Most photographers understand the benefits of the Raw File format but still prefer shooting Jpegs instead for a variety of reasons. Maybe you don’t want to spend time with a Raw converter and making the necessary edits, lack the necessary storage for the much larger Raw files, or primarily share your images on social media where Jpegs are all you really need.
In any case, there are a few things you must understand to obtain the best image quality and maximum sharpness so your Jpegs are the best they can be. And you’ll learn how to apply the best camera settings and techniques in today’s quick video from Swiss instructor Fabian Fopp.
Fopp is an accomplished nature shooter and popular educator who specializes in photographing birds and other forms of nature imagery, but most of you’ll learn in the next 11 minutes applies equally to other genres of outdoor photography.
He explains when, why, and how “Jpegs make more sense and what simple settings will influence sharpness and image quality” in various situations depending upon the specific subject at hand. The best part is that his advice can be easily accomplished with whatever gear you already own.
Fopp begins with the first and foremost point; namely, how to configure the camera for optimum results. One key aspect is determining the ultimate image size that’s reasonable for your needs, and then setting the camera accordingly based upon Fopp’s advice.
Another important consideration involve taking advantage of the various Picture Styles (also known Picture Controls) offered by the camera you use. He explains the common options that are available and exactly what they do so that you can confidently ignore the defaults and choose a more appropriate setting instead.
There are a few more tricks to learn as the lesson proceeds, including recommendations for noise reduction and white balance. One you’re done watching be sure to visit Fopp’s Instructional YouTube channel for more helpful tips and tricks.
And don’t miss our earlier tutorial featuring another professional outdoor shooter who corrects the popular misconception about whether or not photographs with larger pixels affect your ultimate results. Forget about the myths.
When I close my eyes, I imagine standing at the edge of a towering cliff somewhere high in the Andes. The sun is setting, painting the landscape in golden light. A perfect chance for a proper landscape photo, and yet I have a supertelephoto attached to my camera. So, I take the photo with my phone instead. These are exactly the moments when having a smaller camera in your pocket would come in handy. Maybe a Ricoh GR III, like I carried on my spring trip to Spain. Or better yet, the new GR IV?
