar neighborhood, it’s always worth trying to break new ground in the recording – for more interesting, distinctive images. Hermann Zrzodelny explained to us some nice tips and tricks that we can try on the EOS DSLR series.

Select another perspective

You probably do like most people your shots while standing and at eye level. Hermann Zrzodelny showed us that when the Live View image (and, when available, the Vari-angle LCD display) use on your camera, you are able to take pictures from far more interesting positions.

Try time: Hold the camera close to the ground and align the swiveling LCD screen so that you can look at it from above. Or attach a shot over the heads of a crowd away the camera on a monopod and swivel the display down. You can then hold the camera up and see what is going on – a very unusual view from your normal position.

use the Live View mode

In Live View mode, the current image section is displayed in real time on the display. This live image view can be the focal point individually select which expands the creative possibilities. If your camera has a touch screen that is even easier. To do so, the AF mode, the camera on the live mode and you need the touch screen easy to touch only where the camera should focus.

Use the strap as a hand strap

When shooting from a high vantage point on a scene of you, you need to have the camera under control. Hermann Zrzodelny explained to Wrap the strap around the wrist – which stabilizes the camera when shooting while protecting against it falling down accidentally.

freeze movement

Moving subjects are well suited for unusual shots of moments that we usually see. To freeze the motion of a subject in the image, you need a short exposure time. The exact exposure time depends upon factors such as the speed of the subject and its distance to you. To freeze the movement of people choose your camera mode Sport or select the Shutter Priority (Tv mode) and a shutter speed of 1/250 sec. Or shorter.

Detect contrasts

Bright, direct sunlight casts dark shadows. This high-contrast lighting effect works well for attractive images. However, if you take pictures on a bright, sunny day, the visible to the contrast is higher than can be captured by the camera. To compensate, many EOS cameras offer the HDR mode backlit subject. You can find this entry in the Special Scene area (SCN) on the mode dial. In this mode, the camera will make a row of three shots with different exposures of your subject and then automatically combined into one image, which then is characterized by a significantly better contrast than the frame.

Best results from low perspective

Images from low perspective act dynamically – but it can happen (much sky in the picture) with appropriate image composition that, due to an improper exposure, the articles are too dark in the foreground. With a positive exposure compensation can compensate for the – the whole image gets lighter.

Ready for the perfect moment

Hermann Zrzodelny said that If you take a picture with your camera on monopod mounted over the heads of a crowd of time, it is perhaps too far away from you to release the shutter at the right moment. Enables remote firing of your camera is depending on the camera model of remote release RS-60E3 or RS-80N3. If your camera has Wireless LAN, you can also alternatively look on your smartphone the live image and trigger at the right moment.

Always aligned correctly

Each camera has an Intelligent Orientation sensor for detecting the position of the camera format – landscape or portrait format. This will ensure that the images are displayed correctly on the screen of the camera or on the PC. However, if you shoot directly up or down, the orientation sensor detects potentially incorrect format Location: therefore deactivate the camera settings (yellow), the function “Auto-rotate” to get all the images in an identical format position.

In Black And White “see”

When recording of abstract images, the key elements of change: Instead of the color now is more about textures, contrast, shadows and shapes. As per Hermann Zrzodelny, If you set your camera in the Bildsil “Monochrome” and maybe even a yellow filter have added, you can see the black and white image on the camera screen and imagine better how the scene will look like without colors. When the camera stores images in RAW format, you can adjust back to their original values ​​later on the PC, the colors.

Make the most of multiple exposures

Some EOS cameras offer the possibility of multiple exposure, where moving subjects are less apparent at several points in the image and static elements (for example, houses) are displayed normally. Place the camera in place, ideally on a tripod, and select multiple exposure mode is set to “average”. Set the camera on at least three images, a press for a few seconds on the trigger. After recording, the camera adds the frames together – at the places where something has moved, the objects appear shadowy and less clearly visible. The more frames in the sequence, the less will be visible in the image, the moving subjects.

Impressive make time-lapse movies

With the acquisition of an image sequence over a period of hours, you can create a beautiful time-lapse movie with the camera. Some EOS cameras can be controlled using the Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3. It is connected to the camera and allows you to shoot with a set interval over several hours. The EOS 7D Mark II has the menu on a built-in timer for interval shooting, which works on a similar principle.

The next step: Once you have taken your time-lapse sequence, superimpose it in the post with a picture without people – that gives the impression of a bustling city was deserted indeed. A good example comes from Ross Ching and his “Empty America” ​​project here. And here you will learn how it was made.

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How to Effectively do Food Photography

Hello my love,

You can always tell that tastes something delicious, but it also looks like? A recipe can still be as good, but if the images are not really so appealing, hardly anyone will probably imitate it?

Food makes a good mood, so it should look like that. I know this is easier said than done. And I am also aware that there are pictures on my blog that are far from being out of the way I would wish. I’m really not a professional in the field and have learned me most of themselves and probably also done much wrong. If you had asked me a year ago, for what are all the buttons and each setting on my Canon, I had no idea. No idea of aperture, time, Iso or white balance. But I had to have an SLR and now I am infinitely happy. Photography was one of my biggest hobbies. That I can connect so well with my passion for healthy diet and exercise, is really a matter of luck. Therefore, it makes me served also in the new fun every day to make especially photos of my food.

Meanwhile, I have me then but the one or other tricks if you want to call it that, learned that I like you now want to bring times closer. Lately, yes piling questions like, What camera do you use ‘or how you edit your photos’, so it is probably time for the first Foodphotography Post.

At the very beginning, the question arises after the equipment. The always all depends on what you plan with your pictures and how much money will you invest. For me Iphone photos would simply not come into consideration at the moment. If only for the reason that I like to spend my time with it, they rework the MacBook and need a higher resolution for the blog. Besides, I must confess that I now I think unlearned ‘have, with the Iphone to shoot good pictures haha.

If one decides to use a camera, there are also back huge differences in price and features.
I wanted from the very beginning an SLR. Of course a great system cameras, but since I know myself simply from not so good to be able to call you recommendations can.

Anyway I have a year ago my first DSLR bought-the Canon Eos 700D. Of course I had no idea and had once taken me the standard lens to. A big mistake! Because, of course, a lens in which the aperture at 5.6 starts will not be particularly well suited for food photos. But I also long to I have seen once. Then I bought a macro lens from Tamron, which in the end was more expensive than my camera body along with the standard lens. I was recommended it in business, but really perfect it was not.

In the spring finally came right: the Canon EF 50mm f / 1.8 II lens, which is just great for the price. When traveling, I usually only use this and it can only recommend.

But now with the I am satisfied with my current equipment, finally.

Canon Eos 6d

Yes before zrka week is finally ‘confiscated my new baby with me 😛 The full frame DSLR Canon Eos 6d. I can now say that I love this camera! I certainly hope that it will bring me in Pictures now a little further 🙂

Canon EF 50mm f / 1.4 USM

The increase to my other 50mm. I personally feel that it shows little difference. But I wanted the new camera is simply equal to the optimal equipment 🙂

Besides the right equipment, there are a few more tips and tricks that you regardless of whether you photographed with a mobile phone or an expensive camera. The most important I have written together again for you.

# 1 Natural Light is everything

It is very important that you use only NO flash for your food photos. Believe me, there is nothing that looks unnatural.

but even worse is kitchen light. I know especially in the morning and in winter is always a bit tricky. Since it is advisable to use daylight bulbs / softbox, really off all other lights during photography and to be close to the window.

# 2 Simple Background

Personally, I just think food photos look best if you makes on white or black background either.

Often one looks just the most beautiful gardens in the background from the balcony. But actually directs the environment only on the actual content of the image. I have my pictures homemade earlier long time so, and from time to time which also has quite good-looking ‘, but over time I have learned and realized that you simply can do hardly anything wrong with white or black.

# 3 Take yourself Time

This is very important! Take time for your photos and enforces nothing. Then you have just once no breakfast image, which is not so bad. As most are photos that you do in stress, just not the way you imagined. Is also logical, because for many images at different settings, angles and co you will not have. Of course, the first shot may already be a winner and that was with me determined even the odd times, but it is easier for a self to plan a bit in advance how you have the next picture so wants to tackle that set-up, background and so on …

# 4 Nobody’s born a Master

I agree! Nobody, and I mean really nobody can make overnight for great photos! I can not after so long on Instagram still not. You never stop learning. If you look at my photos of a few months ago, I would sometimes prefer to sink into the ground haha it.
Although I have bought a year ago Birthday my first SLR, but until I really could handle it and me married on the automatic mode addition ‘have, several months have passed.
I have but I also have to teach themselves and made smart on the Internet. There are so many great tutorials in terms Foodphotography and processing.

# 5 Try different Angles

always try many different angles to try. see Some dishes example from above simply much better than from the side or at 45 degrees. Therefore, you should definitely always something allow time for photographing.

# 6 Search for Inspiration

How do you have for when food bloggers all the ideas for his pictures? True, from other blogs. Naturally simple recipes you can not 1: 1 copy, but to get ideas for new that really does make everyone and that’s good. So I spend ever hours before Pinterest, FoodGawker, key spotting or weheartit. But in the end I’m still become ever find.

# 7 Sometimes less is more

Yes, wenger is often more. That’s just mainly the background usually the case. But also the set-up: if you boil example Oatmeal and, decorative ‘easy times lying half fruit basket beside. A few small attributes are even desirable, but you should always find the right balance between too much and just right. That may really not be easy, especially at first. But since only one Gibt’s: Practice, practice, practice

# 8 Here we are already talking about the next point: Create a measurement

Simply reflect only the plate or the cereal bowl but is boring right? A picture lives by its set-up. Of course, the food should be the focus, but even one or two more details can be even the most boring food to be eye candy.
Especially here is recommended to create a kind of artificial chaos. Just a few berries beside the bowl, basil leaves to noodle dishes or other kitchen utensils such as towels, plates, cutlery, …

# 9 Find the perfect place to photograph

In every house there is THE place where the light is perfect, or or just very good. I photograph as always with side light next to the balcony door. So I need myself am not to use any aids such as soft boxes and Co in the summer.

# 10 Don’t use Instagram filter

Sounds first weird but yes. I edit my images hardly on the Iphone. And if, then I use photo editing apps. My top 3 are Adobe Lightroom Mobile, VSCO Cam and Afterlight.

Adobe Lightroom is to be my standard editing program on the MacBook. I often wonder what I have done earlier without Lightroom haha

For collagen I also love Pic Monkey. As Lightroom, although it is not in vain, but that it is still worth it to me.

Of course you need also some time before they can find their way into the various programs. But on the Internet you will find now countless tutorials that have really helped me.

# 11 Don’t Overedit

not overdo it by editing. Before, I always thought to myself, the more filters, the better. Meanwhile, I put my camera simply equal so that I might just have to change a little so- on contrast, brightness, light and depth to basics in retrospect. I have just deleted because I thought in retrospect that they just do not look natural How many photos. Too bright, too much contrast, glaring hues, a just so anhüpfen ‘simply.

# 12 Add Colour

It is also important that it incorporates many vivid colors in your photos. Uses for example spices, eat your spice up again or just plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in all colors and varieties. A strawberry shake without further attributes like for example look boring. But if you might have a nice paper straw, a few fresh berries or granola, nuts; .. on top give and maybe a few lying next to it, you have instantly a great photo shot.

# 13 Fresh Ingredients

If you have to share his food already with the public, then what is showing them off should be fresh and of good quality. Brown bananas or peaches are probably hardly get many likes, even if they still are and taste edible.

# 14 Not too large Portions

Power your dish is not too full. If you have at one time 5 piece of something on the plate, and this almost goes, it’s hard to even focus on the main content of the image.

# 15 Last but not least

One of the most important tricks to ANYONE can apply: situated on the side on which the shadow of your plate falls, a white card as a substitute for a reflector. I do it myself too often, although I have a. But sometimes I’m just too lazy then place it right haha.

But see for yourself

I hope I could help a few more of you with this first post about Foodphotography. If you want, I can be happy to continue this series and also accurately respond to my DSLR settings, and especially for what they really are good. Let me know.

Unique Photography Tips

After I reported to you a little about lenses and equipment, there are now ten small photography tips (which are also combined contends Blog Tips partially). Have fun while reading!

Photographed in Daylight: I earlier made the mistake many times and have made the photos at night, which was because that I opened the blog in the fall and the day and sunshine hours were shorter. In daylight you have the possibility that the colors look unadulterated -in Tungsten they are often yellow, have strange long shadows – the friendliness is lost. But it is also true again that you can take good pictures even in artificial light (which can also consist of candlelight) – try it out! Here the imagination and the joy of discovery are no limits, playing with the light, the shadows, contrasts and contours.
A tip here is to specifically look at the Post planning because many of your images that want to use it, will be perhaps daily and depends on the weather!
One can also interact with various tricks against this damned yellow tinge: White space, daylight lamps, a good camera angle, reflectors, etc – remains the best for me but daylight> and not in direct sunlight.

Photographed if possible not directly in the sunlight, but to have the sun in the back – against all advice, that this is not his way, often produces good and intimate photos (when the right light)! I make almost all my pictures, they do not take pictures in direct sunlight. The light creates harsh shadows, especially when photographing people. It erases partially the contours of the face, but also paints contrasts to where they do not belong. A slight cloud cover in between helping the situation to make it more real and more beautiful “soft”. The Magic-hours, then call two hours a day, then pass just before the sun rises (ie very early in the morning) and at the hour just before it sets, so over the horizon / the mountain crest / the skyscrapers / etc. has pushed.

The minutes before you can perfectly use it to take pictures against the light. Many say that it would not do, otherwise all black and full of shadows is – but a few settings in the brightness range of the camera and you can already play with gold shining hair and the most beautiful light for photos!

Taken without flash, so products, people, food photos – except going away or softbox. I use really rarely, if ever my flash. Especially since I do not have a flash attachment, but only the standard flash and no Softboxausrüstung that invalidates the flash and not be so appear “tough”. For those who have no particular additional equipment, I would say that it omits the flash for now. When going away, however like I take it, then edit the photos but strongly after.

Edited your photos to something: see the pictures on the camera often sharp and intense color from. If you play them on your PC, you might be disappointed, the reason is that the photos on the small camera screen are much more compressed. With simple steps, photos can lighten or nachkontrastieren – these are often two steps, which do not take much time but rausholen much out of your photos.

Give your photos your own style: the style can thus prove what you knippst and how their knippst she already – but pictures often get only by a (sometimes intense) post your distinctive style. So I currently like that my photos look a little older, the colors slightly faded, but also strong and bright Whether I handled this way forever, I do not -. But currently I like it the way it is. By editing you also have more sensitivity, which would require your photo from scratch more. Is it always wrong? Always too bright? These are settings that can change her directly when taking pictures.

This point I personally VERY important !!!!!

Pay attention to the photo sizes and quality in the blog: 450-750 pixels around, depending on layout. I find that in order to let the photos on sufficiently blog. Then there is the quality added – I always invite via Picasa, which does not compress the photos below 800 pixels, but shows the original size, so far as one that clicks in the postal sector (Blogger click on the image and click original size) – but many tend prefer to external servers like flickr or photobucket to use. Also, I would advise you to never edit the original, but to make a copy and to store them as such, who knows when you need the original again, because often it is dissatisfied with edits in retrospect.

Pay attention not only to the designs themselves, but also on the background: This is especially true for products or food photos and instructions images where the background would distract. Try your surroundings “clean” to keep and advances also like things several times back and forth, schwänzelt around the subject and looking for you the right perspective. You can pick your background lack of nice options also tinker yourself by biases as wallpaper residue on thick cardboard or fabric remnants ironed smooth and utilized as a base.

Also at Outfit Photos I think it’s always good if the background is not too confusing, so the focus remains on substantially, especially with outfit pictures, I still think it’s nice when they are photographed outdoors, plus there is the fourth part of the series a Post.

Photographed not a design from the same perspective ten times, but tries to find different and also make photos for: Always Food obliquely from above to photograph perhaps is a good way to get a nice photo. But why not even frontally or bird’s? More moved to the left? More to the right? We live in the digital age, a snapshot can be deleted quickly. When I do food photos, I photograph average food 15-30 times. Depending on how much is revealed. In DIY tutorials ranging 2-3 images per step, the best will be selected on your PC. Stay tuned for details! I want to see no outfit as a whole body image fifteen times in a row. It varies but the maximum a little bit of light, if at all. Displays rather details, like buttons with great patterns, the loop on the shoes, the lock of hair that curls toll on the plaid jacket.

It can and should sometimes the everyday things are shown. I realize that I read fewer blogs that by planning everything. I would have no great cookbook-like format in front of me, but the life of man. With all ‘the edges and optional extras. It must be a record full planning not always, it is also the motto of “little things”, “daily life”, “spots of my life”, occur and I think your readers are very grateful about such posts! … – For just these little things make a good blog, at least to my taste!

In the case of DSLR: automatic? More Shame as Hui. Yes, there are blogs, photographing everything with automatic and it looks good. Yes, I think that’s not good because of something I need to buy me any DSLR. Attempts times to photograph the AV or M mode and play with the help of the operating instructions with the settings. You can do so much and until it brings the functionality of your cameras out so right! Manual, GO GO!

Uses other camera formats: DSLR / digicam? Nice and good? Tried but other formats such as disposable cameras (waiting for the film is certainly worthwhile and exciting!), Or the cameras from Lomography (Fisheye? Actionsampler? Holga, Diana and Co? You will have so much fun experimenting!) And not Finally, the mobile phone – in times of smartphones, which have many, nothing is easier than to document his daily life. Since the large camera disturbs times and the phone is unsheathed faster. I LOVE to make it with the iphone photos, as you can get out as much from the photos through various apps (I recommend VSCO-cam, camera +, afterglow and photo toaster).

I hope that you have helped a little some of these tips. The next part there are expected in May (Camera Basics> as I photograph without automatic knobs?).

Anyone interested can also at the Photography Workshop of blognbuzz on 20/04. participate in Vienna. Cost point are € 150 / person, places are limited on 15th Included are all online materials and food. A DSLR would not be bad, but it is perhaps also give the opportunity to borrow a Nikon there. Marc Stickler and I will hold this workshop and I’m very excited about it, try out great stuff with you!