Here are some simple steps and tips to follow when when outdoors with a Flash and in aperture priority mode and you would like your subject backlit.

If you want to have your subject backlit, before you even turn on the flash you need to expose for the ambient light so that you avoid the flash looking to harsh on your subject. If you decide to shoot in aperture priority mode you can set your ISO to 100 and if your camera will allow, an aperture of f4 or wider so that you get a shallowest depth of field possible.

Once you have your subject correctly exposed ( you may want to check your histogram) turn your flash on and if you have a diffuser make sure you have it attached. You should dial in a stop or 2 of negative flash exposure compensation so that you get a subtle burst of fill in flash. A subtle burst of fill in flash will result in a more natural looking shot.

Then select the focus point closest to your subjects nearest eye. You will want to compose your shot so it sits over the pupil. Once you have this set then all you need to do is fire away..

On the next blog, I will give you some tips on how to use flash outdoors when you want your subject front llt

Rebates on a range of Canon cameras at B&H Photo

B&H Photo Video has let us know about the latest Canon Camera instant savings, and double rebates on lenses and speedlites.

Super moonrise Coming this Saturday May 5 2012

If a moonbeam wakes you up on the night of May 5th, 2012, you might want to get out of bed and take a look.  The scientific term for the phenomenon is “perigee moon. But I would call this May’s full Moon  a “super Moon,”. It is as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full Moons of 2012. and it will grace the skies Saturday night. The "supermoon," which occurs when the moon is nearest Earth in its orbit, will appear only slightly smaller than last year's, which was the brightest full moon in nearly 20 years. It will become full at 11:35pm but there's no need to keep the kids up late to see it, according to what I read in the USA Today: They say the best time to view the large moon will be just after it rises in early evening.

Did you know "Earth Day" was created in 1970 by US Senator G. Nelson after the 1969 oil spill in California? On April 22, 1970, 20 million people gathered together for the first time across America, to demonstrate against pollution and for the preservation of biodiversity. Earth Day Network (EDN) now works in 192 countries, with 22.000 partners. It promotes environmental friendly behaviors and organizes environmental campaigns about water issues, climate change etc. If you didn't do anything special for Earth Day this year, remember that each day you can help our environment by changing to more eco-friendly behaviors.

It's been but half a year since Canon first entered the motion picture market, and the company is already back with its second and third professional video rigs. Canon released details of another new DSLR type camera but with this one being aimed squarely at the pro cinematography market. The camera titled the EOS 1D- C (C for Canon's cinema range) is still a DSLR type camera and is in affect the same as the new Canon 1DX but with a bunch of additional video features, including the ability to record images in Super High Definition 4K resolution.

To date all DSLR cameras with video mode have only been capable of HD resolution just under 2K (like your normal HD channels and HD-TV) so this really is a game changer aimed clearly at the pro film maker market but could come in very handy, depending of course on the person, on a photography tour if one was so inclined to take both video and stills of the people, places and landscapes you visit around the world.

There is no exact release date announced yet, although a roll out this year is certain and I am sure a Google search for this new canon camera will bring up a list of people and magazines that are talking about it and giving there opinion.

When on a photography tour, one of the most common photos that people take are portraits of the local people in the country they are visiting. Therefore, a question our photography pros are often asked is how can they take better portraits. Here is some equipment you may want to consider the next time you are going to take portrait images:

1) 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. This is considered the go to lens by many portrait pros, as the large maximum aperture enables your to shoot handheld without the risk of camera shake in low light conditions and it also produces beautiful background blur, which helps subjects to really step out.

2) 50mm prime lens - Another standard lenss among portrait photographers, 50mm primes typically have very wide maximum apertures making them ideal in low light or for portraits with an extremely shallow depth of field with only one eye in focus.

3) Reflector -  A reflector is useful for bouncing light into the shadows to soften them, for making the most of ambient lighting, for directing the light where you want it and even for blocking out light when needed. If you are on a budget a sheet of white cardboard will do the job

4) Flash - A flash is by no means essential and many portrait pros try to steer clear of them, but they come into their own when shooting low light portraits indoors or if you want to add a subtle burst of fill light to soften shadows or create a catch light

5) Diffuser - If you have to use flash be sure to attach a diffuser to soften the light it produces.  This will reduce any harsh shadows resulting in more flattering pictures.  Again if you are on a budget you can try making one from a white card or plastic milk bottle

6) Remote Flash - Another way of reducing the harsh shadows flashes tend to produce is to use them off camera.  An off camera flash cord is one option but for complete flexibility its worth investing in a wireless flash trigger and a portable flash stand.

These six items should get you on the right track for taking stunning portrait pictures on your next photography tour.

Here is a check list for the next time your photographing birds and the recommended settings depending on the effect you are looking for:

For Stationary Birds

1) Aperture priority mode
2) Maximum Aperture
3) ISO 100 or ISO 200
4) Single Shot AF mode
5) Image Stabilization

For Birds in Flight

1) Shutter Priority Mode
2) ISO 100 for motion blur, at least ISO 200 to freeze motion
3) Maximum 1/125 second to render motion as a creative blur
4) Minimum 1/500 second to freeze and fast moving action
5) Focus tracking mode
6) Continous Shooting

This photo was taken in Tampa Bay ....... beautiful way to start the day

I went out this morning to photograph some birds on one of my favorite islands and took this photo on my way out...

Unless you’re shooting very large birds, or large flocks of birds, there is just no getting around the fact that you’re going to have to have a long lens to photograph them well. Even if your chosen subject is very tame, or if you are in a hide that is very close, you'll struggle to get frame filling shots with anything shorter than a 300mm and even at that you are going to have your work cut out for you. If you still do not have a long lens, well.. that’s the bad news.. but the good news is you really do not have to spend a fortune to get the reach you need.  One way is to buy a teleconverter. Teleconverters, which fit between the camera body and the lens, increase the length of any compatible lens by either 1.4x or 2x. This for example would make a 200 mm lens either a 280mm or 400mm lens.

And if you add in a crop factor of 1.3x or even 1.5x or 1.6x (if you have a APC sensor) you will be able to get frame filling shots at a fraction of the cost of a telephoto lens.   A teleconverter will cost you a few hundred dollars which is considerably less than all but the most basic lenses of an equivalent reach. In addition to a long lens and/or a teleconverter, here are a few other accessories that may just come in handy depending on the subject you’re shooting and the type of shot you are after.

1) Monopod- Long lenses can be heavy. A monopod will not help steady the camera but will take the weight of the lens. This will help you to concentrate on taking the shot as opposed to trying to keep the camera steady