Tips on taking better photos

lozac123

lozac123

Well-known member
Hi all. So I am a bit of a perfectionist, and the photos I take of my plants I feel could be a bit better. Some of you guys are absolutely amazing at taking photos, so I am wondering- can you give me/ us some tips on how to take better pics of our plants?

I own a DSLR, that honestly gathers dust for the most part. I tend to use my phone to take my pics, but I would love to start getting into it even more. Any tips on what are the best settings, especially in the high light/ exposure environments we have? Or am I over thinking it, set it to auto, lower the lights, use a tripod and just practice?

thanks!

lozac
 
Make a lot of pics and learn your settings.
Artificial light is challenging to make pictures under, I prefer to use extra side lighting to avoid unwanted shades and to highlight the areas you want a picture of.
Some good photographers here on the forum, I'm sure they will chime in ith extra tips.
 
Rich (BB code): 
Taking Proper Pictures Under HPS Lighting

Taking proper pictures under High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lighting can be challenging due to the orange/yellow tint these lights emit. Here are some tips to help you get accurate and appealing photos under HPS lighting:

1. White Balance Adjustment:
• Manual White Balance: Set your camera's white balance to a custom setting. Use a white or gray card under the HPS light to set the correct white balance.
• Preset White Balance: If your camera supports Kelvin settings, try setting it between 2500K and 3000K to counteract the yellow/orange tint of HPS lights.

2. Use a White Balance Filter:
Use a white balance filter or color correction gels to adjust the color temperature. This helps neutralize the yellow/orange hue from the HPS lights.

3. RAW Format:
Shoot in RAW format if possible. This allows you to make precise adjustments to the white balance and color temperature in post-processing without losing image quality.

4. Post-Processing:
Use photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop to adjust the white balance and color tones. Look for the 'Temperature' and 'Tint' sliders to fine-tune the colors.
Adjust the 'Hue/Saturation' settings to further refine the colors and remove any unwanted tints.

5. Lighting Control:
• If possible, use additional lighting to balance the HPS light. This can be done with LED lights or other artificial lighting sources that have a more neutral color temperature.
• Reflectors can help redirect some of the HPS light, reducing harsh shadows and balancing the overall lighting.

6. Camera Settings:
• ISO: Use a low ISO setting to reduce noise. HPS lights can be quite bright, so you typically don't need a high ISO.
• Aperture: Choose a moderate aperture (f/4 to f/8) for a good depth of field and sharpness.
• Shutter Speed: Adjust the shutter speed to avoid overexposure. HPS lights can cause flickering, so you might need to experiment with different shutter speeds to avoid capturing the flicker.

7. Color Checker:
Use a color checker chart in your photos to help with accurate color correction in post-processing. This provides a reference point for adjusting colors.

8. Lens Filters:
Consider using lens filters designed for correcting the color cast from HPS lights. These filters can help neutralize the orange/yellow tint directly in-camera.

By applying these tips, you can achieve more accurate and visually appealing photos under HPS lighting conditions.
 
If you have a DSLR then understand that you cannot make great pictures without getting good at #4. Without understanding photo editing software such as Lightroom, you will never make great pictures. You can take good pictures, sometimes very good pictures, but if you want great pictures then you need to learn how to use Post-Processing software. Post-Processing is what makes good pictures into great pictures. Pick who you think are the 5 best photographers on this site. They all do Post-Processing. If you want to be on their level then you need to do Post-Processing also. Even phones, such as the iphone 15 Pro do Post-Processing right in the phone. If you are not doing Post-Processing, go to the back of the line.

The above advice by @acrid is excellent for shooting with HPS lights. Always shoot in RAW if you want GREAT pictures. Not that RAW itself makes a great picture, but, RAW files are huge and contain much more data for you to Post-Process with. That is what makes a great picture. Afterwards convert that great picture to .jpg.

Some very quick tips:

Never use AUTO setting. If you are using AUTO on a DSLR what you really need is a $100 'Point and Shoot'. Learn how to use M, A, S, P settings and why. That is where the great pictures start.
Keep ISO at 100 or you start introducing noise(grain) into the picture. There are a few occasions when you can raise the ISO higher. For example, night time pictures. Some camera's handle high ISO better than others.
A tripod with a cable or remote shutter release can be great for eliminating camera shake(blur). In this case you could get by without them but they are good tools to have in the toolbox.
A clear lens cover for each lens. This does not help your photography but it does keep your expensive lens from getting scratched or dirty.
All things being equal, a DSLR will ALWAYS take a better picture than a phone. The DSLR has a sensor many times bigger than a phone sensor.
If any of your comments or answers contain the phrase 'I don't have the money right now', great photography is not in your future. Stick to your phone, they take decent pictures. Sounds harsh but it is the truth.
A camera with a good sensor, a good lens, good understanding of light, and free editing software will take you a long way.

As @Swifty says, take lots of pictures and learn your settings. Practice, practice, practice. Anyone on this site consistently posting up great pictures has spent hundreds of hours on learning their settings and Post-Processing. Keep in mind, Post-Processing is the great Photography 'open secret'. Do not tell anyone you are doing it as many consider it cheating(j/k). It is not. Post-Processing is pretty much allowed in any photo contest worldwide. Certain Post-Processing tricks such as 'Photo-stacking' is not allowed in contests except for stated 'Photo-stacking' contests.

Back in the days of SLR with Darkrooms and trays of liquid to develop the film, Post-Processing tricks like dodging and burning were used to lighten or darken the picture. Filters were used on the lens to lighten or darken things. Colored filters were used to make grass greener or the sky bluer, the sunset redder. All tricks we learned that Ansel Adams and others were using to get such great pictures. Photo manipulation has been going on since camera's were invented. It is almost the only way to get a great picture as the human eye and camera's do not see things the same way.

What make/model camera do you have? What len(s)? Different lens for different jobs.

Keep us posted on what you are doing/are going to do. Ask lots of questions. Maybe we can all learn something. I think the site does need a 'sticky' for various types of plant photography. Not a thread with shit scattered over a hundred pages but a honest to goodness, well organized sticky(s)

Hope this helps,

Longball
 
I'm bookmarking this one in my browser, just to make damn sure. That I can find it.

#5, from Acrid's list was the only way, without knowing the rest, that I could take any HPS shots... Even then (hence the rest of the list)

Thanks for all of the contributions so far. And for the love of all that is holy, from someone who can use the advice; please keep it coming.

Longball, you strike me as someone, who likely had real darkroom experience. I feel like I missed the boat with that. Something about the marriage of art and chemistry just really appeals to me.
 
longball said:
If you have a DSLR then understand that you cannot make great pictures without getting good at #4. Without understanding photo editing software such as Lightroom, you will never make great pictures. You can take good pictures, sometimes very good pictures, but if you want great pictures then you need to learn how to use Post-Processing software. Post-Processing is what makes good pictures into great pictures. Pick who you think are the 5 best photographers on this site. They all do Post-Processing. If you want to be on their level then you need to do Post-Processing also. Even phones, such as the iphone 15 Pro do Post-Processing right in the phone. If you are not doing Post-Processing, go to the back of the line.

The above advice by @acrid is excellent for shooting with HPS lights. Always shoot in RAW if you want GREAT pictures. Not that RAW itself makes a great picture, but, RAW files are huge and contain much more data for you to Post-Process with. That is what makes a great picture. Afterwards convert that great picture to .jpg.

Some very quick tips:

Never use AUTO setting. If you are using AUTO on a DSLR what you really need is a $100 'Point and Shoot'. Learn how to use M, A, S, P settings and why. That is where the great pictures start.
Keep ISO at 100 or you start introducing noise(grain) into the picture. There are a few occasions when you can raise the ISO higher. For example, night time pictures. Some camera's handle high ISO better than others.
A tripod with a cable or remote shutter release can be great for eliminating camera shake(blur). In this case you could get by without them but they are good tools to have in the toolbox.
A clear lens cover for each lens. This does not help your photography but it does keep your expensive lens from getting scratched or dirty.
All things being equal, a DSLR will ALWAYS take a better picture than a phone. The DSLR has a sensor many times bigger than a phone sensor.
If any of your comments or answers contain the phrase 'I don't have the money right now', great photography is not in your future. Stick to your phone, they take decent pictures. Sounds harsh but it is the truth.
A camera with a good sensor, a good lens, good understanding of light, and free editing software will take you a long way.

As @Swifty says, take lots of pictures and learn your settings. Practice, practice, practice. Anyone on this site consistently posting up great pictures has spent hundreds of hours on learning their settings and Post-Processing. Keep in mind, Post-Processing is the great Photography 'open secret'. Do not tell anyone you are doing it as many consider it cheating(j/k). It is not. Post-Processing is pretty much allowed in any photo contest worldwide. Certain Post-Processing tricks such as 'Photo-stacking' is not allowed in contests except for stated 'Photo-stacking' contests.

Back in the days of SLR with Darkrooms and trays of liquid to develop the film, Post-Processing tricks like dodging and burning were used to lighten or darken the picture. Filters were used on the lens to lighten or darken things. Colored filters were used to make grass greener or the sky bluer, the sunset redder. All tricks we learned that Ansel Adams and others were using to get such great pictures. Photo manipulation has been going on since camera's were invented. It is almost the only way to get a great picture as the human eye and camera's do not see things the same way.

What make/model camera do you have? What len(s)? Different lens for different jobs.

Keep us posted on what you are doing/are going to do. Ask lots of questions. Maybe we can all learn something. I think the site does need a 'sticky' for various types of plant photography. Not a thread with shit scattered over a hundred pages but a honest to goodness, well organized sticky(s)

Hope this helps,

Longball
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Everyone, thank you for the advice so far!

Longball I know quite a few photographers in real life, you're the first person that's ever mentioned the importance of post processing! I know they edit their photos mind.

I have a Canon EOS 600D, the lens is just the one that came with it, an efs 18-55mm.

I should have prefaced this with I consider myself a complete and utter beginner with photography, so appreciate all advice even if it's very basic. Thank you again all!

Edit, I realised I didn't answer everything above Longball. I have few hobbies, cannabis being one of them so I don't mind spending money on it.

My main goal is to take nice photos, that I am proud of. Buds, growing plants, even the seed photos that one of the members took that they use on the auctions- I would like to get better at recognising what I am doing wrong, or how to improve it.

For example, I entered the bud of the month pic competition this time round. I was super happy with a photo that I took, but a very kind member sent me it via PM slightly edited, and asked if I preferred it like that. All they had done was crop it to take out some of the tent, but the photo did look better and I was kicking myself because I can't go back and make that edit myself now.

Hopefully the edits make sense!
 
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There are so many variables to taking good photos. The technology today is much improved. As with any hobby, buy the best tools you can afford as they often provide better utility. Both phones and DSLR's can give good pictures but there is more functionality with a DSLR. It really depends on how deep you want to go. Familiarize yourself with the equipment you have and know that each lens has its own sweet spot in terms of DOF, bokeh, etc. and needs to be explored as well. Auto setting rarely gives the best rendition and has limited versatility compared to PASM. I shoot in aperture mode.

“Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good.” Malcolm Gladwell

Shoot lots of photos at different settings to find what works best with the equipment you have.

"Lastly, don’t forget that whether you shoot with DX vs FX or vice-versa isn’t crucial for making stunning pictures. Things like light, subject, emotion, composition, and post-processing technique are far more important and those are the things you should really pay attention to."
Exposure-Triangle.jpg

mu
 
Worn Down Soul said:
I'm bookmarking this one in my browser, just to make damn sure. That I can find it.

Thanks for all of the contributions so far. And for the love of all that is holy, from someone who can use the advice; please keep it coming.

Longball, you strike me as someone, who likely had real darkroom experience. I feel like I missed the boat with that. Something about the marriage of art and chemistry just really appeals to me.
Click to expand...
lozac123 said:
Longball I know quite a few photographers in real life, you're the first person that's ever mentioned the importance of post processing! I know they edit their photos mind.
Click to expand...
That plus the reference librarian background equaled darkroom veteran in my mind.

I was thinking about this thread, on my walk. It came to mind that veterans of anything can be a bit like old hat, math teachers: once you spend enough time with anything, stuff just seems obvious.

So links to pages, with good FAQ's, Youtube tutorials, or channels with good tutorial, and the like, could all be helpful, and also save the experts among us from having to explain EVERY little thing.

musashi said:
There are so many variables to taking good photos. The technology today is much improved. As with any hobby, buy the best tools you can afford as they often provide better utility. Both phones and DSLR's can give good pictures but there is more functionality with a DSLR. It really depends on how deep you want to go. Familiarize yourself with the equipment you have and know that each lens has its own sweet spot in terms of DOF, bokeh, etc. and needs to be explored as well. Auto setting rarely gives the best rendition and has limited versatility compared to PASM. I shoot in aperture mode.

“Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good.” Malcolm Gladwell

Shoot lots of photos at different settings to find what works best with the equipment you have.

"Lastly, don’t forget that whether you shoot with DX vs FX or vice-versa isn’t crucial for making stunning pictures. Things like light, subject, emotion, composition, and post-processing technique are far more important and those are the things you should really pay attention to."
View attachment 87048

mu
Click to expand...

To you specifically, I just feel like a book recommendation might just go along with this... Curious what it might be. Longball. Don't feel like you need an invitation for that one either.


The other thought

Broke + ass = me

So in terms of photo finishing software, what freeware/shareware type software exists (if any) that is worth a damn?

Thanks again for the time and patience, of everyone contributing.
 
I liken it to music lessons. Traditional lessons begin with theory. Some piano/guitar teachers go on an on about it and insist that you learn how to read music also. Slow learning and not that much fun IMO. I had a jazz guitar teacher like that once. Then I had a different teacher who sat me down and starting teaching me songs right away, Stairway to Heaven, Can’t Find My Way Home, Thrill Is Gone, etc. I learned quickly bc it with fun. I say take a lesson or two but Youtube can get you going right away with just the basics.
Shoot, shoot, shoot. You don't need Photoshop and Lightroom. Basic free software like Nikon's NX Studio (great for handling RAW images) or XnView as @Ptree suggested will provide enough editing tools to crop and adjust lighting. As always garbage in garbage out. Regardless the path you choose, have fun!

mu
 
musashi said:
I liken it to music lessons. Traditional lessons begin with theory. Some piano/guitar teachers go on an on about it and insist that you learn how to read music also. Slow learning and not that much fun IMO. I had a jazz guitar teacher like that once. Then I had a different teacher who sat me down and starting teaching me songs right away, Stairway to Heaven, Can’t Find My Way Home, Thrill Is Gone, etc. I learned quickly bc it with fun. I say take a lesson or two but Youtube can get you going right away with just the basics.
Shoot, shoot, shoot. You don't need Photoshop and Lightroom. Basic free software like Nikon's NX Studio (great for handling RAW images) or XnView as @Ptree suggested will provide enough editing tools to crop and adjust lighting. As always garbage in garbage out. Regardless the path you choose, have fun!

mu
Click to expand...
You just described why I liked programming and why I didn't end up becoming a computer programmer respectively. I feel that.

musashi said:
Basic free software like Nikon's NX Studio (great for handling RAW images) or XnView as @Ptree
Click to expand...

That is my language. Sorry for not giving you credit Ptree. It was more of a concept than a comment on content so far.
 
Hi lozac123,

Yes, lots of good advice here. As with anything, look at who is successful and listen carefully to what they say. As musashi says, there is no one right way. Listen to the good ones and then use what you feel works for you. Lots of room to have your own style. :)

lozac123 said:
Longball I know quite a few photographers in real life, you're the first person that's ever mentioned the importance of post processing! I know they edit their photos mind.
I have a Canon EOS 600D, the lens is just the one that came with it, an efs 18-55mm.
I should have prefaced this with I consider myself a complete and utter beginner with photography, so appreciate all advice even if it's very basic. Thank you again all!
Click to expand...

The Canon EOS 600D is an older model released in 2011. On the beginners end of the scale. The 18-55mm is very standard, pretty much comes with any camera you buy. My Nikon came with one. It is a lens you will use a lot. This is a good, basic starter kit and if you learn how to use it you will be amazed at what great pictures you can take! :)

Post-Processing is a must. I mentioned that if you pick 5 of our best photographers they will all be using photo editing software. 2 have commented already on what software they are using. Things as simple as cropping are Post-Production editing. In your case you are simply removing part of the tent so the viewer can focus more easily on the subject matter - your plants. The camera see things different than us so now I take slightly bigger pictures so that I am sure I get my subject completely in the picture. Afterwards I crop out what is not needed.

When you learn to crop you will learn that cropping can slightly distort the subject and add grain to the picture. If you crop too much, the picture can look like shit. Most Post-Processing is cropping and adjusting contrast/exposure because you fucked up on one of the settings and the picture is too dark or too light. Post-Processing is like having an eraser on a pencil, you are just correcting silly mistakes. Photoshop gave photo editing a bad name. When you see the President's head on a pigs body, that is 'Photoshopped'. Photoshop is for artists to create things that don't exist. Photo Editing Software is for photographers. It allows you to correct photographic mistakes. It does not does allow you to put the President's head on a pigs body. Well, not easily and it will look like shit.

Photo editing needs to be done on a computer of some sort. A phone won't cut it. Most camera companies have free photo editing software. musashi mentioned Nikon's NX Studio. The other day I downloaded Light Room as I don't know anyone using the Nikon program but I know plenty using LR. Figured it would be easier getting help.

Here is a link to Canon's free photo editing software:

Canon's Digital Photo Professional can be downloaded here:

https://id.canon/en/support/0200583602

manual:   https://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/9/0300040289/03/dpp-4-15-0-w-im-en.pdf

If you are using Windows 10/11 there is a basic photo editor in there that I can help you with.

I only have about 2 hours practice on Photo Editing software. It will take months/years to get good. The camera sees things different than us. It sees shadows as black. The human eye sees in shadows and can see colors and textures and objects, etc. Here is a pic taken around sunset so it was getting a little dark and the camera saw more shadows than my eye did. The pic is too dark and worthless.

2A practice-2.jpg


Just touching it up a bit - kinda like changing the camera settings to what they should of been produced this pic. Now a much better memory of my GF and I taking a sunset walk on the beach. All the data my eye saw was stored in the .jpg file, the software is just showing it to us. A RAW file will give better results as more data is stored in it. A camera will produce a picture it thinks is right but it stores ALL the data that you can 'develop' later. Photo Editing is a game changer that you can't live without.

2 Untitled-2.jpg

As you can see, I did not use any trickery or magic. I did not add colors that were not there. I just bought out the data that the camera stored but did not use. Which picture would you like to remember your vacation with?

Longball
 
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longball said:
All the data my eye saw was stored in the .jpg file, the software is just showing it to us.
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My frustration, and why I quit drawing honestly. From my imagination, I could do well. Though not to the detail of some, but trying to draw, say a tree. I just saw too many details and my mind sort of locked up. No approximation "felt" correct either. I intellectual know the idea of creating the impression of the tree, but sans every nuance; it just feels like a lie, coming from me. Some of that same frustration carries over into my photography "efforts." So again, thanks for your words.

Also, Longball, can you please come take a picture of the sunrise/set over the Santiam, to it it justice for me...? I have more faith in your abilities.
 
I think everyone else have covered the major bases. Don't kick yourself in the butt for not thinking to crop. We all create a photo we're not always happy with, but as we do that we learn and improve. The potential to learn is vastly greater with our mistakes than our successes. I've used light room in the past, it can be overwhelming, but is an invaluable tool should you choose to use it. If you want to wet your feet, so to speak, try the free software on your computer. I edit my photos with it right before I post. Sometimes I'm happy, most of the time I'm not, haha, but each one helps me learn and further develops my own person style and taste. Take as many photos as you can! Photography is a numbers game. The more photos you take, the better chance you have that one of them will match or exceed what you're trying to capture. There are ways to adjust settings so that more of the photo will stay in focus, but cropping is the most basic and easiest. If you want to show off the frost on your plants, shine a flashlight at them while you snap the picture. It will illuminate the trichomes, more easily letting them show in the photo. If you take photos in your tent, turn off the fan so the plants aren't moving and use a Tripod to get the sharpest details. Damn, I just realized I never put my fan back on when I took photos last night. :LOL:

I look forward to watching you grow as a photographer and artist.
Diesel840
 
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Guys thank you so much, I was hoping for a few responses that would be helpful, you guys have given me loads of information already.

I need to do my smoke report for the shark shock I grew... Watch this space, I will practice on some bud pics!
 
Ansel Adams only had B&W, some filters and no computer! And still had time to be a classical pianist!
Half Dome, Yosemite Natl Park
half dome.jpg

I too have tried lightroom and while an excellent program I objected to subscription fees, cloud services (privacy), and the requirement that my computer had to be connected to abode for the program to work (again privacy). Not sure if all of this is still required but I also realized that so many of the program features will never be used by me. It's like cable TV subscriptions, why pay for 156 channels if you only watch 4-5. JPG is just fine with me, preferring photos minimally altered not recreated. If I can crop, adjust contrast, lighting, saturation, I'm good. So, for me shareware software is more than enough. If I want more features like Photoshop, I'd just go with GIMP. It can be a great hobby but it all depends on how much time AND money one is willing to invest.

mu
 
Smokin’ some rocks...

full
 
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7.jpg

Ansel Adams was a master at both composition and post-processing, and there’s much to learn from his techniques.The Zone System is perhaps Adams’ most famous technical achievement. If you look at one of his photos, you’ll immediately recognize the deep contrast of his landscapes. Skies look extremely dark. Cliff faces are bright. Rarely do sections fall into complete shadow or get lost in bright whites. The Zone System is how he did it. If you know how you want your subject to turn out and how you’re going to edit the photo in post, then you can under or over-expose your photographs in order to preserve the most important visual data. Using the Zone System allows you to confidently set your exposures and make correct choices without having to guess.

For many modern photographers, we think of dodging and burning as filter options in Photoshop. But back during the age of film, these were darkroom techniques used to manipulate images. Ansel Adams was a master of these techniques. Dodging means reducing the exposure, and burning means increasing the exposure. Adams tried to “expose for the shadows; develop for the highlights.” Today, that formula is flipped due to how digital cameras process light – it’s harder to salvage blown-out whites in a photo editor. But the principle is the same. Expose for highlights; edit for shadows.

Either way, learn the craft of post-production. When Adams died, he left behind unfinished negatives to various organizations. One article reports, “The negatives are famous for being nothing like the prints Ansel produced… most of the magic was created in the darkroom.” It’s not cheating to use Lightroom. As long as you’re accurately representing your artistic vision, all tools are at your disposal. In fact, Ansel Adams (he died in the 1980s) was very excited about the possibilities of digital photography.
Source: https://www.artisanobscura.com/photographyblog/ansel-adams-photography-craft

Growing up, Ansel Adams was one of my Photographic Heroes. I would look at his pictures and go out and try to do the same thing. In traveling the country I have often stood in the same spots that he did, taking the same picture. While they were pretty much the exact same picture something was missing from my pictures. I had fallen for the myth like most folks, Ansel Adams was a Photographic God and whenever he pressed the shutter button the most magnificent pictures were taken as if by magic. Nowadays, we know he was the best photo manipulator and post-processor the world had seen to that point. Not only did he use every trick in the book, he also invented most tricks in the book. As we see from the excerpt above, he often took over or unexposed pictures which make for shitty picture if developed as is. As we also see, many of his negatives do not appear as special pictures if developed as is. However, Ansel Adams had a vision of what that picture should look like and often spent days post-processing a single negative to get the picture to be the magnificent final product we are all familiar with.

While Ansel Adams was one of the best photographers the world has seen, he was certainly the world's best post-processor of his times. Would he have stood out as such a great photographer if he did not manipulate his pictures so much? The negatives that he left behind do not suggest this. His post-processed pictures suggest he was.

There it is in a nutshell. Learning your camera is a must for good pictures. For great pictures, you will need to learn post-processing.

To clear up a couple misconceptions about Light Room. I use it. It is no longer a stand alone program that you can buy and own. It can only be rented by the month. I chose the $9.99 monthy plan with optional 20 gigabyte Cloud storage. I declined the option and all photos and work is stored on my PC(privacy issue gone). Once Light Room is downloaded you never have to go online again to use it(privacy issue gone). You can unplug your network cable and it works just fine. I just got it 2 weeks ago and that is how it works now.

Ansel Adams color photo

Ansel-Adams-Sunrise-Death-Valley-1.jpg

Longball
Expose for highlights; edit for shadows.
 
How realistic is it to get most of that equipment used, in functioning condition, these days now that everyone has gone digital?

If not exaclty functioning, how realistic to refurbish?
 
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