What a Pro would do

1) Use as few lenses as possible
A pro will use only the important ones or what he/she really needs. Planning is a must for pros as it determines what lens they'll use. Portraits? An 85mm or 105mm. Macro? A 180mm perhaps. Or wedding photography? 35mm and 50mm.

2) Plan ahead
How do you think pros get to their work place so fast? Well duh, they plan - in advance. If they're shooting for an event, they usually do their research like the venue, the best way getting to the place, the time and so on. The whole point of doing this is to ensure that you get those 'wow' shots instead of just stoning at a corner wondering.

3) Stay focussed and sharp
Because you're a pro, people expect you to take pictures and do your job instead of slacking and stoning. Being blur in an event is an obvious no-no. Maybe for an enthusiast but not for a pro.

4) Show your 'pro' skill
Well, this is more of a should than a would. But anyway, since you're a pro why not show your skill? Not show off, dude. Post your shots on sites like Flickr perhaps and people might just praise you if they are good shots.

5) He/She is always out of the box
Pros generally should think out of the box. That's how they get shots that stand out from the others. If one is able to change the composition as well as the lighting, I think that would make a great image that stands out from others. Since everyone has creativity, its a matter of how creative you are.


Conclusion
Obviously a beginner can't be a pro immediately once he takes a camera and starts shooting. You need experience, dude. And time can only be one's friend in becoming a pro. Start by taking shots from a different angle and focus more on composition and lighting. Photography is all about creativity. Its just a matter of how creative one is.

Product Photography: Without External Speedlights/Strobes

Product photography might just be the most expensive genre of photography mainly because you have to spend a lot on external accessories like speedlights or strobes and the list keeps on going. Go to Sharpics.com - they sell a whole variety of equipment just for product photography.

In this post, I'll be showing you guys how to do product photography on a (serious)budget. And what you need for this is:

• A camera(it's better if it's a DSLR, but a manual point and shoot camera will just be fine)
• A tripod that holds your camera steady while you're taking your shot.
• A place with plenty of natural light.
• A plain background(doesn't necessarily have to be white) like a table, cloth, or anything you can find in your household.

Once you have all these stuff; you're ready to start:

1. First, turn your camera to M(Manual Mode) on your mode dial.
2. Turn on your built in flash.
3. Turn down the flash compensation to about 2-3 stops.
4. Go into your menu > switch from iTTL flash to Manual > set 1/32(on my D5000, that's the fastest but if your camera supports a faster flash speed, use that instead)
5. Your fastest shutter speed should not be higher than 1/8 of a second(yes, it's pretty slow)
6. Mount your camera onto a tripod(make sure its secure!)
7. Place your product on a surface(a cloth over a table is recommended)
8. Start your product shots :)

If you do follow the steps I've just said, you should be able to get nice exposed shots. The trick is, the slower the shutter speed the better the image will be. Why? Simple. The faster the shutter speed, the more light from the flash is going to captured in that image. As I said before, if you're going on a budget like me, you should consider this 'method'.

Drawbacks:

• You might need a tripod.
• You need a rather slow shutter speed(the fastest shouldn't be higher than 1/8 second)
• Its a trial and error thing, no one setting is always perfect.
• You can't use a long zoom as it will cast a shadow in your shot.

Sample shots:

What makes a 'pro photographer' a 'pro'?

Yes, yes. People just simply say something that really annoys me some times - Hey look! There's a pro photographer there with his DSLR! Are you really a pro with the gear you have or is it the skill that counts? Go to YouTube, and you'll find a whole lot of users buying pro gear, but some how or rather they aren't pros. I find it a bit odd. Things aren't were they supposed to be. But to me, I feel pros are those who have skill.

One who is able to shoot with two primes or so, and still get amazing pictures - that's what I call a pro. To me, the more gear you have, the more 'incompetent' you are. Don't get me wrong; there are called pro gear for a reason. And buying more and more lenses isn't going to help, either.

To me, a 35mm and a 85/105mm is enough for any photographer to shoot almost anything. The 35 can handle wide angle and street or candid photography whilst the 85/105 will just handle everything else; macro, telephoto and portrait photography.

Canon 600D: Is it worth it?

600D is one of the budget DSLRs that has just been announced by Canon. It looks exactly the same. It performs exactly the same. And, it feels exactly the same. And the price ain't cheap - Canon says the price is around RM2,500. Its not that much more expensive than the Canon 550D which is also another great alternative for beginners.

Canon 550D - ignore those gold trims, they're originally white

Canon 600D - not much different to the 550D

Seeing the specs sheets, there really isn't that much difference between the 550D and its successor, the 600D.

Similarities

• 18 megapixel CMOS sensor
• DiGiC 4 processor
• ISO range of 100-6,400(expendable to 12,800)
• Burst rate of 3.7 frames per second
• Supports SD, SDHC, SDXC format cards
• Full HD 1080p movie recording

Differences

• Minor movie recording tweaks
• Tilt-and-swivel screen

Final impressions...

The 600D is like a baby 60D copying most of its features. Canon's moving to the video camera side, focusing more on video but also providing that awesome 18 megapixel shooting experience. 

Would I buy it?

No. I'd save up for lenses and other accessories. HD recording is a nice feature to have. But seeing that I'm a photographer and not a videographer, I wouldn't want to buy a camera which I won't use. The 550D has proved to be a remarkable budget DSLR. As for the 600D, it might be a worthy successor. I see no reason why current 550D users should upgrade unless they really want those video tweaks Canon just added.

How to choose cases for your phone

If you have an iPhone, iPod, or any other phone, you might want to consider getting a case to protect your device. However, do keep in mind there are a few things to consider when you're out choosing your case.

1) Matte over glossiness
Most of the cases these days(especially those China branded ones) are quite glossy. Cases like these will make your case very scratch-friendly. You wouldn't like your brand new iPhone in a cheapo case that looks like crap, right? When you're out case hunting, just look around for matte cases. You'll appreciate the matte case much, much more than those glossy ones. And matte cases, usually look better!

2) Don't be penny wise, pound foolish please
A lot of people that I know, have this mentality. Look, investing in a proper case will be much better than those 'cha-pa-lang' cases, trust me. I've been there and done that. The last thing you want is a case that just gives way because of the crappy material that they use.

3) Make sure all your buttons work properly
If you're thinking the case will spoil your phone's buttons, then that's not what I meant. Cheap cases(China branded ones), usually have this problem of the ports or buttons slots not being cut properly. Yes, most of these cases might not fit your phone properly. So bear in mind, if you're buying those cheap cases.

4) Go to a retail store/seller
Yes, this is the number one thing I'll ask anyone to do(even my mom or dad) when they're considering to buy a case. Go to a retail store. There will be loads of cases to choose from. There's a shop called MacWorld or something similar in One Utama. I definitely recommend that shop because of the vast variety of cases one can discover. They have two shelves filled with Apple accessories for crying out loud! As fussy as you might be, you're still bound to find a case that suits you. Check this link for more info: Apple's Retail Distributors

Other tips from me...
Okay, many salesmen, usually just promote their products or say things that aren't true. Silicone cases, are usually very bad in quality. I'm usually scared when there are slots, 'cause these might just give way causing your iPod or iPhone to drop out of the case(a few cases like these happened). The average price of a case is usually around RM60-RM80+ for an iPod or iPhone. All the best.

Why I chose Nikon

I chose Nikon. And I'm proud to say that. Some chose Canon. Others chose Sony. Its all down to personal preference. We can't all go around discriminating other brands. But heck, I do it :P Anyway, going back to the topic. There are very good reasons why I became a Nikon-ian instead of a Canon-ian(sounds weird) or a Sony-ian.

1) It can practically see in the dark

Nikon DSLRs are just magnificent. They can literally see in the dark. Compared to Canon's or Sony's, the ISO performance on Nikon's are god-like. I usually shoot at ISO 800, but if I'm forced to(since I don't have an external flash and a fast prime at the current moment) shoot at high ISO's, I will. Of course, ISO 6400 will give you very noisy results but its better than Canon's ISO 6,400. Most of my night candids are shot at ISO 3,200 max.

2) Ergonomics master

Pretty gay way of saying it. To me, Nikon's are just perfect when it comes to ergonomics. Especially the higher end models, like the D7000, D300s, D700, etc. Their grip is just perfect. Should you use a pro lens like the 24-70mm f2.8 things just gets better and better. One of the main reasons why Nikon gets my vote when it comes to ergonomics is that they placed the thumb dial at the back of the camera opposed to the oddly-placed finger dial at the top of the camera. This makes one handed operations much easier on Nikon DSLRs. Buttons are placed more sensibly on the Nikon. Canon's previous layout was OK, but they've changed them to a more, weird layout(look at Canon's latest lineup of DSLRs).

3) Brilliant wireless flash system

Nikon uses this wireless flash system called Creative Lighting System(CLS). Not sure about Canon's wireless flash system, but heard that there were problems or it was just too sophisticated for rookies. For Nikon, its quite simple. First, make sure your camera and flash supports this feature - D70, D70S, D80, D90, D7000, D200, D300, D300s, D700, D3, D3x, D3s and SB600, SB700, SB800, and SB900. The D3000, D3100, D5000 and SB400 won't support this feature, sorry guys ):

4) Sharp lenses

Yes, Nikon does have a few sharp glasses. I was actually surprised by how sharp it was at the price you were paying for. The 18-55mm VR is a good example. As a kit lens for the cheaper bodies, it costs only RM400+. However, in terms of sharpness, it rules. We're not talking about build quality, or the smoothness of the bokeh here. One of the main reasons why I hate it, is because of its autofocus speed. Its so slow, it struggles to focus on my brother when he rides on his bike(yes, its very slow). I do get him focussed in shots, but rarely.

5) Compatible with lenses since 1959

Call me a Nikon fanboy, but Canon only supports lenses till 1985 - the great divide. That's when Canon decided to flush their previous system and all the lenses before it. That's when they came up with EOS(Electro-Optical System). And because Nikon didn't flush their system like what Canon did, we Nikon users get to choose from a wide variety of lenses. But do note that lenses at that time are manual focus(meaning you have to focus yourself) and you need a camera that is able to meter these lenses. The D200, D300, D700, D3, D3x, D3s will meter these lenses.

Now you have 5 more reasons why you should shoot Nikon (:

How to make your lens SHARPER

Sharpness. Yes, all everyone cares about is sharpness. And its one of the gimmicks camera manufacturers usually use against us innocent consumers. 'Softness' is a term that basically means that it isn't sharp. Usually, lenses will have this softness at different focal lengths. Depending on the lens, different lenses will have different amount of softness. Even huge, large, heavy pro lenses still do have softness like the Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8.

But, if you do know how to use a lens, a cheap RM300+ lens might be sharper than that pro lens you're dreaming about. It all depends on whether you know how to use your lens or not. If you're given the 24-70mm f2.8 and if you don't know how to use it, softness still might appear.

Okay, cut to the chase. How do you sharpen your lens??
Simple. It should work for all lenses. Cheap, old, expensive, you get the point. Anyway, its quite simple. Simply, stop your lens down to two stops. Depending on what aperture your lens has, it's usually in the f7.1/f8 zone unless you're buying fast zooms or primes with apertures at f1.4 - f2.8. Check your manual for further reference.

Should you buy a sharp lens?
Well, its hard to decide. I don't do lab tests. And my tests are usually not-so-scientific tests. But what I can say is, it does help. But should you buy an expensive lens over a cheap lens that has almost the same optics? Not necessarily. You're most probably paying for the better build quality, bokeh, less distortion, etc.

Nikon's 5 must have lenses

From hundreds of lenses, only a couple will shine. That's what this post is about. Here, I'll rate the lenses in a few aspects - pricing, image quality, chromatic abberation and lastly bokeh.

1) Nikkor 18-200mm VR(Versatility)

Yes, the superzoom is in my list. From wide angle to telephoto with just a twist, it just changes everything. The versatility that this lens offers will just astound you. If I were to photograph events, I'd take this and the Nikkor 50mm f1.8D. It'll cover everything you need to shoot.