The Digital Photography Companion

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KEEP YOUR TRIPOD STEADY WITH TENNIS BALLS

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at’s right. By stretching a piece of light beige fabric over the front of your lens and

securing it with a rubber band, you can create a flattering effect similar to that used in

professional portraits. (I prefer knee-highs to pantyhose because they take up less room

in my camera bag.)

e technique is simple. Use a telephoto lens (in the 85mm–300mm range), set your

camera to Portrait mode, stretch the pantyhose across the front element, and shoot

away.

Keep Your Tripod Steady with Tennis Balls

Have you ever tried to use a tripod in the sand? You might as well be trying to steady

your camera on chopsticks in rice.

But you can bring stability to the situation. Buy a can of tennis balls, cut an “X” slit in

each one, and slip them over the feet of your tripod. ey will provide a much steadier

platform for your three-legged friend.

Use Your Car Windshield Cover As a Reflector

Natural-light portraits on a bright, sunny day sometimes are not the most flattering.

When the sun is high in the sky, the light can create harsh shadows that overemphasize

the nose or highlight facial blemishes.

If you’d prefer not to use a fill flash to balance the light, a reflector just might do the

trick. Big reflectors are used on professional shoots all the time to help control the light.

e problem is that these accessories can be expensive. ...