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What I Learned From 30 Days of Black and White Photography

08 Nov

Color is an amazing phenomenon.

Most of us can appreciate color, even if we don’t understand the complex nature of light. Color Illuminates the landscape of our daily lives, and naming them is one of the first things we learn in childhood. We use them as a language and a way of expressing emotion. They affect both our brain and our bodies and fill our world with variation and even the occasional surprise.

So why would I ditch color for black and white for an entire month?

Up until the mid-1930s, color photography wasn’t widely accessible. And color printing wasn’t an affordable option until the 1960s. Pioneer photographers such as Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier Bresson set the standard in black and white photography. They emphasized composition and the controlled use of light without color, revealing the artistic merits of black and white photography that resonate to this day.

As a photographer, I shoot predominantly in color. But with such a wealth of modern photographic history steeped in black and white photography, I thought it would be interesting to prioritize monochrome instead.

So, I set myself a challenge: to photograph in black and white with my digital rig at least once a day for a month.

Here’s how it went.

Getting Started

Setting the Camera to Monochrome Mode

Okay, first things first. I wanted to shoot black and white images in-camera, so I needed to put my camera in Monochrome mode. In this mode, the camera records photos in black and white when photographing in JPEG. The LCD also previews photographs in black and white in Live View and the gallery.

While shooting in this mode does encourage a bit of ‘chimping’ (checking the photo after every shot), being able to review your pictures in black and white is very useful. It helps your eyes adjust to seeing your surroundings in black and white.

I’m using a Canon 5D MKII, so in ‘Shutter Priority’ mode (‘Aperture Priority’ and ‘Manual’ work too, depending on your preference) I selected the ‘Picture Styles’ tab on the main menu.

I then selected the ‘Monochrome’ (or M) option from the ‘Picture Styles’ menu.

Pressing the ‘Info’ button with ‘M’ selected in the ‘Picture Style’ screen allows further adjustments to ‘Monochrome’ mode such as ‘Sharpness,’ ‘Contrast,’ ‘Filters,’ and ‘Toning.’ I increased the Contrast parameters a tad, as using the Monochrome Mode by itself can make the images seem a little flat.

For Nikon or other camera brands, check the manual to find out how to set your camera to Monochrome mode.

Changing Your Quality Settings

The next step was to set my camera to photograph in dual RAW and JPEG modes. Why? Because even in Monochrome mode a RAW file will revert to color when uploaded to the computer. Whereas, a JPEG file retains the monochromatic scheme used in-camera.

Unfortunately, a JPEG retains less quality than a RAW file. So what do we do? We shoot both! If you take a fantastic black and white shot as a JPEG, you’ll also have the quality RAW file to edit in post-production.

But make sure you have some decent space on your memory card.

On my Canon 5D MKII, I set dual RAW and JPEG mode by selecting the ‘Quality’ tab on the main menu.

I adjusted my settings with the ‘Main’ and ‘Quick Control’ dials so I had both RAW and JPEG selected, and pressed the ‘Set’ button.

Again, for Nikon or other camera brands check the manual to find out how to change the Quality settings.

Ready, Set, Go

With my camera settings sorted, I was ready to begin my 30-day challenge. Here are a few things I learned during my ‘Month of Monochrome.’

Adding a New Layer of Interest

One thing I quickly realized was the power a stripped back color scheme has in lending a unique atmosphere to an image.

Having worked in black and white before (both with film and digitally), I know how evocative an excellent black and white image can be. But working digitally in black and white with no other option was new and refreshing. It hammered home the way a black and white photograph can separate the everyday world and its portrayal. This separation presents subjects in a new and thought-provoking light that generates a significant connection between the viewer and the image.

Minimizing Distraction

When you work in ‘Monochrome’ mode, you appreciate the dominance color can have over a photograph. While confining myself to black and white photography, I could experiment within a gradient, free from the distraction of color. Black and white photography strips an image back to the basics of composition and light. Without the color distraction, I had space to hone in on what makes a compelling story – creating a visual study of a subject.

Learning How Light Behaves

A lot of photography is about observation: watching people, landscapes, light, and shadows. And most photographers have a basic knowledge of how light behaves from these observations.

But black and white photography highlights the fragility of light in every environment with higher acuity than a lot of color photography.

The way an image gets read is affected by degrees of light. Hard light creates a highly contrasted image with dark, hard-edged shadows. It emphasizes drama and immediacy. Soft light is more subtle, rendering a soft, lower-contrast image.

Black and white is all about degrees of light versus shadow. My 30-day challenge encouraged me to take more notice of the light. In each environment, I embraced different lighting situations as a chance to test out my skills and experiment.

Seeing Differently

After the fourth day of my 30-day black and white challenge, I started scrutinizing everyday things with more of a photographic eye. Walking down my street, I began noticing plant life that would look interesting in black and white. The texture on the path I was dawdling along stood out. Because I deliberately made time for my photography each day, my mind started working creatively to seek out more photographic opportunities.

I felt more inspired. There was a greater impetus to hang out to get the best shot rather than the most shots. I felt in the zone.

Conclusion

Photographing in black and white for 30 days was a fun and rewarding challenge. It helped me to rediscover a freshness in photography and inspired me to experiment.

Sure you can convert any photograph to black and white in post-production, but to go out and photograph in black and white in the moment is a different process.

If you ever find yourself in a photographic rut, why not challenge yourself to a month of black and white photography? You never know what you might discover.

Do you have some black and white photography you’d like to share? If so, put them in the comments below.

The post What I Learned From 30 Days of Black and White Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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10 Photography Lessons I’ve Learned Over 10 Years

09 Apr

When learning any new skill, it’s universally agreed that you need to put time into it to grow. There’s a popular theory by Malcolm Gladwell that it takes 10,000 hours to master any skill. That theory is pretty controversial these days, but the number of hours isn’t important. What’s important is that you must put time into learning a skill if you want to become better at it.

Photography is no exception. Ask any of the photographers you admire how long they have been developing their photography skills, they will all tell you that it’s taken them years.

So, how do you speed this learning process up? There are a few ways, but one of them is to learn from other’s mistakes and successes. Every photographer starts out as a beginner, so it would make sense that others have learned a few lessons along the way from which you can benefit.

10 photography lessons 07

I’m no photography master by any stretch, but I’ve learned a few valuable lessons in the 10 years since I picked up a camera. Here are a few of them.

1. Great light beats a great subject every time

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had the experience of visiting a gorgeous location with grand visions of the stunning photos you’re going to come home with, only to be bitterly disappointed and wonder what you did wrong. On the flip-side, you’ve likely been pleasantly surprised by the beautiful photos you’ve taken of a very ordinary scene or subject.

So, what is the one thing that makes a great photo above anything else? Great light. This is the reason why I will often return to the same location to photograph the same scene repeatedly. The scene hasn’t changed, but the light will never be the same twice. Learn to predict, look for, and create great light.

10 photography lessons 06

2. Shoot for love, not likes

Social media has changed the world we live in, which is a great thing for photographers. Of course, there are negatives to this as well. The biggest drawback, in my opinion, is the eternal quest for likes. Not a single one of us is immune to it.

It’s flattering and gives a nice ego-boost when someone “likes” your photo on Instagram or Facebook. But it can become a dangerous obsession when you begin to shoot or edit your photos with the motivation of getting more likes.

Sure, we all change and develop our style over time, and this is partly influenced by current trends. Just try to stay focused on shooting what you love, and don’t let the desire for validation on social media make you shoot for likes.

3. Post-processing is part of your artistic expression – learn it well

It’s no secret we live in a digital age. Despite Photoshop having some pretty negative connotations at times, post-processing your photos in the digital darkroom is a necessity, and the sooner you learn it, the sooner your photography will really take off.

10 photography lessons 04

Capturing your photos well in-camera is only half of the process. As a visual artist, what happens to those RAW images is entirely up to you. If you don’t know how to edit them well, then you’re short-changing yourself.

You don’t need to become a professional retoucher, just start with the basics and learn them well. Post-production software is cheap these days, and you can learn how to use it for free. There’s no excuse. Your inner artist will thank you for it.

4. Keep your gear simple

My gear has fluctuated from a single point-and-shoot to a bag heavy enough to crush a camel, and everything in-between. When I switched from a large Nikon full frame kit to Sony mirrorless a couple years ago, I intentionally simplified my gear, and I’ve kept it that way.

There are three reasons for this. Firstly, as a landscape and travel photographer, I don’t want or need large or heavy gear. Secondly, I’m more likely to consider a new purchase more seriously. And thirdly, simplifying your gear (especially lenses) forces you to develop your creativity.

10 photography lessons 03

One of the best exercises you can do for your photography is to go out with your camera and only one prime lens and shoot with just that setup. You don’t need anywhere near as much gear as you think.

5. Make friends with other creatives

For most of us, photography is a solitary pursuit. That’s part of the attraction. Even for an extrovert like me, getting out by myself to explore with my camera is one of my favorite things to do. However, networking with other creative people has a number of benefits that you should try to make the most of as well.

You can do so online, but doing it in person is even better. These creatives could be photographers, but they don’t have to be. They could be filmmakers, painters, illustrators, cake decorators, or musicians. It doesn’t matter what their outlet is or how you spend your time together. Just find other people who will inspire and motivate you, and who you can do the same for. The benefits will surprise you.

6. Hold off trying to make money as long as possible

10 photography lessons 05

Do a quick Google for “how to make money with photography” and you will be drowning in the sea of photo-selling tactics. There’s no question, you can make money selling photography, but that doesn’t mean you should.

I’m not going to go into the pros and cons of trying to turn your photography into a business. I will say, however, that you should try not to rush into monetizing your passion. Turning a hobby into a business (even just a side-hustle) changes things. It can be very satisfying, but mixing art and money isn’t for everyone. Just keep enjoying your hobby as long as you can.

7. Comparison will cripple you and steal your passion

This is in some ways an extension of #2 above. If you spend any time at all on Instagram, you will see there is a massive amount of very talented photographers out there. It’s easy to get discouraged by comparing your photography to that of others.

Again, nobody is immune to this. I often catch myself being overly critical of my own photography because I’m not just viewing the work of others, but comparing mine to it. Nothing good comes from this.

10 photography lessons 02

It’s great to be inspired by the work of others, but if it’s stealing your love for your own photos, it’s turned into something else. Comparison can be a very useful tool, but only if you’re comparing yourself to yesterday.

8. Invest in your craft

Unless your gear was gifted, borrowed, or stolen, then you understand that photography will cost you some of your hard-earned pesos. You can spend a little, or you can spend a LOT.

There are some things that will give you a far better return on your investment than others, though. For example, good lenses are a far better investment than a new camera body. The thing that will give you the best return on investment, in my opinion, is photography education.

There are a lot of great free resources out there, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. You can learn a hell of a lot from very affordable ebooks and online courses. And if you really want your photography to flourish, take a workshop with a master. You’ll never wish you hadn’t made the investment.

10 photography lessons 08

9. Start a blog

You might be thinking, “The world doesn’t really need another blog”, and you’d be right. But you’re not doing this for the world are you?

When I started my travel photography blog back in 2010, I never had any visions of millions of readers, I just wanted somewhere I could share photos of my travels and stories of my adventures. I wanted a medium other than Facebook, where I could choose how it looked. It was one of the best things I have ever done.

It’s since grown into somewhere that I now teach travel photography, but it’s still my photo blog, and it’s been a hugely creative outlet for me. I recommend Pro Blogger’s free Start A Blog course (by dPS’s very own Darren Rowse).

10. Your best image is yet to be made

10 photography lessons 01

As I mentioned in #7 above, it’s easy to get discouraged from time-to-time in photography. This happens for a number of reasons, but there’s one thing that I have learned which helps me get back on the horse when I feel like I’m wasting my time. I remember that I still haven’t made my best photo yet.

Of course, there is no such thing as a “best photo”, because photography is an art, not a science. What I’m getting at is that if you keep going, keep learning, keep practicing, you will keep making images that you think might be your best image yet. There will be dry periods, but push through them, try something different, get out of the rut, and you’ll come out the other side and continue to make images that remind you why you do it.

Conclusion

I hope you can take away something to help you in these photography lessons which I’ve picked up over the years. Do you have any pearls of wisdom that you’d like to share with other dPS readers? What have you learned that has made you a better photographer?

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3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project

18 Mar

As photographers, we often spend most of our time behind the camera rather than in front of it. I certainly was no exception! However, this past year, I made a conscious effort to put myself in front of my own camera more often including doing a self-portrait project. I was surprised by the ways in which those experiences have shaped the way that I now interact with my clients as a photographer.

Here are three of the lessons that I learned through my self-portrait project, as well as the ways that they’ve helped me become a better photographer.

3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project

1. Being photographed is really awkward!

As I began my self-portrait project, one of the first things I noticed was how absolutely awkward it was to be in front of the camera. I initially started out tethering my camera but decided that I really wanted to emulate the way that my clients feel in front of the camera as much as possible, so I ended up simply using a remote.

The remote method was much more challenging and much stranger! I knew what types of posing would be most flattering in theory, but I discovered that when I was in front of the camera, sometimes the posing instructions that I’d typically use left me with a lot of questions.

When I gently rest my hand on my neck, should my fingers be open or closed? Where exactly should my hand be on my neck so that I don’t look like I’m strangling myself? When I’m looking to the side of the camera, exactly how far to the side should I look?

3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project

Put yourself in the subject’s shoes

As photographers, we’re around cameras and photography equipment regularly – it’s just a part of our lives. It can be easy to forget that this is often not the case for our clients. Often times, clients have portraits done annually (if even that often) and may arrive for a session feeling just about as comfortable as they might at the dentist.

They know they want to end up with images that are both flattering and capture their personalities, but they aren’t quite sure how to make that happen.

Since I’ve been experimenting with self-portraits and experiencing that awkwardness first hand, I’ve started nearly every session with a brief conversation where I essentially say, “Hey, I know that having your photo taken can feel really awkward. I might ask you to stand or move your body in ways that feel strange and unnatural to you, but try to trust me – I’m on your team, and want to deliver photos that you will absolutely love!”

It’s so simple, but even just acknowledging that sometimes portrait sessions might feel a little strange and uncomfortable can go a long way towards making them much less strange and uncomfortable.

3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project

2. Posing and wardrobe are really important

My personal photography style typically tends more towards lifestyle/documentary than styled sessions. As such, I don’t often give a ton of complicated posing directions or wardrobe instructions for my sessions.

To model that, I tried taking self-portraits in a whole variety of clothing options. I captured myself wearing everything from a hoodie sweatshirt to a dressy sweater and scarf. I tried taking portraits with my hair up as well as down, and I experimented with heavy makeup as well as no makeup. Also, I tried posing in the ways that I usually sit or stand, followed by some of my “go-to” gentle posing techniques for women.

I knew that both posing and wardrobe/styling were important, but I’m not sure that I realized just how important they were until I was able to see some side-by-side images of myself in different poses and the same pose with different clothing choices.

3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project

The long sleeves here are important to put more emphasis on my face, as opposed to the arms like the image on the left.

Make specific wardrobe and posing suggestions

I now find myself being a bit more specific when clients ask for clothing suggestions. For example, prior to my self-portrait project, I probably would have told clients, “The most important factor is to wear something you feel comfortable in. As a general rule, most people look great in jewel tones.”

Now, I’d be more likely to say something like, “The most important factor is wearing something that you feel comfortable and confident in! When it comes to portraits, I recommend that you wear a jewel-toned jacket or cardigan with a solid black, grey, or white tank top or t-shirt underneath, which allows us so much versatility in your images.”

3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project

Similarly, I’ve found myself giving more detailed instructions when it comes to posing, often even using my own body to demonstrate exactly what I mean. Most clients were excited to receive more specific instructions to follow – it leaves less open to interpretation, which in turn makes them feel more confident that they’ll love the end result of our session.

3. Positive affirmation is absolutely crucial

Since I wasn’t working with my camera tethered to my laptop, I had absolutely no idea how things were looking as I was shooting, so hearing comments from people as they walked by was huge! When one of my daughters walked by and said,”Oops! I can’t see your head!”, I knew I had to stop and make adjustments right away.

3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project

Any sort of feedback like that was helpful, but when someone positively affirmed how the images were looking, it held a lot more importance than I would have thought!

For example, one afternoon a neighbor friend drove by and hollered something positive out her window as I was working on a self-portrait in the front yard. That simple comment gave me a huge confidence boost, and the next images in the set were significantly better than any of the ones I’d taken previously.

Conclusion

I’m an introvert by nature, and can sometimes have a tendency to go inside my head while I’m working. My brain is sometimes going a mile a minute, and I can forget to communicate what I’m thinking or seeing to those in front of my lens.

Since practicing self-portraits, I have really focused on positively affirming my family, friends, and clients as they’re in front of my lens. Telling them what an amazing job they’re doing with super awkward posing makes a difference. Commenting on how much you love the images so far is huge as well. Commenting on real attributes that make the person in front of your camera feel incredible makes a huge difference.

Give your friends, family, and clients the necessary feedback and positive affirmations that will allow their confidence in front of the camera to grow, and it will be a game changer for your sessions!

Have you ever done a self-portrait project? If so, what did you learn? Please share your experience and self-portraits in the comments section below.

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What I’ve learned after sharing my photos for free on Unsplash for 4 years

20 Jan
Stairs in Coimbra, Portugal?—?one of the 460 image I uploaded on Unsplash

This editorial was originally published on Medium, and is being republished in full on DPReview with express permission from Samuel Zeller. The views and opinions in this article are solely those of its author.

What is Unsplash?

Unsplash is a website where photographers can share high resolution images, making them publicly available for everyone for free even for commercial use. It was created in May 2013 by Stephanie Liverani, Mikael Cho and Luke Chesser in Montreal, Canada.

Four months after creation they hit one million total downloads, and a year after they had more than a million downloads per month. Now there are 400,000+ high resolution images hosted on Unsplash, which are shared by 65,000+ photographers from all around the world.

Last month 2,400 photographers joined Unsplash and shared 25,000 new images (not just snapshots, some really good photography).

Here are a few examples:

Visitors in the last month viewed 4 billion photos and pressed the download button 17 million times. The average Unsplash photo is viewed over 600,000 times and downloaded over 4000 times. No other social network can give you those numbers.

Unsplash is massive, and it’s (currently) one of the best place to get visibility for your work as a photographer. Some of my most appreciated images were viewed over twelve million times and downloaded a little bit more than 125’000 times.

Here are the top nine below:

I receive 21 million views per month (677’000 per day) and 93’000 downloads (3000 per day). As a result, every day there’s one or two person that credit me on Twitter for an image they’ve used. I also get emails regularly and new backlinks to my website every week.

And it’s not just for old users who’ve been sharing for a long time, here’s the stats from someone who joined Unsplash just three days ago:

In total I’ve uploaded 460 images, they’ve been viewed over 255 million times and downloaded over 1.7 million times. Of course these are just numbers, but they are much more meaningful (and larger) than the likes you can get on Instagram or Facebook.

Designers all around the world have been making album covers, posters, article headers, blog posts, adverts and billboards with my images on Unsplash. Like many photographers I chose to turn what was idle on my hard-drive into a useful resource for other creatives.

Here’s a few examples:

That’s not all, one of my first client (when I started as a freelancer in 2016) found me on Unsplash. They’re the biggest bank in Switzerland and I did four projects for them.

One included spending a night at 3,571 m (11,716 ft) at the highest observatory in Europe, the Jungfraujoch Sphinx observatory to document it (full project visible here); the second one was much lower at the Zürich airport photographing below aircraft like the Airbus A340.

The reason why they reached out to me? They were already using a few of my Unsplash images in their global database and wanted more in the same style.

Fast forward to a few months ago, I landed a new client (a design firm) and at one of the meeting they introduce me to one of their designer. The guy said after hearing my name “I know you already, I’ve been using some of your images on Unsplash, they’re great.”

The problem with social networks

People, especially the new generation, are becoming incredibly lazy. Our attention span is lower than ever, and we get stuck in nasty dopamine loops—we literally need to check our phones multiple times a day.

Social networks make us think we need to post new work often to get good engagement and get noticed, but the truth is great photographers take a year or more to publish new projects (for example Nick White “Black Dots” or Gregor Sailer “Closed cities”). Good work will always take time, and it will always get noticed.

We all fight for attention, for likes, for numbers that will not bring us anything good. We are in that aspect devaluing our own craft by over-sharing—being tricked into becoming marketing tools for brands.

The rise and fall of Instagram

What will you do once Instagram becomes old school? I don’t know if you noticed, but Facebook are ruining the whole Instagram experience by bloating the UI and releasing features for brands.

Here’s the user interface in March 2016 vs today on an iPhone 5/SE screen:

Seriously, what the heck? I can’t even see the user images anymore when I land on their profile.

Before Facebook bought it, the app was a simple, chronological photo-sharing service. Now they’re rolling out “recommended posts” from users you don’t even follow right into your feed. The suggested content will be based on what people you follow have liked (and probably on how much brands are paying to shove their ads right into your smartphone screens).

By sharing on Instagram daily as a photographer you are basically expending a ton of effort to grow a following on a network that’s taking a wrong turn. It’s like trying to build a sand castle on a moving elevator—sure, it works. but it’s not the most effective use of your time.

Not only is real engagement dropping, soon your reach will crumble unless you pay to promote your posts. I’m running an account with a little bit over 50,000 followers, and for a post that reach 25,000 people, only 170 of them will visit the account—the rest will just merely glance at the image for a second (maybe drop a like) and keep scrolling.

People create accounts on Instagram, then stop using it after some time. Truth is, many of your followers are inactive by now, and most of the ones that are active don’t care enough about your work to even comment on it.

What’s even worse is that Instagram makes photographers literally copy each other’s styles because only a few type of images can get better engagement and please the masses—think outdoorsy explorers taking pictures of forests from a drone or hanging their feet off a cliff. They’re diluting their work and style by focusing on what will grow their account.

Followers are still valuable now, but in two to three years they’ll be worthless. There’s a ton more 50k+ accounts than two years ago. Brands are now looking into accounts with 100–150k to do collaborations. Instagram is a big bubble that will blow one day, and I don’t want to have all my eggs in the same basket when it happens.

Would you take someone seriously if he told you, “I’m working on my Myspace/Flickr account every day! I got soooo many followers, I’m famous!”

I have 16,500 followers on my personal Instagram account and I could close it any day. The reason why? I also have a newsletter with over 25,000 subscribers. Guess which is more valuable and long-lasting?

Too many photographers today are forgetting that a portfolio, experience, publications and exhibitions are far more important than building up their following on a social network.

There’s still a lot of good sides to Instagram, the community aspect to start with and also the fact that there’s not yet a proper contender to replace it. It’s still (to me) the best place to discover emerging photographers and get your dose of inspiration. There’s also a great deal of photography magazines that are actively curating work on it.

The culture of the new

That’s the big problem with photography online as curator and photographer Andy Adams explains, “It’s always about the new, which inevitably means the not new drops off our radars way sooner that it should.”

Social networks like Instagram and Facebook are flawed for photographers for this particular reason. They are great for brands who can afford to hire social media managers and post regularly or sponsor content.

There are other social networks that don’t rely on a feed but rather on search, for example Behance or EyeEm. Those are way better for photographers in the long term. They have a higher rate of discoverability.

The images I share on Unsplash don’t lose value, in fact there’s no difference at all between a year old shot and a week old shot. Their value are not based on time. I could stop uploading new images and still have a lot of visibility every day. Try not posting on Instagram for a month…

Here’s a real example, those two images below were shared on Unsplash in October 2014. Notice how they still gather a ton of views/download per month even after four years?

Leaving a mark

Last year in February I lost my dad to cancer—he was diagnosed just a month before in January. I wrote before on the concept of memory and digital data (See: the data we leave behind) but his sudden death made me realize how short life can be.

We always say “we need to enjoy every moment, life is fragile,” but it’s impossible to understand it fully until you have lost someone close. My father had bookmarked my website, my Instagram account and my Unsplash account on his laptop, he was checking them often, he was probably my biggest fan.

What’s left of him are memories but also his files on his computer—photos of him and his art (he was doing digital art and uploaded a lot of pieces on DeviantArt). I’m grateful to have all of this to remember him.

As a photographer and artist I feel like it’s a necessity for me to also leave something behind, because we never know what will happen tomorrow.

Having some of my images on Unsplash is one way to ensure that even if I’m gone my work will keep on living. Another way is through prints and books. Speaking of which, I’m finishing my first book that will be published in April by Hoxton Mini Press.

Photography isn’t about making money as a freelance photographer, it’s also a part of us, stories of where we traveled, visual tales of our singular experiences with life. I choose to share it as much as possible because I can.

There’s one last reason why I share photographs for free and Josh summed it up very nicely in one of his Medium article, here’s what he wrote:

“Beauty has always been free. It came in the box with sunlight and eyeballs. It was granted to us upon birth as we first laid eyes upon our beautiful mothers and then mother Earth. For those of us with extreme empathy and a wide-eyed approach to seeing the world, finding the beautiful all around us and capturing it is a deep and glorious honor. Yes, you can have that image at the top for free?—?perhaps not because it has no value, but because I simply want you to see what I can see. I want to share in the joy of this world’s beauty. The image, in that scenario, is only a document of our mutual appreciation for it. And maybe taking money off the table in that discussion is actually what helps it remain beautiful.”

Josh S. Rose

What’s next

I feel like Unsplash is just the beginning of a new era of photography. It’s thrilling to be able to grow with it.

I was born in 1990 just before the world wide web, and I’ve seen how technology evolved for the past twenty years. I’m afraid of how addicted we have become to it. How fast paced things have become. We need more generosity, community based efforts, human curation and less algorithms driven by the need of profit. We need to slow down.

Some projects are trying to focus more rewarding artists instead of advertisers, and Ello is one of them. I’ve made the decision to stop using my personal Instagram account and switch to their social network.

But that’s a topic for a different article.

Samuel Zeller is a freelance photographer based in Switzerland, an ambassador for Fujifilm and the editor of Fujifeed magazine. You can contact him here and follow his recent work on his website and Ello.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

22 Dec

Still life is a particular style of photography that slowly lured me into its clutches. The gateway drug was, of course, food photography, and before I knew it, my weekends were spent combing secondhand shops for props and buying up linen in all different shades.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

The popularity of Instagram has given rise to images of every different kind of food, drink, dessert, cake, and cocktail. You name it, someone is shooting it, adding a filter and posting online before they even taste it. Except for the one thing it really shows, is how hard it is to compose and take a good still life image, especially with a cell phone. There are a lot of really awful shots out there. Someone even made a hilarious video about the effort needed to get a good shot.

Of all of the techniques I have learned in my photography journey, none has taught me as much as doing still life work.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

My first venture into still life – an Easter challenge that needed your hands in the image. This was before I had a wireless remote.

 #1 – Slow Down, Breathe and Take Your Time

You need three things for a good still life shot – light, good composition and a subject. Pretty much the same as for any photographic image really. But one of the best things about still life is you can take as much time as you like. Usually shot inside with some control over the conditions and with a static subject, this gives you the freedom to be really present and experiment.

As seen in the video link above, the composition is a key element. Do you shoot the subject isolated? Will props help you tell more of a story? Is there a particular mood you are going for? How can you achieve that?

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

I bought these gerberas and shot them every day for a week until they were past their best. Each flower had its own distinct shape and character that needed time to bring out its best

What angle is most effective? Close-up or include more environment? Will flat lay (overhead) or side on be best?

Because you have more control over the conditions you can allow a lot of time and shoot the same subject in many different ways in one shoot. You may come out with one great shot or several good ones. It will certainly teach you a lot about how difficult it is to get a good shot.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

My studio is my spare bedroom, one window, and a fold away craft table. Of course, a cat getting in the way!

2 – Composition is Key

Being a nature and landscape photographer originally, I am used to shooting things on a big scale. Lots of pretty mountains, lakes or sea, cloud-filled skies, and so on. A handy foreground element like a rock or driftwood or tussock is included for scale and to ground the image.

So when I tried to shoot much smaller things up close it was a bit of a shock to find how difficult it was to compose those images well.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

One black background, one silver spoon, and some raspberries.

It is interesting to learn how a subtle difference in angle can affect the outcome of the image. How close or far away your camera is can completely change the balance of the subject within the frame. How scale becomes really important and a tool to be leveraged for the most effective images.

I spent hours taking so many shots, discarding nearly all of them over and over again until I figured out my problem. Complexity. I made the rookie mistake of trying to include too many elements, which threw off the balance of the composition. It was crowded and messy and the subject was overpowered by all the extra stuff I was shoving in the frame.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

A black background, a silver spoon, and some raspberries. Taken at a different angle, closer up, more intimate and inviting. Subtle differences.

This is where lesson one really started to make sense. By taking the time to slow down, breathe and see my subject, see the possibilities, feel the story it was trying to tell me, I shot a lot less, but my keeper rate vastly improved.

The trick was keeping it simple and strong.

3 –  See the Possibilities

This step naturally emerges after steps one and two. Once you take time to be in the moment with your subject, position it within the lighting you have, turn it this way and that, then it will show you its best side.

If you give yourself and your subject time to get to know each other, then its secrets will be revealed. It might be an onion, or it could even be a portrait, the same rule applies. If you take the time to get to know your subject, you begin to see different possibilities. Perhaps this background over here is less cluttered, maybe this plate enhances the natural color better, that rustic board gives a great farmhouse appeal.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

Be the garlic clove! Feel the garlic clove! Hear its story.

I know, it sounds a bit zen and probably a bit corny, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Yes, you can take two seconds to position a shiny red apple and shoot it and have a perfectly acceptable image.

But what else might you end up with if you took 20 minutes, positioning the apple at different angles, on different surfaces? Maybe you cut it open or take a big bite out of it? Pose it with a glass of cider? Maybe you have a handful that looks great arranged in a decorative bowl?

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

The focus of this shot is the funny squiggle of butter on the bagel, but the story is Sunday Morning Brunch. Yes, it was delicious too!

Unless you give yourself time to relax and let the possibilities make themselves known to you, rather than focussing on one outcome, taking that shot and moving on, you will miss out on lots of opportunities. Plus you limit your chances to learn and grow as well.

I failed consistently when starting out with still life photography and it was really frustrating, but it made me work even harder. Once I did get it, the quality of my work improved faster than expected, which was a nice bonus.

4 –  Go Abstract

It is easier to shoot something whole and give it obvious context so that the viewer doesn’t have to think about what they are seeing.

But how much more intriguing would your work become if the viewer did have to take some time to think about what they were seeing? Where it teased at the edge of their consciousness that they should know what the object is but couldn’t quite figure it out? What if your image stuck with them and niggled away in the back of their mind? Where they actually remember it out of the many hundreds of images seen that day scrolling past on their phone?

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

A metal bench in the city but taken side on and obvious context removed with the focus on the lines and the circles instead.

Don’t be afraid to go abstract. To shoot something in a way that hides its original shape, form, or purpose. Be as obscure as you like so long as it’s interesting and arresting. Obscurity for the sake of it may put people off rather than engaging them.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

A piece of glacier iceberg taken up close from a boat to capture the intense blue color and the texture of the bubbles froze within the ice.

Again taking the time to look at your subject, seeing its possibilities and angles, and being creative all apply here. This tip you can easily take out into the world. There are many small intricate elements adorning the world if you take time to see them, interesting shapes revealed when you hide the obvious context. The devil is in the details, have fun finding them.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

A wonderful art deco stairwell.

5 – Props

Props are an essential part of still life photography. They set the scene, the color tone, the mood and the feel of the image you are creating. Learning to prop and style a shot well was the hardest thing for me about still life. It’s difficult to do well without enough options to work with.

This doesn’t mean you need hundreds of dishes and bowls and towels and fabric and cutlery (though it’s easy to end up with them). But a few carefully chosen options that give you flexibility are a good choice.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

Most of my still life prop collection. Enough variety to be useful and flexible.

This is not the only style of photography that benefits from props: portraits, engagement, wedding, children, pets, and family photography all benefit from the use of props. Anytime you have people in your image, having something for them to interact with can help engage them better.

What about the color and style of clothing they are wearing? Hair color or style? Makeup? Shoes? How much fun can be had just with a brightly colored umbrella?

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

A model dressed as Red Riding Hood, wearing a bright red velvet hooded cloak and faux medieval outfit. Shot at an old estate using a broken wooden gate as a prop.

These are all elements that can enhance or cause distractions in your image. What is the story you are telling? What mood are you trying to evoke? Therefore what style or color clothing is going to work best? This is something to think about and discuss with any clients in advance.

Conclusion

Before I started shooting still life photography I used to be in too much of a hurry. I would settle for the obvious shot and leave frustrated because it was boring, predictable and not different enough. Now I take time to prepare properly and give myself plenty of time to shoot. Looking for creative options and being prepared to experiment is fun and exciting.

Now I shoot a lot less, but the quality of my work has improved and I know when I have achieved a keeper shot. My ability to compose and style an image has improved. Including other elements to tell a story has added depth and nuance to my images that was previously lacking.

5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography

The good thing is that these benefits apply to almost any form of photography, some more than others, obviously. Do you just want a quick snap or do you want to engage your viewer fully? What is the story you are trying to tell? What emotion do you want to share? How can you connect with the viewer and make your image stand out from the Instagram or Facebook crowd? What sets your work apart from the millions of images posted online every day?

It does actually matter how much work and thought you put into crafting your image. Like any new skill, it will take time to learn. I challenge you to give it a go for a few months and then compare your new work to your older stuff and see the difference.

The post 5 Lessons I Learned by Doing Still Life Photography by Stacey Hill appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Photography Lessons I Learned Growing Up Around Ansel Adams

08 Aug

Ansel Adams was a young man of 14 when he first came to California‚ Yosemite National Park. The valley had a strong pull for him and he returned to work there in 1920 at the age of 18 to be the caretaker for the Sierra Club‚ LeConte Lodge.

Ansel became vigilant about protecting Yosemite and the Sierras from human impact while showing the world his view of this almost mystical place through his growing photography career. He met Virginia Best, the daughter of the gallery owner in Yosemite Valley. They married, and the gallery became a source of income for the young photographer and his wife. His complete works became the gallery best sellers. They continued to add products such as art books and other photographic services.

By 1940, his photographic workshops started as one of the first photographic education sources in the country. The workshops were usually a week long and for many, became a life changing experience.

ANSEL IN WAGON Photographic Lessons Learned from Ansel Adams

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

That was the case for my father, Holden Higbee, who attended Ansel Adams’ photography workshop in 1965. He, along with my older sister (who was 12 at the time), attended a week long workshop of photographic bliss in beautiful Yosemite Valley with lectures by Ansel Adams himself. In 1965, Adams was a respected photographer, but not yet the photographic icon that he has become in the present day. At that point, his prints were selling for about $ 50 and he would gift his images to his favorite students. My sister received a copy of his “Mirror Lake” image for participating as a model in the workshop.

MEDIUM FORMAT Photographic Lessons Learned from Ansel Adams

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

The Workshop with Ansel Adams

The workshop was held in the Wawona Big Trees area, the Yosemite Valley, and up into Tuolumne Meadows covering the basics of photography, Ansel’s Zone system, composition, and creativity. The students in Ansel’s classes were mostly young men, just honing their craft from the master, using their medium format and 35mm cameras. Their exuberance for learning photography was evident as they spread out to practice their lessons.

TOLUMNE MEADOWS - Photographic Lessons Learned from Ansel Adams

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

This class stuck with my father, as the photography gene runs long and deep in my family. Holden, as an avid photographer and college professor, would drive across the country to document the countryside for his geography and geology classes and stop every 50 miles to take a picture, much to our dismay. He always had two or three cameras around his neck so he didn’t have to change lenses and he could easily document “how man uses the land”.

The Zone System

ANSEL ZONE SYSTEM - Image used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

My father was particularly interested in The Zone System and how that would affect his photography. For many years after, my father would practice with the grey cards to set up the zone system. I am now the proud owner of his signed set of books from Ansel Adams; The Camera, The Negative, and The Print.

GREY CARD - Photographic Lessons Learned from Ansel Adams

Image by Holden Higbee

Visits with Ansel

On later visits to Yosemite Valley, we would see Ansel on a regular basis. I was a young girl but was impressed by his stature and his gray beard. In the evenings after dinner, we would all assemble in the lodge which had huge fireplaces, comfy 60s style couches, and tall vast windows with views of Yosemite Falls. My father and sister would play Backgammon, and watch the side door to see when Ansel would make his quiet entrance.

Our Dad would wave at Ansel and he would make his way over to our couch where the Backgammon board lay precariously on the cushions. Ansel would give my sister a tip or two on what her next move should be. Often he would sit awhile and watch them play before the Warren Miller Ski Film would start. Then Ansel would disappear as we became engrossed in the film.

ANSEL ZONE SYSTEM - Photographic Lessons Learned from Ansel Adams

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

As children, we had no idea the impact that this nice bearded man would have on the world of photography and our lives as creative artists. We thought he was just another photographer and friend of my father’s.

ANSEL AT WORK - Photographic Lessons Learned from Ansel Adams

Image by Holden Higbee used courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite

Respect Nature

Even though I didn’t attend the workshops, Ansel Adams greatly influenced my life, my love of landscape photography and nature, as he did for millions of others. At 6 years old, my father put a 35mm camera in my hands and I was off and running. After that week with Ansel Adams, we would talk about photography and composition frequently at dinner. “When you are shooting landscapes” he would say, “never move a leaf or a flower, respect nature for what it is. Learn to create a composition from what is naturally there.” From that point on, I never put the camera down, it has always been an extension of my life and my personality and landscape photography became my love.

After 50 years of traveling in Yosemite, it continues to take my breath away. We now return to Yosemite three times a year to teach photography workshops. We visit the park mid-week to avoid the tourists and also when there is the greatest chance of changing weather.

“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.” – Ansel Adams

Full circle

Late last fall, we had the great fortune of spending three weeks teaching workshops in the valley as it turned from fall to winter. Every day the light would change and the photographic options would take our breath away, but we felt like we were in sync with the ever changing conditions. We got into the rhythm of life there and found it an easy and wonderful experience.

Yosemite Fall - Photographic Lessons Learned from Ansel Adams

In January, we returned to the valley to do a private workshop and the forecast was for snow. As we drove into the park, the snow had started to come down and the roads were quite slushy. Little did we know, we were one of the last cars they would let into the valley for the next four days. As we arrived in the valley, it was covered in a thick coating of snow and was quickly adding up. I don’t know how many people were there that week in Yosemite, but it was a photographic wonderland.

We arrived and handed our client a pair of snow shoes and off we went on a winter photographic adventure. I would like to think that those few days of bliss might have been a bit like some days Ansel Adams experienced in Yosemite back in his day. An experience I won’t soon forget.

Yosemite Winter - Photographic Lessons Learned from Ansel Adams

“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.” – Ansel Adams

Conclusion

If you come to Yosemite, come in the off season when you can appreciate the beauty of the place without the throngs of tour buses and distracted selfie takers. Everyone that comes to the valley fancies themselves a photographer, so when you are in Yosemite, be sure to embrace the spirit of Ansel Adams.

Do you have any Ansel Adam’s stories to share? What lessons have you learned from his teachings? Please share in the comments below.

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7 Travel Photography Tips I’ve Learned from People in the Industry

20 Jul

Like any profession, over the years and countless hours of working and talking to people in the industry, you will pick up tips, advice and even things to avoid. This will ultimately help you improve and possibly make your photography business more profitable. Here are some of the main tips that I have picked up over the years from people in the travel photography industry.

7 Travel Photography Tips I've Learned from People in the Industry - new zealand

#1 – Blue Sells

If you were to line up a whole load of travel magazines next to each other, you will notice that the vast majority of their front covers have something in common, the color blue. Whether it is the sky or water, magazine covers tend to feature photos of gorgeous sunny days rather than moody, dark and atmospheric conditions.

I had always noticed that my “gorgeous sunny weather” shots outsold the photos with other types of conditions. But it wasn’t until the editor of a travel magazine told me the reason that I understood why. They found that historically, issues with beautiful sunny shots on the front cover sold much better than issues with dark and moody conditions. The reason is that most people going about their day aspire for tranquil and beautiful holiday conditions. So, while a stormy landscape photo might look more dramatic and striking, the average holidaymaker doesn’t want to go somewhere and experience a storm.

7 Travel Photography Tips I've Learned from People in the Industry - Scotland

#2 – Avoid “Tourist” Shots

I remember asking a picture editor once for the single biggest piece of advice they could give me and they responded with, “Don’t send me tourist shots.” But what does that mean? After all, if you are in a city and have to photograph the most famous landmark then how do you avoid tourist shots. Once I delved in a little deeper, I realized what he meant was that he didn’t want just another shot of the famous landmark taken at eye level because he could get thousands of them through any stock agency.

Instead, he wanted to see a photo that demonstrated an experience, feeling or mood. This was a few years back and more and more I have been asked by picture editors and stock agencies I work with to try to show these “experiences” in the photos. So rather than taking a photo of the landmark, it might be worth photographing a couple enjoying an ice cream in its shadow. The key is to look beyond the obvious shot and look for a moment or composition that can convey an emotion.

7 Travel Photography Tips I've Learned from People in the Industry Turkey

#3 – Give Them People

Often the easiest way to capture unique photos that don’t look like tourist shots is to include people. But including people in your photos can also convey a sense of scale, portray an emotion or a feeling and often tell a much more intriguing story. One of the best bits of advice I was given was that including people can also help you capture different types of shots from the same location. That, in turn, means you can maximize your stock shots from a single location.

For example, take any scene in front of you. If you capture that scene with a couple admiring the view holding hands it tells a completely different story than capturing the scene with someone running or cycling. So you suddenly go from one photograph per location to three. Move slightly around the scene and capture a few different scenarios and you can suddenly end up with a whole load of different stories from practically the same spot. As any stock photographer will tell you, it’s a numbers game and the more photos you have the better your chances of selling some.

7 Travel Photography Tips I've Learned from People in the Industry Turkey

Taken from the same location as the photo above but a completely different message.

#4 – Check Every Photo, Every Time

Photography is a competitive industry. You are often competing with pretty much everyone with a camera to try and get work or make sales. The last thing you want to happen is to have a photo that has been chosen by a client come back to you because it isn’t focused properly or you haven’t removed the dust particles. Not only is it embarrassing, but it can also hurt your chances of working with that client further down the line.

So don’t try and cut corners. You worked hard to capture the photo so do it justice and make sure it looks its best when it’s going in front of someone else. Check every inch of the photos you intend to send out to clients. View them at 100% in post-production and make any corrections or edit as necessary. Be professional in your approach from start to the finish.

7 Travel Photography Tips I've Learned from People in the Industry

#5 – Face the Opposite Way

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, there will usually be a spot marked “sunset viewpoint” or similar where everyone will go to capture their photos. Often this is because that particular spot offers the best view. But sometimes it is because it is the easiest and most convenient place for lots of people to get to or stand.

One bit of advice that has been floating around for many years and has been said by numerous photographers, is that when you get to one such location, face the other way. Go against the crowd and photograph what is behind everyone. Clearly this advice shouldn’t be taken literally as sometimes photographing the other way wouldn’t give a good photo. The point is to look beyond the first and most obvious location and viewpoint.

If you are prepared to do your research beforehand and are willing to put more of an effort in than the average tourist, you will undoubtedly end up with better photos.

7 Travel Photography Tips I've Learned from People in the Industry

#6 – Step Closer

The world famous war photographer, Robert Capa said, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.”. This is something that most amateur photographers struggle with for travel photography and photographing people. It often means having to get close to your subject and they then might notice you.

The truth is that usually, the worst that can happen is that the person you want to photograph will just say no. But getting closer means having to be right in the middle of the action and that you also have to engage with that person and build a connection, if even briefly. This, in turn, will transfer into your photographs and give you a much better and more intimate photo than if you were standing 300 yards away with a telephoto lens.

7 Travel Photography Tips I've Learned from People in the Industry - Italy

#7 0 Don’t Be Shy

One of the biggest things that you may realize as a photographer is how accommodating and intrigued most people are about your profession. I have not kept a tally of the number of conversations I’ve had with total strangers all based around photography, but it’s been a lot. One thing I learned is that sometimes when you have a camera on your shoulder it can work to your advantage (and sometimes it can work against you) as people may help you capture the photo that you want to take.

But you have to be willing to ask. If you don’t ask you will not get. For example, one of the best places to take photographs of a city is from your hotel room. I’ve lost count of the number of times that I have been upgraded to a room with a better view by simply asking and explaining the reason for it. This extends to if you want to photograph people, places, and so on. Don’t be shy, just ask. The worst that could happen is being told no.

7 Travel Photography Tips I've Learned from People in the Industry Thailand

I took this photo of the Bangkok skyline from my hotel room.

Conclusion

Over the years you will pick up your own tips and advice that you have been given or have derived from your own experiences. In the meantime, hopefully, the ones above can be as helpful to you as they have been for me.

Do you have any other bits of advice that you have been given? Please share below.

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25 Things I Learned as a Photography Newbie

30 May

It seems photography should be easy, buy a camera and take photos, right? Except it’s not just a camera you need, there are other accessories and things you need to know as a photography newbie. Which lens do you buy and why? What do you shoot? How do you set the camera up correctly? What is the best way to process RAW files?

25 Things I Learned as a Photography Newbie

Walk into a good camera shop and there are walls covered in bags, cabinets full of lenses, banks of accessories, and tripods arranged in an artistic installation on the floor somewhere. It can be hard to know what extra things you really need versus what the salesperson tells you to buy. The internet offers lots of options for research in advance, but sometimes you just have to find things out the hard way.

Plus the salesperson can’t help you once you walk out the door, get your camera home, and you try to make sense of the camera’s user manual for the first time. Suddenly you are on your own with so much possibility and opportunity in front of you, but not really sure how to tackle it.

25 Things I Learned as a Photography Newbie

These are the top 25 things I learned as a photography newbie

Gear related things

  1. Buy at least one spare battery and memory card, two if you can afford it. Remember to keep those spares charged!
  2. Check your camera gear and settings before you leave the house – preferably the day before (so you can charge batteries). Realizing you left your memory card plugged into your computer, and your battery on the charger an hour into your trip is less than ideal.
  3. The perfect camera bag is like the Holy Grail. You will go through several bags trying to find the best compromise for your requirements.
  4. New gear doesn’t make you a better photographer. Many people are under the impression that buying a fancy expensive DSLR body somehow guarantees their images will be amazing. A new lens might enable you to shoot subjects in a better way (e.g. a macro lens lets you get close to small things, a long zoom makes it easier to photograph birds or animals) but these things are a tool that you, the photographer, has to make work.
  5. Buy a good tripod and get comfortable using it.

A tripod is an absolute necessity for shooting in the dark, especially when it’s a long exposure as well

Gear isn’t just about cameras and lenses

  1. Going out in the dark? Get a headlamp or torch, preferably one on a swivel mount so you can point it at the ground while walking in the dark. This is vital for not slipping and breaking an ankle on rocks or broken ground, and finding things in your bag.
  2. Invest in good footwear. Take a hat, sunscreen, water and insect repellent. Also, carry an extra layer of clothing just in case.
  3. Have proper cold weather gear. Nothing is worse than being outside with cold wet feet and numb fingers. If you live in areas that get properly cold, have good footwear suitable for the kind of terrain you will be out in. Clothing technology has advanced a lot in recent years, there are many options for the base, middle and shell layers, gloves, hats, and socks that are thin, light and easy to wear. Good quality gear can be expensive, but it usually lasts and is worth the investment.
  4. Get proper camera insurance. Camera gear is expensive and is often a target for thieves (don’t leave it in your car overnight). Accidents happen, a sudden large ocean wave can wipe you and your tripod out without warning. Tripod heads can fail and cause your camera and lens fall five feet straight onto a concrete floor. All sorts of mishaps can happen, so protect your investment with insurance, it is a lot cheaper than having to replace the gear yourself.

Making better images

I saw this scene in my rear view mirror, a quick handheld capture that was well worth the extra stop.

  1. Look behind you, above, and side to side. Sometimes the best view isn’t the obvious one directly in front of you. This applies especially if you are shooting a well-known and frequently photographed location. Put some effort into making your image something different. Exert yourself to break away from the crowd.
  2. It takes some time to get past the beginner stages of photography and to show improvement. It takes even longer to develop proficiency and “get good at it”.
  3. Composition is critical and will make or break any image. This is the one subject I personally recommend people invest time in researching and learning. There are loads of articles about composition online, take the time to read them and then practice, trying to see different composition options when shooting. Many people stand and shoot as their only option. Getting down at ground level or eye level can make for an entirely different image. Setting the camera in portrait or landscape mode can make a real difference. Learning composition is one of the most powerful tools you have as a photographer.
  4. The best sunrise or sunset is the one you stayed at home for. You can go out every morning for months and get nothing good, that one day you stay home and sleep in? Guaranteed to be a stunner.

My second sunset was well worth getting out of bed for.

  1. It’s all about the light that you have right at that very moment.  Sometimes you have the option to walk away and come back, sometimes you don’t. So it’s important to learn how to see the light you have and know your options for capturing the best image possible with the available light.
  2. Take your camera out as often as you can and practice as much as you can. However, there are times when you might prefer to be in the moment, enjoying the action (a concert or party or event) and that is okay too.
  3. Check the edges of your frame before you shoot. Run your eye around the edge of the image in the viewfinder. Are there any branches, grass or trees poking out in awkward ways? Does your portrait subject have a lamp post coming out of the top of their head? Is everyone fully within the frame – there are no chopped off hands or feet or tops of heads?

White clover shot with 100mm macro lens.

Camera settings

  1. Muscle memory – learn what the buttons on your camera do, and where they are. Learn it so well you can find them by feel, in the dark. When responding to changing situations, it’s important that you can adapt quickly and without thinking too long about it.
  2. Manual mode is just another setting on your camera. There are no rules that say you have to use it all the time, although there are plenty of opinions on the subject. If shooting in manual makes your heart sing, then good for you. If the thought makes you really nervous and uncertain, that is okay, there are other options available.
  3. Back Button Focus is the preferred option for many wildlife and bird photographers. It is faster to use once you get used to the change.

This guy stuck his head into the frame as I was composing, had to react quickly to get the shot, and it is not 100% sharp as a result. Knowing your camera inside and out will help you get shots when time is of the essence.

Workflow and image processing

  1. Develop your own process and workflow. There is no right or wrong way to do things and there might be more efficient or different ways to achieve an outcome. Find one that works for you.
  2. Printing your work is surprisingly complicated. There’s calibration of the monitor, color profiles of the printer and paper, soft proofing, and so many different paper options and finishes. Even getting the professionals to do it for you can be challenging. Be prepared to spend a bit of money experimenting and finding out a way that gets you quality prints.
  3. Data storage and backup are a priority. If you are not particularly interested in computer technology, this can be a bit challenging. If you shoot in RAW format which outputs large image files, eventually you will have to address the requirement to store your data. Usually, at the point your first hard drive fails, backing up your data also becomes a consideration.
  4. Learn to crop and don’t be afraid to use it. Creative use of a crop can be a powerful composition tool, either improving the shot or fixing it (maybe you chopped people’s feet off). Be aware that cropping your image removes pixels and data from the file size, and that can limit how big final prints can be.

The weather was dreadful, a friend stood over me with an umbrella while shooting this, but converted to BW makes all the difference. Shoot with the light you have and know what you can do with it.

Still life studio with reflector, lenses, still life props and a cat asleep in his favorite spot.

Advancing your work

  1. Share your work and invite discussion. Places like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and various gallery sites online are easy avenues for sharing images. Start a blog and share your learning journey, the blogging community can be very supportive and friendly. Join your local camera club for some face-to-face interaction. Getting critiques can be valuable, but a thick skin is also necessary, as not everyone will be a fan. Some people will be nice and some people will not be and that can be difficult to hear.
  2. Push your boundaries. Some styles of photography will be easy for you, more enjoyable and fun. It’s good to spend time in that space and improve your craft. However, trying new styles can be a powerful learning tool as well. Don’t be afraid to try something new, remember it can take a while to get the hang of it, so don’t expect instant success.

Flat out on my stomach in the dirt was the only way to get this intimate composition.

The sky was heavily overcast and the light was dull, but the cygnets were adorable.

Sleeping ducklings, so fuzzy and cute. Taken flat out on my stomach with a long lens to keep my distance and not disturb them.

Summary

Like every new hobby, once you get started and scratch the surface, there is lots more to learn than you expected. Some lessons can only be learned the hard way, via personal experience.  Making mistakes is a powerful learning experience provided you and your camera gear survive the experience.

Since starting photography in 2007 there have been many mistakes made, and hopefully, lessons learned along the way. I offer up my experiences so you can hopefully save yourself some time, money and hardship and not do some of the silly things that were the reasons for the above list.

Good luck and happy shooting. Be safe and have fun.

The post 25 Things I Learned as a Photography Newbie by Stacey Hill appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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CP+ 2017 – Sigma interview: ‘We’ve learned that some customers require exceptional lens performance’

27 Feb
Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma Corporation, pictured at CP+ 2017, with Sigma’s new 14mm F1.8.

Sigma released four lenses at this year’s CP+ show in Yokohama – the 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art, 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art, 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art and 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM. We’re at the show, where we made time to sit down with Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, to find our more about the new lenses. 

You’ve told me previously that you really want Sigma to make more wideangle lenses. Do you think you’re achieving that goal with the 12-24mm and new 14mm?

Yes, but I’m still not satisfied. I think we need to make more wide-angle lenses. A fast 14mm was one of the lenses that our customers were asking for. Most existing 14mm lenses are F2.8, so F1.8 was a challenge.

The new Sigma 14mm F1.8 is the fastest lens of its kind, and according to Sigma, should outperform competitive, slower designs from other manufacturers.

What have you learned, from making the Art series?

We’ve learned that some customers require exceptional lens performance. We believe that our mission is to make products that other manufacturers don’t have. If we just released similarly-specified lenses to existing models, we wouldn’t be contributing to the industry, or benefiting customers. So our Art series is meant to provide the best performance.

They’re bulky and heavy, it’s true, but our customers like them because of the performance. That’s what we learned.

Hands-on with Sigma MC-11 (CP+ 2016)

You now make a mount adapter for Sony E-mount, but are you planning native support for the Sony E-mount in the future?

Yes, that’s our plan. Our plan is to develop full-frame lenses for Sony E mount, and in the future we will have more E mount lenses. But it takes time. Normally it takes about two years to develop one lens, sometimes three. So even if I start the process now, the lens might come out in two years time.

Sigma’s new Art-series lenses have a degree of weather-sealing – why now?

It’s based on customer demand. Some of our customers said that rain and snow sometimes got into the lens mount, so they wanted sealing. And the other reason is that it’s becoming a trend. Other manufacturers are offering sealed mounts.

Does that make the design process more complex?

No, not really. The only seal is around the lens mount. It’s not a perfect weather-proofing like our Sports series. The 150-600mm for instance has sealing everywhere, on the focus ring and zoom ring.

Of the lenses in the Global Vision line, which were the most complex to bring to market?

Our 12-24mm zoom. Because that lenses uses a very large aspherical element, and at the time, no other company was producing an element of this kind, and there were no machines capable of producing it. So we designed a custom machine to make that element. But as a result of developing that technology, we were able to create this new 14mm F1.8.

The Sigma 12-24mm ultra-wide zoom is a complex design, containing a very large aspherical (front) element.

The Global Vision line is almost five years old. What are you most proud of?

Firstly, I’m still not satisfied. We need to do more. But these days, I’m pretty happy that people regard Sigma as a high-quality company. In the past, some people regarded Sigma as just another third-party lens manufacturer, and maybe even as a cheap, low-quality lens supplier. But people’s perception has been changing, gradually, and I’m very happy about that.

One of the things that professional Canon and Nikon photographers rely on is the support networks for service, like CPS and NPS. Is a professional service support system something that Sigma is interested in creating?

I think we’ll have to. In Japan we’ve already started a pro support project, and I hope we can create a global professional support system very soon.

In the past you’ve expressed concern that you don’t want Sigma to grow too much, too quickly, because this might threaten some the magic of being a small company. Is this something that you’re still worried about?

Growing too fast is not good. We need to grow, but we should grow gradually. We need to develop our capability to produce higher-quality products. That’s the priority. Then turnover, and sales, and profit will follow. We do not prioritize making the company bigger. We focus on product quality, and technology.

Over the past five years, we’ve actually been making fewer lenses, because we decreased the number of cheaper lenses we were producing. But we’ve expanded our manufacturing capacity, because the higher-end lenses use more glass. Cheaper lenses might use 10-15 elements, but these higher quality lenses use 15-20, sometimes even more elements. So more capacity is needed to make a single lens. We’ve actually invested massively in the past five years.

Sigma and Fujifilm have recently introduced lineups of cine lenses. How much growth do you see in this segment?

We don’t know. Even before I decided to get into the cine lens market, I tried to collect market data, but there’s no data out there. It’s not available. It’s only anecdotal. But we guessed that this segment will grow in the future.

Video has lower resolution demands than stills, but we’ve been designing lenses for 36+ megapixel sensors for several years. That is equivalent to 8K, in video terms. A lot of traditional cine lenses aren’t that high resolution. Our lenses might be more affordable, but they’re top quality.

The Sigma Cine lens range includes a geared version of the company’s 18-35mm F1.8, now known as the 18-35mm T2. The lens covers the Super 35 format and requires a roughly 350 degree rotation to zoom from 18-35mm, allowing very precise control.

Do you have a market share target for your cine lenses?

No, we’re waiting to see how the market develops. We can dream, but it’s not the same thing!

Editors’ note:

We always enjoy speaking to Mr Yamaki, partly because on the occasions when we get the opportunity to do so, it’s usually because he’s just unveiled something really interesting. Mostly though, we enjoy speaking to Sigma’s CEO because he’s a nice guy. Open, honest, and candid about Sigma’s plans and ambitions, Mr Yamaki is well-liked in the photography industry, even by his competitors.

Speaking of competitors, I get the feeling that Mr Yamaki was compelled to deliver the new 14mm F1.8 partly out of a general disappointment with the available options for photographers. Sigma has a strong history of innovating in the wide and ultra-wide market, and the new 14mm, alongside the previously-released 12-24mm certainly look like a confident statement of intent. If the 14mm is as good as Mr Yamaki claims (and we are rarely disappointed by the optical performance of Sigma’s Art series) it looks set to be a reference lens for landscape, architectural and astrophotographers. We’re hoping to be able to post a gallery of samples very soon – watch this space.

Also interesting, is another statement of intent – Sigma’s move into affordable cine lenses. While the company is not competing (yet) with the Arris of this world, or with Canon’s Cinema EOS optics, Sigma (like Fujifilm) sees an opportunity to cater to a newer generation of videographers who are working with mirrorless systems. Optically, Sigma’s cine lenses should be top notch, although being based on existing stills lens designs, we’re told that some qualities, such as focus breathing, might cause issues for professional broadcast and film cinematographers. There is a reason, after all, that high-end professional cine lenses can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

So what next for Sigma? We wouldn’t be surprised if Mr Yamaki is working on more wideangle lenses, and following the new 24-70mm F2.8, it seems likely that the company will refresh its 70-200mm F2.8 in the near future, too. More Sony E-mount optics are also on the way, we’re told, which will be welcome news to Sony a7-series users.  

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Auto ISO

26 May

ISO is one of the three critical elements of exposure, and yet among the people I have talked to it seems to cause the most confusion. Aperture can be physically represented by simply making a circle with your fingers to represent the size of the opening in your camera lens, and shutter speed can be mimicked by closing your eyes, opening them briefly, and then shutting them. Neither one is a perfect comparison but it helps get the point across, especially to those who are new to photography.

ISO, in my experience, is a bit trickier to explain, and yet it can make or break a picture, even if you have the other two elements set just right. Or…it could make or break a picture in days gone by.

We have reached somewhat of a unique time in the history of photography in that ISO is, to some degree, no longer relevant in the same way that aperture and shutter speed still are. While I certainly would not let my camera choose the aperture and shutter speed for most of my shots, I have all but abandoned my misgivings about Auto ISO, and now almost always let the camera choose for me. As a photographer it has not been an easy leap for me to make, but it has been incredibly liberating, and I think it could be for you too.

A tack-sharp picture shot at ISO 4000 with minimal digital noise.

A tack-sharp picture I shot at ISO 4000 with minimal digital noise.

My first real digital camera, not counting a few point-and-shoot models I had in the early part of the previous decade, was a Nikon D200. It was a beast of a camera, with some features that outclassed even most modern models, like a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 second and a weather-sealed body. One thing it did not do so well was high ISO values, specifically anything past 400. I could shoot at 800 in a pinch, but going all the way up to 1600 resulted in pictures that were a muddy mess and 3200, its maximum possible value, was an unmitigated disaster. This trained me to use the following thought process in virtually all shooting situations:

  • Shoot in Aperture Priority (I set the aperture and let my camera set the shutter speed)
  • Set the ISO to 100, 200, or 400 depending on the lighting
  • Select an aperture that would give me the depth of field or overall image sharpness I wanted
  • Hope the shutter speed wasn’t too slow so I didn’t get a blurry picture
  • If the shutter speed was too slow, raise the ISO to no more than 800
  • If the shutter speed was still too slow, compromise my artistic vision by opening up the aperture
auto-iso-sunset

Even my old D200 could produce some fine images, though things quickly went south above ISO 400.

It was a process that worked somewhat successfully, but often resulted in images that were compromised in one way or another. When I finally upgraded to a much newer camera, a Nikon D7100, I still had the same mindset when it came to setting the ISO. I wanted to do it myself, lest my camera make some kind of silly decision on its own, that resulted in a picture with way too much noise for my taste. For a while I used the same thought process as shooting with my D200, even though the D7100 had vastly superior high ISO capabilities (which have since been surpassed by nearly every modern camera on the market today including its own successor, the D7200).

At first I used the old rule that had been burned in my mind regarding anything higher than ISO 400, which was to avoid it at all costs. Despite the evidence right in front of my eyes I was still used to the old way of doing things, and mentally set my maximum threshold at ISO 800, which I told myself, could only be exceeded in the most dire of circumstances. It took me far too long to discard this line of thinking, and I’m hoping you won’t have to make the same mistakes I did to get there.

Shot on my D200 at ISO 400.

Shot on my D200 at ISO 400.

A Brief History Lesson

The term ISO is somewhat of a holdover from the days of analogue film, when you would go to a camera store and buy an entire roll of film with an ASA value of 100, 200, or 400. ASA 200 was twice as sensitive to light as 100, 400 was twice as sensitive as 200 (which made it four times as sensitive as 100), and so on. Once the film was loaded in your camera you could not simply change your mind and use a different value; you had to shoot the entire roll before changing to another ASA for different lighting conditions.

ASA 100 film was great for outdoor situations or other scenarios where there was a lot of light, just like shooting at ISO 100 on a digital camera. ASA 400 was better for indoor situations when you needed film that was more sensitive to light, if there was simply not much to work with. If you looked hard enough you could get film that went up to ASA 800 or 1000, but anything beyond that was about as common as a polycephalous bos taurus (two-headed cow).

I took this photo of a champion marksman on my old D200 at ISO 400. If you look super close at the trees you will see some noise in the image, but doing that kind of misses the point of the photo.

I took this photo of a champion marksman on my old D200 at ISO 400. If you look super close at the trees you will see some noise in the image, but doing that kind of misses the point of the photo.

Early digital cameras, not unlike my world-weary Nikon D200, did not offer much in the way of low-light shooting capabilities that their film-based counterparts didn’t already have. Even as recently as a decade ago if you wanted to shoot in a low-light situation you might as well just grab a roll of high-ASA film, since most digital cameras just weren’t very good at their (roughly) equivalent high ISO values. (ISO and ASA are not directly 1:1 equivalent, but the measurements can be treated as fairly similar for the purposes of comparison.)

However, all this started to change rapidly as digital sensor technology advanced over the years, and now we are at the point where virtually any consumer camera can shoot up to ISO 3200 or even 6400 (a value that was unheard of with analog film) without much of a penalty in terms of overall color and luminance noise. In fact, most digital cameras are so good they can set the ISO automatically (hence the term Auto ISO), essentially removing a critical element of the exposure equation altogether, and freeing you so you only have to think about aperture and shutter speed.

Why I Use Auto ISO

This line of thinking was what used to stop me dead in my tracks as a photographer. The whole reason I learned to shoot in Manual mode was so I could have more control over my photos! Why on earth would I want to give control back to my camera, as if it knows better than I do what settings I want? The answer, I discovered over several years of shooting, is not as black and white as I once thought.

In most situations, the primary element of exposure that concerns me is the aperture, since it dramatically affects things such as depth of field and image sharpness. Of course I also have to pay attention to the shutter speed, since I generally don’t want motion blur, which then leaves the question of ISO. After shooting with my D7100, and subsequently my full-frame D750, I have realized that in most cases, I’m happy to let my camera decide the ISO for me, because I simply don’t care about it anymore. This might sound a bit extreme, but I humbly submit that perhaps you shouldn’t either.

Shot at ISO 2000 on a three-year-old Canon SL1 (EOS 100D)

Shot at ISO 2000 on a three-year-old Canon SL1 (EOS 100D)

Some photographers are prone to pixel-peeping, and I must admit I am certainly one of them. Zooming in on a picture to 100% magnification, in order to take note of barely-visible imperfections is a great way to compare various aspects of cameras, lenses, and even similar photographs. Shooting at high ISO values will often reveal noisy blemishes that stick out like a sore thumb when viewed up close. However, what I have come to realize, even when shooting with my D7100 which is over three years old, is that I simply don’t need to view my photos at ultra-close range to enjoy them, and for the most part don’t care about the noise that shows up when I see those ISO values skyrocketing. If I have to choose between a blurry picture and a noisy picture, I’ll take the latter every time, and twice on Sunday.

How to Use Auto ISO

The exact mechanics of enabling Auto ISO vary from one camera to the next, but on most models from major manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Olympus and their peers, there is usually an option in one of the menus that allows you to do a few things:

  • Enable Auto ISO
  • Choose a maximum ISO value
  • Choose a minimum shutter speed

Once you learn to find your comfort zone with these settings, you might find yourself thinking less about ISO, and more about things like framing and composition. On my D7100 I’m comfortable shooting up to ISO 3200, so I set that as the maximum value. I have the minimum shutter speed set to 1/(2x lens focal length). This means if I’m using a 50mm lens and shooting in Aperture Priority, my camera will lower the shutter speed to no less than 1/100th in order to get a properly-exposed picture, and if that still doesn’t do the trick it will then automatically raise the ISO clear up to 3200.

Learning to relinquish this amount of control has been incredibly freeing, so much so that for a while it actually felt like I was cheating because I was not manually selecting the ISO for every single shot. On my D750 I use similar settings but set the maximum value at 6400.

As you play around with this on your gear you are going to have to find a solution that works for your individual needs and photographic taste. Some cameras only let you specify one single value for the minimum shutter speed (as opposed to calculating it based on the focal length of your lens) and your mileage for how effective this technique is may vary, but if you can learn to embrace Auto ISO and let your camera do some of this heavy lifting, you might find yourself getting a lot more keepers on your memory card.

For this impromptu Easter photo I set the aperture at f/3.3 and let my camera do the rest. It chose a shutter speed of 1/100 and then raised the ISO as high as it needed to (2800) in order to get a good exposure.

For this impromptu Easter photo I set the aperture at f/3.3 and let my camera do the rest. It chose a shutter speed of 1/100 and then raised the ISO as high as it needed to (2800) in order to get a good exposure.

I would be remiss if I did not mention some of the downsides of Auto ISO as well, as not all is bright and sunny, and warm and fuzzy on this side of the fence.

One of the most significant limitations of shooting at high ISO values is the lack of dynamic range – basically, how much data your image sensor is able to capture in a given picture. If you have a RAW file that was shot at ISO 5000, and you need to use Lightroom to recover detail from the shadows, or raise the exposure of the whole image, you will find you have much less room to work with than if you shot the photo at ISO 100.

Also, depending on your camera, you may also find cases of severe banding, or ugly horizontal lines, that show up when you try to recover shadow detail at high ISO values. Finally, all things being equal a picture shot at ISO 4000 will generally have less vibrant colors, and skin tones will seem a little more artificial and false, than a similar picture shot at ISO 400.

Selecting the ISO was the last thing on my mind; I used an aperture of f/4 and a minimum shutter speed of 1/100. My camera selected an ISO of 5000 and I could not be more pleased with the result. A year ago I would have never gone that high, and would have had a blurry photo instead.

Selecting the ISO was the last thing on my mind when I made this image. I used an aperture of f/4 and a minimum shutter speed of 1/100, my camera selected an ISO of 5000, and I could not be more pleased with the result. A year ago I would have never gone that high, and would have had a blurry photo instead.

Despite these limitations, shooting with Auto ISO has been a huge boon for me, and I think it could be for you too. If you have never tried Auto ISO, I recommend giving it a chance and see how you like the results. For me it was a little like enabling back-button focus, in that I was highly skeptical at first, but after a few weeks I was hooked and now I don’t think I could ever go back.

Do you use Auto ISO? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and I’d love to see some of your favorite high-ISO images as well. Cameras today really are incredible imaging machines, and it’s fun to see what they can do if we push them a little bit.

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