4 Ways To Make Better Street Portraits While Traveling

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Travel Photography, Digital Cameras, Portraits, Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

By: Andrew S. Gibson

One of my favorite things about travel photography is the opportunities it provides to meet interesting people in the street and make portraits of them. Here are some of the things that I have learned that you can put into practice when you are traveling and make street portraits.

1. Ask people for permission

It’s surprising how you often get the best results when you ask people for permission to make their portrait. This doesn’t apply all the time – you might see somebody interesting who doesn’t notice that you are there and you get the opportunity to make a great candid portrait.
But more often than not you can get a better result by approaching people and asking permission. The good thing about this approach is that it gives you a great excuse to go up to somebody and ask if you can make their portrait. A good way to phrase it is to explain that you are undertaking a project asking interesting people to pose for you.
Problems can arise with this approach if you don’t speak the local language. But that doesn’t stop you communicating with good body language and a smile. You can point to your camera to indicate you are asking for permission to make a portrait.

It’s worth overcoming the challenges

An alternative approach is to work with a local person who can translate for you. This may be a local photographer who you have made contact with and who is interested in helping you out. Or it may be a fixer who you pay to help you communicate with local people and find photo opportunities that you are unlikely to come across by yourself.
Once you have somebody’s permission you have an immediate advantage that you can spend some time with them to work on creating a good street portrait. For example, let’s say you see an interesting person who is standing in the sun and as a result, the light is too harsh to make a good portrait. If you approach them to ask for permission you can then ask them to stand in the shade so you get the best light.

That’s the approach I took with the portrait above, created in a mosque in Delhi. The man approached us in the mosque and explained a few things to us about what we were seeing. When we met him he was standing in the sun. After a few minutes of conversation, we asked if we could make a portrait of him and he said yes. It was easy to find a shady place for him to stand.

2. Photograph character, not beauty

It may be tempting to look for beautiful or handsome people to photograph. And who could blame you? But you’ll create more interesting street portraits full of character if you find interesting people. This means people of both genders and all ages (except children, see next point).
For example, I made the portrait below in the town of San Antonio de Areco in Argentina. This town is famous for its atmospheric bars and gauchos. While taking photos in one of the bars somebody told me there was an elderly couple down the road who loved talking to people and having their photo taken. We went to check out the situation and found the couple sitting out on the street. We had an interesting conversation and I made this portrait.

This also shows how you should be open to opportunity. If people are friendly and make suggestions like this, go with the flow and see where it takes you. Interesting things often happen this way.

3. Don’t take too many photos of children

A few years ago I traveled to the town of Tupiza in southern Bolivia. We were walking through the town’s main square and noticed there was a lot of children. It turned out that it was a national sports day and as part of that event, local school children were in the square to participate in sporting activities.
Eventually one of the children noticed that I had a camera and started jumping up and down in front of me, asking me to take his photo. Of course, then other children joined in and soon I had a mob of kids in front of me who all wanted their photos taken. Which I did, and I have a nice memory because of it.

Luckily a teacher came along and shooed the kids away. The point of this story is that kids are often easy to photograph, especially in places where they get excited whenever they see a foreigner. But they are not likely to feature in your most interesting or memorable photos.
As a subject, they are too easy. Plus, you have to consider that in some countries local people may view strangers photographing children as suspicious. You’ll get better results by avoiding kids and finding interesting adults.

4. Look for interesting backgrounds

My final tip is to look for interesting backgrounds or places and wait with your camera to see what happens. Have you noticed how some photographers walk rapidly from one place to another, taking photos of anything that catches their eye? The aim of this exercise is to get you to slow down and become attuned to the rhythm of the place you’re in.
If the background is interesting enough, you can wait for somebody to pass by and add an element of human interest. People will usually think that you’re photographing whatever’s in the background and probably won’t even realize they are in the photo.
Here’s an example of that. I found this beautiful scene in Guatemala and waited to see what would happen. Eventually, a man cycled by and I was able to make this photo.

When you are traveling with the intention of creating street portraits it takes some work to get the best results. Following the tips in this article, and getting used to approaching people to ask if you can make their portrait will help you a lot with the process. Share this article.

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Beach Photography and Digital Camera Maintenance

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Digital Cameras, Portraits, Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

By: Darren Rowse

In our post with tips on taking digital images at the beach I mentioned that taking photographs at the beach is not only a place of wonderful opportunity but one of challenges.
One of the major challenges of a place that has lots of sand, salt and often wind is keeping your digital camera protected from the elements.
Following are a few tips on how to care for your digital camera in the extreme conditions that a beach can throw at it.

Protective Filters – If you’re using a DSLR use a UV filter – in addition to the optical benefits it might offer a UV filter (or any other type in actual fact) offers another layer of protection to your lens both in terms of sand, grit and salt but also if it’s bumped or scratched. I’d much rather scratch a $50 filter than a $1000 lens!
Protect your Digital Camera’s Insides – Changing Lenses, batteries or memory cards should be done with incredible care. Try to keep the times that you open your camera up in any of these ways to a minimum while on the beach and if you have to do so make sure you’re well away from the water and if possible away from others in a sheltered place where sand will not find it’s way into the innards of your camera.
Clean Your Hands – After swimming try to rinse your hands in fresh water – salt from the ocean isn’t a good thing to introduce your camera to.
Clean Your Camera – After you day at the beach carefully clean your camera. At a minimum give it a good wipe down with a soft cloth (I use a micro fiber one which means I don’t need any cleaning fluid) to wipe any residue from the day and to get rid of any salt, sand, dust etc. It is probably worth investing in a camera cleaning kit for this purpose to utilize the different tools they give you (soft brushes, compressed air etc). Be very very careful in cleaning your cameras to use quality cleaning products because you can end up making them worse by spreading dirt around – especially when you do any cleaning on the inside. Be especially wary of anything that blows air – while this can get dirt out it can also blow it in!


Camera Bag – Obviously one of the main things to think about is how you’ll cary and store your camera when it’s not in use. On the one hand you want it to be secure and leaving it in a car might not be a wise move (partly for the security but also for the high temperatures in cars on hot days) but on the other hand you don’t want you camera sitting out on a beach all day, even in a bag, as sand tends to get into everything. Ideally a camera bag that allows you to seal your camera in will be ideal. Zip lock bags can also be useful for storing some of your gear (batteries, memory cards, filters etc). My motto for packing a camera bag when heading for the beach is to ‘pack light pack right’. Choosing to take a few useful items and leaving the rest at home can really save you problems later on.
Battling Condensation – My last trip to the tropical northern parts of Australia where it was incredibly humid presented me with the problem of condensation. The majority of the time my camera was in the air-conditioned, cool and dry confines of our hotel room (where it was inside it’s bag – even cooler) but this meant that when I took it outside to shoot that the lens and view finder immediately fogged up. It’s very difficult to combat this – although I found that the best strategy was simply to let the camera acclimatize before shooting. Some people suggest putting it in a sealed plastic bag when moving between temperatures – this might work well but is not particularly practical in many situations, especially when you have a large camera. Ideally you want to warm your camera up naturally and slowly – taking it out of it’s bag and allowing it to naturally warm up tended to fix the issue most times while I was away. I also travelled with a soft cloth which I used once the condensation had mainly gone to clean any marks it had left and to remove any last moisture that remained. One strategy that I have seen friends use is to use when visiting humid places where their camera can be exposed to condensation is to use little silica gel packs in their camera bags. These little packs absorb any moisture in your camera bag.
Set aside time for Photography and Fun – One last tip that I often do these days when I’m on holiday, especially to places like the beach where there is always the worry of camera damage. Often in these situations I take special visits to the beach just for taking photos and keep the ‘fun trips’ with family separate (and quite often leave my main camera at home). This way I have defined periods for photography where I can keep track of my gear and make sure it’s ok and then can truly relax when I head to the beach for fun. Of course when I go to the beach for fun I take my point and shoot with me for those fun shots – but I leave my more expensive gear at home where I know it won’t be damaged. I find this also means less frustration for those around me who can get sick of me always off taking photos when they want to relax with me.

Should I use the LCD or Viewfinder on my Digital Camera?

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Digital Cameras, Portraits, Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

By: Darren Rowse  

Photo by keturn

One of the things about digital cameras that makes them so appealing is the little LCD screen display on the back of them.
When I used a film SLR I used to take meticulous notes of the settings that I used when taking photos – noting frame number, aperture and shutter speed down after most shots so that a week or two later when I got my photos back from the lab I could compare my notes with the shots and work out how I might improve my photography.
The LCD screen on digital cameras cuts out the need for this process as images can be viewed immediately after they are taken and adjustments can be made to improve your shots straight away.
If you like to record your images settings for future analysis, most digital cameras will do this for you – to be viewed later either on your camera (using the ‘info’ function when in playback on many cameras) or on your computer.

LCD as a Viewfinder?

Photo by laurnm

One question I get asked a lot by readers is whether they should use their digital camera’s LCD screen or viewfinder to frame their shots. I suspect that the majority of camera owners do use the LCD but there are a number of arguments both for and against it. Let me explore a few:

Why to use the LCD to frame shots

• Convenience – Perhaps the main reason that people use the LCD is convenience. Rather than having to fire up the camera, raise it to your eye, squint through it (on many point and shoot models it’s quite small) etc… using the LCD means you simply switch the camera on and from almost any position you can snap a shot.
• Size – As I hinted above – many models of digital cameras have very small view finders and when compared with the LCD (usually between 1.5 and 2.5 inches these days) there is really not that much of a comparison.
• Instant Playback – shooting with the LCD means that after you take your shot you will immediately see the shot you’ve taken flashed onto the screen. You can see this if you use the viewfinder too by lowering the camera but it adds another action to the process.
• Creativity – using the LCD opens up all kinds of creative opportunities for your photography by meaning that you don’t have to have the camera at eye level to be able to get your framing right. You can instead put it up high or down low and still be able to line things up well.
• Framing Inaccuracy of Optical Viewfinders on Point and Shoots – one of the most common complaints about using the viewfinder on digital cameras is that what you see through it is slightly different to what the camera is actually seeing as the view finder is generally positioned above and to the left of the lens which means it is slightly different (a problem called parallax). Most viewfinders that have this will give you a guide as to where to frame your shot but it can be a little difficult – especially when taking close up/macro shots. (note that not all point and shoot cameras have optical viewfinders – some have electronic ones (see below).
• Obstructed View – on some models of point and shoot digital cameras a fully extended zoom can actually obstruct the view from your viewfinder. This can be quite frustrating.
• Glasses Wearers – if you wear glasses you might find using the viewfinder of your Digital camera more difficult. Many these days do come with a little diopter adjuster to help with this.

Why not to use LCD to frame shots

• Battery Killer – the LCD on your camera chews up battery power faster than almost any other feature on your camera. Use it not only for viewing shots taken but lining them up and you’ll need to recharge a lot more regularly.
• Camera Shake – when shooting with the LCD as a viewfinder you need to hold your camera away from your body (often at arms length). This takes the camera away from your solid and still torso and into midair (only supported by your outstretched arms) – this increased the chance that your camera will be moving as you take the shot which will result in blurry shots.
• Competing Light – one problem that you will often have with framing your shots using the LCD is that for many cameras, shooting in bright light will make it difficult to see the LCD – leaving it looking washed out. Digital camera manufacturers are trying to overcome this with brighter and clearer screens but using the viewfinder instead of the LCD will generally overcome the problem.
• DSLRs – most DSLRs do not give you the opportunity to use the LCD as a viewfinder at all. I suspect that this feature will become more available however as I hear it being asked for quite a bit. I’m not sure I’d ever use it though as DSLR view finders are generally larger and are a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) meaning you can be sure that what you’re looking at through the view finder is what the image will be when you shoot.
• Electronic View Finders (EVF) – another type of view finder that is found on some point and shoot digital cameras is the EVF one. This overcomes the problem of your viewfinder and camera seeing slightly different things by giving you an exact picture of the scene you’re photographing in the viewfinder. This happens simply by putting a little LCD in the viewfinder.

Ultimately the choice in using the LCD or viewfinder will come down to personal preference. I have used a variety of digital cameras over the past few years and find myself using both methods depending upon the shooting situation and the camera. Some cameras have large and clear viewfinders (like my DSLR) and so I use them. Others have tiny viewfinders (in fact my latest point and shoot, the Fujifilm Finepix F10, doesn’t have one at all).
Given the choice between a great viewfinder and great LCD I’d probably opt for the viewfinder – call me a traditionalist but it just feels right for me.  Share this article.

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Posing Tip for Portraits – Which Way Should Your Subject Lean?

By: Darren Rowse

I once took some body language classes in a previous job to help me learn both how to read people and how to present myself. One of the tips that stuck with me from it was that when you lean towards a person that you’re interacting with you present yourself as interested and engaging. Similarly – if someone else is leaning towards you they are probably listening to you and are engaging with what you’re saying.
A similar thing can be conveyed in portrait photography.
When taking an upper body portrait a simple way to make your subject more engaging and friendly is to have them lean in towards your camera a little.

You don’t need them to lean in or bend over too far – but even having them do it just a small bit can help. Another way to give the impression of your subject leaning in is to photograph them from slightly above (as in the image on this post).
Alternatively if you are wanting a more formal portrait you’ll probably want to post your subject in a more upright position with them sitting up straight.
Lastly, if you’re feeling like experimenting with leaning your subject back away from the camera it’s possible to create a feeling of joviality as if they are leaning back for a belly laugh. Of course leaning back can also make your subject look quite uncomfortable and even defensive and it’s a pose that I tend to avoid.


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Work It Baby Work It – A Secret to Portrait Photography

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Portraits, Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

By: Darren Rowse  

There’s a lot of good advice out there on how to pose subjects for portrait photography but a Pro Photographer once shared a little tidbit that has stayed in my mind ever since and that helps me add variety to my portrait shots….
He told me to ‘Work it Baby!’
He wasn’t joking either.
I didn’t quite understand what he was getting at at first – I thought ‘Work it Baby’ was just a cliche that photographers said to their subjects in the movies to get them to ‘work the camera’ and get some different poses going.
I soon worked out what he meant though when I saw him at work on a shoot with a subject when I saw how hard HE as the photographer worked it.
When he said ‘work it baby’ he was meaning as a photographer you should keep on the move around your subject, finding new angles, shooting from different distances, placing them in different parts of your frame and taking shots both incorporating their environment (wide angle) and close up and more intimate shots.
Instead of just expecting your subject to bring variety to the shots you take it is you as the photographer that needs to be working hard to bring life to the photo.
He told me that the great thing about this approach is that as your subject sees you ‘working it’ that they often catch the vibe and it can bring a real energy to the shot from their perspective too.
Of course I’m not suggesting this is the only way to get good portraits and that you can forget all other types of technique – but it’s one way to inject a little life and energy into your shots.
So next time you’re photographing a subject you know what to do – Work it Baby!


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I Rented the Nikon D6 - 7 Days, 3000+ Photos - My Full Review

How to Choose Your Camera Angle to Take Better Portraits

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Portraits, Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

 

By: Simon Ringsmuth

Taking portraits involves so many variables that it can feel overwhelming for a new photographer. What lenses do you use—zoom, prime, or a mix of both? Do you shoot full-frame or cropped sensor? Will you shoot indoors or outdoors. Even the subject matter can be tricky, with some portrait photographers working exclusively with families, others who only shoot high school seniors or newborn babies, and still more who do a mix of everything.

Nikon D750, 85mm, f/4, ISO 900, 1/250 second

While you are pondering all these variables it can be easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees and forget about a few key basics such as posing and lighting, and no matter what style of portraits you choose to pursue there is one thing that always comes into play which may not seem obvious: the camera angle from which you shoot. This can make all the difference between happy clients and complaining customers. Understanding how you can use camera angles and points of view can greatly enhance any portrait session.

Point of view – up high or down low

Understanding how your camera angle, or point of view, can affect your shots will go a long way towards improving not just your portraits, but your photography in general. How you position yourself in relation to your subjects can have a dramatic effect on the resulting pictures. As an illustration of how this works, here are two pictures of a family from a recent home-based session I did. Both show a very similar scene, and yet the different angles from which I shot them results in two vastly different images.

Nikon D750, 35mm, f/4, ISO 5600, 1/90 second

As I shot the image above I was very low to the ground. Crouching down on my hands and knees, I got very close physically to the family while the mother and father watched the boys play with their sister. It feels like the viewer is part of the scene, right there with them as they all share a fun moment together. This is entirely due to the low angle from which the picture was shot. Now take a look at virtually the exact same scene but shot from high above.

Nikon D750, 35mm, f/4, ISO 3600, 1/90 second

To get this picture I grabbed a dining room chair and stood on it to get a shot from a much higher angle. The result is a picture that feels quite different from the first one. It doesn’t seem like you are a part of the scene, but an outside observer looking at the family as they gather together.
While I like both images, each one creates a very different emotional response on the part of the viewer. Even though both were shot with the same camera and lens, at the same location, with the same subjects, the result is two pictures that are vastly different from one another all because of the angle from which they were taken.

Even subtle changes make a difference

You can see a similar, but more subtle, effect in this pair of portraits I took of a young girl near her birthday.

Nikon D750, 85mm, f/4, ISO 800, 1/500 second

The angle here isn’t as low as the first one of the family, but it’s low enough to be on the girl’s eye level. To get this I had to kneel down and stand a few meters back as her mother talked with her from my right-hand side. It gives a similar sense of intimacy as the first picture of the family and feels as though the viewer is near the girl and part of the scene.
This changes a bit when the girl is shot from an adult’s eye level looking down (below).

Nikon D750, 85mm, f/4, ISO 560, 1/250 second

While the effect here is not as dramatic as the example with the family, you will still note a similar result in terms of emotion and tone. Instead of getting down on eye level I shot this while standing up about the same distance away. It doesn’t feel like you, the viewer, are a part of the scene and instead it seems like you are merely an observer. Notice how the sidewalks in the background cut across the frame at odd angles whereas in the first one the sidewalks neatly cross in horizontal lines, adding a subtle touch without being too obvious or gaudy.
Once again I don’t think either picture is necessarily better or worse, but both are quite different as a result of the camera angle.

Kids – break the rules

This is, incidentally, one of the most common issues I see with people who are taking casual snapshots of their kids, whether with a fancy DSLR or just their mobile phone. Taking a few seconds to crouch down and get on eye level with the children can make all the difference in the world between an intimate moment frozen in time, and a boring snapshot.
However, I don’t want to give the mistaken impression that shooting from a high angle is necessarily a bad thing. It can be a very good thing indeed, and quite effective when used intentionally, such as this image of a girl with her two-week-old baby brother (below).

Nikon D750, 50mm, f/4, ISO 400, 1/125 second

This picture was a bit tricky, but the results were well worth it. I was doing this on location in the family’s home so I didn’t have a lot to work with, but I wanted to get something a bit unique. I put the two kids on a blanket on the floor, got a chair to stand on, and positioned myself directly above them while bouncing my flash off the ceiling.
It resulted in an image that feels more fun and playful as if the viewer is peeking in on a fun moment between the two siblings. The equipment here was nothing all that special (I could have just as easily used my old D7100 and 35mm lens to get the same shot) but paying attention to the angle made for a picture that stood out quite a bit from the rest of the image I shot that day.

Other camera angles to consider

Sometimes finding the right angle involves something as simple as choosing where to put yourself in relation to your subject, not necessarily whether to shoot from high above or down low. You can see this in the example below. After an hour of taking a variety of traditional portrait-style
After an hour of taking a variety of traditional portrait-style shots, I stood back while the family walked back to their car and took some pictures with the sunset casting a warm glow through the trees above.

Nikon D750, 85mm, f/4, ISO 180, 1/400 second

There are some elements that I could do without, such as the tree branches coming from the left-hand side. But overall the picture feels warm, cozy, and conveys a sense of comfortable intimacy as if I have captured the family in a quiet and sincere moment. It puts you, the viewer, as an outside observer to the scene and almost feels like you are watching from afar as the family shares a special time together.
This is in stark contrast to the next picture, which despite being at a different location is composed in almost exactly the same manner except for one variable: the angle.

Nikon D7100, 85mm, f/2.8, 1/250 second, ISO 100

This picture feels like it’s full of energy, excitement, and enthusiasm as the family holds hands and walks towards me. I like both pictures quite well, but changing the angle resulted in two images that are vastly different from one another.

Summary

Hopefully, these examples give you an idea of how your camera angle and point of view can dramatically affect the types of portraits you take. If you are looking to try something new and kick your photography up a notch without spending any money on more gear, try doing something as simple as changing your angle and see what happens.
In fact, this now makes me wonder about your favorite tips and tricks for shooting portraits at different angles. Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and feel free to share pictures as well!


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Photographing People From Different Angles

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 New Angles, People, Wedding, Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

By: Darren Rowse

Of course it’s not just still life objects that become more interesting to look at when you examine them from new angles – people do also.
People come in all shapes and sizes and to photograph them from the stock standard six foot high standing position just doesn’t do them justice.
Experiment with getting down as low as you can or find a way to climb above them and you might just find yourself discovering a new angle on your subject that adds that special something to how they express themselves in an image.
At a recent wedding I took the principle to extremes on occasion throughout the day and while the couple included a lot of more ‘standard’ shots in their album they also selected some of the more unusual angles as feature shots. Here are a few shots (excuse my lack of post production on them at this stage):
From Above
In this first shot we were lucky enough to be able to get on a bridge and shoot down onto a car park.

From Down Low
After taking some shots of them crouching down in front of their car I decided to get even lower for a few random and quick shots. I was using a wide angle lens that got plenty of sky (some a little too much of it).



Up Close
I think I might have freaked them out a little with this one when I shoved my camera (with wide lens) right in their faces. Getting right in close can be a bit much if your subjects are not comfortable with you but it certainly ads a unique perspective to portraits – particularly facial features.

Keep in mind that not every angle works for every person. Some of us have features that are shot better as a profile while for others of us a front on shot is much more flattering.
The key is to mix it up, try new things and take lots of shots where you can (some situations it’s more appropriate than others to lie flat on the ground or climb a tree).


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Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom

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Sony Lenses, Tamron, Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

By: Jaymes Dempsey

Tamron announced its brand new 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 lens designed for Sony mirrorless cameras.
In addition to its massive range, the lens boasts a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at its widest focal length, making it officially the first all-in-one zoom lens to begin at f/2.8.
While the lens ultimately tops out at f/5.6 at the 200mm end, the wide-angle f/2.8 maximum aperture offers low-light shooters the opportunity to work with a fast, lightweight, compact zoom, one that also features significant reach on the long end.
In terms of weight and dimensions:
The Tamron 28-200mm clocks in at just 20.3 oz (575 g), while measuring 4.6 in (117 mm). This positions the lens as a comprehensive option for travel photographers, landscape photographers, and more; just slip the Tamron 28-200mm plus a Sony camera in your backpack, and you’ll be ready for anything.

Of course, none of this matters if the lens can’t deliver on image quality, and all-in-one zooms are known for their lackluster optics, especially at focal length extremes.
While we can’t definitively comment on sharpness, Tamron promises “liberal use of special lens elements…to greatly suppress chromatic aberrations, making it possible to achieve high image quality from edge to edge.”
Tamron also claims to have “concentrated all its all-in-one zoom technologies into achieving optical performance that sets a new standard among existing all-in-one zoom lenses.”
While we’ll have to wait a few weeks to confirm Tamron’s claims, the company’s other all-in-one zooms have been mediocre-to-great. If Tamron has taken this one a step further, then the rewards could be great.
The new lens also offers:

• An impressive minimum focusing distance of 7.5 in (0.19 m) on the wide end and 31.5 (0.8m) on the long end, making for a close-up magnification ratio of 1:3.8
• A fast, quiet AF motor
• Moisture resistance
• A reasonable price of US$729

Assuming the optics are good, this lens will be a steal for almost any shooter, but especially photographers looking to reduce the size of their kit for travel, outdoors, or walkaround photography.
At the time of writing, the lens will launch on June 25, though Tamron warns of potential COVID-related delays.
So if you’re interested in an all-in-one zoom for Sony with tremendous low-light capabilities, great optical potential, and much more, check out the new Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD.
Now over to you:
What do you think of this new lens from Tamron? Do you expect it will separate itself from other all-in-one zooms in terms of optics? And if so, will you purchase it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Lens with Sony A7R III - First Impressions + Video Test

Thoughts and a Field Test: The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony

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Sony Lenses, Tamron, Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

By: Suzi Pratt  

Sony lenses are notoriously expensive, so it’s a welcome relief that third-party manufacturers have been making solid E-Mount lenses. The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is one such lens. It is the highly anticipated follow-up to the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, which was announced in 2018 and is almost always on backorder due to its popularity. After testing the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8, I have no doubt that this lens will be equally popular.
Read on to find out why.

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 tech specs

First off, 17-28mm is indeed a niche and unique focal length. No other manufacturer makes a lens with this range. The closest comparison is the 16-35mm f/2.8, a focal length made by Sony, Canon, and Nikon.
If you’re disappointed about having less reach with the Tamron, consider that if you use this lens with a Sony full-frame, you can always shoot in APS-C mode, which gives you more range. This is one of the most useful features on my Sony a7R III.
Why Tamron went for this slightly more limited focal length is puzzling, but it likely explains how they kept the lens to such a small size. In the comparison photo below, you’ll see that the 17-28mm is essentially the same size as the original Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 and the Sony 24-70mm f/4. Weight-wise, the Tamron is the lightest, coming in at 420 g (0.93 lbs). That is quite a bit lighter than Sony’s own 16-35mm f/2.8, which weighs a whopping 680 g (1.5 lbs).
Since we’re on the subject of comparisons, let’s talk price. Sony charges $2,200 USD for their 16-35mm f/2.8 lens. While their lens offers more solid construction and a more flexible focal range, this is still a chunk of change. On the other hand, the Tamron 17-28mm is priced at $899 USD, which is quite reasonable for an f/2.8 lens.

Size comparison of the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 (left), the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (center), and the 

Sony 24-70mm f/4 (right).

Image stabilization

The Tamron 17-28mm lens does not have optical image stabilization (OIS). However, it’s so lightweight that it’s still pretty easy to shoot stable photos and videos handheld. In fact, its size goes well with the Sony a7R III and the Sony a7 III.

Autofocus

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is equipped with a smooth and quiet autofocus (AF) system. It pairs well with modern Sony mirrorless cameras, and all AF modes are available, including Eye AF. In practice, I found Eye AF to be a bit sluggish and hit or miss. But then again, I don’t consider 17-28mm to be my ideal focal range for portraits anyway, and I would rather reach for a midrange zoom or a standard 50mm lens.

Best uses for the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8

A wide-angle lens like the 17-28mm is ideal for capturing landscapes, interiors, and real estate. Those are the types of photography I focused on while testing this lens. The portraiture I did was minimal, and it was mainly for the purpose of shooting at an aperture other than f/11 to see how the bokeh performed (it did very well).

A handheld shot taken from a doors-off helicopter ride.

Image quality

For my first test shooting with the 17-28mm, I took it on a doors-off helicopter ride. If you’ve ever been on one of these, you know how incredibly windy it can be in the main cabin and how difficult it is to get any shots in focus. This is very much a “spray and pray” kind of photography scenario. To my surprise, the 17-28mm did incredibly well.
From the moment I started shooting with the Tamron 17-28mm, I almost immediately forgot it was a third-party lens. Autofocus was snappy (I wasn’t using Eye AF), there was zero lag or miscommunication between the lens and the camera, and the image quality was stunning. Photos were tack sharp, there was no distortion, and the colors even seemed to pop a little more than usual.

Physical construction

Since this lens is so compact and lightweight, don’t expect all-metal or polycarbonate materials like Sony uses in their GM lenses. However, the build quality of the Tamron 17-28mm still feels very solid in the hands, and I think it would hold up well over time.
Tamron says the 17-28mm is equipped with “moisture-resistant construction” and a hydrophobic fluorine coating to repel dirt and fingerprints. Not much else is said about weather sealing, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable subjecting this lens to extreme weather conditions.

6-year Tamron warranty

One of the biggest benefits of buying a Tamron lens is their generous 6-year warranty. Effective for six years from the date of purchase (in the USA only), Tamron lenses are “warranted against defective materials or workmanship.” Meanwhile, Sony provides 1 year of warranty on their lenses.

A match made in photographer heaven

Based purely on specs, this lens pairs beautifully with the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. In fact, Tamron claims the combined weight of both of those lenses equates to less than 1 kg (2.2 lbs), which is incredibly light for two f/2.8 lenses. Both lenses also take the same filter size of 67mm, making it easy to swap polarizers and ND filters. This feature alone makes it very compelling to invest in both lenses.

During the reigning days of DSLRs, many photographers scoffed at third-party lenses, saying that “you get what you pay for.” Perhaps back then they had a point.
But today, third-party lenses have really stepped up their game, and the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is one of the best examples of superior third-party glass. If you’re in the market for a wide-angle lens for your Sony body, you can’t go wrong with this lens.





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How to Plan and Pull-Off a Toddler Photo Session

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Toddlers, Photoshop, Wide Angle, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Raw format, JPG format, Lightroom, Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips,

By: Mat Coker

Toddlers are filled with volatile emotions. They can be shy, moody, defiant, chaotic, unpredictable, and in need of bribes. So a toddler photo session can be a challenge.
But when you build a photo session just for toddlers, it’s far less challenging and lots of fun. It is also the perfect opportunity to get creative.
Here’s how to let your inner child create a toddler photo session that’s fun for you and toddlers.

1. The big idea

The first step is to plan out the photo session. I think that a themed lifestyle or documentary session is perfect for toddlers.
The big question is, how do you come up with an idea or theme for the session?
Many photographers choose a theme themselves, such as princesses or pirates. The benefit of choosing your own theme is that you get to exercise your creative vision (designing the set, costumes, etc.) and let people choose to be part of it or not.
Of course, one downside is that it’s a cookie-cutter approach that gives every child similar portraits.
If you want to choose something unique to the child, keep in mind that every toddler has something they love to do. Go with that as the theme for the session.
If they love dinosaurs, then find a way to make dinosaurs part of the session. If they love to play with big-rigs and diggers, then make those part of the session. Whatever it is they love, try to make it larger than life for the session.

When I found out that this little guy loved watching football with his Mom and Dad, I knew we had 

to visit an actual football field for his photo session.

Start with a small everyday experience and take it to the next level (I’d love to hear some of your ideas in the comments).

2. The toddler photo session

When it comes to pulling off the session, start by being prepared. This seems obvious, but many photographers come unprepared, and it can ruin a session.
If you are prepared, then you won’t have to think about it during the shoot. The less you have on your mind, the more room you have to be creative.

Gear

Pack the right gear and check twice that you’ve got it all.

• Spare camera
• Charged batteries
• Lights (if needed)
• Props (provided by you or the family)
• A checklist of other things you need

Part of being prepared is being familiar with your camera and knowing what settings to use. I keep things as simple as possible with aperture mode and exposure compensation. I only use manual mode when I need it.

Even though props for the session should be prepared in advance, you should still allow room 

for spontaneity. Dressing up as a firefighter was not part of the plan, but it was the best part of 

the session.

Chaos

Generally, you’ll need to embrace chaos as part of the toddler photo session. Toddlers are emotionally volatile, and the session may take many twists and turns. This is one of the reasons that I love lifestyle sessions. It easily allows for pauses, breaks, and spontaneity.
Go with the flow and don’t try to force anything. If you design the session for the toddler, then it should be fun. They should be happy, and it should be the perfect environment for them. Even a studio can be fun.
Keep the parents informed, but don’t feel the need to explain things to the toddler. You don’t even need to tell the toddler it’s a photo session. If it’s a lifestyle or documentary session, just let them be themselves.

Creativity

Use many creative elements with your photography. Go for a variety of angles, close-ups, storytelling, wide angles, and beautiful light.

Part of your creativity is in choosing the environment and backgrounds for your session. I used a 

combination of background, composition, and moment for these two photos. The moment began 

with him confronting his opponent’s mascot and ended with him making a run for it.

Beware of yourself

You’ve got to be able to handle any problems that arise and still get great photos.
Before a toddler photo session, I do some reflection. What could go wrong with this session? Has anything gone wrong in the past? What is the worst that could go wrong? But most importantly, how will I respond? I make this decision in advance so that I don’t have to think in the moment. Do the thinking while things are calm, and you’ll make better decisions.
Consider answering these questions in advance:

• What if the toddle is grumpy?
• Suppose the parents are overbearing?
• What if the kid throws mud at my camera or turns the firehose in my direction?
• What if the toddler gets hurt?

As much as we all love nature, there are many harmful elements out there for toddlers. Keep 

parents close by and make sure they are comfortable with where their toddler is exploring.

3. The edit

When it comes to the edit, be ruthless in narrowing down your photos. Most photographers are happy if they keep 10% of their photos from a session. Some are satisfied with less. Don’t be afraid to cut, cut, cut!
Your final selection of photos should have lots of variety to it.

• Close-ups
• Full scene
• Details

When it comes to touching up your photos, I recommend a simple edit with Lightroom or a similar program.
How do you know what to do with a photo? Keep these two principals in mind. When it comes to editing you’re either:

1. Putting the finishing touches on your photo (crop, exposure adjustments, etc.)
2. Or you’re trying to fix a photo that didn’t turn out

The main things I did with this RAW photo is I cropped it and warmed it up with the temperature 

slider.

Generally, I would say if you need to do a heavy amount of fixing or editing of a photo, you should just leave it out of the final collection. If you constantly have to fix certain elements of your photos in editing, this is a good clue as to what you need to learn to improve your photography. Editing should be about finishing touches, with fixing as a last resort.

A perfect session for you and toddlers

Follow your nature as a creative person and the nature of the toddler you are photographing. Design everything for the toddler, and you’ll have an amazingly creative toddler photo session that will leave everyone wanting more.
Do you have any other tips for a successful toddler photo session? Share with us in the comments below!


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