Phocus Point Spring 2015 | Page 28

Photographer’s Quick Tip “Each quarter we will share quick tips to help achieve the look you desire. This quarter we are tackling the very basics.” Do you have equipment that you simply can’t live without as a photographer? Let us know on F acebook/PhocusPointMagazine Written and Photographed by Derek Palmer Tripod Reflector A tripod steadies the camera for long exposures to avoid camera shake from hand holding. You can use a lower ISO and very small aperture to get maximum depth of field It also keeps the camera steady for long exposures when shooting things like waterfalls and flowing water. A tripod is pretty much essential for night photography key for shooting macro or close up photos and getting them tack sharp 24 Speed Light A speedlight will give you more powerful lighting options, and more control over those lighting options, than a typical builtin flash unit. The speedlight also will work over longer distances than a built-in flash. So, if you plan to shoot a lot of indoor, low-light photos, a DSLR camera with an external flash unit may be your best option for high-quality photos. Natural light does not do what its told. Enter my secret weapon - A reflector. It is cheap, easy to carry. The purpose of a reflector is to fill up shadows when shooting in harsh light. There are hundreds of different types of reflectors, which differ in sizes and colors (i.e. white, silver, gold, etc.). A reflector is usually a reflective fabric, stretched over a bendy ring, allowing it to fold, and easy to carry. PHOCUS POINT