Macro Photography Suggestions for all Amateur Photographer.

Best Photo is pleased to bring some macro photography tips and tricks that help reach the wished close-up result.


Macro photography is a fascinating discipline because it allows the photographer to explore a world that is very difficult to view with the naked eyes. It opens up a completely new and interesting world that ordinarily goes unnoticed. From simple everyday miniature objects to butterflies and insects, there are a number of interesting subjects that look incredible when viewed from a very close range. Having said that, capturing images at such a close range is somewhat difficult considering that most cameras have restricted macro photography capabilities. Although, even cost-effective cameras have some basic macro mode, in most cases, the option is limited. Generally, special equipments are needed to photograph a subject at macro level. You will discover some macro photography tips and tricks that help achieve the desired result.

The first option for macro photography is to use the features present in the camera itself. Most cameras have macro mode that allows photographing tiny subjects from a very close range. Usually, a normal lens of the camera is designed to take shots about 1 m away. However, in the macro mode the same lens can be used to photograph subjects that are about 0.5m away. For the more elaborate and top quality close-up pictures, SLR type camera and special equipments are needed.

Macro lens

A big advantage with the SLR camera is that its lens can be separated from the body. This opens up various possibilities for different types of photography. For close-up, the first option is to use a dedicated macro photography lens. Such an optimised lens is mounted onto the camera body and the photographer is ready to take images of close-up subjects. Shorter macro optics are light and compact. They are the preferred option for nature enthusiasts allowing to work at distance.

Nikon extension tube

The next alternative is to use an extension tube (no optic) which is used to simply extend the lens from the camera body and its sensor. This turns the same normal lens into a macro lens. The most common lenght are 12, 25 or 36mm: the wider the tube, the larger the reproduction ratio. Regrettably, extension tube reduces light entering the camera and will not enable long working distance like a macro lens would.

Nikon close up filter

Among various macro photography ideas, some are related to close-up filters and the reversing ring. Close up filters are cost effective adds-on that are simply screwed onto the camera lens. Those looking for professional quality sharp pictures may not like to use this option. Filters slightly compromise the image quality because there are more glasses through which the light filters through before reaching the camera sensor. They may not match a macro lens for sharpness, but they are a more economical solution for newcomers.

Reversing ring is a good option for close up photography. It quickly allows the lens to be reversed and mounted onto the camera body. This accessory works best with non-zoom lenses. By reserving a lens in this way, its optical centre is displaced from the sensor plane, introducing a level of extension and enabling it to focus much closer.

Metz ring flash

Those looking for macro photography tips must consider using good flashguns or lighting systems. Photographers who intend to do such photography quite often need to purchase a ringflash. This type of flash gives even lighting on the whole macro subject so the pictures are fully bright and all the details come out clearly.

Our final advice: at macro level even slight blur gets magnified so it is important to use a robust tripod to avoid any camera shake. You can read further our tripod and monopod buyer guide on our website.


Best Photo gives you the opportunity to capture amazing macro images. So what is stopping you?

Photographers must generally obtain consent before selling images featuring design items, French court rules

Photographers must generally obtain consent before selling images featuring design items, French court rules

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Top Features To Consider When Shopping For Wildlife Photography Lenses

Wildlife photography lenses can mean a difference between high quality photos and low quality shots. The lenses should have the right zoom level to allow you to have a macro shot of a herd of buffalo grazing or a mother lioness actively playing with her cubs. In addition to zoom capacity, you would also consider the price, focal length and steadiness when choosing photography lenses. Here are some wildlife photography tips for you.

How to choose wildlife photography lenses?

Focal length
The focal length of your lenses will determine from how far you can take a clear shot. Wildlife photography lens with long focal length will allow you to take a clear shot when you are miles away. This is important when you are taking pictures of dangerous animals such as lions, elephants and snakes since you do not need to be next to the animal to take a shot. A lens with a focal length of 400mm and above,for instance, is best when you are taking shots of birds or carnivores that can attack and injure you.

Image stability
Stabilization is another thing you will need to consider when investing in wildlife photography lenses. Lenses with very long focal length can enable you to take a close shot while the subject is far from you, however it has one drawback. The image is frequently not as clear as you may want it. However, you can control photo blurring by increasing the shutter speed of the lenses. In addition, avoid placing the camera on a tripod when taking photos. It would be better if you can hold the camera on your hand.

Price
The price of the lenses can vary depending on features. You need to therefore have a budget of the total amount you are prepared to spend before you start your shopping. This way you can search for wildlife photography lens which fit your budget. You may also want to shop around and compare prices of different dealers since this is the only way to find cheap lenses. Lenses with greater focal length are relatively costly because it means the manufacturer has used more glass to make the lenses. However, this should not worry you if you are a wildlife lover since you are assured of getting high quality images.

Weight
The weight of the lenses is another thing you will need to consider. Greater focal length lenses are made using more glass and this means they are heavier than lenses with short focal length.

Finding the best lenses for taking wildlife depends on several factors. These factors include focal length, price and image stability. The right lenses have high quality features to allow you to take clear and beautiful photos. However, you must be willing to spend a considerable amount to buy these lenses. Lenses with great focal length allow you to take shots from great distance, but the photos may be blurred. However, you can adjust the shutter speed to make sure the images come out clear. You should be able to find the right wildlife photography lenses for you with these ideas.


Save yourself a lot of time and energy and visit Best Photo to find an experience almost as enjoyable as the wildlife photography techniques you want to be using.

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Canon Cinema EOS C300 PL Professional Camcorder wins BVE camera battle

Canon Cinema EOS C300 PL Professional Camcorder 

Canon wins BVE camera battle | Read article

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Reflector Telescope Capture a Great Deal of Charming Celestial Sights.

If you often wondered which reflector telescope to invest in, we are discussing the significant features you need to contemplate to help you to take your decision.

Reflector telescopes use a mirror to receive and focus light emanating from celestial objects including those from our own solar system. Since these objects or ‘stars’ are extremely far away from you, the light rays reaching the earth and your telescope are parallel. These fall on the mirror inside your telescope which has a ‘parabolic’ profile and this facilitates in reflecting the rays to a single point. Hence they have the name ‘reflector telescope’.  In addition, as opposed to Skywatcher refractor telescope, they do not suffer from chromatic aberration (distortion in color) since all wavelengths get reflected from your mirror equally. Apart from this, reflector telescopes have the benefit of  being made in substantial size, they are more affordable than refractor telescopes of same size and since light is reflected rather than passing through, only one side need to be optically perfect. However, they also have some negatives. The optics may get misaligned and  they need frequent cleaning. Also, where secondary mirrors, either curved (convex) or plain, are used they may generate glare caused by bright stars.

Before you decide which telescope to buy, remember that larger the size of the light gathering source called the aperture, better is the object resolution or finer details are now visible. In other words any 304mm (12 inch) is better than a 155mm (6 inch) telescope! Usually a reflector telescope with 114 mm (4.5 inch) is enough to observe the moon, planets in our solar system, sun with special filters to protect your eyes and some stars in the nearer galaxies. Most preferred models are 60mm (2.4 inch), 80mm (3.1 inch), 114mm (4.5 inch) or 155mm (6 inch). Note also that larger aperture will also mean heavier telescope minimizing its transportability.

Perhaps you have noticed advertisements for reflector telescopes offering ‘power’ as 300X or so. Well, more power does not mean better viewing, since the power refers to the magnification and may possibly give larger, but very faint image. Also, the small eye-piece may not allow you to see the whole of the image due to size restriction. As a result do not get carried away by these terms. What is important is to get the best aperture and eye-piece combination for the best viewing pleasure.

Reflector Telescope

There is yet another term some manufacturers use to push their product. This is the focal ratio or the ratio of aperture size to focal length. For example a telescope with 114mm (4.5 inch) aperture and 1143mm (45 inch) focal length has focal ratio of f10. Higher focal ratio does not always mean higher image top quality. Also larger ratio with same aperture would mean a longer telescope.

Mount is necessary for steady viewing. There are two types of mounts available; altazimuth or equatorial. Altazimuth is like a photographic camera tripod allowing movement up and down (altitude) and back and forth (azimuth). Equatorial mounts, at times with drive motor, are best for following an object in its revolution and travel. The last item to watch out for is the eye piece. Some models offer numerous eye pieces (2 or more) so that your friends can also watch at the same time. Power of the eye piece is expressed in mm and most common is 25 mm; lower its number, better is the magnification.


Get yourself a great deal on astronomy telescope, save yourself a lot of time and energy and explore Best Photo to find an experience almost as enjoyable as the telescope equipment you want to be using.

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6 Landscape Photography Recommendations

There are a number of landscape photography tips that will help beginning enthusiasts develop their passion. Many of the greatest photographers in the past century focused on the landscape as their most important subject.

Gitzo Tripod

USE A TRIPOD
Novice and innovative photographers alike will benefit from the use of a tripod to stabilise their digital camera. Compact and DSLR cameras are all equipped to sit on a tripod stand. This helps for shutter speed to be lengthened when taking a photograph, permitting in more light and minimizing the risk of lens blur.


DEFINE THE SUBJECT
A fantastic landscape shot is more then just the general overlook of an area; they have a focal point that draws the viewer’s eye in. The focal point may be an beautiful tree in the center of image, or a mountain range in the distance. Whatever you choose as the subject try to keep this in the forefront of your mind as you compose the photograph to give it the photograph visual interest.

HORIZON LINE AND THE RULE OF THIRDS
The human brain finds dividing a plane into thirds to be the most visually appeasing. When composing a photograph, try to place the horizon line one 3rd from the bottom of the frame, or one 3rd from the ceiling rather than straight in the middle.


USE LIGHT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Photographers from time to time refer to the most optimal time of day to capture an image as the golden hour. There are two golden hours during a day, the first hour immediately after sunrise, and also the last hour before sunset. The light is at a low angle and delivers pleasing shadows, soft tones, and a natural golden contrast.
Similarly, days which are slightly overcast are also wonderful for landscape photography simply because the clouds act as a natural filter. The light is even, and harsh overhead shadows are softened. Try and stick away from harsh mid-day lighting when feasible.


BE PREPARED TO HIKE
The most scenic landscape photograph is typically not off of a main road. Often photographers will need to hike or bike to their destination for the perfect shot. Be prepared to care your photography equipment through a trail, along with a GPS, and location maps. Some of the most rewarding landscape photography shots are captured with a little scouting and adventure.


WORK WITH YOUR GEAR
Any digital camera may take a good landscape shot if composed effectively and under the correct lighting conditions. To take your landscape photography further, consider purchasing a DSLR, wide-angle, and zoom lens. A wider-angle lens, such as a 24mm, delivers a broader perspective of a landscape. Conversely, the zoom and prime lenses take you closer to a subject in nature and will provide a different perspective on the same environment.

Lens filter

Another affordable addition to any DSLR lens is actually a polarising filter. This filter screw onto a lens and help to contrast the sky and bring more saturation to the hues found in nature and captured on film or memory card.




The most important of all landscape photography techniques is to continually take images. Practice will allow you to hone your skills. Even a skilled photographer anticipates taking hundreds of photographs in one sitting with the potential that only a handful may perhaps turn out. The most important part is enjoying the environment and discovering its splendor. Capturing the photograph is simply the final step of the process.


Save yourself a lot of time and energy and come to BestPhotoUK to search for an experience almost as entertaining as the landscape photography equipment you want to be using.

Night Vision Binoculars: See Clearly in Poor Light Conditions

Depending on the sophistication, night vision binoculars provide you clear view even in almost dark night situations. We help you decide which binoculars is right for you.


Whether you are at the waterfront watching boats approaching from yonder or at the outdoor nature park or bird watching by dusk, one of the essentials you may need is your night vision binoculars. These help you to ‘see’ objects clearly in conditions of low light, which you will not be capable to see with your ordinary binoculars. Their capability to get this done depend either on ‘light amplification’ or ‘thermal imaging’ both of which have been designed initially for army applications and have like many other technologies found alternate use within our day-to-day lives too.

Basically most night vision binoculars work by amplifying the existing light which is ‘too poor’ for our naked eyes to see things or objects, especially from a distance. Briefly, this is achieved by electronic means, which convert the light in to electrical currents of the order of a few micro amps and amplify them. Thereafter these are converted back into light and the object thus will get clearer to our vision. For this purpose they use a matrix of photosensitive materials. Depending on the type of technology used in conversion from light to electric and back, the night vision binoculars are classified as first, second or third generation. The latest versions are capable of even recording the objects you are viewing and some models have facility to directly hook them to camcorders! So bear in mind to ask your dealer for these specific details and features. Of course, it goes without saying that the cost will be proportionate to the degree of sophistication!

When you have multiple options, which is generally the case, the specific features you should remember to ask consist of the following:


• Magnification – this will establish how close the object will appear. E.g., 8X means, the object appears to you 8 times closer than it actually is. Usually 7X to 14X are on the market and will meet with most demands, unless you want it for monitoring your perimeter from the house and the fencing is very far in certain sectors or such identical situations.


• Zoom – the capability to make adjustments to the magnification as needed i.e., between 7X and 14X you can select. All binoculars are NOT supplied with this control.


• Aperture – measured in mm, it represents the diameter of the front or objective lens; larger the aperture, more light is gathered by the electronics and b- this is measured better or clearer is the view. For recreational purposes, 20 to 60 mm is plenty of, but for surveillance or hunting you may need more and there are models offering 70 mm or more.


• Field Of View (FOV) – this is measured in degrees or specified in linear feet such as 1000 yards. Wider field of view allows you to see a wider image.


• Amount of prisms -  usually there are roof (small prisms used in smaller models) or porro prisms for larger FOV


• Focus – single focus control for both eye pieces, with diopter control independently in some models.


There is also single tube double view or double tube double view depending on whether there is single objective or double objective, the double view meaning two eye pieces. Extras such as rubber casing, armored, water proof and fog proof are features which may be handy during camping, hiking, rock climbing or white water rafting trips.


BestPhoto.co.uk showcase an impressive selection of night vision binoculars to fit hobbyists and professionals budget. Come and pay a visit to our online store.

A Clear and Magnified View of the Things Far Away Nearer to You

Leica 8x20 Ultravid binoculars
with brown leather case

Binoculars help you to see a bigger and crystal clear view of what you see far away as tiny to your naked eyes. To know how do they do that, I should do an act of binoculars explained to you.


Are you avid about watching birds? Are you on a safari to the deep jungle to see those animals in their real life situation? Are you on a picnic to a hill station? Are you an ardent fan of watching those galloping horses in a race course? Rather than watching the cricket you love to watch the game live in the stadium? You are impressed by the number of stars you see on a apparent night sky and wondered how you could see them a bit larger? Then there is one factor you should remember to hold with you for a obvious and bigger picture of what you see afar. That is the binoculars.

Ever wondered how does a pencil, immersed in a water, look like as if the piece immersed in the water is somewhat bend to one side and is little bigger ? That is due to the fact although the surface of water in a glass is apparently straight, it is slightly curved, which is called meniscus. The same principle is involved in binoculars. The lens used in the binoculars is curved and is thicker in the middle (called convex in physics), so light rays arriving from the far away things make a centered image on the lens. But there is a hitch; such images passing through the lenses make a cross over and seen as upside down. So you will ask how do we get the greater strait picture rather than an upside down image?

Opticron  IMAGIC 7x50 TGA WP 

That is a good and quick thinking. This is through two measures; one is simply because there is another convex lens through which you look does the opposite of the first lens so that you see a larger picture, second step is that involving the two lenses, there are two prisms placed in ninety degree angle to each other which will rotate the image together to 180 degrees to make the image look straight. That is the working principle of your binoculars. The lens through you look is called the eye piece lens and the lens through which the image will come in is called as the objective lens.

Before purchasing binoculars you have to consider some points to come to a decision which type of you should buy. One is the way you are going to use like in a fair to see how the city looks like up from the giant wheel or from a super multi storey developing, then you need a smaller inexpensive one only. Whereas if you are an ardent night hawk watching those stars tingling, then you need an expensive powerful one. This will ensure that you get quality lens that magnify matters afar, as well as safe to your eyes gazing through them for a considerable time. A binocular that magnifies things for about eight to ten instances are an ideal choice, since they give a better focus. Binoculars that magnifies larger than that will have a sudden modify of focus even with modest actions, which will be taking your eyes to task.

With binoculars you can experience some amazing issues on your trips. A obvious view of the whiskers of that lion, the forked tail of that rare bird or you can count the spots on that leopard basking in the Sun during a safari.


We compare binoculars UK from all the best manufacturers and only brings you the most incredible offers from retailers who truly take care of their customers. You could also shop with Best Photo for sharper image binoculars, if that is what you are looking for.

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Panorama Photography Shooting Advice !

Have you wondered how these professional photographers make panoramic photography with ease? Explore some ideas to increase your skills.

Do you wish to develop the talents and skills that these photographers have in panoramic photography? Well, if your answer is yes, then you are in for a treat as we will provide you with few tips that you can apply to take quality panoramic shots yourself without the need of investing in any costly photography equipment!


1. You should begin by planning your shot sequence, because when you are shooting photos for panorama, you will be taking ten or more pictures in a sequence. It is best to do a dry run looking through the viewfinder to plan the whole sequence in advance on the way you will arrange your shots.


2. Though you can shoot photo sequence in any direction, but it is best if you can shoot from left to right, as it turns into much easier to make sense with your shots when you are viewing them on your laptop or computer, and you will get them in perfect order in the software.


3. In panoramic photography, your photos should overlap to enable software to stitch them perfectly. You can quickly stitch your photographs with a twenty percent overlap or even less. However, thirty to fifty percent overlap is advised. A large overlap in panoramic photography gives you a adequate room for fine-tuning your ultimate outcomes.


4. For increasing the vertical field of view by about fifty percent, you should turn your camera sideways for shooting your photos in portrait position. You will have to shoot more frames for covering the same scene, but with this manoeuvre, you will get considerable vertical coverage.


5. When rotating your camera in panoramic 360 photography, you really should keep it as close to horizontal as is possible, that is aim the middle of viewfinder in your camera at the horizon line. Aside from that, you should turn your camera sideways for deep or tall subjects, to get much better vertical angle of view.


6. Some cameras also have grid lines function, which assists the user to display a grid of vertical or horizontal lines in their viewfinder while shooting. By turning the grid lines on, you may keep the horizon level and can easily estimate the overlap between the frames.


Each time when the frame is shot, you need to remember an object which was underneath the grid line one third of the way in from the edge of the frame. You should then rotate photographic camera in a way that object is now on the edge of the frame. This can give you about one third overlap, which is best for stitching panoramas.


7. You can get best outcomes in panoramic photography by using one tripod. This will ensure that all your photographs are in the same planes and it is much simpler to keep everything in line. However, you ought to ensure that your tripod is level before you start shooting. Some tripods have built in bubble level to assist you in levelling.


If you are planning to purchase a tripod, you should opt for one that comes with two separate levels, where one is for levelling left to right and one is for levelling front to back. These tripods are more accurate than single dome style bubble levels, and would give superb results in your panoramic photography.


BestPhoto.co.uk has prepared those panoramic photography tips so you can boost your abilities. Feel free to comment this blog post and register with us for all our latest announcement and hot deals.

Handcrafted Billingham Camera Bags for the Photography Lover

Conceived and manufactured in the UK, Billingham bags reflect an English preoccupation with excellence and attention to detail.

Billingham 07 Series

What makes a great product? It's surely a hands-on, family business that puts its customer's desires first. That is certainly M. Billingham & Co and the knowledgeable people making the Billingham camera bags with excellence in design and attention to detail.


How do you know the Billingham bag is the photographer's friend? Well, Martin Billingham is himself an accomplished photographer. And photographers worldwide demand their bags. They have been doing so since the very first Billingham camera bag became the standard in 1978.


Attention to detail is a hallmark of the Billingham camera bag. You'd probably want a long-lasting bag but that often comes at the price of hard and stiff materials that are uncomfortable to carry and handle, plus they can be abrasive. Well, Billingham chooses their canvas carefully to avoid these problems. They even use a unique test for abrasion resistance.

Billingham 325 Camera Bag

When you need a waterproof camera bag, that’s Billingham!. They put their waterproof canvas through a torture test to assure you that everything you get is what you expect.


Occasionally, though, even their canvas can not cope with tough situations. That is certainly where Billingham shines, with their exclusive lightweight synthetic materials. When there’s a particular need and a material can’t be found that meets their specifications, Billingham will design and commission their own exclusive material.


With superb design and high-quality materials comes the Billingham guarantee. Nothing can be perfect, not even Billingham. And from time to time you can't know for some period of time and extended usage that there's a issue. That's fine with Billingham!. There’s no time limit so long as it's the original purchase.

Billingham L2 Series

The company even provides a repair service to take care of the normal wear and tear of years of use of their stunning camera bag. Again, that is certainly the pride Billingham has in the products they make for you personally.


Billingham Hadley or Billingham Packington bag range, pouches, pockets, accessories – it’s all there for you with traditional Billingham quality.


You could shop for their newest Billingham f/stop selection at BestPhoto.co.uk; the UK's user friendly price comparison site.

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Polarising Filters and their Advantages for Outdoor Photography Shootings

With the wide selection of DSLR lens filters that are now on the market, making the proper choice can be difficult. BestPhoto.co.uk enable you to choose the camera lens filter you ought to use, polarising filters are superb tool for outdoor photography requirements.


How do polarising filters work?
The top quality of the visuals in your photograph depends to a large extent on the way in which your digital camera manages light. Natural light travels in the form of a wave, vibrating in several different directions, and is said to be unpolarised. When it hits any surface with a shine (except a mirror or a metallic surface), the light gets reflected along a single direction and is said to be polarised. A polarising filter act like a sieve that selects only the light rays that vibrate in a particular direction and enable them to pass through. As a result of this filtering action, when you rotate a polariser filter, it is possible to block out the unwanted reflection. This presents you an image that is an accurate image of the exact colour, pattern and fine details on the reflecting surface.

Kenko circular polarising filter

Which kind of polarising filter to use?
Polarising filters are of two groups: linear and circular. Although both function in the same way, they differ in their ability to operate with particular lenses. A linear polarising filter works best with standard manual focus cameras. If you use it with a modern DSLR, the way this filter treats the light affects the working of the DSLR's light metering and auto focus sensor systems. For a modern DSLR, use a circular polariser because this is created to exert its light sieving action without interfering with the light metering and auto focus actions.

What are the benefits of a polarising filter?
Using a polarising filter can make a significant difference to the images you capture, especially outdoors, because of the following reasons:

• It helps you to capture an enriched, almost ink-blue image of skies that are actually pale blue by aiming your lens in a direction at a 90-degree angle from the sun.
• It removes undesired reflections that reduce the clarity of the image. For example, you will find it removes those irritating reflections on surfaces such as water or glass.
• It reduces glare and provides more detail to your shots of landscapes.
• It creates an additional protective layer between the lens and anything in the outside environment that may damage the lens.

When to use a polarising filter?
Of all DSLR lens filter types, the polarising filter is the ideal to use when photographing particular things such as:
• Sky: The polarising filter turns a pale blue sky to a vibrant blue hue. If you are shooting in a city, it takes away the haze that otherwise appears in the photographs and thus, avoids a blurred effect.
• Water: Using a polarising filter to shoot through or underwater, it entirely changes the color of the water, giving it a bright blue hue besides getting rid of glare and haziness.
• Foliage: A polarising filter removes reflections to such a great extent from foliage that the images you accomplish are brighter in colour and more vibrant.
• Other surfaces: When you focus on your brand new car or out of the window glass of your home, using a polarising filter will reduce glare and reflections from these surfaces.

In other words, if you do a lot of outdoor shootings and wish to capture images that convert into vibrant photographs to wow your audience, use a digital camera lens filter of the polarising type.


Find your camera polarising filter or white balance filter at Best Photo, the favourite UK price comparative site for hobbyists and professionals photographers.

Such a wonderful CD!

How to Achieve Finest Images with Long Exposure Photography?

Depending on the time when long exposure photography is conducted, you will discover a handful of tips that may aid a photographer to achieve the best photographs.


The mechanism behind long exposure photography is primarily exposure of the photographic camera shutter for a long time. Because of this long exposure the photographer can make use of intentional and non-intentional effects to strengthen the image quality. Different cameras have a variety of settings for this kind of photography. This form of photography is commonly employed when capturing motion objects like birds in flight, moving vehicles and others. Furthermore, it can be a time consuming photography that requires practice and patience.


To achieve excellent results when undertaking long exposure photography you may need to possess the following equipment at hand. They consist of :


An Appropriate Camera
It is important to have a camera that makes it possible for you to have control over its exposure settings. For example, you have to consider working with a digicam that permits you to have longer shutter speeds. In other words you need a camera that allows you to either shoot in shutter priority mode and/or full manual mode.


A Tripod
To ensure that your camera will be steady during shooting you will want a tripod. This is because you will be shooting with long shutter speed that make handheld shooting impossible. Also, a tripod saves your shots from irritating intentional effects that might be introduced by a shakily hand-held camera.


Lens Hoods
These are optional but they are valuable when you wish to block lens flare from ambient lights.


Tips on How to Obtain Quality Shots:
- Reduce your camera’s ISO setting. When taking a nightscape shot you should make sure that the ISO setting is at a lower level given that it helps in reducing the high noise that accompanies images that are taken with increased ISO settings.
- Turn on noise reduction function when taking long exposure night shots. This will save you from being compelled to use noise reduction software on the final image because these photos normally come with heightened levels of noise.
- Set your SLR camera to BULB Mode. This mode enables you to maintain the exposure open for greater than three seconds. Additionally, you should also use a remote release because it permits you to keep the exposure open in as long as you want.
- Keep the subject at the center of the image when zooming. This helps you to get a clear and sharp image because all the areas that are further from the center are blurred strongly and their details may not be distinguished. You may refine the quality of a zoomed shot by leaving an exposure time for a still shot before you zoom.
- Choose a bright object in a darker background when panning. You will be in a position to get an ideal shot because the shot will have a greater contrast between the subject and the background.
- Use smaller aperture and ISO when shooting throughout the day. Combining these two with neutral density filters during long exposure photography will help you to reduce the amount of light coming through the lens without altering the scene.


This long exposure photography tutorial is presented by Best Photo. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and G+ for all our latest news, deals, tips and tricks as to enhance your photographic experience.

Five Beginner Street Photography Tips

Street photography is the ideal way to express your creativity while perfecting your photographic technique. The shots you create can weave together a vibrant story of a neighborhood or a local community, while challenging your photography and supporting you to expand an artistic style.

The first of the urban photography tips is to establish your approach in capturing images. Are you looking to simply just strap a camera around your neck and look at an area through a photo-journalistic method, or do you prefer to talk and interview someone and create a portrait?

Photojournalism takes an approach were the photographer is standing back to capture moments happening without interfering or posing their subjects. If a shot is missed, there is no way to recreate it; as a substitute you look ahead to the next opportunity.

A more unique side to street photography is to focus on the individuals on the street, find their story and capture an intimate image that reflects their personality. That person may be a businessman, someone who is homeless, or even a priest who is handing out his literature on a street corner. The photograph of that person that you take then becomes part of a larger narrative that weaves through your images.

The second item you as the photographer will need to decide is the subject or the aim of your images. Perhaps your subject will be any person you meet who is willing to talk with you. Maybe the subject becomes more specific, such as individuals in a particular area. It is important to find a focus for your photography when starting out, and as you become more confident to broaden your perspective.

Thirdly, it is fundamental to determine what kind of equipment you have and acknowledge its limitations. For instance, if you have a compact digital camera, it might not have a quick enough shutter speed to take photo-journalistic shots at night, so it might be best to focus your pictures to daytime hours instead of returning home with a set of blurred images.

The fourth piece of recommendation to a new street photographer is to work with light. Natural light is most photographers’ well-liked lighting technique. When you are starting out in street photography it is important to take a moment and look around an area and pick out locations that look very dark, like alleyways, that will underexpose a photograph and make it too dark to see the subject. Consequently, if an area is too bright it might cast dark shadows on a subject, or wash them out in a photograph. Look instead for areas that have an even light. Chances are if you can see everything clearly with your naked eye that your camera will be capable of as well.

Finally and if you can, bring an assistant with you when embarking on an urban photography session. This person does not have to be a photographer, but someone who can be there and carry any equipment would like to bring with you. Most importantly, this person acts as extra protection and safety for you and your equipment when partaking in street photography.

The most vital of all street photography tips is to continually take photographs. Practice will allow you to hone your skills. Even professional photographers anticipate taking hundreds of photographs in one session out on the streets and realize only a handful may turn out. The most important part is meeting people and uncovering the essence of a community. Capturing the photograph is simply the final step of the process.


Best Photo help thousands of amateurs  and professionals to perfect their shots. We are thrilled to be able to bring to you the easiest and most cost effective solution to compare photography equipment.

Top Advice to acquire an Astronomy Telescope

Just before you figure out which telescope to buy, you should spend a little time documenting yourself to get a greater idea of what they are able to do, and to better identify your own needs.


The choice of astronomy telescopes depends upon the time you will devote to the observation, which site you have access to, the ease of use and control and, as always, your budget. Some advantages and negatives for some different astronomy telescope are discussed here depending upon their designs.

1. A refracting astronomical telescope makes use of two lenses. The lens in the front of the telescope, called the objective lens, produces an upside-down image of the object. The lens near the eye, called the eye lens, acts as an ordinary magnifying glass to magnify that upside-down image. Naturally, each of these two elements of the telescope could be made up of several lenses, to combat certain inherent limitations, or aberrations.

Advantages
Standard-quality achromatic or apochromatic refractors have some advantages over other telescope designs. Firstly, refractors, by default, bear a entirely clear aperture. There is no central obstruction that leads light to be distributed from brighter to darker spots. So, the visitor can experience a better contrast in refractors. In these telescopes refractors often are adduced as the premier instruments for a planetary and double star observation.

Low maintenance is the second bonus of refractors as lenses do not need recoating like mirrors do. In addition, the optical tube assembly of a refractor generally does not depend upon collimation. Lens is placed into the tube and usually does not get misaligned, unless it is dag up to some major trauma.

Disadvantages
As the refractor is a closed-tube assembly, it may demand a extended amount of time to cool to ambient temperature. Presently used thin-walled aluminum tubes have decreased this period substantially, but cool-down time still should be accept into account.

Newtonian Reflector Telescope

2. Newtonian reflecting telescopes consists of two mirrors — a large primary mirror at the bottom of the tube and a small, flat secondary mirror near the top of the tube. Front- lights arrive into the tube, fall on the primary mirror, get reflected to the secondary mirror, and then it is mirrored again into the eyepiece.

Advantages
These reflecting telescopes does not ached any chromatic aberration. Included mirrors bear only one optical surface, whereas an apochromatic lens has between four and eight causing it less expensive to develop.

Disadvantages
Secondary mirror forms what is called a central obstruction which results in unnatural distribution of light and loss of contrast in the image. In case to resolve this problem, a few manufacturers have prepared so- called planetary Newtonians, having smaller central obstructions (some as small as 16% of the aperture).

Important things to consider when shopping for a telescope :

a. Know everything you can about telescopes including manufacturers' ads, catalogs, and especially read telescope reviews with customer rating on a particular model. The Astronomy magazine will be a useful resource for both advertise and telescope reviews.

b. If a  telescope is included with low-quality, high-power eyepiece, high (albeit empty) magnifications can be attained. So, it is meaningless to claim 500x magnification for telescopes. To make change of the magnification of a telescope, you need to swap the eyepiece.

c. If you are serious about buying a telescope, consult with your nearest astronomy club where you can get all the assistance on understanding all feature of a particular.

d. General review says that the bigger the telescope, the better to get view. But, if you need often use of it, then choose smaller one as it is easy to set up a small refractor on a standard tripod rather than a large Newtonian reflector on a heavy mount.

And finally, always remember: an astronomy telescope is a useful tool- but only if you know what to do with it !


Get yourself a good deal on uk astronomy telescope, save a lot of time and energy and discover BestPhoto.co.uk to find an experience almost as enjoyable as the telescope equipment you want to be using.

Tripods and Monopods Guide

Tripods and monopods deliver more stability than hands shooting. This article presents an unbiased tripod camera review and tells you which photography tripod to select.


If you have already spent a little fortune with your latest digital camera, you might ignore the need for a tripod to complete your entire photographic experience. Fine! BUT while you make a move from good to great pictures taking, best camera tripod or monopods will prevent series of blurred images and are becoming useful add-on that all photo enthusiasts should have. The choice of your tripod or monopod is to be taken seriously because they generally last longer than your camera itself. As vibration is the best enemy of every single photographer, we would like to help you select the right equipment according to your needs. 


As there are hundreds of models to choose from, let’s first look at the benefits of tripods: - They offer ultimate camera stability and prevent blurred shoots;
- They enhance your macro experience;
- They allow long exposure in low light condition and permit imaginative effects;
- They accomplish very nicely when outdoors, under wet or windy conditions for landscape photography;
- They relieve fatigue caused by carrying heavy weight and long telephoto lenses.

Manfrotto monopod

So, Monopod or Tripod?
- Monopod is a single expendable leg accessory, particularly convenient when travelling light or where space is limited. Sports or wildlife photographers will value the independence it delivers to them. Monopods are effortless and complement nicely your camera bag, however on the flip side, it will never be a stable as a tripod.
- Tripod is a 3 legs equipment, supporting an adjustable central column and its customised video or photo heads. Tripods are hobbyists and pros’ best companions; they are made of high premium materials and ensure rock-solid stability and efficiency.  


We have listed the top 8 features to consider, as to be able to make your own choice. 


MATERIAL
Three materials are generally used in tripods construction: aluminum, carbon fibre or basalt fibre:
- Aluminium is the entry level choice, it is less expensive while being robust.
- For optimum portability, newest carbon fibre tripods should be preferred. They are half as heavy as aluminium, easier to handle in cold weather and better at absorbing vibrations. The downside is the higher cost labeled to them.
- Not long ago, basalt fibre have been utilised but some reviewers are worried about durability and material robustness in the longer term.   Whatever your material choice, tripod bag is a cost-effective and reliable way to transport and expand your equipment’s life.   

Gitzo tripod

MAXIMUM LOADS
Choose a tripod in line with your existing digital camera kit, with heavy lenses or flashguns you may have (and/or upgrades you might consider in the future). Tripods must support a maximum loads exceeding your camera equipped with the heaviest lens and flashgun. All serious manufacturers provide a maximum loads their tripods will support. This feature become irrelevant for most DSRL camera owners unless very long telephoto lenses, large format camera or semi-professional video digital camera is used.


WEIGHT
Most tripods weight are in between 1kg/2.2 lbs and 3kg/6.6 lbs. This is an essential criteria for travellers as to avoid extra baggage allowance. For all others, consider that the heavier, the more discouraging it will be to transport over long distances.


HEIGHT
There are three heights feature you need to take into consideration:
- the maximum height: which describes the overall height capability when legs and centre column are fully deployed. Note that center column introduce a lot of instability in an otherwise stable environment. Any suppliers will provide the maximum height with center column down measurement, which you have to consider in accordance to your eye level
- the minimum height:  which corresponds to lower height once all legs are folded. This will become useful for those interested in macro photography or shooting at floor level.
- finally, the closed length: once the tripod is collapsed and to mach your bag size. You should pay attention to the number of section legs, you will observe suppliers offer  three, four and even sometimes five legs section. The greater the number of sections, the more compact your tripod will be. On the other side, the more sections, the greater opportunity for vibration.


STABILITY
Like many things in life that’s a trade-off, naturally, the heavier, the more sturdy to resist windy weather or ground vibration. On the other hand, heavy tripod will be harder to carry and lighter tripod will encourage you to use it more often. Tripods are providing superior stability in comparison to hands-shoot, now it is all about defining how stable you would like to be?


LEGS LOCKING
Your ability to open and fold back rapidly will depend on the legs locking system. You will find 3 majors alternatives for legs tightening:
- tube twist grip mechanism: generally heavier, more stable and durable; mechanism can be a little difficult to get the job done in extreme weather condition.
- spring-loaded lever action: which tend to be easier and quicker to operate but is more fragile and a little less durable as metallic components can rust overtime. Mind your thumbs!
- recently, a third category surfaced with the ability, by just pulling the leg downwards, to open and lock in any position, with no screws or lever. It is be more expensive but worth the experiment.

Manfrotto tripod

CENTER COLUMN
This is where controversy continues among the photographers community, with every expression for strong adore or hate opinion. In general, center column tend to transfer unwanted vibration, for what is intended to be a very stable equipment. On top of that, you should be aware that center column will not enable low to the ground shoots. In our view, to bypass obstacle or for macro photography, they can be utilized to access challenging angles unless wind is preventing you doing so. We do recognized that suppliers have made great efforts to overcome the lack of sturdiness with their columns. We can only advise to rely on tripods legs to adjust the camera at eye level. Some options are worth having, but only on exceptional occasion!


HEAD

3- way pan head

Note that you will find a lot of tripods with integrated head at great prizes; they have very restricted use and are beneficial mainly for compact camera or occasional use. We can only advise to invest in a tripod that has a base plate and a mounting screw for an external head; moreover, with a removable head, you can upgrade your tripod in the future.

There are two major families for tripod head:

Ball head

- 3-Way Pan/Tilt heads will permit horizontal or vertical camera orientation. They are preferred by those doing landscape, macro photography or video. They are generally supplied with one or two handles for ease in manipulation and offer exceptional stability.
- Ball heads will allow 360 degrees panoramic rotation and are popular for wildlife photographers, but not exclusively. Ball heads are greater in offering complete freedom with your movement.

Quick release plate

We can undoubtedly recommend you to opt for the quick-release plates or bubble level indicator, as part of your tripod head selection, we found those options quite handy in our quest for the best photo shoot.




In summary... Tripods and monopods provide more stability than hands shooting and we advise to make them part of your best photography bag. We do not intend to advise one specific supplier, but those top 5 five suppliers remain highly regarded by professionals: Manfrotto, Gitzo, Giottos, Gorrillapod and/or Velbon. You may like to explore other cheaper alternatives but hopefully you will not have to compromise on vibration-free performance, robustness or flexibility.


We have prepared this monopod and tripod camera review with our independent hat on and this information is not favoring any manufacturer in particular. Best Photo is thrilled to be able to bring to you the easiest and most cost effective solution to purchase camera and photography equipment.


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