hosted services

gphoto
flickr
rotation
cameras
manual is better
lenses
other bits and pieces
general shooting/composition tips

gphoto

gphoto2 and the nikon d60 rocks.

$ gphoto2 --capture-image-and-download

Or if you want to do it a little more regularly

$ gphoto2 --capture-image-and-download --interval=15

I've found with ubuntu (perhaps other linuxes now, too) that it tries to mount the camera automagically, so when this happens umount it and the device should become available to gphoto2.

flickr

flickr may be branded a social network but to me its a jolly good place to store photos(1). One thing that's rather good is that you can transport photos using email, they give you a private email address to send your photos to which automagically end up in your photostream. That's really great, until you hit the hurdles of email, such as maximum data size and other various limitations that ISPs put in the way. To combat this you can use one of the API tools. For me I just want something that I can use in a loop and flickcurl comes to the rescue.

well at least the last two hundred if you've not subscribed

flickcurl

Firstly you'll need to download and install flickcurl, on debian this is as simple as:

# apt-get install flickcurl-utils

When you first run the program you'll get the following output:

flickcurl: Configuration file /home/user/.flickcurl.conf not found.

1. Visit http://www.flickr.com/services/api/keys/ and obtain a
mobile application <API Key>, <Shared Secret> and <Authentication URL>.

2. Create /home/user/.flickcurl.conf in this format:
[flickr]
api_key=<API Key>
secret=<Shared Secret>

3. Visit the <Authentication URL> in a browser to get a <FROB>

4. Call this program with the frob:
  flickcurl -a <FROB>
to update the configuration file with the authentication token.
See http://librdf.org/flickcurl/api/flickcurl-auth.html for full instructions.

Take note of the above, make sure you complete steps 1-4, then you'll be ready to begin uploading pictures with the following:

$ flickcurl upload DSC_0684.JPG
flickcurl: Uploading file DSC_0684.JPG
flickcurl: Photo upload status
  Photo ID: 8033931900

Its a bit better than email, the various mail hop delays are removed :)

rotation

Often after taking your photos you may find that they're not rotated correctly. You can simply change this using the exiftool program.

If your image is not in the correct orientation you can easily rotate it thus:

$ exiftool -Orientation='Rotate 90' IMG_1158.JPG

to rotate it 90degrees.

Here's a trimmed list of the values that you can alter in the exif data:

$ exiftool IMG_1158.JPG
ExifTool Version Number         : 8.15
File Name                       : IMG_1158.JPG
...
Exposure Time                   : 1/400
F Number                        : 3.5
ISO                             : 200
Exif Version                    : 0221
Shutter Speed Value             : 1/403
Aperture Value                  : 3.5
Max Aperture Value              : 2.8
Flash                           : Off, Did not fire
Focal Length                    : 6.1 mm
Macro Mode                      : Normal
Self Timer                      : Off
Quality                         : Superfine
Canon Flash Mode                : Off
Continuous Drive                : Single
Focus Mode                      : Single
...

cameras

I've owned several digital cameras in my time.

nikon coolpix 775

The Nikon Coolpix 775 was my first digital camera. I really enjoyed this compact camera, it was marvellous at close up photos.

canon g10

Like the Nikon, however, it has many improvements forged from technical developments over time. The Canon G10 is able to focus from ~0.8cm, making wide angle close-up photographs very possible. When photographing so close up, you often throw the object into shadow if the light is above or behind the camera. To work around this you can often put the camera below the subject and photograph it from the view that perhaps an ant may have (alright, the centre of the lens isn't really that low, but imagine if an ant managed to walk 5cm off the ground). Right now the canon g15 is available, I'm sure it has improvements on the g10. The g10 was so inspiring for me that I decided to further my kit and range with the below cameras.

nikon d60

My first Digital Single Lens Reflex camera was a Nikon D60, it's a nice entry level camera. The thing that made me choose Nikon rather than any other brand was that the F-mount lenses are all compatible. You can take any body and any camera since around 1960 and know that they will be compatible.

canon legria hf 306

The canon legria hf 306 is a superb video camera. The camera includes an excellent image stabilisation mechanism to reduce hand shake and camera movement. The zoom provides a good and usable reach.

nikon d7000

After lusting after something a little more capable for several years I decided to look into the Nikon D90 (body only) which is a very capable camera. However, after looking around I found that the Nikon D7000 (body only) is the successor to this model. I knew the D90 was a good camera and after reading the reviews of the D7000 I felt that it would be a good choice. The wikipedia article on the Nikon DSLR camera lineup showed that there would be a successor for the D7000 very soon since a new model comes out roughly every two years so it would be a good time to buy as most retailers would be trying to sell their stock.

There are some really noticeable improvements between the D60 and D7000.

body
sensor
control
interface

Although the Nikon D7100 (body only) has come out, I don't have any regrets about buying the D7000, there is just so much that I can do with the D7000 now as the ISO problems of the D60 have not carried over.

I got a D7000 around July last year (2012), although the UK has had rubbish weather and I've only let off around 1500 shutter actuations, I'm not at all bothered that the D7100 has come out. It was really easy to get attached and I'd be really sorry to replace it with anything.

The jump to the D7000 was a bit bigger for me, I had a D60 and really just wanted something with a better sensor. All the other features of the D7000 were just bonuses to begin with, but oh my, it's just excellent in my eyes.

manual mode

In general manual mode is best, you control all the elements of the camera to get the best from the exposure.

In other PASM (Programmed auto, Aperture priority, Shutter priority, Manual) modes the camera makes a good guess at what you're photographing, but it isn't always right.

When manual mode you can use the exposure meter in the viewfinder to determine if the balance is over or under exposed.

With Nikon cameras, the right hand of the camera has two wheels, one controls the shutter speed (controlled with index or ring finger) and the other (operated by the thumb) controls the aperture. Longer exposures and bigger apertures (smaller f-numbers) mean more light will get through to the sensor.

With the left hand, roughly where the thumb is, there should be a button marked 'ISO', using this and the right hand thumb you can change the ISO number, higher numbers are for lower light.

These are the only three elements you need to take good photographs. With experience, you will know that portraits can often be best with f2.2-3, if you want to photograph larger items, then increase the number.

lenses

I don't own a lot of lenses, however, I do have the following:

nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
This makes a great all round lens. It is what I'd call a fast lens.
nikkor 55-200mm
This zoom lens has vibration reduction which is a great benefit when working at maximum zoom. I've used this for taking photographs of wildlife and some closeups of flowers.
nikkor 18-55mm vr
The 18-55mm is often sold with camera bodies as it is a great all-round lens. It has very wide focal lengths whilst the upper end of its range is good enough for portraits. It is very light and not too slow.
tamron 70-300mm macro
The Tamron 70-300 does not include vibration reduction which means that you may suffer from camera shake. When working at high focal lengths it is much harder to maintain the stability required. It is possible to lock the mirror up on the D7000 before taking the photograph to reduce camera vibration.
tokina 100mm
I bought this lens primarily for portrait and secondly for macro. It's an awesome lens. I cannot stress just how good it is in all respects. If you're in any doubt as to its optical abilities have a look at the flickr group "Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X M100 AF Pro D Macro" there you'll find example photos from users with this lens.

I've used it successfully to photograph my pet chickens, if you have chickens you'll know they rarely stand still when their owner is around. It is hard to pick fault with this lens, I don't think I can. There's a hidden gem though, unlike other macro lenses for Nikons, it has a 55mm filter thread, so existing filters for normal lenses are likely to fit.

The mechanics are brilliant. It may be a little louder than others (such as the 18-55mm kit lens), but this is not an issue. I get really brilliant results from the lens, stop reading this and just buy it, you'll not be sorry.

other bits

Some other parts that I own

meike metal af macro extension tube
These tubes do the job well. I used these with the nikkor 50mm f/1.8D. The auto focus works very well, despite the lens being a D model (does not have a motor). Having a lens with manual aperture is a bonus. For example of how close you can get with the set of three tubes, a key on a standard computer keyboard will fill the frame when focused to infinity.
Having owned the cheaper of the extension tubes available (around 12GBP) and experienced having the ring stuck on the body, I would buy these three times over, just to avoid being in that situation again!
I was surprised by the build quality, each ring fits snug to the next, they're slightly heaver than I was expecting, but that could be due to the metal parts, again, not a bad thing. Overall, I am very satisfied.
polaroid 52mm filter kit with case
1. UV, reduces haze and UV light
2. CPL, or circular polarising filter, will reduce contrast between land and sky. It also reduces glare and reflection off water.
3. FLD, used to reduce the greenish tone when shooting under fluorescent lighting
4. Warming - improves skin tone and is ideal for portraits taken on a cloudy day outdoors
velbon df-41 tripod
This light-weight tripod is great if you are on your feet all day. It is rigid and has a quick release latch that remains on the camera so there is no need to unscrew the camera from the tripod if you need to move away from the tripod location.
Giottos Air Blower
Every now and then dust will collect on your sensor and you'll be wise to remove it. This air blower releases a nice stream of air to dislodge particles which may attach to the sensor. Well worth having but I wouldn't carry it around, it's about 20cm tall, so could take up the same space as a 200mm lens.

tips

Don't forget to adjust the dioptre on your cameras viewfinder to suit your eyesight. Or if someone has borrowed it to change it back if things look a little blurry.
When you change lens on your DSLR check the end of the lens that you are about to mount onto the camera for dust. One way to prevent those pesky dust spots to not appear on your sensor.
When shooting macros of bugs pre-focus on the flower/leaf before the insect (spider) crawls or lands. Then you will be ready for the action.
When photographing children or animals get down to their level to get a different perspective. It won't look like you are 'standing over' them too.
A general rule of thumb is that when your shutter speed drops below 1/60 second you need to use a tripod. However with modern lenses you maybe able to shoot a little slower with VR or IS. You might be able to hold steady below 1/60 too.
Try shooting in portrait mode (vertical). If something is taller rather than wide it might look better in portrait rather than landscape. Turn the camera 90 degrees & see the difference.
When shooting at night remove any UV filter that you might have on the front of your lens. It will cause light to bounce back into the lens & give you flares or ghosting.
When photographing sports wait for the 'peak of action' where you get the best possible shot. Learn the sport & look at what the pro's catch.
Don't be scared to crop your images. Get rid of 'dead space' that doesn't help tell the story in your photograph.
Check your backgrounds before you press the shutter release. There could be something that you don't want in shot or you could get a better one by re-positioning.
Don't always place your subject in the middle of the frame. Sometimes it is good to give a little 'room to move' in the shot.
When using fill flash for your photographs power down by 1 & 2/3 stops to balance out the light. Then increase if you need more light to fill.
Increase your cameras ISO in low light situations or to increase your shutter speeds. Most current cameras can go to ISO 800 without any noticeable digital 'noise'.
If there is one filter you should get to put on the end of your lens it is a polariser. You cannot re-create the look you get in any post production.
Zoom with your feet. Just because you don't have a big zoom or wide angle doesn't mean you can't get closer or move back to get the shot.
Pro photographers don't show you their bad photographs. Don't be scared to 'cull' the shots that you don't think are great, be your own critic.
When travelling to a new destination have a look at the local postcards when you have arrived. You might see something that you didn't know was there.
If your camera allows shoot your photographs in AdobeRGB colour profile. It will allow you to capture the widest colour gamut in your shots.
When using a tripod turn off any Vibration Reduction or Image Stabilisation that you might have. It can cause your images to be a little blurry.
If you don't have a remote release or wireless trigger you can use the cameras self-timer when you shoot on a tripod. Most cameras can be set to 2, 5 or 10 seconds.
Placing a person in your shot can sometimes give it scale. A big tree will not be seen as a big tree until you put someone in to show it is a big tree.
When changing your DSLR lens face the lens opening to the ground/floor. This will prevent dust getting into the sensor.
Set your white balance to cloudy for sunsets. It will enhance the red & orange colours.
When photographing landscapes get a little lower to get more of the foreground into the shot. Most people take the eye level view.
The closer the light source to the subject the softer the light will be (like a softbox). The further away the light source (like the sun) the harsher the light.
Shooting in RAW format gives you greater control of the end image. You can make more adjustments in the post processing of your photographs.
Your lens sweet spot will usually be the mid-range of the aperture of your lens. I usually find f8 is good & gives good sharpness to the image.
Try to fill the frame when you photograph to not leave any dead space. This will also help you think about what you are placing in the shot.
A large aperture, like f2.8, will give you a small depth of field. Or a shallow focal plane.
Your camera's battery life will last longer if you don't fully discharge on a regular basis. Keep topping up the level when not in use.
As photography is an art form the rules are meant to be broken. But first you must know which rules you are breaking.
Use lead in lines in your photographs. Help to draw the viewer's eye into the shot or a specific point in the photo.
On rainy days look for puddles & reflections. Makes for a good subject & with water droplets too.
A small aperture, like f22, will give you a greater depth of field. The focal plane will be from front to back, larger.
When walking with your DSLR on your shoulder keep the lens turned into your body. It will help with hitting the lens end on objects.
When taking portrait shots of people take 2 or 3 shots as your subject might relax a little when they hear the first click. Might get a more natural look.
If you need to hand hold in a low light situation to keep extra steady only snap when you have breathed out. Also push your elbows into your body for extra support.
When shooting JPEGs don't forget to set the white balance for the scene. If you photograph RAW you can always change in post production, still good to get right.
Keep your lens hoods on as it will help prevent stray light getting down the barrel. Will help with the little flares you sometimes get.
Have a routine when you start a shoot. Check ISO, RAW or JPEG, Mode (A,S,P or M), White Balance, image size, battery level, metering, single or multi shots.
The image you see on your camera's LCD is a processed JPEG photo even when you are shooting RAW. When you have downloaded the photograph might look slightly different.
Don't forget to look up above you. The best shot might just happen to be there.
When photographing the moon you still need a fast shutter speed like 1/125 sec as it is a bright object. A slow shutter speed will result in it just being a bright circle.
When you crop your images in post production you will lose mega-pixels & file size. Shoot with the max resolution your camera can so you have some scope.
When your camera processes JPEG images it will automatically 'throw away' detail that cannot be recovered.
A quick way to extend your lens focal length is with a tele-converter. Standard converters are x1.4, x1.7 & x2.0 but be aware that you will lose stops of light.
Shooting into the sun can give you a nice silhouette. Just have a fast shutter speed to 'blacken out' an object against the sky.
If you are shooting at sunrise at the beach with your tripod beware of the waves. They will cause your tripod to sink into the sand.
Cold weather will flatten your batteries faster. Keep them in pocket when not in use to help retain their charge.
When shooting a panorama sequence put your white balance on one setting so the colour doesn't shift. Also the same aperture to keep the depth of field the same.
Another panorama tip is to overlap your shots by about 1/3 so that you can stitch together your images, it will help your editing software too.
More panorama tips. Lock the focus on one point & turn off the auto-focus so that you keep the same depth of field. It wont try to re-focus.
True macro is 1:1. Some lenses have a macro scale of 1:2 which is close but not considered a true macro lens.
HDR is High Dynamic Range photography where a series of shots at different exposures are merged to make one image. It creates an image that is more like what the human eye can see.
Don't forget to look behind you too. You might have missed a good shot!
If you are getting dust spots on your image shoot at a larger aperture like f2.8, f4 or f5.6. It wont show up the spots as much.
When taking photos through glass get the front of your lens as close as possible to the glass line. It will help cut out reflections.
If using a flash with a window be sure to angle the camera slightly to reduce the flash back into the camera lens. Angle of incident & angle of refraction.
Don't forget to check the corners in your shot. There could be something distracting there.
Use the rule of odds when photographing too. Have an odd number of objects in shot as it will balance out the picture.
If you are trying to direct people in your shot don't say move left & right. Use your hands to point to where you want someone to move or stand.
Nickel–metal hydride battery NiMH batteries lose about 10% of their charge a week when not in use. Don't forget to charge before you head out!
Do a 'border patrol' of your images in post production & remove those distracting items. Crop out the dead space too.
Your eye will always be drawn towards the brightest object in a photograph. It is a natural way the human eye works.
When you look at someone's face you will naturally look at the left side of their face. It is therefore important to make sure you have that sides eye in focus.
We naturally read from left to right in the western world so if you are trying to find something in a photo look from right to left. You will actually slow down as you are not used to looking that way.
If you find something interesting to photograph & can't decide if it is portrait or landscape shoot both. The advantage of digital is we can take as many as we want.
If you have a dust spot on your sensor & cant find it when you go to clean just remember that you will need to look on the opposite side of what the screen is showing. The image is up side down on the sensor.
When photographing kids or animals try to get down to their eye level. Don't look down on them.
Depth of field extends one third in front & two thirds behind the place of focus. This the hyper-focal distance rule.
In general in photography lights advance & darks retreat. Bright areas in your photo will be noticeable first.
Placing something dark behind your subject will bring it forward. Will make it stand out better.
Early mornings are the best & usually calmest time of the day to photograph lakes & rivers before the wind whips up. Good time for reflections.
Don't forget to wash your tripod off after shooting at the beach or in salt water. Prevents the metal part corroding.
RAW files give you greater latitude with your exposure range in post production. Another reason to shoot RAW.
When shooting video always video in landscape format as we view it on TV or computer screens which are horizontal.
If you are unsure if an image might look good in B&W take a quick snap with your smart phone & use an application to convert. See if it looks OK.
Keep your horizon lines straight when you have any body of water in it. Looks funny when water flows uphill. Some cameras have a built in level if you have to shoot in a contorted position.