Q&A for How to Take Good Photos Using a DSLR

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  • Question
    How do I use the rule of thirds?
    Stephen Cardone
    Professional Photographer
    Stephen Cardone is the COO of NY Headshots, a New York City-based studio that specializes in shooting and producing headshots for individuals and businesses. Stephen has over four years of professional photography experience and over six years of documentary filmmaking experience. Stephen also works extensively as a photographer at NY Headshots. His work includes events, environmental photography, as well as headshots for actors, models, and corporate. He holds a BA in Non-fiction Writing from The New School.
    Professional Photographer
    Expert Answer
    You don't really use it in the sense that it's a tool you apply. It's a principle in photography that your composition should be divided into thirds so that the focal point isn't directly in the center of the image.
  • Question
    It seems like I always need to raise the shutter speed. Why would I ever want to lower it?
    Stephen Cardone
    Professional Photographer
    Stephen Cardone is the COO of NY Headshots, a New York City-based studio that specializes in shooting and producing headshots for individuals and businesses. Stephen has over four years of professional photography experience and over six years of documentary filmmaking experience. Stephen also works extensively as a photographer at NY Headshots. His work includes events, environmental photography, as well as headshots for actors, models, and corporate. He holds a BA in Non-fiction Writing from The New School.
    Professional Photographer
    Expert Answer
    You really only use a low shutter speed if the camera is on a tripod and the subject you're shooting isn't moving. If you're holding the camera or you're shooting a subject that's in motion, you're right that you're often going to need to increase the shutter speed.
  • Question
    How do I make my camera take better pictures?
    Stephen Cardone
    Professional Photographer
    Stephen Cardone is the COO of NY Headshots, a New York City-based studio that specializes in shooting and producing headshots for individuals and businesses. Stephen has over four years of professional photography experience and over six years of documentary filmmaking experience. Stephen also works extensively as a photographer at NY Headshots. His work includes events, environmental photography, as well as headshots for actors, models, and corporate. He holds a BA in Non-fiction Writing from The New School.
    Professional Photographer
    Expert Answer
    Don't put all of the emphasis on the camera! The settings in your camera are totally under your control. Just toy around with it and keep taking photos. As you experiment and take photos, you're naturally going to figure out how to make your shots look the way you want them to.
  • Question
    How do I click the best pic?
    Community Answer
    One of the best ways to click the best picture is the lighting and angle. To get really good with lighting, try to take the picture at sunrise or sundown, known as "the golden hours" to photographers. Also focus on what angle you want to see the picture from.
  • Question
    Which lens is good for a Canon 550 D?
    Community Answer
    There is no clear answer to this question - it depends heavily on your needs for photographing. The kit zoom lens which comes with the camera body is absolutely good enough for beginning (and even after that). It's a lot easier to choose a lens when you have gathered enough experience, learned to use your camera and found the subject matters you want to photograph. Then you can ask some more experienced photographer "I want to photograph X, my camera is Y and I'm able to use Z amount of money. What lens should I buy?"
  • Question
    Is a Nikon D3400 a good camera?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it is the best entry level DSLR. It is affordable and has great battery backup.
  • Question
    What is the operating system of a DSLR?
    Community Answer
    Each manufacturer (Canon, Nikon, Sony Olympus...) has its own OS. They are designed only for camera use so they are (usually) very different from phone, tablet, and PC operating systems.
  • Question
    Where do I need to click to take a photo with a DSLR?
    Community Answer
    DSLRs have a specific button for taking pictures and it is usually located on the right side of the top surface. For some camera models, you can also buy a remote controller or use your phone as a remote.
  • Question
    Are Canon or Nikon cameras good?
    Community Answer
    Yes, they are great quality cameras and are really easy to use. I recommend Canon especially.
  • Question
    How does the shutter speed affect the photo?
    Community Answer
    When taking photos of moving objects like cars, the higher the shutter speed the more 'motion blur effect' you will get in your shots.
  • Question
    Can you compare Canon vs Nikon, as I am a new photographer?
    Community Answer
    Nikon's entry level DSLRs are much better than Canon's, which lack a lot of features.
  • Question
    How many times do I have to click on the photo camera button?
    Community Answer
    It should only have to be clicked one time.
  • Question
    I want to buy a Nikon d3300. With this camera, which lens would produce fantastic landscape images that look professional?
    Community Answer
    The things that matter are framing and exposure. For landscapes, use wide-angle lenses. The body kit that comes with the model is good enough for startups and later stages.
  • Question
    What are good lenses for getting into DSLR photography?
    Community Answer
    A kit lens is the best, something like an 18-55. A 55-200 or 55-300 is a good starter telephoto lens. I shoot with a Nikon, so those focal lengths are what i know, but there should be something similar in other systems. Don't buy anything until you know you want to continue doing photography.
  • Question
    How do I blur the background when using a Canon EOS 1300D?
    Community Answer
    Put your camera on manual focus and adjust the lens.
  • Question
    What is the effect of ISO?
    Community Answer
    The higher the ISO, the more sensitive your camera is to light, which makes your photos seem brighter.
  • Question
    Can a flying object be captured with a DSLR?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Use a high shutter speed and a high aperture in very bright areas, and a low aperture in dark areas.
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