Digital Photography for Next to Nothing: Free and Low Cost Hardware and Software to Help You Shoot Like a Pro

John Lewell (Framlingham, UK) A freelance author and journalist, John Lewell is an expert in digital image-creation technology and has specialized in visual technologies, computer graphics and Internet software. An experienced landscape photographer, John has produced a series of fine art cards currently sold through galleries and bookstores in the UK.

Take photos like a pro without breaking the bank by using FREE and nearly FREE software and hardware explained in this book. Get professional looking shots from a low-cost camera Save money by building your own lighting rigs, tripods, monopods and stabilisers for next to nothing Learn how to use older lenses on modern digital cameras, and make your own macro lens, lens hoods, flash diffusers, flash concentrators, decorative Bokeh effect lenses and more Use dozens of FREE and low cost photo applications for processing, viewing, cataloguing, editing, creating HDR, and photo stitching Build powerful photography processing and editing suites with free software and plugins that go head to head with expensive tools like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom

PART I: TAKING BETTER SNAPS WITH A CHEAPER CAMERA.

Chapter 1: Getting the Best from a Low-Cost Camera.

How Cheap Is "Cheap"?

Getting to Know Your Camera.

Ten Universal Questions for Every Shot.

Chapter 2: Why Most Snaps Fail to Impress.

Some Common Errors.

What Makes a "Good" Snapshot?

Ten Cost-Nothing Tips for Better Snaps.

Chapter 3: First Steps in Portraiture with FREE and Low-Cost Lighting.

Creating One-Lamp Portraitures.

Making Your Own Low-Key Lighting Kit.

Creating No-Lamp Portraitures: Taking It Outdoors.

Using Scrims to Soften Sunlight.

Getting More Lights for Less.

Resources.

PART II: GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY.

Chapter 4: Choosing a Better Camera.

The Four Digital Camera Types.

Shopping Around for a New Camera.

Users' Recommendations.

Getting an Entry-Level DSLR at a Rock-Bottom Price.

Read FREE Reviews Online: 10 Leading Review Sites.

Chapter 5: Keeping It Steady: Tripods, Monopods, and VR Lenses.

Blur Reduction: A Big Step Towards Better Photographic Technique.

Using Tripods and Heads.

Low-Cost Tricks for Reducing Blur.

Chapter 6: Saving Money on Lenses.

Why People Argue About Lenses.

Recommended High-Value Lenses.

Using Older Lenses on a New Camera.

Chapter 7: In Praise of the 50mm Lens.

Using a Lens Chart.

Using 50mm with Full-Frame, 1.5x, 1.6x, and 1.7x Crop Factor Sensors.

Five Reasons to Buy the "Nifty Fifty".

Shooting with a 50mm Lens.

PART III: KEEPING COSTS DOWN.

Chapter 8: Cost-Cutting Tips for Better Photography.

Setting White Balance.

Setting Exposure.

Cropping: The Pro Technique Available to All.

Chapter 9: Shooting RAW and Processing It For FREE.

The Rise of the RAW Format.

The Snags of Using RAW.

Software for RAW Processing.

Chapter 10: Shooting Macro Without a Macro Lens.

Four Ways to Get Macro Shots.

Lighting for Your Macro Shots.

Using Lens Stacking to Take Macro Shots.

Making a Tabletop Studio for Macro Photography.

Building a Mini Light Box for Small Product Photography.

Chapter 11: DIY: Cleaning Your DSLR Sensor.

Common Contaminants and How to Get Rid of Them.

Cleaning the Chamber.

Testing Your Cleaning Method.

Chapter 12: DIY: Making Your Own Lens Hood.

Considering Lens Hood Types.

Finding Lens Hood Templates Online.

Making a Superhood for a 50mm Lens.

Making a Flexihood for a Telephoto Lens.

Chapter 13: More DIY Photo Fun Accessories.

Making Pop-Up Flash Diffusers.

DIY Accessories for Flash Guns.

Making Your Own Lenses.

Getting Decorative Bokeh Effects.

Getting Soft Focus Without a Special Lens.

Finding Low-Cost Tripods for Your Compact Camera.

Emulating Aerial Photography Without the Airplane.

Chapter 14: FREE Photo Calculators.

Printing, Cutting, and Assembling Your Own FREE Exposure Calculator.

Using the Golden Ratio.

For a Few Dollars: Photo Calculation Software for the iPhone.

Optical System Calculators.

Print Size Calculation.

Chapter 15: FREE and Low-Cost Utility Software.

FREE and Low-Cost Exif Tools.

FREE and Low-Cost Screen Capture Utilities.

FREE Color Pickers.

FREE Online Color Analysis.

FREE File Archiving Utilities.

Low-Cost Image Compression Software.

FREE JPEG Lossless Rotation.

FREE and Low-Cost Data Recovery Software.

"Free Scan" Photo Recovery Software.

PART IV: SCRUTINIZING, SORTING, AND RESIZING YOUR IMAGES.

Chapter 16: Monitor Calibration for Next to Nothing.

Understanding Gamma.

Calibration for Windows and Mac.

FREE Online Monitor Calibration.

FREE Online Tutorials on Monitor Calibration.Chapter 17: FREE and Low-Cost Image Viewers.

Top FREE and Low-Cost Image Viewers for Windows.

Image Viewers for Mac: Why the Mac Is Different.

Chapter 18: FREE and Low-Cost Photo Organizing Software.

The Difference Between Sorting and Cataloging.

Searching Through Untagged Images.

Other Good FREE Pho

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