Hot Photography How-Tos
How To: Convert a matchbox into a camera
In this tutorial, we learn how to covert a matchbox into a camera. First, take your matchbox and cut out the bottom, then cut out a square piece. After this, paint the inside of it black with a marker. Next, cut a small hole in the top of the box. After this, cut a small square out of a soda can and hammer a small hole in the metal square. Now, tape the metal to the match top box, then cut the excess tape off. After this, take the bottom off of the top and place it over the metal hole in the ...
How To: Use Nikon digiscopes or telescopic lenses
In this tutorial, we learn how to use Nikon digiscopes. This means taking digital pictures with a digital camera through a lens. You can use two different versions of lenses with the Nikon Coolpix camera. You will need an eyepiece to use the camera with these lenses. You can get up to 75x magnification while using these, but risk of camera shake is greater. First, mount the camera on the triPod and apply the lens adapter, then the Coolpix camera. After this, use the view finder to see through...
How To: Convert a halogen lamp into a makeshift ring light
In this tutorial, we learn how to convert a halogen lamp into a makeshift ring light. Instead of pointing this light straight at the person you are photographing, you can use a ring light to make the halogen light less harsh. The prices for ring lights are very expensive, so making this yourself can save you a lot of money. First, go out and buy a round metal mesh object wherever you can find one. You will also need tin foil, a plastic cup, and wire cutters. First, set the metal bowl on top o...
HowTo: DIY Home Photo Booth
We love the photo booth. Inevitably the best pictures from any wedding come from, not the professional photographer, but the photo booth stationed in the far corner where tipsy guests act very very silly. Brett Ratner, director of Rush Hour and X-men, has a photo booth installed in his house. After several years of parties...he decided to publish a book of all the candids. Jay-Z, Paris Hilton, Justin Timberlake and many others mug for the camera without the aid of fancy lighting or make up ar...
How To: Photograph with a point & shoot camera
In this tutorial, we learn how to photograph with a point and shoot camera. If you have dark light on the face, make sure you turn flash on your light and make sure it turns on to even out the lighting that's on the face. One of the easiest ways to shoot outside without using flash is to put someone in the shade. If the light source is coming from straight ahead, you will have the best lighting available. This will isolate where your light is coming from, and will work out better if it's not ...
How To: Use a wide or telephoto lens for portrait photography
Mark Wallace shows us how to use a wide lens for portrait photography. A longer lens minimizes distortion in your picture and it maximizes what type of view you can see, so you can see more of the thing you are taking a picture of and less of the background. These lenses help keep the picture clean and uncluttered. You can see the difference between a wide and short angle lens by taking pictures with them and looking at the differences between them. There is also a zoom available, which makes...
How To: Shoot an engagement photo
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to shoot an engagement photo. An engagement shoot should be a lot more special and personal. To do that, you need to find meaning to the photo. Finding a scene with a deep meaning will help make the photo much more special. A challenge when shooting an engagement photo is to get the couple to be comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera. Try to get the couple to interact with one another to make the photo look honest and real. This video will ben...
How To: Safely pack your photo equipment for travel
Yanik Chauvin teaches us how to safely pack photo equipment for travel in this tutorial. First, remember to have good insurance on all your equipment, just in case something does break. To pack your things, use a backpack that is specifically made for cameras. Also, arrange for the lens not to be attached to the body of the camera while traveling. If you have to have it attached, make sure there is something under your lens to protect it from any additional shock. If you don't have a backpack...
How To: Take professional-quality photos using natural light
Interested in taking professional-caliber portraits but haven't time (or money) for a bulky light rig? Great results can be had by taking advantage of the available light from windows. This photographer's guide offers a number of pointers for you shooters out there. For more information, and to get started taking your own beautifully lit photos, take a look.
How To: Use & understand studio flash
This video tutorial is in the Fine Art category which will show you how to use & understand studio flash. Right in front is the flash ring. It controls the direction of the flash. The most important buttons are the up and down button that controls the power of the flash. Five is the lowest power and it goes up to ten. Starting with five it goes up by one stop increment. You don't need to use any of the other buttons. All you need to do is to turn on the flash with the ON / OFF button, point i...
How To: Photograph with infrared
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to photograph with infrared. Infrared photography is photography the infrared spectrum of light, rather the visible spectrum of light. The main effect are to turn the sky darker, smooth out skin and turn foliage white. Users will need a camera that is converted into infrared. Then simply take a picture with the infrared camera and all the photos that are created by the camera will be in infrared. This video will benefit those viewers who are intereste...
How To: Make a cool lampshade using a panorama photo
If you've taken some great looking panorama shots, but have no idea what to do with them, this tutorial may have something in mind. In this tutorial, you'll be finding out how to take a cool looking panorama and trasnfer it onto a lamp shade. It will not only give use to your photo, but add an interesting piece of furniture to your home as well.
How To: Take quality photographs in the Southwest deserts
This video is not so much about the technical aspects of outdoor photography (desert photography, specifically) but rather about what to look for when taking pictures out in the wild.
How To: Photograph with a tilt shift lens
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to photograph with a tilt shift lens. Shooting in a position of height will exaggerate the field, Make sure to lock down the exposure of the camera before tilting. A tilt shift lens allows users to choose where the focal point lies and are able to blur out the image. To maximize the depth of a field, users need to simply turn the lens to change the focal point. This video will benefit those viewers who are interested in photography and have a tilt shi...
How To: Shoot a white object on a white background
Anxious about shooting a white foreground object against a white background? Learn how to take stunning white-on-white photographs with this free video photography lesson. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started taking your own wintry photographs, take a look.
How To: Select a solid tripod for photography
Forget dogs - tripods are a man's best friend (well, if he's a photographer). Eliminating many of the factors that create crappy photos, including the instability of holding the camera up by hand, photo blurs, and general strain of weilding those hulking digital SLRs, tripods are always there to lend a helping leg. Or three.
How To: Take evenly lit professional high definition photos
You can take high resolution photos with just about any digital SLR, but whether these high resolution photos turn out impressive depends on setting, lighting, and the compliance of your subjects to pose. While photographing your friends and family in everyday life has these aforementioned conditions already set for you, if you take photos in the studio many factors can be adjusted to your liking.
How To: Use the green screen in photography
Sometimes the background you're using in a photograph doesn't quite match up with your subject and you want something different to highlight whatever you're photographing. There's where Photoshop and/or green screens come in.
How To: Capture skateboarding moves in photography
There's nothing more exhilirating on a summer day than going out to Venice Beach and watching a skateboarding competition. Whether the skater kids are doing olies or 360s, skateboarding is impressive to watch but almost impossible to photograph.
How To: Print professional quality photos on your printer
Thanks to modern technology, we don't have to visit our nearest Target or Rite Aid to get our pictures professionally retouched and printed. With many printers offering photo-quality ink and paper companies that offer photo-quality paper, you can use your home printer to create professional-grade photos.
How To: Do flattering makeup for a photograph
If you've ever performed before (really, any sort of performance where you're up on a stage with stage lighting counts), then you know there is a huge discrepancy between makeup you wear everyday and makeup you wear for the stage.
How To: Photograph macro photography with Paul Ward
Want to make your photos look professional, but don't have a digital SLR and don't want to go through tedious and neverending photo tutorials? Then you've hit the right video.
How To: Do macro photography shots for beginners
Macro photography is a type of photography used to create interest by focusing the lense on one thing in a picture, generally something that's located in the foreground. The rest of the image (the midground and background) fades out into a blur.
How To: Use lighting to your advantage in photography
In photography, good lighting can mean the difference between an amateur shot and a professional quality portrait. Whether you're taking photographs outdoors or in, using lighting to your advantage creates an artistic, flattering effect.
How To: Create balanced pictures with photography composition
Thanks to the influx of purse-sized digital cameras and wads of blurry, hastily taken drunken photos posted on Facebook by partying college students, the quality of photography by the masses has gone down the deep end.
How To: Photograph children for optimal cuteness
Your childhood is arguably the stage of development where you look most cute and naturally perfect for photographs, so it makes sense that your parents compiled albums after neverending albums depicting several hundred different angles of your cute little tushy (grimace).
How To: Photograph outdoors with natural light conditions
How does taking photographs outside differ from taking photos inside? Well, unlike indoor photography, which boast easily adjustable artificial lighting and lighting effects, with outdoor photography the light you get is the light you use.
How To: Use the timer setting on your Nikon digital SLR
If you're starting to use your digital SLR for the first time, it can be quite confusing to determine what all its functions mean as well as where to find them and how to use them.
How To: Use picture control settings on your Nikon digital SLR
Recently purchased a brand new digital SLR? Learn how to use your camera's functions properly by watching this tutorial on how to use your picture control settings on your Nikon digital SLR.
How To: Use active D-lighting on a digital SLR camera
Having a Nikon digital SLR means you take good pictures, no matter what. With 20/20 clarity and the ability to take awe-inspiring macro shots, a ditital SLR is a powerful tool but also extremely complicated to use.
How To: Do long exposure photography of rivers
Have you ever been camping, sitting by a peaceful brook or stream, and wanted to capture the beauty of that delicate flowing mass of water? For most photographers, capturing a river or stream is not hard, but the river often comes out stagnant, frozen in place rather than alive and vital as it is in real life.
How To: Teach your kids how to use their first digital camera
When your kids start discovering technology, it can be a fantastic learning experience. Check out this tutorial, hosted by a third grader, to help your kiddies get used to handling a digital camera. This video is filled with a ton of tips and lots of advice, tailored just for children.
How To: Change your lens aperture to affect depth of field
In this Fine Art video tutorial, you will learn how varying your lens Aperture can affect Depth of Field. Depth of Field is defined as the range of the photograph that appears to be in focus. This can be controlled by using the aperture settings. With a wide aperture like f/1.4, f/2 or f/2.8, only a small range of the image will be in focus. This is used to isolate the subject from the background. But, if you have a smaller aperture opening like f/8, f/11 or f/16, you will get a large depth o...
How To: Enable peripheral illumination on a Canon EOS camera
In order to enable peripheral illumination with a Canon EOS camera, begin connecting your computer and camera by means of plugging in USB connection. Open EOS Utility and click on "camera settings and remote shooting option".
How To: Clean camera lenses safely
Cleaning your lens will help your lens performing at its best, and this tutorial shows us how to do it properly. You will need: lens cleaning fluid, soft cloth, blower ball, and pencil. Start off by blowing air onto the lens and then dropping the cleaning solution onto the cloth. Rub the cloth into circles and start rubbing the lens gently. Now, take your pencil eraser and rub the contacts to remove any grease, then use the blower ball to remove any particles you see around the lens. Do this ...
How To: Replace focusing screens on Canon EOS cameras
In this Fine Art video tutorial you will learn how to replace focusing screens on Canon EOS cameras. The EOS 40D, like the EOS 5D and EOS 1 series of digital cameras has a user replaceable focusing screen. With the EOS 40D, you have the option of Ef D and the Ef S focusing screens. To replace the focusing screen, use the tool provided with kit supplied with the screen. The tool has a hook at one end and a spring loaded grip at the other end. Use the hook to lift the latch of the focusing scre...
How To: Price your photography
While it might pain you to put a price on your art, if you want to support yourself through photography you may have to. Fortunately, it isn't as difficult as you might expect. It's so easy, in fact, that this free video tutorial can present a comprehensive overview of the process in just over three minutes' time. For detailed instructions, as well as to get started sharpening your own knives, watch this helpful how-to.
How To: Clean fungus off of your camera lens
Have you ever found a camera lens that you forgot you left in the basement or garage? Have you ever been shooting out in the rain and lost track of time? If any of these things have happened to your camera, you may have developed a fungus. Not to worry! It is much easier than you would think to clean a fungus off your camera. This tutorial will walk you through the process, step by step so that you clean your lens safely and perfectly every time.
How To: Use speed lights with studio softboxes
In this helpful video, Yanik Chauvin will show you exactly how to use speed boxes with studio softboxes. You will learn how to hook up an SB-800 camera flash inside a studio soft box to get great light and photos. The best part is, you most likely already have these supplies in your photo studio so it's cheap! Have fun and good luck with your photo taking!
How To: Set lighting ratios in digital photography
In this video, photographer Mark Wallace shows you how to set up metering and organize your light ratios when taking digital photographs. Mark will give you very detailed instructions on how to set up your lighting, set and subject to ensure you get the clearest photos.