If you're into night sky photography in any way then it's only a matter of time before you run across somebody talking about the “500 Rule” – sometimes referred to as the “rule of 500.” It's a classic photographic rule of thumb that most experienced photographers will commit to memory for when they are out shooting at night and want to capture one of those beautiful images of the Milky Way that tend to blow audiences off their feet and keeps the stars nice and sharp. So What is the 500 Rule?The 500 Rule refers to camera settings to get a good exposure of the stars and Milky Way that helps you avoid “star trails.” If you set the shutter speed for any longer than dictated by the 500 rule, then the stars in your image will show up as star trails (rather than dots). Well, that is the theory, anyway. The 500 Rule for Full Frame CameraThe 500 rule for a full frame camera requires you to set your camera to ISO 3200 or 6400, Aperture to f/2.8 (or as wide as possible) and your shutter speed to 500 divided by the focal length of your camera. For example, if you are shooting with a 50mm lens, your shutter speed would be 10 seconds (500 / 50 = 10). If you are shooting with a 24mm lens, your shutter speed would be 21 seconds (500 / 24 = 21 approximately). The 500 Rule for a Crop Sensor Canon CameraThe crop factor of a Canon crop sensor camera is 1.6 so you need to account for that in your equation. Then it becomes this: 500 / focal length / 1.6 For example, with a 50mm lens it is 500 / 50 / 1.6 = 6 seconds (approximately). The 500 Rule for a Crop Sensor Nikon CameraThe crop factor for a Nikon crop sensor camera is 1.5 so you account for that like this: 500 / focal length / 1.5 For example, with a 50mm lens, it is 500 / 50 / 1.5 = 7 seconds (approximately). Shutter Speed Settings for the 500 RuleHere are the settings you would use, according to your camera and lens. Just remember that the 500 rule is not perfect – you are probably going to have to adjust slightly for your particular circumstances such as light pollution, the angle of the stars or even atmospheric haze.
How to Go Beyond the 500 RuleLearning the 500 rule is pretty much the basic end of coming to grips with night sky photography. There are a lot of other things to think about from composition through to gear setup and post-production. These articles on Light Stalking should get you started with the full story of shooting at night: How to Photograph the Milky Way – We wrote up a pretty solid guide to getting those shots of the night sky that really wow an audience. It covers the 500 rule but goes a lot deeper. How to Photograph the Moon – If you're getting into night sky photography, then at some point, you're going to want to photograph the moon, so this is a detailed post going into all of the ins and outs of getting a good shot. Where Else Can I Read About the 500 Rule?Here are some pretty cool resources and websites that you might want to take a look at written by photographers who are experienced with night sky photography. You also might like to subscribe to them, cos we think they are great. Some of the examples are amazing!
Useful Tools for Calculating the 500 RuleThere are a couple of great online tools for calculating exposures with the 500 rule. All do more-or-less the same thing:
The Best 500 Rule iPhone AppsThe Best 500 Rule Android AppsWhat About the 600 Rule?Whoah there, cowboy! Well, if you look at your night sky image and things are not looking good (ie. you have underexposed images) then you might want to look at the 600 rule which is basically the same except the calculation allows for a slightly longer shutter speed. (ie. ISO 3200 and 600 / focal length). Remember what we said about the rule not being an exact science? What Next?Well, once you have the 500 rule squared away in your memory, then you are going to want to get out a start shooting! There is a more comprehensive article on milky way photography here that you might like to read. If you really want to go next level with this stuff, then you're going to want to get your hands on the Expert Photography guide to milky way photography. An incredibly comprehensive resources that you should take a look at. The post What is the 500 Rule in Photography? appeared first on Light Stalking.
0 Comments
Does photography still play a role in global conservation efforts? Discover the world's vanishing landscapes as these five photographers share their stories of discovery and loss.Only 20% of our planet's landscapes can still be classified as “wilderness.” The rest has been irrevocably altered by unsustainable human activity, development, and industry. Agriculture, for example, is responsible for overtaking about 33% of the land on Earth. According to research, we've lost a whopping 10% of that land in the past two decades alone. In the past, photography has helped protect wild places. In the 19th century, photographers like Carleton Watkins and William Henry Jackson convinced members of the United States government to establish and maintain national parks. In 2018, we need conservation photography more than ever. Through images, we can connect to endangered places around the world, and ultimately, photographs can show us how deeply our fates are intertwined with the future of the natural world. We reached out to five outstanding photographers of different backgrounds and asked them to tell us about some of the precious and at-risk places they've visited. These locations are threatened for various reasons, mostly related to human activity. Two of these areas are at risk because of deforestation, while others will continue to suffer serious damage as the result of climate change. In one, poachers have driven wild species to the brink of extinction. Read on for stories from around the world. 1. “It's a good idea to book ahead of time to make sure you have accommodation.'”Rich CareyImage by Rich Carey. Gear: Canon EOS 60D camera, Canon 10-18mm lens. Settings: Focal length 10mm; exposure 1/125 sec; f13; ISO 200. What's the story behind this photo? This photo was taken in Borneo, Malaysia, south of Kota Kinabalu. The destruction of tropical rainforests is a serious environmental issue on its own, as huge areas of forest are being destroyed, and these habitats are home to large numbers of wildlife. One of the factors driving this deforestation is the demand for palm oil in foods. The rainforest is being cleared to make way for oil palm plantations. As rainforests are breathing in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen, it should be quite self-explanatory that cutting these areas down is not a good idea! Image by Rich Carey. Pro Tip Malaysia has some good national parks in Borneo, which are great to visit. Unfortunately, a lot of the rainforest outside of national parks has been destroyed and replaced by oil palm plantations. It's a good idea to book ahead of time to make sure you have accommodation. For example, to book national parks accommodation in Sarawak province, you can visit this page. Image by Rich Carey. These parks all have paths which visitors are required to stick to in order to minimize environmental impact. Be prepared that it will rain in the rainforest! Make sure you have raincoats and waterproof covers for camera gear. Another tip is to have silica gel sachets to go in your camera bag, as humidity is extremely high. 2. “Be ready for anything, and make the most of the time you have there.'”Jamen PercyImage by Jamen Percy. Gear: Canon 5D Mark IV camera, Canon 14mm lens. Settings: Exposure 20 sec; ISO 2500. What's the story behind this photo? Iceland is a small volcanic island mass protruding from the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a high latitude climate of long, dark winters with the phenomenal Aurora Borealis and short but surreal summers with the midnight sun shining all day and night. This freezing environment, along with colossal volcanic mountains piercing through the Earth, has given rise to glaciers, the most famous being Jökulsárlón. Jökulsárlón glacier is an incredible destination, nurturing multiple out-of-this-world landscapes within it, from a mirror-like lagoon with floating icebergs to dreamlike crystallized ice caves like Superman's Fortress of Solitude. There are families of seals sleeping and playing on the ice sheets and giant white icebergs washing ashore on the contrasting black sand beach in front of the glacier. This glacier is part of Icelandic Viking history and referenced in their folk tales, but sadly, it is disappearing forever. Climate change is melting the glacier at an unprecedented rate. Every year, the ice caves recede back a few hundred meters. In 200 years, all of this will completely cease to exist. This is a picture of me inside the glacier lagoon. I was lucky enough to have the Aurora Borealis dancing across the skies as I waded into the arctic temperature water for a closer shot of the icebergs. Little did I know, the better picture was actually me in the lagoon. In addition to my gear, I had fisherman's waders and a lot of thermals to keep me above zero. Image by Jamen Percy. Pro Tip First and foremost, Iceland has a unique and beautiful landscape, but it can also be dangerous to the naïve visitor. The glacier ice caves are strictly accessible only with a licensed guide. These guides have studied the caves for many years, and you should never venture there without one. The icebergs in the lagoon should never be climbed; my shot of myself wading in the lagoon was done with someone supervising me. There are also new restrictions regarding drones because it's a national park. You are required to get a permit before flying. Image by Jamen Percy. For photographing the glacier, the biggest issue is usually having hordes of tourists in your pictures, so my recommendation would be to go at early sunrise, when fewer people have made it past their hotel buffets. Of course, sunrise times change dramatically in Iceland over the seasons, so stay close to a basic weather app on your phone for the local rising times. Another thing to factor in is Iceland's weather. It can change from a heavy blizzard of snow to pouring rain and gale force wind to perfectly still and sunny… in the same hour. This means the shots you planned might not be possible, but other shots will be. Be ready for anything, and make the most of the time you have there. You will surprise yourself. In terms of helping save this incredible place, the enemy is carbon pollution, and that's something we are all guilty of. Regardless of whether other people are on board or not, we as individuals should focus and invest in reducing our carbon footprints and planning for a clean, green energy future, not only for the glaciers of Iceland but for the entire natural world. We crucially depend on these places. We have grown up in a throw-away-replace-it culture, and there is no alternative place for us to live. 3. “For wildfires, the most important thing is obviously safety, not just your own safety but also the safety of everyone in proximity to you.'”Elijah Solomon HurwitzImage by Elijah Solomon Hurwitz. Gear: Sony a7rii camera, Zeiss 55mm 1.8 prime lens. Settings: Exposure 1/20 sec; f1.8; ISO 1600. What's the story behind this photo? Since moving to California three years ago, I have regularly photographed the frequent wildfires across the state. Even in just the short time I've lived here, it feels like the wildfire season has grown longer and more intense with every passing year. That is my limited anecdotal take, but meteorologists and fire chiefs seem to be in agreement that climate change will force us to reckon with a new normal for wildfire behavior in California. I made this image of LAFD firefighters clearing a Burbank neighborhood threatened by the La Tuna Canyon fire last September. The fire was declared the largest fire in Los Angeles County history in terms of acreage. Image by Elijah Solomon Hurwitz. Pro Tip For wildfires, the most important thing is obviously safety, not just your own safety but also the safety of everyone in proximity to you. In other words, don't get in the way of firefighters or police doing their jobs. Be mindful of where you park your vehicle so it doesn't block residents who are evacuating or emergency personnel. Make sure you can easily flee if the situation worsens, and bring protection against the elements, including an ND-95 mask and fire-resistant clothing. Follow the local fire departments on Twitter to keep abreast of rapidly-shifting conditions and the current fire radius maps. Use common sense. 4. “'If you want wild animals in your pictures, make sure you go very early in the morning or late in the afternoon.”Magdalena PaluchowskaImage by Magdalena Paluchowska. Gear: Olympus OMD EM-5 camera, M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 lens. Settings: Exposure 1/400 sec; f5.6; ISO 200. What's the story behind this photo? The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a World Heritage Site located 180 kilometers west of Arusha in northern Tanzania. It covers over 8000 square kilometers of savanna, highland plains, savanna woodlands, and forests. It is the only conservation area in Tanzania that protects wildlife while allowing human habitation. It is home to tribal Maasai communities, who preserve their traditional, pastoral way of life while co-existing with the native wildlife, including Africa's Big Five: the rhinoceros, the African elephant, the Cape buffalo, the African lion, and the African leopard. The protected area also supports one of the largest animal migrations on Earth and contains numerous paleontological and archaeological sites, where Hominid fossils dating back three million years were discovered. The area was named after its most renowned landmark, the Ngorongoro Crater, which is the world's largest intact volcanic caldera. Approximately 25,000 large animals, mostly ungulates, live in the crater alone. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area faces the challenge of protecting its biodiversity and globally threatened species– among others, the diminishing populations of the black rhinoceros, leopard, and elephant, all severely affected by poaching. The area must also consider the preservation of the local culture and heritage, while minimizing at the same time the damage caused to the ecosystem by widespread overgrazing by the livestock of the local tribes. The northern part of Tanzania was one of the places my fiancé and I visited during the two years that we lived in the country. I took this particular photo when we were driving on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater at the end of the day. I saw a herd of giraffes on the rim with the crater in the background, and I liked the soft pastel colors and the calmness of the scene-two elements I strongly associate with Africa. I asked our guide to stop one last time before reaching our campsite. Image by Magdalena Paluchowska. Pro Tip Go with a local guide-this way, your money supports local communities-but research before you go. Local guides can take you to the best, often hidden, sites, but they are more used to clients who just want to snap a photo or two in one place and then rush to another location. Ask for your guide's advice ahead of time, but decide for yourself and communicate where would you like to go and what time would you like to go there. Image by Magdalena Paluchowska. If you want wild animals in your pictures, make sure you go very early in the morning or late in the afternoon. During the day, the animals tend to get lazy and hide from the heat. The light also gets very harsh during the day, and more popular spots like the crater itself may get a bit crowded with visitors. Generally, I like to pack light when traveling, and this is especially true for locations like East Africa. Big, heavy equipment is difficult to carry and adds to the cost of transportation, and it may also call a lot of unwanted attention. I find that small, mirrorless cameras are best for the job. 5. “…it is important to stick to boardwalks and paths and to tread gently to avoid harming any plants or animals.'”Anna MorganImage by Anna Morgan. Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera, EF 24-70 f2.8L II USM lens. Settings: Focal length 70mm; exposure 3.2 sec; f13; ISO 100. What's the story behind this photo? Canada's west coast is home to some of the world's most spectacular ancient forests. These temperate old-growth rainforests are ecologically complex and contain large volumes of living and dead wood, which provide an essential habitat for a diverse range of terrestrial and marine species, including the endangered marbled murrelet and spotted owl. Image by Anna Morgan. As well as storing huge amounts of carbon, protecting the watershed, and providing protection against fire, the forests form an important part of many First Nations' cultures. Although the single biggest threat to old-growth forests is industrial clear-cut logging, other threats come from mining, oil and gas exploration, recreational activities, and human settlement. NGOs like Ancient Forest Alliance are calling for the protection of old-growth forests while protecting the forestry industry by logging second-growth forests sustainably. Image by Anna Morgan. Pro Tip When photographing in forests like this one, it is important to stick to boardwalks and paths and to tread gently to avoid harming any plants or animals. If I'm visiting an area without proper trails, then I follow the “Leave No Trace” principle. If you are going to a managed park area, call ahead to familiarize yourself with local rules relating to wildlife in that area, including the minimum distances to maintain. I am also careful not to share specific location information about fragile areas to anyone I don't trust to follow the same principles. Top Image by Magdalena Paluchowska. The post Photos and Stories from Threatened Landscapes Around the World appeared first on The Shutterstock Blog. If you haven't updated your Instagram password or haven't reviewed your security settings in a while, now would be a good time to do so. A puzzling hack has locked some Instagram users out of their accounts and got all contact details replaced, with the email address linked to a new one under a Russian domain.
Samsung's newest flagship model, the Note 9, brings across many of the camera features of the Samsung S9+, Amy Davies checks out what it has to offer The post Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Hands On Review appeared first on Camera Jabber. Gorgeous female portraits by Jason Estrocio, a talented self-taught photographer, retoucher, and artist from Bath, Somerset, England. Jason focuses on street portraiture. He shoots marvelous street style, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle portrait photography. More info: Instagram The post Beautiful Street Style Portrait Photography by Jason Estrocio appeared first on Photogrist Photography Magazine. Nikolai Muth a.k.a. nikolator is a talented fine art photographer, and artist currently based in Frankfurt, Germany. Nikolai focuses on minimalist photography. He shoots amazing architecture, and urban shots with colorful small elements, lines, and details. nikolator has over 59,000 followers on Instagram and counting. More info: Instagram The post #minimal_perfection: Lines, Shapes and Colors by Nikolai Muth appeared first on Photogrist Photography Magazine. Fujifilm's new compact camera, the Fujifilm XF10, is a tiny little camera with a great big sensor. The ultralight compact boasts a relatively massive APS-C sized CMOS sensor. That sensor shoots a respectable 24.2MP resolution stills, and mostly useless 4K video for up to 30 minutes along with 1080p at up to 60fps. Weighing in […] The post The Fujifilm XF10 is an ultra small compact with an APS-C sensor appeared first on DIY Photography. How do you get better at photography? How do you make that improvement thorough, fast and fun? Traditionalists will pick up a book and learn the theory first. Don't get me wrong, this works, but it also puts most people to sleep, especially towards the beginning of a learning journey. Snore. If you're like most people, you learn best by doing! It's more enjoyable and the learning tends to stick more effectively. So following on from yesterday's call to get out and shoot, let's look at a way to structure practical learning of photography in four steps. Pick a GenreThe truth is that while there are an infinite amount of subjects to shoot, the basic genres and subjects for most photographers tend to pop up again and again. It's not difficult to come up with a list of subjects and genres that you want to shoot. Start with the category list from this very website (at the top) if you don't know where to start. Get specific with topics if you already have a good idea. Of course, to keep things interesting, you will want to put the genres that interest you towards the top of the list! Part of learning by doing is keeping yourself engaged and interested. Examples of wider genres:
Examples of specific topics:
Research and Note the Very BasicsIn the beginning, this step can be as simple as a Google search and a short blog post. Take a look at what people have blogged about regarding the topic you're interested in. Like macro flower photography? Type “macro flower photography tutorial” into Google and see what comes up? Want to shoot the milky way? Same deal! Sites like Light Stalking, Expert Photography, Photography Concentrate etc all have a HUGE amount of short tutorial blog posts that allow you to get across the basics of virtually any genre very quickly. Now don't get us wrong – eventually you will want to dig a LOT deeper on your area of photographic interest, but for now, blog posts are just fine. Take a set of notes (paper and pen are just fine) about each topic or genre you want to shoot. Don't get too carried away – these should be able to fit easily on a single page with room to spare.
Give Yourself a Project and Complete ItAfter you have a succinct set of notes, you are going to have to do a little bit more research or use your imagination and set yourself a shooting project. Check out Flickr or 500px for some images that you like in your genre and consider how you can do a shoot to emulate the setup and conditions to get similar results to the images you like. You will want to note down things like:
This is where the rubber hits the road for learning by doing. Armed with your notes, grab your camera and venture forth!
Review the ResultsThis is an important part of learning photography. Reviewing your images and comparing them with your own notes will be quite revealing. Comparing them with your research examples from Flickr and 500px will also be quite revealing. Ask yourself why your images turned out different to what was in your mind's eye before you started. Lighting and composition are the likely culprits, but there are a LOT of others that it could be. Simply taking the time to come up with the questions will help your own understanding. This stage is the part that is most revealing and from where your real growth as a photographer will likely come. Ignore All That?If that all sounds a little fiddly and like a lot of research (that can be difficult when you don't know a topic well) then there might be an answer. Action Cards were built with this exact scenario in mind – learning by doing. And they basically follow the above formula – genre, research, project, review – all on a single printable page. If learning by doing is truly your preferred way of learning photography, then you will want to take a look at these while they are on launch discount here. Take a look at the Action Cards here.And happy shooting! The post Learn by Doing: 4 Core Steps to Improving Your Photography Quickly appeared first on Light Stalking. |