Free Saturday Focus Sessions for August 13 – October 1

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and our Englewood location from 10:30 am – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.

Here’s the schedule for August 13 – October 1, 2011

August 13 – All About Camcorders – How To Choose

August 20 – What’s in Your Camera Bag or Should Be

August 27 – Sensor Cleaning

September 3 – Labor Day – No Session

September 10 – Tripods & Monopods

September 17 – How to Photograph at a Vineyard

September 24 – New Jersey Photo Expo tomorrow – No Session

October 1 – Millbrook Winery Trip Review

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below.

Bergen county Camera's NJ Photo Expo

Free Saturday Focus Sessions for July 2 – August 13

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and our Englewood location from 10:30 am – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for question and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.

Here’s the schedule for July 2 – August 13, 2011

July 2 – Fireworks Photography

July 9 – Vacation Photography

July 16 – Get Steady – Monopods and Tripods

July 23 – Lenses – From wide and to telephoto – how to select and use.

July 30 – Getting better flash pictures

August 6 – Critique your photos – please bring two prints to discuss what you are doing right and get suggestions to improve

August 13 – Choosing the perfect camcorder

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below.

Free Saturday Focus Sessions for April and May

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 – 10 am and our Englewood location from 10:30 am – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for question and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.

Here’s the schedule for April and May

April 9 – Learn all about Micro 4/3s cameras then visit us for Olympus demo day in Westwood from 10 am – 4 pm

April 16 – Show us your Photos – Critique – please bring 2 – 3 images for an honest appraisal of your images and how to make them better. (printed photos only – no digital files please)

April 23 – Portraits with your Flash

April 30 – Landscape Photography

May 7 – Outdoor Sports Photography

May 14 – Photography at a Botanical Garden – a great preparation for our Longwood Gardens Trip on May 15

May 21 – Sensor Cleaning How to – Learn what’s needed to clean your sensor. This is a great skill to have as dust always happens when your are least prepared!

May 28 – Get Steady – Monopods and Tripods

These are free events – be sure to bring a friend along if you’d like.

Learn More – Tripods = Sharp Pictures

Historical Posting – Originally published in our In Focus Newsletter in 1998 – Since this is an archived story – products mentioned may not be available or even made any more – Let us know if you have any questions.

Sharper Pictures – Tripods

One of the least expensive and easiest ways to improve your image sharpness whether using digital, video or film is to purchase a tripod. A tripod becomes more important when you’re using a telephoto lens or shooting in low light conditions. A good rule of thumb when shooting film is that a tripod should be used when the shutter speed is less than 1 / [focal legnth of lens in mm]. With this rule in mind, shooting with a 300mm telephoto you would want to use a tripod when below 1/300th or 1/500th of a second. Even at higher shutter speeds a tripod will eliminate camera shake that comes from hand holding your camera and produce sharper images. If you’re planning on making big enlargements, using a tripod will help to ensure the sharpest possible image.

With video cameras, a special type of tripod head is used called a fluid head. The fluid head allows you to smoothly move the camera while following the action without bouncing up and down. In places where tripods are too bulky and cumbersome, many people opt for a single leg of a tripod or monopod. A monopod helps to steady the camera in place where a tripod would be too inconvenient to use. A monopod also doubles as a good walking stick.

Tripods come in all shapes, sizes and prices from tiny tabletop tripods to full size 6′ tall models that will support a professional video camera. Stop by Bergen County Camera and we’ll be glad to show you several models that can improve your photography.

Are you using a VR or image stabilizing lens?
Be sure to check your lenses owners manual to determine the correct setting. Many VR and image stabilized lenses need to be shut off when used on a tripod.