Comments on: Photography Basics

By: Smitha

Smitha — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:48:28 +0000

Thank u for wonderful explanation with photos.

By: Camilla

Camilla — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:17:05 +0000

Sure, no problem.

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:14:21 +0000

Great to meet you! We’re putting together 99 links to help foodbloggers take better photos. I love your post and would like to add a URL link back to this specific post. We’d love your permission. Thank you again…

Cheers

Christine
christine@knapkins.com

By: Alesia

Alesia — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 09:14:53 +0000

Hi Chris!
I’m so thrilled to stumble upon your blog and especially this great piece of article! I’ve been playing around with SLR since last year but still clueless when it comes to aperture and shutter speed. Most of the books and magazines out there are all words, words, words and words. A beginner like me appreciates these visual tutorials because it helps me to match it with what I’ve read. Now I’m so much clearer about the basics of photography. So thank you so much for writing them!

Happy holidays!

Cheers,
Alesia

By: Dominick Ciesiolka

Dominick Ciesiolka — Sun, 09 May 2010 22:07:58 +0000

I have been to your site half a dozen times now, and this time I am adding it to my bookmarks Your pages are always relevant, unlike the same-old stuff on other sites (which are coming off my bookmarks!) Two thumbs up!

By: S Lloyd

S Lloyd — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:38:04 +0000

Many thanks, Chris

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 05:23:30 +0000

Hi S Lloyd,
It’s funny, I was just reading about the 550D. DPReview just put up a detailed review of the new camera. It sounds like a great camera.
As far as lenses go, i’m no expert, but I can tell you my opinion. If you really need macro shots (like really close up) then you need a “macro” lens. If you want to be able to shoot in low light, you will want both a wide maximum aperture as well as some sort of Image Stabilization. As you said, a tripod is to cumbersome for restuarants, so you need IS in a Canon lens or some equivalent in a third-party lens. The 60mm 2.8 Macro doesn’t have IS as far as I know, but it does get great reviews. You could consider the new 100mm 2.8 Macro IS which also has great reviews, but it might be a bit large and too “zoomed-in” to work easily in a restaurant situation. I would think that in a restaurant you want a small lens with the ability to zoom. From what I have read, the Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 VR (Vibration Control – like IS) lens is supposed to yield great images and I think you could get “macro” enough, at least for me. It probably really depends on how close you are talking about.
Good luck and let me know what you end up choosing.

-Chris

By: S Lloyd

S Lloyd — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:21:44 +0000

For great sharp clear low-light macro food photos, what lens for my Canon EOS 550D?
-I am seeking for a great solution (at good value $$$) for

close-up food photography in low light conditions: for ie, at restaurant dinings with very weak light and yet get sharp clear close up detailed pics from such condition with no use of flash.I bought the 550D but now I am searching for the right lense to go with it: What do you think of a 60mm f2.8 paired with the 550D? Any better suggestion given what I want to do?

Also: Would the 550D paired with a 60mm f2.8 make superior low light macro food dinner’s food pics than a Canon 350D paired with a Canon EF 50 mm f/1.4 lens?

PS: I do understand the necessity of the tripod, but most restaurants will never accept that I get in with a Tripod. I haven’t yet used that Canon EOS 550 (just have the body and I am now planning for the Lens), but if this is going to be shaky enough to the point that taking photos without a tripod would be impossible, please let me know: I will return the digital SLR.
Thanks to all for your replies.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:53:22 +0000

Thank you all for your replies. I have finally gotten around to writing a bit more. I hope this is useful info to someone. I know when I was first starting out in photography, it was hard to find much info for beginners!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:09:10 +0000

Thank you so much for this. Now I finally understand all the jargon and can start to improve my photos. Thank you, thank you, thank you.