[sany]

As a reminder, a Pentax K-50 is also being offered as the grand prize in this month's photo contest:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/18-monthly-photo-contests/310952-theme-co...composite.html

Taking Selfie with DSLR:
I am sure many veterans including amateurs will already be practicing this intuitively. Still I am no expert but wanted to share this as a short quick tips just for the sake of getting into this giveaway . In this age of selfie, this tip might get some prominence. If you already have a wireless remote shutter for your low light shots (very affordable ones, just for a few dollars, are available all over the internet if you don't already have one), connect it by enabling the 'remote shutter' option in your camera setting.
Lift he camera up in your hands with the lens facing you. Point the remote towards the camera from your other hand and press the shutter button to release the shot.

Some precaution before the selfie:
1. Before you go for the shot, set your exposure before hand point to where you will stand and lock the focus if possible.
2. Feel free to increase the ISO to enable a quick shutter - to avoid any blur from hand movement.
3. If required enable the flash on a bright sunny day.
4. Increase the aperture size to increase the field of play so there is good coverage beyond you to cover your background.
5. Go wide angle on your zoom or use a wide prime lens.
6. Always try put your camera mode to 'multiple shots' so at least you can make few moments with your hand to make sure at least one of the shot has captured you in the proper frame.

Enjoy your DSLR Selfie shots!

[The Squirrel Mafia]

They say the best things in life are free. Want to process that RAW file & get some awesome results for free?

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/32-digital-processing-software-printing/3...lence-win.html

^ Visit my RawTherapee thread! Can't beat free!

[boatwidow]

You can't get better but just reading about photography. Get out there and shoot, shoot, shoot. Learn from your "bad" photos.

[yevgeniy_pm]

Sunset before the storm. Mediterranean Sea. multiple exposure.

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[dotsquish]

I've found that merely turning round occasionally and seeing what you may have passed from a different vantage point and in different light often results in good shots.

[markku55]

I'm a camera addict person, I have some of them, but to be honest, I don't know all of them.


So when you are going to an occassion in where you want to take good pictures, choose the camera you know and can adjust it!


Most of horrible pictures are taken because of you don't know how the camera will work!

[rognone]

I have read a lot of useful tip about light, flash and modifiers... so my tip is: Try Light Painting at least once!
If you shoot a lot of static subject, you have to try. You need only your camera, one tripod (or any other steady support for your precious Pentax... a wall, the roof of a car, etc) and some led lights.
You can buy chinese cheap flashlight with less than 20 euro. Put the camera in Manual, from 5 to 30 seconds (or Bulb!) shutter time, and paint.
PROS: Cheap / Fun / You learn a lot about lighting correctly a scene / doesn't need a lot of skill / doesn't ruin your shuttercount like continous shooting!
CONS: the first 15 images will be under-overexposed / Addictive / you will need a lot of batteries, for flashlight and your Pentax.

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[Big Dave]

I have found the the half press AF on the shutter button is noisy and clumsy to use when starting a video. My solution is to turn half press AF off in video mode. Assign AF to the AF button on the back of the body. My K5II doesn't focus during video, so separating AF from starting the video is less apt to scare birds etc.. This way I can pre-focus manually with long screw drive lenses when shooting wildlife. Af will then lock on the target with little noise, before starting the video.

[Branimir]

When you are buying a new camera, go to the store and handle it for a while. See how it fits in your arms. See if the menus are annoying. Fall in love with it. Because if you do not, then you'll hate to take it with you, and you will not be able to just take more photos, you'll hate to carry it around with you, and your pictures will not be something you'll be proud of. Do not rely on a feeling that you'll grow to love it. You won't.

[ventured]

Know what the rules are but don't be afraid to bend or break them. The rule of thirds is a good example. I usually like stuff somewhat outside the thirds, either inside or outside. It's a matter of practice and judging what you like. While learning, shoot with the object dead center, and then move out and out and out until you are near the edge, then review and see where YOU like it. Personally I like mine at the 3/4 mark or at the 5/8ths mark, but it's a matter of taste.

A local award winning photographer always pushed those to the extreme, more than I ever do. One she had a long fence diagonal and curving across the photo, with the people sitting on it nearly at the edge.

[elf photo]

I made a post on protecting your lens. Newbies might wonder what effect UV filter has on the photo. All mine are through the UV filter. This is a pic if a Mantis with filter, you be the judge.

[ww8q]

If you don’t have a macro lens and wish to try macro photography, pick up a couple of cheap teleconverters and remove the glass. In the attached photo, I used two teleconverters on a 135mm lens.

[FJC]

It has been said that "eyes are the window to the soul" and I also think they are the soul of a portrait. This is my easy technique for retouching eyes in Lightroom: use the mask tool to select the inside area of the eyes. Set the highlights to 11, shadows to 11 and clarity to 8. Yes, so simple, but so effective. Of course you can choose your own parameters, but in my opinion retouching shouldn´t be too noticeable. I hope this tip helps you improve your portrait photography.

[Zephos]

Sometime you may want painting effect from one of your photos to give viewers a different feel. Of course you can use PS to do it in many ways. But a simple way to do it is to decrease the Clarity to certain degree (by "try and see" slider) under Basic editing tool in Lightroom. In the attached 2 photos, the Clarity value have been adjusted to -50 for the desired painting look.

I love that effect!

[jacme31]

Remember that the camera price is not the quality of the photo. So, during a month, try to make a cure to get rid of your addiction to the digital hardware. Try an old analog basic camera (pentax K1000, MX, Spotmatic are good candidates) with a single 35mm or 50mm lens. If you are an extremist radical try a pinhole. Breathe, .... enjoy and ... help me to win a HD 55-300mm .