Photography Features

How To: Repair the write protection on an SD card

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to repair the write protect on an SD card. An SD card is a non-volatile memory card format that is used in portable devices. If the write protect on a SD card is broken, the user cannot record any files onto the card. To fix this, viewers will need a small piece of scotch tape. Put the tape on the notch of the SD card. Do not cover the metal tabs at the back. This video will benefit those viewers who have a SD card and would like to repair the write p...

How To: Do a simple, quick light painting with flashlights

Light painting (or light writing) is a relatively new art form combining flashlights and long camera exposures to create amazing still images with designs literally drawn on them in light. This video features an experienced light painter teaching you the basics of the at in only 2 minutes! He covers what you will need, how to use it, and demonstrates the painting of a simple happy face. Now get out there and try it yourself!

How To: Prepare a photography portfolio presentation

Putting together a print portfolio for your photography? This instructional photography video provides some suggestions on photographic portfolios and how to assemble a portfolio. It is very important to have a good online presence, a nice gallery of your work to show. But there are advantages to having a print portfolio as well.

How To: Create a Light Painting Vortex Using a DIY Reusable Steel Wool Cage

There's no shortage of uses for steel wool, but the majority of them tend to be on the pyromaniacal side, like DIY fireworks. This trick by Mike Mikkelson is no different—it uses a homemade reusable "wool cage" to create a spinning vortex of light, like in the photo below. You can do this with just a piece of steel wool on a cable, but Michael wanted something he could easily reuse no matter how many shots he took, so he built a small cage to house the steel wool out of chicken wire, a small ...

News: The Iridescent Beauty of Bursting Bubbles Captured with High-Speed Photography

Swiss photographer Fabian Oefner wanted to capture the moment right before a bubble bursts, a feat that required surprisingly little equipment, but a lot of time and patience. The result was well worth it though. Here's a quick before and after: The trick to the color, he says, is lighting the bubbles from all angles. He placed illuminated panels all around and used a high-speed flash. The bubbles were blown through a sugar funnel. The trickiest part, not surprisingly, is capturing the exact ...

News: Paint + Water Looks Like Beautiful H-Bombs

Though photographer Mark Mawson's concept is simple, the results are stunning. In a series entitled Aqueous I and Aqueous II, Mawson took photographs of wet paint dispersed in water. The images evoke jellyfish, or rainbow colored hydrogen bombs. Mawson says:"I had seen lots of ink in water shots and wanted to try something which had more body and which produced more organic forms."

How To: Take pictures of stars without a telescope

This tutorial shows you how to take nice star pictures and star trail pictures with just a camera. This video also provides tips on choosing film, digital processes, and how to take late night photographs of stars in the night sky. You will need a tripod or a way to keep your camera absolutely still for long exposures. You can take photos of stars with a regular 35mm camera using a release cable, or use a digital camera with long exposure settings.

How To: Use a Polaris incident light meter

In this Fine Art video tutorial you will learn how to use a Polaris incident light meter. The meter has a power, mode, ISO control and a multi flash exposure buttons. On the side you have the up / down and the trigger buttons. Power on the light meter. Select the mode, say ambient light and then set the ISO by pressing the ISO button and the up/down button. Now using only the up/down button, set the shutter speed. Then place the meter under your chin to meter the light on your face. Press the...

How To: Use Sekonic light meters to balance flash and ambience

In this episode of Digital Photography 1-on-1, host Mark Wallace goes in depth on the subject of light metering and flash balancing. Making use of a Sekonic light meter, Mark shows how to read the light levels in a room, and explains how to interpret those readings in order to adjust flash levels, ISO levels, and alternative light source manipulation. Mark also goes over the important roles that aperture settings and film speeds play when attempting to successfully balance flash and ambient l...

How To: Use the Manfrotto Super Clamp

Did you ever have trouble keeping a steady shot with a camera or camcorder when you didn't have a tripod ready? In this video, Steve from Cameras Brookwood shows you why a Manfrotto Super Clamp might just be the tool for you. A Super Clamp can open up to three inches and attaches any camera weighing up to fifteen kilograms to a post, beam, or table. To use the Super Clamp, open it fully and place it around the object that you want to attach it to. Turn the crank until the Super Clamp is snug,...

How To: Use the Vivitar 285HV professional camera flash

Got a new Vivitar 285HV and having trouble using the flash? No problem! This video will describe how to use the flash on your new camera and gives some other great tips for new owners! The flash on this camera can be a little different to use than an automatic flash because you have to manually set the settings. Since you can see what the picture looks like if you aren't satisfied you can use the tricks in the video to play around with the flash settings until you get the perfect shot.

How To: Take an HDR photo with a Nikon D50 digital camera

See how to take an HDR photo set (three photos, each with different exposures) using a Nikon D50 digital SLR camera. This how-to video includes a walk through of the settings you should use to take the high dynamic range imaging photo. It pretty much works the same on most digital SLR cameras, so pay attention to this video tutorial.

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: Convert a polaroid super shooter into a pinhole camera

Watch this two part video series to learn how to convert a polaroid super shooter or colorpack camera into a pinhole camera. This video demonstrates how to strip the camera down and make a tripod mount. This is for the 3.25x4.25 pack film cameras: Polaroid 667, 672, 664, 690 and Fuji film FP-100, FP-3000 instant films. The 80 series/square shooters will not work. To determine if your camera will work, measure lengthwise across the back. 17 cm will work, 15 cm will not.

How To: Use an old flash on a new digital camera

Old camera equipment like flashes and lenses are often praised by modern photographers, but getting them integrated into new digital photography setups can be a challenge. This video will show you some tips for using old flashes with new digital cameras, including a great trick for making your digital camera recognize the flash by covering one specific contact. Don't get a new flash, use an old one with the skills you learn in this video.

How To: Use a Video Projector for Long-Exposure Light Painting in the Snow

There's no shortage of techniques when it comes to light painting—you can use LEDs, flashlights, or even make your own light painting nunchuks. If you want to do something a little different, though, why not use a projector like photographer Brian Maffit did to capture these gorgeous long-exposure shots of a recent snow storm? Maffitt used a projector to play the movie The Lorax onto a tree in his backyard, providing the backdrop for these photos. The long exposure shots were taken using an o...

Photo of the Day: Meanwhile, in Afghanistan...

From Boston.com's The Big Picture, what a real-life version of the Green Hornet's gas gun might look like. Taken in Afghanistan in February of this year, an Afghan army recruit is pictured shrouded in a cloud of shocking green smoke as he participates in a graduation parade after an oath ceremony at Ghazi military training center—an American effort to strengthen Afghan forces so they can fight against Taliban strongholds.

News: Video Games vs. Real Life

Alex Lewis imagines what the world would look like infiltrated by video game characters in his digital montage series “Video Games vs. Real Life”. (P.S. If you like what you see, check out Lewis' t-shirt designs at Threadless).

How To: Photograph a nude woman

Learn how to photograph the beauty of the female form. We will show some of the things you will need to know to take great, tasteful shots of the female nude…from finding models, to posing, composition, and lighting. Photograph a nude woman.