Not your usual "kikay" kit

What is a "kikay" kit?

"The kikay kit - generally regarded as a woman's secret weapon, her little bag of mojo. The variety it contains is much like her closet: full to the brim with what she'll usually wear everyday, but it  also has options to transform her into a woman much more mysterious and rare."

http://reluctantstylista.com/article/assembling-a-starter-kikay-kit

In this post, I will show you my version of "kikay" kit. As a newbie to the digital photography world, I consider this as a beginner's kit, which includes everything I use when I take photos. 

This Minolta Dynax7000i is my first SLR camera. 
It was a gift from a cousin and I first used it during a photography class in college.

 1. THE CAM



Photography is impossible without a camera. One thing you should consider before buying a camera is BUDGET. For beginners, entry-level digital SLRs are highly recommended. As soon as you feel confident going pro, then you may need to upgrade your equipment.

 2. Tripods, lenses, filters, external flash, flash diffusers....

The list goes on and on but I think the number of accessories you need depends on the project you are working on. 



Filters

In my case, I take photos using different kinds of filters. Therefore, I buy more filters than needed. This could be overwhelming so watch out or you might end up with empty pockets. I suggest you invest in a polarizing filter. It is great for outdoor photography and if you know how to use it well then there is no need for photo editing softwares.

Tripods

Here is a guide on what features to look for when buying a tripod. 

Lenses

The lens that comes with some camera kits is good and flexible enough. However, there is a variety of lenses available. You just need to understand what those lenses could do. For example, prime or fast lenses are great for portraiture and indoor shooting. You would surely get sharp images with enhanced depth of field with these lenses. If you are into landscape photography just like me then go for wide-angle lenses. If you want to get a close-up shot of your subject but does not want to be noticed then get a zoom lens. Branded lenses such as Nikon and Canon may be too expensive so as alternatives you could go for third-party lenses like Tokina, Sigma, etc. 

External Flash


This part could be bloody so I will leave it up to you to study an article I found online. 


Flash Diffusers

Flash diffusers simply soften the harsh light coming from the camera flash. I often use a pop-up flash diffuser for my DSLR.



As a rule, always look for options when you go shopping for photographic accessories and be resourceful. The web is rich in information about everything you need to know so make use of it. Enjoy shooting!

Infrared Photography (Sample Shoot)

My first take on infrared (IR) photography was a disaster and so I took a handful of sample shots again this morning using the same subject. To start with, you must need an IR filter for this particular shoot. You must take note, however, that IR filters may not work well with other cameras especially modern digital SLRs. Higher megapixels make your camera less sensitive to IR light. I suggest you check first whether your camera is up for this adventure. You could find some articles about this online.

Let's get started!

• Set your camera to its lowest ISO setting;
• Mount your camera on a tripod, very important tool you must use in IR photography since you will be using slow shutter speeds here;
• Attach the IR filter on your lens. I know, you cannot see a thing but do not fret. Remove the filter and compose your subject. Try adjusting your aperture to reduce depth of field;
• Now, try taking a photo and then check it to see what needs to be adjusted. 
• You could try different shutter speeds to determine if your shot is under or overexposed;
• If you are not satisfied with the results, it's alright. It will really take you and I some time to fully understand the idea of composing and capturing with IR photography. Take your time and keep on shooting.

Here are some sample shots. Very basic and obviously needs improvement. :)

 ISO 200      38 mm      f/5.0     6.0 sec

 Edited version. Colors modified.

Sample Photos

Just recently got the filters I ordered. This is the first step to completing my new project. Check allaboutfilters.wordpress.com for details. 

Photos were taken using a combination of circular close-up +10 and polarizing filters. One thing I discovered during this shoot was that photo tweaking is useless when you know how to use photographic filters. Practice is a must. It is vital that most digital photographers must not purely rely on Photoshop. Life has been easier with the birth of technology but this is not a reason for us to be dependent on what it could do to make things bearable. It is a challenge but a fun one. That is for sure. This practice shoot is something you could start doing at home. If you want to add new photos in your portfolio, set a date and choose a good location. A good location will definitely make your photos stand out.

Taken with a close-up + 10 filter.

(Enhanced depth of field. Manual focusing used for these photos.)

Taken with a close-up + 10 filter and a polarizing filter. (RAW file)

Cokin Filters: Working in Pairs

Too much excitement has led me to finish my supposed to be weekend demo shoot earlier than expected. I must admit that this experience has brought me so much joy and I could just sense that I'm back to my old self. Previously, I posted a demo shoot I did using Cokin filters. This time I did the same demo shoot but I paired different color filters hoping for cooler images. It was fun and I stayed up late just to upload them all in my computer and finish the collages.

(Stand by for more photos.)

If you can't go natural, go Cokin

Time to post something photography-related. Been struggling to translate my thoughts into words so I decided to continue a delayed project. A friend of mine suggested that I do a sample shoot using my Cokin filters. I instantly thought it was a good idea and so a week after here I am uploading some of my sample shots. All photos were unedited for you to see the real colors rendered by the filters. I also used different focal length, aperture and shutter settings with some of the photos. Exposure may vary depending on your desired effect. While doing this project, I tried to increase my shutter settings one to two stops higher to achieve different effects on the photos and I just liked the overexposed ones. Whether they were overexposed, they just stood out. Who cares anyways?




So if you have color filters at home, I suggest you give your camera a go and have fun! (Note: Click photo to enlarge.)