Why you DON’T Need a Tilt-Shift Lens

Main image: Nine-image vertical panorama of The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Professional architectural photographers often use Tilt-Shift lenses to photograph with as little distortion as possible.

The problem for us mere mortals is this:  Tilt-Shift lenses are EXPENSIVE!

A quick look for prices on Amazon.com showed me a range of anywhere between $1200 to $2500. Wow, that smarts, doesn’t it? I know I won’t be able to buy one of those anytime soon.

However, whenever you take photos of Architectural interiors with a fairly wide to ultra-wide angle lens, you will find that as you tilt the camera further up toward the ceiling, you get severe distortion, also known as the Keystone Effect.

For example, see one of my shots from a panorama of Washington, D.C.’s beautiful Library of Congress building (taken with the Pentax DA 12-24mm lens)
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Flower Photography - How To Take Good Natural Flower Photos

Flowers are naturally beautiful, and easy to find in the warmer months of the year, and so make a great subject for a photo. This article covers the top tips to get great photos when photographing flowers in their natural surroundings.

Choose interesting angles

If you want your flower photos to stand out from the crowd, try taking photos from unusual angles, such as looking up.

Generally when taking natural flower photos, you will want to take the photo at slightly above eye level with the flower, ensuring that the centre of the flower can be seen. This will mean crouching down, or for smaller flowers getting the camera right down at ground level.

Use natural light and a tripod if needed

For taking photos of flowers in their natural environment you will be best using natural light, and not flash. Natural light will generally give less harsh shadows, and should also ensure that the background behind the flower is lit well.

The best time of the day for photographing flowers is early morning or late afternoon, where the light will be warmer and less harsh than it gets later in the day. The wind is also generally lower at the start and end of the day, meaning you are less likely to get the flower blowing about while you try and take photos of it.

Use a diffuser to diffuse harsh light

If you're trying to photograph a flower under bright daylight, you can use a diffuser to soften the light, and reduce harsh shadows / highlights on the flower. A diffuser is just a thin piece of material or paper that spreads harsh direct light out over a larger area.

You can buy commercially produced diffusers, or make your own. You need some white translucent material, like a plastic bag, tissue paper, or an old T-shirt. Stretch the material over a frame (an old coat hanger bent into a diamond shape works well), and attach it securely.

Landscape style flower photography

When you find a large area covered with flowers, you'll probably want to take a photo of the whole scene. The same rules as standard landscape photography apply here. Try and include some foreground, middle-ground, and background to create a sense of depth and scale. Try and use leading lines and the rule of thirds when composing the photo too.

If it is windy, make sure you set the camera to use a fast enough shutter speed to avoid the flowers coming out blurry.

Dew covered petals

Flowers covered in early morning dew make an attractive photo, but if you missed the early morning, or there wasn't any dew, you can create your own. If you have a misting bottle or spray bottle, you can use this to create a false dew on the flower.
For more info- http://ezinearticles.com/?Flower-Photography---How-To-Take-Good-Natural-Flower-Photos-%28Pt-1%29&id=5677985