MY trusty five-year-old Canon EOS 40D died on me two months ago. After much consideration (read: budget constrain), I finally got a Canon EOS 6D to replace my work horse.

The camera is equipped with a 20.2 megapixel full frame (35.8*23.9mm) CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5+ image processor, ISO range of 100 to 25600, 4.5 frames per second continuous shooting, 1080p video recording, 11 point AF (Auto Focus) system, 1040K 3.2” LCD screen, built in Wi-Fi and GPS and a whole long list of amazing features.

My 24mm wide angle on a full frame gives me more space to work with as opposed to a 38.2mm on a APS-C camera.

I didn’t pay much attention to the features when I was doing my research, but after reading the manual, playing with it and taking it out for a walk, I was amazed.

First things first, a full frame (35.8*23.9mm) camera is now a lot more affordable. Five years ago, a full frame camera would cost you about RM8,000 or more and only professional photographers would consider buying them. These days, a full frame camera like the Canon EOS 6D or Nikon D600 is only about RM6,000.

Bokeh aka blurred background at F4 is now more evident (and possible) on a full frame camera than a APS-C camera.

My 40D has an ISO range between 100 and 3200 and I would not go beyond 1250 unless I have no choice. My new 6D is now capable of going up to 102400, a whopping 32 times of my previous camera’s maximum ISO value. I have yet to push the 6D to its maximum potential, but looking at the images shot at ISO3200, I am sold.

There are a few cameras in the market that come with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS. One can now post photos to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram via the camera itself as long as you have a hotspot to connect to. While the 6D is not ready to do just that yet, one can connect to the camera via its Wi-Fi and copy the photos to a computer or a smartphone wirelessly.

The ceiling of Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur has very interesting combination of colors.

For iOS and Android users, there is an app that allows you to control your camera wirelessly and take a photo via your smartphone. The lens aberration correction feature is one of the features not found in my old camera.

The camera will detect the lens attached to its body and automatically makes adjustment to the images by compensating the lens’ technical flaws (such as peripheral illumination and chromatic aberration) and present users with a less technically flawed photo.
Also, you can now edit RAW images in-camera and export ready-to-use images. I no longer have to spend an additional 10 minutes fine-tuning my RAW images in Adobe Photoshop.

Back in the old days, I needed a RM20 spirit level to ensure my landscape photos are perfectly straight when shooting on a tripod. To my surprise, there is a built in single axis electronic level in my 6D. It would beep and turn green when the camera is perfectly aligned to the horizon.

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple along Jalan Tun HS Lee in Kuala Lumpur on a cloudy morning, shot using 6D.

These are just some of the newer features that were not found in my old camera.
My new camera can now shoot 1080p full high definition video, has a beautiful 3” LCD screen that has 104K dots, has +-5EV (exposure compensation), HDMI output, can now control my speedlite wirelessly through radio frequency and many other new features that I never thought possible five years ago.

However, I am not sure if it is a good thing for newcomers as they might not see the need to understand the technical aspects of photography any more.

A devotee lighting his incense at a temple near Petaling Street in KL.

What have I missed over the last five years? A lot, but I do not regret not upgrading my camera sooner as my old camera, while technologically lagging, trained and pushed me to find ways to overcome its shortcomings and understand photography better.

Jason Lioh is ecstatic about his new camera and can’t wait to take it out for a photo walk again. Follow him on Twitter @jasonlioh.

By JASON LIOH
alltherage@thestar.com.my

The key to capturing a great photo is not, I believe, by using the latest and most advanced camera or understanding every technical aspect of photography. It is through good composition.

A composition is a way to present to others what you have seen through your point of view in an angle you think is best, and this art takes years of experience to master.

The composition style varies with each photographer and it is something that you have to discover through hours of practice.

While there are no definitive guidelines to composing a picture, most photographers, especially new and inexperienced ones, adhere to the rule of thirds as it is the fastest and easiest way to create interesting photographs.

These grids help to incorporate the rule of third in your photo.

Rule of thirds suggests that an image should be pictured as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal and vertical lines. It also recommends that your subject should be placed along these lines or at their intersections. These intersections are the main focus points in an image and tend to catch the viewer’s interest before their eyes wander to other parts of the image.

Nowadays, every camera, from DSLRs to camera phones, has a grid function in the menu. Upon enabling, two horizontal and two vertical lines will appear on your screen. This grid function is the visual aid for you to apply the rule of thirds in your photos. Place your subject on one of these four lines with the main focus point at one of the four intersections.

For example, if you are shooting a full body length shot of your friend in portrait mode, get him to stand on one of the two vertical lines with the face placed around or as close as possible to one of the four intersections. The same method applies if you are shooting in horizontal mode. Avoid placing your subject right in the middle of your frame, a common mistake made by most people who don’t have much knowledge in photography, as your photo will look uninteresting and flat.

Place the subject’s eyes as close as possible to one of the four intersecting points when shooting portraits.

If you are capturing a close-up face shot, place one of his eyes at one of the four intersections as well.

Rule of thirds is also applicable when you are shooting landscape. Unless there is a subject that you want to emphasise (such as the sun or a building), avoid composing your image where it has an equal size of both sky and land. Either the sky or land should take up two thirds of the frame and be the main subject of the landscape photo.

If you cannot apply the rule of thirds during your shooting, you can always crop and adjust your image to adhere to the rule of thirds during the post processing stage.

By placing the subject’s head at the bottom right of the four invisible intersecting points, this photo has become more interesting.

Rule of thirds is really simple but takes ages to understand and adapt into your style, like a snap of your fingers. While it is called rule of thirds, it is just a guideline for you to follow and the more experienced photographers go outside the box by breaking the rule every now and then. However, until you know what you are doing and want to accomplish, it is best to follow the rule for a fast, simple and effective way to capture a better photo.

Buying a compact camera is a lot easier and simpler compared to buying a DSLR. Buying your first DSLR will require spending more time and research as you’ll be splurging a few thousand ringgit on a gadget that you would probably be using for the next few years.

To help you with your first purchase, here are some points you should know. Warning: tech jargon ahead.

Image sensor
An image sensor is the chip that resides in your digital camera. Its function is to capture light and convert it into electrical signals. These electrical signals are then processed by another chip to create the images that you have captured. In other words, it is the “film” for digital cameras.
A “Full Frame” camera has a sensor size equivalent to a 35mm film, and has a crop factor of 1.0x.
It is very expensive to manufacture image sensors of this size. As such, it is usually found in the body of higher end models such as the Canon 5D Mark III, Nikon D4 and Sony A99; and used mostly by commercial and professional photographers. However, thanks to Moore’s Law (a prediction in 1965 that the number of transistors on an intergrated circuit would double every year), there are now cheaper full frame cameras such as the Canon EOS 6D and Nikon D800 that are priced at around RM6,000.
Sensors on APS-C cameras have a crop factor of 1.5x or 1.6x, which translates to about 2/3 the size of a 35mm film. They are much cheaper to manufacture, smaller in size and lighter in weight, which make them ideal for the lower-end DSLRs such as the Canon EOS 600D or Nikon D5200.
Four Third cameras, by Panasonic and Olympus, have an image sensor exactly half the size of 35mm film and a crop factor of 2.0x.
The crop factor is related to the ratio of dimensions of a camera’s imaging area. For example, a lens of 75mm focal length on a full frame camera will yield the same imaging area of a 50mm lens on a 1.5x crop factor camera (50mm x 1.5 = 75mm). Your camera’s crop factor will determine how wide (or narrow) is your field or view when using a kit lens and how far you can zoom when using a telephoto lens.

Megapixel
You only need a 10-megapixel camera to produce an image good enough for a poster-sized printout. However, extra megapixels produces higher resolution pictures, allowing photographers more room to crop images.
Interestingly, camera manufacturers have stopped the megapixel count race, and are now focused on making sensor or writing software algorithms that produce cleaner, sharper and better images.
Hence, do not be too bothered when your preferred DSLR isn’t a 36-megapixel camera. Photos that large will require huge computing power to open and process in your desired photo editing software. You’ll also need more disk space to store your images.

ISO performance
ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor to light. The lower the number, the less sensitive your camera is to light, yielding a finer grain and cleaner image. Higher ISO settings are generally used in dark environments to obtain a fast shutter speed at the cost of noisier images.
Most cameras are on par at the lower ISO settings but the difference will start to show at the higher settings. You will have to decide for yourself which camera performs better under a higher ISO setting by scrutinising the image samples provided on camera review sites.
However, I would not recommend shooting at the highest available ISO settings as they tend to be too grainy to be deemed a clean and usable photo. I would not shoot anything higher than ISO1000 on my five-year-old Canon EOS 40D.

Accessories and lenses
One of the key features of a DSLR is the interchangeable lens. While Canon and Nikon have a huge variety of lenses for different functions (macro, zoom, tele, super tele, prime and tilt shift), I can’t say the same for other brands.
Hence, if you are looking at expanding your arsenal of lenses in the near future, or need a specific lens for a specific function, do remember to check they have what you need before deciding on the brand of camera you are buying.

Other (less but still) important features
There are a lot more features such as Auto Focus (AF) and continuous focusing (AI Servo), flash sync, wireless flash system, dynamic range, multi-exposure, horizon leveller, HDR and in camera RAW processing, but they aren’t crucial to most average users. Such features are usually catered for professional photographers who need to push their cameras to the limit.
Apart from these few aspects you should look into, some of the tips I shared for buying compact cameras in last month’s column are also applicable when buying an DSLR.

The writer is finally getting a new camera after his five-year- old Canon EOS 40D “died” (RIP camera). Follow him on Twitter at @jasonmumbles.

I HAD a tough time buying my first DSLR five years ago. I spent weeks researching, reading online reviews and asking for opinions from experienced photographers before I finally splurged RM7,000 on my gear.

Buying a new camera is no easy feat these days. There are simply too many brands, types and models out there and the amount of information is enough to overload a computer, let alone a person.

In fact, I have been asked questions like “Is this a good camera?”, “What camera should I buy?” and “Which camera is the best?” so many times I have lost count.

If you intend to buy a camera, you must first identify the purpose of purchasing it. Is it going to be a “family camera” which will be used only during vacations, or is it going to be a money-making tool for you?

Are you interested in photography and willing to learn the technical aspects of it, or are you looking for a camera that gets the job done – or maybe even both?

Now that you have identified its purpose, you must come up with a practical budget as this will help you decide on the type of camera you can afford; be it a compact, semi-professional compact, mirror-less or DSLR (that comes in three different categories, beginner, semi-professional and professional).

At the moment, a compact camera starts at around RM400. A semi-professional compact goes for around RM1400, a mirrorless camera from RM2500, and DSLR from RM3000 onwards. Of course, these are merely rough estimations. Pricing can vary between dealers, brands and models.

There are many brands in the market right now; Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Pentax and Panasonic, just to name a few. Choosing one to “swear” your allegiance to will be a tough decision.

(Honestly, I believe each brand is just as good as the next.)

After narrowing down the list of cameras within your budget, the next step is to thoroughly inspect the photographs taken by these cameras. It is advisable to check the images on a computer screen instead of just looking at them on the camera.

The next time you’re at a camera shop, use your own SD or CF cards to test out the cameras as you can later inspect these images on your own computers. Scrutinise the images and their quality and then choose the one that you like most.

Each brand has its own colours, colour correction and white balance profiles, sharpness and many other qualities that set them apart. Pick the one that suits your preferences.

It is important that you decide which camera is the best for you by looking at the image quality of the sample photos (taken yourself, preferably) and viewed on your own monitor.

Now that you have decided which brand you prefer, it is time to choose which model to get.

Sometimes, your budget may allow you to choose from two different models of the same range.

To make things simpler, choose the one that is more expensive. The general idea is that the expensive one has more features (and maybe better specifications) than its cheaper counterpart.

While you might not need the extra features (such as GPS and WiFi), it is better to have them instead of regretting your decision later. This new camera will be with you for many years anyway and I don’t see the harm in investing in a slightly better one.

It is also important that you have a “feel” of these cameras in your hands. The cameras might be too big or small, too light or too heavy.

This is particularly important with compact cameras as they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they all have their buttons placed
differently. Choose one that you really feel comfortable with.

While the shape of DSLRs are pretty much standard, the weight and button placement could still be an important deciding factor.

Of course, these are just really general tips to help you narrow down your search, especially when it comes to compact cameras.

There are other more specific factors to be considered, such as sensor size, ISO performance, auto-focusing speed, the variety (and interchangeability) of lenses, etc., but they are only applicable for the more advanced DSLRs, something which I will be writing about next month.

The writer spent weeks researching and reading about his first DSLR, only to realise that the research didn’t matter. It was love at first touch. You can tweet him at @jasonmumbles or visit his blog at jasonmumbles.com.

PORTRAITURE photography is one of the most common genres that most new and young photographers want to pick up; with humans as subjects – particularly female models.

However, many do not realise that portraiture photography is also one of the toughest genes to master due to the amount of variables involved which can make or break a photo.

There are many elements such as lighting, composition, expression, poses, focus point, depth of field, focal length, facial expression and emotion that a photographer must take into consideration in creating a beautiful portrait.

You can use objects around you to frame your subject.

I am no expert in portraiture photography. In fact, it is my least favourite genre and I tend to avoid this particular type of photography due to its difficulty and complexity.

However, these are a few guidelines that I adhere to in order to get the best out of my shoots and I hope that they will be useful to you as well.

Right lens/focal length

There are dedicated portrait lens such as the 50mm, 85mm and 105mm prime lens that are excellent for portrait photography.

There is virtually no lens distortion that will make your subject fatter when placed at the far corner of your frame.

The sharpness of these lenses will show the finer details of your subject, such as eyebrow, lip, eye and hair. The shallow depth of field will help you isolate your subject from the background easily as well. However, a tele-lens can also double as portrait lens.

A couple holding hands as they strolled along the streets of KL.

Focus point

The eyes are the windows to one’s soul, so always set your focus point on your subject’s eye.

If you are using a fast lens (lens with aperture of less than F2.8), it is even more crucial that you get your focus point right as the shallow depth of field can easily throw your photo out of focus. That may just ruin everything for you. If you are shooting a full body length photo, your focus point should be your subject’s face.

Depth of field

This is determined by your aperture value. The smaller the aperture value, the shallower your depth of field will be.

Depending on what you are planning to achieve in your photo, aperture values from F1.4 to F8 are all ideal and usable for portraiture photography.

If you want a clearer and sharper image, choose a large aperture value and vice versa if you want a blurry background.

Lighting and exposure

It is important that you do not over expose your photos to prevent losing out the finer details of your subject.

Zoom in on your camera display to take a closer look at the photo. Check all the finer details before moving on to the next pose.

Not everyone has the luxury of using studio lighting to light your model. That’s why, natural lighting, especially in the morning and late evening is ideal for portraiture photo shoot.

The directional morning sunlight makes interesting lighting on the subject.

Directional sunlight is softer, less harsh and gives a “3D feel” to your subject in your photo.
If you are planning on doing an outdoor photo shoot, scout the area a few days before to see the direction in which the sun rises and sets.

A reflector panel is useful in reflecting light onto your subject, especially to areas where the sunlight cannot reach. The panel is rather cheap and can be found in any camera accessory store.

Facial expression/emotion

While facial expression and emotion are very subjective and abstract, the easiest way to get what you want for your photo is to communicate with your model.

Also, getting a model who poses well will also ease your job as a photographer. You’d be surprised at how a simple smile could change the mood of a photo easily.

Communicate with your model and conveying your ideas and thoughts as much as possible is the key in getting the photo you want.

Rule of third/composition

This is a common guideline for composing photos. It suggests a photographer should not place his subject right in the middle of his “frame”, but one third to the left or right.

Every camera, even phone and compact cameras, has a grid function in it. Upon enabling, your screen will be split into 3×3 boxes and the rule of third states that you should place your subject on the areas where lines intersect.

One should also be on the lookout for distracting objects in the background and around your subject. You do not want a tree branch “growing” on your subject’s head or a pile of rubbish on the bottom left of your photo. A clean background is ideal in portrait photography as it will not create a distraction from your subject.

These are the few really simple guidelines I follow when I am shooting human portraiture.
This is something that you have to practice consistently and, more importantly, learn from your mistakes. No amount of tips and guidelines will help you unless you put them into practice.

Cars cruising on MRR2 as the sun slowly sets.

INSTEAD of selecting a shutter speed fast enough to stop motion and produce a sharp photo, some people choose a slow shutter speed to introduce “blurriness” into their photographs.

This type of photography is called the shutter speed photography and it allows you to be really creative with your pictures.

One can shoot light trails, do light painting, turn night into day or introduce motion blur to create a more interesting and dramatic photo.

There is no fixed definition to slow shutter speed as it varies according to the amount of light, the subject you are shooting and the kind of effect one wants to achieve.

However, I think that shutter speed lower than 1/30s can be considered slow.

Slow shutter creates ghost like effect on walking pedestrian, creating an interesting photo.

To create a slow shutter photo, switch to S or Tv (shutter priority) on your program dial and choose the right shutter speed to create the photos you want. However, it is best if you shoot in manual mode if you have a better understanding of shutter speed, aperture and ISO.

For compact camera users whose equipment do not have any of these three modes, switch to night scene – you can still somewhat achieve similar effect.

Here are some tips for slow shutter speed photography:

Slow shutter speed is able to smooth out water surface and create interesting reflections.

Interesting subject or location
It is best if there are moving elements in a slow shutter speed photo as that helps to enhance the “blurry” effect you often see with this style of photography.

Use a tripod
It is very difficult to hold your camera steady especially when you are shooting at shutter speeds lower than 1/30s. Hence, a tripod is a must when it comes to this kind of photography. Also, set up your tripod on a flat surface to ensure that your photo is horizontally balanced. If you do not have a tripod, set your camera on a flat surface instead.

Running water turns into silk like cloth when shot at slow shutter speed.

Small aperture value
Use a small aperture value (F8 to F22) for maximum depth of field. A small aperture value will also allow you to choose even slower shutter speeds for a properly exposed photo.

Low ISO value
Since you will be shooting with a tripod, there is no reason to shoot at high ISO value.
Choose a low ISO value for a clean image and even slower shutter speed.

Remote release or timer
Even though you are using a tripod, the slightest touch from your finger when you press your shutter button will create movement in your photo. It is best if you set your camera to a 10 second timer or use a remote release to control your camera from afar without touching your camera.

Mirror lock up
The flipping mirror mechanism is best switched off to prevent vibration since slow shutter speed photography is extremely sensitive, even to the slightest movement. By enabling mirror lock up, there is one less moving part to worry about. This is only applicable if you’re using DSLRs though.

Patience
Depending on how long you set your shutter speed, a lot of time is spent waiting for the
camera to capture the image. There are photographers who expose their cameras up to several hours, just to get one photo.
Sometimes, there are simply no cars or human subjects in your image to create the effect you want and you have to wait until the perfect opportunity comes along.
I once read about a photographer who spent almost three months shooting thousands of long exposure photos of his favourite city just to get it right.

Trial and error
Slow shutter speed photography – and photography in general – requires a lot of trial and error.
Some days, the weather is not too kind. Some days, the light is not right. Some days, the subject is not there. There are many possibilities that can ruin your slow shutter speed photo and you just have to keep trying.
That’s all the tips I have for you now, so pack your gear and get creative with slow shutter speed!

The writer blogs at jasonmumbles.com and tweets at @jasonmumbles. Don’t forget to send him some of your best slow shutter speed photos.

By JASON LIOH

Photos by LUKE CHUA

alltherage@thestar.com.my

I was introduced to photographer Luke Chua’s blog by a friend, and I was really amazed by his work. His photos, technically and artistically, were definitely not the work of an amateur. In fact, they looked at the very least like the work of a semi-professional.

Now here’s the catch: Luke has been paralysed from the waist down and wheelchair-bound since a freak accident fractured and burst his spinal cord in 2001. He had to go through multiple surgeries before surgeons managed to fix a metal plate on his spinal cord that allowed him to sit up.

Today, not only is he able to move about on his own, he is also an athlete and a national basketball player, representing Malaysia in numerous international tournaments.

“I woke up one day and realized that something was missing from my life. I lacked of a hobby.

“I wasn’t very sure about picking up photography as my hobby, even though I had a compact camera with me all the time and I enjoyed capturing things that caught my eye,” said Luke, who only picked up photography two years ago.

He started out by spending two months researching photography and cameras, learning things such as shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length, the many different types of lenses, composition and lighting. He also learned by studying other photographers’ photos.

His wife Kathy Foo also encouraged him to get a DSLR, and he eventually settled for a Nikon D90.

Unlike most photographers who can move around easily, Luke has to plan ahead and wait patiently to capture the photos he wants.

“As I am on a wheel chair, my view is often blocked by the crowd and there are certain angles that I cannot reach. As such, I always have to plan ahead by checking out the backgrounds, lighting conditions and subjects of the locations before I go back with my camera.

“I will wait at the right spot, sometimes up to 30 or 40 minutes, just to wait for a subject to enter the frame, to get the photo I want,” said Luke.

He often uses objects around him, such as walls, pillars or tripods – and sometimes his wife – to support himself while he reached out for angles beyond his wheelchair.

Luke particularly enjoys taking candid and natural shots of people and animals.

“I do not like posed photos. I like my subjects to be natural and not realize I am taking their photos. You cannot predict their reaction too. I like my photos to have a story in it, be it by capturing whatever they are doing or using the background to convey a message,” he said.

Luke goes to the streets of KL two to three times a week, together with his wife and friends, but has cut down lately as safety is a concern for him.

He added that by shooting with a group of like-minded friends, he is able to discover his weaknesses, learn photography and post-processing tips and tricks from them. Reading photography magazines and websites and studying other photographers’ photos are part of his learning process too.

“I do not review my photos immediately but a month after each shooting session. By letting the photos and myself settle down, I am able to look back and see what was missing or lacking in my photos and improve them the next time I am there,” said Luke.

One of the most challenging photo assignments he had was shooting the Hindu religious festival of Holi at Shree Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Temple, KL, in March.

“There were a lot of people throwing coloured powder and water and both items were not good for my camera. With that in mind, I used duct tape and a plastic bag to secure my camera before entering the temple.

“I also knew I would be drenched at the end of the day, but it did not bother me as long as I had good photos to go home with, which I did,” said Luke.

As a competitive basketball player, Luke is a very driven and competitive person who always strives to be better.

“Photography and life is like basketball. In order to pass or receive a ball, I have to calculate the possibility and distance and be alert of my surrounding at all times. There will be a lot of obstacles and if you want to move ahead, sometimes, you just have to push yourself and trust others,” he said.

Jason Lioh, after interviewing Luke Chua, is now super psyched about going out to shoot some photos. What is your reason for not going out to capture the moment? Tweet him @jasonmumbles if you want to join him and Chua for any upcoming photo walks.

PHOTOGRAPHING food used to be a habit among food bloggers in the past but thanks to photo sharing sites like Instagram, that habit has been taken to a whole new level. Almost everyone takes photos of food now.

People even joke that they can’t enjoy their food until a photo of the meal is posted up on social network sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Chili crab and deep fried bun from a seafood restaurant in Kepong; shot using iPhone 4S.

Well, it is possible to take mouth-watering food photos if you know how to use your camera, particularly your phone camera, to its fullest potential.

Here are some tips that I follow to achieve the best result when photographing my meals, mostly with an iPhone 4S.

Location

I always choose to sit at a table where there’s light. Sometimes at a table that has a direct light source above it or maybe near a window for the sunlight or even go al fresco if the weather is nice and cool.

IKEA Swedish meatball, only available at IKEA food court; shot using iPhone 4S.

Ample lighting makes photographing food easy. It allows the camera to choose a fast shutter speed to avoid blurry photos and produce an evenly exposed photo. The colours in the picture will also pop out and seem vibrant under natural sunlight instead of artificial light source (such as tungsten or fluorescent lighting).

Fill ‘em up

I generally do not like to leave too much unused space in my photo when it comes to taking food shots. I love to fill up the frame entirely to bring out as much detail as possible and close in for the mouth watering and this-looks-really-yummy feel. By ‘closing in’, I can also remove any unwanted objects or distractions around the subject in my photos. This way, the viewers will focus only on the food and nothing else.

Macro mode

Most phone cameras have a macro mode and this mode is particularly useful in snapping food photos. Macro mode allows you photograph from as near as possible to the food and you will still be able to snap a clear and sharp photo, revealing all kinds of patterns, texture and interesting details there.

Pad Thai Spaghetti from Ben's, Pavilion KL; shot using iPhone 4S.

Additional light source

If the venue is too dark, you will have to add other light sources by using external flash gun for DSLR or the built-in flash for your phone and compact camera.

It is relatively easy if you have an external flash gun as you can just bounce the light off the ceiling for a well lit photo. However, just using the built-in flash for phone or compact camera will make your food photo look flat and uninteresting.

This is when your friend’s phone camera comes in handy. Use their phone (they must have a flashlight app somewhere in there) to provide light from another angle while you press the shutter button on your own phone.

You can also control the lighting by placing your friend’s phone at the right place to bring out the best of your subject.

Old school nasi lemak, wrapped in banana leaf and served with a spoonful of sambal ikan bilis and a slice of egg; shot using iPhone 4S.

I have a friend who purchased a video light and carries it everywhere to take food photos. The photos, even though snapped using a smart phone, are of very high DSLR-ish quality.

Stay clean

Always watch out for unwanted mess like jutting bones, skin, spilled drinks and gravy or tissue paper as you don’t want to include them in your frame.

Make sure the plate is clean and wipe the rim with a clean tissue if there are any droplets of gravy or sauce. A clean plate will make the food look a lot more presentable. Another important thing to remember is to avoid posting photos of half-eaten food.

Colorful lollipops; shot using iPhone 4S.

Be considerate

Unless you are having your meal alone, act fast and shoot fast before the food gets cold. If there are other people at the table, don’t hold them up. Be considerate. Cold food does not taste good and do remember that you are there for the food, not the photo.

* If you think you can handle all the mouth-watering food photos, follow Jason Lioh on Twitter at
@jasonmumbles. And yes, he can eat his food without posting them on Instagram.

I HAVE a confession here; I used to sneer at those who use their mobile phones as their primary cameras. Regardless of all the unique selling points advertised by phone manufacturers, I believed it was still a camera that produced sub-par quality images.

The low megapixel count, a smaller-than-your-pinky-fingernail sensor size, extremely high noise level, unreliable and slow auto focusing system, lack of controls such as ISO, aperture, white balance and flash power were just some of the reasons why I never recognised a phone camera as a photographic tool.

Shot using iPhone 4S with 8 second long exposure.

Technology has advanced tremendously and these days, most mobile phone cameras are capable of producing images that are quite decent, for print or web usage. My latest phone, the iPhone 4S was the main reason why I changed my perception on these tiny cameras and now have no qualms about using them.

I have been using my iPhone 4S as my primary camera so often that I no longer see the need to carry my 15kg bag with a DSLR, lenses and accessories anymore. My phone is a lot lighter, less attention seeking, has a faster start-up and setup time and still produces quality images.
Here a few useful and handy tips to bring the best out of your mobile phone camera:

My attempt in shooting a wedding portrait with my iPhone 4S and it turned out to be one of the couple's favourite photos.

Hold your camera steady

Holding your camera steadily is the first step to avoiding shaky and blurry photos. Always hold your camera with both hands and hold them as close to your chest as possible. If you can rest your hand on a sturdy object like a table, that would be even better. If your phone has built in image stabiliser, do enable it as it will help counter the slightest movement the phone is experiencing.

Use a good camera app

As an iOS user, my number one camera app would be Camera+ by Tap Tap Tap. In fact, it is a must have for all iPhone users. This app has a built in stabiliser, self-timer, white balance lock, exposure lock, focus lock, photo flashlight, scene modes, basic editing tools and different filters at your disposal. The scene modes; clarity, flash, back lit, cloudy, shade, fluorescent, sunset, night, portrait, beach, concert and text, are really handy and gives your image the much needed boost with just a few clicks.

Rooftop swimming pool at a hotel in Bali.

Compose your photos

A good photo is determined by its composition. Hence, it is very important for you to choose the right angle for your subjects. A few basic rules such as do not shoot with the light source facing at you directly (back-lit), rule of third, getting the right exposure, removing unwanted and distracting objects, clean background and less is more are just some of the keys to a good photo.

Do activate the grid feature in your phone and place your subjects as close to the four intersecting points as possible for a more balanced photo. The grid is very useful for beginners who do not know how to apply rule of third in their photos.

Sunset at Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia.

Avoid placing your subject right in the middle of photo or having the same area coverage of both sky and land in your photo. If the area is too dimmed or dark, bring your subjects out to a brighter place or use your flashlight for a more evenly exposed photo. Bumping up your ISO when your phone camera’s image quality is already at stake is not exactly a good idea.

Use filters

With apps like Instagram, there are hundreds of different filters for you to play with. Post-processing effects are no longer limited to black and white and sepia or only by using your computer. You can do it with a single touch of a button. Miniaturised, tilt-shift, spot-focusing, soft focus, clarity, high contrast, faded, polarise, overlay and colour dodge are just some of the filters available on Instagram and Camera+.
Although on a personal level, I prefer not to use them as I want my photos to be as original as possible.

A butterfly landed and rested on my fingers as I tried to capture it with my iPhone 4S.

Do not zoom

Image quality and resolution drop drastically with each zoom. Hence, it is advisable not to zoom but move yourself nearer or further for the shot you want. I have seen users who zoomed in three times and the image turned out horrible.

As phone camera technology progresses, image quality will get better and catch up with an entry level compact camera’s image quality. For example, Nokia has incorporated Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash in most of its higher-end smart phones and recently introduced the Nokia Pureview 808 which has a whopping 41-megapixel resolution.

These are just some the few tips that will come in handy when shooting photos with your mobile phone camera. Of course, one must understand the fundamental knowledge of photography to bring out even better result. Until then, keep shooting to get a better understanding of your mobile phone camera and how it handles light and other situations for your day-to-day use.

* Jason Lioh tweets a lot of photos, especially food, at @jasonmumbles. If you want to see what he can do with his iPhone 4S, follow him on Twitter.

By JASON LIOH

alltherage@thestar.com.my

MOST of you wielding DSLRs and semi-professional compact cameras will find a few icons and letters on your camera dials.

While the icons are mostly self-explanatory, the letters – P, A or Av, S or Tv or M – will take some figuring out and are in fact the five shooting modes that will help you.

Programme or P mode is a more advanced semi-automatic shooting mode. The camera decides both aperture value and shutter speed for you. Unlike fully automatic mode, you still have control over the exposure, ISO speed, white balance and flash power. You can even override the camera’s aperture and shutter speed if you see fit.

As such, it is suitable for general photography; food, travel, portrait, scenery or events. It is my favourite shooting mode as I only have to focus on composing and capturing my photos. It saves me a lot of time on deciding the suitable settings and doing trial-and-error.

In S or Tv shutter priority mode, the user presets the shutter speed and the camera will pick the best aperture value for a correctly exposed photo.

However, users will need to make sure the shutter speed is actually suitable, or else the camera will display an error (usually a blinking exposure bar or shutter speed indicator in your viewfinder) and produce an under or over-exposed photo. You may have to choose another shutter and ISO speed until the blinking error sign switches off.

This mode is best used in sports and fast action photography that requires you to capture motions using high shutter speed, up to 1/8000th second. You can use a slow shutter speed to create the illusion of movements in your photo or do panning shots.

On the other hand, aperture priority (A or Av) mode users will get to set the aperture value, with the camera automatically picking the right shutter speed. By controlling the aperture, you get to maximise or minimise the depth of field and focus point of your photo.

This is very useful in portraiture, landscape and macro photography where depth of field (DOF) makes or breaks a photo. DOF is the area in front of and behind your focusing point. A small aperture has large DOF and large aperture has small DOF.

If you have always wanted to take a photo that has a blurry background with a sharp and in focused subject, use aperture priority. This is probably the most widely-used mode.

Manual mode or M, leaves every available control and option to the photographer. It is important to have some knowledge in aperture, shutter speed, ISO speed, white balance and exposure before taking on the manual mode.

A photographer can break all kinds of ‘rules’ and preset camera algorithms to be creative with his photos, such as intentionally under or over-exposing his photos, or shoot photos with shutter speed that goes up to several hours.

It is useful in a controlled shooting environment, but not so much during events as every second spent fiddling your camera settings could mean a precious moment lost. However, if you are familiar with your camera and know your stuff, it’ll be an advantage to you.

Apart from PASM mode, there are other dedicated modes such as night scene, portrait, fireworks, scenery and sports which are really useful for beginners too. That will be another article for another day.

The writer blogs at jasonmumbles.com; you can also find him on Twitter (@jasonmumbles).