Whether you’re looking to upgrade your camera or switch systems altogether, getting the most value out of your used equipment can be tricky. I recently completed a pretty significant sale of gear, and actually ended up selling via each major method – used equipment retailers, online forums, eBay, and in-person sales. They all had some pros and cons. In this guide, I’ll look at how you can prepare your camera gear for sale, how you can earn the most on each item, and what you should know when selling used camera gear.
Here’s a tutorial from one of the world foremost post-processing experts who demonstrates how easy it is to use Photo Merge in Lightroom Classic to combine bracketed exposures into a High Dynamic Range (HDR) DNG file that contains all of the quality and flexibility of a Raw file. If you’ve avoided this editing method, thinking it was beyond your skills, that’s going to change in the next six minutes.
Julieanne Kost is an adept photographer, workshop instructor, prolific author, and a specialist in simplifying Lightroom and Photoshop post-processing techniques. In this episode she merges multiple exposures of a scene into one image with perfectly balanced tones that would be impossible to achieve with a single shot.
Kost begins by selecting a trio of images that were captured with three different exposure settings one stop apart. You can always combine more or fewer photos depending upon how many exposures are needed to faithfully capture the entire dynamic range of a scene.
There are a few key settings required for optimum results, and the first is made in the Lightroom’s Develop module where Kost enables Auto Sync. She then moves to the Lens Correction panel where she selects Remove Chromatic Aberration and enables Profile Corrections.
The next step is tapping the “G” key to return to a Grid view, then Kost clicks the Photo tab atop the screen and chooses the Photo Merge option from a dropdown menu that appears. You’ll see why it helps to expand the HDR Merge preview up to a limit of 2,048 pixels.
Auto Align is enable by default, and this tells Lightroom to align each of the images if there was camera movement between each of the exposures you intend to merge. Uneven edges will also be cropped once the multiple exposures are aligned. These automatic corrections are especially beneficial when you captured the photos without the camera locked down atop a sturdy tripod.
Kost notes that the foregoing changes “are non-destructive and can be refined or removed from the resulting HDR file without any loss of quality.” After modifying a few other options for specific situations, you’re ready to complete the simply process and Kost walks you through every step of the way.
We encourage you to spend time on Kost’s instructional YouTube channel where you’ll find helpful lessons for just about any post-processing technique imaginable.
And don’t miss the recent tutorial we featured with another image-editing expert who reveals seven straightforward Lightroom hacks that are guaranteed to speed up your photo-editing workflow.
Are ready to elevate your street photography skills and capture spectacular imagery? If so, this 12-minute video demonstrates a powerful yet simple technique for getting the job done.
Instructor Peter Forsgard is a Helsinki-based pro whose tutorials explore the art and techniques for capturing the essence of urban life. In this eye-opening episode he demonstrates how to unlock your street photography potential by incorporating reflections into your photographs.
Forsgard’s methods are appropriate for beginners and experienced photographers alike. As he says, “This technique will help you capture stunning images that tell compelling stories.” The practical insights you’ll learn will definitely enhance your creativity and take your street photography to the next level.
Reflections can be found everywhere in the urban landscape during daytime and at after the sun drops below the horizon. As you’ll see, suitable subjects include windows, shiny building surfaces reflecting light, puddles on the ground after rain, traffic mirrors, vehicles with reflective surfaces, and many others.
Forsgard’s first of seven foolproof tips demonstrates how to experiment with camera angles and the vantage point you choose to heighten the effects. He notes that when shooting straight on you’ll often appear in the reflection. Sometimes this may be what you want to include yourself in the story, but usually it’s not.
The next tip is to play with light and make a dull scene more interesting, and Forsgard puts it like this: “When photographing reflections you need some shadow play with both bright and dark areas within the frame.” You’ll see why this approach is particularly important when shooting at night.
Other key topics include creating symmetry, including human elements in a shot, and conveying movement in the reflections. You’ll also learn how to layer reflections for enhanced depth and dimension, and why focusing on color and contrast makes a big difference.
There’s also a quick discussion about gear, and Forsgard includes a link in the description beneath the video with a list of his favorite equipment. After watching the tutorial take a look at his instructional YouTube channel, where you’ll find additional tips and techniques for photographing on the street.
British pro Nigel Danson is a favorite among Shutterbug readers because they marvel at his beautiful imagery and appreciate the transformational shooting and editing technique he provides for emulating his work. Danson recently ventured into the woodlands to try his hand at nighttime landscape photography and he was pleasantly surprised by the photos he captured.
Danson carried his normal assortment of gear, apart from a couple headlamps he used to find his way through the forest and throw a bit of light into the foreground of his images. Conventional flashlights will also work, but Danson’s “head torch” enabled him to keep both hands free and operate the camera in the normal manner.
As his companion explains, “we’re looking for scenes that we can shoot with a wide-angle lens that will benefit from very simple illumination.” The goal was to capture images with an eye-catching, ethereal look. The came upon a big, old, gnarly tree that was ideal for this unusual task.
Danson started with backlighting by placing his light behind the tree , using a 30-second exposure with a 10-second delay so he had time to run back to the camera position before tripping the shutter. As you’ll see, the resulting image is quite impressive.
Another effective approach is to use sidelight while painting the scene with light. As you’ll see, this approach requires a bit more experimentation but once again, the photograph Danson made is definitely a keeper. As he excitedly exclaims, “this proves that in photography there are so many ways to do something.”
Danson’s trek continues as he tries other techniques that you’ll want to experiment with yourself. There’s nothing fancy about his methods or gear, but the photographs are far different than conventional daytime landscape shots you’ve made in the past. And different is what makes your imagery standout from the crown.
