10 perfect Xmas gifts for photography fans

Learn Photography's Paul Farris' essential guide to the perfect stocking fillers for photography fans.

1. Lens Mug

Without a doubt one of the coolest photography related gifts around this year is the 'lens mug'. Available as either 'Nikon' and 'Canon' varieties, these mugs are actual replicas of real lenses with rubber-grip focus and zoom rings, easy to clean stainless steel lining, replica auto/manual focus switch and even a lens-cap lid.

You can purchase the lens mug from PhotoJoJo.com

2. A lens for low light (and great blurry backgrounds!)
Every photographer should have at least one lens in their kit bag that offers a wide aperture and thus performs well in low light as well as providing a shallow depth of field (great for portraits). Canon and Nikon users are some of the luckiest here as they both offer 'fast' lenses at very reasonable prices - The Canon 50mm f1.8 has long been a favourite of many and is a must-have lens for Canon users and a steal at around $135 (AUS). Nikon users should consider the slightly more expensive 35mm f1.8 DX lens at around $350 (AUS) or the 50mm f1.8 for $190 (AUS).

Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for good deals and great service on lenses.

3. Subscription to a cool photography magazine
Photography for me is a continual learning curve - I pick up new ideas, inspiration and hints all the time from other photographers, the internet and from reading photography magazines. Two of my personal favourite magazines are 'Capture', Australia's top selling professional photography magazine and the 'British Journal of Photography' which is an great read and features some amazing contemporary work. For Australian readers 'Capture' is without a doubt the best option and will make any photographer happy at just $38.50 for a years subscription.

 Subscribe to Capture via Yaffa Publishing

4. A tripod

A tripod is a must-have bit of kit for just about any photographer. It doesn't matter if your a keen landscape, portrait, architecture, product or even wedding photographer - at some point the cameras shutter speed is going to be so slow that hand holding the camera is out of the question and using a tripod is the only way to avoid camera shake and blurry images! My advice is simple - buy the best tripod you can for your budget (in fact, stretch the budget if necessary as it's an investment you will not regret!)

I recommend checking out tripods from Velbon as good all-round tripods that won't break the bank or Manfrotto, which although more costly are head and shoulders above most of the competition.
Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for a great selection of Tripods.

5. Remote shutter release

Shutter release devices are available for most major DSLR cameras as either the old-school cable variety or the more popular wireless versions. A remote shutter release allows the photographer to trigger the cameras shutter without the need to physically touch the camera and thus avoid camera shake and blurry photos. This is an essential must-have bit of kit when using slow shutter speeds and can be purchased for as little as around $30-$40 (AUD) from most photography stores.

Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for a great selection of shutter release and remotes.

6. Camera strap
OK so I know every camera comes with a camera strap already....!   The problem with the strap supplied with the camera is that 1- it's a big advert for the camera manufacturer and do you really want to draw unwanted attention to the expensive bit of kit hanging around your neck?  2 - The supplied straps are not well designed and are uncomfortable if your out for a long day of shooting. 3 - The straps easily slide of your shoulder as they have no grip ability.  My strap of choice is the ' ridiculously named 'Industry disgrace' from the cool bag manufacturers Crumpler - it's comfortable, strong, extra long and available in some cool colours for a bargain $40 (AUD)

Visit the Crumpler website for more - or visit their stores in Brisbane (CBD) and in West End

7. Story Bridge Photoclimb experience

The Story Bridge is a Brisbane icon that first opened in 1940 and offers spectacular uninterrupted 360 degree views of the Brisbane CBD skyline that you won't be able to see from anywhere else. Regular climbers of the bridge are not allowed to take cameras along which is what makes the photoclimb both an opportunity and experience that is not to be missed for any photography enthusiast. You will have the chance to capture some amazing images with a brief prior to the climb during which we will give you plenty of hints and tips and advice during the two and half hour climb.

Visit the official Story Bridge climb website for more details

8. Camera bag

I'm of the opinion that there is no such thing as the perfect camera bag, and I should know as I currently number six to my collection in a range of shapes and sizes, all of which get regular use depending on where, what and when I'm shooting plus of course what gear I need to bring along. I've owned a trusty Crumpler backpack for about five years and is my firm favourite as it swallows up a fair amount of gear, is rugged, looks cool and is extremely comfortable to wear.

More recently I've also become a big fan of Think Tank who are very popular with pro photographers around the world, make great bags and until very recently had not been available in Australia. Check out the Think Tank website for more info or drop in at Photo Continental to see the full range.

9. Photoshop elements 9

Adobe Photoshop has long been the essential must-have software for photographers. Whilst Photoshop CS5 is the big daddy and the pro photographers choice at over $1000 (AUD), Photoshop Elements 9 is perfect for the enthusiast photographer who wants to be able to perform essential editing of images without breaking the bank.

Elements 9 can be purchased online from Adobe for around $145 (AUD) or maybe try the free trial version first!

10. Learn Photography gift voucher
The final gift idea is not only a shameless plus but also a great gift idea for any photography enthusiast wanting to know how to get better results from their digital SLR camera. We have gift vouchers starting from just $99 (AUS) that can be used against any of our photography courses, workshops or even One-to-One tuition.

For more info or to purchase online visit the Learn Photography website.

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Hints and tips for DSLR users

If you are new to digital SLR photography then I recommend you check out DTown TV which is a FREE online 'TV show' full of cool hints and tips for DSLR users. This latest episode is aimed at the complete novice and covers topics such as "What lenses should I buy?" and "What are UV filters for?" - enjoy!

Click here to watch DTown TV

Fisheye

I rented a Canon 5D MkII from Brisbane Camera Hire last week to use during some corporate training - what a great camera!  I also grabbed a Fisheye lens to try out and spent a few days seeing what crazy angles and unusual distorted perspectives I could get from it. The lens was a Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye and I have to say it was a lot of fun to use and now has me considering adding a Nikon AF DX Fisheye 10.5mm f/2.8G ED to my collection!!

Why I love cloudy days

I'm lucky to live in Brisbane in the heart of Queensland the so-called 'Sunshine state' where it's sunny pretty much all of the time and blue skies are the norm, in fact it's the tropical weather and climate that is one of the key reasons why we left London - and I have to admit that I love it! However when it comes to taking photos the harsh sunlight and cloud-less skies are not something that I'm over keen of. It's been long recognised that photographers prefer softer morning or afternoon light and therefore avoid taking photos in the middle of the day, and during our photography courses I tell my students about the benefits of cloudy days over bright days and the problems that shooting in harsh sunlight can bring.

Last weekends all day workshop was held on a typically glorious sunny and hot day, however by 6pm as the sun started to go down the wind had began to increase and some dark clouds started to fill the skyline above us, I was delighted by this as I knew that the clouds would add some additional interest and drama to the sky as we prepared ourselves to shoot the Brisbane skyline.

Below is an image captured by Ellis Plata, one of the students on the workshop who had no previous experience of using a digital SLR camera prior to attending the workshop having only unpacked his new Nikon D90 the previous night.

I asked Ellis to send me a copy of the image to share on the blog both as an excellent example of what we cover on the workshop but also because it is a great capture helped by the amazing sky and the clouds blurring as they pass overhead.

 

- Click on image for a larger view -

Image info:
Camera : Nikon D90, Setting : Manual, Shutter speed : 30 seconds, Aperture : f16, ISO : 200, lens focal length : 18mm

"Thank you for an awesome day. I have gone from not knowing my D90 Nikon to now shooting on manual mode. I found your course relevant and easy to follow. The small group size also was good as we all got your personal attention."
Ellis Plata

Many thanks to Ellis for allowing the use of the image and to all the students for a great day. For more info on our all day workshop or any of our courses visit the Learn Photography website.

Paul Farris is Learn Photography's founder and tutor

Studio lighting workshop

Whilst Brisbane was having it's wettest October on record it was warm and dry in our studio as we hosted our very first studio lighting workshop with a small group of students getting to grips with the equipment, terminology, techniques as well as getting plenty of practical hands on experience.

The workshop is designed to cover the essential techniques of shooting in a studio environment with a particular emphasis on portraiture, so after an initial introduction and tackling the theory of studio lighting we got down to the business of photographing our guest model. During the workshop the lighting was continuously changed for different effects with plenty of equipment on hand to try and ample time to review images and even some costume changes (model not students!)

Topics covered in the Studio Lighting Workshop include :

1. The studio lighting set-up explained
2. Setting up the camera
3. Studio lighting types & accessories
4. Using speedlights / flash units in a studio
5. Off camera flash (strobist techniques)
6. Using a light meter for correct exposure
7. Creative lighting techniques

Here's what two of the students had to say about the workshop :

I absolutely loved the workshop you held on Saturday. I learnt so much about the lighting side of studio photography, that now I can't wait to set up my studio.
L. Petfield 

I personally loved the Lighting workshop course & want to thank you so much for organising it - very enjoyable!!  I could have spent the whole day there taking photos (time permitting), if only I had all of that equipment...
N .Tubman

For more info on the course, forthcoming dates and bookings please visit the Learn Photography website.

Manly sunrise

I'm not a morning person at the best of times preferring to shoot in the afternoon, however this morning I got out of bed at 5am, grabbed my camera and headed down to Manly harbour to catch the sunrise. It was a beautiful morning with plenty of clouds in the sky and a low tide which meant I could climb down closer to the waters edge to get a more interesting viewpoint.

Although the sunrise was rather disappointing I still managed to come away with something I like....

Want to join me next time? Follow me on Twitter or Join the Learn Photography Facebook page for a chance to come along with me on a shoot for FREE!

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This weekends workshops

A good amount of my weekends are spent taking small groups out on practical courses and workshops. We spend time exploring the manual features of the camera, understanding the exposure as well as trying out a few different techniques. Capturing moving subjects, using slow shutter speeds for effect, shooting in low light are just a few of the popular exercises that we put into practice. It is rare for me to take my own camera along, however this weekend I thought I would join in the fun and took a handful of images during our SLR workshop. Here's some of my favourites....

(Click on any image to view a larger versions.)

Brisbane CBD panorama
Exploring slow shutter speeds just after sunset. This image is actually 5 individual shots stitched together via Photoshop to give a nice wide panoramic of the city.

The biker
Practicing the 'panning technique' to give a blurry background and a feeling of movement and speed to the image.

The jogger
A quick 'grab-shot' taken after the workshop had finished whilst walking on back to my car. I had to crank the ISO up and slow the shutter speed down to capture the passing jogger as he ran beneath the spotlights and out of the shadows.

And finally . . .
This nice shot of water falling over rocks is courtesy of Ross Miller who was one of the students who joined me over the weekend. This technique for blurring water is always popular on the courses.

Want to join us for an afternoon of photography? - check the website for more details of our practical courses and workshops.

What's new @ Learn Photography

Studio lighting workshop

I am pleased to announce that we are now taking bookings for our studio lighting workshop. With an emphasis on portraiture, our studio workshop will guide you through the basics of shooting in a fully working studio environment. The course covers camera settings, an overview of the studio equipment and most importantly how to use it. This is a hands on workshop involving actual shooting with a model.

Dates have just been announced so for more info or to secure your place make sure you visit the website.

Website spring clean
The LearnPhotography website has had a minor tune up with a new look home page plus new pages on the new all day workshop and studio lighting courses. October dates are also available for booking.