Are you a beginner when it comes to photography? Does jargon intimidate you? Fear not, Fotoflock.com has put together 10 must-read books for budding photographers. Get set to impress your friends with your skills and knowledge on photography!

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2 by Scott Kelby

Price: $16 (approx. Rs 820)

The sequel to the bestseller “The Digital Photography Book, Volume 1”, this book contains entirely new chapters as well as full chapters on the most requested topics, including landscape photography and wedding photography.

Every page contains a tip on how to improve your photography, accompanied by an illustrative colour photograph. Kelby’s style is easy-to-read and humorous, without unnecessary detail and jargon; a combination which is sure to go down well with beginners.

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera by Bryan Peterson

Price: $16 (approx. Rs 819)

This book covers more than 70 techniques for enhancing your photographs – from zooming to infrared. It is full of colour photos with captions giving information on how the picture was shot. The same photo is shown with different settings so you can see the effects the settings have on the exposure.

If you would like to know more about the ‘big three’ (aperture, shutter speed and ISO) and how they work together, then this book is for you. The A-Z format and avoidance of jargon make it easy to read.

Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers by Christopher Grey

Price: $20 (approx. Rs 983)

Grey is known as an expert in photographic lighting. In this book, he lets us into the secrets he has learned during his thirty-year career. Alongside many beautiful colour photos, there are diagrams to explain the lighting situations.

There are also comparisons of photographs of the same subject using different light modifiers. Whether you use a film or digital camera, this is a must-buy for those interested in portrait photography.

A Short Course in Photography: An Introduction to Photographic Technique by Barbara London

Price: $43 (approx. Rs 2,158)

This book explores all aspects of the photography process, from what equipment and accessories to use to how to expose and develop film. Its focus is on traditional black and white photography, although it also covers digital techniques and web photography resources. Useful for both absolute beginners and those who want to improve their photography.

The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters by Joe McNally

Price: $35 (approx. Rs 1,723)

Joe McNally is one of the world’s top pro digital photographers and an experienced teacher of photography. Both skills shine through in this book, which combines stylish photographs with invaluable tips and insights. An inspirational book, you won’t know whether to carry on reading or rush out to try the techniques yourself!

Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography by Ferrell McCollough

Price: $16 (approx. Rs 819)

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Digital Photography involves taking photos of the same scene at different exposures, then merging them into a single file.

Understanding this technique will enable you to take pictures that look more like real life, or even surrealist photos that go beyond what the human eye can see. In this book, Ferrell McCollough uses examples of his own and other HDR photographers’ work to provide a thorough guide to this cutting edge technique.

Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua

Price: $36 (approx. Rs 1,789)

All photographers, from beginners to professionals, need to understand the principles of lighting and how to apply them. That is exactly what this book teaches, and the best bit is: this knowledge will never go out of date. This book is recommended for all photographers and is essential reading for those interested in studio work.

Digital Photography: Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks by Gregory Georges

Price: check amazon.com for exact price

Georges offers tips and tricks for every aspect of digital photography, from how to set up the equipment to how to print and store your photos. Most lessons are two pages long, with equal space devoted to text and example (colour) photos. An easy and indispensable read.

The Betterphoto Guide to Digital Photography by Jim Miotke

Price: $16 (approx. Rs 820)

Jim Miotke provides a comprehensive guide to digital photography. The principles of composition, light, exposure, depth of field etc. are taught, with clear explanations of technical elements such as ISO numbers, shutter speed and aperture. Equal emphasis is given to the content and composition of photos. An excellent general manual and especially useful for those interested in nature photography.

Understanding Shutter Speed: Creative Action and Low-Light Photography Beyond 1/125 Second by Bryan Peterson

Price: $16 (approx. Rs 820)

In his sequel to “Understanding Exposure”, Bryan Peterson again demonstrates his excellent teaching skills and ability to communicate complex topics in terms that beginners will understand. Topics include freezing and implying motion, panning, zooming and rendering motion effects with Photoshop.

All prices shown are subject to change. Please check the exact price before placing your order.

A tripod is not the top on everyone’s list of ‘must-have’ accessories. It does, however, offer great flexibility and opportunity to shoot photos. You just need to get past the idea that it’s extra weight and bulk for you to carry around.

A tripod has obvious uses. You would use one if you were in a studio (not always, but a lot of times) when shooting either people or still life. When shooting people, there is a good reason to go handheld and explore other angles. But with still life, they aren’t moving until you move them. So leaving the camera on a tripod can allow you to think more about your angles and composition while resisting the urge to start shooting as soon as you hold a camera.

Even though the studio situation is optional for a tripod, there are some situations when you can’t do without a tripod.

- Slow shutter speeds offer great creative options. Unfortunately, the dreaded camera shake will take over sooner or later. No matter how much you prop yourself against something solid, your photo will feel it! The adjoining photo can show the ‘flow’ of water because it was taken at a slow shutter speed. And you are advised to use a tripod for best results!

Apart from just flowing water or streaks of lights, panning is something best done with a tripod. An exciting photo, panning using a tripod is a sureshot way of getting it right.

- Tripods allow you to use smaller apertures to gain greater depth of field. In some cases, you may need to use slower shutter speeds and that’s when using a tripod is advisable.

- Panoramas can be stunning if done right. Unfortunately, ensuring that the ground and camera are always at level is the challenge.  Yes, it is possible to shoot a panorama with a hand held camera, but trust us, it works far better when the photos overlap and a tripod has been carefully adjusted to be level with the ground.

- We all love our zoom lenses. The bigger the zoom, the closer to the subject you are. Especially when shooting sports. In sports, you would normally use a 300mm-plus zoom lens and the monster that it is, it is bound to induce shake especially during the time you are following the action. Leaving the lens on a tripod can eliminate this and you can concentrate on your composition.

Tripods are not always inconveniences. They do offer great help and opportunity in everyday shooting situations as well as is well illustrated in the photos above. Share your experiences of using (or not using) a tripod with us. We’ll tell the flock!

Waterfall photo by Sanjay KH | Bird photo by Arunthava Selvan TRA | Featured photo by Murugesan

You may not always enjoy winter... the biting cold and the seemingly bare landscape may be deterrents in your photographic pursuits. But look closely and there’s a certain beauty that can be captured on the short cold days as well! Before that, though, it is important to know what your equipment can and cannot handle.

Simple things like fast changing temperatures can play havoc with your camera. Take a look at these essential tips to ensuring good photos.

Keep your camera cold. It may seem like the smart thing to do, but keeping your camera warm when you are going to shoot in the cold for extended periods isn’t the smartest thing to do. Warming and cooling your camera will cause condensation and the resulting water could enter the camera causing damage.

Keep your batteries warm. Your camera will work fine in very cold temperatures as long as it has functioning batteries.  The cold can quickly zap the energy out of any battery, but warming them up can restore much of their power.  If you plan to shoot for long periods, you can use a rubber band and attach an artificial warmer (like gloves) to the battery compartment. It is also important to remember that your spare batteries have to be kept warm.

Warm your camera slowly when you return home. If you walk into the house with a cold camera, it will instantly become covered with condensation (assuming the house is warmer than the outside).  Anyone who has worn glasses in the winter will know exactly how that works! Some photographers will put their camera gear in zip lock bags and while that works fine, you can also leave all the equipment in the camera bag and make not open it for an hour or so. You can take out the memory cards in advance and use a card reader to view your photos if you must!

Keep your car cold. Yes, you read that right. Don’t start warming the car if you are going to going to drive to a location. If you are on a two-wheeler, you’re all set! Apart from condensation, there is another aspect to this tip. If you are dressed warmly and the car is cold, you won’t think much of stopping and stepping out unplanned. Think about it!

Yes, these are basic tips, but a quick once-over of these can be a good starting point to great winter photos. In the next article, we will see some tips to shooting great winter-scapes!

Photo: Thilakraj Rathinaraj

It’s that time of year again … the wedding invitations are piling up and many of you must be anticipating some excellent opportunities to practise your photography skills. However, how can you be sure that your wedding photos will stand out from the rest and go on to become ‘classics’? Fotoflock.com is here to answer this question and offer some advice.

Meet the couple

If you’re charging for your work, it is essential to meet the couple beforehand to agree on the price, show them your work/style and discuss their expectations (how many shots they want, what they want to be recorded etc.) You will also need to determine the couple’s style: do they want contemporary or traditional style photos? Do they prefer colour or black and white? If they’re not sure, go through a wedding magazine with them and get them to point out the photos they like.

Visit the location(s)

This will give you ideas about how to position your shots. You can even do this with the couple before the wedding to take a few test shots (which will also make nice engagement shots). You should use this opportunity to practise your lighting and exposure settings. When you’re reviewing the photos, select settings, which work best, write them down and take this information along with you to the wedding.

Create a shot list

Get an itinerary of the day so that you know which ceremonies are taking place and the important moments that you want to capture. Even better, discuss this with the couple beforehand.  This is particularly important in India, given that there are so many ceremonies for couples to choose between!

Capture the preparations

There is more to a wedding than just the event itself. If possible, try to capture the preparations, such as the bride getting her hair or make-up done or inspecting her dress / saree.

Photo by Premkumar Muthu

Bring an eye for detail

Look out for the small details: jewellery, shoes, flowers etc. These will bring back memories in years to come and add an extra dimension to your album.

 Photo by Shrikrishna Pundoor

Change your perspective

Just because you are anxious to ‘get it right’ doesn’t mean you have to leave behind your creativity. Change your perspective from time to time by taking shots from down low, up high and at wide angles.

Photo by Somnath Mukherjee

Candid shots

Although many of your shots may be traditional, posed shots of the family and the wedding party, look out for those spontaneous moments that often say volumes about the day. These candid shots often end up as favourites.

Photo by Premkumar Muthu

Expect the unexpected

No matter how much research and preparation you (or the bride and groom) do, there are so many factors which are out of your control. The key to good wedding photography is to adapt to each scenario as it unfolds! And remember that the things that go wrong, although they may seem like disasters at the time, often turn into fond memories and strong reminders of the day.

Have backup

As a wedding photographer, you will be shooting one of the biggest days of someone’s life so, especially if you are being paid, make sure that nothing can go wrong. Bring along a spare camera (if possible) and other backup equipment (and make sure that you know how to use it!) To find out whether you’re prepared, ask yourself whether you’d be comfortable shooting the entire wedding with your back-up equipment. If the answer is “no”, you need to be sure of an alternative. Charge batteries, bring plenty of spares, make sure that memory cards are blank (we’re assuming almost no one is shooting film these days!).

If you can, arrange for an assistant who wants to learn. This will take a lot of the pressure off you and will allow you to capture a far wider range of shots (e.g. while you are taking formal shots, the second photographer can be scouting around for candid shots).

Finally, make sure that know how to get to the venue and where and when events will be taking place. And get there before time.

When the day is over, remember to keep a careful track of your memory cards and download the images as soon as possible. As for films, it is best to take them to a professional lab (or at least a reputed store) for processing, to minimise the danger of them being damaged, destroyed or lost.

Have fun!

On a lighter note, weddings are supposed to be enjoyed! So remember to put on a smile along with your best clothes and go out and have some fun!