Photography Tips

[gius]

colours in photography

Why do polaroids have such nice/interesting colours?

I used my aunt's polaroid camera once, and it made some really nice colours in the first few seconds of developing; and then it became "real" colours after some time, which I didn't like
If you go to this thread, it shows a lot of polaroids with nice colours. Did they use a chemical to "stop" it from developing all the way?
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/f71/polaroids-37541.html

Here are a few

plrds.com

I also like how some of them seem to be lightened..
Here are some nice ones by .francesca. They are black&white(?) but they seem like they have a colour in them. Any idea what that is?
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=146355&d=1136946893
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=146357&d=1136946927

 

[bajith]

can anyone recommend a good starter camera? I have a digital, but I doubt it has the necessary things, it auto focuses on you so you can't manipulate anything, etc. Thanks

By a starter camera do you mean an Slr starter? or just any camera starter?
For the any camera you should get canon sd790is. For a slr/dslr I would suggest the canon rebel xti or nikon d40. However these are all digital recommendations, and I noticed you said you wanted to still be able to develop your pictures. What do you mean by develop? Get them printed, or actually adjust the photo during the development? (sorry, i'm a terrible person to explain).

Well any digital pictures can still be printed, and you can adjust the photo through photoshop. Imo, digital is always more convenient but if you're in for the process I suppose the originals are more fun.

----

For a lighting settings you can always just bounce the lighting off walls, that seems to work well in some cases.

+ Polaroids seem very fun! I've always wanted to buy one, but then I always remind myself how hard it is to grab hold of the required film & how costly it is.

+ To anyone that has any interest in their camera you should definitely buy fish eye lenses!

 

[leeyone]

I love using natural light. I make sure that the sun is cooperating with me when I'm taking most of the photos. If you must, a reflector is a nice tool. Some people on budget use white cardboards or styrofoam boards.

samples:

and yes, photoshop is a friend! Adjust brightness and color on your photos. I love mine with a yellow-ish tone. But that's just me.

 

[silk skin paws]

Really helpful tips and information. I'm really bad when it comes to taking photographs.

 

[ScarlettLover]

My best tip: Be easy on retouching. If there are a few blemishes get rid of them, but don't full on air brush. Esp. if you don't know how to use it properly. I can't tell you how many beautiful photos I've seen ruined with air-brushing. Real is beautiful. Air-brushing doesn't fool anyone and a more calculated natural beauty is twice as stunning.


If you would like to have your photos to appear to be made from a film camera without the film, download photoscape. Their film effects are very believable if used right. But real film is of course best.

And I like flash. But you have to know how to control it. A manually set flash is best, so you can adjust it to the enviroment.

BetteT, that's a great suggestion!

 

[Marvystone]

Any tips on photographing moving subjects?
Normally I wouldn't bother trying to get it perfect, but there's a possibility I could be taking some photos of performances for a theater group..

 

[seanutbutter]

^ What camera do you plan on using? If you're using a DSLR, set your shutter speed to no less than 1/60 second. You'll still get some blur with that shutter speed, though, so I'd recommend using a faster one. Also, your ISO should be at least 400, depending on the amount of light. If you can bring a monopod or tripod with you, the pictures would turn out even sharper. Good luck!

 

[Mchunu]

Why do polaroids have such nice/interesting colours?

I used my aunt's polaroid camera once, and it made some really nice colours in the first few seconds of developing; and then it became "real" colours after some time, which I didn't like
If you go to this thread, it shows a lot of polaroids with nice colours. Did they use a chemical to "stop" it from developing all the way?
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/f71/polaroids-37541.html

Here are a few

plrds.com

I also like how some of them seem to be lightened..
Here are some nice ones by .francesca. They are black&white(?) but they seem like they have a colour in them. Any idea what that is?
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=146355&d=1136946893
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=146357&d=1136946927

Not sure if this helps, but if you use the really hold polaroid models, i.e. i use the Polaroid Land 104 camera..one of the first polaroid models from the 60s, you can control development.

www.animadesigns-shop.com

If you use the new fujifilm, which is required for this camera, you can develop it for how long you want. Developing this type of film works by pulling out the developing sheet and chemical sheet together and removing it at the desired time. A lot of the images you posted look blown out, therefore overexposed. By overexposing them and developing it for half the time (which is determined by the temperature) you can get these vintage, old looking type of photos. But i think the color fades with time, so it may look pretty cool at first, but in a few years it won't look so hot..atleast i don't think so.. You can buy these polaroid cameras online for about $10-$25. Hope this helps!

 

[timemachinedream]

oops. I guess I should have posted here, but I didn't see it. anyway

http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f81/lighting-photography-82703.html

 

[timemachinedream]

^^ and just to add to my last idea, its also the look of basically anything in nylon:

from nylonmag.com

 

[ScarlettLover]

That look can be achieved either through using a film camera or photoshop.

The first question is, do you have photoshop or a program like it?

Ex: Gimp, paint.net, and photoscape are all free.

Once we get that clear, I can maybe whip you up a little tutorial.

It's taken me a while to figure it out, but it's neat. I love that look in pictures.

 

[timemachinedream]

^^ i have gimp and photoshop. any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[michyed]

Flash doesn't make photographs look tacky. You just have to chose the right occasion. A speedlite REALLY helps.

 

[ediewho]

One essential tip white balance is soooooooo important!!

 

[Sea Of Love]

I need a bit of help too. I am really keen to learn how to take great portrait/editorial style photos and I hve all the camera and equiptment, but....... I am absolutely crp at working the camera, I know basically what partrait is and that is all.
I am trying to get in heaps of practice with my forever obliging friend but it always seems to have just that one thing wrong with it every time.
Anyway, the main problem is 1. the lighting 2. the angle although I think this is my best 'natural' ability with photography. 3. my general ignorance I have no idea what a shudder/shutter?? speed does for a pic.

Here are some that I would love nowing how I can achieve similar results. I know I don't have a crew of models and make-up artists to help and I am no Miesel but hopefully I can get something alike:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Any help would be much appreciated.

All pics i got from the specific models link on the website herfamedgoodlooks.com

 

[ediewho]

3 , 4 and 5 seems quite whitey so in purpose but... All those shoots are very photoshopped... the first and SECOND ONE are clearly big time retouched...and the others too...colors faded and all.
You can try to get some nice shoots but A) don't copy and B)while working with phtoshop must be a clean work which means time... unless you want just enhance a bit the light or fix some lil' imperfections... otherwise... on editorials pictures go by too many filters...

Try to get a simply knowledge about photography to try things... there's not a recipe...specially when every cam and every people tastes are different... and so the light of the day and so how much you can change all of that with a photoshop surgery... im not a fan of that massive surgery personally...
So its not too difficult to find information on the net about anything these days... also helps know your camera well... so you can get the most of it... And like my dad always told me you gotta "see it"... if not you can know all the rules but you wont get anything touching.

Which camera do you have? Do you have problems to find some basic principles about photography?
Im sorry if my reply disappoint you but you know most of the things u see on mags are fake right? I like old school...but thats a personal taste! hehe

 

[seanutbutter]

I need a bit of help too. I am really keen to learn how to take great portrait/editorial style photos and I hve all the camera and equiptment, but....... I am absolutely crp at working the camera, I know basically what partrait is and that is all.
I am trying to get in heaps of practice with my forever obliging friend but it always seems to have just that one thing wrong with it every time.
Anyway, the main problem is 1. the lighting 2. the angle although I think this is my best 'natural' ability with photography. 3. my general ignorance I have no idea what a shudder/shutter?? speed does for a pic.

Here are some that I would love nowing how I can achieve similar results. I know I don't have a crew of models and make-up artists to help and I am no Miesel but hopefully I can get something alike:

As ediewho pointed out, almost all photographs in magazines are edited in some shape or form. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. The thing is, you don't need to take photographs like Meisel, or any other photographer for that manner. If you're truly interested in photography, which I suspect you are, your own personal style will begin to show over time, just like it did with Meisel.

What I'd do in your situation is start from scratch: Learn about photography basics, like aperture, shutter speeds, and ISO (this article from Photo.net is helpful); read your camera's manual from front to back, and most importantly, take pictures every day.

 

[ediewho]

As ediewho pointed out, almost all photographs in magazines are edited in some shape or form. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. The thing is, you don't need to take photographs like Meisel, or any other photographer for that manner. If you're truly interested in photography, which I suspect you are, your own personal style will begin to show over time, just like it did with Meisel.

What I'd do in your situation is start from scratch: Learn about photography basics, like aperture, shutter speeds, and ISO (this article from Photo.net is helpful); read your camera's manual from front to back, and most importantly, take pictures every day.

wise words seanutbutter

 

[Sea Of Love]

Seanbutter and ediwho you are awesome, thanks!
I have a canon 400d with a 75mm and 35mm lense

 

[MissMagAddict]

I agree with what edie & seanutbutter both said... but I'd also like to add that it doesn't matter what kind of camera you have. I've seen beautiful images taken with disposable cameras & iPhones. Powerful images are created by people... not cameras.