Feb 21

Focusing is an important part of shooting a good photo alongside with composition and lighting. Focusing on static objects is relatively easy either by manually focusing or by using the camera auto focus feature. Focusing is much harder when the objects are constantly moving.

There are many techniques used by photographers in order to take in focus sharp photos of moving objects. Here are a few of them:

  • Infinite focus: When the objects are far enough from the camera focus can be set either manually or automatically to infinite. As long as the moving objects stay within the infinite focus range the photo will be sharp and clear. Although this is applicable in some scenarios it is not useful in many others such as shooting sport events or air shows.

  • Manually correcting the focus: Using this method the digital camera is put into manual focus mode. Focus corrections are done manually by moving a focus ring n the lens or pressing focus in and out buttons. When the objects move and change their distance from the camera the photographer manually corrects the focus as needed. This is good in some scenarios where the objects are moving relatively slow and their movement is predictable. Manually correcting the focus for objects that move very fast or move unpredictably is not practical.

  • Single focus mode: When using this method the digital camera is put into single focus mode. The camera will automatically focus on the object when the shutter button is pressed. This method can be combined with the manual focus method. The photographer manually focuses on the object and the camera is executing the final focus fixes when the shutter is pressed and the photo is taken. This method is limited to either slow moving objects or high end fast focusing cameras. Focusing is a mechanical process and takes time. If the camera takes too long to focus by the time it is focused on a fast moving object the object will move and the photo will not be in focus anymore.

  • Continuous auto focus: In this method the camera is put into continuous focus mode. Once the shutter button is pressed and as long as it is held half way down the camera continuously focuses on the objects in the photo. In this method the camera continuously corrects the focus as the objects distance from the camera changes. This method is very useful. Even if the object is moving fast the camera can track its movement and continuously correct the focus. By holding the shutter button half way down and continuously moving the camera to follow the moving object the camera will continuously keep the object in focus. When you are ready to shoot the photo simply press the shutter button all the way down. One drawback of this method is high power consumption as the camera continuously corrects the focus it uses the power hungry motors in the lens in order to move the optical components.

    • Taking good photos of moving objects is not easy. It requires practice and experience. In addition to making sure that the objects are in focus you have to continuously consider the composition, the changing lighting conditions, shutter speed to freeze or capture movement, the changing zoon and more. Go and practice shooting a lot of moving objects photos. By shooting a lot of photos in different situations you will grow the instincts that will make all these processes and considerations an unconscious automatic process.

    Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com - a site dedicated to photo printing.

    Feb 7

    When the time comes to buy yourself a digital camera, it can be a very confusing process. There are so many digital cameras available on the market today, it’s hard to know where to start. There are so many great features, and each camera has its own particular capabilities for things like image resolution, lens power, storage capacity and so on. So where do you start?

    In the end, you buy a digital camera to take pictures. So although there are many things you need to consider before choosing a camera, there’s no doubt that image quality and color trueness are the most important. You need to spend time checking out the images generated by a number of different cameras before you can make a decision. Don’t look at retouched images, just at fresh shots.

    Resolution is also very important. The quality of a camera and its photos are in direct proportion to the image resolution. The higher the mega pixels, the better the resolution. For example, a camera with a capability of 3 mega pixels (MP) will output images that are between 1 and 2 MB in size. But a 7 MP camera produces images from 4 to 5 MB in size. For beginners, a low or mid-end MP camera will be fine, but professionals must go for high pixel cameras.

    Once you have a few cameras in mind, try picking them up and seeing how easy they are to operate. A large or heavy camera can be difficult to carry, and may be difficult to hold still while taking photos. It’s also important that all the main buttons for operating the camera are easy to locate and use.

    Check out the storage capacity of the camera. A small memory card doesn’t matter if you’re only going to take a few photos at a time and have ready access to your computer for downloading. But if you’re going to be using your camera while traveling, you will probably find you need a large memory card or perhaps a couple of small memory cards. That way you won’t constantly be running out of space. Even if the camera you prefer only has a small card, it doesn’t matter, because you can buy a larger card separately.

    Most of the low to mid range cameras come with a single lens, and generally have some sort of ‘zoom’ capability. If you’re going to be taking lots of photos at close range, such as less than 1.5 feet (of flowers, for example) then make sure you choose a camera with a macro option. It’s also possible to buy a high-end camera, which is basically a 35mm SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera, which allows you to change lenses. These are great for professional photographers, but for the average person you will probably find you spend a lot of money for nothing.

    Digital cameras tend to go through a lot of batteries, so you may like to choose one with an AC adapter so that you can recharge the battery directly from an electrical socket. The only problem is that you can’t use the camera while it’s being charged. So you may prefer to buy some rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. Always make sure you have a spare set of batteries ready to go.

    For more information on digital cameras to include reviews, a digital camera buying guide, the advantages of digital photography and how a digital camera works try visiting Digital-Photo-Tips.info