Snapshot | Premier Mounts X series specs

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Whether you’re using a ‘point and shoot’ camera, like a fabulously compact Sony Cyber-shot, or a

larger camera like Sony’s new digital SLR, there are some simple things you can do to dramatically improve your shots. Brent Williams, a professional photographer, shares his top tips.

01> People

If you’re shooting people, focus on the eyes, it doesn’t matter so much if the other elements are slightly out of focus. Whether you’re shooting a person or group, make sure lighting is even across the face.

02> Rules

Apply the rule of thirds. This is the compositional rule that the main subject of the photo should not be perfectly centred, but should be offset by roughly a third. The main subject should align to an edge or corner of the centre square. This creates a visually appealing photo that has balance and energy.

03> Angles

Try turning the camera on its side for a portrait shot – varying the orientation of a shot can dramatically improve the photo’s impact.

04> Settings

Generally speaking, keep the ISO sensitivity down as low as possible to maximise image quality, although when using the tele end of the zoom range, a higher ISO setting may be useful in combination with Super SteadyShot in avoiding blurry images.

05> Horizons

Use ‘horizons’ to prevent camera tilt. That can be the actual horizon or a ceiling line, they can indicate undesirable camera tilt. This can sometimes be trickier than it sounds. If you’re taking a picture at an angle to your horizon, the camera’s perspective will make the horizon appear to slope. It’s also a good idea to check vertical lines, such as door frames, to avoid tilt.

06> Lighting

At parties or in dark rooms, do some practice shooting to get lighting levels right. It’s common for people to get overexposed because of the

ﬂash – a problem that’s very difﬁcult to correct

later with software. If your subjects are getting overexposed, lower the ﬂash level through

the camera’s menu or put a little bit of tissue

paper over the ﬂash to tone it down. As a rule,

it’s better to underexpose than overexpose.

Underexposure can often be corrected by software. Outside, it’s often better to shoot in the shade than in direct sunlight.

07> Composition

While the LCD is a good tool for general composition, use the optical viewﬁnder (if your camera has one) to engage the subject more easily. With the optical viewﬁnder you see the subject with no delay and in higher resolution, so the camera becomes an extension of yourself and you’re able to engage with the subject more easily. Even with the latest LCD screen technology, the resolution on the LCD never matches the clarity of seeing something through the optical viewﬁnder with your own eye.

08> Memory

Get a big memory card and go berserk with the number of shots that you take, don’t just take one shot. Shoot off three or four very quick shots, which gives you the chance to skip any pictures with closed eyes, wacky half-smiles and

other common ﬂaws.

09> Position

Don’t feel intimidated about asking people to change position. Be a director! A fun part of the process is getting people to do things for the photo. Move people around to get rid of distracting background elements. You can also do a little post-production cropping with software too, if something doesn’t add to the photo, take it out! Make sure when cropping that you keep the photo’s original aspect ratio (approximately), so that the photo doesn’t become too wide or too thin.

10> Balance

If there’s one accessory that will improve your photography, it’s a tripod. It eliminates blurry photos completely and allows you to use longer exposure times. Even if a tripod is not available, try and steady your hands by resting your elbows on your knees or any available surface.

Check out examples of Brett’s work at www.creativepix.net

SNAPSHOT 11

Digital SLRs

With the launch of its brand, Sony has a new range of digital SLR cameras. The advantages of digital SLRs are much the same as ﬁ lm SLRs

–you get through-the-lens viewﬁ nding. Sony’s DSLR cameras use a mount system based on the Konica Minolta (KM) lens mount system for attaching compatible KM and new Sony lenses. Single-lens reﬂex (SLR) cameras have been popular in the ﬁ lm world for decades. An SLR gives the photographer the capacity to see exactly what the photo will look like before taking the shot. SLR cameras are also more likely to have switchable lenses, making them the perfect choice for professional photographers and serious amateurs alike.

The cameras complement the compact Sony Cyber-shot range. The Cyber-shot models take great photos, with resolutions of up to 10 mega pixels, and they’re the kind of camera you can carry with you everywhere you go. The DSLR, however, gives you the capacity to engage the subject in ways that only an SLR can.

Sony has designed the to make it easy for point and shooters to make the move to a digital SLR. A host of automatic settings makes those ﬁ rst few shots with the new style of camera easy. These automatic functions can be progressively turned off as the user becomes more comfortable with the camera settings. It also has advanced features like Sony’s sensor- based Super SteadyShot, which builds anti-shake technology into the camera’s body: and a special anti-dust vibration technology that reduces the risk of dust attaching to the image sensor and ruining a good photo. There’s also the Eye-Start Autofocus system, which starts the autofocus as soon as you bring your eye to the viewﬁ nder.

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