RAW and More With Your Point and Shoot Camera!--CHDK

Do you have a Canon Point & Shoot camera?  Do you want to more with it such as shoot in RAW?  You can with CHDK!

I can't remember how I first found out about the Canon Hack Development Kit (known as CHDK for short) but ever since I discovered it exists I've been totally intrigued and overwhelmed!  The one thing I feel like I've been missing on my Canon SX20 has been the ability to shoot in RAW.  (I'll write a post on why I want to shoot in RAW vs JPG  in a little while)  Now that I've installed CHDK on my camera, I can shoot in RAW and do so much more with my point & shoot camera!

JPG on left, RAW on right.  Source for photo HERE.

Ok, so what is CHDK?  It's a FREE software for most Canon PowerShot cameras that when installed on your memory card, allows you to over-ride some of the manufacturer stops in your camera.  Yes, manufacturers put stops in your camera's software that make it not function as well as it could!  Why?  I don't really know except that it makes people think they need a more fancy camera to get some functions when they really don't!  Unfortunately, CHDK is only available for Canon cameras so those of you with Nikons, Sonys, or other point & shoots, you are out of luck.
  
Yes, CHDK is totally legit!  Even my local news did a story about it!  Unfortunately I can't find the link to the story as it was a few months ago and I forgot to look it up after it aired.  I have done plenty of my own research on CHDK though.  Because it is installed on the memory card and not directly onto the camera, it is not permanent and will not hurt your camera.*  As soon as the memory card is taken out of your camera, the software is gone.

So, what exactly can you do with CHDK?  I mean, why install it?  Here's a few reasons:

• As, I mentioned already, it allows you to shoot in RAW
• It gives you more control over and more options for ISO, aperture, and shutter speed
• It allows you to see live histograms 
• It allows for exposure and focus bracketing
• You can do high-speed burst shots
• So much more!

I installed CHDK a few days ago and am still trying to learn it and figure it all out.  It is a bit intimidating and can be confusing if you don't know a lot of computer and photography language.  However, there are some GREAT resources to help including the main web page, CHDK for Dummies, and a 76 page user's guide.  Despite these resources, I still have a lot of playing around to do before I show any of my photos done with the CHDK perks.  I'm just so excited I couldn't wait to share this wonderful thing with you!  If you have a Canon point & shoot camera and want to do more with it, I highly suggest you check out CHDK for yourself!

*Disclaimer: There is a remote possibility that by using CHDK you could force your camera to do something it is not physically capable of doing therefore harming your camera. However, according to the CHDK website, there have been NO reports of that happening.  In the interest of full disclosure, however, I need to tell you the remote risk.  Mommy's Camera and anyone associated with the Mommy's Camera website can not, and will not be held responsible should you use CHDK and you do damage to your camera.  Use it at your own risk.

**Other stuff:  CHDK is FREE software with multiple contributors to it's development.  I was NOT asked by anyone associated with CHDK to write this post nor am I being compensated in any way for writing this post.  All opinions are my own and of my own free will because it thought CHDK was a cool thing to share with you.

Point of View and Angles in Photography

One of the biggest mistakes that your average mom photographer does when taking pictures is always shooting straight on.  Though a straight shot can be good, sometimes changing your point of view or the angle when shooting can make a good photo, great!

Take this fire hydrant for example. The straight on shot is fine but it's just a boring fire hydrant, nothing special.

Add an angle to your shot and now you've got an interesting picture!

Straight on is fine...

But a change in the point of view makes for a cool photo.

A plain mail box...

Becomes an interesting photo.

When changing your point of view, don't forget that it's not always about the big picture...

Sometimes it's the details that make an interesting shot!

Go around your house or yard and take pictures of ordinary things.  Change your point of view or angle and make and ordinary subject, interesting!  When you've mastered a change in perspective, try it out on your kids...

How To Take Better Family Photos

I am lucky to have my best friend, Catharine from Bliss Photography, do a guest blog post for me!  Cathrine and I have been friends since the 3rd grade.  Who knew back then that she'd turn out to be a professional photographer who would be taking all of my family pictures for me?!  I asked Catharine if she would do a guest post on how to get better family pictures and here's what she wrote:

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Taking better photos of your family? Think clothes, color and setting.

I have this problem every day. I stare in my closet and see the same things that I see everyday and not one thing jumps out at me. Well, when you go to get your pictures taken, it is a whole other tough thing. I mean, you are investing in this picture of your child or family and you will most likely share it with others. Even if you are just wanting to get a photo of your child for the grandparents, you want to look good, and you want your family to look good.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
What do I have already that fits me well and I love?
What look am I going for? Christmas photos with red in them, summer photos with blues and pinks, fall pictures with earthy colors or a classic black and white photo?
What do I want to hang as art in my home? What color is my living room?

Kids photos

Kids look best in what they are comfortable in and in an element that is comfortable for them. Does your guy have a favorite shirt? awesome! Does your girl love to dress herself in a tutu, green t-shirt and purple tights? Work with it. You want to capture your child as they are at this moment in time. Think color. What do you want to look at on your wall? Colors photograph really well and amazing art can be created from them. Also think layers, a fun vest over a solid shirt or fun shoes with a great scarf. Layers look great. Just look at any Gap kids ad, they are layered and adorable!

Newborn Photos

Newborns look best in nothing at all or something very minimal. Save the cute fancy outfits for later on. Newborns tend to get lost in too many clothes. Simpler is better. Don't forget the diaper cover or a nice cloth diaper, they photograph much better than the Pampers logo! Hats, Hats and more hats! Hats are a great accessory. Have an Aunt Betty who likes to knit? put her to work on a sweet, colorful hat to put your newborn in. Color works great for newborns, it helps to give the photo a great extra pop. Also keep your background simple, babies look best in their mom or dads arms!

Family Photos
 Clothes for Family photos? The larger the family, the tougher this can feel. You may be investing in great photography or you may just want something that you can remember your family in, so you may need to invest a little in what you are wearing as well. You don't have to spend a fortune though. Old Navy has some great coordinating colors for families. So does Gap. Think coordinating and not matching. There is a difference. If you all show up in blue shirts and jeans, you will have a
very matchy outcome. Here is a an example. Dress your husband in a great navy shirt, your son in a great green shirt with blue jeans and a navy vest, you wear a navy shirt with a beautiful green necklace or scarf and green shoes, you have yourself a coordinated outfit! It is coordinated but not matchy.


Don't forget the background. The background of your photos can make or break the picture. If you are using a low aperature, you will get a great background blur in your photos. It won't matter if you are standing next to a supermarket, what matters is the colors behind you. Want to take photos in your home? Use what you have or something simple. A throw blanket, a piece of fleece even a fun shower curtain can make for some great backdrops with great color! All you need is some great light and a chair to hang your makeshift background on. You have yourself a home studio, so shoot away!  
Here are my favorites for clothes and color!:
Bliss Kids 1
Bliss Kids 2
Bliss Babies
Bliss Families

Bliss Photography LLC. Catharine Bliss, Photographer www.blissphotographymn.com

Playback Mode

Hmmm....I guess it helps to read the beginning of my camera's owner's manual too.  Had I known earlier what I discovered yesterday, it would have saved me a whole lot of problems.  We all know what "playback mode" is on our camera.  It's when you look back at all the pictures you've taken on your camera.  Playback mode can be used for so much more though!  I discovered yesterday that I have a detailed playback mode!

What's so special about this and why am I so excited?  All those times I've taken pictures and not known what I've done right or wrong for settings, now I can look back and find out!  All the settings are displayed on the detailed playback!  I can't believe I didn't discover this earlier!  If you are trying to get out of auto mode, try seeing if your camera has a detailed playback.  Then you can find out what you are doing right or wrong!  No excuse that I didn't know what setting my camera was on now!

Cheap Photography Backgrounds

You don't have to have a ton of money or be a professional photographer to get some great, cheap, backgrounds for you photo shoots!  In fact, what you have around the house should do just fine!  Here are some examples of cheap (most of the time FREE!) photography backgrounds.

 

Of course, there's always the great outdoors!  Both of these were taken in my yard somewhere.  The key to shooting outside is to shoot on a more overcast day.  Contrary to what you might think, bright sunlight is not good because it causes harsh shadows (like in the first picture).  The second was taken on an overcast day.

A baby blanket!  The background in these pictures is simply a baby blanket taped to the wall!

A bed sheet!  These backgrounds are a flat bed sheet taped to the wall!

Both of these were taken close up on a couch!

I've got a few more cheap backgrounds to share but we'll save those for another post :)  My girls are getting into trouble and I must go....

What have you done for a cheap background for your photos?  I'd love to know!