5 Tips for Using Tripods

Tripods!

5 tips to shooting with a tripod

1. Only extend the legs to maximum height when needed. While the tripod legs are extended you will loose much of your stability while shooting.
2. Turn off image stabilizing. many lenses have an image stabilizer that accounts for hand shaking while shooting without a tripod. This is especially an issue at slower shutter speeds.
3. Use the mirror lock up feature on your camera. If the mirror moves, it can cause a slight shake that can appear in your photos while shooting with a tripod.
4. Add a 2 second timer. Even while pressing down gently with your finger, you can cause a vibration that can appear in your photos. Adding this 2 second timer will allow the camera to stabilize to get that perfect shot.
5. Use a lower ISO. This is assuming that you are using your tripod to shoot long exposures in low lighting conditions.

Youtube video on tripods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SOBDagFhEk

Share 2 & Critique

First Picture
Focal Length: 37
F number: 4.5
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 100

Second Picture 
Focal Length: 18
F number: 22
Exposure: 1/4
ISO: 100

Both Pictures Taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T3i

History

Here are some wild facts that I found on the history of photography!

1. The first camera was invented in 1916.

The inventor was Joseph Nicephore Niepce

      2. Every two minutes, we take more pictures than all of humanity did in the 1800's

      3. Anyone know the most viewed photo ever?  https://theuijunkie.com/microsoft-xp-bliss/

      4. The most expensive photo ever sold for 6.5 million to a private party.                                                   

Telephoto lenses

Telephoto lenses allow the photographer to create pictures at great distances. They are split up into three categories.

1. Short (85mm-135mm)
2. Medium (135mm-300mm)
3. Super (300mm+)

As you can imagine, the bigger the telephoto lens, the bigger the price tag. If you want the best, be prepared to spend thousands of dollars.

Recommendations while using a telephoto lens.

• Short lenses are typically used for shooting portraits
• Medium is used for sports and action photographers
• Super is for those who are after wildlife and simply can't get close enough

Share 1 and critique

This photo was created on the rims. It was shot on aperture priority mode with a Canon EOS Rebel T3i.
F16
ISO400

Still struggling with the light room side of things but I have learned to not just take a million pictures. Shoot and check every time until you get what you want!

Aperture. What the heck is it?!

Being the amateur photographer that I am, the biggest struggle is figuring out what all of these terms are. So, I might as well talk about one that has recently been discussed. Aperture has is described as being one of the pillars of photography. The other two are shutter speed and ISO. Of the research that I have done, it seems that aperture is the most important. It can make or break your photo.

Aperture can change the exposure of the photo. (Amount of light per unit area) I think this photo does a great job of explaining this visually.

As you can see, the photo at f/22 is very much underexposed. While at f/2.8 the photo is overexposed. Photography is a game of trade offs. Finding the magic somewhere in the middle is the key!