Must-have Digital Camera Accessories for Every Photographer

Last weekend, one of my friends showed me some photographs of his 3 year old daughter standing in his garden with a bunch of roses. He wanted to use them for a baby photo contest but was not really happy with the quality. It seems he had really tried hard to get that perfect shot but despite having a good camera and using light properly, he still missed it. I was unable to help him in editing these pictures, as they had many severe flaws that are extremely difficult to correct. Seeing him disappointed was actually painful.

Most people don’t realize that only having an expensive camera will not give them high quality pictures; you need some Digital Camera Accessories to add that wow effect to your work. If you don’t have these accessories and are not a master in photography, don’t dream of taking photographs that you can send in a contest.

The most common issue that I have found in amateur photographs is blurriness. This happens when there is an unwanted and unintentional camera movement such as shaking of hands. A blurred image is as good as a waste and, to avoid this, you must invest in a tripod or at least a monopod depending upon your budget and interest level. If you feel this as an unnecessary expenditure, you perhaps don’t realize how good your picture can be when taken from a stable camera.

You might argue with me when I ask you to buy an off-camera flash operated by a wireless flash remote. Most digital cameras have built-in flash so why do you need to bother about buying an additional one? My answer is simple; buy it, use it, and compare the picture with the one taken using built-in flash. You don’t have to spend a fortune for these. Many online stores sell these equipments at budget-friendly prices. I usually buy from photostudiosupplies but you can explore many other stores as well. Using an off-camera flash will not only allow you to have proper lighting but also reduce the issue of red eye. To synchronize this equipment with your camera, buy wireless triggers for flash. They use radio signals for triggering.

The next time you want to take a group photo having you in it, don’t set the timer and run. You may just look so tired in the picture or may not be able to strike a good pose. Moreover, if you are still moving when the camera clicks the picture, the image will be blurred. My suggestion would be to buy a remote control. Yes, you can control your camera remotely, thereby getting more flexibility for clicking group photos. You can find a remote control for canon, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Sony, and almost all other leading brands of cameras.

Even if you are not an avid photographer like me, you still love to take pictures of your child, your pet, your house, and probably your neighborhood. Investing in good camera accessories will surely help you to beautifully capture those wonderful moments.

Beginner’s guide to using continuous studio lighting kit

For studio shooting, there are two types of lightnings that a photographer can use; strobe lighting and continuous lighting. In case of strobe or flash, the camera automatically turns the light on for exposure and once the exposure is complete, the light is turned off automatically. However, if you use a continuous studio lighting kit, the light source will remain illuminated as per the photographer’s desire. This form of illumination is suitable for amateur photographers, however; a majority of professionals also opt for this. Here is a basic guide to use this kit:

• Artificial light has a different color temperature than the natural light. Even if the human eye cannot detect it, the digital cameras cannot balance it properly and therefore, the pictures taken in artificial lighting have an unrealistic color cast. While shooting inside a studio, always make sure you adjust your camera settings to get the natural look.

• Daylight balanced bulbs are the best continuous lighting source. Therefore, your video lighting kit must have lights that are balanced to 5,000 to 6,000 k, the same as daylight.

• Use fluorescent lights, as they are cooler than the Incandescent Light Bulb. They use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than the conventional ones.

• The continuous light source can be conveniently used with softbox lighting kit, reflectors, barndoors, gels, filters, etc. Use them to get the desired effect.

Continuous lighting may not work in certain cases such as shooting frozen or chilled food such as ice cream, as the heat generated by this form of light may melt them. In such cases, the photographers have no choice other than using the strobe.

Why should you buy a reversible Chromakey green and blue screen backdrop?

If you are a photographer who religiously use green screen technology to enhance your work, then the green screen backdrop must be your lifeline. Whether you work indoors or outdoors, this simple but wonderful green colored fabric is the basic thing you would need to work. Being lightweight and collapsible, you can easily carry it with you wherever you go; however, despite being such a useful tool, many times it fails to help you flawlessly.

When using a green screen backdrop, you have to ensure that there is nothing that is green in the picture including the subject’s dress or even the eyes. This is because, while keying, everything that is in green in the picture will be keyed out. Nevertheless, in many cases, you cannot simply avoid green. Here comes the role of blue backdrop. While shooting a green colored fruit drink bottle or a model wearing green colored dress designed by a renowned designer, you have to use blue screen instead of the conventional green one.

To avoid carrying two different backdrops, you should opt for reversible backdrops sold by many renowned online stores such as photostudiosupplies.com. These backdrops have blue and green colored screens on the alternate sides and therefore, are the best options for your photographic requirements. You can use any side as per your requirement. The good quality products collapse to one third of their size and therefore, are portable. This double colored backdrop has all the features that you will get in a single colored one. Buy this Chromakey Green and Blue Screen Backdrop and stay away from the hassles of extra loads while going out for an on location shoot.

Tips for choosing a green screen kit

Gone are those days when photographers had to travel to different locations carrying all necessities and accessories along with their subjects for an outdoor shoot. These days, all they have to do is to install a green screen kit in their studio and start clicking. Green screen technology has proved to be a boon for photographers, as they just have to superimpose their subject’s image on a desired background to create those wonderful looking pictures, sitting inside their studio! However, having the right studio set up by using the perfect supplies is required to give all those magical effects. Below are a few tips to choose the best materials for your green screen studio.

• Backdrop quality: While choosing green screen backdrop kits, make sure that the backdrop is made of high-quality muslin that is wrinkle-free and light weight.

• Color: For making the keying process easier, always buy a backdrop whose color is scientifically matched with Chromakey green.

• Size: While deciding the size of the screen, consider your shooting requirement. For head shots, a small screen of about five by five feet will work but for a full shot, you will need a big screen. If your subject needs to run or lie on the screen, you will have to purchase a bigger one than the full body shot.

• Stand quality: Along with the backdrop, the kit will have a stand for supporting the background. Professional stands are made of telescopic poles to adjust the height of the screen with that of the subject.

• Support: Ensure that the stand supports the screen flawlessly so that you don’t have to struggle with creases. You might need some additional clamps to keep the fabric stretched during the shoot.
  
  Our green screen background kits come with a carry bag for better portability. Buy them at affordable prices from photostudiosupplies.com. To have a well-equipped green photography studio, you must buy a good quality kit. Choose us for all your photographic requirements.

Why is a Chromakey green suit vital for the entertainment industry?

For decades, the entertainment industry has amused us with unbelievable tricks that sometimes leave our eyes and mouth wide open. The demand for such magical actions has always been on the rise; however, with time, it has become difficult to please the audience and the competition within this industry has increased manifolds. To address all these issues, showbiz players are increasing becoming dependent on camera technology rather than stunt men who cannot do all those supernatural actions. Here comes the role of the green screen technology.

Among all green screen equipments, the one that has got the most attention is the Chromakey green screen body suit . The ski-fi movies showing the protagonist becoming invisible and trying hard to save the world is actually possible due to this simple clothing. All that the actor needs to do is, to wear it while doing the tricks; rest all is managed by the videographer who uses software to remove the green color from the video thereby removing the actor wearing the green screen suit. Apart from the full body disappearing, headless shots can also be done by wearing a green hood instead of the full suit.

This suit and other apparel have become the basic requirement of the entertainment industry. These days, green screen technology is used for shooting almost every video. With the rising public demand, the videographers have to be innovative with this Chromakey green suit to come up with crowd-pleasing tricks and therefore, the demand for such clothing will increase tremendously. These cheap but remarkable technological tools are easily available with any online photographic equipment store such as photostudiosupplies.com; however, you must buy the right piece to make an incredible film.

The Art of using Photography Light Reflector

A photography light reflector is the most inexpensive tool that deals with most natural light problems. It is used only with the sole objective to reflect light and diffuse the unwanted shadows that are casted on the subject by the natural light. In many cases, this indispensable photography tool is also used for indoor shooting; however, it is mostly used outdoors.

When shooting portraits with outdoor light, you will get harsh shadows in the areas that will not get sufficient light such as the area under the eyes, nose, and chin. If not removed, these shadows will create dark patches on the face of the subject. The best way to avoid these lighting issues is to use a reflector. This simple but wonderful object purely reflects the light on the subject and eliminates the annoying shadows. Adjust the angle of the reflector as per your requirement and aim the light wherever you want. This way, you will get a subject that is well lit from both front and back. You can use this tool with a flash or in lieu of a flash. Therefore, the best way to compensate the light deficiencies is to use a reflector.

Reflectors are usually are of two types; the collapsible type and the frame and panel type. The collapsible ones are light-weight and are therefore, preferred by the photographers who are always on the move. They have a circular shape and have a removable and reversible covers to provide silver, golden or white reflection. You can easily buy them from any online photography supplies store such as photostudiosupplies.com. This Circular Reflector Kit is so light that it can be easily swayed away by the wind. You will need assistance in holding it at its position. The frame and panel ones are heavier than the circular ones; however, they are durable and can withstand light wind.

Appropriate use of this indispensable tool can give your photos a polished professional look.