Do you know what the Nikon D5, D6, Z8 and Z9 have in common? Yes, you’re right, these are the most advanced models from Nikon since 2016, placing speed above all else. And, I’m not talking about the speed of the autofocus or the continuous shooting, but the speed at which you can change the camera’s settings when the shooting conditions change. You can do this with the inconspicuous Recall Shooting Function, which has huge potential for unpredictable photography scenarios.
Safe storage practices may seem like a boring topic, until you lose a bunch of images that you worked so hard to create. Then you’ll wish you had taken the time to store and back up your photographs properly as we’ve urged in the past.
You’ll get another shot at this essential task today in the quick tutorial below from the popular Trav in the Bush YouTube channel. After carefully establishing this procedure once you’ll find that it’s very easy to maintain as you add more images to your library.
Trav is a successful bird photographer based in British Columbia, Canada who prides himself on creating relatable and educational content for inexperienced bird enthusiasts and others who shoot outdoors. The safeguard measures he recommends today are easy to emulate for novices and pros alike.
As he says, “these are our memories, and for some of us these images are our business.” Trav begins with a discussion of best practices for memory cards, how he recommends handling them, and the first thing he does to transfer the files somewhere else. His first step is copying the photos to a solid state drive (SSD).
SSDs tend to be very fast (and expensive) and Trav prefers a compact model that can be tucked into a corner of a camera bag so it’s available throughout his travels. The next step is a more substantial and permanent backup on a Hard Disc Drive (HDD) that never leaves home. An HDD is significantly slower than an SSD, but the benefits here are large storage capability at a more modest price.
Trav explains why he does his post-processing to images stored on multiple SSDs rather than on the “18TB Big Boy that I don’t use for work.” He also has a simple method for labeling the SSDs so he can tell what they contain with a quick glance.
A note of caution: Trav urges you to leave images on your memory card until they’ve been transferred to both the SSD and HDD. “Then, and only then, is it safe to clear out the card.” In other words, your images are only safe if they’re are stored in at least two places. Trav’s simple advice will prevent you from encountering the horror stories you heard elsewhere from shooters that lost some or all of their hard-earned work. So get it done on an SSD and HDD ASAP.
Be sure to check out the Trav in the Bush YouTube channel, where there are many tips and techniques that will serve you well. We also recommend watching a tutorial we featured with another accomplished pro who provides a step-by-step beginners guide for capturing unique multiple-exposure photographs in the camera.
We recently featured a quick tutorial explaining how to use Tone Curve post-processing tools to rehabilitate poorly-exposed photographs. But most photographers prefer getting things right in the camera, and that’s what you’ll learn how to do in the next six minutes.
This tutorial comes from the Hamed Photography YouTube channel, a great source of instructional videos for elevating your skills, mastering camera techniques, and diving into the word of visual storytelling. Today’s six-minute episode demystifies your camera’s game-changing Exposure (EV) Compensation feature.
Hamed puts it like this: “Exposure Compensation is a crucial tool enabling photographers to control the brightness of their images in a way that aligns with their creative vision.” And whether you’re using a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or even a full-featured compact, the proper use of EV-Compensation will transform under- or overexposed images—especially those captured under challenging light.
EV-Compensation is a vital skill for photographers of all skills levels, and here’s how it works: These settings allow you to adjust the exposure of images by overriding the camera’s metering system. Or as Hamed says, “measured in stops (e.g. +1, -1, +2, -2), it lets you make an image brighter or darker than what the camera’s Auto exposure mode would normally produce.”
Exposure problems often occur because some photographers don’t understand that their camera’s meter is calibrated to deliver accurate results for “average” subjects, i.e. those with a value of 18% gray. But what happens with brighter or darker scenes like snow-covered landscapes or a portrait of a black cat?
Such circumstances are where EV-compensation really comes into play, enabling you to quickly “fine-tune exposure manually without switching to full Manual mode.” Boosting the value brightens an image in user-defined increments, while setting a negative EV does exactly the opposite. These adjustments are achieved by modifying the amount of light reaching the sensor.
Hamed adds this important clarification: “When you dial in Exposure Compensation, the camera adjusts one or more key settings depending upon your shooting mode; namely, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Program.”
Bottom line: EV-Compensation is an indispensable camera feature that when properly employed will help you tame the light—whether you’re shooting bright snow, against a brilliant sunset, or when dark shadow areas are a prominent component of a scene. Learn how this works and the quality of your imagery will by leaps and bounds.
Most photographers are gear freaks who chase the latest and greatest imaging innovations, and new cameras tend to be near the top of everyone’s list. Maybe you finally want to make the switch from a DSLR to a mirrorless model, or perhaps you want a full-frame camera with more resolution.
The primary goal of this tutorial from photographer Chis Harvey is to help determine if your current camera suits your needs, or if it’s really time for something new. This is a very important decision because sometimes it makes more sense to invest in new glass—especially if you’re motivated by ultimate image quality.
Harvey is a versatile photographer from North Wales who says he’s passionate about documenting the world through his lens, and his popular YouTube channel “caters to photographers of all abilities and genres who want to learn and understand more about the creative process” by taking advantage of what he’s learned along the way.
When it comes to purchasing new gear there’s a big difference between what you want and what you need to improve the quality of your imagery. Harvey runs down his list of the “only reasons to upgrade your camera,” and he poses “two important questions you need to ask yourself that will help you decide if it’s time for a change.”
Despite what you’ve heard that gear doesn’t really matter, Harvey says this: “I’m actually here to tell you that gear does matter—but maybe not in the way you think it does.” This very interesting discussion explores this contentious topic in detail, so you can dtermine for yourself if and how a new camera will advance your imagery and enjoyment of our craft.
Harvey’s discussion covers a wide-range of topics in addition to the two questions mentioned above. He has some very helpful advice that he expresses so quickly and concisely that we won’t be a buzzkill and summarize his thoughts here. You deserve to hear and see everything in Harvey’s own words.
So before you pull out a credit card, this is our recommendation: Set aside 10 minutes to watch the video with your existing camera in hand, answer Harvey’s thoughtful questions honestly, and see where you end up. Then check out Harvey’s popular YouTube channel for more provocative discussions like this one.
