Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Problem: People have white faces when I use flash. Solutions: • Use the scenery mode on point and shoot cameras. • Use matrix-metering or face-recognition. • Use Forced Exposure Compensation (FEC) on SLRs. • Add more ambient light: open windows, doors, switch on all lights.

Problem: People have red eyes Solutions: • Don’t use flash • Use off camera flash instead • Red-eye reduction pre-flash • Pre-flash sends out a burst of flashes before the picture is taken, which causes pupils to constrict and therefore reduces red-eye. • Let subject look at bright light source first. • Make subject look at camera, but not at lens. • Retouching.

Problem: The flash causes reflections Solutions: • Take the photo at an oblique angle to the reflecting surface • Don’t use flash • Get close to the glass • Get the light source out of family of angles • i.e. Outside of diagram’s shaded area Reflective Surface Camera

Problem: Other reflections cause trouble Solutions: • Put the lens against the glass • Move around to move reflective elements • Wear dark colours • Dim the lights on your side of the glass

Problem: The light is too harsh outdoors Solutions: • Shoot in the morning or late afternoon • Shoot in the shadow • Use a diffuser • Use a reflector

Problem: Sunny pictures are too bright or dark Solutions: • Point and Shoot: switch to beach or snow modes. • SLR or bridge: use exposure compensation • Use matrix metering.

The photographs are blurry • There are two different types of blur: • Motion blur • Focus blur

Problem: Motion blur Solutions: • Steady the camera (tripod, wall posture) • Use larger aperture for shorter exposure • i.e. f/2.8 instead of f/5.6 gives you three additional stops—1/400 instead of 1/50 • Shutter speed shorter than 1/focal length • If you’re using 100mm as your focal length, your shutter speed should be shorter than 1/100 • Use flash, increase ISO • Use image stabilization • Panning • Switch to Sports mode

Problem: Focus blur Solutions: • Manual focus • Smaller aperture for more DOF • f/2.8 is very shallow; f/32 focused on more. • SLRs need contrast to focus • P&S confused by backlighting, smoke, snow, reflections • Don’t move after focus is locked • DO move with MF when shooting macro • Respect minimal focal distance

Problem: Buildings look like they are falling over Solutions: • Get higher (stand on a ladder, or another rooftop if it’s a really high building) • Get further away from your subject to reduce distance distortion

Problem: My composition looks boring Solution: • Get an unusual point of view • Use the rule of thirds • Use the ‘Golden Ratio’ (also known as Phi)—see diagram

Problem: My composition looks boring (continued) Solutions: • Try portrait instead of landscape • Use natural framing • Include lead-in lines • Tilt your camera • Move around your subject until you find a better angle

Problem: The photo has too much noise Solutions: • Reduce ISO • Activate noise reduction in camera • Use noise reduction software • Use exposure stacking • Use a camera with a bigger sensor (full frame 30-35x bigger than cameraphone)

Problem: I can’t zoom in enough Solution: • Get a tele lens • Zoom with your feet, i.e. Walk; get closer to your subject • Crop your picture (on the computer) • DON’T use digital zoom. EVER. • Basically, it’s just cropping within the camera, and reducing quality more than cropping with a computer.

Problem: Not everyone fits into the photo Solutions: • Rearrange people into rows • Have the rows at different heights (stairs, chairs, kneeling) • Move to a higher point of view.

Problem: My portraits look distorted Solutions: • Avoid wide angle for portraits (unless for special effect) • Anything above 50mm is ideal • Make the subject turn their head slightly sideways • Watch out for people that stand close to the edge in wide-angle groupshots

Problem: My camera is slooooow Solutions: • Most cameras have a ‘shutter lag’, or delay between when the shutter button is pushed and when the photo actually takes • Use pre-focusing and pre-metering by half-pressing the shutter button • Use an SLR where possible—the shutter lag is negligible.

Problem: My batteries die too soon Solutions: • Protect them from the cold • Reduce screen brightness • Black out the display or use the viewfinder • Reduce review time.

Troubleshooting