Oops, forgot my tip

Hi found this on a great photography website. I wish I could claims these tips for myself, but they did help some. :)

Tricks for close-up photography


By Leonard Goh, CNET editor
07/11/2008
Level: Intermediate

Getting extreme close-ups -- also called macro photography -- can provide amazing results, especially since many digital cameras feature a macro shooting mode that allows you to focus within inches of your subject.

It may sound easy to snap these close-ups, but there are several factors which could ruin your picture. We took these into consideration and came up with a list of tips for shooting great macro shots with your point-and-shoot.

1) Check your focus
A good close-up shot should be detailed and sharp to show the elements of the subject. So check the user manual of your shooter for the minimal focusing distance of the lens in Macro mode. Some point-and-shoots will give an indication on the LCD via a red box if your shooter cannot focus on the subject.

However, your best bet would be to zoom in on the image while in Playback mode and check if the area you focused on is sharp. It would be disastrous to find all the shots are out of focus when you view them on the PC's display.

2) Hold your breath!
Unless you're shooting in a controlled environment like a studio or room, otherwise you are pretty much at the mercy of nature when out in the field snapping macro shots. Gusts of wind or breathing too hard can make your tiny subject sway, causing motion blur. While there is no way you can stop Mother Nature, you can place your bag or ask your friend to help block and minimize the effect of the wind. For good measure, hold your breath while snapping the shot.

3) A flash of brilliance
Sometimes the weather gets cranky--one moment it's bright and sunny, then just before you press the shutter, the clouds decide to come out and play. Flip the switch and activate the in-built flash, or if you are using a dSLR, attach your hotshoe strobe for better effects. Check your shot and take appropriate action like exposure compensation to reduce the harshness of the light. Alternatively, wait for a sunny day and clear skies to shoot. Natural light provides the best illumination.

4) Clear up the mess
Try to keep the foreground and background clutter to a minimal because they might steal the focus of your shot. Human eyes are naturally attracted to bright colors, so shift your shooting angles or remove any objects to keep your snaps clean. If you're snapping in a park or nature reserve, remember not to pluck or remove any flora.

5) Keep the ISO low, use a tripod
Besides keeping physical clutter to a minimum, you should also reduce digital artifacts which can be distracting. The color on a flower petal should appear as it is, and not littered with spots of noise. Use the lowest ISO sensitivity available in your shooter and pair it up with a tripod to counter the slow shutter speed. To further reduce handshake, use the self-timer mode.

Blessings,

Deb

Tips, Tricks & Challenges

This month's style/element is the close-up. The three subjects are 1) Something patriotic, 2) Water, and 3) Nature. We also had a BONUS: fireworks or sparklers.

Here is my first "Something Patriotic" submission:

This is part of a monument (you can see in the next photo) that stands at the La Mirada City Hall to pay tribute to those La Mirada citizens who gave their lives for our country. If you look closely, you can barely see the reflection of the American and POW flags that were flying directly behind me. I didn't notice until I got home because the sunlight was so bright and shining right into my face or I would have totally taken advantage of that.

Here is my second "Something Patriotic" submission:

You can't get much more patriotic than my dad. He is a WWII Veteran and is the most patriotic person I have ever known. A few years ago during Desert Storm my dad told me that if they'd take him, he would go. He is 82 and would still die for his country. I'm so proud to be an American, and even more proud to call this man my father. BTW, I don't have any fancy photo editing software or I would have loved to keep the flag in color, but this is all I can do with the Kokak software that came with my camera. What can you do?!?

Here is my first Water submission:

This is about as close as you can get to a waterfall. This is the waterfall at the La Mirada City Hall. Again, this wasn't the shot I would have chosen, but dh voted for this one, lol.

Here is my second Water submission:

I just thought this was a cool shot. I was really happy with the way the color of the water came out. Even the dirt looks a little artsy!

Here is my first Nature submission:

This is Baby, a little kitten who has adopted our family and made our yard his home. This normally wouldn't be a problem, but we're already trying to find homes for a great number of cats/kittens (in the double digits now!) and really don't need one more. He refuses to leave and just plops down whenever anyone is nearby. He was the perfect subject for my "subject".

Here is my second Nature submission:

Since Kindergarten, I have always found Eucalyptus trees fascinating. I thought the bark would make an interesting shot.

Here is my first Fireworks bonus submission:

I didn't think this was one of my best shots, but my dh made a case for it. Once he told me he thought it looked like an angel, I decided to include it!

Here is my second Fireworks bonus submission:

I loved the colors in this shot and thought it looked like a jellyfish.

These are the photos that didn't make the cut. Just for sharing!! The categories are pretty self explanatory.

Patriotic

This is the La Mirada Veterans Memorial that stands at the City Hall. It was really challenging to get a close up shot of it (so I settled on the inscription). This is a tribute to the men and women of La Mirada who lost their lives protecting our country. I was going to use this for the TCC Close-up challenge,(Something Patriotic), but went with another shot instead.

Water

I really liked this shot, but dh voted it down. TFL anyway!!

More Water

This one of the mini fountains at the La Mirada City Hall. It was remodeled recently and the area is bigger, but the fountains are smaller (and more difficult to get close to!).

Bonus: Fireworks

I would have used this shot, but dh liked the angel better. I thought the colors came out pretty good on this one.

Thanks for looking!!

Blessings,

Deb

Here I am!!

So here I am. I let that photosnappin' sweetheart of a gal, Sandie Dunn, convince me to participate in the Tips, Tricks & Challenges Photo Blog from Scrapbook.com. It's a good think I didn't check out the competition before I signed up or I would have run screaming (perhaps even with scissors) in the other direction! But I'm here now, so I might as well make the best of it! (Actually I can't wait to get started, but don't tell anyone. It will be our little secret, okay?!?)