Indonesian Sad
Indian Lake, Connecticut
Location
Indian Lake is located in Orange, Conn., between Boston Post Road and I-95. The northern end of the lake is fed by the Indian River, which runs through a protected wetlands area. In a canoe or kayak, one may easily traverse the lake to find different photo opportunities. Two roads run the length of the lake on either side and may be accessed at various points with permission from the residents. Many types of flora and fauna inhabit this region. Osprey come to feed on fish, Canadian geese mate in the spring, and green herons and egrets hunt for food in the early mornings and late afternoons.
Weather
Indian Lake experiences typical New England weather throughout the seasons. During spring and fall, migratory birds pass through this area and may be seen feeding along the shores or in the wetlands. In summer, quickly passing late-afternoon thunderstorms may provide rainbows, dark clouds for the background and stunning colors from the setting sun.
Photo Experience
Larger telephoto lenses ranging from 100mm to 400mm will give you close-up captures of a variety of wildlife, especially birdlife, without disturbing the subjects. Smaller zoom lenses ranging from 18mm to 100mm will allow you to easily photograph wide-angle scenics of the lake. Multiple polarizing filters may be needed to minimize glare from the water. A tripod also is beneficial for shooting with larger telephoto lenses or for photographing sunrises. This image was taken with a Canon EOS 20D and a 17-85mm lens as I left my house on my way to work. I literally drove around the corner and looked over to see sunrise on the lake. I stopped my truck in the middle of the road and grabbed my camera. A series of 15 shots were taken, and after the sixth photo, this pair of Canadian geese decided to join in and swim through the composition. I kept saying to myself, “Don’t swim too fast!”
Best Times
As the seasons change, Indian Lake provides a variety of photo opportunities. In early spring and late fall, wonderful sunrises occur due to the position of the sun rising over the lake. The water temperature and air temperature guarantee mists and fog. Arriving 30 minutes before sunrise will help determine the ideal location for taking the best compositions. Fall provides dramatic colors due to maples, oaks and other indigenous trees along the shores and the clear blue skies. Locations may be scouted easily to determine the best lighting and time of day. In a cold winter, the lake will freeze for approximately two to four weeks. Additionally, the water turns a dark gray on cloudy days and provides a compelling contrast to freshly fallen snow.
Indian Lake is located in Orange, Conn., between Boston Post Road and I-95. The northern end of the lake is fed by the Indian River, which runs through a protected wetlands area. In a canoe or kayak, one may easily traverse the lake to find different photo opportunities. Two roads run the length of the lake on either side and may be accessed at various points with permission from the residents. Many types of flora and fauna inhabit this region. Osprey come to feed on fish, Canadian geese mate in the spring, and green herons and egrets hunt for food in the early mornings and late afternoons.
Weather
Indian Lake experiences typical New England weather throughout the seasons. During spring and fall, migratory birds pass through this area and may be seen feeding along the shores or in the wetlands. In summer, quickly passing late-afternoon thunderstorms may provide rainbows, dark clouds for the background and stunning colors from the setting sun.
Photo Experience
Larger telephoto lenses ranging from 100mm to 400mm will give you close-up captures of a variety of wildlife, especially birdlife, without disturbing the subjects. Smaller zoom lenses ranging from 18mm to 100mm will allow you to easily photograph wide-angle scenics of the lake. Multiple polarizing filters may be needed to minimize glare from the water. A tripod also is beneficial for shooting with larger telephoto lenses or for photographing sunrises. This image was taken with a Canon EOS 20D and a 17-85mm lens as I left my house on my way to work. I literally drove around the corner and looked over to see sunrise on the lake. I stopped my truck in the middle of the road and grabbed my camera. A series of 15 shots were taken, and after the sixth photo, this pair of Canadian geese decided to join in and swim through the composition. I kept saying to myself, “Don’t swim too fast!”
Best Times
As the seasons change, Indian Lake provides a variety of photo opportunities. In early spring and late fall, wonderful sunrises occur due to the position of the sun rising over the lake. The water temperature and air temperature guarantee mists and fog. Arriving 30 minutes before sunrise will help determine the ideal location for taking the best compositions. Fall provides dramatic colors due to maples, oaks and other indigenous trees along the shores and the clear blue skies. Locations may be scouted easily to determine the best lighting and time of day. In a cold winter, the lake will freeze for approximately two to four weeks. Additionally, the water turns a dark gray on cloudy days and provides a compelling contrast to freshly fallen snow.
SUBMIT YOUR FAVORITE PLACE & PHOTO
The right place and the right time have always been two important factors contributing to an exceptional photograph and an incredible outdoor experience. So it's not surprising that "Favorite Places" has been such a popular, long-running department in Outdoor Photographer.
Now, we'd like to invite you to share your favorite places with fellow readers on line. We'd all like to learn about those special photogenic places that you think are great to visit and photograph. We are not looking for big overall locations (not "my favorite place is the Grand Canyon"), but about specific areas that can get a photographer excited (like "I love the Crazy Jug Point on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon."
To send us your Favorite Places or Photo, please send to email address orchad@rocketmail.com. The editors of Outdoor Photographer will review submissions and post selections. You may submit up to four images from which one will be selected. Photographs should be JPEGs approximately 600 x 400 pixels. Notes should be limited to 200 words in length.
Now, we'd like to invite you to share your favorite places with fellow readers on line. We'd all like to learn about those special photogenic places that you think are great to visit and photograph. We are not looking for big overall locations (not "my favorite place is the Grand Canyon"), but about specific areas that can get a photographer excited (like "I love the Crazy Jug Point on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon."
To send us your Favorite Places or Photo, please send to email address orchad@rocketmail.com. The editors of Outdoor Photographer will review submissions and post selections. You may submit up to four images from which one will be selected. Photographs should be JPEGs approximately 600 x 400 pixels. Notes should be limited to 200 words in length.
FAST 50s
A pair of ultrafast 50mm prime lenses from Nikon and Sigma will help you capture tack-sharp images in low light. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm ƒ/1.4G delivers outstanding light-transmission efficiency, solid color consistency and reduced flare.The Silent Wave Motor allows for fast, accurate and quiet autofocusing. The Sigma 50mm ƒ/1.4 EX DG HSM features an optical design and molded glass aspherical lens elements, which spread light more evenly to the corners of the frame to help correct all types of aberrations. The lens also incorporates Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor for quiet, high-speed autofocusing, as well as full-time manual-focus capability.
5 Top Tıps For Autumn Wildlife
There’s so much happening with fauna in the fall—bird migrations are in full swing, it’s the autumn rutting period for big game and even small animals are preparing for the imminent cold of winter. So we asked OP wildlife guru Daniel J. Cox to share some of his top tips for getting the most out of this dynamic time of year and composing more compelling wildlife images.
1) Where Do They Live? Habitat Is The Key To Survival.
Often, wildlife photographers get caught up in the idea that the only good wildlife image is a close-up of a wild creature. No doubt these are the images that most people see published and strive to emulate, but I’ve come to understand that there’s more to wildlife documentary work than headshots. In one word, it’s called habitat. Without habitat, there are no wild animals to take pictures of. This not only is an important element to remember as a committed conservationist, but it also can work to your advantage when searching for beautiful images to capture.
There are two techniques I enjoy using to help establish where an animal lives. The first involves pulling back to show the beautiful colors of the fall tundra as in the image of the black bear in north-central Alaska. It’s especially effective in this situation since most people don’t associate black bears on the tundra; it’s a little visual surprise. In the foreground, you can see the small black spruce. The background is a relatively thick spruce forest. With ongoing climate change, scientists have documented the northward progression of the northern forests. Showing a black bear in this unusual habitat, along with the forest in which it will need to prosper, tells a compelling story.
The second technique involves using a telephoto lens to compress the foreground, as well as using trees and bushes to add framing. This works well when capturing an image of an animal you might not be able to get as close to as you might like. Often, an image of this style not only is beautiful, but in some situations may be beneficial to the animal. Knowing how to make a good image from afar can be rewarding to you and the animals we love and strive to protect.
There’s so much happening with fauna in the fall—bird migrations are in full swing, it’s the autumn rutting period for big game and even small animals are preparing for the imminent cold of winter. So we asked OP wildlife guru Daniel J. Cox to share some of his top tips for getting the most out of this dynamic time of year and composing more compelling wildlife images.
2) Anticipate Behavior
Being knowledgeable about your subject is the key to successfully capturing images that stand the test of time. I’m not a trained biologist, but that hasn’t kept me from studying the animals I enjoy. To compensate for my lack of formal training, I reach out to trained biologists.
Being a diligent student allows you to predict specific behaviors your subjects may perform, for example, the image of the busy beaver. These semiaquatic rodents always have been a favorite of mine. They’re hard-working, and through their natural instinct of building a better home for themselves, they add lots of new habitat for other aquatic birds and animals. Fall is the time when beavers are most predictable. They’re busy stashing willow branches for winter feed, strengthening dams and adding to their houses. Through several days of careful, distant observation, I knew this little fellow was cutting willows in one spot and bringing them to a place near his lodge. He traveled this route dozens of times per day. I eventually set up a blind on the side of the pond, which allowed me to get his picture.
A brown bear chasing a salmon is another example of an animal’s acting predictably. I captured an image of a coastal Alaskan brown bear on a river known for its annual salmon run. I prefer working with these brown bears (actually, they’re grizzlies) since they’re much less stressed than grizzlies in the lower U.S. and Canada. I also was with a group in a designated viewing area, which allows the bears to become accustomed to humans watching from the bleachers, so to speak. Every fall these magnificent animals spend lots of time chasing their daily meals.
3) Temperature Changes Add Drama
Migrating birds, colorful foliage and dropping temperatures are all part of autumn’s splendor. It’s my favorite time of the year, and my only complaint about this season of beauty is that it doesn’t last long enough. As the temperatures drop, the lakes, streams and waterways often are warmer than the surrounding air. This combination of opposite extremes can create moody conditions that an experienced artist dreams of.
The best time for documenting the various bird species typically is early morning. Not only can you have the moody climatic conditions of fog and haze, but you’ll position yourself to take advantage of the golden hours of light that early morning offers as well. The geese image was shot 30 minutes after the sun had risen above the horizon. It was cold, -25 below zero on an early day in November in my home state of Minnesota. The warm hues were spread across the image due to reflections from the water and the steam rising toward the sky. My intention was a silhouette, and the added bonus of one bird stretching its wings was a piece of serendipity that only hours of being in the field affords.
Photographing sandhill cranes was another opportunity that took place in the early-morning hours shortly after the sun had ascended. Many, if not most, animals are typically active at this time of the day, as well as the last hours of light in the evening and into the night. These times of activity are the main reasons it’s beneficial to have a fast, large-aperture telephoto. I used a higher ISO due to the benefits of digital capture and a relatively fast 200-400mm ƒ/4 zoom.
4) Make Your Still Images Move
One of the limitations of still photography is the difficulty in trying to create a feeling of life in a medium that’s inherently a “moment in time.” Combining the feeling of movement with that “moment in time” can be extremely effective at stopping the viewer to study more closely. I’m constantly looking for ways to try and bring life to a still photograph.
The most common method to add the feeling of movement is a “controlled blur,” or panning. Panning requires a slower shutter speed than what you’d typically think for a moving subject. The running pheasant was captured with a 500mm lens at 1⁄125 sec. That sounds fairly fast, but it’s not when combined with the magnification of a 500mm lens. The key to a good panning image is to be sharply focused on the subject, moving or panning the lens as the subject travels horizontally. Using a tripod is helpful, but with lens stabilization technology, it’s easier to accomplish the same goal handholding your equipment. You have to shoot lots of images to score any keepers.
I use another technique sometimes for driving snow and rain. I opted for a slower shutter again when I photographed a resting polar bear (1⁄15 sec). This time the subject was stationary, and the heavy snow was falling and streaking across the digital sensor. As the snow drove toward the ground, it left a blurred trail and gave the feeling of movement. The bear remained sharp, giving the eye something to focus on comfortably.
5) Use Light To Create The Feeling Of Three Dimensions
Creating an image that has the power and dimensions to make you feel as though you’re really there is a difficult task. My reason for specializing in wildlife and outdoor journalism revolves around my desire to be a part of nature. I want to see it, smell it and touch it and then bring that story to as many viewers as possible in hopes of making them want to conserve it. To that end, I regularly try to take a two-dimensional medium, a still photo, and turn it into a three-dimensional medium, one that gives the feeling of actually being there. Proper lighting can help make that happen.
We can thank Kodak for photography, but also for one of the most offensive lighting rules ever introduced. Back in the day of the Kodak Brownie, its manual stated, “The sun should be behind your back or over your shoulder.” That was necessary then due to slow lenses and film with ISOs of 12 or less. But today it’s one of the most boring lighting techniques you can follow.
To create the feeling of dimension in still photos, look for sidelighting or backlighting to illuminate a subject. Light from these angles creates highlights and shadows that gives the perception of depth. In the photo of a young moose, notice how you have shadows in the foreground, a shaft of light coming from the left illuminating the middle ground and once again shadows in the background. Break it down further to see the rim light on the animal’s back and shadows on its side facing the camera. All of this gives you the perception that you could reach out and touch this beautiful creature and the willow patch in which it’s standing.
1) Where Do They Live? Habitat Is The Key To Survival.
Often, wildlife photographers get caught up in the idea that the only good wildlife image is a close-up of a wild creature. No doubt these are the images that most people see published and strive to emulate, but I’ve come to understand that there’s more to wildlife documentary work than headshots. In one word, it’s called habitat. Without habitat, there are no wild animals to take pictures of. This not only is an important element to remember as a committed conservationist, but it also can work to your advantage when searching for beautiful images to capture.
There are two techniques I enjoy using to help establish where an animal lives. The first involves pulling back to show the beautiful colors of the fall tundra as in the image of the black bear in north-central Alaska. It’s especially effective in this situation since most people don’t associate black bears on the tundra; it’s a little visual surprise. In the foreground, you can see the small black spruce. The background is a relatively thick spruce forest. With ongoing climate change, scientists have documented the northward progression of the northern forests. Showing a black bear in this unusual habitat, along with the forest in which it will need to prosper, tells a compelling story.
The second technique involves using a telephoto lens to compress the foreground, as well as using trees and bushes to add framing. This works well when capturing an image of an animal you might not be able to get as close to as you might like. Often, an image of this style not only is beautiful, but in some situations may be beneficial to the animal. Knowing how to make a good image from afar can be rewarding to you and the animals we love and strive to protect.
There’s so much happening with fauna in the fall—bird migrations are in full swing, it’s the autumn rutting period for big game and even small animals are preparing for the imminent cold of winter. So we asked OP wildlife guru Daniel J. Cox to share some of his top tips for getting the most out of this dynamic time of year and composing more compelling wildlife images.
2) Anticipate Behavior
Being knowledgeable about your subject is the key to successfully capturing images that stand the test of time. I’m not a trained biologist, but that hasn’t kept me from studying the animals I enjoy. To compensate for my lack of formal training, I reach out to trained biologists.
Being a diligent student allows you to predict specific behaviors your subjects may perform, for example, the image of the busy beaver. These semiaquatic rodents always have been a favorite of mine. They’re hard-working, and through their natural instinct of building a better home for themselves, they add lots of new habitat for other aquatic birds and animals. Fall is the time when beavers are most predictable. They’re busy stashing willow branches for winter feed, strengthening dams and adding to their houses. Through several days of careful, distant observation, I knew this little fellow was cutting willows in one spot and bringing them to a place near his lodge. He traveled this route dozens of times per day. I eventually set up a blind on the side of the pond, which allowed me to get his picture.
A brown bear chasing a salmon is another example of an animal’s acting predictably. I captured an image of a coastal Alaskan brown bear on a river known for its annual salmon run. I prefer working with these brown bears (actually, they’re grizzlies) since they’re much less stressed than grizzlies in the lower U.S. and Canada. I also was with a group in a designated viewing area, which allows the bears to become accustomed to humans watching from the bleachers, so to speak. Every fall these magnificent animals spend lots of time chasing their daily meals.
3) Temperature Changes Add Drama
Migrating birds, colorful foliage and dropping temperatures are all part of autumn’s splendor. It’s my favorite time of the year, and my only complaint about this season of beauty is that it doesn’t last long enough. As the temperatures drop, the lakes, streams and waterways often are warmer than the surrounding air. This combination of opposite extremes can create moody conditions that an experienced artist dreams of.
The best time for documenting the various bird species typically is early morning. Not only can you have the moody climatic conditions of fog and haze, but you’ll position yourself to take advantage of the golden hours of light that early morning offers as well. The geese image was shot 30 minutes after the sun had risen above the horizon. It was cold, -25 below zero on an early day in November in my home state of Minnesota. The warm hues were spread across the image due to reflections from the water and the steam rising toward the sky. My intention was a silhouette, and the added bonus of one bird stretching its wings was a piece of serendipity that only hours of being in the field affords.
Photographing sandhill cranes was another opportunity that took place in the early-morning hours shortly after the sun had ascended. Many, if not most, animals are typically active at this time of the day, as well as the last hours of light in the evening and into the night. These times of activity are the main reasons it’s beneficial to have a fast, large-aperture telephoto. I used a higher ISO due to the benefits of digital capture and a relatively fast 200-400mm ƒ/4 zoom.
4) Make Your Still Images Move
One of the limitations of still photography is the difficulty in trying to create a feeling of life in a medium that’s inherently a “moment in time.” Combining the feeling of movement with that “moment in time” can be extremely effective at stopping the viewer to study more closely. I’m constantly looking for ways to try and bring life to a still photograph.
The most common method to add the feeling of movement is a “controlled blur,” or panning. Panning requires a slower shutter speed than what you’d typically think for a moving subject. The running pheasant was captured with a 500mm lens at 1⁄125 sec. That sounds fairly fast, but it’s not when combined with the magnification of a 500mm lens. The key to a good panning image is to be sharply focused on the subject, moving or panning the lens as the subject travels horizontally. Using a tripod is helpful, but with lens stabilization technology, it’s easier to accomplish the same goal handholding your equipment. You have to shoot lots of images to score any keepers.
I use another technique sometimes for driving snow and rain. I opted for a slower shutter again when I photographed a resting polar bear (1⁄15 sec). This time the subject was stationary, and the heavy snow was falling and streaking across the digital sensor. As the snow drove toward the ground, it left a blurred trail and gave the feeling of movement. The bear remained sharp, giving the eye something to focus on comfortably.
5) Use Light To Create The Feeling Of Three Dimensions
Creating an image that has the power and dimensions to make you feel as though you’re really there is a difficult task. My reason for specializing in wildlife and outdoor journalism revolves around my desire to be a part of nature. I want to see it, smell it and touch it and then bring that story to as many viewers as possible in hopes of making them want to conserve it. To that end, I regularly try to take a two-dimensional medium, a still photo, and turn it into a three-dimensional medium, one that gives the feeling of actually being there. Proper lighting can help make that happen.
We can thank Kodak for photography, but also for one of the most offensive lighting rules ever introduced. Back in the day of the Kodak Brownie, its manual stated, “The sun should be behind your back or over your shoulder.” That was necessary then due to slow lenses and film with ISOs of 12 or less. But today it’s one of the most boring lighting techniques you can follow.
To create the feeling of dimension in still photos, look for sidelighting or backlighting to illuminate a subject. Light from these angles creates highlights and shadows that gives the perception of depth. In the photo of a young moose, notice how you have shadows in the foreground, a shaft of light coming from the left illuminating the middle ground and once again shadows in the background. Break it down further to see the rim light on the animal’s back and shadows on its side facing the camera. All of this gives you the perception that you could reach out and touch this beautiful creature and the willow patch in which it’s standing.
Photography Exposure Basics
Exposure is the amount of light collected by the sensor in your camera during a single picture. If the shot is exposed too long the photograph will be washed out. If the shot is exposed too short the photograph will appear too dark. Almost all cameras today have light meters which measure the light in the given shot and set an ideal exposure automatically. Most people depend on the light meter which is fine, but if you know how to control your exposures you can get some creative and sometimes better pictures. (The photo on the left is with low shutter speed and narrow aperture (high f/stop).
The two primary controls your camera uses for exposure are shutter speed (the amount of time the sensor is exposed to light) and aperture (the size of the lens opening that lets light into the camera). Shutter speeds are measured in seconds and more commonly fractions of a second. (1/2000 of a second is very fast and 8' seconds is extremely slow). Apertures are measured in something called f/stops (a very wide aperture is f/2.8 and a very small aperture is f/19).
You might wonder why there is not just a constant shutter speed or a constant aperture so that you would only have to worry about one control. The reason is that even though they both control the amount of light getting to the sensor they also control other aspects of the picture. Shutter speed for example can be used to freeze subjects in midair with a fast speed or it can be used to blur water with a slow speed. Aperture controls the depth-of-field which is what is in focus in the picture. Aperture can be used to draw attention to one subject (like the flower on the right) by blurring the background with a wide aperture (low f/stop). Aperture can also be used to focus everything in a picture with a narrow aperture (high f/stop). (The photo on the left is with Wide aperture (low f/stop) and corresponding shutter speed).
On most digital SLR's (Single Lens Reflex) cameras today you can even change the sensitivity of the sensor when collecting light which is called the ISO speed. The common span of ISO speed is 100 to 800. The higher the ISO speed the faster the camera collects light but it also adds more noise to the photograph than the lower speeds. For example if your trying to take pictures in dim light without a tripod you might want to raise the ISO speed in order to get a picture that's not blurry. Most of the time you should keep it at a lower ISO speed if there is enough light, but it makes a big difference when there isn't.
The two primary controls your camera uses for exposure are shutter speed (the amount of time the sensor is exposed to light) and aperture (the size of the lens opening that lets light into the camera). Shutter speeds are measured in seconds and more commonly fractions of a second. (1/2000 of a second is very fast and 8' seconds is extremely slow). Apertures are measured in something called f/stops (a very wide aperture is f/2.8 and a very small aperture is f/19).
You might wonder why there is not just a constant shutter speed or a constant aperture so that you would only have to worry about one control. The reason is that even though they both control the amount of light getting to the sensor they also control other aspects of the picture. Shutter speed for example can be used to freeze subjects in midair with a fast speed or it can be used to blur water with a slow speed. Aperture controls the depth-of-field which is what is in focus in the picture. Aperture can be used to draw attention to one subject (like the flower on the right) by blurring the background with a wide aperture (low f/stop). Aperture can also be used to focus everything in a picture with a narrow aperture (high f/stop). (The photo on the left is with Wide aperture (low f/stop) and corresponding shutter speed).
On most digital SLR's (Single Lens Reflex) cameras today you can even change the sensitivity of the sensor when collecting light which is called the ISO speed. The common span of ISO speed is 100 to 800. The higher the ISO speed the faster the camera collects light but it also adds more noise to the photograph than the lower speeds. For example if your trying to take pictures in dim light without a tripod you might want to raise the ISO speed in order to get a picture that's not blurry. Most of the time you should keep it at a lower ISO speed if there is enough light, but it makes a big difference when there isn't.
Things To Consider Before Shooting Pictures
Before you are able to take the kind of pictures you want to learn to take, it is important to think about the equipment you would like to start out with. Probably the most important decision you will have to make is what kind of camera to buy. There are so many options and companies now that the whole process can seem quite overwhelming.
If you are planning to become a serious photographer you should probably buy an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera. The term single lens reflex comes from the fact that the camera has a view of the subject through a single lens and that view is reflected to the viewfinder so the photographer can see exactly what is going to be in the picture. The Digital SLR's are getting so advanced that it's very hard to chose a film camera over a digital. The main advantages of an SLR camera over a point-and-shoot digital camera is the fact that you can change lenses and filters whenever you want to. Although new point-and-shoot cameras have increasing optical zoom and similar capabilities. Point-and-shoot cameras are also a great idea if you just want something simple and small that is convenient to carry wherever you go.
Lenses are what your camera uses to focus on the world. All lenses are defined by their focal length and aperture. The focal length tells you what the angle of view is and how far it magnifies. The aperture is the amount of light that the camera is letting into the sensor. Any lens lower than 50 mm focal length is considered wide-angle. Any at 50 mm is considered normal. And any lens above 50 mm is considered a telephoto. But there are also zoom lenses that have a variable focal length. With a zoom lens you can cover a wide range such as 28 mm to 105 mm or 80 mm to 210 mm.
Lenses can be very expensive and very cheap and it is usually the faster lenses or the ones with the wider apertures that are the highest priced. The faster lenses are more appealing primarily because they can produce better pictures in dim light without a tripod. But it is quite possible to find great lenses at low prices. Probably the first lens you buy should be broad range zoom lens such as a 28 mm to 105 mm. The slight drawback of zoom lenses is that they are slower and they don't quite match the sharpness and contrast of a fixed focal length lens.
Another very important item that you should definitely acquire is a ultra-violet filter (UV filter). It is a simple piece of glass that screws on to the end of your lens and protects it from scratches, dust, dirt, moisture and fingerprints while reducing unwanted ultra-violet light.
We would also strongly recommend that you buy a tripod of some kind which is vital when there is not enough light to handhold a picture. Some of the best pictures you've seen at dusk, night, or just when its cloudy have almost certainly been taken using a tripod. Tripods allow you to use your camera's full range of shutter speed and aperture combinations which can sometimes creating amazing unexpected results. You should pick a tripod that is plenty sturdy but also convenient enough to carry wherever you might want it. You also might want it tall enough so you can look through your camera at eye level.
But when you buy a UV filter you might as well get a polarizer filter as well. A polarizer filter is most commonly used for darkening the sky by cutting through atmospheric haze. This affect can also dramatically improve the results of black and white photography. Polarizer filters are also good for removing reflections from glass or water.
Memory cards are extremely convenient with digital cameras but you need to make sure you have all the space on them that you want. It is always a good feeling to know that you can take all the pictures that you want when you think you have a good opportunity. Most SLR's take Compact Flash memory cards, smaller cameras usually either take Secure Digital memory cards or Sony memory sticks.
It is convenient to have only one format of memory card if you have multiple cameras because then you can interchange them even between a big SLR and a small point and shoot camera. The smaller cameras usually use secure digital cards and Sony memory sticks but some very nice ones use compact flash cards. One thing you must always do is remember to format the card after you unload pictures and put it back into the camera or else you won't have the full capacity of the card.
If you are planning to become a serious photographer you should probably buy an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera. The term single lens reflex comes from the fact that the camera has a view of the subject through a single lens and that view is reflected to the viewfinder so the photographer can see exactly what is going to be in the picture. The Digital SLR's are getting so advanced that it's very hard to chose a film camera over a digital. The main advantages of an SLR camera over a point-and-shoot digital camera is the fact that you can change lenses and filters whenever you want to. Although new point-and-shoot cameras have increasing optical zoom and similar capabilities. Point-and-shoot cameras are also a great idea if you just want something simple and small that is convenient to carry wherever you go.
Lenses are what your camera uses to focus on the world. All lenses are defined by their focal length and aperture. The focal length tells you what the angle of view is and how far it magnifies. The aperture is the amount of light that the camera is letting into the sensor. Any lens lower than 50 mm focal length is considered wide-angle. Any at 50 mm is considered normal. And any lens above 50 mm is considered a telephoto. But there are also zoom lenses that have a variable focal length. With a zoom lens you can cover a wide range such as 28 mm to 105 mm or 80 mm to 210 mm.
Lenses can be very expensive and very cheap and it is usually the faster lenses or the ones with the wider apertures that are the highest priced. The faster lenses are more appealing primarily because they can produce better pictures in dim light without a tripod. But it is quite possible to find great lenses at low prices. Probably the first lens you buy should be broad range zoom lens such as a 28 mm to 105 mm. The slight drawback of zoom lenses is that they are slower and they don't quite match the sharpness and contrast of a fixed focal length lens.
Another very important item that you should definitely acquire is a ultra-violet filter (UV filter). It is a simple piece of glass that screws on to the end of your lens and protects it from scratches, dust, dirt, moisture and fingerprints while reducing unwanted ultra-violet light.
We would also strongly recommend that you buy a tripod of some kind which is vital when there is not enough light to handhold a picture. Some of the best pictures you've seen at dusk, night, or just when its cloudy have almost certainly been taken using a tripod. Tripods allow you to use your camera's full range of shutter speed and aperture combinations which can sometimes creating amazing unexpected results. You should pick a tripod that is plenty sturdy but also convenient enough to carry wherever you might want it. You also might want it tall enough so you can look through your camera at eye level.
But when you buy a UV filter you might as well get a polarizer filter as well. A polarizer filter is most commonly used for darkening the sky by cutting through atmospheric haze. This affect can also dramatically improve the results of black and white photography. Polarizer filters are also good for removing reflections from glass or water.
Memory cards are extremely convenient with digital cameras but you need to make sure you have all the space on them that you want. It is always a good feeling to know that you can take all the pictures that you want when you think you have a good opportunity. Most SLR's take Compact Flash memory cards, smaller cameras usually either take Secure Digital memory cards or Sony memory sticks.
It is convenient to have only one format of memory card if you have multiple cameras because then you can interchange them even between a big SLR and a small point and shoot camera. The smaller cameras usually use secure digital cards and Sony memory sticks but some very nice ones use compact flash cards. One thing you must always do is remember to format the card after you unload pictures and put it back into the camera or else you won't have the full capacity of the card.
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