GeekSugar

Create Your Own Photo Planets With the Polar Panorama Effect

GeekSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:35:46 -0700

I stumbled upon this great blog post, which shows examples of panoramic photos that have been altered in Photoshop to create your own little planets (like the one shown here), and got lost inside the 50 examples they provided for this fun and unique effect. I'm all about learning new ways to have fun with my photo library, so naturally I added this to my editing experimentation to-do list. Plus, the effect totally reminds me of the planets from Super Mario Galaxy, and you all know how much I adore that game.

This tutorial shows you how to make the effect yourself, and although it looks like a labor-intensive process, the steps are actually quite easy - just straighten your photo so the image is level, make the image a square, rotate, and apply the "polar effect" in Photoshop.

Check out the details on this tutorial page and have fun with your own images!

Cool Capture: Flowers Close Up

GeekSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:28:11 -0700

Have you checked out our Cool Capture group yet? I love browsing through the gorgeous submissions! Even cooler, I noticed a trend: close-up shots of gorgeous flowers, taken with a variety of cameras, from a Nikon D40 to an iPhone 3GS.

Check out our best tips to brush up your photography skills and share your favorite photo with the community.

Do you have a photo you absolutely love? Join our Cool Capture group and share your image, the model of camera used to take the photo, and a little about the image or the moment you captured, and it could be featured on GeekSugar. Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

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Turn Your Pics Into Movie-Like Stills in Just a Few Steps

GeekSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:25:58 -0700

I love passing along great photo tips, especially ones that turn your photos from ordinary to extraordinary. Like the time I showed you how to turn your pics into mini models with the Tilt-Shift effect or how to Lomo-fy your digital photos to replicate the lo-fi camera results. I found this tip while stumbling across the web and love the effect it created.

With this easy tutorial, you can quickly turn your ordinary pics into movie-like stills in just 12 steps. If you know how to add layers and adjust blur, this process should be a snap, but if you don't, it's OK- the tutorial is easy enough for you to grasp since there are screen shots to show you how to do it. Don't forget to check out the rest of my photo tips here!

Quickly Re-Touch Photos With PicTreat

GeekSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:04:49 -0700

Even with their fancy features, digital cameras aren't immune from taking the odd bad picture. Now what happens when you want to fix a photo (like red eye, pimples, bad lighting) and free online photo editing sites just aren't cutting it with their basic features? Sure you could always use Photoshop if you're a master of its many tools, but what if you need to change your Facebook profile photo right away, and you don't have Photoshop? A site called PicTreat will instantly enhance your photo for free, and you can even sign-in using your MySpace ID or Facebook Connect.

Found a useful website you'd like to share? To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group, read more.

I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click the pink "Share" menu on the top left side of the page.
Choose "Blog" and "Regular Post."
Give your story a "Title."
Fill in the "Body" with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Click "Next."
Choose the audience for your story to "Website of the Day" in the dropdown menu.
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day").
Change channel to "Technology and Gadgets."
Fill in tag field with relevant tags.
Click "I’m done" to submit content.

So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!

Brush Up on Your Photography Skills

GeekSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:50:21 -0700

Even if you're a whiz with the camera, there's always room for a little improvement. I've rounded up some of my favorite geeksugar photo tips and tricks to help you take better photos, look good in front of the camera, and other helpful picture secrets you may not have known about before.

How to Take Quality Camera Phone Pics	Make Your Photos Look Like Mini Models in Photoshop	5 Simple SLR Tips For Better Photos
How to Look Good in Front of the Camera	Top 7 Reasons to Scan Your Old Photos	How to Avoid Blinking in Photos

Hands On With the Canon T1i (Now With More Photo Tips!)

GeekSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:45:23 -0700

I finally got some time over the weekend to play around with the Canon T1i and the verdict stands: it's amazing! Not only are the pictures crisp and clear, but overall, the camera is a joy to use. I bought an inexpensive camera bag from Best Buy last week to protect it while en route to various places in the city, and quickly realized how light the T1i really is - a few times I panicked because I wasn't sure the camera was actually in the bag! Needless to say, my heart got a few good workouts in.

I even tagged along with PetSugar to the Ugliest Dog Contest to put the T1i through some trials, and I'd have to say the pictures turned out really well, even if the dogs were really ugly! While out and about over the weekend, I also remembered a few tips that I forgot since getting my first DSLR. Find out what they are and check out the rest of the photos from my weekend with the T1i when you read more.

Read the manual: Although I'm familiar with SLR settings, it's always good to really get to know your camera from the inside out. That way, you'll never miss an opportunity to use a cool feature.
Pick up a UV filter: You're going to be spending a lot of money on your camera, and even more when you start buying extra lenses. Pick up a UV filter to protect your lens from sun damage. Think of it as sunscreen for your expensive camera parts!
Brace yourself: This rule doesn't only apply to SLR photography - use your arms and brace them up against your body for steadier shots. Don't point your elbows out to the sides (as demonstrated in this photo), as this may create movement and thus blurry photos if you aren't super steady on your own.
Assume the position: When you're done snapping your photo and are carrying your camera over your shoulder, make sure you always point your lens inward and toward your body. This protects the lens from bumping into any objects and saves you tons of money in repairs or replacement lenses.

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How to: Shoot Cool Light Trails

GeekSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:33:07 -0700

I often find myself drawn to the light trail photos on Flickr. The ones created by moving cars, as well as the ones that people create themselves with flashlights and sparklers. I've done just about enough admiring, and am ready to test out the method myself. So naturally, the go-to place to find some reliable tips is Digital Photography School.

Apparently, shooting light trails is super easy, but you'll have to venture out of manual mode to achieve it. Just by using longer shutter speeds (around 10 or 20 seconds), a tripod, and finding your perfect aperture mode for the light you're shooting in (start with your f-stop at f/8 and take it down if your shots are overexposed and up if underexposed), light trails are easily captured. Check out the rest of the tip details on Digital Photography School and have some photography fun!

5 Useful Photography Tips

GeekSugar — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:02:16 -0700

Now that I've shared some of my favorite SLR photo tips, I thought it was about time to also share some DIY advice that can make the world of difference when trying to capture a certain kind of shot. A basic point and shoot digital camera? Perfect! You really don't need a fancy camera and special equipment to take a "print-worthy" photo. Keep reading to find out more.

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Photo Tip: Use a Piece of Tissue Paper to Diffuse Your Flash

GeekSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:02:13 -0700

Bella got some great engagement photo advice from wedding photographer Meg Messina last week, and there was a great gem of a geek tip in amongst the hair and makeup tips.

Messina suggests that you tape a piece of tissue paper over your camera flash for an instant diffuser (the kind you wrap presents with, not the kind you blow your nose with).

In my list of top tips for taking beautiful photos with an SLR, I mentioned that your flash is too harsh when aimed directly at your subject and should be bounced or diffused. However, I had never heard this brilliant and so simple advice - plus, I've always got some tissue on hand in my gift wrap arsenal.

Diffusing light is worth it: Messina says is helps by "softening the light just a bit before it hits your face. Make sure the tape itself does not cover the flash or you'll be left with weird shadows."

For another flash diffusion technique with something you probably have around the house, try using a compact mirror!

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Photo Tip: Use a Compact Mirror to Add and Diffuse Light

GeekSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:25:06 -0700

In my favorite simple SLR tips, I recommended that you either replace your onboard flash with a separate flash that can be angled to diffuse light or to use a diffuser for the best results when you're shooting indoors. My next tip is another way to diffuse light - but this tool is something you probably have in your makeup bag right now.

A compact mirror can bounce the light from your flash just like a diffuser you buy does. With your camera pointed at your subject, hold a compact open and angled in front of the onboard flash. When you shoot, the flash bounces and adds light to dark areas around the subject and gives a nice, natural light on to your subject (which would have otherwise been harshly washed out with a flash alone).

That said, after testing this trick myself, I will say that my separate flash I paid extra for diffuses light a bit better, but the mirror trick works great in a pinch.

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