Tag: camera

Methods Of Cleaning Camera Sensor

Camera cleaning mode

Most digital cameras have a sensor cleaning mode and this is what you should always try first before going for any other type of cleaning. You should remove the lens and then aim your camera downwards when engaging the cleaning mode. This way, dislodged dust and dirt will fall out easily. The sensor cleaning mode is sometimes all you need to have a clean sensor, but you might need to employ other cleaning options if this does not yield the results that you expect.

Air blower

Bulb blowers make other very good tools to help you clean the camera sensor. Choose larger blowers to get rid of dust from the sensor, but never ever use air that is compressed and canned on the sensor because your risk fluid damage. When using the blower, point the camera downward to the ground so the dust can fall off the camera. The blowers use clean air paths ensuring that blown dust doesn’t get sucked back and re-deposited on the camera.

Sensor gel stick

A sensor gel stick and a senor brush have the same function. They are negatively charged and therefore pull dust particles off the camera sensor as compared to moving them all over the sensor. It is advisable not to press down the stick or brush on the sensor because passing over the sensor is good enough to attract the dust. Some have LED lights that help you see how you are cleaning. When getting your gel stick, ensure that it is compatible with your camera. You can choose the gel stick or the brush, whatever you feel works best for you.

Sensor swabs

The swabs also do a great job cleaning the sensor and you will need a good sensor cleaning solution for this type of cleaning. Disposable swabs are the best so make sure that you use a swab only once to get perfect results. The manufacturer’s directions should be followed, but you usually will need to brush the swab across the sensor in only one fluid motion and light even pressure application. If the one motion is not good enough, then you can turn the swab over and then brush again across the sensor in the opposite direction. You can use the sensor to wipe to dry off any cleaning solution residue.

Create Frightening Photos

Choose a subject

Ask a close friend or family member to be your model for this scary shot, and set up a camera on a tripod. Firstly, take a photo of a room which can be used as the background in the completed image. Making sure that you don’t move the camera and without adjusting the settings, ask your model to position themselves in front of the camera in the same room where you took your background image. You will need to take a photo of your model on a prop that provides a raised surface from the ground to give the impression that they are levitating. A ladder, table or chair will provide you with the effect you need, but ensure safety precautions are taken at all times, and help your model on and off the platform. Make sure that you don’t move the camera when you are taking the photograph.

Make use of photo editing software

Using a photo editing program of your choice, load your digital prints and place both the background photograph and the image of your model side-by-side in the software. Using your mouse, place the image with your model on top of the original background image. Both photographs should be lined up correctly. Set the image opacity for the photograph with your model to around 50% by using the opacity tool in the control panel of the software program. Experiment with the different settings.

Use filters and layers

To create a ghostly image of a person levitating, use a layer mask from the control panel of your software program and use an eraser or brush tool to cover-up the prop that you used in your second photo. Because you used the opacity tool in the previous step, the area which contained your prop should be filled with the underlying background image to create a scary levitation effect. Save your image and send your levitation photography to family and friends.