Depending upon the kind of photography you are hoping to undertake you may need specific equipment to optimize your results. Whether you are in an unfamiliar environment or working with new people you may need further accessories and equipment accordingly. To help you make the most of your equipment we have provided a quick run down of some accessories.
TripodsIf you are finding that your photos are lacking in clarity or becoming blurry it can often be caused by a lack of stability. Tripods are available in a range of designs for different purposes depending on how mobile you need to be and your personal price range.
- Using a form of remote release such as a bulb or cable release should reduce the contact with your camera, increasing stability.
- Focussing while using long lenses can cause your camera to shake. A tripod is recommended in this situation.
- If your camera has a shutter speed below 1/130 of a second then you should find a noticeable improvement from using a tripod.
Different materials for tripods have different advantages. Light weight metal alloys are practical to pack away whilst on the move but comparatively lack in stability. Wood is commonly used for tripods and provides much stability but is also impractical if you are trying to travel light.
A design with folding legs can be practical but often the legs will need to be fairly flimsy in order to fold into the design. Most tripods have a replaceable head which is a good way of adjusting the weight for different circumstances.
LensesDepending on what kind of photo you want to take you may need to use different kinds of lenses.
- If you are taking portrait shots a 90-100 mm lens with a wide aperture will bring out the foreground image strongly over the background.
- For long distance zoom shots with good clarity a 200mm minimum telephoto lens will bring good results.
- Landscape shots will turn out well using a 30mm or more lenses.
Many new cameras come fitted with a medium range zoom lens which provides good results for general all round use. While not specialising in close up or overly long range shots they are still versatile for most situations.
FlashesStandard flashes are usually good for most dark conditions but are often thrown by flashes of light or glare. The typical example being "red eyed" shots. Bounce flashes can be used to redirect some of this unwanted light to achieve better results.
Intelligent portable flash solutions are now available. These communicate with your camera and gauge the optimum setting automatically without any manual input. Portable flashes are generally more powerful than standard and pop up flashes and work better over longer distances.
Photographers at public events such as weddings often use old style grip flashes. As these are held further from the lens there is less interference. Also as they can be held at varying lengths a better degree of control is available allowing better results particularly over longer distances.
Further Information: How Stuff Works - Camera Accessories buying guide