Have you ever wondered just how to create that perfectly blurred background in your photos? You know like the professional shots that have the subject of the image in super sharp focus, but everything else is a blur like you forgot to put your glasses on? While these kinds of photos may look difficult to create there’s actually only a Continue Reading
Photodoto
Posts Tagged ‘Guide’
A Guide to Blurring Backgrounds and Best Lenses to Use
09
Jun
How to Avoid and Reduce Noise in Your Photos (2021 Guide)
08
Jun
The post How to Avoid and Reduce Noise in Your Photos (2021 Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Barry J Brady.
We’ve all seen it in our images: that uneven grainy look that makes our images unappealing.
But how can you avoid noise? And, in cases where it’s unavoidable, how do you reduce noise in photos?
In this article, I’m going to share plenty of tips and tricks for both preventing and removing noise. Specifically, I’ll share:
- Why you’re actually dealing with noise in the first place
- Five simple ways to stop noise from ever appearing in your images
- A noise reduction workflow you can use to reduce noise in Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw
Sound good? Let’s dive right in, starting with the important first question:
What is noise?
Generally speaking, noise is defined as aberrant pixels. In other words, noise is made up of pixels not correctly representing the color or exposure of the scene.
Why does noise happen?
Noise is introduced when you shoot a long-exposure image or use a high ISO setting on your camera.
(What counts as a high ISO setting? That depends on your camera model, but these days, most cameras start getting noisy around ISO 1600 or 3200.)
Does that mean you should never do long exposures or go over ISO 100?
No! There are times you may need – or even want – to use long exposures or raise the ISO. Landscape photographers, event photographers, and wildlife photographers shoot in low light all the time, which requires long exposures and/or a high ISO.
At the same time, there are simple ways to avoid too much noise in your photos, even when using the above techniques, which I’ll discuss in the next section:
5 ways to reduce noise in-camera
Below, I share the five methods for minimizing noise while out shooting.
Not every method will apply for every situation, which is why it pays to be familiar with all of them – and to carefully choose the right method for your particular shot.
1. Shoot at lower ISO settings
Yes, we’re starting with the most obvious method. But photographers often push their ISO too high, too fast, leading to bad image quality.
Now, if your camera is three years old or newer, the ISO functionality will be great. You shouldn’t see too much noise creeping into your images, even up to ISO 3200. However, there might still be some noise at the higher ISO numbers, such as ISO 6400, ISO 12800, and beyond.
So don’t raise your ISO with abandon. Instead, be aware of your exposure, and recognize that shooting at a high ISO will produce more noise in your images. Boost your ISO if necessary, but consider other options before dialing in ISO 12800.
Here are a few items to think about before increasing the ISO:
- Open your aperture to its widest setting (e.g., f/2.8)
- If you are shooting in low light, use a tripod and drop your shutter speed
- If you are shooting a smaller subject (e.g., a person), use a flash
Each of these strategies will help you get a nice, bright exposure – without unnecessarily raising the ISO.
Of course, if your shots are still turning out dark, then you will need to push the ISO up higher. I’d recommend doing some test shots to find out your camera’s ISO capabilities and at what point the ISO settings start to really degrade image quality.
For many years, I shot on a Nikon D80, and I knew that anything above ISO 500 was really difficult to use. Noise at ISO 640 and beyond became difficult to remove. And if I was able to successfully remove it, the whole image looked like a watercolor painting thanks to the noise reduction process. So I worked within my constraints.
2. Shoot in RAW format
Does the idea of shooting in RAW intimidate you? It shouldn’t! RAW is a great way to get the best out of your images, so be sure to use it.
You don’t have to shoot RAW all the time. But when you notice that the light is becoming a little too dark, switch over to RAW.
Why is this so important?
JPEGs come with compression – a process during which noise becomes baked into your images. So removing noise in post-production becomes really tough (as does increasing exposure, which is often important in high-ISO situations).
3. Expose correctly from the start
Boosting a too-dark exposure will reveal noise – which is why it’s essential that you get your exposures right from the very beginning.
When out shooting, I highly recommend checking your camera’s LCD – including the histogram – to make sure you’ve nailed the exposure.
And don’t be afraid to take several shots at different exposures, especially if you’re dealing with a tricky scene; better to be safe than sorry!
Also, the higher your ISO, the more unforgiving the file. In other words: If you’re using a high ISO, you had better get the exposure right, because boosting an underexposed high-ISO image will result in a noisy mess.
(Of course, don’t overexpose, either. While overexposure won’t cause problems with noise, it will obliterate detail, which is never a good thing.)
4. Be careful when doing long exposures
Long exposures produce some of the most dramatic images.
But if the exposure is too long, the camera sensor may heat up, causing unwanted noise.
Don’t let this stop you from doing long exposures – if you love long exposures, then do long exposures – just be aware of how your camera handles the long exposure time.
In fact, you might consider shooting a series of long exposures, then checking each file on your computer for noise.
Then, once you’ve determined your camera’s limitations, make sure you don’t set your shutter speed for longer than your camera can handle.
The key point here is to know the limits of your gear and to shoot within those limits. You’ll end up with great images and have an easy time when editing.
5. Use in-camera noise reduction
Most cameras offer a function called Long Exposure Noise Reduction, and if you’re doing long exposures, it’s a good idea to turn it on.
Why?
Well, as discussed above, long exposure photos are especially prone to noise. A long exposure noise reduction option is designed to counteract this issue – by taking a second shot after the first, then using the noise profile of the second image to subtract noise from the first.
Long exposure noise reduction comes with a serious drawback, though: it takes time, usually as long as the original exposure. So if you use a 30-second shutter speed, the camera will take an additional 30 seconds to get rid of the noise. And if you shoot for an hour, you’ll need another hour to reduce the noise, which is an annoyingly long time to wait!
So yes, it may be impractical if you are doing 10-minute shots. But for medium-length long exposures, it’s often worth doing.
(And if you do have the timed, do it on the very long exposures too, as it can dramatically improve the image quality.)
Reducing noise in Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw
Even with the best techniques, you’ll still end up with noise in your photos – at least on occasion.
Which is where post-processing noise reduction techniques come in handy!
Here’s my recommended workflow using Lightroom Classic or Adobe Camera Raw (but note that you’ll be able to use very similar methods in other programs):
Step 1: Open your image and view at 100 percent
Start by opening your image in Lightroom or Photoshop.
Note that RAW images opened in Photoshop will first go through Adobe Camera Raw, which is what you want. Also note that the controls in Adobe Camera Raw and in Lightroom are identical, so while the photos below are taken from ACR, the instructions are equally applicable to Lightroom users.
I recommend viewing your image full screen, then zooming into 100 percent. The goal is to look for noise; after all, not all images require noise reduction.
Step 2: Adjust the Luminance slider
The Luminance slider reduces luminance noise (i.e., noise resulting from over- or underexposed pixels).
And many, many high-ISO images suffer from excessive luminance noise.
So zoom in to 100 percent, then boost the Luminance slider until the noise starts to disappear.
Don’t go too far, however,
Step 3: Fine-tune your result with the Luminance Detail and Luminance Contrast sliders
The Luminance Detail and Luminance Contrast sliders control the amount of detail and contrast preserved in your photos following luminance noise reduction.
You see, noise reduction smooths out noisy pixels, which automatically reduces detail and contrast. But by boosting these sliders, you’ll retain detail and contrast.
As you’d expect, the sliders do come with a drawback:
When you increase the values, you decrease the strength of the noise reduction. So while you’ll end up with a sharper image, you’ll also see more noise.
Step 4: Adjust the Color slider
The Color slider reduces color noise – which is the second type of noise you’ll find in your photos (often in the underexposed shadow areas).
So boost the Color noise slider, and zoom into 100 percent to see its effects.
Step 5: Fine-tune your result with the Color Detail and Color Smoothness sliders
As with luminance noise reduction (above), you can further adjust your image with the Color Detail and Color Smoothness sliders.
Want more detail in your photo? Boost the Color Detail slider. Higher values will protect thin, detailed color edges, but can also result in color speckles. Lower values remove color speckles but can result in color bleeding.
Want to keep colors nice and smooth? Boost the Color Smoothness slider.
And you’re done!
A final note on noise reduction
While I wish I could give you standard, one-size-fits-all settings for noise reduction, it just doesn’t work that way. Every image is different, so you’ll need to slide each adjustment around until you get your desired result.
I tend to increase Luminance and Color to about 50, then work from there. I slide each option up and down, carefully watching how it affects the image while zoomed in to 100 percent.
Then, after each adjustment, I zoom out to see the effect it has on the overall image. And if I’m happy with an adjustment, I move onto the next slider.
Is the process a little tedious? Sure. But if done properly, you’ll eliminate most of the unsightly noise in just about any image.
Practice is also important here, so try this on as many images as you can. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to predict the effect of each change.
How to avoid and reduce noise in your photos: conclusion
Now that you’ve finished this article, you know that avoiding and reducing noise shouldn’t be too complicated. Just follow the steps I’ve given, and your images will turn out great.
Now over to you:
Do you have any other tips for noise reduction and removal? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post How to Avoid and Reduce Noise in Your Photos (2021 Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Barry J Brady.
Rule of Thirds in Photography: The Essential Guide
02
Jun
The post Rule of Thirds in Photography: The Essential Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
The rule of thirds is perhaps the most well-known “rule” of photographic composition. Use it carefully, and you’ll take some truly stunning images.
But what actually is the rule of thirds? Is it really that helpful? And when can you break the rule for a great result?
In this article, you’ll discover everything you need to know about the rule of thirds. And by the time you leave, you’ll know how to use it like a pro.
Let’s dive right in.
What is the rule of thirds?
The rule of thirds is a compositional guideline that breaks an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so you have nine pieces and four gridlines. According to the rule, by positioning key elements along the gridlines, you’ll end up with better compositions.
Here is a visualization of the rule of thirds:
And to follow the rule, simply use the gridlines to position essential compositional elements.
So when shooting a flower, you would place its stem along the right or left vertical gridline:
And when shooting a sunset, you would place the horizon line along the top or bottom horizontal gridline.
(Note that your camera may actually offer a grid overlay, which you can activate in the menu; that way, you don’t have to imagine the rule of thirds. Instead, you can see it as you look through the viewfinder!)
The rule of thirds also identifies four power points at the center of each gridline intersection:
Here, you can position points of interest, such as a head (when shooting a portrait), a flower (when shooting a still life), or the eye of a pet, as shown in the image below:
As you can see, using the rule of thirds isn’t actually complicated. That’s what makes it so powerful – it’s a simple way to improve your compositions, and it requires literally zero art training or photographic experience.
I will say right up front, though:
Rules are meant to be broken, and just because you ignore the rule of thirds doesn’t mean that your composition is uninteresting or bland or otherwise bad. Despite its name, the rule of thirds is a guideline, not a hard-and-fast rule. You can absolutely create beautiful compositions without using the rule of thirds.
Also keep in mind that it’s just one composition technique among many. There are plenty other “rules” and guidelines worth considering, such as symmetry, the rule of odds, triangular compositions, and more.
At the same time, the rule of thirds is an excellent way to get started with composition. It consistently produces great results, and even professional photographers use it all the time in their work. Plus, as a wise person once told me: if you intend to break a rule, you should always learn it first. That way, you can make sure you break it as effectively as possible.
Why is the rule of thirds useful?
Now that you know how to follow the rule of thirds, it’s important to understand why it matters and what exactly it can do for your photos.
Really, the rule of thirds is about two things:
- Balance
- Dynamism (movement)
First, by positioning key elements at rule of thirds intersections or gridlines, your photo becomes more balanced. Your key elements create visual interest in a third of the composition, while also balancing out the empty space in the remaining two-thirds. This looks great and feels right to the viewer.
Second, compositions that include key elements smack-dab in the center of the frame often feel very static and boring. There’s nowhere for the viewer’s eye to wander; instead, the viewer looks at the shot, sees the subject at its center, then leaves.
But the rule of thirds encourages dynamism, where the viewer sees a key element off to the side, then takes a visual journey throughout the rest of the image.
In other words:
A rule of thirds composition provides a more engaging photographic experience.
Also, the rule of thirds draws on the way humans naturally view images. Studies show that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points rather than the center of the shot – so the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image.
When to use the rule (with examples)
By now, you should know that the rule of thirds is useful pretty much all of the time. As long as you have distinct compositional elements to work with, you should consider applying the rule.
For instance, in landscape photography, you can position the horizon along the top horizontal gridline:
Also note how another key compositional element – the structure on stilts – is positioned at the upper-right power point of the frame. Thanks to this, the whole shot feels balanced and dynamic.
In portrait photography, you generally want to position the subject’s body along a rule of thirds gridline:
And it’s also a good idea to place the head of your subject at one of the intersection points (and the eyes, which are a natural point of focus for a portrait). In the photo below, the tie and flower also offer a secondary area of interest, and they’re aligned with a second intersection point:
In wildlife photography, you can align the subject’s head (and eye) with a power point:
And in flower photography, subjects look great when the stem follows a rule of thirds gridline and the petals sit atop a power point:
Quick tips for working with the rule of thirds
While it’s easy to use the rule of thirds in your compositions, it may take a little time and practice for the rule to become second nature.
Try to get in the habit of asking two questions for every photo you take:
- What are your points of interest (i.e., the areas of the photo that stand out and that you want to emphasize)?
- Where are you intentionally placing those points?
That way, you can determine your points of interest, then you can immediately place them along a rule of thirds gridline or power point.
And your composition ends up beautifully balanced.
Make sense?
Also, if you fail to use the rule of thirds in a shot, it’s not the end of the world. After all, you can always crop your photos later on! (Just make sure to keep the gridlines in mind when editing.)
By the way, if you want to start practicing the rule of thirds immediately, you can always pull up old photos and do some test cropping. See what impact it has on your photos; you might be impressed by the results.
Breaking the rules: should you do it?
As I explained above, it is possible to break the rule of thirds and end up with beautiful photos.
In fact, sometimes you can end up with an even stronger composition by ignoring the rule. So while I encourage you to learn the rule of thirds, once it’s ingrained, experiment with breaking it.
One of my favorite times to break the rule of thirds is when photographing symmetrical subjects. If you’re photographing a succulent or flower from above, the symmetry looks even more striking when perfectly centered in the frame:
This shot of a corridor is also roughly symmetrical, which increases the composition’s intensity:
And note that an image can both break and follow the rule of thirds at the same time. For instance, while the image above is mostly symmetrical, a key element (the man playing his cello) is positioned at an intersection point.
Bottom line:
Learn the rule of thirds. Then break it. And above all, have fun!
Final words
Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all about the rule of thirds, when to use it, and when to think about breaking it.
So start practicing! And watch as your compositions improve.
The post Rule of Thirds in Photography: The Essential Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started
29
May
The post Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
Looking for glamour photography poses that’ll give stunning results?
In this article, I’m going to share 21 glamour pose ideas. You’ll find a pose or two for every model – and you can also have fun tweaking the ideas to fit your subject’s interests.
Now, some of the ideas below are nude poses – after all, posing for nudes is a part of glamour photography. But if nudes don’t interest you, that’s completely okay; feel free to skip past.
So without further ado, let me share the poses you can use for your glamour portraits, starting with:
1. Lying down sideways
This is a good starting pose for intimate glamour shots. It works well in different settings and with different surfaces; for instance, your model might lie on a bed, on the ground, in the grass, or on a sandy beach.
Make sure you get a nice head turn, and pay careful attention to the position of your model’s hands.
2. Lying down at an angle
This is a variation on the previous glamour pose, and one that works well with all body types.
Simply ask your model to lie on the ground with their far elbow propping up their head and shoulders. Make sure they angle themselves toward the camera so that their feet are farther from the camera than their head.
3. Lying parallel to the camera with the legs up
This is a lovely pose with a more playful result. Ask the model to keep her upper body lifted, with her head tilted toward the camera and directed slightly down.
Make sure your model’s legs are up – and make sure her toes are pointed over her back.
And for the best results, shoot from a low angle.
4. Lying in a triangle
This is a glamour photography classic – and it’s pretty hard to pull off.
Ask your model to lie down, body parallel to the camera. Then have her lift her upper body using a single arm.
You’ll need to check a few items:
- The supporting hand must be turned away from the body
- The head should be turned toward the camera
- The non-supporting hand should remain visible
- The feet should be stretched
5. Body down, shoulders up
This is another challenging one – it’s not easy for the model, and it’s not so easy for the photographer, either!
To shoot this pose successfully, you’ll need to ask your model to lie parallel to the camera, their upper body pushed off the ground with their elbow. (Feel free to experiment with the positioning of the non-supporting arm.)
You’ll also need to check all body parts, including the head, hips, and legs.
6. Lying back
This is a beautiful pose for outdoor shooting.
Simply ask your model to lie down, curve their back, and stretch their feet. It works great on grass, on a beach, or in a chair.
The model’s body should be parallel to the camera, or the feet should be slightly farther away than the head.
7. Lying down, back to the camera
Here’s a beautiful glamour pose for a model lying on her stomach.
The upper body should be slightly lifted, and the model should look back over her shoulder. Ask her to stretch out her legs.
This works well with all body types. Move gradually around the model while testing out different camera angles and positions.
8. Sitting with the back arched
This is a simple pose to emphasize a feminine shape. It also works well as a silhouette against a bright background (though you’ll need to get low to the ground to create the silhouette effect).
Ask your model to sit with their legs tucked and back arched. Then have them lift their elbows.
9. The sitting nude
For those doing nude photography, here’s a simple pose:
Ask your model to face the camera, then cross one leg over the other and drape an arm over the top knee.
If you’re after additional nude poses, try some variations; you can change the hand, leg, and head positioning for great results.
10. Sitting with the back to camera
This semi-nude pose is easy and gentle. The model should sit with both legs tucked. Their back should be angled slightly toward the camera, with their head looking over their shoulder.
11. Sitting parallel to the camera, knee up
This is another easy pose, one that works well in both indoor and outdoor settings.
(For a different result, try creating a silhouette against a bright background.)
Have your model sit parallel to the camera, legs out and knees bent. Ask them to raise an arm (though feel free to experiment with arm and hand positioning here).
12. Sitting and facing the camera
If done properly, this pose turns out amazing. But you’ll need to get the limb positioning exactly right – otherwise, you risk ending up with an awkward, imbalanced shot.
So ask your model to lie down and face the camera at an angle. Then have them partially sit up while keeping their legs stretched out.
This pose works well with all body types. Note that you should shoot from a slightly elevated angle.
13. Crouching parallel to the camera
Now for a challenging pose:
Ask your model to crouch with their knees up. Leg positioning is a decisive factor here, so you’ve got to get it right.
High heels are a must. You can experiment with different feet positioning, but I recommend keeping the toe of one shoe separate from the heel of the next.
14. Facing away from the camera with a head turn
If you’re after a simple and dignified nude photography pose, try this:
Ask your model to turn away from the camera, but with their head tilted back over their shoulder. Ask them to put one arm up and to wrap the other arm around their stomach.
Make sure the model’s face is not partly covered by their hand or shoulder. For a particularly romantic mood, the model can look down toward her body.
Also, her raised elbow should be pointing away from the camera.
15. Looking over the shoulder
This one’s a nude pose for less experienced models.
Ask your model to turn away from the camera, but keep their head tilted back over the shoulder.
Remember that glamour and nude photography don’t exclude props, so don’t be afraid to add a piece of cloth (a sheet or an item of clothing works well); the model can hold this against their body.
16. Leaning forward against a wall
If you’re looking for some nice wall poses, start here:
With your model leaning forward against the wall, elbows out. Her body should be angled toward the wall.
Note that you can adjust her elbow and hand positioning for additional options.
17. Leaning back against the wall
Here’s another easy wall pose:
Ask your model to lean back against the wall, head tilted toward the camera and arm up. For a more dynamic pose, they might bend one knee slightly (with the back foot resting against the wall or a ledge).
Again, endless variation and shooting angles are possible!
18. Against a wall, back to camera
For this one, have your model face away from the camera.
Ask her to shift her weight to one leg for a more dynamic pose. She can lean against the wall, or you can have her step off to the side (though feel free to keep the wall as a compositional element).
19. Facing the camera (full body)
Here’s another pose with many variations.
First, ask your model to face the camera. Then ask her to curve her body in an S shape, twist her hips, and raise her arms.
Ask her to experiment with different head positions (and you might experiment with leg positions, as well).
20. Angled body and flowing sheets
Sheets and clothing work great as props. For this glamour photography pose, ask your model to angle their body toward the camera. Have her wrap a sheet around her stomach then throw it to the side.
(Especially marvelous shots can be made in windy weather!)
21. Facing away with a sheet
I’ve already suggested several poses with your model’s back to the camera.
But if you want to create something unique, try taking your model to an open field – such as a farm field, a wildflower meadow, or even a desert landscape.
I highly recommend you bring a sheet or piece of clothing; your model can wrap it around her legs for plenty of interesting shots.
Glamour photography poses: final words
Hopefully, you now have plenty of glamour and nude poses to try during your next photoshoot!
But I’d like to emphasize:
Each of these initial sample poses is only a starting point. Every pose on this list has endless variations. You can ask your model to try different facial expressions, head turns, hand and leg placements, and body turns. A slight modification can make for a completely different (and potentially better!) pose.
Also, always remember to shoot from different angles (up and down, right and left). Try changing your distance from the subject. Try different crops and compositions.
Because in the end, posing is trial and error. The more variations you shoot, the better your results!
Also, if you enjoyed this article, check out our ebook, Portraits: Striking the Pose, which shares tips, tricks, and secrets for beautiful portrait poses.
Kaspars Grinvalds is a photographer working and living in Riga, Latvia. He is the author of Posing App, where you can find even more poses and posing ideas!
The post Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
How to Do Noise Reduction in Lightroom (2021 Guide)
26
May
The post How to Do Noise Reduction in Lightroom (2021 Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Helen Bradley.
Are you struggling with noisy photos? You’re not alone.
Noise is a huge problem, and it can easily ruin an otherwise great photo – but fortunately, Lightroom’s noise reduction tool allows you to quickly and easily remove unwanted noise. Once you’re done, you’ll be left with clean, beautiful-looking images.
That’s what I talk about in this article. I’m going to show you the step-by-step process for getting rid of noise in Lightroom. And I’ll share plenty of tips along the way!
So if you’re ready to master noise reduction in Lightroom, then let’s get started.
A word of (noise reduction) warning
Noise reduction is great, and it can easily improve your images.
At the same time, it’s important to note that noise removal is generally achieved at the expense of image detail.
This is because the noise removal process smooths out noisy areas; this compromises fine detail. Also, the main Lightroom noise removal tool applies its fix to the entire image and not just the areas where noise is most visible – meaning that you’ll lose image quality even in low-noise locations.
Because of this, if you are a purist and noise reduction is an ongoing and significant need, then you should consider a dedicated program such as DeNoise AI, Neat Image, or Photo Ninja.
However, for most photographers – including many professionals – the noise reduction tools offered in Lightroom, assuming they’re applied judiciously, will suffice.
The two kinds of noise
There are two types of noise in photos: color noise and luminance noise.
Color noise appears as multicolored pixels. In the crop below, you can see many flecks of color, yet the area is supposed to be a solid blue:
Luminance noise is monochromatic, so it’s less colorful and more like grain. Here is luminance noise in an early morning sky:
Lightroom noise reduction: step by step
Now let’s take a look at how you should approach noise reduction in Lightroom.
Step 1: Open the Detail panel
First, to remove noise from a photo, you’ll need to open the Detail panel in the Develop module. You’ll find sliders for luminance noise and for color noise:
For RAW images, Lightroom automatically applies color noise reduction during the import process. By default, the Color slider will be set to 25 (with Detail and Smoothness set to 50). The Luminance slider will be set to 0, with Detail set to 50 and Contrast set to 0 (see the screenshot above).
Step 2: Identify the noise
Now comes the fun part. You’ll need to carefully observe your image – I recommend zooming in to 100 percent or more – with the aim of determining the type of noise present. In some cases, you may have both noise types; in other cases, only one noise type will be a problem.
(Quick tip: If you’re not sure what type of noise is in an image, boost both the Color and Luminance sliders to their maximum values and see what happens. If you have a lot of color noise, adjusting the Color slider should make a big difference, and if you have a lot of luminance noise, the Luminance slider will have the greater effect.)
Step 3: Increase the corresponding sliders
Once you know the type of noise you are trying to remove, drag the corresponding slider to the right. Aim to reduce the noise to an acceptable level, but avoid going too far. After all, the more noise reduction you use, the more detail you lose.
Step 4: Fine-tune additional sliders
Once you’ve adjusted the Luminance slider, adjust the Detail and Contrast sliders just below it. The Detail slider controls, well, detail – the higher the value, the more detail that’ll remain in the image. Of course, the more you boost the Detail slider, the less you’ll remove the actual noise. (And if you use a low Detail value, you will get a smoother result but with less detail).
The Contrast slider controls luminance contrast. The more you boost this slider, the more contrast you’ll get in the final image. You’ll also end up with more noise and mottling. Of course, lower Contrast values will give you a smoother, lower-noise result, but at the expense of reducing contrast.
For color noise, you also get two extra sliders: Detail and Smoothness.
The Detail slider controls the amount of detail left alone by Lightroom’s color noise reduction; boosting the slider will protect detail. Lower Detail values will give you some added smoothing of the color noise, but you may notice that colors bleed into each other. (Adjust the Smoothness slider to help reduce low-frequency color mottling artifacts.)
In this image, removing color noise leaves some luminance noise:
Then, once the color noise is removed, the Luminance slider can remove the remaining luminance noise:
When removing noise from an image, it helps to zoom to 100 percent. That way, you can see what is happening on a pixel level. (Though you also want to look at your image zoomed out! I recommend periodically zooming in and out to check the result.)
Local noise reduction
What if you want to target your noise reduction to a specific part of your image? Is that an option in Lightroom?
Yes, you can do this – sort of. You see, Lightroom does offer a Noise slider as part of its targeted adjustment panel. So you can apply noise reduction via the Adjustment Brush, the Radial Filter, or the Graduated Filter, and you’ll be able to limit noise reduction to the areas you want to affect, leaving the rest of the image unchanged.
But there is a major downside to this feature:
It only removes luminance noise (not color noise), and there’s no additional Detail or Contrast slider to help you fine-tune the results.
Still, for images suffering from luminance noise, it can be useful, so I do recommend you try it out.
Select the area you want to denoise, then boost the Noise slider. The selected area of your image will instantly become less noisy.
By the way, if you sharpen your images after removing noise, make sure to use a light touch – increasing sharpness can increase noise. I’d recommend using the Masking slider in the Detail panel to keep the sharpening applied only to areas with lots of detail.
How to do noise reduction in Lightroom: conclusion
Now that you’ve finished this article, you can confidently reduce noise in Lightroom – for clean, beautiful files.
So grab some noisy images, then test out your new noise reduction skills. And don’t be afraid to experiment with different slider strengths; if you don’t like a change, you can always adjust it right back.
Now over to you:
How do you do noise reduction to your images? Do you struggle? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post How to Do Noise Reduction in Lightroom (2021 Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Helen Bradley.
iPhone Live Photos: A Comprehensive Guide
20
May
The post iPhone Live Photos: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.
Baked into every iPhone is a neat trick – one that combines the serendipity of photos with the magic of video to produce a Live Photo. These aren’t the same as normal photos, but they’re not exactly videos, either.
Live Photos are images that can be edited, adjusted, and shared just like any other image. But they are also tiny video clips: each contains three seconds of video showing a brief moment right before, during, and after you take the picture.
To learn more about Live Photos, including how to use and edit them, keep reading!
What are iPhone Live Photos?
First introduced in the iPhone 6s, Live Photos are a great way to add a bit of context to your iPhone pictures.
Instead of just taking a picture of your kids, you capture the photo – but you also get a brief clip of them running and laughing. Rather than photographing only a flower, your iPhone captures the flower, but it also displays the wind, moving insects, and background noise. A snapshot of your friend holding a freshly caught fish becomes a short clip where you can see the fish wiggling and flopping free.
These short bits of video might not sound like much, but they can go a long way toward bringing a still scene to life. A simple Live Photo can trigger emotions and memories years later that you never knew you wanted to save. The best part about Live Photos is that you don’t have to do anything to create or view them – they’re captured automatically by your iPhone unless you turn the option off manually.
That said, despite the prevalence of Live Photos, there’s still a great deal of confusion among iPhone users. For instance, how do you use Live Photos? How do you edit and share them? What are their benefits and drawbacks? That’s what I aim to cover in the rest of this article.
How to use Live Photos
As with a lot of things in the Apple ecosystem, using Live Photos requires almost zero effort. Any time the camera interface is open, there is an icon in the top-right corner that looks like three concentric circles (pictured below). If there is a line through the icon, Live Photos is turned off. If there is no line, it means Live Photos is enabled. Tap the icon to switch between On and Off.
When Live Photos is enabled, you don’t have to do anything different when you take a picture. Any time you press the shutter button, your iPhone automatically captures the picture and a bit of video. It’s almost like a short animation, or like a moving picture you might see in one of the Harry Potter movies.
If you don’t want to toggle the Live Photos setting every time, navigate to Settings and then choose Camera>Preserve Settings. If you have Live Photo checked, the camera app will remember whether you had Live Photos enabled or disabled the last time you used it. That way you won’t have to click the Live Photos icon every single time you want to take a picture – it will be enabled or disabled depending on your previous settings.
Once the Live Photos setting is enabled, all you have to do is snap a picture and your phone takes care of the rest. There are no parameters to tweak, no options to configure, and no changes from one iPhone to the next. Every time you take a picture, your phone automatically saves a Live Photo.
What can you do with Live Photos?
Apple cofounder Steve Jobs once said that people don’t know what they want until you give it to them. Live Photos are kind of like that, in that they give you a tiny glimpse into the context of your images.
People take pictures with their phones every day, but those images are devoid of the audiovisual context that Live Photos provide. Live Photos aren’t life-altering or world-changing, but the few seconds of video alongside each photo is so nice that it’s hard to give up once you’re used to it.
In fact, the real benefit of Live Photos isn’t readily apparent until you start scrolling back through images from months or years ago. You see a picture of a parent, child, or loved one – and you suddenly realize you also have a few seconds of their voice and past life. That’s when Live Photos become indispensable.
Personally, I don’t find Live Photos to be particularly useful for landscapes, animals, or everyday objects, but it’s those images of the people in my life that make me glad to have Live Photos as an option.
How to view Live Photos
While taking Live Photos is easy, viewing them can be a bit confusing. As you scroll through your photo library, there aren’t any indicators that separate Live Photos from normal photos. And when you tap on a Live Photo, all you see is a still image.
Viewing a Live Photo sent by someone else can be tricky, too, because it looks like any other picture.
The key to viewing Live Photos lies in the key to operating your phone: You have to use your fingers. So to view a Live Photo, whether in your own photo library or one sent to you in a text message, you have to press and hold. The pressure will activate the Live function and start playing the video.
(Note: If you are viewing Live Photos on a Mac computer in the Messages or Photos apps, you have to click and hold on with the mouse cursor.)
Viewing Live Photos is one thing, but what about finding them in the first place? With scant visual clues to separate Live Photos from normal images, locating them can be confusing. Fortunately, you can use the Media Type option in your iPhone photo library to show all Live Photos; this eliminates the need to scroll through all your images in the hopes of randomly stumbling across a Live Photo.
There are also a few hints embedded in every Live Photo to help you know what you’re looking at: Every Live Photo has the word “Live” in the top-left corner, along with the Live Photos bullseye icon. And when you receive a Live Photo over text message, you won’t see the word “Live” – but you will see the Live Photos icon, which means you can tap and hold to view the clip.
How to edit Live Photos
One of the most compelling features of Live Photos is how they can be edited and tweaked just like any other image.
You can use the iPhone Photos app to crop, adjust color, change brightness, add a vignette, and even use filters such as Mono, Silvertone, Dramatic, and more.
You can also change the Key Photo – the image that shows up when you first view a Live Photo (before video playback begins).
I’m a fan of Live Photo editing capabilities; they reinforce the idea that Live Photos aren’t to be treated differently from any other picture. Editing prohibitions or restrictions would be a big drawback – but at present, the only thing you can’t do with a Live Photo is use markup effects to draw on it.
(If you do want to add markup, the Live Photo is discarded and you’re left with a still image. It’s not necessarily a bad tradeoff, just something to keep in mind.)
Apple also gives you some fun ways to edit your Live Photos that go beyond what you can do with normal images. When viewing a Live Photo, you can tap the Share button to save it as a movie, which can then be sent to anyone for viewing on any device – iPhone, Windows computer, etc. You can tweak things even further with some fun effects, too.
For instance, tap and hold on a Live Photo, then – without letting go – swipe upward. This brings up an Effects menu, where you can make a Live Photo loop, bounce back and forth from the end to the beginning, or create a long exposure that blurs all the frames together. These can be shared like other Live Photos, exported as movie files, or uploaded to websites like Giphy.com, which can turn the content into animated GIFs.
If you have your iPhone pictures synced to your Mac via iCloud, you can even separate a Live Photo into its component parts: a single HEIC image file and a QuickTime movie file. (HEIC files are similar to JPEG files, but they offer more color information and better compression.) You can then edit and share each file individually, or you can use software such as iMovie or Adobe Premiere to stitch multiple Live Photo QuickTime movies into a single video.
Drawbacks to Live Photos
There are a few caveats to keep in mind when using Live Photos.
For one, while Live Photos are a great way to add a bit of context to your memories, they do take up more storage space than traditional photos. The exact file size varies, but Live Photos are generally about twice as large as normal photos. Even if you have 256 GB or 512 GB of storage space, Live Photos can eat through this pretty quickly.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t take Live Photos; just be aware of your storage limitations.
Also, Live Photos exist only within the Apple ecosystem. Other Apple users can see the entire three-second clip – but if you send a Live Photo to an Android user, they’ll only receive a single JPEG image. There is a process you can use to export a Live Photo as a movie clip or animated GIF file, but those extra steps are an obvious inconvenience.
And Live Photos offer no customization options, which might bother folks who enjoy tweaking things to fit their own preferences. Every Live Photo is exactly 3 seconds – no more, no less. Every Live Photo is also shot at the same resolution and quality settings, and these limits can be somewhat frustrating. It would be nice if Apple had the option to shoot longer Live Photos, but I wouldn’t count on that changing anytime soon.
iPhone Live Photos: final words
Live Photos are a great way to get more enjoyment out of everyday images.
While drawbacks exist, the benefits mostly outweigh the negatives – and it can be incredibly rewarding to look back on these brief video snippets years later. You will find yourself enjoying your images in a whole new way, and the creative sharing options might open up new doors you never knew existed.
Now over to you:
What do you think of iPhone Live Photos? Do you plan to use them often? Do you prefer them to still images? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Live Photos FAQ
How do I turn on Live Photos?
With your camera app open, tap the little bullseye icon in the top-right corner. If the icon is yellow, then Live Photos are enabled. If the icon is white, Live Photos are disabled.
How much storage space do Live Photos use?
As a rule of thumb, Live Photos are about twice the size of a normal image. Most Live Photos are about 6-7 MB in size, though this varies depending on the subject you’re shooting.
How do I share a Live Photo to an Android phone?
When you tap the Share button, use the “Save as Video” option. This will convert your Live Photo into a movie file, which you can send to an Android phone (or share with someone who uses a Windows computer).
How can I turn a Live Photo into an animated GIF?
Your iPhone can’t do this by itself, but you can save a Live Photo as a movie and then upload the movie to a GIF website such as Giphy. The GIF website will convert your movie into an animated GIF, which you can share with others.
The post iPhone Live Photos: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.
How to Batch Resize in Photoshop: A Step-by-Step Guide (2021)
12
May
The post How to Batch Resize in Photoshop: A Step-by-Step Guide (2021) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Helen Bradley.
What’s the easiest way to batch resize in Photoshop?
In this article, I’m going to take you through a simple, step-by-step process for resizing your images. It’ll take seconds – and when you’re done, you’ll be able to resize dozens (or hundreds!) of photos at once.
Let’s get started.
Batch resizing in Photoshop: step by step
Batch resizing isn’t hard, and it takes very little knowledge.
To start, make sure you open some files in Photoshop (though note that you don’t need to open all the files you’re aiming to resize; a random file or an empty canvas will do just fine). As you can see below, I’ve opened a blank document:
I’m going to cover the Image Processor method of batch resizing. Pretty much anyone can do it, and it generally works well. However, if you have more complex batch resizing requirements, consider writing an action; that way, you can tailor the resizing to your particular needs.
Now let’s take a closer look at the batch resizing process, starting with:
Step 1: Open the Image Processor
Choose File>Scripts>Image Processor.
The Image Processor dialog box will open, where you’ll see a simple, four-step process for resizing your images:
Step 2: Select your images for batch resizing
In the first section of the Image Processor dialog box, you’ll need to identify the images you want to batch resize.
You can choose to resize all open images by selecting Use Open Images:
Or you can pick a folder from your hard drive via the Select Folder button:
If you do select a folder, you can tell Photoshop to resize images in all subfolders as well; just hit the Include All sub-folders checkbox:
Step 3: Determine your export location
Now it’s time to determine where you want your resized images to go.
To save the resized versions alongside the originals, simply select Save in Same Location:
Then, when the resizing begins, Photoshop will create a subfolder next to the original files. (Because your resized versions will retain the names of the original files, creating a subfolder – rather than simply saving the images in the original folder – prevents any overwriting.)
Alternatively, you can select a different folder for the resized files:
Step 4: Input your preferred image sizes
This is the most important step of the entire process:
The moment where you dial in resize settings for your files.
First, determine your output file type. You can choose from JPEG, PSD, and TIFF (JPEG is the default and generally works well, but if you’re working with layered files, then PSD is a good choice).
If you do decide to save JPEGs, you can adjust the output quality; 12 will give you large, great-looking photos, whereas 1 will give you tiny, low-quality results.
For better color when displaying your photos on the web, select Convert Profile to sRGB:
I also recommend checking the Include ICC Profile box at the bottom:
Finally, select Resize to Fit, and type in your preferred file size!
Note that the dimensions you dial in are maximums. So if you type in 300 for the width and 300 for the height, the files will be resized so that the longest side of every image is 300 pixels.
(In other words, the images won’t be cropped or skewed to fit your preferred dimensions; they’ll be scaled up or down for the most natural-looking results.)
Also note that the width and height measurements don’t have to be the same. You could specify a width of 400 and a height of 300 – then all images would be constrained to a width of 400 or a height of 300, whichever comes first.
By the way, you do have the option to save your images in a second (or third) format, as well. Just select the Save as PSD or Save as TIFF checkboxes, and PSD and/or TIFF folders will be created alongside your JPEG folder!
Step 5: Run the script
When you’re ready, click Run.
The images will be automatically opened (if they’re not open already), resized, saved, and closed again.
To find your resized images, simply head to the folder you specified in Step 3 (above). If you chose to save JPEGs, the images will be in a subfolder called JPEG; if you chose to save TIFFs, the images will be in a subfolder called TIFF, etc.
Like this:
How to batch resize in Photoshop: final words
Well, there you have it:
The easiest way to batch resize your images in Photoshop.
So whenever you need to resize a lot of images for uploading on the web, use the Photoshop Image Processor.
It makes the job quick and painless!
Now over to you:
Do you have a favorite method of batch resizing images in Photoshop? If so, share it in the comments below!
The post How to Batch Resize in Photoshop: A Step-by-Step Guide (2021) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Helen Bradley.
Film Photography: A Guide (and How to Get Started)
10
May
The post Film Photography: A Guide (and How to Get Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.
Film photography is gaining in popularity.
At the start of the digital revolution, film was the realm of those who did not want to move to the new way of working (and those folks were usually harassed on forums and message boards).
But these days, film photography has a much different reputation. While some photographers see film as the preserve of hipsters trying to look cool, for many, film is a more organic method of photography. It allows you to slow down, focus on getting the shot, and experience a wait before seeing the results.
In this article, I’ll guide you through the process, equipment, and reasons to start shooting film.
What is film photography?
Film photography is the process of using chemicals to create a photograph. Film in roll form has been around since 1885. The film roll was invented by Peter Houston, who then licensed it to George Eastman (of the Kodak company). Kodak still dominates film photography to this day.
Without getting too complicated, film photography works by exposing silver halide crystals to light. The more light that comes in contact with the crystals, the darker the crystals become. Afterward, the film can be processed to create a negative (the inverse of the final image), and this can be exposed onto light-sensitive paper to create a final print.
Slide film is also available, which works slightly differently – but let’s not overcomplicate things too much!
Film vs digital: Why should you consider shooting film?
As I explained above, the process of creating a photograph on film is a science. It involves chemicals, darkness, and all sorts of other cool stuff. Anyone who has ever processed their own film images will talk about the feeling they had when they first saw a print come to life in the developer. It is a magical experience, and one that takes a lot of time and effort. But it is this time and effort that makes film photography so rewarding.
Let’s take a closer look at the many reasons you should shoot film over digital:
1. Film stops you from being sloppy
Film photography is much more deliberate than digital photography. Each time you press the shutter, there is a cost attached. So you quickly learn to nail the technical elements and the composition. Shooting a 36-exposure roll of film will cost you roughly $ 1 per image. So if you go out and shoot 200-300 images, as many of us do on a digital shoot, you will suddenly see how cheap digital photography is.
Also, when you can shoot bursts of 100 images, you don’t really need to wait for the perfect moment to unfold. You just shoot until you get it. You don’t need to worry about exposure because you can check the LCD, adjust as needed, and fix it in editing.
Film photography, on the other hand, isn’t about shooting hundreds of images. It’s about shooting a roll of 36 pictures (possibly 2 rolls if you have a great photoshoot). It is about making each exposure count and getting everything right in-camera.
In other words: With digital, it’s easy to become a lazy photographer because there are rarely consequences. With film, you’ll always be on your toes.
2. Film saves you hours in post-processing
Film tends to look great straight out of the camera, whereas digital photos can require hours of post-processing.
In fact, most popular editing styles are film-based. So if you want the look and feel of a polished photo without spending tons of time editing, just shoot film!
Digital photographs edited to look like film are the photographic equivalent of laminate oak flooring. Yes, it’s cheaper. Yes, it’s more practical. But it just isn’t the same as the real thing!
I don’t mean to say that printing film photographs isn’t an absolute art. If you look at some of the notes of Magnum’s master printer, Pablo Inirio, you will see how the process of creating a print from a negative is something that takes a true mastery of the craft. There are definitely no auto buttons in the darkroom.
But overall, the “film” look is pretty stunning – and requires little-to-no actual editing.
3. Film makes you better at problem solving
In film photography, your ISO is fixed.
So you’re forced to think carefully when doing photography. If the light is dropping and you’re shooting ISO 100 film, you’ll have to figure out how to get more light into the camera, or you won’t get the shot. Should you slow the shutter? At what speed can you still handhold? Are you sure? Should you open the aperture and sacrifice depth of field? How can you still get a great shot in tough conditions?
Film photography throws up a lot of questions, and you only get the answers when you see the developed images.
4. Film is (potentially) cost effective
Here’s the thing:
As I mentioned above, it costs around $ 1 per shot to do film photography. And that seems like a lot.
But if you look at the cost of a high-end film camera compared to something like the Canon EOS R5 (which is around $ 5000 with a lens), you’ll quickly realize that film photography can be very budget friendly, depending on how frequently you shoot.
Even if you spend $ 1000 on a high-end film camera and lens, it leaves you with a $ 4000 film budget. Additionally, high-end film cameras will keep their value. In fact, many film cameras rise in value. So if you purchase a film camera and sell it 5 years later, you might make a nice little profit in the process. That definitely isn’t true of the latest and greatest digital cameras.
5. Film photography is enjoyable
Ask yourself: What do you enjoy most about photography? Is it taking photos, or is it wading through editing software to find the best image out of 100 almost identical files? Is your enjoyment in seeing the final image, or in spending hours of editing to make it look perfect?
Personally, I am not a fan of editing, especially when I compare it to the enjoyment of taking photos. For you, it may be different, but photographing film sharpens my skills. It helps me get more keepers and means I spend less time behind the computer.
The easiest analogy I can draw here is with music. I love my phone with thousands of songs on it. The ability to carry every record I ever wanted to in my pocket is amazing, and it is how I listen to 90% or more of my music. However, when I really want to listen to music, I make a coffee, turn on my hi-fi system, and put on a record. It isn’t as convenient, and you have to get up to turn the album over halfway through, but it sounds better. And because I have invested more, I focus more, and I always enjoy it more.
6. It makes you cooler
Let’s face it:
Shooting film just makes you look cooler.
What equipment do you need for film photos?
You need a camera and some film. You then need a place to develop it. Pretty simple, really.
Let’s take a closer look at cameras and film:
Cameras
There are three main types of film cameras:
- Point and shoot
- SLR/Rangefinder
- Medium format
Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The easiest way to get into film photography is with a good-quality compact camera. It’s the analog equivalent of taking photos on an iPhone. The camera will work out the exposure, leaving you to work on the composition.
There are many compact film cameras out there, ranging from the cheap all the way up to the incredibly expensive. If you want to try shooting film, this is where I suggest you start. You can pick up a decent compact film camera on a well-known auction site for under $ 100.
A film SLR is a lot like a digital SLR except not as good. There are those with autofocus and those without. SLRs without autofocus will add another layer of complexity to taking photographs. Generally, you can find a manual focus SLR for cheaper. Manual focus cameras are also more reliable mechanically due to the smaller amount of internal electronics.
Even if you do use an autofocusing film camera, note that old autofocus systems are not anything like those we enjoy today (though they can make film less daunting). The right option is something only you can decide.
Finally, there’s medium format. Medium format cameras use much larger film, though with 12-16 exposures per roll. In the same way that a bigger digital sensor improves image quality and gives a shallower depth of field, medium format film creates ultra-stunning results. Many iconic photographs have been taken on medium format film, including shots of the NASA space missions.
Medium format cameras have some advantages (e.g., many are able to change film partway through a roll). But they also have many quirks, and these can be overwhelming for photographers new to film. Medium format cameras are bulky, heavy, and expensive compared to the other types mentioned here, so I’d hesitate to recommend them if you’re new to shooting film.
If you really want to try medium format film on a budget, you can get a Holga. It uses medium format film in a point and shoot style body with a plastic lens. Holga cameras have a very specific look; just don’t expect images like those shot by a “proper” medium format camera.
Choosing film
Your film will determine the look of your photography. It also fixes your ISO (i.e., if you put in ISO 100 film, you’ll be shooting at ISO 100 until the roll is finished). So make sure you carefully select your film’s ISO based on the day/time you’re shooting.
Now, each film has distinctive characteristics, such as color vividness and shadow softness. So the film you choose depends on the type of look you want to achieve. The main brands to check out are Kodak, Fuji, and Ilford.
Every film out there has an example photo or two on the internet, so get your Google on and see what looks good. I’d suggest buying a few different rolls of film and finding your own favorite. Trying a new film is part of the fun of film photography!
How to develop your film photos
The easiest way to develop your film photos is to send them off to a professional film lab. If you’re just starting out with film photography, this is the method I would definitely recommend.
However, many photographers (myself included) like the experience of developing their film at home. It’s a relatively simple process, and if you shoot a lot, it can be cost-effective. The main equipment and chemicals can be bought at many photography stores – some may even offer a discounted kit to get you started.
How to develop film at home is a whole different article. However, if you think you might want to try it, a basic equipment list is as follows:
- Film changing bag
- Film tank
- Developer
- Fixer
- Distilled water
- Thermometer
- Measuring cylinder
One quick tip for developing your film at home:
Dry it in the bathroom. The moisture from showering will decrease the amount of dust in the air, which will in turn decrease the amount of dust that will settle onto your negatives.
If you want to take things even further, you can set up your own darkroom for printing – but it’s more expensive and requires a dedicated space.
A guide to film photography: conclusion
Shooting film is a great way to learn more about photography. It gives you new methods of thinking about composition, exposure, and editing; it might even be the thing that can break you out of a creative rut.
As you now know, you can start film photography for cheap, and it may take your photography in a whole new direction!
Over to you:
What do you think of film photography? Have you tried it yet? If so, do you have any advice for beginners? And if you haven’t tried film, what camera and film do you plan to use? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Film Photography: A Guide (and How to Get Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.
Triangle Composition in Photography: A Quick Guide (Plus Tips)
13
Apr
The post Triangle Composition in Photography: A Quick Guide (Plus Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
Speaking about triangle composition, artist Wassily Kandinsky once said, “The impact of the acute angle of a triangle on a circle produces an effect no less powerful than the finger of God touching the finger of Adam in Michelangelo.”
Recognizing the momentum within a triangular shape, painters have regularly capitalized on the visual drama of triangular structures. But painters aren’t the only ones to utilize triangles; photographers have also made extensive use of the shape to add impact, lead the eye, and emphasize spirited angles unfolding within the photographic frame.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the dynamics of triangles in photographic composition.
What is triangle composition in photography?
Triangle composition relies on the use of triangular shapes or concepts to create a better image.
Triangles can be found everywhere. Signs, architecture, geography, sailboats, food, arrows, aviation, wallpaper, optical illusions (see the Penrose triangle); the list goes on!
Why are triangles useful?
Triangles are useful in composition for many reasons. Perhaps one of the most obvious selling points of triangles is their striking versatility.
For instance, triangles can represent direction and orientation; they can signal stasis or momentum. A triangle that recedes into the horizon creates the impression of perspective and depth. Off-kilter triangles paired with vivid colors create impactful shapes that express energy and dynamism. And depending on whether a triangle is facing left or right, it can represent progress, forward motion, or backtracking (just think of the symbols on a TV remote!).
Triangles in composition can also create order in chaos. That’s why triangles can be helpful in planning a photograph or figuring out why an image works the way it does.
Over time, artists have developed different compositional concepts to help create appealing imagery. The golden triangle is a visualization that divides the frame into four triangles, like this:
The golden triangle suggests one of three approaches:
- Fill one of the triangles with a main subject.
- Align some diagonal subject matter with at least one of the diagonal golden triangle lines.
- Line up a significant point in the composition with a point of intersection.
Triangles found in both the natural and modern landscape can visually unite or disrupt a photograph.
And by incorporating triangles or the golden triangle overlay into a photographic composition, you can control the energy and focus of an image.
Common triangle types
There are several types of triangles you should know:
Self-contained triangles can be found throughout the natural and urban environment. These distinct shapes can command attention and often serve as a key component or structural element within a photograph.
(Interestingly, some triangles do extend beyond the frame, thus becoming more indirect triangular compositions.)
Other triangular formats include triangles with rounded edges, which deliver a softened visual effect.
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/5 | 1/160s | ISO 100
Implied triangles are more subtle arrangements of subject matter that can generate the impression of a triangle composition. Implied triangles aren’t a single specific triangular subject. Instead, they borrow from different elements in an image to form a triangle-like arrangement.
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/4 | 1/100s | ISO 250
The type and behavior of triangles can significantly impact a photograph.
To create stability or instability within an image, triangles can teeter on a point or rest firmly on a vertical line. Symmetrical triangles can signal equilibrium whereas asymmetrical triangles can represent an object to overcome or act as a symbol of intensification.
A triangle pointing at the sky can represent the peak of a goal or journey toward success. A triangle pointing at the ground can represent direction, a downfall, or a lessening of intensity.
Other triangles can point to specific subjects or even represent the main subject.
Tips for working with triangles
Triangles are intriguing shapes, and working with them doesn’t have to be hard.
Here are a few tips for creating beautiful triangle compositions in photography:
1. Use variety
Triangles come in many shapes and forms. To add variety to your photos, include different triangle sizes, types, and orientations (this will also help you develop an eye for the shape).
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/8 | 1/125s | ISO 100
2. Try the golden triangle rule
As I explained earlier, the golden triangle is a visual device used to help create harmonious compositions.
While the golden triangle takes practice to visualize (see the overlay displayed above), it encourages you to make the most of the available subject matter. The rule also draws attention to areas in a composition that might otherwise be ignored.
3. Rules can be broken
Although triangle composition is an engaging approach to photography, compositional rules can be bent and broken.
The golden triangle serves as a guide or exercise rather than a definitive rule – and can therefore be manipulated or ignored.
And using triangular subject matter in a composition is pretty flexible. For example, rounded points or points that extend off the edge of the photograph can still suggest engaging and cohesive triangle-based compositions.
Triangle composition in photography: final thoughts
Over the centuries, triangles and triangle composition have come to represent strength, vitality, energy, and momentum.
By incorporating triangles (and the golden triangle rule) into your compositions, you can create dynamic, eye-catching photos.
So the next time you’re out with your camera, look for triangles – and create some powerful compositions!
Triangle composition FAQ
What is triangle composition?
Triangle composition is either the incorporation of triangular shapes into photographic work or adherence to the golden triangle compositional rule.
What is the golden triangle?
The golden triangle is a compositional device. By mentally dividing an image into triangular sections, you can arrange elements to create beautiful compositions.
Where can I photograph triangles?
Triangles make up our world in many ways. Triangles can be found in the urban landscape as well as the natural environment. Once you start looking, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to photograph triangles.
How can I use triangle composition?
There are several ways to incorporate triangular compositions into a photograph. The most obvious ways involve photographing triangular shapes themselves and using the golden triangle rule to guide your compositions. You can also use implied triangles to loosely organize subjects in a triangular format.
The post Triangle Composition in Photography: A Quick Guide (Plus Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
How to Blur the Background in Lightroom: A Complete Guide
08
Apr
The post How to Blur the Background in Lightroom: A Complete Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
If you want to give more emphasis to your subject, you must minimize the background. The best way to achieve this is in-camera; you can focus on the subject but pick a wide aperture and a long focal length for limited depth of field. The result is a sharp subject but a blurred, simplified background:
That is the ideal method. I’m going to teach you how to blur the background in Lightroom, but with the caveat that it is not the best way.
What if your image is sharp from front to back but the background now competes for attention? You didn’t think about it and made your shot with a smaller aperture, wide focal length, or both. Or perhaps you’re dealing with a smartphone image, where a small sensor size and a very short focal length almost always creates images with everything in focus.
If you failed to get a blurred background in-camera, your next best option is Photoshop – or another sophisticated editing program that supports layers, selections, and functions like gradients and Gaussian blur.
As for Lightroom: It’s a fair option. It will work, but using it to blur your background probably ought to be thought of as a “rescue mission.” I don’t want to discourage you – Lightroom often can produce a very acceptable blur – but I’d strongly encourage you to shoot multiple images during your photo session and vary the aperture if you think you might want to soften the background.
But all the coulda, woulda, and shoulda regrets over how you might have made a better in-camera capture don’t count when the session is over, the images are already made, and Lightroom is the only editing tool you have.
So let me show you how to blur the background in Lightroom.
Two major steps
There are two major things to consider when blurring the background in Lightroom:
- What area(s) you want blurred
- The kind and amount of blurring you want
The what and how of masking
In Photoshop, defining the area you want to work with is typically done with selections. There are a variety of tools to create selections, and once you’ve made them, you’ll typically see the “marching ants” – the animated dotted-line border that defines your selected area.
But in Lightroom, there are no selections, and you’ll never see the ants. Instead, Lightroom uses what it calls “masks” to allow you to select areas where you want effects applied.
There are three local adjustment tools you can use in Lightroom to select areas and apply masks:
- The Adjustment Brush
- The Graduated Filter
- The Radial Filter
Blurring the background with a Graduated Filter and the filter brush
It’s probably best to think of your filter brush more as an airbrush than a paintbrush. There are four settings you can use to control its application:
- Size: Changes the size of the brush. Roll the mouse wheel, use the left and right bracket keys, or use the slider.
- Feather: Changes how hard the edge of the brush is and how rapidly the effect falls off. Use Shift while rolling the mouse wheel, Shift and the bracket keys together, or the Feather slider.
- Flow: Controls how quickly the effect is applied with each stroke of the brush. Use the slider to adjust the flow, or with the brush tool selected, change the flow with the number keys on the keyboard. Using multiple strokes will build up the effect.
- Density: Controls the maximum opacity of the brush effect. For example, if the Flow was at 100 but the Density was at 50, one stroke of the brush would apply the effect at 50% opacity.
It is possible to simply select the Adjustment Brush, drag the sharpness slider all the way down (“reverse sharpening”), and start painting away on your image, watching the painted sections become more blurred. (You are still creating a mask this way, but you will not see it unless you turn on the Mask Overlay).
The Adjustment Brush method might work fine if you don’t mind being imprecise about how finely the blur is applied, but it is not the best method for finer work.
Radial Filter
The Radial Filter has a shape that is restricted to circles and ovals. The effect radiates out from the center of the spot where it is applied. You can control its size, feathering, and orientation.
Using the Invert checkbox, you can also control whether the filter effect occurs outside the oval (the default), or inside the oval (if the Invert box is checked).
1) Mask the entire image with the Radial Filter. (Turn on the Mask Overlay to see where the mask is applied.)
2) Use the filter brush to erase portions of the mask you want to remain sharp.
3) Slide the Sharpness slider to the left for reverse sharpening (softening) of the masked areas.
The image on the left is prior to masking; the image in the center shows the masked area after removing the mask on the barn; the image on the right shows a blurred background.
The Overlay option
Being able to see where you’ve applied a mask makes things easier, so turning on the Mask Overlay option is a good idea. This can be done by either checking the box at the bottom of the screen labeled Show Selected Mask Overlay or by tapping the “O” key on your keyboard.
You can cycle through various overlay colors (which can help to make your mask stand out over different photo colors) by using Shift + O.
Modifying masks
Though the Adjustment Brush, Radial Filter, and Graduated Filter are the only tools for applying masks, there are other tools for modifying them.
- Auto Mask – Checking this box while working with a brush will help the brush find edges in your image and can make masking much easier.
- Erase – You can use the Adjustment Brush to paint on a mask. When doing so, you will see a “+” symbol at the center of the brush. Clicking the Erase option will change the symbol at the center of the brush to a “-” symbol so that you can erase portions of the mask you already painted on. You can also easily switch from painting to erasing by holding down the Alt/Option key.
- You can add or subtract from Graduated Filter or Radial Filter masks with the filter brush tool. If you are working with a Graduated or Radial Filter mask, you will see the word “Brush” appear to the right of the word “Mask.” Important: This is a different brush than the Adjustment Brush tool. It will allow you to add to or subtract from your existing Graduated Filter or Radial Filter mask.
Range masking
Lightroom has recently added what is called the Range Mask.
With Range Masking, you still apply an initial mask using the three tools mentioned above (the Adjustment Brush, the Radial Filter, and the Graduated Filter). But by turning on Range Masking, you can control more specifically where the mask is applied.
The Luminance Range Mask will allow you to selectively apply a mask to a range of luminance (brightness) in the photo, while Color Range Masking allows the mask to be applied to a range of color (hue). Being proficient with the Range Mask will serve you well as you become a more skilled Lightroom editor.
Learning how to create a mask to work with the areas you want is the most important part of how to blur the background in Lightroom. Take time to carefully apply and fine-tune your masks. How convincing your final image will be is highly dependent on the careful application of your mask.
Creating the blur
Creating your masks will determine where your blurring effect is applied. It’s the more time-consuming and critical step.
But these next steps will determine how the blur looks.
Let’s say you have a person in your foreground as the main subject. You want them to be sharp, but you’d like to blur the background. Using the masking tools and techniques I’ve outlined above, here’s how I’d approach the image:
- Drag a Graduated Filter across the image so the entire scene is masked.
- Use the filter brush tool (the one that’s part of the Graduated Filter) to fine-tune the mask, erasing portions over the subject, adding back as needed, and perhaps also using the Auto Mask feature to help you better mask near the edges.
- Now, with your Graduated Filter selected, drag the Sharpness slider down, perhaps all the way to the left.
- See if dragging down the Clarity slider a bit helps achieve the blur you want. Use this more sparingly than the Sharpness slider as it can create a strange look if applied too strongly.
- Play with the other sliders to see what effect they might have. Remember that each slider will only affect the masked area.
Double down on the blur
You might find that even if you drag your Sharpness or Clarity sliders all the way to the left, you still aren’t getting the amount of blur you’d like. Time to double down.
Once you’ve added the sharpening or clarity effect, right-click the pin and hit Duplicate. A copy of the adjustments will be applied on top of the existing adjustments, and the blur will be multiplied.
Still not enough? Repeat and duplicate again. You can make as many duplicates as you like, slowly building up the effect.
When you blur the background in Lightroom, less is more
Let’s come back around to what I said at the beginning of this article:
Using Lightroom to blur your background is not the best way to achieve the look you’re after. Softening details with editing is a bit of fakery and cannot begin to truly reproduce the kind of bokeh blur achieved with a lens.
So instead of creating something that is immediately obvious and calls attention to itself, be subtle. If an untrained observer would say, “This looks like an editing effect,” you’ve failed.
Spend whatever time it takes to create and refine your masks so that it’s not obvious where the edge is. Consider the different parts of the scene that should – and shouldn’t! – be blurred.
Then be sparing in your application of reverse sharpness and clarity. It’s always a good practice to take a break after an editing session to give your eyes a rest, then look at your image again later. You might even ask someone else to view the image. (They should not be able to tell that anything was doctored.)
How to blur the background in Lightroom: final words
In teaching you how to blur the background in Lightroom, I want you to be successful with your editing and make beautiful images.
So test out the techniques I’ve shared. And if you get good results, post some of your before and after images in the comments below!
Why should you blur the background of a photo?
You should always decide on the most important subject in your photo and use techniques to put the most attention on that subject. Sometimes backgrounds can be distracting, so blurring them while keeping the main subject sharp can be a good idea.
Is Lightroom a good application for blurring the background?
It works, but you will be using tools not especially created for this purpose. Adobe Photoshop or a different editing application with selections, layers, and Gaussian blur would be better.
Is there a Blur tool in Lightroom?
Not really. To blur backgrounds in Lightroom, you add reverse sharpness and reverse clarity over selected portions of the image.
What is the best way to blur the background in a photo?
The best way is to shoot your photos with a limited depth of field. Wide apertures and longer focal lengths would be the in-camera approach to the blurred background look.
Will the “Portrait mode” of newer smartphone cameras allow you to blur the background?
Yes, this mode actually takes multiple shots and combines them in-camera to create a blurred background effect. It might be better than what you can do in Lightroom, but it provides limited user control and is not nearly as good as what can be done with a traditional camera.
The post How to Blur the Background in Lightroom: A Complete Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
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