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Introduction to Shutter Speed in Digital Photography

01 Dec

The post Introduction to Shutter Speed in Digital Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Previously, I introduced the concept of the exposure triangle as a way of thinking about getting off of Auto Mode and exploring the idea of manually adjusting the exposure of your shots.

The three main settings that you can adjust are ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. As we’ve covered aperture and ISO in other articles, today I want to turn your attention to shutter speed.

What is shutter speed?

As I’ve written elsewhere, defined most basically, shutter speed is “the amount of time that the shutter is open.”

In film photography, shutter speed is the length of time that the film is exposed to the scene you’re photographing. Similarly, in digital photography, shutter speed is the length of time that your image sensor “sees” the scene you’re attempting to capture.

Let me attempt to break down the topic of “shutter speed” into some bite-sized pieces that should help digital camera owners trying to get their head around shutter speed:

Shutter speed is measured in seconds – or, in most cases, fractions of seconds. The bigger the denominator, the faster the speed (i.e., 1/1000s is much faster than 1/30s).
In most cases, you’ll probably need shutter speeds of 1/60th of a second or faster. This is because anything slower than this is very difficult to use without getting camera shake. Camera shake is when your camera is moving while the shutter is open; it causes blur in your photos.
If you’re using a slow shutter speed (anything slower than 1/60s), you will need to either use a tripod or some type of image stabilization technology (more and more cameras are coming with this built-in).
Shutter speeds available on your camera will often double (approximately) with each setting. As a result, you’ll generally have the option to use the following shutter speeds: 1/500s, 1/250s, 1/125s, 1/60s, 1/30s, 1/15s, 1/8s, etc. This doubling is handy to keep in mind, as aperture settings also double the amount of light that is let in. As a result, increasing the shutter speed by one stop and decreasing the aperture by one stop should give you similar exposure levels.
Some cameras also give you the option for very slow shutter speeds that are not fractions of seconds but are measured in seconds (for example, 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, etc.). These are used in very low light situations when you’re after special effects and/or when you’re trying to capture a lot of movement in a shot. Some cameras also give you the option to shoot in “B” (or “Bulb”) mode. Bulb mode lets you keep the shutter open for as long as you hold the shutter button down.
When considering what shutter speed to use in an image, you should always ask yourself whether anything in your scene is moving and how you’d like to capture that movement. If there is movement in your scene, you have the choice of either freezing the movement (so it looks still) or letting the moving object intentionally blur (giving it a sense of movement).
To freeze movement in an image (like in the shots of the bird above and the surfer below), you’ll want to choose a faster shutter speed. To let the movement blur, you’ll want to choose a slower shutter speed. The actual speeds you should choose will vary depending upon the speed of the subject in your shot and how much you want it to be blurred.

In the bird image above, the shutter speed was 1/1000th of a second, meaning that despite the bird’s fast-flapping wings, they appear to be frozen in a split second of time. The surfing shot below had a fast shutter speed (around 1/4000th of a second), which captured even the splashing drops of water sharply.

Motion is not always bad. I spoke to one digital camera owner last week who told me that he always used fast shutter speeds and couldn’t understand why anyone would want motion in their images. But there are times when motion is good. For example, when you’re taking a photo of a waterfall or a seascape and want to show how fast the water is flowing, or when you’re taking a shot of a racing car and want to give it a feeling of speed, or when you’re taking a shot of a starscape and want to show how the stars move over a longer period of time. In all of these instances, choosing a longer shutter speed will be the way to go. However, in all of these cases, you will need to use a tripod or you’ll run the risk of ruining the shots by adding camera movement (which results in a different type of blur than motion blur).

For example, in the following waterfall photo, the shutter speed was around 1s, so we see the movement in the water:

In the subway shot below, the shutter speed was around 2s, so the movement of the train is beautifully blurred:

Focal length and shutter speed – Another thing to consider when choosing your shutter speed is the focal length of the lens you’re using. Longer focal lengths will accentuate the amount of camera shake you have, and so you’ll need to choose a faster shutter speed (unless you have image stabilization in your lens or camera). The rule of thumb here (in situations without image stabilization) is to choose a shutter speed with a denominator that is larger than the focal length of the lens. For example, if you have a lens that is 50mm, a shutter speed of 1/60s is probably okay. But if you have a 200mm lens, you’ll probably want to shoot at around 1/250s or higher.

Shutter speed – bringing it together

Remember that thinking about shutter speed in isolation from the other two elements of the exposure triangle (aperture and ISO) is not really a good idea. As you change your shutter speed, you’ll need to change one or both of the other elements to compensate for it.

For example, if you increase your shutter speed by one stop (for example, from 1/125s to 1/250s), you’re effectively letting half as much light into your camera. To compensate for this, you’ll probably need to increase your aperture by one stop (for example, from f/16 to f/11). The other alternative would be to choose a higher ISO (you might want to move from ISO 100 to ISO 200, for example).

I hope you’ve found this introduction to shutter speed useful. I would highly recommend you also put a little time aside today to learn about the other two important elements of the exposure triangle – aperture and ISO.

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The post Introduction to Shutter Speed in Digital Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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An Introduction to Working with Layers in Affinity Photo

07 Oct

The post An Introduction to Working with Layers in Affinity Photo appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Working with layers in Affinity Photo is very similar to how you work with layers in Adobe Photoshop. So if you are used to Photoshop, the transition to using layers in Affinity Photo is relatively easy.

Are you new to post-processing your photos with software that allows you to use layers? You’re sure to learn some cool new editing tips and tricks as you read through this article.

Being able to stack images, text, shapes, etc., with layers in Affinity Photo provides unlimited scope for creativity. As with any serious image-processing program, the learning curve is steep. There is always more than one series of steps you can take to achieve the same results.

In this article, I’ll introduce you to using layers in Affinity Photo. I’ll show you some of the cool ways you can edit your photos and create graphics that would not be possible without using layers.

Layer basics

When you open an image in Affinity Photo, a new layer is created. This shows in the Layers Panel on the left of your monitor. When you have one layer, you can add new layers and also move them up and down in the Layers Panel.

Any image, shape, or text can be added in a layer. You can continue to stack layers one on top of the other. Layers in Affinity Photo can be resized and cropped so they are different dimensions than the original layer.

The top layer is visible and may hide the layers underneath it, depending on the settings you choose for it. The opacity of the layer can be reduced so that the layer below is revealed.

There are also options to change the blend modes of layers. This means that the layer will interact differently with the layers below it. So if you add a text layer, you can alter how the text looks by changing the blend mode.

affinity photo sample with text and blend modes

Soft light blend mode with text layers in affinity photo

This works very much the same way as it does in Photoshop. But if you are new to this, you’ll have fun as you experiment with the different blend modes and the effects you can create with them.

Adjustment layers in Affinity Photo

With the Layers Panel, there is also a panel labeled Adjustments. This contains 22 items that, when clicked, will add a new adjustment layer to the file you are working on.

Adding an adjustment layer affects the layers underneath. You can create a layer group and include the adjustment layer with the layers you want it to affect.

Here I have added a Channel Mixer adjustment at the top of the layer hierarchy:

The adjustment layer is affecting both the text and the photo.

Here I moved the adjustment layer to group it with the text layer:

To do this, click the adjustment layer and drag it onto the layer you want it to affect.

Adjustment layers are non-destructive. This means that you can turn them on and off and they will not alter your original image. This gives you a lot of room to experiment without permanently editing the photo or other artwork you are working on.

You can use adjustment layers in Affinity Photo to create an unlimited number of effects in your photos. Each layer you add interacts with the layers beneath it. You can also change the blend mode of each adjustment layer independently.

Layer masks

You can mask out a layer or parts of a layer using layer masks. To add a layer mask, click on the icon that looks like a rectangle with a circle in it at the bottom of the Layers Panel. This will add a layer mask to the layer you currently have selected.

Here, I have duplicated my layer with the photo and painted with a black brush to erase the bottom part of the photo. If you make a mistake when you’re painting, you can switch the brush color to white. Then you can simply paint over the area you want to restore and the image will re-appear.

Once you’ve added a mask, you can alter the blend mode and even add further adjustment masks to it.

Here I have changed the blend mode to Multiply and then further darkened the sky by adding a Curves adjustment:

Notice that these changes only affect the layer they are grouped with. So only the sky, which I did not mask out, is altered.

Text layers in Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo enables you to do some innovative and pretty cool things with text layers.

To add a text layer, click on the text icon in the toolbar. By clicking and dragging on your canvas, you can set the size of the text. Once you release the mouse button, you can type and the text will appear at the size you set it to.

By clicking and holding the text icon in the toolbar, you can choose another option. This brings up the Frame Text tool. With this, you can click and drag on your canvas to make a bounding box to add your text inside. You can right-click in the box and select Insert Filler Text to fill your new test box.

You can also do this with any of the shapes in the toolbar menu.

Conclusion

Working with layers opens up whole new realms of creative possibilities for what you can do with your photos. If you are new to post-processing your photos or have been using an app like Lightroom, which has no layers, you have a lot to explore.

Take your time experimenting and familiarize yourself with the many options you have for working with layers in Affinity Photo.

I hope this article has provided you with a little insight into the potential of what you can do with layers. Now it’s up to you to take it beyond the basics and start creating masterpieces.

As you practice and try new things, please let us know in the comments below if you discover an aspect of working with layers in Affinity Photo that you think other readers might like to learn about.

The post An Introduction to Working with Layers in Affinity Photo appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

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Introduction and Creative Uses for the Snapseed Double Exposure Feature

23 Jul

The post Introduction and Creative Uses for the Snapseed Double Exposure Feature appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Snapseed double exposure feature uses and tips

Do you have a different app for doing collages, and compositing, and another for changing backgrounds? Then this article is for you. I’ll show you how to use the Snapseed double exposure feature so you can do all of this inside one free app. Let’s get started.

Double Exposure

The double-exposure technique comes from film photography. It’s created by shooting multiple times in the same frame. This can create compositions, collages, or superimposed ghosts on a scene and used for many things. Fortunately, it carried over into digital photography.

There are different ways to achieve double exposures. You can do it in-camera, by editing on your computer or using your smartphone. This last one is what I want to show you.

Snapseed editing app

There are tons of editing apps to choose from. I particularly like Snapseed because you can do most of your post-production in it, it’s free and available for iOS and Android.

In general, Snapseed is very intuitive, but if you want to have more control over your editing, it’s not always clear how to access the tools for fine-tuning. This is the case of the Snapseed double exposure feature.

Basic Double Exposure

For the basic use of the Snapseed double exposure feature, I’m going to show you how to add a bokeh background to your subject.

When you launch the app, you’ll be immediately prompted to open your image by clicking anywhere on the screen. This will open the browser for you to access your gallery. Choose the one with your subject and tap on it.

Next, open the Tools menu by tapping the pencil icon. Scroll down until you find the Double Exposure tool and tap on it.

Here you’ll find three tools. Choose the one with the plus sign (+) on it. This is the ‘add image’ button. It will give you access to your gallery again to add the photo you want to overlap. In this case, the bokeh image.

Blending modes

Now that both images are superimposed, you can modify the effect.

Start by tapping the middle icon – it represents the different layers. Here you can adjust the way they interact with each other. If you are familiar with Photoshop Blend Modes, it will be fairly easy. If not, just tap on each choice to see how they change the results.

When you’re happy, tap on the check icon to apply.

Opacity

Now, go to the third tool, the one that looks like a drop. With this one, you can open a slider that controls the transparency of the layer. Move it until you like the final result.

If it’s still not perfect, you can always mask away specific parts of your layer. I’ll show you how to do this in the next section by doing a simple composite.

Advanced editing

Pretty good right? But not exactly a lot of control. That’s why the Snapseed double exposure feature offers the possibility to mask. However, these tools aren’t so easy to find as a first time user.

First, make your composite with the basic tools as explained in the previous section. Once you’ve decided on the blending mode and transparency, accept the edits by tapping on the check sign.

Next, tap on the back button that you can find on the top right. Usually, you wouldn’t do that unless you were unhappy with your results, and this is why these advanced tools are not apparent at first glance. This will open a menu that gives you the choice to Undo, Revert, and View edits. This last one is where you want to go.

This will open a list with every edit you’ve done.

In this case, there’s only the double exposure, but if you also adjusted perspective, exposure, etc, it would show up here to access again for further edits.

Snapseed Double Exposure Advance Editing

Click on the Double Exposure step to open its menu. The sliders icon on the right takes you back to basic tools if you want to make any changes. The icon in the middle takes you to the advanced edits.

Masking

Here, you can mask your images to reveal or hide different parts of it. Use your finger as a brush and just paint away. With the eye icon, you can make the mask visible.

Use the arrows to increase or decrease the opacity. If you made a mistake and painted over the wrong part, tap the arrow down to 0 and paint again to make visible again the underlying layer.

If you need to be precise, you can zoom in and out using two fingers. When you’re happy just tap on the check button and save your image.

Conclusion

The Snapseed double exposure feature gives you control over the effect you’re applying while still being easy to use without previous training.

And, by the way, it’s not just double but multiple exposures. You can add as many layers as you want. Just repeat the process to add more images.

Get creative and show us your results in the comments section!

The post Introduction and Creative Uses for the Snapseed Double Exposure Feature appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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Getting great sound for video: an introduction

25 Oct

Great audio and video complement each other

Great sound is important, at least as important as the video. I don’t know about you but I’m more intolerant of poor audio than bad video. Clipped or distorted audio is much more distracting than overexposed or out of focus video. I’m always amazed watching documentaries from 40+ years ago, the audio sounds great, even if the film has seen better days.

In the early days of using domestic DV camcorders for professional production (Sony DCR VX-1000) a lot more had to be done to mod the sound side of the camera than the video side. The pictures were just about acceptable but the sound side of the camera was lacking, no XLR inputs and no easy to use manual controls. The audio side of the industry changes a lot slower than the video side, every couple of years there’s a new video codec or standard but with audio the pace of change is much slower.

The audio side of production isn’t as sexy as the video. You can end up spending thousands of dollars on the camera because the pictures look nice and it’s the latest trend but the audio side is often relegated to second place or below.

What we’re going to be looking at here is the best way to get great audio for your video, we’re going to be looking at some of the technical aspects but also some of the practical considerations as well.

Microphone selection

Making the right choice of microphone is a key first step.

While I don’t want to over stress the technical requirements, selecting the right microphone for a given situation is important. There are a lot of mics out there and the choice can be confusing but it helps to know which type of mic is suited to which situation. There’s no point using a short shotgun mic to record your on-screen talent walking and talking through a crowded street towards camera, you won’t hear them well until they get close to the camera.

Mics should be selected on the way that they pick up audio and also the way they reject unwanted sounds. There are 3 basic types: omnidirectional, unidirectional and bidirectional.

Omnidirectional

Omnidirectional microphones pick up from all around but usually with some frequency fall off at the rear. Lapel mics are a prime example of an omnidirectional pickup pattern.

Lapel microphones are one common type of omnidirectional mic.

Unidirectional

Popular patterns include cardioid, super cardioid and hypercardioid. All of these are very much biased toward pick up from the front of the mic with varying amounts of fall off when off to the side. Shotgun mics employ these capsules for great off-axis rejection of audio.

A shotgun mic like this Sennheiser MKH-70 picks up mostly from the front. Be careful about placement, though, as it will also pick up some sound from the rear

Bidriectional

Also known as a figure of 8 pattern – great for studio work, 1-on-1 interviews. Some popular podcasting mics offer this as an option like the Blue Yeti.

A figure of 8 pattern pickup, note the null area right in front of the mic.

There are also combinations of mics that allow stereo recording, sometimes a matched pair in AB recording and sometimes a combination that allow MS (Mid-Side) recording. Using MS is a lot more involved as you also have to use a mixer/recorder that supports it and consider if the post production software you are using can work with it.

Short stereo gun mics like this Sennheiser MKE440 offer better audio than built in mics, although some headphones would be useful here!

Dynamic or condenser?

Within these main mic categories you will also encounter the terms dynamic and condenser; it’s important to know that dynamic mics don’t require power but condenser mics do. You won’t get any audio from a condenser mic if you can’t provide power to it, this is sometimes achieved down the cable from the camera or mixer (phantom power) or via an internal battery.

Now that you’ve chosen your mics, what are some of the practical considerations when recording sound?

Wind noise

Wind noise can ruin your audio; avoid or reduce it rather than relying on post production fixes.

Even if you have the best mic in the world the recording it makes can easily be ruined by wind. There’s more of this around than you think; it’s something that doesn’t bother you because your ears and brain filter it out, but can cause real problems for your microphone. Sometimes there are options in camera and audio recorder menus to reduce wind noise but you shouldn’t rely on this as it’s selecting a high pass filter and it’s just not as good as reducing the wind across the mic capsule itself. Make sure you take something physical with you to reduce it.

Even if you have the best mic in the world the recording it makes can easily be ruined by wind.

A simple foam cover will do virtually nothing, so don’t rely on it. However you can benefit from these covers indoors, they can reduce noise when swinging a boom as effectively you are creating air turbulence across the mic when you move it. In this scenario a foam cover may suffice, it’s less visually distracting and introduces less audio frequency coloration than a dead cat.

A foam cover can be effective indoors for reducing noise across the mic when swinging a boom but it virtually useless outdoors.

A dead cat, one of the best ways of reducing wind noise, also available for lapel mics.

A basket, combined with a dead cat and even a foam cover can give great results but requires care when handling as it’s easy to damage.

A proper dead cat will help a great deal outdoors as long as it’s properly used, and make sure it’s maintained. There’s a reason that you sometimes find a hairbrush in the box when you buy one, use it as a matted one does not work well. Oh and don’t wrap spare cables around it, either in storage or in use!

A proper basket or blimp works wonders and the longer hair covers are even better in high wind, however you may find that you never need something like this.

Monitoring

The often used Sennheiser HD-25 headphones. Great isolation and good comfort.

How do you know that you’re recording? The red light on the camera or ‘Rec’ on the LCD screen, yes that helps but what about audio? Usually an on-screen level meter will give a good indication but that doesn’t guarantee what you are recording is any good, or even what you intend to. It only tells you what level you’re recording at.

A decent set of headphones is required, even a cheap set of ear buds will do in an emergency but you need to listen. You also need to teach yourself what to listen for, what’s going to hurt your recording and what you can safely ignore.

Be careful which socket you plug your headphones into, I’ve known multiple people who’ve plugged the headphones into the mic socket and vice versa. You do get some audio but headphones don’t make the best microphones!

Want more audio recording tips? This video from DPReview TV shows what happens when you have a great mic but poor mic placement compared to what happens when you use cheap mic with great placement.

Like photography, limit background disturbances, you can sometimes eliminate or reduce issues in post but it’s always better to not record them in the first place.

Clocks, AC, refrigerators, fans, traffic, construction work and aircraft are not your friends. Be realistic though, don’t stop a recording every few minutes because you can detect some background noise 2 streets away. If the noise is relevant to your video and you can include a shot showing it then of course there’s no problem.

Clocks, AC, refrigerators, fans, traffic, construction work and aircraft are not your friends.

Constant low level hum is usually OK, jack hammers are not. You sometimes have to change location or position to get better audio, maybe even paying construction workers to stop for 30 minutes if there’s no other option.

A lot of this can be reduced if not eliminated in the edit but it’s more work and often the results are far from satisfactory unless you have the time, the tools and the skills to deal with it.

Dual system or in camera recording?

An separate audio recorder can give you better quality and flexibility but might not be needed.

Separate audio recording is popular but not always necessary. If the camera has good, low noise pre-amps and decent limiters then it might be feasible to forgo an external recorder. There are issues here however, can you record multiple mics and have individual level control over each one? A built in camera limiter sometimes acts across both channels at the same time, far from ideal. What about the connections? Usually these use 3.5mm plugs and sockets and it’s very easy to break these especially if the cable gets pulled at an angle.

There are lots of other considerations as well, an external recorder can give you more tracks and the new Zoom F6 with it’s 32bit float recording means that precise level setting is not required.

If using an external recorder, how easy is the syncing going to be? Are you using timecode or a clapperboard to sync, are you recording using the on-board camera mic as well to help sync automatically in post? Built in tools in editing software have improved vastly over the years but it’s not faultless.

Wireless

Wireless systems like the Sennheiser AVX have got simpler and cheaper over the last few years and can offer lots of possibilities

Wireless mics are a key tool when recording sound, you may not need them for every shoot but they can offer enormous flexibility. They are great when everything works but can be a real pain to troubleshoot when it doesn’t. However recent developments with wireless systems that don’t need complex set up has cut down the issues, like the Sennheiser XSW and the Rode Wireless Go.

Of course wireless systems aren’t only limited for use with lapel mics, they can also be used with booms and to send audio from mixing desks in theatrical locations. Just make sure that you’re not using other people’s frequencies when using a UHF system and you have the input gain set correctly if using a line level output.

Wireless systems can be really useful when using a boom.

That’s not to say that you won’t encounter problems. Always carry spares, cables, batteries and mics if possible. If the failure of one thing in the chain will jeopardize your shoot make sure you have a way round it. It’s good practice for lots of things but because of the complexity of the audio chain it’s especially true for good sound. Try recording more than one mic if possible that way you have a backup in case the mic fails mid shot.

Technique

How you use microphones is as important as which ones you use. Get the mic as close as you can without it being in shot, unless you want it to be. Use the right mic – boom, static or handheld.

Sometimes getting good audio might mean that the mic has to be seen, sometimes you can disguise it. If you place a black lapel mic on a black shirt it might be possible to remove it in post but you need to consider is the quality of sound more important than the cleanliness of the shot?

Hiding mics isn’t always easy, you can pick up clothing noise if you aren’t careful.

Hiding lapel mics under clothing can be time consuming. It may need a few attempts to minimize rustle and the type of attachment and clothing is a big consideration. You can often spot a lapel mic hidden under clothing, especially if it’s underneath a light colored T-Shirt.

A lapel mic might not be the most appropriate; could you use a boom instead? Sit down interviews for example are often best recorded with a mic on a boom pole and stand slung over head just out of shot. This eliminates clothing rustle and the possibility that the interviewee will touch the mic or walk away with it – yes it does happen. This can be especially useful if you are recording multiple interviews in the same location or if your subject is really pushed for time.

One word of caution though, make sure that the mic doesn’t slowly dip into shot unnoticed. A small piece of light colored tape around the tip of the foam cover can help here.

Check your kit, make sure everything works

Audio Checklist

Take the right mic – There are different mics for different situations, don’t use a long shotgun mic in a small car.

Reduce noise – Use a dead cat outdoors to reduce wind noise, noisy environments should be avoided if it doesn’t relate to the subject.

Listen – Use good headphones for best results and don’t rely only on meters, make sure you’re getting good clean sound not something you can just about hear.

Single or Dual system? – Dual gives more options but can be more complicated.

Wireless – Newer systems that don’t involve setting frequencies are easy to use but are more limited in range, take a backup just in case something goes wrong.

Technique – The closer the mic is to the source (without distorting) the better the audio will be, sometimes hiding a mic under clothing doesn’t give good results.

Keep it simple

If you are just starting out all this may seem very daunting, there’s a lot to think about especially if you are doing everything by yourself. If you can employ someone with more sound experience to help, at least to start with, you’ll learn a lot. There’ll be someone there with more knowledge who will be more valuable to you that just another pair of hands.

My advice would be to keep things simple to start with and give yourself some extra time just in case things don’t go to plan… it hardly ever does.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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An Introduction to Amazing Abstract Automotive Photography

08 Sep

The post An Introduction to Amazing Abstract Automotive Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

Some photographs document an event or show a person, place or thing. These are photos of record accurately capturing an image that represents what we see. Other times we want to take a more artistic approach, making a photograph more about a feeling than solely about the subject itself. Sometimes the two mix, for instance in advertising photography, where we might want to accurately show a product but do it in an artistic way that invites the viewer to also feel a certain way about the product.

The beautiful lines of a Porsche and the curves of a twisting road. Put the two together to create a story.

When leaning toward the artistic and sometimes abstract interpretations of photo subjects, I like to remember the words of famous photographer Minor White:

“One should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are.”

You don’t need to show the whole car to tell the story. The colors and lines contribute to the image of this American legend.

Applying this to the subject of abstract automotive photography, my intent here is not to teach you everything there is to know about making abstract automotive photos, but to simply get your creative juices flowing. You’ll note that none of the photos here show a complete automobile, but instead depict details, pieces, and parts.

The focus here is the artistic concepts of form, shape, line, tone, color, pattern, light, and shadow.

The shot is blurry by design. I wanted to create a feeling of motion here.

You can also get creative with interior images. The zoom-blur effect was added later in editing.

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? The patterns and holes in wheels can look like faces – a phenomenon known as Pareidolia.

Automobiles may be a mode of transportation, but they are also art objects – the work of designers who pay much attention to form as well as function. Know that an automotive artist purposely and artistically designed every detail of every car. We, as photographers, can explore that art, find the beauty, note how light plays across the curves and surfaces of an automobile, and use it to craft beautiful photos.

You can make a shot like this on a car lot. It’s all about repeating shapes, lines, and patterns.

What and where

Finding cars to photograph and places to photograph them will depend on what’s available to you. I work part-time at a Ford dealership, photographing new cars for posting on the internet. These are not art photos. They serve the purpose I spoke of earlier: accurately representing the vehicles to interested buyers. The purpose, time, and volume don’t permit spending much time on each photo. However, when time does permit, the light is especially nice, or a particularly interesting car is available, I will get a little more creative.

Find an angle that works and you can use it over and over. Can you tell I like this composition when photographing Mustangs?

Why restrict yourself to the exterior components of a car? When I saw this transmission torn apart on the workbench, I asked the mechanic if I could take some shots.

You might not work at a car dealership, but you could probably talk a local dealer into letting you take photos of their cars particularly if you’d share some of your images with them.

Alternatively, perhaps you or a friend have a nice car you could start with. Begin making and showing some good work and, before long, you’ll have people asking if you can photograph their cars.

Car shows can be a great place for auto art photography. They often have a diversity of makes and models from different eras.

Car shows

Most areas have occasional car shows, where owners polish their vehicles to a mirror-like finish and proudly show them. Often there will be a nice variety of vehicles, sometimes exotics, hotrods, older classics, and antiques. Because the public is typically invited to these events, and they are held in public spaces, photography is generally not a problem.

In fact, the owners practically expect people to ogle and photograph their cars. One thing they will not appreciate (and will likely get you run off in a big hurry) is touching their beauties. Always be respectful and ask if there’s any doubt about whether you can photograph the vehicles.

And, above all, never touch the cars.

red Jaguar with raindrops - abstract automotive photography

Raindrops on red Jags…These are a few of my favorite things. The color, the diagonal lines, the iconic symbols, and the interest added by the raindrops on a freshly-waxed hood all combine to make this image work.

One problem is that there will typically be lots of people around. Because cars are covered with highly reflective surfaces, getting shots without people’s reflections can sometimes be a problem.

I have no real solution for this, other than to make two suggestions:

When making tight shots of particular pieces of a car, the chances of getting a reflection in your shot is much less than if you were photographing the entire car.
Learn to be patient. Frame up your shot, be ready, wait for the person in the shot to move on, and then quickly make your photo.

It can be hard to keep bystanders, or even yourself, out of the reflections in glass, chrome, and shiny paint.

Fins up! How cool is this beauty, found at a local car show?

Sometimes monochrome is the best way to show the old classics, much like they might have appeared in an old film of the era. Sunstars are courtesy of the noon sun, a highly polished surface, and an f/22 aperture.

Lighting

High-end automotive photography can involve as much care in lighting as any product or model session. There are studios specially designed to drive a car inside to photograph. I know a local guy who has such a studio. It has full hard cyclorama walls, a glossy white floor, and a lighting system that includes the largest softbox I’ve ever seen. The softbox has to be at least 30 feet long, maybe more!

Hood ornaments are art objects unto themselves. Then add a sunstar with a specular highlight and a small aperture. Both images were made in full noon sun.

front of car - abstract automotive photography

The hood emblem of an old Ford F-100 pickup reminded me of the symbol used by the superhero the Flash.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are the shots in this article. They are all made outside with just daylight, no flash, sometimes on a tripod, but many times handheld. Often they were made in the bright noonday sun. Sometimes the bright sun is nice, such as when the specular highlights on chrome, combined with a small aperture, create sunstars.

The point is that you don’t need anything fancy to try this kind of photography. A creative eye, some imagination, and the ability to properly control focus, depth of field, and exposure are all you need.

rusing car - abstract automotive photography

The door handle is the only touch of reality in this otherwise purely abstract image.

Gettin’ funky in the junkyard

Even the nicest cars will wind up here one day – the junkyard.

One might think it a strange place to make photos. However, for some reason (perhaps nostalgia?), many of us are fascinated by old things. In the auto junkyard, you’ll often find old classics quietly rusting in peace. The once-shiny paint fades to all kinds of interesting colors and patinas. And the layers of peeling paint and rust make an incredible canvas for abstract art.

On the right, an old tour bus used by country star Gene Autry is now parked in Palouse, Washington. On the left, a tight shot of the abstract art to be found if you explore the rust patterns on the old band bus.

junkyard abstract automotive photography

Corruption of Power

A word of caution about junkyard photography: Always ask the owner if you can take pictures on their property.

Yes, oftentimes auto junkyard owners will puzzle over why anyone would want to make photos of a bunch of old beat-up and rusting cars. Ask nicely. Convince the owner you’re only there to make photos and you won’t be taking any spare parts home with you. You’ll often get the go-ahead.

Now, you’ll be working in an environment of sharp rusty metal, broken glass, spilled oil, gas, and other automotive fluids, so caution is important. (It might be a good idea to have your tetanus shot up-to-date and carry a first aid kit just in case.)

Whatever you do, just don’t head onto the property without permission, even if the area seems abandoned. You don’t want to meet the infamous junkyard dog or his angry owner.

You can likely still tell this is the hood of an old car. Even so, it’s really about the patterns, textures, lines, and colors.

Getting really abstract

It could be argued that the previous photos in this article really aren’t “abstract” images.

So let’s take a deep dive into really abstract automotive photography – the kind not everyone will appreciate. You’re almost guaranteed to have viewers ask, “What’s that??!!”

No matter. Abstract art is an acquired taste. But once the bug bites you, you’ll find an auto junkyard is practically a gallery of images all begging for your attention.

I took a photo workshop by noted photographer Art Wolfe earlier this year called “Photography as Art,” and he really opened my eyes to this kind of imagery. After the workshop, the auto junkyard became a whole new experience. It was suddenly a place where abstract imagery abounded and peeling paint, broken glass, rust, and decay were the stuff of great photos.

It’s still an old car, but now we’ve entered the world of pure abstract art. Unlike photographing iconic landmarks, where your photo is pretty much what everyone gets, making these kinds of images guarantees your photo will be one of a kind.

I have to wonder if this vehicle was painted numerous times over in its life, or if this is just how the paint ages.

I’ve seen abstract art like this selling for big money and displayed on the walls of corporate offices. I hope to someday figure out just how to tap into that market.

Go do it

I invite you to look at the shots here, look at other abstract automotive photography online, and get inspired. Then just go do it.

Make it a point to not photograph the entire car. Instead look at the shapes, lines, tone, color, and all the other artistic elements of the vehicle. Isolate these to make your shot.

If getting truly abstract images interests you, find some old cars in a junkyard and get in tight. Use the textures, colors, and patterns to make your shot. Be less concerned about what the subject is and more concerned about how the image feels.

Have fun and, if you get some good abstract automotive photography, share them in the comment section below. Best wishes!

The post An Introduction to Amazing Abstract Automotive Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

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A Brief introduction to GIMP Software

19 Jul

The post A Brief introduction to GIMP Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Whether you are looking for a free program to start learning photo editing or you want a lighter alternative to Photoshop, GIMP may be the software for you. You can create graphics, text, and manipulate photos, but first, you need to understand how it works. Keep reading for a brief introduction to GIMP software and how to use it.

Introduction to GIMP

What is GIMP?

GIMP is a completely free image editor. You can even use it for commercial purposes without having to pay. It is also open-source, which means that a lot of third-party developers have created free plug-ins for use with GIMP. Furthermore, if you know how to code, you can also modify it as you see fit. Finally, it is also available for many different operating systems. You can download GIMP from its site, and it will suggest the one for you.

Introduction to GIMP Software Download

It’s even possible to take it with you for other devices. You can find an instruction manual in the article How to Install GIMP on a Portable Device. In any case, on the main page of GIMP’s website, you’ll see a very enticing description, beautifully illustrated and promising high-quality image manipulation, original artwork creation, and graphic design elements.

Introduction to GIMP. What can you do with it

It all sounds fantastic, right? But when you open the program, you may not know where to start. Well, let’s break it down for you to easily understand.

Multiple windows or just one?

Most programs open in one window that you can enlarge or squeeze, minimize or close, all in one go. Instead, GIMP, by default, opens in three windows. This is a bit puzzling, and I found it very off-putting the first time I used it.

Introduction to GIMP. Multiple Windows View

The good news is that from version 2.8 of GIMP, you can change into a one-window view. I’ll tell you how to switch in just a moment.

First, I want to tell you what makes the multiple window choice worth trying. As each image opens as a new window, you can work with two or more images side by side. Even better, the same image can open in two windows so you can work on it as a side-by-side comparison.

Introduction to GIMP. Side by side comparison using multiple windows.

Another perk of having separate windows is that you can gain more image space on your screen. You can individually minimize any window containing tools or labels that you’re not using. Now, if you’re not convinced with it, you can switch to the single-window mode by going to Menu -> Window -> Single-Window Mode. Whichever choice you make, it saves as a default for the next time you open GIMP.

Introduction to GIMP. How to change to single window view.

What’s What?

Now that you have set up your workspace, it’s time to learn what each window contains. In the center, you’ll have the image window. Here you can see the image or canvas you’re working on. If you are on multiple windows, each image opens separately (as shown before), and if you are on the single-window mode, they open as tabs.

Introduction to GIMP. Open images as tabs

On the left side, you’ll have a window that holds your toolbox. In there, you can have a shortcut button for the tools you use most often. It comes with a default setup that you can personalize. To do it, go to GIMP -> Preferences -> Toolbox and choose the tools you want to add or delete from there.

Introduction to GIMP. Set toolbox preferences

Underneath you have the options available for each tool. Therefore, it’s not static content; it changes every time you select a different tool. You can drag and drop this dock to a different position if you prefer, however, I keep it on the right.

Introduction to GIMP. Toolbox option panel

On the right side, you have a window that holds a series of tabs like History or Layers. This window behaves like a dock. If you want to open a tab that is not showing, you have to go to the menu Windows -> Dockable Dialogs, and chose it from the drop-down menu. It will automatically dock the tab. Then click on the arrow button on the right to open the settings and manage it from there.

Introduction to GIMP. Manage the dockable panels

If you are working with multiple-windows mode, you can still reach these tabs on the menu Windows -> Dockable Dialogs. In this case, you’ll find that some open as tabs and some open as separate windows that you can drag, minimize, or close individually.

Save or export?

Whether you did a small modification or an original artwork, you need to save it. If you go to the menu File -> Save as you would normally do, you can only use the GIMP extension .xcf.

Introduction to GIMP. Save files

If you want to use a universal format like .jpg or .tiff or even change it into Photoshop’s .psd, you have to go to the menu File -> Export. From there, you have a huge variety of file formats to choose from. If you aren’t sure about which one is best, check this article for Understanding all the Different Image File Formats.

Introduction to GIMP. Export to save in different formats

I hope you found this article helpful overview to understand GIMP software and give it a try. If you are still not convinced with it, there are other free programs out there. For more information check out this article with Tips on choosing a Free Photo Editor for Post-Processing.

Have you used GIMP software? What are your thoughts? What are some other free post-processing software applications that you use? Please share with us in the comments section.

The post A Brief introduction to GIMP Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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Gear: AFIDUS ATL-200 Time-Lapse Camera Introduction

05 Jun

The post Gear: AFIDUS ATL-200 Time-Lapse Camera Introduction appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

I don’t know how many of you have looked into long-term time lapse before now, but I’m renovating my house and I scoured the web for a solution that was simple to setup and use, and more economical than the ones I found.

Skip forward a few months and this is something we spotted at NAB this year!

An amazing little time lapse camera that is very big on features, but remains very economical on price – The AFIDUS ATL-200.

I wanted to write up an overview of this product for any of you that might be interested. A Macro Time Lapse of a plant growing, or your house being renovated, the possibilities are mostly limitless…

The camera was pointed out to me by my friend and filmmaker buddy, Lee Herbet. And then it went and won itself NAB Product of the Year! (Congrats!) To me, as a photographer first, what makes this little camera so appealing is its feature set.

Specifications at a glance

Full HD Sony Sensor 1080p
Optical zoom equiv. of a 16-35mm lens
Wifi App controlled
IP65 weather resistant
System timer
Motion Detection
Pinch Zoom
MP4 Video output
Macro function
One Touch Autofocus
Wild battery life – weeks to months!

(Full spec here)

Features at a glance

The lens has a macro capture feature. With the camera inches away from your subject, you can fill the frame with perfect clarity.
Sony Exmor IMX sensor with HDR. Select the HDR amount within the app for great contrasts between bright and dark areas of your scene.
Built-in PIR motion detection. This is a great feature. Capture animals, traffic, pedestrian movement and more.
One tap autofocus with manual tap precision. If focus is off, manual saves the day and there is a focus calibration feature in the app.
16-35mm DSLR equivalent, optical zoom lens. Yes, the lens zoom actually moves within the camera.
Full Wi-Fi app control. Press the camera button, connect to it with the Wi-fi signal on your phone and open the app. In seconds, you have complete control of your camera on your phone. IP65, which means dust protected and water splashing will have no effect on the camera. There is no need to purchase an optional housing with the ATL-200.

I was looking around for a solution to capture my home renovation a few months back. While there are a handful of different systems on the market, for me, they were quite cost restrictive. Whereas, the ATL-200 comes in at $ 389.00, which is much easier on the bank account.

There are a couple of the system’s features that really appeal to me. One is the system timer, which means you can set it up so that it captures your time lapse during the day while the workmen are on-site. It doesn’t fill your card with all the overnight photos where nothing is happening.

The ATL200 has a macro mode, too. So it can do some really creative things (I’m thinking of things like watching little critters in a garden). Also, it’s weather resistant, so just sit it in the dirt and off you go! Alternatively, capture a plant growing, or that sort of thing!

One of the real highlights is that the camera takes regular batteries. A set of four AA batteries will last you 45 Days at the 1-minute interval, 80 days at the 5-minute interval (8 hours a day). This is really quite amazing and great for long term time lapse. No special batteries required, and you can use rechargeable batteries, of course.

Here are a couple of example videos:

While we don’t have our own video made in-house just yet, we’re looking forward to trying the ATL-200 camera on a project very soon! For such a feature set at this price, this could be a really great addition to your content creation toolbox.

Find out the full tech spec and details here.

The post Gear: AFIDUS ATL-200 Time-Lapse Camera Introduction appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

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An introduction to video tripods

31 May

The Benro S8 tandem

So you’re looking to shoot video and you need a tripod. Do you have one that you use for stills or maybe you’re starting out with nothing and looking at purchasing your first one?

Either way there are a few things that you need to consider. If you’re not planning to move the camera during the shot then your existing setup may work for you. As a stepping stone using the same tripod with no extra outlay can work out in the short term. As you develop your skills you will probably find that your existing tripod will cause some frustration through its limitations.

There are things that you don’t need when shooting stills that are key when shooting video and some features that you can live without but once you upgrade you will wonder how you ever managed without them.

Let’s have a look at the constituent parts, the legs and the head, and investigate some of the considerations.

The legs or sticks

One of many options, the Manfrotto twin tube carbon fiber legs and mid level spreader

This is the part that is the easiest to deal with. A good set of stills legs (often referred to as ‘sticks’ in the video world) will actually have more longevity in terms of use with video than a typical stills head. You may find that the legs you have already work fine, however there are some things to consider if you are planning to upgrade.

Bowl or Flat mount

A typical stills tripod with detachable head will often have a flat base; in contrast, a video tripod usually has a bowl mount. These are available in a number of diameters, usually 50mm, 60mm, 75mm, 100mm and 150mm. There are exceptions to this, especially with cinema cameras.

Having a bowl allows much easier adjustment for leveling, no longer do you have to adjust the tripod legs to achieve a level camera. Instead of multiple adjustment points there is only one underneath the head at the top of the legs. (Sometimes you may find that leg adjustments are still necessary.) Some legs are sold with an adapter so that you can easily use a head with a smaller ball with a larger bowl.

Spreaders

Video tripods offer three different ways of adjusting the angle of the legs for better stability at low or high extensions. The choice of these is mainly down to experience and personal preference.

The ground level spreader

This can get dirty very easily and needs frequent maintenance but provides great stability. With a lot of tripods you do need to remove it if you want to use the leg spikes or place it on uneven ground.

The mid level spreader

This doesn’t get as dirty but sometimes can be more awkward to remove and re-attach, although easier when setting up and packing away. It also allows you to use the legs on uneven surfaces without having to remove the spreader.

The no spreader approach

The angle adjustment is achieved through limiting the spread with angle locks at the top of the leg.

This has gained a lot of traction in the video world over the last 15 years, although it doesn’t work well with very heavy payloads. It does offer the unique advantage of not being left behind as can happen with separate ones.

Leg construction

There are two styles of tripod leg, the single tube, which is not very different from stills legs and the twin tube. The twin tube versions tend to offer greater rigidity as they use two connection points at the top of the legs. Video work often involves lots of camera movement, and you don’t want the top of the legs to twist in any way while moving the camera as this can cause the tripod to lift. This can be more noticeable if moving the head quickly with a heavier setup.

As with stills legs you also get two main choices with materials, alloy or carbon fiber. The choice is mainly down to budget although weight saving and sturdiness can also be deciding factors.

Leg locks

Clamps that rotate 90 degrees to lock the legs, the Pozi-Loc system from Vinten.

As with stills legs you have two main options here, a twist lock or a flip lock. For twin leg systems the default is a flip lock. Some manufacturers use a rotating clamp instead, Vinten for example has it’s Pozi-Loc system.

Another option is the flowtech system from Sachtler. This system has only three clamps located at the top of the legs next to the head, very quick and easy to adjust but at a cost.

A single lock at the top of each leg simplifies adjustments

The feet

One option, removable flat feet that attach over spikes

In a similar way to stills legs there are usually two options here: spikes or flat feet. A lot of legs offer screw down rubber feet over spikes. Some video tripods offer completely removable flat feet that attach with clips over the spikes. There are some advantages to this, such as when you need to clean them or if they get damaged and need replacing. However, as they are detachable they can be left behind if you’re not careful. The other common option is feet that are integrated into a ground level spreader.

Center column

Center columns are useful but make sure they’re not over loaded

A single center column extension is normal for stills legs but not for video. There are some video focused tripods that offer this option, but it’s not widely adopted and requires care in use as stability can be an issue due to the higher weight demands of some video set ups. Benro among others do offer a number of tripods that offer this feature.

The Head

A handy way of using a flat head on a set of legs with a bowl

There are two main types of heads – flat or ball – and they interface with their associated leg type, although flat heads can often be adapted to fit most bowl mount tripods. Another option is a leveling head that allows you to add a half ball mount in between a head and a flat base for quick and easy adjustment.

Plates

Heads meant for video often use a longer plate

There are a lot of different plates for different manufacturers and some of them are interchangeable, however don’t rely on that without checking. A video plate is often elongated for use with heavier payloads. These plates also tend to have measurement marks on them so that positions can be easily repeated. A lot of plates are lined up and inserted from the rear of the head and once past the safety lock can’t accidentally fall off. Although that’s not to say that the whole tripod and head can’t fall over if not correctly set up.

Some heads like the Manfrotto N8 have a side loading plate

Something that is becoming more readily adopted and is trickling down from very expensive cinema heads are side loading plates. These are elongated as usual but attach more like a stills plate. They need to be angled slightly so that the left or right lip of the plate engages under the corresponding lip of the head. Then the locking lever is engaged when the plate is placed flat on the head. This can be advantageous when using heavier payloads.

Counterbalance

The need to achieve a good balance should not be underestimated. The counterbalance, or ‘spring’ as it’s often termed, is there to balance the camera on the head. This can take the form of a dial or a knob which increases or decreases the amount of tension in the head in the tilt direction. This is not the same as tilt friction.

Manfrotto’s Nitrotech CBS system uses a nitrogen cartridge for a variable counterbalance

The counterbalance control should be adjusted according to the weight of the payload. The ideal situation is to increase the control in steps until you can tilt the camera to any position then let go of it and it remains stationary. In practice this might not be achievable at first and can take a few minutes to get an acceptable result.

Remember that better results can be obtained by making sure that the weight is correctly centered on the head. This is achieved by moving the camera back or forth on the head via the sliding plate and then locking it into place. Some setups might even require unscrewing the camera from the plate and relocating it fore or aft slightly especially when changing the weight of the rig.

Payload

Making sure that you’re not outside the recommended payload range of a head is important. The counterbalance and brakes are only designed with a certain weight range in mind. Ensuring that you don’t under load your head is also important, this might seem a bit odd but there’s a good reason for this. You won’t get a good result with a head that has a strong counterbalance when using a lighter camera, especially if you can’t turn it off. It will fight you when you try and tilt the camera even with the drag dialed down to minimum. You might get away with overloading the head but smooth movement then becomes difficult. The rating of the legs also come into play, you don’t want them collapsing!

Friction and brakes, or drag and locks

The tilt fluid drag control and lock on the Benro S8

Pan and tilt frictions or drag are usually adjustable independently of each other, commonly with a dial. The more expensive the head, the more positions on the dial. Lower end heads tend to have quite limited adjustment ranges for pan and tilt drag, sometimes only a simple on or off setting.

You will see some heads marketed as fluid heads, and these use a fluid to dampen or smooth out movements. The more professional ones contain the fluid in a cartridge, the very cheap ones don’t and some have been known to leak. Brakes or locks are usually either dials or small levers and shouldn’t be over tightened.

Pan Bar

The lightweight Manfrotto X PRO fluid head, a budget option for lightweight kit especially if you want to use your existing stills tripod

While not exclusive to video heads this bar doesn’t offer the ability to lock the head position as with some stills heads. It’s simply a handle, sometimes extendable, that helps with smooth movement. It’s not exclusively for pans; despite the name it also works well with tilts. It needs to be properly tightened before use or you will get some very sloppy movements. Be aware that it’s very easy to wear down the rosette at the head end of the bar and some manufacturers sell user replaceable rosettes to fix this issue.

Quality vs Cost

If you think that you’re going to move into video work then a decent tripod is important. As a general rule any tripod is better than none, but one that is so big and heavy that you don’t want to take it with you is mostly useless. A good tripod should be an extension of your arm, you should be working with it and not fighting to tame it.

Tripods may not attract the sort of gear envy that cameras and lenses do – they’re not sexy and don’t contain any electronics (apart from maybe a backlight for the bubble). This means they don’t date quite as quickly and can usually last many years or even decades if looked after properly.

It’s not elegant but well balanced set ups mean smooth moves

Good tripods can cost many thousands of dollars but they don’t have to. What’s as important as purchase price is after-sales service. Are you going to be able to get the spare parts or servicing you require a few years down the line?

So how much should you spend? That’s entirely up to you. As a guideline I’d be thinking about something in the $ 250-$ 750 range. For that you can get a decent set of legs and a fluid effect head. You can of course get much cheaper tripods but you will probably end up wanting to upgrade very quickly when you realize the limitations that budget kit brings.

Finally, if you’re new to the world of video tripods and don’t quite know where to begin, I’d recommend starting with one of the tripods listed below:

Manfrotto MVH502AH
Manfrotto MVK500AM
SACHTLER 1001 ACE M MS SYSTEM

Each of these offers great performance at a reasonable price and can be a good starter system depending on your particular preferences and budget.

Do you have a favorite video tripod, or one that has worked really well for you? Let us know in the comments!

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A Short Introduction to Basic Photo Editing for Beginners

23 Apr

The post A Short Introduction to Basic Photo Editing for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

If you’re a beginner, using editing software can be a daunting prospect. What if you can’t get a handle on the technology? What if it’s too complicated a process? What if it’s just too time-consuming? What if the images turn out horrible? So many what ifs! I get it; I’ve been there. In this article, I’m offering a very simple way of delving into editing if you’re a novice. These are basic principles that I hope will set you in good stead for more fancy editing in the future!

dps-basic-editing-tutorial-final-image

First things first.

You need to be able to see what is a good image and a bad image. The key is in your perception.

If you think heavily edited images are the perfect image, then your editing will lean that way and vice versa. If you think an overly-tinted image is perfect, then that would be your bar for perfection. We all have a bias towards something. However, for editing, I think we need to try and be as neutral as possible and leave our personal preferences for the moment.

To be able to see things objectively, we need to:

See the differences between over-exposed and under-exposed images and decide as to what is the correct exposure
Understand white balance where white looks white, as it should, and not yellow or blue or orange
See the contrast between dark and light
Decide on the noise

Once we have a basic grip of the above, then editing will be a breeze, and we can get more creative from a solid image base or what I’d like to call a clean edit.

But first, a word on shooting format. Shoot in RAW.

The images below are the original RAW images opened in Bridge without any edits applied.

You can see there is a choice of Adobe color profiles. See the difference between the standard profile below left and the color profile used on the image on the right.

You can choose which profile you prefer.

dps-basic-editing-tutorial-profile

To successfully understand the above, and make the edits towards them, it is important that you shoot in RAW format. If you shoot in JPEG, you are allowing the camera to process the image, discard pixels the camera deems unnecessary, and accept the color adjustments the camera has made. With a JPEG image, you have less control, are working on a great loss and compression of pixels at the very start and an already compromised image color.

You can read more about RAW processing in Bridge here.

Having said that, someone who is a really good, seasoned, experienced photographer may well shoot JPEGS and achieve the desired image they want. I am not there yet!

Secondly, the type of camera you use affects the original images you get.

A full-frame camera gives you the 35mm sensor – wider, more space, more light hitting the camera sensor and more pixels. What you see through the lens is pretty much what you get. A crop-sensor, on the other hand, works in the opposite way. The lens only allows you to use a portion of the sensor so that a 35mm lens mounted on a crop-sensor camera will only give you the point of view of a 52mm lens equivalent – a more zoomed-in longer focal length. You are losing some width, some light and some pixels.

Let’s dive in!

1. Correct exposure

Correct exposure means getting the balance right between the 3 components of the exposure triangle. Namely: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Balancing all three correctly will give you a perfectly exposed image. That means no blown highlights or details are lost entirely in the shadow or darker areas of the image that should still be visible.

A most useful tool in determining whether your exposure is perfect is to look at the histogram when you are editing. Alternatively, you can view the histogram when you have just taken the photo as there is also a histogram on the LCD of many cameras these days. Simply put, a histogram is a representation of the tonal value distribution across your image in the form of a visual graph. Just by looking at a histogram (that graph on the top right corner of the image below), you can immediately tell whether there is an even spread of tonal values on the image judging from the troughs and crests on the graph or a stark contrast.

If the image you shot has incorrect exposure, then editing is your solution. You can move the sliders on your editing software to increase exposure if the photo is too dark or decrease your exposure if the photo’s too bright. You can usually recover some blown highlights in the case of overexposure.

dps-basic-editing-tutorial-color-raw

Take a look at the image above. This is the RAW image opened in Bridge. You can see it’s a little bright with the histogram showing a tall mountain almost touching the right edge. When the histogram touches both left and right edges, this would indicate the dark and light parts of your images are clipped and therefore there is overexposure and underexposure in the image. This is an okay image as nothing touches the edges, but it is too bright for me.

The image on the left below shows an overexposed image with the exposure turned up and the image on the right shows an underexposed image with the exposure turned down. See what the histogram is doing in these images.

dps-basic-editing-tutorial-color-raw

2. White balance

Simply put, white balance is the adjustment on your camera that reads the color temperature of the light you are shooting in in relation to neutral white. A perfect white balance should show white to be white as perceived in reality and there are no color casts that distorts the whiteness of white. You can, however, go for a warm white or a cool white by adjusting the white balance sliders. Generally speaking, what you don’t want is for white to look too yellow or orange or too cold like with a strong blue cast. Compare both photos below: too cool on the left and too warm on the right.

dps-basic-editing-tutorial-color-raw

3. Contrast

There is nothing rocket science about contrast in my opinion. It is simply to do with the strength of the blacks on the photo. After the adjustments above, our photo is still looking very flat. All that’s needed is a fiddle on the blacks, shadows, highlights and light areas. Just remember not to clip your blacks or whites or if you want a bit more contrast, not too much clipping. You can also use the curves tab (the one that shows a grid with a curvy line) for contrast adjustments.

dps-basic-editing-tutorial-finish

I also played with the other sliders to get the result I wanted on the images above. Just do so gently – a touch here and there rather than extreme adjustments.

Remember, you are only after a clean edit at this stage. The images above show the same edits on the standard and color profiles. The results are different so deciding on your color profile matters.

4. Noise and Sharpening

If you click on to the third tab which shows two black triangles, you get to the panel where you can adjust noise and sharpening. Again, gentle adjustments are needed here.

It is vital to view your photo at 100% so you can see what the adjustments are doing to the image.

Luminance has to do with the smoothness of the pixels. You don’t want to go too much, or you lose definition.

Color has to do with how much the RGB pixels show up and extreme adjustments will either strip your image of color or make the pixels appear too saturated.

dps-basic-editing-tutorial-sharpening-noise

Conclusion

Now I have a clean edit, there is still so much I can do to this photo. The eyes are a tad soft so I will need to adjust that. I could add vignettes or change the appearance of the background. I could add sunflares or textures. The possibilities are endless. But most of that has to happen in Photoshop.

I hope this has helped you understand the basics of editing.

Please share your comments below or if you have any questions!

The post A Short Introduction to Basic Photo Editing for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

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Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos

30 Jan

“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” Ernst Haas

Do you ever ask yourself why the images you capture are not like the ones you see in your mind’s eye?

Do you ever wonder why your photos don’t look as good as a professional’s? What makes theirs look so great?

The answer is – probably because you are shooting in Auto!

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 5 seconds, f/8.0, ISO 100

Get more creative with Manual Mode

A professional takes full creative control over every aspect of the photo and makes creative choices in the image creation process. Aperture, shutter speed and ISO are the base. If you don’t control these then you will be unable to create the best possible image.

Digital cameras nowadays make exposure so easy. There doesn’t seem to be a good reason to shoot on manual. But there is – it’s creativity. Specifically, creative exposures.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/200th, f/2.2, ISO 500

Take control of the process

If you want awesome photos, then shooting with control is the most important part of the creative journey with photography. With Manual Mode, you get full control. Total creativity.

I know a lot of people feel intimidated trying Manual, but I have taught hundreds of people to feel comfortable and confident with it so I know it’s totally possible for anyone to learn.

Even if you aren’t tech-minded, you can do this! All you need is the basic understanding of the process – and practice.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 30 seconds, f/10, ISO 200

The camera cannot (at least at the moment) make creative choices in the way that you can. You’ll often end up with un-dynamic exposures when the camera chooses for you.

How many well-exposed photos do you see on Facebook? The majority are shot using some Automatic Mode or another. They are all the same base density. Sure, they are properly exposed, but that base exposure is just the beginning when shooting with intent.

All those exposures start from the same base, zero. Many photographers just leave it there because it looks good, it looks “correct”. That is Auto.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1.6 seconds, f/10, ISO 50

Exposure is part of photographic artistry. Don’t pass on it just because your photos look good….they can be so much better!

Here is the simple method I use to explain the process of shooting in Manual Mode.

The Exposure Triangle

Shooting in Manual Mode means controlling three fundamental settings in photography:

ISO
Aperture
Shutter Speed

Together they are collectively known as “The Exposure Triangle”.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 13 seconds, f/9, ISO 250

What do these three controls do?

ISO is the camera’s sensitivity to light. Think of it this way – do you want the sensor to absorb light quickly, sacrificing detail and contrast (high ISO), or do you want to let the light in slowly absorbing every color, capturing every juicy detail (low ISO)?
Aperture controls the INTENSITY of the light flowing onto the sensor. Think of coming out of a Saturday afternoon matinee and how intense the light is after being in the dark for a few hours. You’re practically blinded for a moment (until your pupils adjust to the light and become smaller – the aperture opens and closes much the same way). That’s intensity!
Shutter Speed (SS) is a time value – in other words, how long is the exposure. The time is combined with the intensity of the light from your Aperture setting. Shutter speed is represented as 1/250th of a second, for example.

These three settings are all you need to know about making a manual exposure. That’s it. Now let talk about how to approach it.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/30th, f/2.2, ISO 3200

Think ISO first

When making a manual exposure ISO should always be your first consideration!

There are two questions you have to ask yourself before you start making exposures.

How much light is on the subject?
This is essentially a technical decision. (ISO)
How can I make my subject look its best?
This is essentially a creative decision. (Shutter speed and Aperture combination)

The answers to these questions are the key to the whole process. Once you have the answers, you can set your exposure.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/125, f/13, ISO 400

This is how I shoot in Manual Mode, explained in three easy steps.

Step #1 – How much light is on the subject?

Do I have:

Full daylight
A gloomy interior
A heavily shaded area between buildings
And so on…

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 2 seconds, f/10, ISO 320

First off, I’ll set my ISO accordingly. I usually go for the lowest ISO I can get away with shooting handheld. If I have a tripod I’ll go even lower. You can go almost a whole day without needing to change your ISO much.

It’s the easiest thing to set and forget. But if you need to move it you can. This is not a big deal on modern cameras where image quality is amazing at almost any ISO.

ISO scale - Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos

TIP #1

Set your ISO and don’t think about it unless the light level changes a lot – like you go indoors, the sun sets, or you walk into a heavily shaded area, etc. You get the point.

TIP #2

Look at the light! Photography is a study of light, after all, so your first step is to learn to really see it, to observe what it is doing, its strength and quality. When you have a deep familiarity with light from willfully observing it, you grow to know it.

Being aware of light levels makes shooting in manual much easier. When you are out, be tuned in to the light.

Step #2 – I ask myself “What is my priority?”

How do I decide what is the priority for my shot?

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 10 seconds, f/11, ISO 50

It all comes down to what I’m shooting – prioritizing shutter speed or aperture to whatever I think will make my subject look its best.

Am I shooting landscapes and want a wide depth of field? (select a small aperture like f/16).
Am I shooting portraits and so want a shallow depth of field? (aperture again, this time a wide setting like f/2.8).
Perhaps I am shooting sports or action, and want pin-sharp images of fast-moving subjects? (shutter speed this time – choose a fast one to freeze the subject like 1/2000th).

I’ll make my choice of shutter speed or aperture as my top priority. Now I have two points of the exposure triangle set. For the last setting, I adjust the exposure on the light meter scale.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/15th, f/4.5, ISO 12,800

Step #3 – Adjusting the exposure

Now is the time to look at the camera meter.

Use the light meter scale – get the marker near the center or thereabouts with the one remaining dial (in other words if you chose the aperture in step #2, the last one being set here is the shutter speed). On this -2 to +2 scale, where you place the exposure matters a lot! This is the essence of creative exposures. It dictates the mood of the photograph.

Being in the centre or “0” position is rarely the right exposure for me.

Light meter scale - Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos Light Meter Scale

Remember, each point of the exposure triangle is NOT fixed. Each click or interval (usually in 1/3 increments) are equal, so 2 (+) clicks of ISO is equal to 2 (-) clicks of aperture or shutter speed. These are called reciprocating exposures and they are the key to shooting creatively.

So, if you find yourself in a situation where you would like a little faster shutter speed, then do it. But compensate with an equal but opposite amount of another setting. What choice you make at this point is completely creative, not technical.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 3.2 seconds, f/4.5, ISO 100

TIP # 3

Let’s say you are shooting a landscape with a good foreground, a large tree perhaps, You set your aperture to f/16 for good depth of field (priority), ISO is at 100 and you have a shutter speed of 1/60th. This is a classic landscape exposure – with a lot of Depth of Field.

For an alternative image of the same scene, you could think of the tree as a portrait photo and open up the aperture to f/4 (+4 stops) and adjust the shutter speed to 1/1000th (-4 stops) keeping the ISO at 100 and the exposure the same.

You would lose most of the Depth of Field, but gain a nice bokeh making the tree isolated, like a good portrait. Now you’ve created a different feel to a classic landscape using a reciprocating exposure. But wait, there is still more you can do!

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 2.5 seconds @ f/4.0 ISO 100

Now, how about underexposing this scene by 1-1.5 stops to create a more low-key moody image. If the tree was in bright sun and the background shaded, I would instinctively underexpose to emphasize that contrast.

Putting it all into practice

You will miss a few exposures now and then. Everyone does, but don’t let it discourage you. I think a big part of the fear of shooting in Manual Mode is the, “I will miss the shot”echoing in people’s heads. Like I say, it happens to everyone.

Losing a few shots is still worth the wealth of knowledge and creativity you get from sticking with it and totally controlling your photography. Those missed shots will appear less and less as you improve, and your new found skill shooting in manual will reflect in your photos.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 2 seconds @ f/5.0 ISO 50

I recommend you shoot at least 1,000 images in your practice. If you really focus, you could nail Manual Mode over a weekend. There is no substitute for practice.

Slow down and have fun! It will be worth every bad shot you take.

Study your images in post-production

Once you have taken your images, it is a really good idea to study your images in post-processing. All of the information about exposure is stored in the metadata which you access in a program like Lightroom (you can filter and sort your images by ISO, Aperture, etc.).

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/30th, f/8, ISO 50

A few more final words – and action steps!

Did you know that two of the best ways to fully learn something is to:

Practice it
Explain it or teach it to someone else

By practicing it over and over you are teaching it into your body, almost like muscle memory. You do it so many times you’ll end up with it being automatic like it is for me (and those with years of experience who make it look effortless).

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/400th @ f/4.0 ISO 200

By explaining it, preferably a few times, to someone else, your brain starts to build new neural networks (which happens anytime you learn anything). So if you want to remember anything, you need to keep the neural networks alive, and by repeating it, explaining it, and practicing it over and over you’ll make that a solid memory in your brain.

So the short term work of repetition leads to remembering it long term. How cool is that?

I really, really hope this has helped you “get” Manual Mode. I love the creative possibilities of photography, and it makes all the difference when you feel comfortable with your tools. I would love to know if this has helped you – and if you’ll take the leap to practice shooting in manual.

The post Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos by Anthony Epes appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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