7 SIMPLE photography TIPS I wish I knew EARLIER
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 พ.ค. 2024
- I was looking through some old photos and realised how far I have come in the last few years. So I tried to understand why and came up with these 7 photography tips that help me improve my landscape photos. I really think they made a big difference and helped me take great shots. From understanding your camera better to light and composition.
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MY PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR
NIKON GEAR
Current landscape camera - Nikon D810 - geni.us/nikd810
Awesome telephoto lens - Nikon 70-200m f/2.8 - geni.us/nikon70200
Fav lens - Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 - geni.us/nikon2470
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FUJI GEAR
2nd landscape camera - Fujifilm X-T2 - geni.us/0VayB
Awesome Bokeh - Fuji XF35mm F2 - geni.us/fuji35f2
Killer wide angle lens - Fuji 10-24mm F4 - geni.us/fuji1024
OTHER PHOTO GEAR
The AWESOME printer I use - geni.us/cIIc
Great bag for hiking - Tenba 24L - geni.us/orPwh
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A must have for tripod amzn.to/2zJ6oTa
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VLOGGING GEAR
Studio microphone - geni.us/rodentg4
Fujifilm X-T2 - geni.us/0VayB
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Thanks for watching! The link for the app mentioned in video is geni.us/Photopills 👍
Just a tip. Even if you rarely get earthquakes in your area, i wouldn't recommend you to keep your lenses like that in the background. They will most likely fall over and it will hurt...
for me its a pity PhotoPills is IOS and not Android...
Hey Nigel, thank you so much for this extensive video, you explain a lot of things about photography and by adding your personal experiences it becomes extremely relatable.
My tip would be to learn from yourself. I often look back at my earlier photos and I can point out so many flaws and things I should have done differently, by reflecting on your own work it is easier to point out what it needs (or doesn't need) in order to become better overall.
To comment on your first point: I actually use two cine primes, these lenses have click-less aperture rings, so when I find myself in a situation where I need to quickly adjust the aperture I can easily and precisely change it. And since they are click-less, (correct me if I'm wrong) I can access aperture values that lie in between the values you would be bound to on photography lenses. I have a Samyang 21mm T1.5 and a SLR Magic 50mm F1.1. Cine lenses seem to be quite cheap and the overall quality in my experience is outstanding, I can highly recommend you to try one out. No autofocus so fully manual, which has also learned me to really "focus on focussing". So another tip from me would be to embrace the manual focus. I also use these lenses for filming a lot so they have a double purpose for me.
Thank you for pointing out the histogram, I haven't put much effort into understanding this to the fullest.
Your point on focus is also a good tip, drawing really helped.
I think your use of the word simplification is perfect for describing the point where I have arrived now in my work, I am always fond on showing as many things as possible, not only in the photos I make but also in the quantity of them. For me the term "kill your darlings" could be applied to not only the things I take photos of, but also in my selection of photos I share. At this moment I am becoming more aware of my "behaviour" and this really helps to pinpoint things that are going wrong, and other things that work better in my opinion. Great tip: Keep it simple.
You can never have enough lenses :)
Your point on positioning is very important, especially equipped with primes I can relate to this to the fullest. You need time to take a photo so take that time.
I don't have anything to add to your point on lighting, it's spot on.
Thanks again for this amazing breakdown!
If you like to see my progress and work you can check my instagram @koen.kievits
I guess my tip would be to always take yout camera with you. And by that I mean something small but useful, like a Fuji XE1,2,3 with that 27mm pancake lens or an X100F. Some of my best shots come when I least expect them to, so always be prepared.
Roy, PhotoPills runs fine on my Samsung Android ?
My photography became instantly better when i took the Lens cap off.
🤣
🤣🤣
I experienced the opposite 😁
😎
Now I know what I've been doing wrong.... thought all my shots were just underexposed! :)
My light bulb moment was when I realized that its ok to be bad in the beginning. The most important thing is to just keep shooting. Eventually you will improve.
Thanks!!! I needed this!
As a bonus, it’s way cheaper to practice now rather than when you had to drop your film off at a drugstore and wait a week to get your negatives and prints back.
@@camofrog And faster!
I personally suggest starting with full auto and focus on basic composition. As you get that, add the manual settings. The composition is the most important bit, the camera settings should serve the composition.
1:56 - Use aperture priority mode
4:02 - Understand your histogram
5:34 - Focus efficiency
9:18 - Simplify your image
11:37 - Use different lenses
13:29 - Where are you standing?
15:06 - Light Light Light
Thanks, because skimming through for the info was painful
Hero move. Tyvm
Thank you !!
Thanks!
How do you make the timestamps clickable ?
All great tips. I'd like to offer a suggestion. I spent the first 10 years of my photography life focused on technical aspects of squeezing every last drop of detail out of my camera because it was something I could do and see results, though that effort quickly begins to reach diminishing returns, especially with modern cameras. I suggest to anyone wanting to improve their photography to take an art class, learn about composition and color and how to communicate abstract ideas through visual elements. I guarantee you'll see more improvement from this than improving sharpness or even getting slightly more accurate exposure than what full-auto yields. My $0.02
Thank you!
I like this take on things
That's a fantastic suggestion!
Thanks!
I love how you refer to good images as "powerful."
It's not just about technical rules, but about how your image truly captures and communicates something.
You see photography as art.
I find that is becoming increasingly rare.
Corey Koon I agree. Ansel Adams was a photographic artist. Jacques Cousteau, a documentary film artist. Both put patience and perfection into their work. Today, there are so many who claim to be artists, but really aren’t because they’re in such a hurry to try and beat out what they consider competition.
I don't understand, who are the 811 people, who disliked this video?... Truly amazing input! Great job!
Kotak 😅🤣🤣
clickbait
@Artern Matveev
Just some loosers.
Don't worry it's just the Australians upside down 😂
@@alexabihabib8215 lol im not even australian wth u talking about
*Notes*
1. Use aperture priority, since full manual mode isn't always helpful. You care about depth of field. The light changes quickly.
2. Use histogram for exposure, understand how it works. Non exposed to RHS, low light photography will be having noise after photoshop.
3. Focus! Learn how to manage your camera and lenses
4. Simplify your images. Be minimalistic, choose wisely what you put into your scene, make it an art painting (eg street photographer, Sean Tuck). Zoom in elements to simplify
5. Keep your DSLR, get some fresh lenses. He likes 10mil on his xd2 or 60mil on Nikon. Don't only use zoom lenses but also prime lenses. Get creative.
6. Think about where you stand. Change your position, you are not a corpse. Find the best angle.
7. Lighting (duh!). Natural lighting is the best, take advantage of it. Experiment on taking pictures at different hours of the day, when the natural lighting is different and find what suits your liking.
Not all heroes wear capes
Ella Havia thanks, you just saved me 18mins watching this.
Thank you sister
Thank you
Thank you.. such a simple brilliant idea 😊
If I had to say one thing that improved my photography over the years it is knowing exactly what was moving me to take the picture. The exact reasons both emotionally and technically that had me go for my camera. Then shoot to enhance my response to what was happening. Lets say I see the mist coming off a pond and feel the calm and isolation that the moment evokes, i might not include the duck and may get to a location that gives me an angle that enhances the mist.
I enjoyed this video and was reminded of a number of elements I have not been thinking of when I have the time. :)
Great advice!
My tip is to keep a notebook. Record places to return to at a different time or season, things that you learned, things that went well and things that didn't, and how I felt when I was there. I keep a small "write in the rain" notebook with me and a space pen and capture quick notes at the scene. When I get home, I always do a "hot wash" on the shoot. I have found doing so makes me a much better photographer.
Great idea - I use my iPhone notes
I do the exact same thing and it is a HUGE help! I keep a regular Black & Red notebook with a few pens and I record settings that worked best, or better than others and this has helped me grow big time. Glad to hear I am not the only one.
I am photographer send me more tips
I do this too! But I use my phone and screenshot my exact location, so I know exactly where to come back to. This really helps when you're in the car or an unfamiliar city.
There's a nice little app that can be used to record location, time, date, direction, angles and so on. It's called Dioptra.
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glidelinesystems.dioptra
that drone footage in the intro though..... damn
I have been a professional photographer since 1974. I don't remember how far into my career that it really hit me what I was doing, but you got to it with our last point. For years I asked people, including many pro photographers, what subject they photograph the most. I got all kinds of answers, but never the correct one - light. Light is our subject, usually reflected light, sometimes projected light, and sometimes both. Once I understood that, I had made the biggest improvement on my photos that I could make.
Yep! Light is the only thing we photograph
Love the point about "simplification" lol. I knew something was missing from my photos and this instantly clicked with me.
After years of loving photography as a hobby, I am attempting to make a go of it as a real side job. In order to do this I need to acquire a professional skill set and mindset and there has not been a channel on TH-cam that I have learned more from than yours. Thank you so much for taking the time to create these, you are a very gifted teacher.
My photography aha moment was realizing that if I slowwwwed down and took my time, I walked away with much better quality photos. When I started photography, I, like many people just starting out, became a photo sniper. I took hundreds of photos in one session, many of them of the same subject. This placed unnecessary wear and tear on my camera and then when I got them onto my computer, I had to painstakingly look through them all and choose the best one, adding unnecessary time to the process. This became something I always just accepted as part of what photographers. But when I started shooting film, I was forced to slow down and really look at my settings, double check my focus, and most importantly, nail the composition the first time because I only had 36 exposures to work with, not 32gb of space on a memory card. Shooting film taught me to be more selective and that I don't need to take ten pictures of the same subject in order to get a good photo. I was just too much in a rush before and didn't stop and put all the necessary elements together. That habit of slowing down has carried over into my digital photography and now I walk away with just a handful of images at the end of the day. So my tip would simply be to slow down and take your time.
Nicely said. "Slow down". An importent aspect of photography i learnt from here.
I shoot a whole morning on half a sony a6000 battery and come beck with some left. I end up with about 20 images after deleting tje other 80 in the field. Id tather have 1 great photograph tjan a thousand average ones.
I took near 4000 photos my first year lol. I totally know where your coming from. I cherish every single photo. In a way each one is a step i took to better my knowledge of the camera and composition. Biggest thing Ive brought away from that is that, just because its beautiful and peaceful where your standing dosnt mean that is where you should be pointing the camera. Dig and search. Its the buried treasure you ultimately want
Why is the water dirty?
@@SceneSprout 4000 is not much lol, i took like 100-200 pictures daily so thats around 36500-73000 pictures in my first year and i only keep like 800 😆
It's my contention that "examples" are the backbone of teaching. If you can't show me why what you're saying works, then not only do I have no real reason to believe you, but I will have a more difficult time comprehending what you mean specifically.
Of course everyone says that lighting is everything, but no one ever expresses in any meaningful what what it actually means.
You did.
That makes you the best teacher on TH-cam so far that I've seen, as it regards photography.
Sharing this with my wife, who wants to become a pro. God bless!!!
That drone footage at 10:35 is amazing!
Very amazing what type of drone
This is such a great video, thanks so much! My tip? The light is never bad, overcast gives you advantages, but so does direct sunlight with high contrasts and dramatic effects. Any type of weather will create its own atmosphere that you can use to your advantage as a photographer. If the light is different than you'd expect, get creative and take the challenge. Maybe you're better than you think :)
My best tip, especially for us n00bs: Take the shot using the settings you think will produce the image you want, then immediately change those settings and shoot it again. And change+shoot again. And again. Change your focus object and shoot it again. With modern cameras and gobs of storage there's really no reason not to shoot *lots* of "versions" of each shot. What you think will be optimal for the shot you want to produce makes for a good photo - but the other shots using different settings will often times surprise you with their results.
This is a great bit of advice. Much appreciated
You know what I love, when I am in a beautiful place, hiking and enjoying the the sights and sounds of nature, maybe taking some photos along the way and a f*c#ing drone goes whining over my head. I really love that.
Another great video Nigel. When I first started in photography someone told me that you only need two things to become a landscaper photographer: a good alarm clock and the ability to get out of bed when it rings!!! Looking forward to next weeks vid.
Thanks Gordon!
Great!!!! The best tips!
If this is it I will be a star because if there is something I am good at it is to get up early, but it takes more to take great pictures.
and in my case I'm doomed cuz as much as I like early mornings, sleep wins every time ....oh well at least I can do sunsets!
It's lovely that your kids recognise light, you have taught them to appreciate the beauty of nature and that is really special.
Omg, I love your intro, that alone just shows how different a shot can be by adjusting your angle.
Hi Nigel great video, was also great to see so many places we have been so often, LLandwyn, Buttermere, Glencoe area etc, fond memories
Biggest two tips, which helped me not only capture better images but perhaps, more importantly, remove the stress and potential disappointment when going out to shoot
1) it's great to have a plan, a goal before you set off, check where the sun will be at X time, north-south facing bluffs, weather, all the things we do to prepare..... But do not become so consumed with getting that shot that it's all you see, LLandwyn is a great example, so consumed with the perfect sunset with the perfect clouds that if they aren't there you can become frustrated, disappointed. Look around ALWAYS enjoy the beauty of the place you are in, let it inspire you on the day, by all means, have a plan but do not become tunnel vision obsessed with a set shot/
2) When you get back home or to the hotel still full of the buzz of a shoot, do not review your shots, they will never match up to the vision you have of them still high on the experience of adventure. Wait a couple of days or a week, it's easier to be objective, and be realistic many shots take as long to carefully edit as they do to take its the other half of photography
I see so many people disappointed because they do not see the results straight out of the camera, they lose faith in their ability and give up, because they expect the results amazing photographers like yourself post, straight out of the camera, not realising its a two-stage process.
That drawing skills are awesome... they focused on everything that was needed!
Nice one Nigel, some good advice there. My lightbulb moment was to stop worrying about other peoples opinions of my pictures, and shoot how I liked and not how I thought everyone else wants to see it.
Sound advice, but, conversely, don't beat yourself up because you don't think your pictures are good enough - other people might think they're great!
Yeah, but always listen to constructive criticism and get better from it!
Most definitely
moondawn. Don't think so. Composition influences everyone, even when they are not aware of it.
Others are very over critical they will point out everything wrong , from the lighting to lens choice to apeture used . Online some can be very very harsh , I shoot for me I've been doing this since 1979 . I have my own darkroom , I shoot both film and digital
I'm actually annoyed at the 1k people who decided to "dislike" the video. Really good info, and from a photographer who can back up his stuff with stunning images, especially that last one!
its because of the ft and mm measures, mixing together. > Go Metric! ;)
Really appreciate you using comparison images in your videos, it makes a world of difference!
My aha moment. Enjoy the moment/location, ignore always trying to get photo every time, no matter what happens you will have learnt something about your location for your next visit.
Great tip! 👍
Hands down best tip video I’ve seen on TH-cam! Great job!
I appreciate the relatability of your stories. -Cheers!
Thank you, and quickly...the histogram has helped me the most as of late. I tend to not get out nearly enough, as I tend to not feel I want to go out on days with bad light (rainy/dull days) of which we've had many lately here in western Canada, but generally finding good light and the histogram do it for me.
Nice one !
Staying motivated to go out and explore places even if the conditions aren't good is also a thing to consider..
My big "ah-ha" moment was when I figured out that I needed to know my camera and lenses a lot better than I did. I started with rodeo photography, so I read the directions, found some settings that worked well, and then literally left my camera on those settings for 2-3 years. When I started playing with portrait and landscape photography, I realized that I had no idea what different things I could do with my camera. So, I went back to square one and re-learned a bunch of stuff about aperture and ISO and shutter speed and light, etc., etc.
My lightbulb moment came some twenty years into being a landscape photographer. It happen when I began
watercolor painting with a landscape painter - I can honestly say up to that point, I thought I knew landscape
photography - but now - wow, they's so much more to landscapes than the everyday rules you hear about on YT.
The great painters knew - its all about "light - light - light." Thanks Nigel.
Thought I'd take a moment to tell you WHY I appreciate -- and enjoy -- your videos so much. They not only offer a delightful blend of technical and artistic considerations , they come with with a splash of humor and a big dose of enthusiasm. There are two things that separate you Brits from my compatriots here in the US of A -- your command of (and respect for) the language and your understated humor. Watching you and Sean and your compatriots is always a breath of fresh air. When it comes to literature, I prefer British writers. Same thing is true of photography VLOGs. So, thanks. Please tell your friends I said so.
Please more of this. Was awesome!!
My light bulb moment was to slow down . I was always in a rush to shoot a scene. Thanks for another great video. Keep them coming.👏👏👏
oh ya, thats me too. i dont slow down
My ah moments for landscape:
Composition: Pre visualize. Move feet, left, right, forward, back, and the camera higher or lower. I won't set up the tripod until I find the composition I want.
Exposure: I'm a big proponent of aperture preferred. On windy days I like manual with auto ISO. In both instances exposing to the right using the histogram & exposure compensation dial. Bracket. I like to take multiple images on windy days. Use the lowest ISO possible within the confines of the conditions.
LOVE this Nigel - terrific learning points, delivered (as you always do) in an honest and down to earth manner. Great work mate and many thanks for the advice. Go well and stay well!
Photography seems to be a neverending learning process. Thanks for all the great videos
Your last tip was the best: light. I was just in Sedona, AZ and forced myself to get up at 2:00 AM and drive 2.5 hours to get the Grand Canyon at 5:30 AM sunrise. It was TOTALLY worth it.
A lot of great inspiration and advice to take from this. Grateful for this video. Thanks a lot 🙏
What made the biggest difference to me was when i decided to stop making pictures to impress others and stop trying to follow every photography “rules and guidelines” and just took pictures that i liked and pleased ME!!. I photograph for fun and t go out and relax.
Awsome video love it.
One of my "aha" moments were, when I realized that even very skilled and experienced photographers sometimes are unable to take a stunning picture. Maybe they don't find a good composition, maybe the weather doesn't turn out as the forecast said or maybe just your flight/bus/train got cancelled or the car breaks so you can't make it to your location in time - sometimes reasons why you can't get a stunning photo are trivial as that.
My two tips are: Learn to plan well and learn to improvise. I guess it's needless to explain why you should plan carefully, especially when you are on a longer trip. But improvising is important, too. As I mentioned above, there are many points which could go wrong, and eventually one day something *will* go wrong and crash your plans A, B and C. So you either can go home with no pictures at all or you calm down, look around and search for something different, which you can handle with the given conditions. If you don't find anything even then, well, at least you tried!
I’m a new viewer and this is my first time watching your videos on TH-cam. What you explained in 20 minutes most channels fail to explain across 100 videos, thank you for your contribution to my creative process. SIMPLIFY is now my mentality for everything.
Thanks Robert! Good luck
Hands down the best, honest and truly inspirational advice I have been given in my short time studying Photography.
Thank you
Dear Nigel,
Thank you . Your simple and easy discussion of this subject close to your heart is appreciated. As you said, looking back at the pictures I took last year to the ones I am taking now is insightful indeed. You have a lovely portfolio also! Thanks very much for taking the time .
Hi Nigel, I have over the last year watched many "tip" videos on improving your landscape photography and I just have to say yours is the most in-depth and informative by far. I mentioned you to a friend sometime ago, who just won a national landscape photography, saying to him that you have an incredible understanding of light. I also said that because of that understanding you are by a mile better than most I've seen with much higher subscribers. Rock on!
So kind Michael - thanks so much!
Excellent teaching sir :) i loved these tips and drawings
Something i felt made a big difference to my photography was not over editing them after i took nice shots. Natural henced shots are so much better then over processed shots and i didn't realize how much quality i was taking out by layering filter after filter on them. Now like you said go out on the best lighting of the days i find i don't have to edit them nearly as much because the lighting and angles that I have fun playing with while I'm out there.
I was a long term analog photographer. I spent many a days pouring over my Cannon Rebel GII manual and took a few classes along the way. Once DSLR hit the scene though I looked to transition. At the time I couldn't afford the gear I wanted, so I slowly got out of the art. It was embarrassing to pull out this old 10 year old analog camera when people are pulling out $3k DSLRs around me :). That and the fact that it's a lot more difficult to get film processed today. There are only a few places left to get actual film and process prints. Anyway, so I finally pulled the trigger on a Cannon Rebel T7 and am excited to get back into the game again. When I first started shooting 20 years ago they didn't have TH-cam :), so I'm hoping my learning curve will be smoother with all the easily gotten knowledge literally at my fingertips. Channels like this are key to that. Thank you and I've subscribed.
Great tips!
Okay, it's an older post, but the question "when/what did make your photography better?" remains.
I can only try to improve my photography when I go shooting ALONE!
People/family/wife who don't understand your excitement about light and air and a simple rock making the view looks perfect, don't have the patience to wait even 2 minutes, so you do everything in a hurry.
Best advice I received: spend a few weeks not editing anything. Get it as good as you can at the camera.
Shoot film every once in a while. you can't hide from bad light, and you have to be absolutely sure of your settings and composition. I instantly become a better photographer when shooting film. except for fast action stuff.
One of my light bulb moments was, when I understood that using the classic focal lenghts can help improve my photos. So I use them with prime lenses and even with my zoom lenses, change perspective and work out a good view with that. The other thing is that I don't try to get everything sharp anymore, I have learned from some photographers that some unsharp areas are good for the depth.
Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time sharing your experience.
These are all such great tips. Especially, your tips about the histogram. I always hear people mention and talk about it, but not since have I seen or heard those people I follow explain it. Great job!
Fabulous - thank you. I agree with it all. My 10-20mm completely changed the way I looked at a scene - rather than looking at the background & then hunting for a foreground, I now find interesting foregrounds and try to put them against a background that tells their story; your pink-thrift & lighthouse image you showed does that perfectly for a coastal-clifftop flower.
Because I use my photos for work (teaching) I now go back & try to recapture the same image-content, but better; as you say, light & simplification seem to be the answer.
Keep posting this Sunday afternoon goodness. - By the way, the paper arrived and it is an eye-opener. Now looking for a printer, though I may start by borrowing a few.
Brilliant! Thanks for letting me know
I'm struggling to find my way with photography. But you've struck a chord with two points.
1. Light..... obviously
2. Switching to AP. I've been messing and tinkering with manual mode and missing the best shots. Before, I felt that to be a good tog, you need to be a master of manual mode. Now I'm much happier to let the camera do some of the heavy lifting for me!
I'm getting better results and enjoying myself more.
Brilliant advice! Thank you!
Does this depend of the type of photography, sometimes shutter speed will be more important?
Its so true iv been using manual mode alot and the other day the light was changing all the time and i thought right put it in A mode and it was a god send. I was able to just look out more for compositions and the camera did a great job.
very imp straightforward info about shooting landscape...esp aperture priority and focusing!!! thank you so much!
Great tips, which are pointing out that simplicity awereness is one of the most powerful photograhy skills.
Beside going back to the same location several times my 'light bulb moment’ is to stay at one location, as long as possible, to get the most out of it.
Thanks for sharing Nigel
Thanks Jo - yep makes such a big difference doesn’t it 👍👍👍
Using rule of thirds and including foreground interest where the biggest jumps for me! Great tips, thanks!
HBFilms ::::: I have used a grid on all my cameras since 1978.
Makes composition dissensions much faster.
I've been taking photos for years and have no formal training. It is a hobby for me that brings me joy. Thank you for your video. Even though I haven't taken any classes it's reassuring to see I have been using some of the same techniques as you. Your photos are beautiful.
Thanks Nigel, this was VERY informative. I discovered your channel on Sunday. I am so glad I did.
What made a difference to my photography? To be honest - finding you tube channels like yours. I've learned so much and improved greatly by watching your video's. Keep up the great work - Cheers - Kev
Thanks a lot Kev!
I know when I find a scene, it usually grabs my attention and I become hyper focused on a key element and I work extra hard to exclude distracting elements and I work on how to frame the scene to give the image the same feeling I have standing there, its hard sometimes, and sometimes I just cant work it out, either objects I cant move or move around without changing the feeling or getting the subject in good lighting or at the perspective that has the most impact, I move backwards / forwards, left/ rights, zoom in zoom out, I'll spend 30 minutes or more in one place working through those problems, I hate being rushed
Nigel, everything you mention distills down (for me) to one VERY good word: nimble. To assess and respond quickly we have to be prepared in knowledge, familiarity with our equipment AND the environment of our subject. Great video!!!
Nigel - I love your videos man! You always give the best tips and I appreciate the content you put together. Thank you 🙏🏼
"Art is the elimination of the unnecessary"
Pablo picasso
Newbie talking, here: You deserve commendation for the data you present, as well as for how you present it.
A couple comments below adequately summarize your 7 Tips, which I consider as helpful cheat sheets for your video). Two of my favorites are using the histogram, and simplification (for sure, a word).
I've seen (though have not yet read any of the) articles/videos that argue shooting in Manual becomes the more solid route, but that may be because I also have a hankering for Aperture Mode!
Thank, Mr. D.
Truly informative video. Really love your vids, they have helped me in my photographic journey. Looking forward to see more from you!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge @Nigel Danson.
My photography changed when I learned to follow simple rules. For events and portraits I use a prime lens and shoot a touch wide because it's about catching a moment by taking a very fast shot before it's gone. My prime lens can focus fast and there's not zooming but often a shot can be taken crooked so by shooting wide (even city buildings with perspective correcting apply) I can straighten and re-crop to get a wonderful shot. Don't shoot under 1/125 second so images moving fast will blur, if that's what you want. Take shots tracking a subject for another great effect.
As for landscapes it's all about following rules. If you want the sharpest shot bring a tripod. It's a burden but your shots will be much better and you tend to take your time creating better shots. Do move around before setting up to find the best position. Again, if you use a prime lens there is less to think about and they tend to be sharper. I sometimes take two shots. One of fore ground and the other of the background and combine them in post. If there is a break in the image at this area it's easy to do and looks super sharp. You can use hyper focal focusing if you don't want to bother with post work relating to focus. But really, Landscapes are all about following setup rules. The main one I forget is ISO (set at lowest native value). If I shoot indoors and have my camera on auto ISO and then venture out for that landscape, yeah I end up with the noisiest shots ever. Learn from your mistakes. Shooting histogram right improves all shots but requires post work to get it back to what you saw (remember, if you shoot in RAW you always have post work as the shots are flat).
Great vlog, I have two moments. Slow down when composing and get out before sunrise.
I made the step up from point & shoots to a used DSLR a couple of years ago and I live and die by my 35mm prime for most things. You're absolutely right about how sticking with a single lens makes you mobile, mindful and creative. On the occasions that I pull out my 55-200mm zoom, it's usually because there's wildlife involved and I want that little extra advantage.
Thanks for the content!
These tips are really inspiring, especially "focus efficiency." I used to make the same mistake as mentioned. Now I know where to focus in such circumstances.
Excellent......Well Done Nigel. I can think of a number of things that I have learned over many years of taking photographs, but none had more impact on my photographs more than learning the art of "Patience".......a continuing never ending process for me.
Thanks for sharing those interesting tips Nigel, I really appreciate your videos. From my point of view I have discovered that, going back to the same place many times, I absolutely improved my landscape photos. Most often than not I can capture a really stunning photo only after having understood the "essence" of that place.
17:57 hi Nigel! I am just a humble begginer photographer that just found your amazing channel, i am on the verge of buying my first camera, barely ordered a Canon 4000d, i am so in love with phototography! I started about 3-4 years ago takin shots on a humble but kinda decent Samsung Galaxy A6+ phone and now i am taking ''better'' shots on a Galaxy S20FE phone, but from now on with bigger goals! The lightbulb moment of my photography ''carrier'' was when i realised how important the lighting, the image framing and the angle of where and how i was taking photos!
Other advice....go take photographs. You miss 100% of the photos you don't take!
The most important tip on here! 👊
I only started a few month ago but I think there's only been a few days I haven't been outside. The improvements I think are drastic. This is the #1 rule.
If you wanna see my progress @lairisfreese
Honestly horrified for any feedback but I feel like you can at least respect the effort 😂
Will do, you won't get any criticism from me I think this is a great idea. This just takes practice and critiquing yourself. It looks like there's a lot of information right here on youtube. I saved a couple hundred dollars by googling on how to 'unstick my shutter button. Amazing!'
Avery, I could access your website.
Oh it's not a website it's an Instagram
Definitely one of your best!
You know, this is only my second year doing photography. I think when you are learning, you are able to see your progression and see your growth. Then you kind of hit this creative wall where you are unsure as to what you should be working on to improve your craft. I am so glad that I found this video because I know know what I need to work on, and already the ideas are flowing the same way that they were when I first picked up my camera. Thanks mate!
I can related to many of your tips. It's amazing to see how far my skills / artistry have come along over the past few years and I wish that I would have I know these things earlier too. Thanks!
@Nigel Danson Kudos for being one of the rare EU origin creators using 30fps (the world monitor and modern TV standard) where the majority of the EU channels I've seen are using 25fps presumably because they think they want to be compatible with PAL systems. As a result your Pan and Zoom shots are "buttery smooth" and a pleasure to watch.😉👍
Also, love your work and channel and messages from the heart, thank you. I've subscribed and will be following you...
Noticed and agreed. ;)
Yeah - not sure why you wouldn’t to be honest
My light-bulb moment was discovering the drama in black and white photography. By removing colour it is possible to turn a boring scene into a dramatic, moody or even, a sinister one.
i resist B& W photography, for as good as it looks, i find its a cliche..
Brilliant tips. All makes perfect sense. I've been doing landscape photography for about a year and half and even in that short time I look back on some photos I edited and thought were really good but now I think they are terrible. I think most amateurs (inc me) err on over processing the image rather than develop the image qualities. Your video has made so much sense to me and especially the point about shooting to the right of the histogram. I have been guilty of not checking the histogram in the past but now I see the importance of always checking it on site.
Definitely simplifying compositions. Really loving minimalism at present. Another fabulous presentation, Nigel.
Ease up on the editing was my discovery. I still go hard on my edits, but I've toned it back in discovering new techniques and aiming to allow the camera to do most of the heavy lifting--rather than trying to make an image work in post.
Brilliant tip! 👊
A lot of good tips Nigel but when it comes to shooting in aperture priority, I don't find it any more efficient, I know i'm in the minority on this point. In practice, when camera is on a tripod, I don't find using aperture priority + the exposure composition dial any faster than setting the aperture in manual mode and use the shutter speed dial to control the exposure. When bracketing exposures I also find manual mode more efficient. When I am working hand held and things are happening fast I'm in shutter priority, because I want to make sure i'm using a fast enough shutter speed for the focal length of lens i'm using. Like I said, I know i'm in the minority but this approach has served me well through 25 years of photojournalism and landscape photography. In the end it really doesn't matter that much as long as you become proficient with what ever mode you choose to work in.
Right
Minority? Sorry but this is usual I think. As commented to just use M or Auto. All the other modes are useless because of the things you said. It is not only and everytime about DOF but it’s movement which counts sometimes more and mostly both must be considered so M or P/A.
@@DAVE_WHITE he may be a joke (hes not), but he takes cracking amazing photos
@@DAVE_WHITE and in the time it takes to manually adjust the settings, the perfect moment of light on the subject you've spotted may have passed, which is the exact reason why he suggested that in the first place, so no need to be a douche about it.
@@TheApp9 Use whatever makes you happy, but I don't agree with your ignorance to Av mode...Av (Aperture Priority) can be extremely useful in cases such as wildlife photography and street photography where dof is important, but the subject might not be there for long. Tv (Shutter Priority) equally useful for action shots of animals or subjects which move quickly where controlling the sharpness and motion effect of the subject is important. M (Manual) is simply raw user input, no "better" than other mentioned options, but simply more versatility in terms of input/output. Auto however...you may as well be using a point and shoot camera at that point because the camera is doing all the work for you...little is there any redeeming qualities to actual photography that can be seen in Auto, other than to simply take a snapshot. Photography is an art of composing a cohesive visual experience through the means of both the camera and post processing, it's not taking snapshot and calling it photography.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Great knowledge.
Loved all the tips, thank you. I was especially moved by your point of what to leave out of a scene - has been a powerful tool once I became aware and gave it a try!
That slow pan backwards over the lake in your intro needs to be tagged NSFW man. C'mon haha. Great points, earned a sub.
I love aperture priority mode! I set my DOF the way I want it, I lock in my ISO to as low as I can go and let the camera decide what shutter speed I need and trust in my IBS to get stable shots. If I need a faster shutter, I choice between lowering my DOF or increasing my ISO depending on the moment. I find that I get too many 'good shots' that when I go to review them, its hard to pick the best, and often, undervalue many pictures cause they seem too generic to me. I almost found it easier with my old camera cause it was so much easier to see the bad ones which reduced the sample size to a smaller more manageable good ones.
If you are getting too many good shots than you are taking too many pictures. You only need one good shot, a second for back up.
It's funny for e reading how someone else relies on IS or IBS when I myself dread and avoid it... though that may be because it doesn't play well with the long exposures of Astrophotography, that said if I could get a zoom /telephoto lens with IS and be able to trust that it's locked in place when I need it off, maybe
Thank you Nigel for sharing your knowledge and experience. Great tip the one about shooting on the right side of the histogram. I've always feared burning the highlights so I opted for underexposed photos and then I didn't understand why when processing I couldn't get a good and sharp result. Thanks again! Regards.
Nigel, thanks for the great information, it always helps us newbies.
Nice to hear the word "oomph" used well here :-). My tip would be one word, "wait".Things are rarely as good as they can be at first.
Until you find yourself trying to catch hoarfrost moments before the sun shows up to obliterate it. Haha.
For me the light bulb moment was realising I needed to buy the latest greatest camera and lens every year. Just joking, I’ve actually only had 5 SLR/DSLR in the last 45 years. I’m still using lens I’ve had for 35 years. Of course light is the biggest influence on an image and catching that moment is more a matter of personal discipline than anything. The biggest thing for me was learning to take my time. Look at the edges of the frame, not just the center, understand the composition and the way the scene interacts. I guess it came from starting with film and the cost of processing. I always try to get the image right before pressing the shutter.
Wise words Paul 👍👍
Great work, photos framing, angles & compositions. Go on. Thanks a lot.
Great tips, super helpful. Love your shots too