If you have old negatives or slides that you want to preserve digitally, you probably already know that just throwing them on your flatbed scanner won’t work. You need a bright light source that comes from behind the negative and the multi-function printer/scanner you use to print coupons is seriously lacking in that department. However, if you hack up a bit of silver cardboard and place it strategically over the film strip you want to scan, you can get your film negatives onto your computer.

The technique requires thick silver card stock, over which you print this pattern, before cutting and taping it into the shape you see in the photo above. You position it above the slide you want to save, and during the scanning process, the light from the flatbed bounces up into the wedge, and reflects back down behind the slide, giving you a basic backlight.

Once the slide or negative is scanned at an appropriate resolution, you can invert the colors, and then perform other corrections in order to remove dust or color errors.

The best part? You can tweak the design to fit whatever size film you have lying around. Even if you have a dedicated flatbed film scanner, it can still be difficult to scan negatives bigger than a standard roll of 120 medium format film.

While the results might not be quite the quality of a dedicated scanner, it’s a much cheaper option using materials you can easily and cheaply get, and a piece of hardware there’s a pretty good chance you already have lying around the house.

The post How to scan negatives using a standard scanner appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Super 8’s grainy, nostalgic look is having a moment right now, popping up everywhere from music videos to blockbuster TV shows. But even outside of pop culture, the consumer-friendly Super 8 film format is winning the hearts of amateurs and the analog community. If it’s caught your eye, too, here’s everything you need to know about getting started shooting Super 8 film.

Lead image courtesy of Noah Buscher on Unsplash.

What is Super 8 film?

This format might just be the king (or queen) of home movies. Introduced in 1965 by Kodak, it was a step up from the 8mm film that came before it, both in terms of quality—thanks to its larger frame size—and usability. This led it to be positioned as the new movie-making format of the masses.

More cost-effective than 16mm or 35mm, Super 8 film is housed in inexpensive plastic cartridges, so it’s easier to handle and load, too. These cartridges also convey to the camera important bits of information, like the film speed as well as filter information for B&W film. And in 1975, a magnetic strip was added to the cartridges to capture audio.

With its launch, Super 8 put the power of creativity in the hands of regular people. Suddenly, everyone was a movie maker.

Super 8 film today

Today, the medium is still very much alive—and by many indications—both doing well and picking up steam. Aside from the enthusiasts scooping up used cameras to record their summers, some of the biggest names in entertainment are turning to film—and Super 8 specifically—for their creative projects.

Harry Styles’ Watermelon Sugar, Katy Perry’s Daisies, Chopard’s short film with Julia Roberts, Burger King, and more have used Super 8 footage to create a grainy, vintage, old-school effect. Search for the medium on YouTube, and you’ll find there’s no lack of videos showing off the medium.

What Super 8 camera should I buy?

How much should I pay for a Super 8 camera?

Options are plentiful when it comes to used Super 8 cameras. Major brands still circulating include Canon, Nikon, and the king of Super 8, Beaulieu. Other brands like Minolta and Chinon sell for under $100, while Canon and Nikon Super 8 cameras can run as low as $300, depending on the model. But Beaulieu cameras are sure to command a heftier (over $500) price tag.

You can buy Super 8 cameras pretty much anywhere secondhand electronics are sold, including Ebay, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and used camera shops (like Pro8mm). But also know that an astute searcher may find luck befalls them at random garage or yard sale. The main thing you want to do when buying a Super 8 camera is make sure the motor works. If it doesn’t, you won’t be able to advance your film.

What to look for when buying any Super 8 camera

Some cameras may have a crank and are completely manual. Others will require batteries. If possible, go for a film-tested camera and always ask to see the footage and any CLA (clean, lube, adjust) certification the seller may have. It’ll be more expensive but save you the agony of wasted money on the back end. Developing Super 8 film isn’t cheap any way you slice it, so better to know you’ve got a working camera beforehand.

Best Super 8 cameras under $100

If you want to get your toes wet, there are Super 8 cameras out there under $100. The Chinon 723 XL is a good option with its autofocusing capabilities, and so is the Minolta XL 400 with its Zoom Rokkor-Macro lens, which has 13 elements. Both will shoot at 18 frames per second (fps).

If you can’t find those exact models, consider also the Bauer C series (A512 in particular), the Minolta Autopak 8 D6, and the Chinon 213 PXL. The Bauer A512 specifically may run you a little over $100.

Best Super 8 cameras under $500

The sought-after brands live here: Canon and Nikon occupy the top end of this range. Particularly, the Canon 310, 514, or 814 series are popular choices and finds. At the time of its release, the Canon 514XL had the world’s fastest lens at f/1.0. While the Auto Zoom 814, which is comprised of an all-metal mechanical design, was the first Super 8 camera to have an 8x zoom range with an f/1.4 lens.

There are also a handful of other Super 8 cameras that fall on the lower side of the spectrum, too, such as the Sankyo Sound SL-60S and Elmo 1012S-XL. The Nikon R8 and R10 would be considered the high end of this range.

Best Super 8 cameras $500+

If you’re sure Super 8 is your medium, you might find yourself fancying the fanciest of them all: The Beaulieu 4008ZM II. With beautiful design and a reputation for being the best Super 8 camera ever created, there’s a lot to its name. Thanks to its built-in rangefinder, plentiful shooting options (you can adjust the frame rate from 2fps to 50fps), and interchangeable lens design, this French-made camera gives creators plenty of control over their vision. Expect to spend at least $600, with mint kits running up to $5,000.

Also on the market are the Beaulieu S2008 and the 5008S, the latter of which is considered the professional model.

Types of Super 8 film and where to buy it 

Kodak is the main purveyor of Super 8 film, and it’s available from major retailers like Adorama, Amazon, and B&H. The options are Kodak Vision 3 (color-negative 50D, 500T, and 200T); Tri-X reversal 7266; and Ektachrome 100D color reversal.

However, you can also find B&W Fomapan R100 film, and Pro8mm packages their own, which you can buy in a bundle to include processing. Film cartridges run about $40 ($27 if you’re going for Fomapan) and can record 2.5 minutes at 24fps and 3.3 minutes at 18fps. Expect to pay at least $25 to process it.

If shooting Super 8 for the first time, we recommend grabbing the Kodak Vision 3 50D and shooting in daylight. 500T and 200T are balanced for tungsten light, and as a color-reversal film, Ektachrome is quite saturated. These might be better to experiment with once you’re more familiar with the medium.

How to use a light meter for Super 8 video 

Most cameras will often come with an internal meter, but unless you’ve confirmed it works, an external light meter is always a solid investment, whether you shoot stills or video. I personally use a Sekonic L358, but we’ve also got a list of best light meters for you to choose from. If you’re not ready to take the plunge on a real light meter, there are some apps, like Lumu, that have a video mode.

To use the light meter, you’d best take a look at the instructions, as each may differ slightly in how to operate the video mode. But, generally, you’ll want it to be in the f/s mode (frames per second), as opposed to A (aperture) or T (for shutter speed). Know that the frame rate you choose will affect how long you can film—at 24fps, you won’t shoot as much footage vs. 18fps.  

Where to get Super 8 film developed

There are still a good number of film processors that will develop (and scan) Super 8 film. A good bet is to see if there’s a local spot in your area that still processes Super 8. If not, see the list below for where to develop Super 8 film.

Pro8mm

Pro8mm has an incredibly robust lineup of offerings, from selling/renting Super 8 cameras to film development packages. They’ve processed film for Harry Styles, Drake, and Katy Perry, to name a few. Their packages include film, processing, development, and color correction. If you find yourself really bitten by the analog film bug, they’ll also do 16mm, double Super 8mm, and Super 16mm films. 

Film Photography Store

The Film Photography Store has many films on offer, from Super 8 to 35mm and 16mm, which they will also develop and digitize. 

Negativeland Film

Negativeland is a motion-picture lab that will process Super 8 and 16mm films.

Color Lab

Working with clients including National Geographic Channel, NBC, HBO, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Color Lab processes 35mm, 16mm, and Super 8 color negative film and Super 8 B&W film.  

BB Optics

BB Optics specializes in motion picture processing for Super 8, 16mm, Super 16mm, and 35mm, also offering color grading services and post-production supervision. 

How to develop Super 8 film at home 

This is a real commitment and should only be attempted if you have prior experience developing your own film. If you don’t, try 35mm first before taking on the (literally) gargantuan task of processing Super 8.

For those who want to take the plunge, any old developing tank won’t do. You’ll need a special drum that will accommodate the reel, which is typically 50 feet per cartridge. A Jobo Super 8/16mm drum kit (drum, tank, and foot pump) will run you about $880—and that’s before you’ve procured the chemicals.

After you’ve picked up the drum, you’ll want to consult the shop on the chemicals you’ll need to process the film. Then, you’ll need to make sure you have space. Practically, will you be able to hang 50 feet of film somewhere while it dries? This video delves into more specifics to consider.

How to convert Super 8 film to digital  

Digitizing film reels is usually included or an optional add-on to the development package at labs. However, if you’re going to shoot a decent volume of film and want to save a little money, you can scan it at home—with less hassle than the development process.

Scanners are available from Amazon, B&H, and other retailers, and Wolverine Data seems to be the brand of choice. The Wolverine 8mm and Super 8mm Film Reel Converter retails for $299.95 and will digitize film at a resolution of 720 pixels. For $100 more, the Wolverine Digital Movie Maker Pro scans at 1080 pixels. Simply load up the film and the scanner does the rest, compiling the footage onto an SD card (that you must provide). This video offers a detailed tutorial on how to set yours up.

Further resources for Super 8

Feeling daunted? Don’t be—at the end of the day, you only need three things: A working camera, film, and a place to develop. Should you be searching for additional resources, try the Pro8mm Super 8 Reference Library, which features tips, a film calculator, education, manuals, and more. Super8camera.com is also a wonderful compendium of the medium. Happy movie-making.

The post Everything you need to know to get started with Super 8 film appeared first on Popular Photography.

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One of my many, many pet peeves is folks who discourage would-be analog photographers by telling them film is too expensive. They cite $25 rolls of slide film, $20 E-6 developing, and $40-per-shot drum scans, and declare film as a financial quagmire compared to “free” digital photos.

The fact is that while film can be expensive, it doesn’t need to be. My 35mm B&W photography costs me less than a quarter per frame—not just for film, mind you, but for film, processing, and scanning. And here’s the punch line: I’m actually spending more than I have to. If I did things differently, I could be shooting B&W film for less than 14 cents per photo. And while color film is more expensive, it need not cost much more than what I currently spend on B&W.

Stick with me through this article and a bit of math, and I’ll explain how I do it.

Step one: Save on film by rolling your own

Related – Affordable analog: 10 alternatives to high-priced film cameras

Many popular B&W emulsions are sold in 100-foot bulk rolls, which the photographer winds onto reusable 35mm cassettes. 100 feet yields approximately eighteen 36-exposure rolls. A bulk roll of my favorite film, Ilford HP5 Plus, sells for $89.99, which works out to $5 per 36-exposure roll (about $3 cheaper than pre-rolled HP5+) or 13.9 cents per photo. 

My beloved HP5+ is hardly the least-expensive film on the market. I also like Ilford’s Kentmere 100. At ~$70.00 for a 100-foot roll, it costs just 11 cents per shot. Freestyle’s Arista EDU film costs $51.99 per 100-foot roll—just 8 cents per exposure.

Bulk rolling has advantages beyond costs savings. Chief among them, you’re not stuck with 24 or 36 exposures. When I buy a used camera, I don’t need to burn a whole roll of film to test it out; instead, I’ll whip up a 5-exposure test roll. For general use, I load around 25 exposures per roll, though this does increase my development costs slightly, as you’ll see in the next section.

What about equipment? You’ll need film cassettes, which sell for around $1.25 each. They last for years, making their per-shot costs basically negligible. Some photographers use a bulk loader to wind film onto the cassettes. A loader costs around $50, and if you only keep it ten years—chances are it’ll last five times that long—it’ll add about a third of a cent per frame to your film costs. Me, I don’t use a bulk loader; I simply spool up my film in my dark bag.

My film cost (Ilford HP5 Plus): 13.9 cents per picture.

Buying color film

Color film for still photography is difficult to find in 100-foot rolls; however, you can still save money by buying in quantity. A five-pack can save a couple of bucks per roll, and if you can find a dealer who will sell you a “brick” of film, you can drop your costs much closer to bulk-roll levels.

Step two: Save on film development by doing it yourself

Related: How to change the light seals in an old film camera

I develop all of my own B&W film, and not just because it saves money. I genuinely enjoy the process. If you’ve never done it, don’t be intimidated—B&W development is dead-easy and hard to screw up. Also, it’s a huge cost savings over lab development. 

For those unfamiliar, there are four (or so) types of chemicals needed (developer, stop bath, fixer, and a washing agent) and some basic hardware. Let’s look at the costs of each.

Developer

There are several choices of B&W developer; I’m very fond of Kodak D-76. It’s sold as a $9.99 package of powder, which mixes with a gallon or so of distilled water (about 99 cents). For most of my developing, I dilute this stock solution 1:1 (so, ad another 99-cent gallon of distilled water). If I use my single-roll developing tank, that’s enough for about 23 rolls of film, which comes out to 52 cents per roll. That’s 1.4 cents per frame for 36 exposures, but since I shoot 25-exposure rolls, my cost is 2.1 cents per frame.

Granted, I don’t always spend that much. I have a two-roll tank that uses about 25% less developer per roll than if I develop two rolls individually in a single tank. Besides D-76, I also use Kodak HC-110, a liquid-concentrate developer that costs about 35 cents per roll. And there are cheaper alternatives to Kodak developers: LegacyPro’s L-76, for example, is identical to D-76 and sells for $6.99. (As a former resident of Rochester, New York, I use Kodak developers out of loyalty—or perhaps guilt for shooting Ilford film.)

Other Chemicals

I use Kodak Indicator Stop Bath and Ilford Rapid Fixer, both sold as concentrates that are mixed with water. Stop costs 0.9 cents per roll; fixer, 11.2 cents. I use Kodak Photo-Flo 200 as a rinsing aid, which adds another 3.8 cents per roll. That breaks down to 0.4 cents per frame for 36 exposures or just under 0.7 cents for 25-exposures.

Again, there are more cost savings to be had. Some people use water instead of stop bath (but for less than a penny a roll, I think it’s worth splurging on). I change my stop and fixer every 25 rolls, but they could probably go longer—there’s an easy test for fixer (drop in a scrap of unexposed film and time how long it takes to clear), and Kodak stop bath changes color when it’s done (hence “Indicator” in its name). As with developers, there are cheaper alternatives from brands like LegacyPro and Arista.edu.

Equipment

I was lucky to have my developing tanks, reels, and thermometer given to me. This meant I only had to buy a dark bag/film changing bag (a light-proof bag with arm-holes, used to transfer the film from the cassette to the developing tank), measuring beakers, and bottles for mixed chemicals. (I buy brown bottles of hydrogen peroxide and empty them out.) In all, I spent less than $40, but if you’re starting from scratch, you might spend closer to $150. Most of this equipment will last forever, but if you only get ten years out of it, and like me, shoot about 35 rolls per year, that’ll average out to about 2 cents per frame. (For me, the costs are half-a-penny per photo.)

My developing costs (D-76, single-roll tank, 25 exposures): 3.3 cents per photo.

DIY developing for color film

Color film development used to be so cheap and widely available that doing it yourself wasn’t considered cost-effective. Today you can buy C-41 (color negative) developing kits that contain all the needed chemicals in a single box. Color is a bit more fiddly to develop than B&W—temperature control is paramount—but not much more difficult. Equipment is the same as for B&W, plus something to keep the chemicals warm. Many DIYers use a sous vide immersion cooker, which costs around $75.

CineStill sells a one-liter C-41 kit that costs $39.99 and processes 8 rolls—$3.50 per roll (way cheaper than commercial developing!) or 9.7 cents per frame. Arista EDU makes a one-gallon kit that develops 32 rolls; at $79.99 it breaks down to $2.50 per roll or about 7 cents per frame. (Color processing chemicals, once opened, have a short shelf life, something to keep in mind when choosing quantities.)

Shooting slides? There are development kits for E-6 processing, too. An eight-roll kit from Arista EDU costs around $5.50 per roll, while a 32-roll kit brings the costs down to $3.59 per roll.

Step three: Save On Scanning With Your Own Scanner 

I use a Epson V550 film scanner for all my own film (which has since been replaced by the Epson V600). Some photographers buy third-party scanning programs, but I’ve been happy with Epson’s own software, which I find works well for B&W, color negatives, and color slides. Obviously, the Epson can’t compare to a drum scanner, but I am very happy with the results I get—I think they’re fine for editing and sharing photos online.

I paid $195 for my V550. If I only get five years out of it—I’m hoping for more!—and if I shoot 35 rolls per year, my scanning costs are about $1.11 per roll. At 25 exposures per, that’s 4.4 cents per scan. Of course, if I keep the Epson longer, or if I shoot more film, that lowers my per-shot costs even further.

My scanning costs: 4.6 cents per photo.

Adding Up My Costs—and How I Could Save More

If I shoot a 25-exposure bulk-loaded roll of Ilford HP5 Plus (13.9 cents per frame), develop with D-76 (3.3 cents), and scan with my Epson (4.4 cents), I’m at 21.6 cents per frame. I buy my supplies locally, so I have to add 9.5% for sales tax. Grand total: 23.7 cents per frame, or $5.93 to shoot, develop and scan a 25-exposure roll of B&W film.

Still, I could be spending far less. If I shot Kentmere 100, loaded each cassette with 36 exposures, developed with LegacyPro L-76 in my two-roll tank, and kept my scanner for ten years, my costs would drop to $4.91 per roll—just 13.6 cents per photo. To put that in perspective, for the price of a new Nikon Z7 kit, I could shoot, develop and scan one roll of film per week for twelve years—and still have some cash left over to buy a decent 35mm camera.

Color is more expensive, but not overly so. With bulk purchasing and home developing and scanning, it’s easy to get color negative film down to $10 per roll (27.8 cents per shot) or less. Even the cost of pricey slide film can be greatly reduced.

So the next time you hear someone disparaging film as prohibitively expensive, please help me out by setting them straight. In fact, you might want to ask how often they replace their digital rigs and how much that costs—and then explain how much money they could save by shooting film.

The post How to shoot film on a budget appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Back in the pre-digital days, most Photo 101 classes had students start out shooting B&W film and learning how to develop it. For many who have returned to film photography, do-it-yourself film processing is one of analog photography’s big attractions—it’s easy, it’s good fun, and it’s very rewarding.

If you haven’t considered developing your own film at home, here are 5 reasons you should consider giving it a try.

1. Developing your own film is easier than you think

Related: Everything you need to develop your own film at home

Film processing might seem daunting if you’ve never done it, but it’s really quite easy—remember that back in the day, film developing was a skill easily mastered by school students. Getting the film on the developing reels requires a bit of practice, but the processing itself is dead simple—it’s a matter of mixing up the chemicals, pouring them in, setting a timer, moving the tank around at pre-set intervals, and pouring them out again.

Contrary to what many believe, you don’t need a darkroom to develop film—darkness is only required for transferring the film into the development tank, for which a simple dark bag or dark tent will suffice. After that, everything can be done at your sink with the lights on, and with the chemicals right around room temperature. Color developing is a tad trickier because it requires more precise (and higher) temperatures; still, it’s not brain surgery. If you can follow a simple recipe in a cookbook, you can develop your own film.

2. DIY developing saves money

Related: You should buy a sous vide machine and develop your own color film

Lab developing is often one of the priciest elements of film photography, and doing it yourself can save you a lot of money—in fact, it’s a key element in my strategy for shooting film on a budget. How cheap is it? That depends on what developer you use (and there are a lot of choices), but generally, the costs for chemicals will be between 50 cents and $1 per roll for 35mm, with 120-size film costing just a few cents more. Yes, you read that right—it generally costs less than a buck a roll to do your own B&W developing.

You will need some equipment—developing tanks and reels, a thermometer, a dark bag, and some measurement beakers, which you can buy separately or in a kit—but before you do that, talk to photographer friends to see if they have equipment from their film days that they’d be willing to give you. If you have to buy new, figure on spending between $100 and $150—a one-time investment that will quickly pay for itself in savings over lab developing.

3. There’s a lot of support for home film developers

We fear we’ve made at-home film developing sound more complicated than it is, mentioning all the choices in chemistry and the hardware you’ll need. Don’t worry—the process really is very straightforward, and the Internet means you don’t need to take a photography course to learn (though if you have that option, it’s a great way to go).

Today, there are scores of articles and online videos on YouTube that will walk you through the basic process. Film manufacturers provide data sheets that give specific developing times for different types of developers, while timing for the rest of the processes—stop, fix and wash—are effectively constant. You’ll notice that different photographers may have slightly different methodologies; there’s a little flexibility in the process of processing, which is one of the things that makes it so easy.

Once you start developing, you can experiment with different developers and techniques to find what works best for you. You’ll find lots of help on various film-related forums, and before too long, you may well be one of the experienced film developers sharing your knowledge with other newbies.

4. Developing your own film expands your options

One of the joys of film photography is that you are working directly with light-sensitive media (as opposed to digital, where there’s always a layer of electronic data wizardry between you and your images). That work need not end when you fire the shutter: DIY developing presents all kinds of options to fine-tune your analog photography. How can developing extend your options? Lots of ways. 

With B&W photography, the choice of developer makes a difference as to how your photos will look. Many avid DIYers keep several types of developer on hand. Even changing the dilution of your chosen developer can alter the way your photos come out. There’s lots of documentation and knowledge online, so it’s easy to customize your developing regimen to get the result you want. Developing your own film also makes it easy to push- or pull-process (intentionally under- or over-exposing your film, then compensating by altering the development time). When you do your own developing, you have real control over how your negatives look—control that would otherwise be turned over to your photo lab.

5. Developing your own film feels like magic

Asked anyone who has ever developed their own film: There is no feeling like opening the tank after that final wash, unrolling a bit of film, and seeing an image—a physical image that you physically put there by exposing and developing the film. It’s a sensation of which we at PopPhoto never tire, and that no digital camera or computational process can emulate.

One of the aspects of film photography we love most is that it removes all barriers between the photographer and their image. When you take a film photograph, you are literally working directly with the very stuff of which your photo is made, including selecting how much light the silver halide crystals are exposed to.

Developing your own film lets you complete that process as you literally convert a latent image to a visible image by hand—not 0s and 1s and invisible data, but real silver and dyes you can see with your own eyes. Technically, it’s not magic—it’s science and chemistry—but if film developing doesn’t feel like magic, well, we don’t know what does.

The post 5 reasons you should develop your own film appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Photography gear can add up quickly. Need a capable camera body? That’s an easy $2,000. How about a nice telephoto lens? Well, depending on the brand and your desired focal length, that could range anywhere from a few hundred bucks all the way up to $14,000 or more. Plus accessories and a camera bag—you can easily spend a year’s salary on Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS).

But, a new initiative is offering some relief. The website, Pixels and Prisms, has just released open-source blueprints for a 3D printed Canon EF 163mm f/2.4 telephoto lens. 

What is Pixels and Prisms?

According to the website, Pixels and Prisms aims to be an online resource for open-source photography projects and tips. This 3D-printed Canon EF lens is the first project it has released, with plans to share new blueprints soon, along with updates to existing ones.

Lens features

Related: DIYer 3D-prints a working 35mm movie camera

The 3D printed Canon EF lens is, at 163mm, a telephoto with a maximum aperture of f/2.5 and minimum aperture of f/11—yup, the aperture is adjustable! The aperture diaphragm consists of 12 rounded blades, which is also impressive given the DIY construction.

The focus is also adjustable and can even be locked in either the fully-extended or retracted position. Plus, photographers can modify the focal length using additional elements and extenders. (Hello, 600mm anyone?)

Construction & sourcing glass

The blueprints to construct the lens are free and all the parts, aside from the internal glass elements, are 3D printed. Those elements cost the developer $13 to source. Assembly is easy—no screws are required, just regular household glue. In total, the lens consists of 23 parts, plus pegs to help facilitate movement.

In terms of sourcing glass, Pixel and Prisms recommends perusing the offerings on Surplusshed and eBay for reliable finds. Building the 3D-printed Canon EF lens requires glass with a 65mm diameter. 

While a bit unconventional, we have to admit that the lens is an interesting—and super affordable—way to wade into the world of telephoto photography. For those who can embrace the quirks and distinct look, it might be a suitable option for the next travel, street, or portrait photography project.

3D printed Canon EF lens sample images

So what types of images does a plastic, DIY lens produce? It turns out, the answer is something oddly impressive. Sample shots—provided by the developer—reveal good sharpness at the center of the frame, with a sudden, dramatic transition to softness further out. The bokeh looks smooth in some cases and busy in others. Ultimately, it’s a dreamy look, though certainly not one everyone will appreciate. View more samples here.

The post You can 3D print a surprisingly capable 163mm f/2.4 telephoto for $13 appeared first on Popular Photography.

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This story originally appeared on Popular Science.

If you’ve been uploading, editing, and posting one image at a time to your Instagram story, you’re not alone. That said, you don’t have to struggle like you’re sweating over the social media equivalent of a printing press—you can publish to your story in bulk.

The ability to post multiple photos to your Instagram story at once has been around since at least 2018, but we won’t judge you for learning about it today. It’s impossible to keep up with every tiny change Meta and the other tech companies add to their constantly changing apps, especially when you’ve fallen into a routine that works for you.

How to post multiple photos to an Instagram story

Experienced posters will know the process starts as any Instagram story would: by tapping the plus icon in the top right of the app’s main page, the new story icon (a blue plus sign on top of your profile picture) at the far left end of all your friends’ stories or the identical add to story icon inside your existing story. If this is your first foray into stories, well, congratulations on starting off more well-equipped than we did.

Once you’re on the story creation page, tap Select in the top right. Then choose up to 10 images by touching the ones you want, in the order you want them to appear in your story. Instagram will help you out by marking each selected image with a numbered blue circle, so you’ll know exactly how they’ll be arranged. You can’t move them around later, so make sure you get the sequence right before you continue.

Related: How to disable your Instagram profile from being embedded on a website

With your images in order, tap the arrow icon in the bottom right. The first image will appear on screen, and you can edit it as you would any other story post. But before you do anything else,, take a moment to double-check that you’ve grabbed all the pics you want to share and that they’re arranged properly. If something’s wrong, you can hit the arrow icon in the top left to go back to the selection screen, but you’ll lose all of your edits.

When you’re ready, you can edit the other slides by tapping their thumbnails in the carousel at the bottom of the screen.

Finally, hit the arrow icon in the bottom right to open the sharing menu—you can choose to post the pics to Your story, Close friends, or send them as a direct message. Make your selection and hit Share. Instagram may also ask if you’d like to add them to your Story highlights or send them as a direct Instagram message to anyone, but you can tap Done to ignore it.

Now you’ll never have to slog through a slew of concert, night-out, or fancy dinner pics again, and that’s pretty sweet.

The post How to post multiple photos to your Instagram story appeared first on Popular Photography.

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This post on garage sale cameras has been updated. It was originally published on May 17, 2016.

As you walk through a local garage sale, your eyes bounce from a pile of ugly jackets to a bin full of well-worn romance novels, to a toaster oven that’s missing a knob. Then, you get a little shot of adrenaline as you notice the brightly-colored pattern of a vintage camera strap sticking out of a leather camera case. Hunting for a quality garage sale camera can be tremendous fun, but there are some traps to avoid and techniques to use to maximize your weekend outings.

Know your motivation for looking

There are several different reasons people enjoy hunting for old cameras, but knowing your motivation can help you make smart purchases.

If you’re buying purely to resell cameras at a profit, it’s important to try and remove the emotion from the game because it will ultimately cut into your profits.

If you’re buying gear you actually want to use, you want to make sure you’re getting stuff that’s in working order or is at least broken in a way that makes you still want to use it. Sure, that old compact might be cool, but remember that it will cost you money to feed it film.

If you’re purely buying for collecting purposes, make sure it’s something you’re actually going to display or enjoy. If you’re just planning to toss it in a drawer at home, it might be better off waiting for someone to come by who might actually want to use it.

Make a list of what you have & what you want

Related: 10 alternatives to high-priced film cameras

It’s easy to get tempted by almost any garage sale camera, but once you’re over the initial thrill, it’s time to think logically. Knowing what you have at home will prevent you from spending your cash on a camera you already have a bunch of (I’m looking at you, Canon AE-1).

Keeping a list of wants on your phone along with the prices you’re willing to spend will help prevent regrettable purchases that can sometimes result from over-excitement or getting wrapped up in the bargaining process. I have even shared my want list with a couple of friends who love garage sales but don’t care about cameras, so they can keep an eye out for me.

Do your homework

Driving or wandering aimlessly around your neighborhood and surrounding areas looking for sales can be a fun way to spend a morning, but it’s an inefficient way to find the true treasures. Using resources like the Craigslist Garage Sales section, and even the local paper on Thursday and Friday night will let you know where you should start.

Obviously, if a listing explicitly mentions photography gear, that might be a good place to go first, but I also like looking for neighborhood sales or community sales held at local churches, schools, or firehouses. It’s always good when you can see stuff from a bunch of different households in a short amount of time.

Go early, but not too early

Many garage sales start on Friday, which is tough if you work a typical 9-5 schedule. However, even if you go out on Saturday, it can pay to show up right around start time, especially if you already know there will be camera stuff from the listing. You don’t want to show up just in time to watch some other person paying for an item on your want list.

Arriving too early can also be a problem, though. “Early birds” as they’re known in the garage sale world can annoy people who are still trying to set things up. You might find it hard to bargain or even that you’re turned away full stop if you show up too early. Aim for the start time and use your judgment about whether or not the person seems ready to sell.

Bring more cash than you think you might need

It’s easier than ever to transfer money digitally, but garage sales still remain a cash business. If you find something really good, you don’t want to have to pass on it or beg the person to hold it while you run to the ATM for more money. The tricky bit involves not spending the cash just because you have it. I set aside a little money specifically for the purpose of buying garage sale camera gear. It actually sounds a little silly when I explicitly type it like that, but it helps keep me from siphoning off that money to things like morning coffees or ill-advised lunch purchases.

Bring a few batteries & lens cloths with you

Related: Everything you need to know to get started with Super 8 film

Whether or not a camera is in working order can have a serious effect on its value, so bringing a small collection of batteries to check things like built-in light meters can make your purchases less of a gamble.

I typically bring a small battery assortment including some AAs and common batteries that power old film SLRs. At least that way you can see if the meter works or fire up a compact camera before putting down your money for it.

The lens cloths are there so you can check and see whether the glass is just a little grimy or if you’re dealing with mold, which is much harder to deal with. If you clean things up too much, though, they will look nicer to the person selling it, and it can be harder to bargain.

Use your smartphone to your advantage

If you see something that looks cool, but you’re not sure about it, the little magical rectangle in your pocket can work wonders. A quick eBay search or a trip to KEH.com will give you an idea of what it might be worth, but you might also want some historical context. Sites like Camerapedia can be very helpful in that regard. A quick search might save you from a bad purchase or help you avoid missing a great pickup.

Don’t be afraid to bargain

Not everyone loves to bicker about prices, but you can almost always get a better deal if you’re willing to haggle a little. Everyone has their own techniques, but I try to be respectful with my offers and not go with low-ball numbers. That can just make the seller mad and insulted. It also just seems disrespectful to me.

Sometimes you can get a better deal if you’re buying a few items, so if there’s something you’re on the fence about, you might be able to get it thrown into your other purchase for an attractive price.

Even if you hate bargaining, it’s worth giving it a shot. It will almost always stretch the buying power of your budget and it’s good practice for bargaining with clients in the real world.

Don’t be afraid to ask if they have more camera stuff they’re looking to sell

Sometimes people underestimate the appeal of old camera stuff or they have more gear stashed away that they had forgotten about. I once bought a $5 Mamiya Super Deluxe rangefinder (that didn’t work, sadly), but when I asked the person in charge of the sale if he had any more camera stuff, I ended up walking away with a Nikon F100 for $30. Most people say “no,” but I have never had anyone get upset with me for asking.

Be realistic about what you’re going to find

It’s great to daydream about finding a bag stuffed full of old Leica bodies and lenses for $10, but it’s very unlikely that’s going to happen. Most of the time you’re going to find some old Polaroid cameras, and some beat up SLRs. You’ll also probably find a bunch of old compact film cameras that weren’t very good even when they were new. It’s not a guarantee that you’re going to find awesome stuff, so try to enjoy the process along the way.

The post How to score an awesome garage sale camera appeared first on Popular Photography.

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This post on how to take better photos has been updated. It was originally published on April 14, 2021.

Film photographers were lucky: the cost and time it took to shoot film meant they had no choice but to get good. They only had 36 photos per ~$10 roll of film—which meant any photo they took was one less shot they’d get to take later—and to even see if they got what they wanted, they had to spend another $10 for prints. Every press of the shutter button cost them a little over 50 cents and having to wait until the roll was developed also meant there was no way of knowing, on the spot, if they had messed up. If they missed the shot, that was it.

Modern cameras and smartphones make it really easy to get technically good photos—almost everything you shoot will be sharp, in-focus, and well-exposed. You no longer have to worry as much that autofocus will mess up, that you dialed the ISO in wrong, or that the photo will be a blurry mess for any number of reasons. And each photo you take is essentially free. Plus, with super-fast burst speeds, users can simply mash down the shutter button until they get something that looks decent.

How to take better photos

Related: Going back to film? Here’s what’s changed

Still, good photos aren’t great photos. Photography icons Ansel Adams and Elliot Erwitt didn’t strive for technically perfect pictures—they tried to make great, artistic shots. And the same happens with today’s great photographers. Annie Leibovitz doesn’t show up to a portrait shoot, whip out her smartphone, and call it done when she snaps a shot good enough for the ‘gram—she puts time and effort into her photos, even if she’s using a modern camera.

If you want to take great photos, the best thing you can do is go back to basics and learn to see the world as a film photographer. People are now shooting more photos than ever before (1.2 trillion in 2017 alone), but most give little to no thought to each shot. The key to great photos is shooting less and thinking more. Here’s how.

Getting into the film mindset

Related: 9 famous photography books everyone should own

When there’s a cost to every photo, they become much more important. You can’t just shoot thousands of them—you have to put time into each one. This is the mindset you want to develop, and you don’t need to actually shoot film to get it.

Slow down

Don’t rush. Think through every shot and don’t just hit the shutter button as soon as you get the chance. Instead, take the time to think about what you’re trying to achieve. Why are you shooting a photo here and now? Do you want to capture a certain person, a special place, or even your vacation in a single image? What do you want people to feel when they see the photo?

Pre-visualize

Before even taking your camera (or smartphone) out of your pocket, imagine the photo you want to take in your head and focus on what it looks like. Get into the habit of “seeing” photos without looking through your viewfinder or smartphone screen, and work on it until it turns into an automatic skill. This is what lets great photographers pull out their camera anywhere and take a stellar shot in a seemingly effortless fashion. They already know what they’re going for even before their camera is in hand.

Look through the viewfinder & pause

Don’t just shoot as soon as you aim your camera. Pause and really look. Is this the best angle to take the photo from? Are there any ugly distractions? Are you cropping out anything you want to include? Just taking a few seconds to frame the shot is often enough to get it right the first time, rather than looking at the picture after you’ve taken it and realizing there’s a problem.

Take one photo at a time

Make it your goal to capture that image you want on the first attempt. Don’t let yourself treat photos as free. If you limit yourself to one shot per scene (and maybe one safety-backup) you’re instantly recreating a big part of shooting film.

Only take a few photos per session

It’s really hard to keep focused on making good photos for more than a few minutes at a time. When you go out, don’t try to shoot 50 photos. Instead, limit yourself to just a few per session. Five or 10 are great numbers, or you can go full-film and set a maximum of 36 photos per week.

Shoot in manual mode

The automatic modes on cameras are incredible for capturing technically perfect images, but they remove a lot of the artistic nuance. If you know how to control your camera, use manual mode and make yourself dial in all the settings by hand. Again, this recreates the film experience and forces you to really think about what you’re trying to achieve.

Turn off your camera’s LCD screen

Don’t look at photos as you take them. Instead, drill into the camera settings and turn off the LCD screen entirely. If you can’t look at the photos until you get home, there’s a penalty for rushing and messing up. The stakes will make it much easier to stay in the film mindset.

Do it for love

Great photographers love taking photographs—that’s why they got into it in the first place. Don’t let these artificial constraints be an annoyance, and instead use them to get deeper into the slow process of making great photographs. Get to that point where you enjoy taking your time.

Use the best of both worlds

Don’t get me wrong—I think the advances in modern digital cameras are great. They’re much better in almost every situation, but they can also hold your hand a bit too much. If you start just trusting the camera to take every photo, it becomes less about you and your vision, and more about what a manufacturer’s algorithms think a good photo should look like. That will get you a lot of technically good, but uninteresting, photos.

The best way to shoot is to use a modern camera, but approach every photo like you’re using film. Use burst mode and the LCD screen to make sure you get the shot you want on location, but don’t just blindly rely on them. Go slow, visualize what you want, and work for a great photo instead of just settling for a good one.

The post How to take better photos by thinking like an old-school photographer appeared first on Popular Photography.

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This post on insect photography has been updated. It was originally published on October 10, 2016.

Most parents are not, as a rule, overjoyed when their kid comes home with head lice. But John Hallmén is different.

“This year in March my son finally came through with some head lice!” he gushed. So he photographed one of the little bugs (“I think it’s a female”) poised on a shaft of reddish brown hair. Looking at his image, you realize that what is ordinarily considered a repulsive creature is weirdly beautiful.

That’s what Swedish photographer Hallmén does. He shows us the incredible, strange beauty of tiny beings—insects, other arthropods like spiders and pillbugs, and worms—you get the picture.

From film photography to focus stacking

“I’ve been interested in bugs and other animals since I was very little,” he tells us. “If you look at video footage from my childhood you typically see me searching for frogs, snakes, or bugs underneath rocks in the background or holding some interesting find up to the camera. I got my first SLR when I was 13 years old, back in 1992, and made many attempts at macro photography. However, at that time I found it quite frustrating. Experimentation was expensive back in the analog days!”

This changed when Hallmén got his first digital camera—a Fujifilm superzoom model, with an add-on macro lens and external flash unit. Then came the next revolution, the one that has utterly changed macro photography—focus stacking. This involves taking multiple images of a subject with slight changes of focus with each, then combining the “stack” into a single image in software. This overcomes a fundamental problem of extreme close-up photography, the extremely limited depth of field, even with very small apertures. “I was a bit skeptical at first but quickly fell in love with the technique,” he says.

Today he makes his living by licensing images, teaching, and organizing workshops. He also has multiple books to his credit, including a children’s book, Minimonster, created in collaboration with his wife Hanna, with their son Bruno as a model. “I was lured into macro and bug photography by my passion for the interesting subjects and techniques, and then the hobby grew out of control and took over to the point where I simply didn’t have time for anything else.” While Hallmén often works with biologists on projects, he describes himself as “self-taught in biology.” His educational background was in engineering, which shows through in his DIY equipment setups.

Finding tiny subjects

Where does he find his insect photography subjects? “They are literally everywhere,” he says. “This may very well be one of the most compelling aspects of macro photography—you can find truly exotic-looking subjects right at your doorstep. And the vast majority of my images are made within cycling distance from my home in Stockholm.”

Hallmén frequents a nature preserve nearby, and, while he prefers shooting live species in the field, “I’ve made a habit of never leaving home without some kind of jar for catching presumptive subjects that, for some reason, can’t be shot in the field or that may need a closer examination to be able to be properly identified.”

His primary recommendation for shooting bugs in the field? Get up early on cold mornings. Arthropods, being cold-blooded, are lethargic, even inert, in the cold. “This is the reason why my alarm clock is one of the most important pieces of equipment,” he says. “As a bug photographer, you really benefit from being out and ready by dawn. Besides, nothing beats the natural morning light.”

But then it can be too cold. Sweden has long, cold winters, during which a “painfully limited” supply of bugs can be found. Hallmén, therefore, keeps some dead specimens in his freezer, sometimes sourcing more from entomologist friends. “This way I can keep occupied all year round,” he says. “Also, even though shooting dead subjects has some obvious downsides, it does let you shoot at much higher magnifications than what is possible in the field.” (For “sentimental reasons,” he says he is more likely to freeze “annoying species” like ticks and mosquitos rather than, say, butterflies.)

Specimen “preparation”

Dead specimens must be “prepared,” and this is more complex than you might think. “As soon as you look closely at a dead insect you realize how much time and effort they spend keeping themselves clean,” he tells us. “Because as soon as they’re dead they are rapidly covered in dust particles, fibers, etc. One of the most time-consuming parts of shooting dead specimens is the cleaning process. I sometimes need to spend an hour or so at the microscope picking off dust particles one by one with a fine needle before I can begin shooting.”

Before you try focus stacking

For macro insect photography newbies, Hallmén advises starting out simple. “Put stacking aside for a moment and focus on good old single-frame shooting,” he advises. When you’re starting out, learning to use a diffused flash—whether to avoid blur due to camera shake and/or subject movement—is more important than optics. “Out of the box, a flash will give harsh and unpleasant lighting, but with just minimum do-it-yourself effort you can turn a sheet of paper or a white plastic container into a simple but effective macro softbox,” he says. For continuous studio lighting, Hallmén commonly uses inexpensive gooseneck LED lamps.

Hallmén now generally prefers an interchangeable lens camera. With an ILC, there is no mirror slap (unlike DSLRs), whose vibration can cause blurring in extreme close-ups. Most can also be set for electronic, rather than mechanical, shutter firing, to further reduce vibration. Further, mirrorless cameras can be adapted to mount a wide variety of makes and models of lenses.

And oh, about the dénouement of the head lice shoot: “It went perfectly fine! The anti-lice treatments of today are extremely effective and completely non-toxic,” he explains. “Just spray it on, wait a few minutes and rinse—done. The lice get covered in this oily substance that clogs up their breathing and makes them suffocate. You almost feel sorry for them.”

We have the sneaking suspicion that John Hallmén really does feel sorry for them.

Insect photography gear

Here’s what you need to get closer to insects, whatever your level of experience.

Beginner insect photography

Go with what you’ve got. Use a prime lens with extension tubes or a front-mounting close-up lens such as the Raynox DCR-250. Even better, try a reverse-mounting ring. If your lens aperture is controlled electronically (most modern optics work this way), you’ll need a reverse adapter control. A variety of brands are available. You’ll probably want a focusing rail, too, because it’s far easier to focus extreme close-ups by moving the camera back and forth.

Intermediate insect photography

Get a dedicated macro lens. John Hallmén uses a 180mm Sigma macro, a long focal length that allows extra working distance—good for bugs. He also uses the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 Macro, which can provide up to 5x life size without extra tubes or accessories. At that magnification, a bug 0.3 inches long fills a full-frame sensor.

At this point, you may want to try focus stacking. A number of programs (including Adobe Photoshop) will let you do this, but the de facto standard is Zerene Stacker (another is Helicon Focus). For extensive stacks, many macro photography enthusiasts use a Proxxon table—a device actually designed for fine machining. “In my experience, even the best fine-focusing rails simply aren’t fine enough to handle the small focus increments needed as you move beyond life-size magnification,” Hallmén says. “I recommend the Proxxon table to beginners as a low-cost, easy-to-find alternative.”

Advanced insect photography

Microscope objective lenses, typically used with bellows, can provide, well, a microscopic view. One hitch: ‘scope lenses are set to infinity focus, which won’t allow you to focus the image on a camera sensor. Macro photographers use a device called a morfanon tube lens to correct for this. Finally, for really extensive stacks (many hundreds of frames) Hallmén uses a fully automated, motorized setup, the Cognisys Stackshot.

The post Tips from a pro: How to improve your insect photography appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Many types of creative possibilities are available when photographing cars. You’re proud of your’s and what you may have done to it. But there are good ways and bad to show others the apples and oranges of your eyes. Follow our advice and you’ll be shooting better car photos in no time.

Car photography don’ts

Avoid parking lot lines

Avoid parking your car in a parking lot with the white lines peeking out from underneath. They tend to distract and take away from the vehicle’s natural beauty, especially when the car is from a classic era and is parked in a contemporary parking lot. Of course, there are exceptions to the rules, as in the case when there are striking graphics like big arrows or colorful grids, but generally, avoid stripes unless you like spending time doing post-shooting retouching.

Avoid busy backgrounds

Like distracting paint stripes, busy backgrounds can take away from the vehicle’s look. Remember, “the car is the star” and should be treated accordingly. Try shooting with a longer focal length above 120 mm and with a wider f-stop to minimize the depth of field. Of course, make sure your car is sharp from front to rear, but shoot wide enough so that the background sharpness falls off quickly.

Avoid poles growing out of your car’s roof

Just as you should avoid having a light pole, cellular tower, or a tree growing out of someone’s head, the same applies here. It may be unavoidable in certain situations but look around the entire scene before making the picture. 

Avoid powerlines, too

This one is self-explanatory but easily forgotten. Always take a look around the car before taking the shot. If there are powerlines overhead, change your angle, the focal length of your lens, or any other trick that will eliminate the distractions in the background.

Try not to give it the Jimmy Durante effect

Jimmy Durante was one of America’s most popular entertainers from the 1920s to the 1970s. Sure, he’s an outdated reference, but he was also known for having a prominent proboscis, or in other words, a big nose. Using a wide-angle lens at an ultra-close distance may give you the same effect that many shooters used when photographing Durante. There are always exceptions to the rules that are ripe for being broken. A Tucker Torpedo with its centrally-located headlight is a prime example that just begs to be exaggerated in such a way!

Try not to photograph cars at a car show where they are bunched together

After years of attending hundreds of outdoor car shows, we’ve found that it is better to talk with the vehicle owner to make arrangements to photograph a car in a better location at another time. Sure, it’s a great idea to bring your camera, but realize that as tightly as they are parked together for display, great photo situations may not present themselves here. Instead, walk around, shoot for reference purposes and just enjoy the show. 

Don’t show the treads

Unless you’re doing a comparison of the best tire treads for your off-road vehicle, it’s best to avoid photographing cars with the treads facing the camera. They are generally dirty, dull and occasionally filled with road grime. Instead, keep the tires straight or even turned slightly away, which presents a nice open face of the alloy rims to the camera.

Car photography dos

Use a polarizing filter

Sometimes reflections look good. For instance, when you are photographing a car with a large expanse of land to the side of the vehicle. But other times, you may find the vehicle serving as a large mirror to its surroundings. That’s where a polarizing filter comes in. Rotate it until the undesirable reflections disappear. Remember, though, as you walk around the car, you may need to rotate the filter again for each new position you shoot from. 

Use strobes in daylight…if available/capable

Some vehicles need a little assistance to help bring out certain details. Many strobes offer built-in transmitters/receivers and can be operated off-camera, where the lighting angles become much more interesting. We have used as many as three strobes to light up a scene. And they aren’t just for nighttime either. There are many examples of strobe use in the middle of the day to open up the shadows of a vehicle. 

Make the engine a piece of art.

Related: Pro tips to take the best photos when trying to sell your car

Looking under the hood of many vehicles will show many pieces of what we’d call industrial art. Some of the latest examples include engines by Maserati, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. We can see that beauty is more than skin-deep through clever angling or even using a well-placed strobe. 

Photograph the interior as a million points of interest. The edge of the seats, carbon fiber trim, stitching, buttons, etc.

There are many points within the interior worthy of photography. The detail of a precision-knurled dial on the center console or the tactile beauty of open-pore wood trim and embroidered seat details are examples of worthy subjects inside the car.

Plan a perfectly panned shot

Just as there is a “Sunny-16” rule, there are panning rules. The starting point is a shutter speed that’s in line with the speed that the subject car is moving. For example, if the car is moving at 40 mph, start with a shutter speed in the same neighborhood, like 1/40 sec. Shutter priority is a perfect setting for this type of shot, as it will automatically control the aperture once you have set the appropriate shutter speed. Practice if you like on a well-traveled street by picking up vehicles moving from your left to your right. Follow the car by twisting your body at the waist in a smooth motion. It will take a bit of practice, but eventually, your timing and movement will begin to sync with the cars resulting in smoothly panned shots. 

These are the basic rules, but they can be broken for artistic effect. Setting an even slower shutter speed will blur things considerably but you may even love the results!

Tracking (Car-to-car Shots)

Another option, called tracking photos, allows you to blur the background while keeping the car razor sharp. Start with the same shutter speeds described in the Pan shot section, varying them for effect. You’ll also need a friend driving the camera platform vehicle (the vehicle you will be in) and another driving the subject car. 

SUVs may work best because they offer two shooting points. The first is shooting out the side window, keeping your camera vehicle out of the shot. The other is by shooting out the rear of an SUV. A word about safety: The safest type is a three-row vehicle with you wearing a seatbelt in the third row. Otherwise, the use of a tethered safety harness is mandatory. These can be purchased through stores like Home Depot or Lowes. 

Shoot past sunset

Just because the sun is done for the day doesn’t mean you should be, too. Some of our best photos have come from the reflections in the sky after the sun dips below the horizon. The effect is more pronounced on dark vehicles, although any color will do for an overall shot of a car.

Combine shots

Using a tripod-mounted camera, shoot a hero shot with a circular polarizer filter turned, so it removes reflections on the side of the vehicle. After you are sure you have that shot, turn the filter until reflections on the hood and front windshield are gone, all while making sure not to touch the tripod. Make that shot, too. Back at your computer, while in the editing platform of your choice, cut the hood and windshield portions of the second image and paste it into the shot of the overall car. Remember to feather the image for minimal artifacts. 

It’s only the start of your automotive photography journey

These are by no means a definitive list of car shooting techniques. And they can be used for other types of photos as well. For example, the panning technique can be applied when dealing with motorcycles, bicycles, boats, trains, and even runners. Consider this a starting point for where your photography can take you. And along the way, remember to enjoy the ride.

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