Spend Valentine’s day with a photographic partner and capture some sweet photos doing something fun!

Valentine’s day is a day of love and spending time with our romantic partners and now more than ever we know that this takes many shapes and forms. While some are out having fancy meals in restaurants, others go for romantic hikes together, or others still may prefer to stay at home and celebrate with a takeaway or a film on TV.

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For those of us who love photography though, we know that behind a camera is where we’d really like to be. So why not take the opportunity this Valentine’s day, to partner up with your other half, or even spend time with a close friend, and take some new and unique shots in celebration of the day?

Capture a Loving Selfie With Your Partner

Valentine’s day, traditionally, is about spending romantic time with your partner and celebrating your love for one another. Selfies on a phone are a good way to capture some snaps of the day and may work as a lock screen for your smartphone, but getting a high-quality photo worthy of a print on the wall is on another level. That’s why it’s important to use a dedicated camera like a DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Shooting a self-portrait is as simple as setting the self-timer on the camera, as we’ve done for decades, but as we all know too well, capturing a dynamic expression such as jumping for joy or throwing confetti in celebration is hard to do exactly on time. Fortunately, though, the MIOPS Smart+ trigger has a laser trigger feature that fires the camera when it detects a break in the laser. That means, as long as you’ve set up the threshold correctly when you go to do that jump or throw that confetti, the Smart+ will automatically trigger the camera to get the perfect shot. And don’t worry about missing the precise moment either, the Smart+ laser trigger mode has a built-in delay option up to 999ms and can trigger a sequence of up to 999 photos.

Get a Group Shot With Friends

Not all of us have a partner to share Valentine’s day with, and even if we do, we may feel it’s better to spend time with friends and have a day of togetherness. Whatever the reason, you can still celebrate the day with a bunch of friends, so why not set up the camera to get a gorgeous group photo?

Sure, you could set up a self-timer again to capture the group much as you did with the partner selfie, but this runs the risk of some individuals not being ready, looking off into the distance instead of at the camera, or some blinking and ruining the shot. Instead, set the MIOPS Smart+ to sound trigger mode. On the device, itself (or on the MIOPS smartphone app) set the threshold so that a loud signal will break through and trigger the camera to fire. Here we’re giving the example of shouting “cheese!”. 

Set up the camera on the tripod and balance the camera settings to get a good exposure. Then get everyone in the group shot lined up ready for the photo and compose as desired. Next, head over and join the group and practice counting down like so: “3, 2, 1, CHEESE!” Keep the numbers quiet so the Smart+ isn’t triggered, but shout the “cheese” so the camera takes the photo as it passes the sound trigger threshold. You may want to try a few times to get this right, but it should be a much more foolproof way of getting that perfect group shot. Alternatively, this can also be used in conjunction with any transient sound such as a balloon popping, party popper opening, a whistle, a dog bark, and more.

Take Your Time to Capture That Perfect Moment

Valentine’s day is a romantic holiday and often the basis for many romantic gestures, such as a new announcement, perhaps the giving of a special gift, or even a proposal for engagement. Whatever the moment, you may want to capture it for the memory book or to share with friends and family on social media.

Let’s take the example of a proposal. You’ve just spent a good chunk of change on the ring itself and can’t afford to hire a photographer to hide in the bushes to capture the moment as well. That’s where the MIOPS Smart+ comes in. Set up the camera beforehand and dial in a timelapse via the Smart+. Have the camera trigger once every second or so and let it run. Then, when you’re ready, get in position and make your proposal. The camera will automatically capture the moment thanks to the Smart+ and you’ll have plenty of photos to keep for the photo album.

A timelapse is also a great addition to an event such as a party, or even renovating a house bought together. First of all, set up the camera in the corner of the most commonly used room where most of the action will be taking place. That means the living room or kitchen, if having a party, as people will flow in and out of the rooms as they head for food or drinks and dance to music. Use a wide-angle lens to give the biggest field of view possible so that everything in the room is captured during the timelapse.

Secure the tripod well to make sure nobody bumps or knocks it over if placed on the floor. Then set up the Smart+ by either heading to the timelapse mode on the device or in the app. Set the desired interval in seconds, we recommend one photo every three seconds to give the resulting timelapse sufficient energy when played back, this means subjects will be moving much faster than normal. Take note that the MIOPS app provides much more fine-tuning for these settings, enabling you to refine the interval (time taken between each shot) down to the millisecond.

Next, set the desired exposure from between 1 - 59:99 minutes, this will tell the device how long to expose the photograph for, and again a more accurate setting can be made with the MIOPS app allowing refinement down to the millisecond. Note that the interval timer must be longer than the exposure length, that’s because the interval defines the time between the start of the two consecutive exposures, not the time between the end of one exposure and the start of the next one.

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Frames can be set from one to unlimited and this defines how many photographs will be taken consecutively. It’s important to be aware of frame rates here, as this impacts the timelapse’s length and speed. Typically, a film in the cinema will display at 24fps (frames per second) so 24 consecutive shots would make one second of film in this case. 

However, US TV is broadcast at 30fps and UK TV at 25fps with lots of online video now reaching 60fps for a smooth-looking style. Before setting the frames run a quick equation to figure out how long you want the resulting timelapse to be, and multiply it by however many frames per second you want it to output to. For example, if you want the timelapse to run at 30fps and last for one minute then 30 (frames) x 60 (seconds) = 1800, so we’ll need to input 1800 frames in the Smart+ device or app. Note that the device has an upper limit of 10,000.

Photography Inspiration

Making a decision is hard at the best of times, but when it comes to deciding what to shoot it can be an uphill struggle. That’s why we’ve put together a short list of inspiring ideas for you to draw from.

• Share a hug in front of the setting sun to become a loving silhouette
• Use party poppers and novelty sunglasses to create a dynamic portrait filled with action and poise
• Do a cake smash - similar to how baby photographers capture kids smashing into their cake and making a mess, do a grown-up cake smash, or opt for whatever food you prefer
• Set up a loving portrait with the family pet
• Play dress up and hire out (or better yet, make) costumes as you might at halloween or for cosplay
• Photograph your favorite food and add some dynamic movement. For example, bake a cake and sprinkle icing sugar on top while shooting. The great part is, you can eat the cake afterwards, too.
• Take some drinks photos - a bottle of bubbly, some fresh fruit, and maybe some ice look cosy set against sparkling fairy lights
• Set up your own boudoir shoot. Thanks to digital cameras we can now take our own more intimate photos at home without the need for film to be developed. Use some candle light and beautiful clothing or soft linen to make some tasteful boudoir shots

Blog Credit: Jason Parnell-Brookes

Jason Parnell-Brookes is an Internationally award-winning photographer, educator and writer. He won Gold in the Nikon Photo Contest 2018/19 and was named Digital Photographer of the Year in 2014. Jason is a qualified teacher, Masters graduate and works with many high profile international clients. Further information can be found in his website www.jasonpb.com.

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[faq q1="what are the photography ideas for valentine's day?" a1="Spend Valentine’s day with a photographic partner and capture some sweet photos doing something fun" q2="how to capture perfect moment on valentine's day?" a2="Valentine’s day is a romantic holiday and often the basis for many romantic gestures, such as a new announcement, perhaps the giving of a special gift, or even a proposal for engagement." q3="how to do timelapse with a smart camera trigger?" a3="Use a wide-angle lens to give the biggest field of view possible so that everything in the room is captured during the timelapse."]

Aesthetic photography is any photograph that’s visually appealing, but you might want to seek some help from an external device like the MIOPS Smart+ camera trigger for the most complicated captures.

Aesthetic photography, while quite a loose term, encapsulates any photograph that is deemed visually pleasing. Generally, that includes photographic genres such as landscapes, portraiture, and wildlife, but also extends two moods and styles within images. For example, a vivid sunset, or an abstract coastal scene.

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But capturing photographs that are aesthetically pleasing aren’t always easy, especially if the subject you’re trying to shoot is either rare, or occurs for only a fraction of a second such as lightning. That’s where specialist equipment provides a wider set of opportunities for image capture, as is the case with the MIOPS Smart+ camera trigger.

Used either as a standalone plug and play device, or combined with the MIOPS app on a smartphone or tablet, it showcases a whole host of features that allow photographers to take images previously either impossible or incredibly difficult to achieve.

Weighing just 85g and able to fit in the palm of one’s hand, it triggers a camera to take a shot at a specific time to capture either fleeting moments or a series of moments to produce timelapses. It can be used to shoot lightning strikes which trigger with light, water balloon bursts using sound, movement using its in-built laser sensor, and can even trigger flash or as a remote camera release via a smartphone. The MIOPS Smart+ can also be used to capture HDR images for more detailed images in contrasted lighting conditions, and can be used as a bulb ramp to capture time lapses that move between day and night time by adjusting exposure as it triggers.

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So below we’ll take a look at some of the most appealing aesthetic photography, and see how by using the MIOPS Smart+ camera trigger, you can make the most out of your camera to capture images you never thought possible.

Lightning

An absolutely beautiful natural event, lightning storms can make for stunning photography. They say lightning never strikes twice in the same spot, and while that adage may not be quite true, some truth does ring out in terms of the difficulty in capturing lightning strikes. After tracking the weather forecast and carefully positioning the camera so that it’s facing towards a storm, the real problem comes in trying to capture an image of lightning.

One method is to keep the camera lens at a fairly wide focal length in order to maximize the likelihood that a strike will appear in the frame, somewhere between 24-50mm depending on the composition. Then to set either an interval timer going so that the camera triggers every few seconds, or a long exposure in the hopes that a strike will appear during that exposure. However, there’s a simpler way.

Using the MIOPS Smart+ attached to the hot shoe of your camera simply set the device to Lightning mode and it will automatically detect changes in brightness in front. The sensitivity threshold can be altered either within the device itself using the on-board screen, or using the MIOPS app. This can help reduce false positives where the camera triggers without a lightning strike. Pre-focus can also be used to reduce shutter lag and release the camera’s shutter quickly.

Capture lightning strikes automatically using the Smart+ camera trigger so you don’t have to worry about getting the timing right.

The Holy Grail of Timelapses

Many modern DSLR and mirrorless cameras now have in-built timelapse features which take photos at preset intervals for set durations to produce a sped-up video showing subjects that move slowly appearing to move quickly, for example clouds scudding across the sky, or a rush of pedestrians moving over a crossing.

However, these in-built features still struggle to master changes in light conditions. For example, taking a timelapse moving from day to night (or vise versa) is nearly impossible since the exposure settings can’t be changed once the timelapse feature is running. Fortunately though, the Smart+ has a feature which allows for bulb ramping timelapses which automatically changes the exposure of the scene by controlling the shutter speed. Set the camera to bulb mode and engage the bulb ramping timelapse feature on the MIOPS Smart+ device and, after tweaking a few of the settings, you can capture the holy grail of timelapses - moving between day and night, and the wonderful golden hour that separates these times. 

Taking timelapses that fade between day and night are notoriously difficult due to exposure issues, but the Smart+ makes short work of this problem by automatically ramping the camera to maintain correct exposure.

Concert or Gig Photography

There’s nothing more exciting than having the pumping bass vibrate through your chest and stage lighting beaming through dry ice while you capture a band performing live. It’s a real spectacle and evokes real emotion from both musicians and those in the crowd. Full of vibrant colors, textures, and expressions, concert or gig photography is some of the most dynamic sort of photography one can hope for. But occasionally, it can be tricky to get the best composition when shooting. Whether it’s limited access to the stage due to strict management, or physically not being able to reach where you need to be because of speaker or crowd placement. That’s why occasionally it helps to be able to trigger your camera wirelessly.

The Smart+ has multiple functions for camera control, but its most basic operation is to act as a remote shutter release for the camera. By synchronizing with a smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth and the MIOPS app photographers can trigger the camera at any time wirelessly, meaning they can stand in the wings, or down with the crowd to get compositions otherwise impossible. Simply place the camera on a tripod (or mini tripod on the floor) and get the composition and focusing set before disappearing off and waiting for the band to strike the right poses before effortlessly rattling off one or multiple photos.

Setting up the camera remotely, one can trigger wirelessly using the MIOPS app on smart devices.

Bursting Balloons

Something that photography is particularly good at is capturing a moment in time otherwise imperceptible to the naked eye. A bursting balloon is a good example of that as the whole thing explodes and disappears within thousandths of a second. Even if our brains could capture visual data that quickly, the loud, sudden noise produces an involuntary reaction to close our eyes, thereby missing the perfect moment to snap a shot.

Using the Smart+ trigger though, it can detect the loud burst of sound and automatically trigger a camera so that the magical moment is captured digitally. It takes all the hassle out of attempting to time the shutter release right because it’s literally triggered by the event taking place, meaning you’ll never miss the shot again. Volume sensitivity can be changed either on the device or in the app, so that only loud bursts will trigger the device. Occasionally, you’ll need to add a delay if you want to capture a different shape as the balloon bursts, which the device also allows. It even includes mode options for shooting either single frames or a continuous burst of frames one after the other.

A bursting balloon gives only a fraction of a second for image capture before it’s an almighty mess, fortunately the high speed trigger of the Smart+ can take the shot at just the right moment.

Creating High Dynamic Range Images

Some scenes have such brilliant highlights and dark shadows that cameras can’t capture the entire range of exposure in one go. That’s because, unlike our eyes which are constantly making metering adjustments with our brains processing the image further as we see, the camera has a fixed dynamic range, usually around 10-14 stops. That makes it tricky to get all the detail in contrasted scenes which otherwise look good. Fortunately, through the use of High Dynamic Range photography, (HDR) we can take a series of photos at different exposure settings to record both shadow, mid-tone, and highlight detail accurately without distortion - this is called bracketing. Then we can use image editing software to composite the images together, giving the impression it was captured in one shot.

This camera control can be technically complex though, and some photographers may prefer to rely on a device that sets up HDR for them, such as the Smart+. Choose the center exposure setting using the device or app, then stipulate exposure value increments from 1/3 all the way up to 2 stops to decide on the width of the dynamic range you wish to capture. Choose how many frames you want to capture from between 3-7 (a higher number will yield a smoother, more natural looking composite) and you’re all set.

HDR images can reveal hidden detail in scenes with extreme contrast and setting this up can take time unless you’re using the Smart+ trigger which sets up the perfect brackets for a good HDR shot.

Blog Credit: Jason Parnell-Brookes

Jason Parnell-Brookes is an Internationally award-winning photographer, educator and writer. He won Gold in the Nikon Photo Contest 2018/19 and was named Digital Photographer of the Year in 2014. Jason is a qualified teacher, Masters graduate and works with many high profile international clients. Further information can be found in his website www.jasonpb.com.

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[faq q1="what is Aesthetic photography?" a1="Aesthetic photography, while quite a loose term, encapsulates any photograph that is deemed visually pleasing." q2="how to create HDR images?" a2="Some scenes have such brilliant highlights and dark shadows that cameras can’t capture the entire range of exposure in one go." q3="what is Concert or Gig Photography?" a3="There’s nothing more exciting than having the pumping bass vibrate through your chest and stage lighting beaming through dry ice while you capture a band performing live."]

Christmas season is upon us, and we all know that this is the time for striking poses with family and friends! This season is for making great memories, and there is no better way to remember dear moments clearly than by capturing great photographs that can last a lifetime. With everyone you love and great decor at your disposal, you will surely find that taking pictures during Christmas is fun and energizing.

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Before we get into some great ideas to amp up your Christmas photos, here are some tried and tested tips that can make your photos pop in the sea of greetings online and offline:

• Take advantage of the lighting around you. Christmas is all about those bright ambient lights, so avoid using your flash. If you take the photo right, the lights will lend some wonderful illumination and appropriate shadows in your pictures. With all the lights around you, it may also be smarter to lower your ISO.
• If you are in a place where a flash is absolutely necessary, bring a flash diffuser to avoid overexposing your subjects. An external flash will also be better for the job because it will give you more flexibility in terms of where you want your light to hit. Try directing the light towards ceilings or walls to reduce its impact n the photo.
• Pack smart. Make sure that your batteries are fully charged, and bring extras for good measure. Have empty memory cards available to you to make sure that you can take as many beautiful shots as possible. A portable tripod will also be useful, especially if you want to be in some of the shots.
• Bring a macro lens to take better photos of decors, small details, or portraiture.

Now that you have these tips to remember, here are some creative ideas to try for your Christmas photography:

1. Go for bokeh.

Christmas lights and decor are great, but we all know that they can be a bit cliche during the holidays. However, these details can be your money shots when you know how to play around with your settings and imagination. Using the bokeh technique can make your photos look better and compelling. Bokeh refers to the colorful orbs created out of the background or foreground lighting and a wide aperture. The latter results in a shallow depth of field and blurring in the background. By using this technique, you will be able to let your subjects shine in photographs, whether they are people or minute details as the party venue.

Related Article: 6 Easy Tips to Create Bokeh in Photography

 2. Highlight relationships.

The Christmas season highlights the importance of family and friends and is also a season of merrymaking among our circles. During this season, you will have a chance to photograph people who are enjoying themselves and their company. Take pictures of brothers and sisters, best friends, or husbands and wives. They will happily oblige and smile before your camera, and you will undoubtedly capture their genuine expressions. This is what makes holiday pictures treasurable--emotional moments that will be cherished for years to come. 

3. Take pictures of well-decorated homes.

People in your neighborhood surely took their time to decorate their homes for the holidays. It may be worthwhile to stroll around your street to take pictures of their homes. While walking around, you may even chance upon carolers who are singing their hearts out. Whip out your camera and take advantage of these moments. Christmas really offers great opportunities to practice your photography skills.

4. Document gift opening.

In addition to merrymaking, this season is also a time of gift-giving and receiving. Get your cameras ready to capture the joyful reactions of your loved ones as they open their gifts.  Do not fret too much about their smiles. You will surely be able to take pictures of their authentic smiles, and maybe even tears of joy. If you have the chance, focus on the children. There may be nothing more precious than a child’s elation from a new toy.

5. Jump into food photography.

Before your family and friends gather around the spread of delectable food, make sure to set some time to capture the food at their best. If possible, you may even be lucky to add human elements to your food photography by taking pictures of the cooking process. Do not forget that the key to this niche is composition and great lighting.

6. Experiment with long exposure.

Christmas lights and great ambient lighting are great for long exposure photography. Bring your MIOPS RemotePlus Camera Trigger or MIOPS Mobile Dongle Kit to instantly turn your smartphone into a cable release for your DSLR camera. With it, you can control your camera’s shutter through a button on your smartphone. Use this to take long exposure shots of your Christmas trees with ease.

 7. Tell a story.

Christmas definitely lends some great stories. Approach the event as if you are a photojournalist who was tasked to tell stories through photographs. Be ready to capture your nieces’ laughter, a cousin’s wacky expressions, or your kid playing with his toys. Christmas is an eventful day. Show people how your food was prepared, how your family welcomed guests, and how they reacted to jokes, stories, or surprise gifts. At the end of the day, your goal is to document the day. Find expressions of love, happiness, and laughter around you. We are sure that there are hundreds of opportunities to capture these moments.

Christmas is a special day that happens only once a year, so keep these ideas in mind before you head for your family’s annual reunion. Among these tips, we would like to emphasize the importance of telling memorable stories through your photographs. Giving your loved ones a means to remember a wonderful holiday season is probably the greatest gift you could give them. Also, remember that the holidays are for merrymaking and enjoyment. While it is important to be creative in taking pictures, it is more important that you enjoy the holidays. Smile behind the camera and enjoy the beautiful Christmas moments around you. 

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[faq q1="what kinds of pictures can be taken in christmas?" a1="This season is for making great memories, and there is no better way to remember dear moments clearly than by capturing great photographs that can last a lifetime." q2="what are the tips for christmas photography?" a2="Take advantage of the lighting around you. Christmas is all about those bright ambient lights, so avoid using your flash." q3="how to do bokeh in christmas photos?" a3="Christmas lights and decor are great, but we all know that they can be a bit cliche during the holidays. However, these details can be your money shots when you know how to play around with your settings and imagination."]

Remote camera triggers are considered "must-have" photography accessories, and they are indeed useful. But there's more to the story than that.

It’s no surprise that these are popular accessories, especially for landscape and nature photographers. And, on the face of it, remote releases – e.g., a way to capture photos without pressing the camera’s own shutter button – seems like a logical idea.

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Opinion about them is quite diverse, not all photographers need a remote release, including a lot of landscape photographers. And other photographers may need one even if they’ve never considered such an accessory before.

Remote shutter release

A remote shutter release is an easy and inexpensive way to immediately improve the quality of our images. Additionally, the remote shutter release allows for more compositional freedom.

A remote shutter is something you may have heard repeatedly that you need to purchase, especially if you’re into landscape photography. One of the main uses of a remote shutter is to minimize the vibration when taking an image to get a sharper result.

Benefits of a remote shutter release

• Pressing the shutter button on a remote does not move or shake your camera, while the same cannot be said of the camera’s own shutter button.

• Remote releases let you shoot ultra-long “bulb” exposures with practically no upper limit on shutter speed.

• Some remote releases – wireless ones – allow you to stand farther away from your camera while taking a picture.

• Some remote releases have additional options like intervalometer, lightning trigger, remote control of camera settings, and so on.

On-camera delayed shutter

Most digital cameras have a delayed shutter function. In fact, even smartphones have it. A delayed shutter is, in simple words, a function that tells the camera to wait a few seconds after you push the shutter before it takes the picture. This allows you to either run in front of the camera and take a selfie or reduce the amount of vibration.

This function is especially useful when you’re using a slow shutter speed and have your camera mounted on a tripod. If you use a shutter speed of 0.5 seconds and press the shutter, you’ll see that the image will come out less sharp than if you use a delayed shutter.

Cons of the delayed shutter

• It’s not flexible.

• If you’re photographing something with motion, it’s hard to time the shutter release perfectly and you might miss the shot.

• In some cameras, the function is found deep in the menu.

If you are into landscape photography, a remote shutter is recommended. On many occasions, it won´t be possible to wait the extra two or three seconds before the image is taken, as the moment is gone by then. Capturing the image at the exact moment you will want, will be possible through a remote shutter, such as MIOPS Smart+ or Remote Plus.

By removing the need for you to physically press and hold—in the cases of long exposures—the shutter button on your camera, you eliminate the possibility of your wavering hands from causing unwanted vibrations during the shot.

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Related Article: Suggested Camera Settings for Landscape Photography

About The Author Manuel Delgado:

Manuel Delgado is an award-winning photographer with a specialization in travel and documentary photography. He writes for Contrastly and is a Mentor for NGO Photographers Alliance, having led workshops in Africa with a focus on ethical and humanitarian photography. His work has been exhibited in Europe and the Americas.

Driven by an innate curiosity for his surroundings, Manuel´s process is mainly focused on capturing people in their natural environment; translating through his lens the subtle threads of daily life that are shared across cultures, borders, and races. Depicting people from diverse backgrounds, his work is united by a shared aesthetic that serves to tell each individual’s story. Manuel is currently living in Düsseldorf, Germany. 

Manuel Delgado Instagram Profile

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[faq q1="what is Remote shutter release in photography?" a1="A remote shutter release is an easy and inexpensive way to immediately improve the quality of our images." q2="what are the Benefits of a remote shutter release?" a2="Pressing the shutter button on a remote does not move or shake your camera, while the same cannot be said of the camera’s own shutter button." q3="what is the must-have accessory for landscape photography?" a3="Remote camera triggers are considered "must-have" photography accessories, and they are indeed useful. But there's more to the story than that."]

How fast are you?

You know how to compose, use the light, and operate your camera.  You’re handy with a flash.  You consider yourself a pretty good photographer.  But how fast are you?  When the difference between getting and missing the shot is measured in milliseconds, are your reflexes and trigger finger up to the task?

High-speed photography is capturing the moments that happen in a fraction of time which you can’t see with the naked eye, like a bursting balloon or a splash of water.

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Recommended camera and lens

Of course, you need a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, if you have any other camera that has manual controls, it will also work fine. Next is the lens and just like the camera, any could work. For instance, you can use a 100mm macro lens for close-up shots like liquid sculptures and a 24-70mm zoom for balloon shots. The only lens requirement is that the focal length should be long enough so that you have sufficient distance between your camera and the subject, to keep your gear safe from colors and water splashes.

Lighting

Next, you need flashes, it could be one for simple shots or you can add multiple for a more complex composition. The next requirement is a tripod because you need to do lots of work simultaneously, so it’s better that the camera is fixed on the tripod. You also need a shutter release cable or remote to release the shutter. For instance, the MIOPS Smart Trigger has multiple modes for sound, laser, lightning triggering as well as Time Lapse and HDR modes.

Triggering the camera

When you're ready to start shooting even faster-moving objects or find that the “fast hands and timing luck method” isn't sufficient to capture your moving object, you may want to look into a shutter trigger.  Some of these use sound to trigger the shutter and flash, others may use laser beams so that when the beam is broken by the moving object, the shutter and flash are triggered. 

Using MIOPS Smart Trigger

Sound and Laser modes are a great alternative for getting those high-speed photography shots that portrait and product photographers dream about.

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Laser Mode

The MIOPS Smart+ has a photocell on the front panel, which is utilized for a number of things, including the laser triggering function. The available parameters are straightforward and are pretty much self-explanatory. Once your preferences are set, a press of the start key and you’re good to go. There are three parameters available:

• Threshold – This is the sensitivity to the laser. If set too high, it can cause false triggering. Too low a setting can cause failure to trigger.

• Delay – Allows you to delay the shutter release after the initial trigger event. Delays are specified in milliseconds (0-999)

• Frames – How many images you want to be taken once the laser has been interrupted.

Sound Mode

The sound function allows triggering of either the flash or the camera, or both. Sometimes it is needed to add a delay to the shutter and it all depends about the camera settings, lighting conditions, and external flashes. Simply point the Smart+ at the sound source and adjust the parameters, which are available in three options:

• Sensitivity – This is the sensitivity to the sound. Setting too high can cause false triggering. Too low can cause failure to trigger. Having the trigger further away from the source introduces a delay (3 milliseconds per meter) and will need to be compensated for with higher sensitivity.

• Delay – Allows you to delay the shutter release or flash after the initial trigger event. Delays are specified in milliseconds (0-999)

• Lock – If set, the MIOPS will trigger once. Particularly useful if using the dark environment and firing the flash mentioned above. In this case, multiple firing can ruin a high-speed image.

For shooting with the sound mode, a good example is to set your camera to about 1.3 to 1″ second shutter. Set the MIOPS to sensitivity 90, delay 10ms, then set it to Lock “On” so it only triggers once as any kind of sound can trigger your flash. After pressing start on the MIOPS Mobile App, press your shutter and try hitting an object, such as a plastic bottle of water as a test subject.

Once you isolate the sound correctly and find your best camera settings, then it will be time to put the real object that you would want to crash to set the sound trigger. Again, it could be crashing a bottle. Remember that the MIOPS Smart Trigger is not water-resistant, so be careful and avoid getting it wet. You need to shoot in a dark area or turn off all the ambient light because the slow shutter of your camera might expose for the ambient light.

Related Article: How to Use MIOPS Smart+ Laser Mode

About The Author Manuel Delgado:

Manuel Delgado is an award-winning photographer with a specialization in travel and documentary photography. He writes for Contrastly and is a Mentor for NGO Photographers Alliance, having led workshops in Africa with a focus on ethical and humanitarian photography. His work has been exhibited in Europe and the Americas.

Driven by an innate curiosity for his surroundings, Manuel´s process is mainly focused on capturing people in their natural environment; translating through his lens the subtle threads of daily life that are shared across cultures, borders, and races. Depicting people from diverse backgrounds, his work is united by a shared aesthetic that serves to tell each individual’s story. Manuel is currently living in Düsseldorf, Germany. 

Manuel Delgado Instagram Profile

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[faq q1="how to use Sound Mode in camera trigger?" a1="The sound function allows triggering of either the flash or the camera, or both." q2="how to use laser Mode in camera trigger?" a2="The MIOPS Smart+ has a photocell on the front panel, which is utilized for a number of things, including the laser triggering function." q3="what are the Recommended camera and lens for high-speed photographs?" a3="Of course, you need a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, if you have any other camera that has manual controls, it will also work fine."]

The Sony a7II is technically not a newcomer in the photography world. When it was launched in 2014, it made waves because of its unique 5-axis sensor stabilization. The feature was heavily advertised to appeal to professional photographers who wished to maximize their camera’s potential while also ensuring that they can capture clean shots without blurs. Because of this neat feature and a relatively lower price tag than Sony’s higher-end models, the camera became a smart choice for photographers who wanted a bang for their buck. 

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If you’re an owner of the Sony a7II and the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger, we created this article to help you fully optimize your experience with the camera and a smart accessory. With a great camera on hand, combined with a sought after camera trigger, you can do so much more. Think of the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger as an investment for your creative endeavors. This accessory opens up more creative opportunities for you as a photographer, whether you are a hobbyist or a professional.

To practice the following tips, you will be needing the Sony a7II, the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger, and a tripod at the minimum. Some of these tips may require you to have some DIY materials on hand, so be ready to be crafty! Here are some tips for using our best camera trigger with your Sony a7II:

1. Use the MIOPS Smart+ as a shutter release cable.

Before getting into the more innovative uses of the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger, let us get into the most basic use of all--use it as a remote release cable. The device can release your Sony a7II’s shutter in four different ways with the accompanying smartphone application. It has four modes: cable release, press and hold, press and lock, and timed release. As long as you have this device in your camera bag, you would not be needing an extra cable release.

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While this may be the easiest use of the camera trigger with your Sony a7II camera, it is also very useful. As an example, the press and hold mode can help you take continuous shots without having to press on your camera’s shutter button. This can remove potential shakes, and will also help you capture continuous movements of any subject-- whether you are taking pictures of kids running around or birds flying in your lawn.

Related Article: Things You Need to Know About Remote Shutter Releases

2. Take timelapse videos.

While the Sony a7II comes with an intervalometer, it can be difficult and confusing to set up. Here is where the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger also comes in handy. Its Timelapse Mode is flawless and easy to configure. You can use this mode to shoot a preconfigured number of photos that are evenly spaced from each other.

The timelapse mode can also be used with Sony a7II’s bulb mode to plan the length of exposure on the trigger. This helps you set exposures that are longer than your camera’s ability, which is capped at 30 seconds.

Related Article: How to Make Time-Lapse Videos?

3. Use the laser mode for high-speed movements.

While exploring the smart trigger’s mode, you may find it beneficial to try its laser mode. This mode instantly turns your Sony a7II into a high-speed capture device. It allows you to capture ultrafast movements that your camera cannot detect on its own.

The laser mode does require some planning and setting up. You will be needing a laser pen (any kind will do), which will be detected by the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger. When the beam is broken by any movement, the camera will instantly take a photo of your subject. This feature can be very useful, especially if you want to foray into water photography or action photography.

Related Article: How to Capture a High-Speed Photograph?

4. Capture lightning in a single photograph.

While the Sony a7II has amazing specs that can capture any subject, it will take a lot of guesswork to capture the sudden approach of lightning to the ground. Your MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger can help with this, thanks to its lightning sensors that can detect sudden changes in lighting. This feature is very useful for lightning photographers because it can take out the danger factor of shooting lightning strikes from their minds. This is because they can set up their camera in the best location and watch it capture the lightning strikes for them from a safe distance in their cars, or in the shade.

The trigger’s lightning mode is also very easy to set up and can be configured in terms of sensitivity. A general tip is to heighten its sensitivity if you’re shooting during the day since the changes in brightness can be subtle in the morning and afternoon. All you have to do is be aware of the storm seasons in your area, set up your Sony a7II, tripod, and the  MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger.

Related Article: How to Take Lightning Photos

5. Take advantage of the trigger’s sound mode.

Much like the lightning mode, the sound mode of MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger detects changes in volume in its environment. When a sound event happens, the trigger automatically fires the shutter to capture the critical moment. You can use this mode for shooting high-speed action shots with your Sony a7II. A fun way to experiment with this mode is to use bursting balloons with a DIY setup.  Add some variation into this by using great combinations of paint colors inside the balloons.

Related Article: How to Take Popping Balloon Photographs 

6. Experiment with the trigger’s scenario mode.

Explained in a nutshell, the scenario mode allows you to take advantage of the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger’s sensors according to your needs. You can use a combination of modes to follow a custom script that you can make in your smartphone device. You can use this during eventful moments like New Year’s Eve. An example is by creating a script that will capture a timelapse video of the day’s events, and shoot individual photos of the New Year’s firework show in your area simultaneously.

Related Article: How to Take Firework Shots

Related Article: High Speed Photography Explore Site

Your Sony a7II is a sound investment to jumpstart your career in photography. Its features, combined with the great offerings of the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger, can definitely help you with building your portfolio. It adds the much-needed variety in your collection, while also opening even more opportunities in your photography journey. Try out these tips and see what works for you!

Related Article: Why Having a DSLR is Not Enough to be a Good Photographer?

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The tech world has afforded photographers many conveniences in the last decade. We have seen innovations like the mirrorless camera, editing software, and modern camera accessories-- all of which contribute to helping you become a more efficient and productive photographer. If you ever plan to invest in any gear that was produced in the last decade, the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger is a great option. This versatile trigger can turn any camera into high-speed capture devices, with modes like lightning, HDR, and laser among others.

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The device is very useful for instances that you want to shoot fast-moving objects. The use of a remote trigger can lend some help with keeping your camera steady, minus the movement you cause when pressing the shutter button. With a high-speed trigger like Smart+, you will find that you can easily take clear photos of close to impossible images, like exploding balloons, water drops, and movement of people or animals.

In this article, we’ll dive into the Smart+ Camera Trigger’s laser mode and the many creative applications that you can try to capture stunning laser trigger photography. However, let’s get the basics out of the way before getting to the fun part, shall we?

How to Use the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger

Using this device’s laser mode is very straightforward. All you will be needing are your camera, an external laser pointer, and the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger. Here’s how you set it up: 

• Download the MIOPS app on the Apple App or Google Play stores. The app was developed by the brand so that you can easily interact with your MIOPS devices through your smartphone.
• Turn on your Bluetooth and make sure that your phone is paired with your MIOPS Smart+. On the app, switch to Laser Mode.
• Make sure that you have set up the background in your studio, or found a stable spot if you are shooting outdoors. Your subjects should also be ready at this point.
• Attach the Smart+ Camera Trigger to your camera. The device comes with the appropriate cables, including cables that link to your camera and flash unit. It can connect to most cameras from the majority of camera brands.
• Set up your external laser. You can use a regular laser pen or pointer. Just make sure that it can provide a consistent laser beam to your trigger’s optical receiver. It may be best to set it up on a tripod and point its light to your subject
• Once you’ve set up your laser and trigger correctly, you will see a message on your screen that says, “Laser trap ready.”
• The laser mode will automatically fire your camera’s lens when an object breaks the beam’s line.

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Tips and Tricks for Laser Trigger Photography

Now that we have successfully laid down the groundwork, it’s time for some creative applications of the laser mode. In this section, you will be using tons of creativity and imagination. Here are some fun things you can do with with the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger’s laser mode:

1. Creative food photography

You’ve seen product photos of beverages or sauces flying in the air. While this can be done manually without a camera trigger, it can take so much time to get a usable shot. Through the manual way of capturing this, you will set up your DSLR on burst mode, drop food into bowls of sauces, and hope for the best.

With a laser trigger, all you have to do is set up everything, take some trial shots, and successfully get your desired shots in a matter of minutes. All it takes is breaking the laser beam.

Related Article: 10 Tips for Food Photography

2. Splash photography

Waterdrop and splash photography is possibly one of the trendiest photography niches there is, but it is also one of the hardest. Getting to a beautiful final shot can take hours upon hours of work. Just imagine having to adjust your camera’s shutter speed and manually dropping or splashing water around repeatedly. Thankfully, your camera’s laser trigger can dramatically help with cutting down the time you need to reach your desired results.

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If you also want to take your splash photography to the next level, you can also invest in the MIOPS Splash Water Drop Kit. It is a smartphone supported device that will give you control over water drop sizes and timing. With this and the MIOPS Smart+ in your photography arsenal, you will be able to take splash photography with precision.

Related Article: Water Splash Photography using Laser Trigger Mode

3. Wildlife Photography

With a laser trigger available, you will finally be able to capture quick animals in photos. All you need to do now is go to their natural environments, set up your cameras and trigger, and wait for them to come into view. For this purpose, it may be best to set up MIOPS Smart+ to capture multiple frames every time the laser is broken. This will give you multiple options during post-processing.

Related Article: How to Take Bird Photos with Laser Trigger

4. Action Photography

Your MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger will be super useful during sporting events. Using the laser mode, you will be able to take photos of high-speed actions from athletes, like a mid-air skateboarder, or a basketball player dunking on the ring. The key here is anticipating movement, so you could point your laser in the direction that it will happen.

Using the same principle, you can use the laser mode for studio shots that will require lots of movement from your models. Just like the other applications, you can simply set up the devices and leave the rest to MIOPS’s technology.

The beauty in laser mode photography is that you can pretty much leave the triggers to detect and capture high-speed movements, leaving you more time to focus on the more creative facets of photography. Remember that any accessory, whether it is the Smart+ Camera Trigger or another attachment to your camera, is just a tool. While the tech world has advanced so greatly in the last years, it still hasn’t figured out how to emulate a photographer’s expert eye for detail and taste for beauty. Your photographs will still rely on you for composition, lighting, and your understanding of what makes a photo compelling.

Related Article: 7 Important Features You Should Look for in a Camera Trigger

Related Article: High Speed Photography Explore Site

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The Milky Way is arguably among the most beautiful subjects to capture in photography. It's images remind us of how big the universe really is and how small in scale we really are compared to everything in it. The final pictures of the Milky Way are always amazing, being quite literally out of this world. No wonder it is one of the most popular subjects right now in photography.

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In places that are not spoiled by the ambient glow of artificial light, you can simply look up and see the moon and the stars in all their glory. If you have access to areas like this in your city or state, you are very lucky because you can easily capture the thick stretch of glowing light in the sky. In reality, what we typically see in pictures isn’t really the Milky Way per se. In fact, it is quite impossible to capture it's entirety, simply because we are in it. The famous white belt of stars we see is only a small portion of the galaxy’s plane-- it’s the overwhelming light of billions of stars blending with dust and gas clouds. A small portion of the galaxy we belong to, but amazingly beautiful nonetheless. 

If Milky Way photography is something you would like to learn, you would be happy to know that it's process is quite straightforward, especially with a handy camera trigger for extra stability. Before getting into the steps, here’s a handy list of things you will be needing for this niche:

1. A DSLR Camera that has high ISO capabilities
2. A wide-angle lens with a max aperture of f/2.8. If you do not have this, you can use the fastest and widest lens you have. Just remember: a wider lens will help you capture more of the Milky Way.
3. A sturdy tripod
4. A remote shutter like the MIOPS Mobile Remote Trigger, which has a timed-release mode.

With these gears in your pack, the next thing you will be needing is an understanding of your environment. You will have to find an area that’s far away from city lights since they can drastically affect the quality of your Milky Way photos. On top of that, you should also have an understanding of where the galaxy will be most visible. Remember that it is not completely visible to us, so knowing where to find this beauty is very important. Photographers in the Southern Hemisphere are quite lucky in this regard since the Milky Way’s central portions can be seen overhead year-round.

How to Take Great Milky Way Photos

With the basics out of the way, here’s an easy step-by-step instruction of how to capture the Milky Way in photographs.

1. Find the darkest spot you can.

As mentioned earlier, darkness plays a huge part in capturing great photos of the Milky Way. Shooting in cities can be very challenging since the city lights will get in the way of seeing the galaxy’s lights. Hence, find the darkest (and safest) spot you can in your area, and set up camp there. Also take note of which direction to face, since the galaxy is only visible in select locations for some land areas.

Related Article: Night Photography Tips and Tricks for Beginners

2. Set up your tripod.

Your tripod will be playing an important role in this niche, so make sure to use one that is very sturdy and heavy. If you have a light one, you can hang a weight to further reduce shakes for your camera. Just remember that the point is to keep your camera steady to avoid potential blurs in your photos.

Related Article: What is the Minimum Gear Required for Capturing the Milky

3. Set up your camera.

Once your tripod is ready, the next step is to set up your camera. As previously mentioned, you will have to set up your camera to a higher ISO. You can start at ISO 3200, and go higher and lower accordingly. This can produce some noise, but it can definitely be fixed during post-processing. Also, have your wide-angle lens available, and adjust to capture the area you wish to freeze in photographs.

For Milky Way photography, knowing the 500 Rule may also come in handy. This refers to the method of finding out the right shutter speed depending on the focal length of your lens. So, if you have a 35mm lens, your ideal shutter speed is 14 seconds (500/35=14.28). This will help you avoid getting star trails, which are not necessarily good for Milky Way photos. You can set this up through your MIOPS Mobile Remote’s Timed Release feature.

Using the MIOPS Mobile Remote, you will be able to avoid the shaking caused by physically pressing the shutter button on the camera. Doing this can put to waste all the preparation you made with your tripod and camera. Having the Mobile Remote ready will help you avoid this by electronically triggering your camera. It also helps keep your camera’s shutter open for as long as you need, which is useful in a lot of photography niches. 

4. Compose the photograph.

Sure, the Milky Way itself is captivating. However, you can add interest and character to your pictures by including mountains, recognizable buildings, people, or trees. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your composition. It’s a great subject, but it’s your composition that will set your photo apart from every other existing Milky Way photo.

Once you’ve got the basic equipment and knowledge handled, Milky Way photos won’t be as intimidating as it seems. After your first shoot, you will find that you will have to do more work in post-processing. You will have to reduce noise, improve color, and lessen ambient light, which may be a good reason to shoot in RAW to collect more information in photographs. Don’t be disheartened if you see your photos not looking like the pictures you see online, because, really, half the battle is improving your pictures during editing.

With these tips in mind, we hope we have inspired you to get out and capture the awe-inspiring Milky Way! Remember that you do not really need expensive equipment to capture it, but you will definitely be needing lots of planning and preparation to successfully take a great Milky Way photo.

Related Article: How to Take Milky Way Pictures

Related Article: High Speed Photography Explore Site

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Action figure photography, or toy photography, has become one of the most popular niches of photography in the past years. Both amateurs and photographers have embraced it, capturing photos of some of the world’s most beloved characters. It's results are often used as storytelling materials, and sometimes even as product photos for newly launched toys. One of its more popular examples is HotKenobi’s amusing collection of action figure photography on the social photo-sharing site, Instagram. In his series, he takes playful shots of characters from comic book universes to portray his imagined lives of superheroes and anime characters.

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Just browsing the Internet will surely give you an idea of how fun it is to shoot action figures. It sparks your imagination, promotes creativity, and results in great photos for your portfolio if done right. It’s a niche that is very easy to get into, especially if you already have a camera and action figures available to you. To take it a step further, you can use a trustworthy and versatile camera trigger like the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger. Its broad range of modes can help you with composing creative shots, while also making your shooting process a lot smoother.

If you’re wondering how you can maximize the use of your MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger, check out these four great ways you can use it to take action figure photos:

1. Use it as a basic remote camera trigger.

We know that this does not sound like the most exciting use of the camera trigger, but this is really useful. While taking pictures of action figures, your subjects will most likely be steady on a surface. You can probably get away with just your camera, but having a remote camera trigger can never hurt. Just the fact that using it instead of the shutter button on your camera can prevent blurs in your photos is already a plus. It also gives you the ability to step back and see the general scene, instead of just focusing on the small details in your camera’s viewfinder. So, go set it up on your phone, and enjoy triggering your camera through your smartphone from a distance.

2. Add a human element in the photo.

Just adding hands that are interacting with the action figure can make a great difference in your final photos. It gives off a relatable perspective, while also adding character to your images. Photos with human elements are more commonly used for product photography, but you can also experiment with your crazy ideas. A great example would be to stage actual interactions, like fight scenes or high-fives between the human and the action figure. 

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With a person in the frame, you most likely will be adding an element of movement as well. To ensure that your final photos will come out crisp and without shakes, take advantage of the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger’s laser mode. Using this mode is fairly easy. All you have to do is connect the trigger to your camera, and make sure that it is in sync with a laser pointer. You can use any laser pointer that is available to you, and it also does not matter what color it is in.

The camera trigger’s laser mode will prompt the camera to take a picture as soon as something breaks the laser line. You can also use this feature for any frame that will require movement, including drops, lifts, and splashes.

Related Article: Laser Trigger Photography Tips: How to Use MIOPS Laser Mode Trigger

3. Play around with the HDR mode.

If your camera does not have a bracketing feature, your MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger can help you achieve beautiful high dynamic range (HDR) photos of your action figures. This is especially useful when you decide to shoot outdoors during an overcast day. Knowing that lighting is among the most important factors to consider in photography, you should know that excess lumination can cause harsh shadows and glare. By using your smart camera trigger’s HDR mode, you can even the lighting out and achieve better-looking photos that you can work on during post.

The trigger’s HDR mode can help you shoot photos between 1/30 and 30 secs exposure.

Related Article: The Guide To High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography

4. Don’t be afraid to add explosions.

Photographing stiff objects can get boring quickly. What you can do is combine your action figure photography with some knowledge of high-speed photography. With a MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger, it will be possible for you to add effects like explosions and water splashes. 

An easy example is adding exploding colored powder in the background of your photographs. To do this, you can DIY a contraption of a balloon with your desired colored powder. Pop it with a needle or other sharp objects, but make sure that you are not within the frame (unless it is your intention to be in your photographs). To capture the excitement, set up your MIOPS Camera Trigger to Sound mode.

The trigger’s sound mode allows photographers to capture high-speed events like breaking glasses, or popping balloons. As soon as the device detects noise, it will prompt your camera to take pictures. What’s nice about this mode is that you can also customize it according to how many frames you wish to take, and in what time interval it should fire the camera.

There’s a lot of fun techniques that you can explore in action figure photography. With the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger alone, you can already achieve creative shots that can trigger emotion from an audience. However, the device is only a tool, and it can only help in improving your photos. Your greatest asset is still your skills and eye for what makes a beautiful picture. As you master this niche, learn from those who are recognized in this field and have already made careers out of it. Review their work, replicate their technique, and see what works for you. Most importantly, find your own creative voice, and use this niche to express your most creative thoughts. Go, and have fun!

Related Article: How Does a Camera Trigger Help You to Capture Stunning Photos?

Related Article: High Speed Photography Explore Site

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Through the Lens (TTL) Flash Mode is most often brought up in discussions of whether it is better over manual flash or not. While people are divided up between the two flash camps, we argue that it is more reasonable to say that both modes offer advantages and disadvantages, depending on several factors during your shoot. It totally depends on your situation, much like how both the manual and auto modes of your DSLRs are best used in varying scenarios. The best way to say is this: One is not necessarily better than the other.

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To illustrate how TTL is used, it may be best to see it as the counterpart of your digital camera’s auto mode. By using the camera’s metering system and detecting your distance to your subject, the TTL flash will decide just how much illumination you will be needing. This is why some call this mode TTL Flash Metering. Some TTL flashes do this by firing a short burst of light before the actual flash. With the information that your flash gathers, it will automatically choose which power setting to use.

Just like the manual flash, TTL flash mode is still used in any of the following ways:

1. Add light.

Undeniably, the main use of a flash (whether it is a manual or a TTL Flash)  is to add light to dark scenes. It is, after all, an artificial light source that could easily brighten up any poorly-lit scenario. This is especially true for people who are into night photography, and those who need more control over lighting direction and treatment.

2. Direct light.

Flashes are not just used to add light to your photos. They are also used to direct light to your subjects. Natural light is good, but it gives too little control. With a flash on hand, you will have better control of where to direct light. Used with a nice diffuser and a surface to bounce light on, your flash can help you achieve soft illumination on your subjects. 

3. Create contrast.

In any photo, contrast is what gives off the three-dimensional look. It is very important because it is what separates your subject from other objects in your composition. By using a flash, you will be able to put a spotlight on your subjects, while also creating depth and dimension in the photo.

4. Control the quality of light.

Combine your understanding of lighting in photography with the use of a reliable flash, and you will be able to manipulate the kind of lighting that it can produce. Depending on your application, you can use it for creative photography to freeze objects, or simply to provide a catch light in your subject’s eyes.

Related Article: Importance of Flashes in High-Speed Photography

Using the TTL Flash Mode

Like previously mentioned, both the TTL and manual flash modes have advantages and disadvantages depending on a set of factors. With the basics out of the way, let’s get into when it should be used:

1. When you do not have much time to set up your flash

Sometimes, you will be confronted with scenarios that will require you to act fast. It may be during events with varying light conditions, or at shoots where you have to move quickly from one place to another. During days like these, you will have to move fast and smart. The TTL flash mode shines in occasions like these. By leaving the control of the flash to this intuitive mode, you won’t have to worry about fumbling for the settings.

2. When your objects move a lot

Your TTL flash can detect whether your subject has moved closer or farther from you. If you are into capturing people in motion, this particular flash mode can help. In cases like event photography, your TTL flash can bring you as close as it can to help you get the right exposure. Aside from event photography, you can also use the mode for kid’s photography, or maybe even portrait photography.

Related Article: How to Shoot Portrait Photography Using a Camera Trigger?

What if you do not have a TTL capable flash?

No need to worry! Photographers have been spoiled with advanced accessories that can help capture the best photos. If you are a photographer who does not have a TTL Flash capable flash, you can opt to use the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger, which also has the ability to trigger any flash device. It has a versatile set of triggering modes like lightning, sound, laser, and HDR among others. In some ways, this small device may even be more advanced than flashes with TTL mode capabilities.

The MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger has a dedicated output for flashes and a standard sync cable that can connect with your flash. All you have to do is attach the device to your flash, and use the MIOPS smartphone application to set up the device to the appropriate mode. Both the sound and laser modes can trigger your flash during sound events or movements. With this device, all that is left to do is apply some creativity to come up with unique photos.

Conclusion

The TTL Flash Mode and the addition of the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger can help any photographer achieve the best photos in a more efficient manner. With both options having the ability to detect scenes, you can rely on your flashes to appropriately light your subjects. These advancements in technology have truly made photography a lot easier, thanks to their assistance in exposure-- emphasis on assistance.

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We can not stress this any further, but it truly does bear repeating: any photography accessory or gear are mere tools in the trade. Your flashes and fancy camera triggers can definitely help with properly exposing your photographs, but it is still your skills that will make your outputs standout. Master your camera’s settings and add a bit of flare in your composition. You have to develop your personal “voice” as a photographer before any accessory can make a difference in your work. Investing in photography gear is nice, but having a mastery of your camera and a unique style are the real keys in capturing compelling photographs.

Related Article: How to Choose a Good Flash for High-Speed Photography

Related Article: High Speed Photography Explore Site

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Light and airy photos have commanded a huge following on Instagram, with the hashtag #LightandAiry having more than 100k posts online. Photographers have found this aesthetic great for outdoor shoots because of the bright and dreamy look that it achieves in the final photos. In the professional sphere, the style is especially popular now for wedding photography and lifestyle portraiture, because of its emphasis on vibrancy and lightness. It ramps up color and lighting, making it such a great style to bring out happiness, joy, and light feelings in your photos.

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Once you have mastered the basics of photography, learning how to produce light and airy photographs will be fairly easy. It will only require a few adjustments to your camera, and a little knowledge of photo editing on the Adobe Lightroom app.

If you’re thinking of trying out this style, read on. In this article, we will be diving into some important tips for shooting and editing light and airy photos.

Shooting Tips

1. Set everything up.

Before the day of your shoot, make sure that you have everything in your camera bag. Bring a nice DSLR that performs well in manual mode, a tripod, lighting equipment, lenses, and a handy camera trigger like the MIOPS Smart+Camera Trigger.

If you can, schedule the shoot during the golden hour to take advantage of the nice glow it gives to photos. The golden hour is the short window of time before the sun sets. If this time is not possible, try to find a location that will tame the harsh lighting of the sun. For the purposes of a light and airy shoot, try to avoid places that will give you sunspots and harsh shadows.

Related Article: 8 Important Ways to Be a Better Photographer

2. Dial in your ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed.

Light and airy photographs will need a lot of help in the technical aspect of photography. Don’t be intimidated, though. It’s quite easy as soon as you get the hang of these settings:

• Set your ISO to the lowest level, and start from there to get the perfect lighting. If it’s sunny and there’s great lighting around you, begin at 160-200 ISO. Take a few test shots, and see if it gives you the light you need.
• Set your aperture according to how much of the composition you want in focus. Some photographers prefer blurring the background to highlight the subject really well, while some want everything clearly visible. Think product photography vs. outdoor wedding shoots. Right? Whatever you are shooting, just remember to lower your aperture for more blur, and dial it up for more visibility.
• Lastly, get into your shutter speed setting. Remember that this setting is highly dependent on how much light is available to you, and what settings your ISO and aperture are on. In bright locations, you can set it to as fast as 2000. Indoors, you can begin from 1/60 to get more lighting. Just remember to take some test shots, and adjust from there.

3. Bring out the gears and accessories.

Once you are in the shoot location, set up your camera on your tripod, and attach your camera trigger. These additional equipment and accessories will help you capture better and stable shots. If you have the MIOPS Smart+Camera Trigger on hand, it will be useful in taking your photos remotely-- removing the blur that comes with clicking the shutter button.

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This particular camera trigger is also a sound investment for photographers because of the multiple functions it offers to its users. It has several trigger modes, and among them is the laser mode, which can help you capture photos of moving subjects. If you have this and you’re taking pictures of people, allow them to move around and interact. This will make them more comfortable, while also allowing you to capture genuine emotions and interactions.

Related Article: Why MIOPS Smart is the Best Camera Trigger Ever?

4. Shoot in RAW.

To capture the most details, try shooting in RAW. Light and airy photos will need some editing before it gets to its best outcome, so shooting in RAW will also be handy for post-processing. It may result in bigger file sizes, but we assure you that it is worth the extra memory cards you have to pack.

Editing

Now that you have taken pictures that are ideal for light and airy outcomes, it’s time to learn a few tricks to editing them.

1. Editing on Lightroom

Two of the most important things you have to consider in editing photos for this purpose are it's contrast and colors. Light and airy pictures generally have lower contrasts and softer colors, which is why the photo’s exposure is very important. In the Adobe Lightroom app on your computer, adjust the exposure and play around with the shadows to bring out more details. Softening the shadows will slightly mute the blacks, but it will add to making your pictures much brighter.

You will also have to play around with how the colors will look. If there’s one other thing that you have to pay attention to, it is the color’s vibrancy. You can mute the colors to an appropriate level by toning down the greens and the oranges on Lightroom’s HSL panel. This is quite easy to learn -- just experiment with the sliders and see how the adjustments affect your photos.

2. Using presets.

If these sound too complicated, you can also buy pre-made presets for Lightroom. Using these is quite straightforward. You only have to apply the preset and adjust the exposure and white balance of the photographs.

Light and airy photos are popular for all the right reasons: it’s fun, it produces nice pictures, and it makes for a great way to freeze wonderful moments. Add this to the fact that it is fairly easy to achieve, as long as you have mastered your camera’s important settings. It is also important that you add your own unique touch to your pictures. While it is a style that comes with a formula, it is still you who will dictate what your photos will communicate to your audience.

Related Article: 7 Tips for Shooting Extreme Sports Photos

Related Article: High Speed Photography Explore Site

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[faq q1="how to take light and airy photos?" a1="Once you have mastered the basics of photography, learning how to produce light and airy photographs will be fairly easy." q2="what is light and airy photos?" a2="Light and airy photos have commanded a huge following on Instagram, with the hashtag #LightandAiry having more than 100k posts online." q3="how to edit light and airy photos?" a3="Now that you have taken pictures that are ideal for light and airy outcomes, it’s time to learn a few tricks to editing them."]

Event photographers are lucky to be in a fun, diverse, and exciting photography niche. They get the chance to capture unforgettable moments – from concerts, weddings, and sports events – while also being able to enjoy the lucrative industry. They get to network with potential clients and colleagues while doing their work, which is not too common in other professions. However, despite the fun environment that it provides, taking pictures of events poses unique challenges to photographers. Lighting, gear requirements, and prior photography knowledge are important to make it big in this niche.

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If you are an event photographer who is interested in capturing all the buzz, emotions, and excitement, pay attention to the following tips for taking fascinating event photographs.

1. Have the right gear.

Event photography will need a lot of technical skills from you. Part of these skills is packing the right gear during a shoot, because it will be difficult to take great shots with the wrong gear. Make sure that you have the following basic items in your camera bag before heading out for your event:

- Lenses. Choose a lens with a fast aperture. Something with a f/2.8 or faster is ideal. However, keep in mind that the faster the lens, the higher its price tag will be. To keep your expenses at a minimum, especially while you are still just starting out, do not be too excited to invest in a telephoto lens. In fact, a nice prime lens will do, and it will be at a fraction of the price.

To add more interest to your photos, experiment with fisheye lenses, and a macro lens (especially if you’re in the wedding photography business).

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- Camera Body. If you will be photographing events in dim lighting, choose a camera with an ISO range of 1600-12800. Thanks to a large sensor size, a full-frame camera will do excellently. A great one will help you produce images with less noise, even with the ISO cranked up. Aside from specs, it may also be smart to bring at least two cameras with you: one as a primary shooter, and the other as a backup.

- Backup batteries and memory cards. Events can run for hours, so having extra batteries and memory cards would not hurt. If you can, throw in a car charger to be fully backed up.

- Camera Trigger. A camera trigger like the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger can help with taking pictures at precise moments that are hard to capture on your own. This particular trigger has a variety of modes like sound, lightning, and laser, which will be really useful for shooting sporting events or concerts.

Related Article: What is MIOPS Camera Trigger?

2. Shoot in RAW.

While it may require you to bring more memory cards than you would like to bring, shooting in RAW provides a lot of advantages over other file formats. The resulting photos are more editable in post-processing, which is important to note when shooting events in darkly-lit spaces.  Event lighting can cause weird skin tones in pink or green, so this flexibility will come in handy later on.

3. Master the light.

Natural light may be the most favorable light, but sometimes you have to be crafty with using the equipment. If possible, use a continuous light that is appropriately set for the event. However, for cases when it will be a distraction, it may be better to use a flash instead. It may sound like a convenient choice, but remember that it can cast harsh lights on your subjects if not used correctly. If it ever comes to using a flash, choose an external flash over the built-in flash in your camera. It works well with an attached small diffuser, which will work really well at indoor venues.

Related Article: 8 Important Ways to Be a Better Photographer

4. Have a shot list ready.

Work with your client to come up with a list of photos that are absolutely necessary to take. A shot list will help you set the expectations of your clients, and will guide you in shooting the event. This list can include people and guests, important moments, and symbolic items during the event. Also be on the lookout for memorable firsts, like when the bride and groom first see each other, or when the headlining artist comes toward a beaming fan. Besides, the point of event photography is to capture these once-in-a-lifetime moments. 

Ask the event organizer for a schedule of the event to guide you along with the shot list. Clients will be happy to know that they hired an organized photographer.

5. Be attentive.

Events, like weddings or concerts, can be really overwhelming. A lot of things are happening simultaneously, which will prove to be an exercise of constant vigilance and awareness. Aside from the shot list, candid and unexpected moments are also valuable. These moments result in capturing genuine emotions, which will be highly appreciated by your clients.

6. Be professional.

An important thing you must always note is that there are invited guests, or paying audiences at the events you are shooting. At events, professionalism is not just about being able to prepare and come early. As a hired photographer, you must always take photos with respect to these people. Some key things to practice are the following:

• Keep yourself out of the audience’s views. They are also trying to see the moments you are trying to capture.
• Be polite when asking guests for pictures. Do not interrupt them if they are in the middle of a conversation.
• When taking candid photos, make sure that the photos are flattering. Avoid taking pictures of people who are chewing, or fixing their makeup.
• Strictly follow event rules set by organizers. This is especially true of music events, where photographers are only allowed to be right in front of the stage for three songs. After that, they should be out of the audience’s way.
• Be calm. Never show that you are pressured or let your stress get in the way of your work.

Being an event photographer can be really fun and rewarding. While it provides you an exciting work environment, it can be very demanding. It’s an all-day job that requires a lot of preparation and coordination with clients. Keep the listed tips above in mind, and you will surely discover how easy it can be to make industry connections, and how financially rewarding event photography is. 

Related Article: 9 Tips to Take Breathtaking Wedding Photos

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[faq q1="Which is the right gear for photography?" a1="Event photography will need a lot of technical skills from you. Part of these skills is packing the right gear during a shoot, because it will be difficult to take great shots with the wrong gear." q2="What is shooting in RAW in photography?" a2="While it may require you to bring more memory cards than you would like to bring, shooting in RAW provides a lot of advantages over other file formats." q3="How to master the light while taking photos?" a3="Natural light may be the most favorable light, but sometimes you have to be crafty with using the equipment. If possible, use a continuous light that is appropriately set for the event."]

Portrait photography may be the first thing you learn as a photographer. It is a niche of photography that is focused on capturing a person and their personality in an image. It relies very much on a photographer’s artistry and understanding of appropriate camera settings to capture the best pictures possible. Most of the time, portraits are commissioned and are used by clients in a variety of ways, as a part of their home gallery walls or as biography photos on their websites or books. Needless to say, photographers find that this niche provides them an unending number of shoots. It is not just fun, it is also very lucrative.

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What is a Camera Trigger?

To improve your services as a portrait photographer, it is inevitable that you begin investing in accessories that will make your process seamless and efficient. One such investment is the purchase of a nice camera trigger that will guarantee steadier and better shots. It is mainly used to trigger your camera’s lens minus the physical contact with the shutter button. A camera trigger is very handy, especially in situations that require stability to achieve sharp images. This can be used for macro photography, HDR photography, and night photography. However, with a little bit of imagination and creativity, you can also use triggers innovatively for your portraiture.

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Cheap camera triggers come with basic remote trigger capability without any extra functionality. However, if you prefer one that will offer more functions, we suggest you check out the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger. More than just a trigger, it offers unique functions that will help you take nearly impossible pictures through a list of diverse photography modes, like lightning, sound, HDR, and Laser. With the MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger, you can control your camera with just a press of a few buttons on your smartphone through an application. It can also be used to trigger your flash, not just the camera.

Related Article: What is a Camera Trigger? A Simple Guide for Beginners

How will it help with Portrait Photography? 

Now that you know the basics of what a camera trigger is, here's how to shoot portrait photography using a camera trigger. All you will be needing are a camera, the trigger, some props, and your creativity!

1. Stabilize your shot

Before using it's more creative uses, master the most basic use of your camera trigger first. Simply attach your trigger to your camera, and use it to fire its shutters. Don’t forget that you will still need to apply all your skills to this shot, so make sure that your subject is ready, the lighting is apt, and your composition is on point.

2. Trigger your flash

Not many will agree, but using flashes for portrait photography can give natural light a run for its money. As long as you know how to manipulate it's light, you can expect to achieve awesome results. A camera trigger like the MIOPS Smart+ can attach to your flash. Just set up your flash where it will give the perfect lighting that will be flattering to your subject.

3. Play with water

Portrait photography is more than just taking pictures of people who are sitting right in front of your camera. You can play around with other elements to come up with unique photographs. With something like the MIOPS Smart+ camera trigger in your arsenal, you can take creative water droplet refractions that reflect your client’s photographs.

To do this, set up your camera at a distance from your subject. Attach the MIOPS Smart+ camera trigger to your camera and use the laser mode. Have a setup that will release water drops that will break the trigger’s laser beam. As soon as the water drop breaks its line, the trigger will prompt your camera to take a picture.

Related Article: What Equipment Do You Need to Take Stunning Water Droplet Photos?

4. Let them move

Some movement will help bring out your client’s characteristics during your shoot. This is especially true when shooting outdoors in a context that is most familiar to your client. If your client is a traveler, maybe a quick stroll in the woods will bring out genuine emotions from them. Make them feel comfortable, and suggest some interaction with their environment.

In cases where movement is necessary, setting up your camera on a tripod will help with stability. Similar to the water drop trick earlier, all you need to do is attach your handy MIOPS Smart+ to the camera and use the laser mode. Advise your clients to move within the laser’s line, and watch your camera capture great photos.

5. Experiment with the shutter speed

Camera accessories, like the MIOPS Mobile Dongle, can turn your phone into an instant camera trigger. With this accessory, you can keep your camera’s shutter open for as long as you need it to be. With slower shutters, you will be exposing your subject much longer, which will make for unique photographs with dramatic effects.

Doing this is very simple. Set up your camera with the MIOPS Mobile Dongle attached. Modify its settings to keep the shutter open for longer, and ask your subject to make minute movements. It can be something as simple mini head shakes. Another thing you can do is ask someone in the studio to make hand movements within the frame while your main subject sits still. To make the subjects stand out in the photo, you can ask your clients to wear black and use a black background. Also avoid lighting that is too bright, since your shutter will be open for longer.

You see, there is much you can do with your camera alone. However, having a versatile camera trigger on hand will help you capture great photos that your clients will appreciate. The tips that we listed are merely guides. Do not forget to coordinate with your clients before experimenting, since your goal as a portrait photographer is always to represent them at their best in their final photos. Any of these tips can surely help with taking creative shots, but remember that it isn’t just the final photos that your clients will appreciate. More than that, they will remember how you interacted with them, and how you involved them in taking their own portraits.

Related Article: How to Photograph Lightning Using DSLR and Camera Trigger

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[faq q1="What is a Camera Trigger?" a1="Now that you know the basics of what a camera trigger is, here's how to shoot portrait photography using a camera trigger." q2="How to Stabilize your shot in photography?" a2="Before using it's more creative uses, master the most basic use of your camera trigger first. Simply attach your trigger to your camera, and use it to fire its shutters." q3="What is triggering your flash in photography?" a3="Not many will agree, but using flashes for portrait photography can give natural light a run for its money. As long as you know how to manipulate it's light, you can expect to achieve awesome results"]

If you want to take your food photography to the next level, follow the following tips and tricks. These techniques will help you take stunning shots of your next delicious meal...