RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Line’

How to Quote Commercial Photography Jobs: A Few Important Line Items to Consider

19 Feb

The post How to Quote Commercial Photography Jobs: A Few Important Line Items to Consider appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

There are a variety of ways to quote on a commercial photography job. Every photographer has their own approach.

If you’re new to working with clients, or even if you’ve been at it for a little while, putting together a formal estimate can be a daunting process. The bigger the scope, the more variables there are to consider.

Here are some line items to consider.

Quoting Commercial Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Creative fee

When you’re putting together an estimate for a commercial photography job, I recommend charging a Creative Fee for your labor. This creative fee is the time you spend shooting, but it can also include some post-processing.

Some photographers charge a day rate or a half-day rate. I don’t advise charging by the hours, but I determine how many hours you think you may need to execute a job and multiply it by the hourly rate you would like to receive for it. You may want to top that up by up to 25%, as you’ll find most jobs take longer than you think they will.

As a new photographer, I tried a variety of ways of estimating jobs. When I charged a half-day rate, I often found that there was no such thing. By the time I set up, did all the project management to pull the shoot together and hire the help I needed, it was a full day of work and then some.

Think about how much work you have to do behind the scenes and factor that into your creative fee as well.

One thing I don’t recommend is lumping all your expenses together and presenting it to the client. Giving them one big total can lead to sticker shock and confuse your potential client. They won’t know what they’re paying for exactly.

Breaking it down for them is a good business practice and helps the less experienced clients – say, those with a small business – understand all the work that goes into producing a commercial photo shoot.

Equipment

Quoting Commercial Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Some photographers like to have their own equipment they bring to photo shoots. This not only means a couple of cameras and Speedlites, but it can also mean monoheads, stands, and a variety of other gear.

You may have everything you need to bring to smaller shoots, but on bigger productions, you may need to rent extra gear, like several lights and lighting modifiers. You should not absorb this cost. It goes into the estimate.

Therefore, you need to get all the pertinent information up front about what the shot entails, so you know what to take. Make sure you get a shot list and ask all the necessary questions up front.

If you do have your own gear, you can include it in your creative fee and mention it as a footnote on the estimate that it’s included. Alternatively, you may decide to separate it.

You should charge at least a nominal fee for the use of your equipment. This way you can put money aside for any replacements and upgrades you need to do over time.

If a client were to go to a rental house and rent the equipment needed to pull off a commercial production, they would pay hundreds of dollars. And that is just for the tools. What about the skill of the person to handle those tools?

Don’t be afraid to charge appropriately for your services.

Studio rental

Photo shoots can take place in a variety of locations, but if you need to shoot in a studio, make sure that you put a cost for the studio rental in your estimate.

Be familiar with at least three studios in your area that can be rented out and what they charge per hour or day. If at the time that you write your estimate you’re not sure which one you’d be shooting in, put the most expensive one as the cost.

Once you get the go-ahead you can see what is available on the date you’ll be shooting and book the available studio.

Editing & post-production

Quoting Commercial Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

When working on a commercial level, you may not be the person responsible for editing the photos. If you’re working with an ad agency or sometimes even a magazine, they may have someone in-house to do editing according to specific parameters.

Alternatively, you may be expected to do the basic editing, but someone else may be responsible for further refinement. Be clear on the outset about the expectations around post-production.

The Photoshop required may be complex and require the expertise of a professional retoucher. In this case, you must get a quote from a retoucher and put that as a line item in your estimate.

Quoting Commercial Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Archiving fee

Some photographers charge an archiving fee as part of their post-production process.

There is the time associated with uploading and storing images and the process required to back them up. Since you should be charging for all the time you spend on a project, it makes sense to include it in the scope. You can have it as a line item or include it in your creative fee.

Digital Imaging Technician

Depending on the genre of photography you shoot and the nature of the production, you might want to hire a Digital Imaging Technician. Also known as a DIT, they are responsible for backing up everything as you shoot, and for doing quick color treatments or composites on set.

For example, as a food and still life photographer, I always shoot tethered to my computer so I can see a large, more accurate rendition of my image than I can get on the back of my LCD screen. I also sometimes have to work with overlays if I’m doing product packaging, so I can see how the image fits with any text or artwork. A DIT can help with this process.

Photo assistant

I have used a photo assistant since the day I started shooting professionally.

A good photo assistant is indispensable and worth every penny. A photo assistant can help you carry all your gear, work your lighting and run out on errands. Having one on hand saves you time, which in the end is saving you money.

There are professional photo assistants whose sole work is assisting other photographers. However, there are plenty of photography school grads that start their careers assisting and have a lot to offer in terms of technical knowledge and eagerness to gain experience.

Many of them are not even that expensive, so if you can’t get the extra expense approved, I suggest taking a cut for yourself to have one help you out.

Stylists and makeup artists

Estimating Commercial Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Depending on the niche you’re shooting in, you may need a stylist. This may be a wardrobe or fashion stylist, or a food stylist.

Food stylists are responsible for shopping for the food and ingredients required for any food shoot and preparing it for the set. Food styling requires particular skills and are an essential part of any team producing food photography. It is not the photographer’s job, as it’s a different occupation and should be treated as such.

Food stylists usually charge by the hour or a day rate, as well as for prep, and often have their own assistants.

Similarly, wardrobe stylists are responsible for the clothing and related props on fashion shoots.

Makeup artists are required for fashion shoots as well, and sometimes on commercial portrait shoots.

Image usage

Image usage is the trickiest part of a photography estimate.

There is no right or wrong answer for how much you should be charging for usage.

When you are hired to shoot for a brand, you still own the copyright to those images. The client does not own them. The creative fee is for the labor to execute the commission, the usage fee is a license that allows them to use the image in a defined way for a specific time period.

How much you should charge is dependent on your market, the visibility of the brand, and how they want to use them.

The Getty Pricing Calculator is a free tool that can give you some idea of what to charge for usage.

However, I have found that there is what photographers should charge, and then there is reality. There is no point in charging a client hundreds of dollars per image if the client is small and cannot pay that.

I always recommend separating image usage from the creative fee. However, often you need to educate the client up front about copyright and what usage refers to. This can be tough if you’re dealing with a small business owner who thinks they own the images because they hired you to shoot them.

Give them an agreement that outlines the usage and make sure they are clear on how and where they can use the images.

In Conclusion

If you’ve been struggling with how to price your photographic services, hopefully, you now have a better idea of the types of things you can charge for.

The post How to Quote Commercial Photography Jobs: A Few Important Line Items to Consider appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on How to Quote Commercial Photography Jobs: A Few Important Line Items to Consider

Posted in Photography

 

Walking the Line – How Using Line in Photography Can Enhance Your Images

14 Feb

The post Walking the Line – How Using Line in Photography Can Enhance Your Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Defined in Wikipedia as the “marks that span a distance between two points,” lines on their own don’t sound particularly enthralling. But when you think about it, the very basis of visual arts centers on the use of line. Take painting for instance; many paintings start as line drawings. These lines intersect to form shapes. The shapes are then filled with tone and color and the process continues, building on the scaffold of line to create an image.

It’s no wonder that line is probably the most versatile of the elements of art. In photography, every photograph hinges upon the reproduction of a scene constructed by lines. Even the physical edges of a photograph are dictated by the lines of the photographic frame it is within.

By deliberately incorporating different types of line into an image, a photographer can take greater control over the way an image gets read. Here, we’ll look at the different types and characteristics of line and why you should prioritize them in your photography.

Why use line?

As one of the intrinsic elements of art, line appeals to our innate understanding of the visual landscape. Delineating shape and form, line constructs a narrative in an image, guiding a viewer’s eye around a photograph. The use of various forms of line set the emotional tone of an image while leading lines create an optical entry and exit point. By mindfully incorporating line into your photography you can take control of the viewer’s gaze, therefore, maximizing presence and impact.

Types of line

Trees, buildings, roads, or rivers – line takes on a new life depending on the environment. Focusing on specific types of line creates connections with a viewer and builds images that have depth and substance.

Horizontal

The horizon is the line that separates the sky from the earth. Derived from the Greek words for “separating circle,” “to divide” and “to separate,” the horizon dictates the way we orient ourselves. It marks the furthest distance the eye can see. If the horizon is obscured, the resulting junction of earth and sky is called the visible horizon. Nevertheless, the horizontal line is innately linked to nature.

Horizontal lines read as an organic presence in a photograph. Our associations with the gradual rise and fall of the sun over the horizon evokes a sense of time and rhythm. Because humans generally sleep horizontally, we associate horizontal lines with relaxation, rest and stability.

That said, the majority of travel functions on a horizontal trajectory, meaning that horizontal lines can also denote a sense of motion. In situations involving panning or slow shutter speed photography, the path of the horizontal line anchors the image to a readable axis, accentuating motion through motion-blur and adding a unique dynamism to an image.

Vertical

The vertical line has come to be seen as a symbol of quiet endurance. Maintaining the integrity of a photograph through our visual associations with strength, vertical lines add vitality to a photograph.

As mentioned before, humans sleep horizontally and stand vertically, creating a visual association between energy and the act of being upright. The exclamation mark is another example of this. Its’ vertical stroke suspended above a full stop to communicate action and energy at the end of a sentence.

Though associated with steadfast urban structures, the vertical line can still hearken back to nature, delineating growth over the passage of time. The epigeal seed pushing through the earth follows a vertical path in the direction of the sun, cultivating a juxtaposition between the urban and natural environments.

Diagonal

As one of the first Western artists to focus entirely on non-representational forms of painting, Wassily Kandinsky experimented heavily with the geometrical elements that make up an artwork. Published in 1926, Kandinsky wrote extensively on the artistic attributes of line in his book Point and Line to Plane. In the book, he stated that “the third line is the diagonal which, in schematic form diverges from both [vertical and horizontal line]…at the same angle…a circumstance which determines its inner sound…diagonal line is the most concise form of the potentiality for endless…movement”.

A painting by Wassily Kandinsky courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Often diminishing from the foreground into the depths of a photograph as leading lines, diagonals lift an image off the page. When repeated in close conjunction or zig-zagged, diagonal lines create a vibration that plays with our vision like an optical illusion.

Free from the constraints of vertical/horizontal orientation, the diagonal line operates as a visual hive of activity. While solid horizontal and vertical lines imply stasis, the diagonal line teeters between the two, generating a palpable sense of kinetic energy.

Curved

From the event of the early human, curves have held a particular fascination in the visual arts. Simple to create, yet visually complex, the decorative use of curves has been discovered on countless examples of ancient art.

Megalithic art featuring curved demarcations courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Adopted as a traditional art concept in Ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, many figures were sculpted on the double-curvature of the S. This S curve was proclaimed as the “line of beauty” by 18th-century painter, satirist, and writer, William Hogarth. Hogarth said that the curve signified liveliness and activity, as opposed to “straight lines, parallel lines, or right-angled intersecting lines, which signify stasis, death, or inanimate objects.”

As a line, curves join point A to point B. The difference lies in the path the curved line takes, traveling in bends and dips before arriving at a destination. A curved river winding through a landscape may connect the foreground with the background, but it does so in its own time, imparting a sense of calm and ease.

Implied lines

Perhaps the most intriguing line of all, implied lines are implied by other visual components in an image. Gesticulations, points of interest, lines of sight, arrows, similarities and movement all create implied lines. These implied lines tow the viewer’s eye from one point to the next within a frame.

Without the strict use of a physical line, implied lines lend momentum and narrative to an image. Think of ancient astrologers joining up the stars with implied lines to create celestial beings. Or, the movement of a car in a particular direction, sweeping the viewer’s eye along with the subject. Neither example makes use of a dedicated line. However, each has the effect of composing a network of lines that make the image more interesting and readable.

Characteristics of line

Along with the different types of line, there are different characteristics of line. Thick, thin, soft, and hard. These characteristics govern the nature of a line, adding depth and interest to an image.

Width

The width of a line refers to its thickness. Dictated by their real-life physicality, thicker lines are stronger and have a bolder presence. A thin line is easier to break and therefore has more delicate connotations. Width also refers to the tapering of a line. A line that disappears into the background of an image creates a visual illusion of depth. A line with an uneven or jerky width denotes a sense of playfulness, texture or unrest.

Length

Length covers the overall length of a line. A short line indicates immediacy or action. Long lines denote a feeling of space and calm. Length also dictates the continuity of a line. A broken line gives the impression of movement, like the imprint of footsteps in the sand. Continuous lines, like those often found in landscapes, are more relaxed.

Feeling

The feeling of a line dictates its visual tactility. Visual tactility is the way a viewer feels about a subject just by looking at it. Over a lifetime we compile a mental bank of the physical sensations we encounter. When stimulated visually to access this mental bank, we mentally experience sensation without actually touching a subject. For example, a picture of a line tapered to a sharp point can stimulate the impression of a pin-prick. By exploiting the tactile characteristics of line (such as roundness or roughness), a photographer can appeal to a viewer physically as well as visually.

Direction

As discussed above, line can sprout from any direction. Depending on the subject (and the orientation of the camera), line can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal or curved. The direction of the line dramatically alters the reading of an image, creating (or deconstructing) a scene. For example, a horizontal line evokes a sense of nature and time, whereas a diagonal line charges an image with energy.

Focus

The focus of a line is much like the measure of focus in a photograph. Some lines can be sharp, others blurry or fuzzy. The focus of a line illustrates how smoothly it blends into other segments of a photograph. A sharp line is an abrupt contrast, commanding attention. A blurry or faint line is more subtle, easing from one subject to the next, creating a gentle transition between subject matter.

Color

A vast number of emotional associations are connected with color. Rooted in both cultural and universal experience, studies show that different colors have different influences on the brain. This means that a viewer will have a different visual experience based on the color make-up of a photograph.

The color of a line contributes significantly to the reading of a photograph. For example, a yellow line could signify energy or allude to danger. A blue line could signify calm or water. Connotations like these shape the outcome of an image, creating harmony (or disharmony) and adding impact.

Emotion

Emotional connotations govern the experience of a viewer. For example, jagged lines foster an impression of energy and unrest whereas a serpentine S curve cultivates a more relaxed atmosphere.

From urban abstracts and landscapes to the human form, line appeals to our senses on a psychological level. Whether it be curvy, horizontal, jagged or diagonal, our innate associations make line a valuable tool to convey emotion.

Conclusion

As painter Jean-Michel Basquiat once said, “every line means something.” For an effective image, different components of composition must come together to form a cohesive body of information. As one of the most versatile elements of design, line speaks to our sense of the world. Through the mindful combination of the types and characteristics of line, you as a photographer can convey a unique experience to a viewer on both a conscious and subconscious level.

The post Walking the Line – How Using Line in Photography Can Enhance Your Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on Walking the Line – How Using Line in Photography Can Enhance Your Images

Posted in Photography

 

Voigtlander Vintage Line lenses for Leica M mount get prices for US, UK markets

31 Jan

Prices have been released in the USA and UK for a pair of new Voigtlander lenses designed for M mount rangefinder cameras. Both the Color-Skopar 21mm f/3.5 VM Aspherical Vintage Line and the Ultron 35mm f/2 VM Aspherical Vintage Line will cost $ 799/£599 and are available now.

The aim of the lenses is to provide compact and high quality optics in a retro style that conjures the essence of the 1950s. The company says it targeted more moderate maximum apertures so that it could keep the lenses small, but also because very wide apertures are less practical when using rangefinders, especially when the subject isn’t central or is moving in the frame.

There is a sample gallery of images taken with the lenses in DPReview’s original news article, and there’s more information in the Voigtlander website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Voigtlander Vintage Line lenses for Leica M mount get prices for US, UK markets

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Lomography expands Kino Films line with new Potsdam 100 monochrome film

10 Jan

Lomography has expanded its Kino Films product line with its new Potsdam Kino 100 ISO 35mm black and white film. The new product joins the Berlin Kino 400 ISO B&W film Lomography introduced in November, its new Potsdam likewise inspired by the New German Cinema that experienced high popularity in 1960s Europe.

All of the maker’s Kino Films products are ‘extracted from rolls of cine film produced by a legendary German company that has been changing the face of cinema since the early 1900s,’ according to Lomography.

The triacetate-based Potsdam Kino Film is designed for scenes that require an attention to detail, as well as sunny environments. Resulting images have a fine grain structure coupled with ‘subtle contrast,’ making this what Lomography calls a ‘poetic film.’ The company promises Potsdam film development is ‘a breeze,’ but it has also launched the Lomography B&W Potsdam Kino Cookbook to help photographers get started with the film.

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_9897891160″,”galleryId”:”9897891160″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

Shipping won’t begin until April or May 2019, but Lomography is offering preorders through its online shop now. Each pack contains a single roll with 36 exposures for $ 7.90; buyers can also get a 5-roll bundle for $ 39.50 and a bundle of 10 rolls for $ 79.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Lomography expands Kino Films line with new Potsdam 100 monochrome film

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Tenba launches new Ridged Lens Capsule line, two new Gear Pouches

16 Dec

Tenba has announced the arrival of Ridged Lens Capsules, a collection of five individual lens cases designed to keep lenses safe and sound in storage and travel, as well as a pair of Gear Pouches, both of which feature a clear window on the front to identify what gear is stored inside.

Ridged Lens Capsules are available in five sizes, from compact pancake lenses, all the way up to a 200-400mm zoom. The Lens Capsules feature moulded tops and bottoms and include a dedicated secure loop strap that makes it easy to attach them to MOLLE webbing on backpacks or directly onto various belt systems. Each of the Lens Capsules feature an included microfiber cloth that’s hidden inside a pocket on the lid.

Tenba uses YKK zippers, a padded interior, a soft lining and include a dedicated handle on the top for easy removal and transport. There’s even an included microfiber cloth in a secure pocket on the lid of each Lens Capsule.

The various sizes of Ridged Lens Capsules are as follows:

• 9x9cm (3.5×3.5in) — £18 ($ 20.95 USD)
• 13x9cm (5×3.5in) — £20 ($ 22.95 USD)
• 15x11cm (6×4.5in) — £31 ($ 35.95 USD)
• 23x12cm (9×4.8in) — £32.50 ($ 37.95 USD)
• 30x13cm (12x5in) — £38.50 ($ 44.95 USD)

The two new gear pouches are small bags designed to hold anything from small lenses to cables and audio equipment. Both pouches feature a clear TPU window to make it easy to see what’s packed inside.

The two Gear Pouches, which come in 19.05cm (7.5in) and 29.21cm (11.5in) sizes, are blue and sold in a set for £20 ($ 24.95 USD).

You can find the new products and more at Tenba’s online shop.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Tenba launches new Ridged Lens Capsule line, two new Gear Pouches

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Tiffen launches line of filter kits for DJI Mavic, Inspire drones

23 Oct

Tiffen Filters has announced a new collection of drone-specific filter kits for DJI’s latest offerings.

The filters kits are available for the the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom, DJI Mavic 2 Pro, DJI Mavic Air, and DJI Inspire 2 drones, adding to the filters Tiffen already offers for the Phantom series. Tiffen says the filters have “a multilayer and hydrophobic coating” that’s waterproof, resistant to scratches, and “guarantee[s]” ultra-low reflection rates.

“Drone operators will have the opportunity to capture in flight content like never before,” says Tiffen in its press release. “When used in conjunction with the award winning filter technology engineered by Tiffen, the high quality performance of the DJI 4K camera system is taken to the next level, broadening the horizons for content creation.”

The pricing of the filter kits is a bit confusing, so below is a collection of charts detailing the kits available for each drone:

Mavic Air
3 Filter Kit — $ 49.95
6 Filter Kit — $ 99.95
ND4
ND4 — ND4/PL
ND8
ND8 — ND8/PL
ND16
ND16 — ND16/PL
Mavic 2 Zoom
3 Filter Kit — $ 79.95
6 Filter Kit — $ 149.95
ND4
ND4 — ND4/PL
ND8
ND8 — ND8/PL
ND16
ND16 — ND16/PL
Mavic Pro
3 Filter Kit — $ 99.95
6 Filter Kit — $ 179.95
ND4
ND4 — ND4/PL
ND8
ND8 — ND8/PL
ND16
ND16 — ND16/PL
Inspire 2
3 Filter Kit — $ 99.95
6 Filter Kit — $ 199.95
ND4
ND4 — ND4/PL
ND8
ND8 — ND8/PL
ND16
ND16 — ND16/PL

The filters are listed on Tiffen’s website as “coming soon.” Each filter kit will come with a ten-year warranty, meaning these will likely outlast the life of your drone. To find out more, head on over to Tiffen’s Aerial Collection page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Tiffen launches line of filter kits for DJI Mavic, Inspire drones

Posted in Uncategorized

 

5 Tips for Keeping Your Horizon Line Level

13 Oct

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

The horizon line is a big deal in landscape and other outdoor photography. You can’t do this kind of photography for long without encountering the Rule of Thirds and the Golden Ratio, both of which are usually applied to the horizon line. Even if there isn’t a true horizon line in your picture, there’s often a line running through the picture that determines whether it will appear level.

Still, it’s surprising how often people end up with crooked lines. You might not notice it, but it’s often the first thing people will see when looking at your photo. Posting a good photo only for it to appear crooked can be embarrassing. Beginners are notorious for overlooking this, but it happens all the time. It even happens to me occasionally.

In this article I’ll walk you through ways to make sure that your horizon line is straight.

But before we get into that, start making sure you actually check it. After all, it’s an easy thing to forget. Do whatever works for you, whether it’s making a checklist, leaving yourself a note or whatever. And make it a part of your workflow so you do it every time.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether your horizon line is straight or not, even when using the level in your camera. It gets especially hard when it’s mixed up with other elements in your picture that aren’t straight either. Add in lens distortion, and you can end up with a convoluted mess.

So let’s talk about tools and techniques for keeping your horizon line level. We’ll go from the most obvious tools that  you probably already know about (but worth a little refresher) to some less obvious tools and techniques.

1. Use the Crop Tool Effectively

The easiest way to straighten your horizon line is with the crop tool. Virtually every photo editing software package in existence has a crop tool, so it should be familiar to you.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

Lightroom’s crop tool controls. Note that the controls also allow you to straighten your photos.

Most of the time this tool will also let you change the angle of the picture. And quite often that’s all you need to do.

In Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), select the Crop Tool and then move your cursor slightly off the picture. The cursor will change to a curved line with arrows at either end, which indicates that clicking and dragging will now change the angle of the picture. Click and move it around to straighten your horizon line.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

You can also do it by filling in the angle percentage on the far right.

2. Avoid Distortion

Sometimes your picture will appear crooked even when it’s level. That’s because most lenses have at least some barrel distortion, which makes the horizon line sag toward the sides of the picture.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

This really affects things when you crop one side of your picture. The sag will show on one side (the one you didn’t crop) but not the other, and so your picture will appear to be leaning to one side.

You can fix this with the leveling functions mentioned already. But another way to fix it is to cure the distortion, which can be done easily in Lightroom and ACR.

Find the box labeled Lens Corrections, and check the box next to Enable Profile Corrections. The software will then apply an automatic correction tailored to the lens you used. You might need to help the software find your lens by selecting the manufacturer and perhaps even the model. But usually the software will find it for you and apply an automatic correction.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

3. Transform to Correct

Sometimes you need a little help determining what is truly level. Your eyes can play tricks on you, particularly when you have different lines running in different directions in your picture. Lightroom can provide some help in the Transform panel.

Lightroom’s Transform panel lets you cure a variety of distortions. The most common adjustment is to correct vertical distortion, which is most useful for converging buildings and trees.

The best way to get familiar with these controls is to just play with them. Go through them all and watch how they affect your photos. After that, you’ll know which controls will be the most useful.

You can have Lightroom level your photo automatically by pressing the Level button at the top left. However, this doesn’t always work, in which case you can do it manually using the Rotate slider.

This is a great set of tools to use when you have multiple distortions working at the same time. Here’s a picture that isn’t level, and also seems to be suffering from vertical distortion.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

And here’s the same picture after pressing the Auto button in the Transform panel.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

Pretty dramatic improvement, isn’t it? If you don’t like what you get, you can always perform manually tweaks using the sliders. It won’t always be that easy, but sometimes this control is like magic.

4. Use the Ruler to Test

Okay, so how can you tell if your horizon line is actually level? We already talked about the Level command in Lightroom’s Transform panel. But there’s perhaps an even better way – Photoshop’s Ruler tool. It isn’t intuitive, and isn’t something you’d know about until someone shows you.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

Here’s a shot with a crooked horizon line. We’ll use Photoshop’s Ruler tool to fix it in the next two pictures.

Start by selecting the Ruler tool from the tools on the left side of your screen. Then draw a line along your horizon line. If you can’t see all of the horizon in the picture, just use the part you can see. And don’t worry – you can re-do this as many times as you want.

Once you’ve drawn your line:

  1. From the main menu choose Image > Image Rotation > Arbitrary. This will bring up a dialog box with a number in the angle box. This is the angle Photoshop has set based on the line you just drew with your Ruler. Don’t change it.
  2. Click OK.

Photoshop will now level the picture according to the line you just drew.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

Here I’ve used the steps mentioned earlier to straighten the picture using the Ruler tool. Now I need to crop the picture to make it look straight.

If it looks right, crop away to fix the edges. If it doesn’t look right, just undo it and try again.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

Here’s the final picture straightened and cropped.

5. Add Distortion to Correct Without Cropping

Here’s another Photoshop technique to level the horizon line doesn’t involve any cropping at all. You simply distort the image to pull up the low end of the horizon line.

Start by selecting the entire image. You can use whatever selection tool you’re most comfortable with, or just press Ctrl+A to select the entire image. Once you’ve selected it, choose Image > Transform > Distort from the main menu.

Tips for keeping your horizon line level

See how the buildings appear to tilt a little to the right? The horizon line isn’t quite level either. We’ll fix it using the Transform command in the next graphic.

Your image will now have a series of little boxes on the edges and corners. By dragging these boxes around you can distort the image. You might want to play with them a little to get comfortable with the tool, as it can be handy in a variety of contexts.

For our purposes. just pull up the corner of the image on whatever side the horizon line is low until it’s level. Your picture is now level without needing to be cropped.

I pulled out the top left corner to straighten the buildings. I also pulled down just a touch on the bottom left corner to straighten the horizon line. In this example, I could have changed the angle of the entire picture to accomplish the same thing. But the Transform tool generally gives you greater control.

You can combine this technique with any other distortions you might want to fix, such as correcting converging buildings.

Putting it in Practice

Just thinking about having a straight horizon line goes a long way. Correct any other distortions first to get a sense of how the picture will ultimately look.

If you’re having trouble determining whether your horizon line is level, you can check with either the Level command (Lightroom and ACR) or the Ruler combined with the Image Rotation command (Photoshop). Use both to get a sense of what feels right.

But ultimately there’s no mathematical way to do this. It’s what you see with your own eye that’s most important.

The post 5 Tips for Keeping Your Horizon Line Level appeared first on Digital Photography School.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on 5 Tips for Keeping Your Horizon Line Level

Posted in Photography

 

Think Tank updates its Hydrophobia rain covers, introduces new compact ‘Emergency’ line

19 Sep

Think Tank Photo has released the latest versions of its Hydrophobia rain covers and introduced a new pair of compact rain covers it calls the Emergency Rain Cover.

The Hydrophobia V3.0 Rain Covers come in five different configurations to fit various DSLR cameras and Sony full-frame mirrorless camera setups. In Think Tank Photo’s own words, the Hydrophobia V3.0 Rain Covers are ‘considered the most protective weather protection on the market.’

Hydrophobia V3.0 Rain Covers are made of a three-layer material and feature a DWR coating for extra protection against moisture. The stitches across the entire cover are seam-sealed and a rainproof front element cover is included so your lens doesn’t get splashed when sitting idle.

If you don’t feel like carrying an all-out solution for keeping your gear dry, Think Tank Photo has also released a new thinned-out version of its rain covers. They’re called Emergency Rain Covers and as the name suggests, they’re a more compact, lightweight solution for keeping your gear safe from the elements in emergency situations.

Emergency Rain Covers come in two sizes: small and medium — and they weigh just 99g/3.5oz and 114g/4oz, respectively. Compared to the approximately 300g/10.5oz of the full-size Hydrophobia Rain Covers, it’s quite the weight savings.

The small is meant to keep a gripped or standard camera body protects with smaller primes or zooms attached. Specifically, Think Tank Photo mentions 16–35mm F2.8, 14–24mm F2.8, 24–105mm F4 and 24–70mm F2.8 lenses, but it’s safe to say most super-wide to standard lenses (35-70mm) should work fine. The medium Emergency Rain Cover can also keep a gripped or standard camera body protected with a 24–70mm F2.8 or 70–200mm F2.8 lens attached. Again, there are plenty of other lenses that would work beyond the two Think Tank Photo mentioned.

All of the rain covers are currently available to purchase through Think Tank Photo’s online shop. The Hydrophobia Rain Covers start at $ 115 for the 24-70 size and go up to $ 150 for the massive 300-600 version. The small and medium emergency rain covers retail for $ 35 and $ 40, respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Think Tank updates its Hydrophobia rain covers, introduces new compact ‘Emergency’ line

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Cosyspeed launches Phoneslinger line of smartphone “camera” bags

11 Sep

Easy accessibility in your pocket and ultimate portability are a smartphone’s main advantages over dedicated digital cameras. However, if you’re the kind of mobile photographer who likes to use their device in combination with add-on lenses, powerbanks or other accessories, the pockets in your pants might not be roomy enough.

Help is at hand, though, in the shape of Cosyspeed’s new Phoneslinger line of smartphone “camera” bags which you can now pre-order on Indiegogo. There are three bags in the new line, the Phoneslinger Power, Prime and Outdoor, which are all designed for different use cases and, in conjunction with a few accessories, form part of a modular bag system.

The Phoneslinger Power is a phone pouch that comes with a built-in 8000mAh powerbank that can charge your device via the QI wireless standard or a USB-cable. The Phoneslinger Prime comes close to a “real” camera bag, offering space for even the largest smartphones and four accessory lenses. You can also leave a lens attached to your device. The Phoneslinger Outdoor is a rugged phone pouch that protects your expensive device while hiking, climbing or any other activity that might put your phone at risk.

Accessories include the Flowbelt which comes with attachment points for the Phoneslinger bags and other items. The Stuffbag is designed to hold items such as sunglasses, passport, keys, etc. and comes with an included wallet. The Prime Pouch is a dedicated lens pouch, holding up to five smartphone accessory lenses.

A full Power kit, which includes the Phoneslinger Power, Stuffbag, Prime Pouch and the Flowbelt will set you back $ 149. For more information and full pricing for all items have a look at the Phoneslinger Indiegogo page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Cosyspeed launches Phoneslinger line of smartphone “camera” bags

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Sony launches new line of rugged SD memory cards

29 Aug

Sony today announced its SF-G series TOUGH specification UHS-II SD cards. The new memory cards are targeted at “photographers who are reliant upon their photographs remaining safe when their SD cards are removed from the camera” and combine ruggedness with fast read/write speeds.

The SF-G cards are bend proof to 180N, drop-proof to 5 meters, waterproof with an IPX8 rating and dustproof with an IP6X rating. To achieve these characteristics the cards feature a one-piece molding structure and a ribless and switchless design. In addition, they are X-ray proof, magnet proof, anti-static and temperature proof.

Top read speeds of up to 300MB/s and write speeds of up to 299MB/s should allow for swift burst shooting, and the cards also support the V90 video speed class, making them a good option for video shooters.

The SF-G cards come with Sony’s SD Scan Utility and File Rescue Software. They will be available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities and will launch in Europe from October. No information on availability in other regions has been provided yet. More information can be found on the Sony website.

Press Release:

Sony introduces the world’s toughest and fastest SD Card

  • World’s toughest[i] SD card is 18x[ii]bend proof[iii] and drop proof[iv]
  • World’s first[v] one-piece molding structure for strength and hardness
  • Ribless and switchless design ensures there are no fragile components
  • World’s fastest[vi] read speed up to 300MB/s and write speed up to 299MB/s[vii]
  • Waterproof and dustproof world-class ratings of IPX8and IP6X respectively[viii]
  • Keep your work safe with the SD Scan Utility and File Rescue Software

Sony today announced a brand new innovation in storage media with the launch of the “SF-G series TOUGH specification”UHS-II SD card. Addressing the needs of photographers who are reliant upon their photographs remaining safe when their SD cards are removed from the camera, the new SF-G series TOUGH specification range combines the world’s fastest read and write speeds with an ultra-rugged design that is bend proof to 180N, and drop proof to 5 metres. For photographers who are fighting against the elements to get the perfect shot, the SF-G series TOUGH specification range of SD cards are also waterproof with an IPX8 rating and dustproof with an IP6X rating.

The new SF-G series TOUGHspecification range of SD cards are 18 times stronger than the SD standard[ix] with world’s first monolithic structure (one-piece molding, no empty space in the card) and materials of high-grade hardness, unlike conventional SD cards with a thin, 3-part ensemble. They areprotected against typical physical damage that can affect conventional SD cards such as a broken plastic casing, broken data protection lock and broken connector ribs. This has been achieved through a new means that it is the world’s first rib-less SD card with no write protection switch. These developments ensure that the SF-G series TOUGH specificationis more resistant to bending and easy to break parts are removed entirely and has been engineered by Sony to deliver the best balance of hardness and toughness. Completely sealed with one-piece molding structure, no waterdrop, dust or dirt is not allowed to come into the card, meeting highest grade of waterproof (IPX8) and dustproof(IP6X).

Unleash the power of the camera

In an industry trend, driven by Sony, full-frame mirrorless cameras such as the ?9 and ?7 series are packing in more and more performance in both stills and video performance. These high-end cameras rely on fast memory cards to maximise their performance and with professional photographers now using SD cards more frequently, users are demanding the levels of reliability and durability associated with other professional card types. With the world’s fastest write speed of up to 299MB/s, buffer clearing time is minimised. This allows the photographer to shoot many frames per second and capture the action that they want. The SF-G series TOUGH specification range also supports V90, the highest standard of video speed class, making it an ideal companion for shooting high resolution video.

Furthermore, transferring high capacity photo and video files is made simple with the SF-G series TOUGH specification, thanks to a read speed of up to 300MB/s. This is another world’s fastest which dramatically enhances workflow efficiency after the shooting is all wrapped up. In a further acknowledgement of the practical needs of photographers, the SF-G series TOUGH specification range feature bright yellow banding design, making the card easier to spot in dark shooting conditions.

Ultimate Assurance

SF-G series TOUGHspecification SD cards offer a series of further features, designed to give photographers peace of mind. These include an ‘SD Scan Utility’ which allows the user to check that the card is good condition and File Rescue Software[x] which can recover data and photos that might have accidentally been deleted. Furthermore, SF-G series TOUGH specification SD cards are also X-ray proof, magnet proof, anti-static, temperature proof and feature UV Guard.

Pricing and Availability

The SF-G TOUGH series of memory cards will be available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities. They will launch in Europe from October. Full product details are available at: http://www.sony.net/sfgt/

[i]As a consumer SD card, Sony investigation as of August 2018.

[ii]Performance is 18x stronger compared to SD bending test specification of 10N

[iii]Bend proof to 180N

[iv]Drop proof to 5m

[v]As a SD card of 2.1mm thick. Conformance to ribless card specifications of Standard Size SD Card Mechanical Addendum 6.0. Sony investigation as of August 2018.

[vi]As of August 2018, Sony investigation.

[vii]Based on Sony internal testing. Transfer speeds vary, and are dependent on host devices, the OS version or usage conditions. To effectively utilize the product’s high-speed capabilities, your compatible device must support UHS-II. Sony investigation as of August 2018.

[viii]Conformance to IP68 standard. We cannot guarantee against damage to record data or card in all situations and conditions.

[ix]SD standard withstands 10N force, while this card withstands 180N force.

[x]Downloadable from the Sony Support site

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Sony launches new line of rugged SD memory cards

Posted in Uncategorized