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7 Essential Tips for Photographing Business Events and Conferences

21 Jun

The post 7 Essential Tips for Photographing Business Events and Conferences appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by James Maher.

photographing business events and conferences tips

Photographing business events is a lesson in extremes. One day you might be photographing a fascinating gala with incredible lighting and a lot of alcohol and energy. Then another day, you might be forcing yourself to pay attention while capturing an insurance industry conference in a dimly lit hotel ballroom, waiting for one person to make a single joke so people will laugh or smile during a talk on offshore tax havens.

In both cases, you have to do the best job you can to come back with the best possible photography from the day. You have to be prepared for the worst lighting, awkward people, and speeches that will cause even the most focused business professionals to nod off in their chair.

Here are some tips that have allowed me to always be prepared.

1. Before the job/being professional

photographing business events — 1/200s at f/5.6, ISO 800.

The more prepared you are before a job starts, the smoother the day will go, and that starts with communication.

Provide your client with quick responses to make sure you don’t get beat out by competitors. Make sure you understand all the details of the event and what will be required of you and explain everything that you will provide the client. The better the communication when photographing business events, the fewer surprises will happen during the day.

Provide an official PDF quote on branded letterhead (it’s a nice touch) and always make sure to use a contract. I know this can be stressful for those just starting, but have a standard contract created that you can easily alter for each job, and it will quickly become a simple step in the process.

Price yourself well. Do some research on event photographers in the area and value your services. Consider your expenses, travel time, shooting time, and editing time. On top of this, consider the time you spend marketing to get these jobs, your overall business expenses, and your personal expenses.

If you under-charge, you may make a little money, but you will quickly be out of business as well as hurting your competitors at the same time. Your work is valuable.

Always make sure to bring backup equipment for everything vital to the day. Bring an extra camera, lens, flash unit, batteries, and more CF cards than you need. The more prepared you are, the less will go wrong.

Finally, dress the part. This tip segways into the next topic about making people comfortable. As a photographer, people are watching you. Cameras stand out, and as much as you want to lay low to capture the best candid moments, you will be a focus of people’s attention.

Because of this, you need to make the best impression possible, While it may feel superficial, the better you dress, the more people will respect you and believe that you are doing a good job (because they often aren’t speaking to you, just seeing you working). It’s simple, but it works.

2. Make people feel comfortable

Making people comfortable for event photography — 1/160s at f/3.5, ISO 800.

Your job as a photographer is to capture people looking happy and comfortable. The first step to doing this is making yourself look comfortable. The more comfortable and pleasant you look, the more relaxed people will feel around you, so remind yourself to keep a smile on your face.

Early on, I smile at people and give a quick hello or nod to some of the guests if the situation warrants it. If people look like they want to avoid me, I’m happy to let them. This makes me look non-threatening.

As the event goes on, people will begin to forget about you. However, the earlier you make people feel comfortable around you, the quicker this will occur.

3. Fast equipment

Photography dark business conferences. — 1/160s at f/4.5, ISO 6400.

In my experience, a majority of business events are in places with terrible lighting, so having the right equipment is necessary. You need to have a fast lens (that goes to f/2.8 or even faster), a flash unit, and a camera that can shoot well at high ISOs of at least ISO 3200 (which most new cameras can do these days).

My main event lenses are the Canon 24-70 f2.8 and the Canon 70-200 f2.8. This will cover everything from the overall room shots, the walk-around cocktail photographs, the group shots, to the detailed speaker photographs.

If you are on a budget, a 50mm f1.8 lens is a fantastic and affordable lens for event photography. However, the prime focal length will cause some significant constraints.

For photographing business events in darker environments, I will raise my ISO to 1600 and often 3200. My camera can handle this level of ISO (and 6400 if I really need) without clients noticing and it allows me to always be able to shoot with f2.8 lenses instead of needing faster ones.

Photographing group portraits at business events. — 1/125s at f/6.3, ISO 1600.

Now, even though you need to be able to shoot at f/2.8 when the lighting warrants, that doesn’t mean that I always do this. Often you will want more depth of field to show the full venue or multiple subjects sharp.

Particularly when photographing groups of people, I will always try to be around f/4 at least when it’s possible. Photographing a group at f/2.8 will often have the center person sharp while the edge subjects (or people standing too far forward) can be quite blurry.

Finally, you need a reliable flash unit. This will allow your subjects to stand out from the background and give them a pleasing light source much more flattering than your typical overhead ballroom lights. For presentations, I stay away from using a flash and instead stick to high ISOs as to not annoy a room full of people trying to concentrate.

For indoor cocktail event photography and similar, I almost always use flash.

4. Balance the room light with your flash

Photography business events. — 1/40s at F3.2, ISO 3200.

Whenever I need to use a flash, I will first set my camera to expose the room correctly without the flash. In my opinion, the best event photographs show the room and natural lighting of the environment while artificially lighting your subjects, so they look as good as possible.

I will raise my ISO and lower my aperture number until the room looks good, making sure that my shutter speed does not go too slow to cause too much handheld motion or motion in the subjects.

After this, I will turn my flash on and use the TTL (through the lens) setting to allow it to expose the scene correctly. TTL gives the camera the ability to read the light in the room and to give off what it believes to be the right amount of light.

While this screws up occasionally, it can be very accurate and will allow you to focus more of your attention on the event itself.

5. Bounce your flash with a diffuser

Using a flash for photographing events. — 1/80s at f/2.8, ISO 2000.

Using a flash does not mean the light that comes off of it will be automatically pleasing on your subjects. Facing it directly at the subject can be pretty harsh.

Instead, I typically aim my flash up and sometimes slightly to the back. That way, the light will spread out and bounce off the ceiling back to them. The shorter the ceiling, the more this works. With a very tall ceiling (or dark ceiling), you will have no choice but to aim the flash directly at your subject.

I also use a small cap diffuser on the flash, which spreads out and diffuses the light. It will also send some of the light forward when the flash unit is pointed up, which helps out significantly.

I highly suggest the smaller cap diffusers over the larger ones, since the larger ones will light up like a bright bulb and blind anyone near you. This can be disruptive for an event.

6. Anticipate and wait for the right moment

Anticipation is the key to good event photography. If you walk around constantly, it’s so hard to both pay attention and to be in the right position to capture those quick, amazing moments. Instead, find a location with a good vantage point on people having fun and wait for the right moment to occur. When it happens, you will be in position and ready with your camera to capture it.

When I do this, I try to be candid about it because there is nothing that will stop a great moment from happening more than a photographer staring at you and waiting with their camera. So instead, I try to make it seem like I’m looking around the room or looking at something else. I am scanning the room, of course, but I’m primarily watching them out of the corner of my eye.

Sometimes the moment happens and sometimes it doesn’t, so don’t be afraid to give up and move on when needed.

For conferences and long speeches, the key is to wait for someone to make a joke. That is usually the only way people will smile during these serious events. And while I try to be at attention for the entire time, this can be very difficult for a full eight-hour event of speeches and talks.

Instead, I usually pay the most attention early on in each speech and talk. Usually, the jokes come at the very beginning, so I will shoot a lot early on until I’m sure I have enough good photos. Then I will rest my attention for a bit, while still waiting for jokes or light moments to occur.

7. Edit the photos efficiently

Coming back from an event with 600-1000 photos (or more) can be a daunting experience, particularly for those newer to photographing business events. Having an efficient workflow is necessary for these situations.

I try to stick to a week-at-most turnaround time. This can be difficult, but it is a big draw for businesses in this fast-moving social media world. Often, I’ll even send a small section of the best photographs the next day.

But how do you do this efficiently?

Before I do anything, I cull down the photos to the selects as fast as I can in Lightroom. I use the star system to go through my photos. I give the best photos 5-stars, 3-stars to the ones I am probably not going to use, but I’m not yet sure about, and the rest 0-stars. Then I go through the 5-star images again to turn some of the photos into 4-star images. This allows me to get down to my final set of 5-star photographs to send to the client as quickly as possible. It reduces the rest of the editing time significantly, which is a key step.

From there, I will edit and crop the photographs. Take significant advantage of Lightroom’s copy and paste functions for the changes you make. Since you will have groups of photographs taken under the same lighting conditions, copying and pasting your changes will save you so much time. Often, some of the photos will need small tweaks after that, but the core of the work can get finished so much quicker this way.

Photographing a group portrait at event — 1/160s at F6.3, ISO 1600.

Conclusion

Photographing business events can be overwhelming at first as you never really know what you are getting into. Some events will be easy, inspiring, and delightful, while others will test your patience. Moreover, you often won’t know how this will go until you show up.

But over time, even the tough jobs with bad lighting and boring subjects will eventually become routine, as long as you take advantage of the tricks to get the best out of these situations.

Do you have any other tips for photographing business events that you would like to share? Please do so in the comments section.

The post 7 Essential Tips for Photographing Business Events and Conferences appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by James Maher.

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Great Photoshop Tools to Edit Backgrounds in Images for Online Use

21 Jun

The post Great Photoshop Tools to Edit Backgrounds in Images for Online Use appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Are you moving your business online? You’re probably noticing the huge amount of possibilities? From blogs to Instagram; from banners to thumbnails – you need to keep editing your images to fit your every need. Fortunately, there are some Photoshop tools to edit backgrounds that come to the rescue. Keep reading to learn how to solve some of the most common issues about backgrounds.

Introduction to Photoshop tools to edit backgrounds — Are your white backgrounds really white?

Photoshop tools to edit white backgrounds

There are a number of Photoshop tools to edit white backgrounds, so let’s break them down.

Curves

A white background shot seems simple, but it ‘s not so easy to achieve. You can always cut out the subject and replace the backdrop, but this can be very time-consuming even if you did it right in the photo-shoot. You still need to do some editing, and one of the best Photoshop tools to edit a backgrounds’ brightness is Curves.

Photoshop tools to edit a white background — When a white background image is placed on top of a digital background you can see if it was really white.

Often, despite your best efforts, your seemingly white background is not 100% white. Look at the example above. On the left, you can see the result of the photo-shoot, which appears to be okay. But, if I add a white background layer, you can see it’s not. Notice how you can see the difference in the corners. To easily fix this, you have to add a Curves Adjustment Layer.

To add a Curves adjustment, click on the Adjustments icon at the bottom of the Layer palette, denoted by a circle with black and white halves.

Curves is a good Photoshop tool to edit backgrounds

Then, lighten your image by dragging the top part of the curve. Keep going until the transition between your photo and the digital background is not visible. Don’t worry if your subject is getting too light, you’ll fix that in the next step.

Layer masks keep the subject out of adjustements

Now, grab the Brush tool, and with a soft brush at 10 or 15% flow, start painting black over your subject. This will mask out the adjustments from the curve to keep the original exposure on the subject, including its shadows.

Photoshop tools to extend backgrounds

There will be times when you also need to extend your image backgrounds. Here are some tools to help you do that.

Clone Stamp

The Clone Stamp is one of the most useful Photoshop tools to edit backgrounds. Being able to clone one part of the image to another, helps you to retouch almost anything.

You can correct any specks, dust, or scratches in your image.

I want to show you another situation where it can come in handy too. Imagine you need to extend your background to gain some negative space. You can clone your background to cover a bigger area. First, enlarge your document by going to Menu->Image->Canvas Size and set up the new size.

Photoshop tools to extend backgrounds — For this example, I was turning a thumbnail into a header.

Grab the Clone Stamp and take a sample from the background to start cloning. If you are working on a separate layer, make sure to set Current and Below in the options bar. If you’re working on the same layer, use “Current Layer.”

Clone stamp is a Photoshop tool to edit backgrounds

Keep going by sampling from different areas each time, that way, it’s less noticeable, and you’ll get a better result. If the area is too big for this, then the Pattern Stamp tool will be more efficient.

Pattern Stamp

First, use the Rectangular Marquee tool to select a sample of the background. Then go to Menu->Edit->Define Pattern. This will open a pop-up window where you can name and save this background as a pattern.

Pick the Pattern Stamp tool that you’ll find under the Clone Stamp. On the options bar, you can open the pattern menu and choose the one you just created.

Pattern Stamp is another Photoshop tool to edit backgrounds

Now you just have to paint all the space you want to fill. You can adjust the size of the brush, the hardness, and flow for better results.

If the separation between stamps is noticeable, then go back to the clone stamp tool and smooth out the junctions.

Photoshop healing tools for backgrounds

Similar to the Clone Stamp is the Healing Brush, which has two variations. Unlike the clone, both of them will blend the new pixels with the existing ones. As a result, the correction is much smoother. Let’s see the difference between them.

Spot Healing Brush

The Spot Healing Brush will automatically sample the pixels it thinks are best to use as a source. It will take the texture and reproduce it while blending the color and luminosity with the pixels in the new spot.

This is really useful when you’re working on large empty areas, like textures. In most cases, I find it’s very unpredictable, and it includes pieces that don’t belong, so I don’t use it often. However, it’s a matter of finding what works best in each situation.

Healing spot brush is unpredictable — I wanted to extend the background. Notice how it included the texture from the subject.

If you cancel the action by going back on your history or using the command Ctrl+Z and try again, it will give you a different result. It works better when you use a small brush and tackle small areas at a time.

If you want to cover a big space, you’ll be better off using the Healing Brush Tool.

Healing Brush

This tool is a mix between the Spot Healing Brush and the Clone Stamp. You can manually choose where to sample by clicking on the spot while holding the Alt key. Then click on the area you want to ‘heal’ and it will blend the source pixels with the current ones. This way the result will be much more uniform. Make sure that “Sampled” is marked as the Source in the Options bar.

You can use this tool to extend your background or to retouch any details on it. It’s very versatile, so try it out.

Conclusion

Your background can complement, enhance, or distract from the subject, so it’s just as important and you want to give it enough attention. Whether it’s a blemish or an extension, these Photoshop tools to edit backgrounds can help you out for most of your online needs.

What is your favorite tool? Share it in the comments section!

The post Great Photoshop Tools to Edit Backgrounds in Images for Online Use appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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Adobe’s Exciting New Updates to Lightroom, Photoshop, and ACR

20 Jun

The post Adobe’s Exciting New Updates to Lightroom, Photoshop, and ACR appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Adobe has released several impressive updates to its Creative Cloud programs, including Lightroom, Photoshop, and Adobe Camera Raw.

The changes give Adobe users a number of features to be excited about, including:

Enhanced subject selection in Photoshop
Easy movement from Lightroom to Photoshop on iPad
An interface makeover for Adobe Camera Raw
The addition of local hue adjustments in Lightroom

While you can read about the many new and improved features on Adobe’s blog, I’ll run through the most important new upgrades for photographers, starting with:

Adobe's Exciting New Updates to Lightroom, Photoshop, and ACR

Photoshop offers updated Select Subject tool

Photoshop’s Select Subject tool has been steadily improving since the feature was first released.

But with these new updates comes a huge advance in terms of Select Subject’s capacity to identify complex edges.

As explained by Adobe, Select Subject has advanced in two key ways:

First: “Select subject is now content aware, and applies new custom algorithms if it detects a person is in the scene.”

And second: “Hair and treatment around hair has been vastly improved.”

When it comes to subject selection, any improvements are welcome; for most folks, better selection tools means less time spent in Photoshop and more time out shooting photos.

Hair has traditionally been the most difficult aspect of selecting, even with Adobe’s most powerful tools in hand. But with these improvements, subject selection should become at least slightly easier.

Lightroom on iPad offers easy Edit in Photoshop button

If you frequently edit images in Lightroom on your iPad, you’re in luck:

Adobe has now added an easy method for moving your photos from Lightroom to Photoshop:

The Edit in Photoshop button, which you can access from the export menu in Lightroom and use to quickly open an image in Photoshop.

Adobe explains that, after editing an image to Photoshop, “you can either send it right back to Lightroom, or keep it as a new cloud document.”

This should be a massive improvement for folks frustrated by the lack of integration between Lightroom and Photoshop on iPad.

(According to Adobe, this was among the “top requests” of iPad users.)

Adobe Camera Raw starts to look sleek

the new adobe camera raw interface — The new ACR layout looks far more stylish!

It’s finally happened:

Adobe Camera Raw has shed its aging skin and turned into something better; it’s still not exactly modern, but it’s certainly much sleeker.

Take a look at ACR, and you’ll now see a new interface, one that’s designed to “feel familiar to any Lightroom user.”

The layout has changed, the sliders have changed, and you even have some tool enhancements (for instance, the Curves tool is much easier to work with).

You also get a brand new tool, which comes to both Adobe Camera RAW and Lightroom in the form of local hue adjustment:

Lightroom and ACR gain local hue adjustment feature

Lightroom (and ACR) has long offered global hue adjustment capabilities in its HSL panel:

You select the original color, then you shift it along the color spectrum via a slider.

Up until now, this has remained a global editing tool. Lightroom included no option to selectively adjust hue via the adjustment brush, radial filter, or graduated filter, which meant that selective color editing was a feature largely confined to Photoshop.

But all that has changed, because you’ll now see a new slider when using local adjustment tools, one that allows you to select an area and shift its colors via a handy hue slider.

With this new local editing option, you can selectively adjust skin tones, clothing color, sunset color, and much more.

So here’s my recommendation:

Head over to your Lightroom, Photoshop, and Adobe Camera Raw applications right now.

And try out these new options!

Now I’d like to ask you:

Which of these new updates are you most excited to try? And were there any changes that you’d still like to see from Adobe? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Adobe’s Exciting New Updates to Lightroom, Photoshop, and ACR appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Weekly Photography Challenge – Boats

20 Jun

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Boats appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

This week’s weekly photography challenge – BOATS!

Boats on Merimbula Lake at sunset by Caz Nowaczyk

It can be boats, kayaks, or stand-up paddleboards. Capture them on lakes or out at sea, at sunrise or sunset or in the middle of the day. They can be close-ups of things on a boat, or the boats can be part of a large vista. They can be color or black and white. They can be taken with your good camera or your smartphone (as mine are).

Play with post-processing too, if you like.

The choice is yours! I look forward to seeing what you share

Weekly Photography Challenge – Boats — Boats on Merimbula Lake and Mitchies Jetty at sunset by Caz Nowaczyk

Boats by the Lake at Durras North at sunrise by Caz Nowaczyk

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.

Tips for photographing BOATS

5 Reasons Why Your Sunrise or Sunset Photos Don’t Look So Stunning

How to Find a Great Sunset Photography Location

8 Ways to Use Water in Photography to Add Impact

Tips for Photographing Reflections to Create Stunning Images

How To Photograph Reflections In Water

How to Photograph Long Exposures to Create Dreamy Images

How to Avoid Blurry Long Exposure Images with Proper Tripod Setup

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSboats2020 to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Boats appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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Creative Ways to Display Your Photography at Home

20 Jun

Photographs have always been intended to provide us with memories to last a lifetime. Of course, the technology has certainly evolved over the past 150 years. There are now countless ways to display our most precious images. Photo albums and high-definition emails are two common examples. However, what if you instead wish to place photos throughout the home? What options Continue Reading

The post Creative Ways to Display Your Photography at Home appeared first on Photodoto.

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Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 for Sony Review

18 Jun

The post Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 for Sony Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

From the moment the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art lens for Sony was announced in December 2019, it’s been in hot demand. Fast forward to May 2020, and the lens is still back-ordered and difficult to get ahold of. It’s not hard to see why, as this lens is half the price of the Sony 24-70mm f2/.8 G Master. This Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 for Sony review highlights some key specs of the new Sigma Art lens and contemplates why it’s such a sought after lens.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 for Sony Review — Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm f2/.8 – 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400

Specs

Focal Length	24 to 70mm
Maximum Aperture	f/2.8
Minimum Aperture	f/22
Lens Mount	Sony E
Format Compatibility	Full-Frame
Angle of View	84.1° to 34.3°
Minimum Focus Distance	7.09″ / 18 cm
Maximum Magnification	0.34x
Optical Design	19 Elements in 15 Groups
Diaphragm Blades	11, Rounded
Focus Type	Autofocus
Image Stabilization	No
Filter Size	82 mm (Front)
Dimensions (ø x L)	3.46 x 4.84″ / 87.8 x 122.9 mm
Weight	1.84 lb / 835 g

24-70mm: the desert island lens

Ask any photographer what single lens they would rather have if marooned on a desert island. I’ll bet a good chunk of the answers would be the “24-70mm.” This is a classic mid-range lens that covers a useful and versatile focal length. 24mm is just wide enough to capture vast landscapes without much distortion, while 70mm offers just the right amount of zoom to capture shots from a distance.

Most camera brands, including Sony, offer two versions of the 24-70mm: one at f/4, and another at f/2.8. The Sony 24-70mm f/4 is of fantastic quality at a semi-reasonable price point of $ 898.00. There are often used ones to be had for several hundreds of dollars cheaper. But the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 stands at a whopping $ 2,198.00. See why there’s been a clamor for a half-price Sigma version?

Let’s not forget the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8, another lower-priced challenger at $ 879.00. This lens is a bit smaller and lighter than the Sigma version. It also has a smaller filter size of 67mm compared to the Sigma lens’ 82mm filter thread size. However, you sacrifice 4mm on the wide end, which may matter if you need maximum wilderness.

Back to the Sigma.

Build and construction

Sigma Art lenses are known for their superior bodies, and the 24-70mm f/2.8 is no exception. This lens was made in Japan, and it shows in the craftsmanship. It feels solid in the hands and is even a hair lighter than the Sony version. The lens has two rubber rings: one for focusing and another for zooming. There is also an Af/MF switch, a button for AF-Lock, and a locking mechanism.

The locking switch is a bit unusual. Enabling the lock prevents the lens from accidentally extending. On most lenses, the lock is rock solid. But on the Sigma, the lock can easily be overridden by simply twisting the zoom barrel. That makes it easier to run and gun shoot, but on the other hand, it’s a little too easy to accidentally unlock your lens in the field. I didn’t mind this feature, but some photographers may not like it.

The zoom is equipped with internal sealing against dust and moisture. There is also fluorine coating on the front of the lens to repel water and oil. Overall, this lens held up like a champ while shooting in a light rainstorm.

Image quality

Testing of the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 was done on a Sony a7riii. In terms of sharpness and overall image quality, the lens was fantastic in almost every way. The only problem is the hint of distortion and vignetting that you see at 24mm. But both of these can be easily corrected in post-production software such as Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

Bokeh quality at f/2.8 on the lens was smooth and creamy for a zoom lens.

Image stabilization

The main feature that this lens lacks is image stabilization (IS). That means this isn’t the optimal lens for shooting video. However, this lens works well with Sony’s in-body image stabilization (IBIS), so that gives you some form of stabilization. For non-video shooters, image stabilization in the lens would certainly help for capturing stills handheld at low shutter speeds, but then again, that’s something IBIS can help with.

So at the end of the day, we can’t fault Sigma for not including IS in this lens. The Sony version doesn’t have it either, and the inclusion of IS generally increases the overall price of a lens.

Ease of use in the field

I took the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 on a road trip with me. It took the place of my much more compact lens choice, the Sony 24-70mm f/4. My main photo subject was landscape and lifestyle photography, much of it done on cloudy days with even, filtered light. The lens performed beautifully and was a joy to shoot with. The autofocus was snappy and accurate, although the native Sony 24-70mm that I normally use still has the overall autofocus advantage.

The main thing that bugged me about the Sigma lens was its weight and size. Admittedly, I’ve learned to be okay with sacrificing a faster f-stop by using a smaller lens while traveling. This lens felt like it weighed the camera down when I wasn’t holding it in my hands and actively shooting with it. But then again, a larger and heavier lens is the yet another price to pay for using an f/2.8 lens.

Sigma 24-70mm at Lake Lenore Caves, Washington — Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm – 1/250 sec, f/9, ISO 160

Warranty

Besides a lower price, third-party lens companies such as Sigma are one-upping Sony by offering extended warranties. In the case of Sigma, each lens comes with a 1-year warranty, with an extended 3-year warranty in the USA. On the other hand, Sony offers just a 1-year warranty. However, you may be eligible to join the Sony Pro program, which offers discounted repairs.

In conclusion

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 is a solidly built, high performance lens that is a steal at $ 1,099.00. You won’t find a better 24-70mm at this price point. If you’re a stills photographer, you want this in your bag if you don’t already have the Sony version. However, video folks may want to look at another midrange option that includes image stabilization in the lens.

Sigma 24-70mm at Dry Falls, Washington — Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm – 1/160 sec, f/8, ISO 160

The post Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 for Sony Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

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A Photographer’s Guide to Selling

18 Jun

Before you invest in an expensive degree in Photography or a related program, read this guide. There are countless methods for lucrative photography sales. That’s because today, more people are purchasing art and printed photography than ever before. Continue reading for a comprehensive guide on selling photography. A photographer’s guide to selling will cover: Why You Should Sell Your Photography Continue Reading

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8 Tips for Editing Stock Photos so they Pass Inspection

17 Jun

The post 8 Tips for Editing Stock Photos so they Pass Inspection appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Editing stock photos requires a little more attention to detail than you otherwise might give your photos. Stock photo agencies have standards to meet and rules to follow. If you want your photos accepted into their libraries, you must adhere to them.

You may have applied to a stock photo agency in the past and had your imaged rejected because they were not up to scratch. Each stock photo agency has its guidelines for what is acceptable and what is not. Learning what these are can save you a lot of wasted effort and time.

Asian lanterns at night for editing stock photos — © Kevin Landwer-Johan. Nikon D700, 105mm, 1/20 sec, f/4, ISO 200, Manual Mode, Pattern Metering..

It’s easier than ever to upload to stock photo agencies

Over the years micro-stock photography requirements for image editing have shifted somewhat.

Camera technology has improved, so there are fewer imperfections caused in images when you take them. With the increase in megapixels and image quality, there’s less need for as much post-processing now.

With more and more stock photography sites coming online over the years, standards are not so tough as they used to be. Newer, smaller agencies want to attract photographers. Not being so strict on image quality makes it easier to meet requirements. Image libraries are populated more quickly because there are fewer rejections.

As stock photo libraries contain millions of photos, the parameters for what style of photo is accepted has changed. Many photo sales sites will accept photos for editorial licensing, whereas in the past most did not.

From one agency to another, the quality and style of photos they accept differ. In this article, I’ll go over some of the most common things to look for in your photos that might hinder them from being accepted.

New Zealand landscape for editing stock photos — © Kevin Landwer-Johan. Nikon D200, 70mm, 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200, Manual Mode, Pattern Metering.

Common requirements for editing stock photos

When I started learning about stock photography, there were fewer agencies, and their quality standards were much higher. It was more challenging to have your photos accepted into the best agencies. And, when you had been welcomed as a contributor, you could not let your standards drop.

Each submitted photograph gets thoroughly checked. The team of inspectors works with a list of parameters and standards. Every photo must meet these before it’s included in the stock library. In some cases, inspectors will offer you feedback. There can be a provision made to resubmit rejected photos once they are fixed. But not all stock agencies do this. Sometimes if your photos are rejected, there is no opportunity to fix them and resubmit.

Learning to meet the standards will help you improve your image editing skills. The bar may not be so high anymore, but it’s always best to aim to present the highest quality possible.

Some of the most common things stock photography inspectors look for in photos that will get them rejected are:

Incorrect exposure
Excessive noise
Chromatic aberration
Artifacting
Sensor spots, dust, and other blemishes
Poor cropping and alignment
Incorrect white balance
Copyright infringement

beer bottle and opener for editing stock photos — © Kevin Landwer-Johan. Nikon D700, 55mm f/1.4, 1/30 sec, f/3.5, ISO 500, Manual Mode, Pattern Metering.

Editing stock photos so they pass inspection

Before you start editing, you can do a lot to ensure your photos will get accepted. For more of your photos to pass inspection, you need to think like a stock photographer as you are taking your photos.

1. Set your exposure well

Keep in mind the importance of attaining a good exposure. This is far more desirable than correcting your exposure during post-production. Start editing stock photos that are poorly exposed and you’ll run into other problems.

When your exposure is poor, correcting it during post-production can result in artifacts in your image. This is when the digital integrity of the image starts to break down. Stock agency photo inspectors usually reject photos with artifacts.

8 Tips for Editing Stock Photos so they Pass Inspection — © Kevin Landwer-Johan. Nikon D700, 55mm f/1.4, 1/15 sec, f/32, ISO 200, Manual Mode, Pattern Metering.

2. Clean the noise up

Modern cameras have an incredible capacity to take photos in low light. Raising your ISO too high can create an unacceptable amount of digital noise.

Cleaning up the noise is often not at all difficult. With the correct balance of noise reduction slider, you can eliminate it.

When you’ve used a high ISO setting, make sure you zoom into 100% and take a look at the level of digital noise. You may not see it clearly unless you enlarge your photo. Using the appropriate sliders, you will be able to reduce it significantly.

sky lanterns being released a festival in Thailand. — This image contained a lot of digital noise that I removed in Lightroom. © Kevin Landwer-Johan. Nikon D700, 35mm f/1.4, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400, Manual Mode, Pattern Metering.

3. Remove chromatic aberration

Chromatic aberration is sometimes called purple fringing. It’s a fault in digital images caused by contrast in a scene. When you’re editing stock photos, you must look carefully for this problem.

Check along the edges of objects in your photos where there’s a contrast with the background. When you notice a band of color along the edge you will need to correct this. The color is usually magenta or green. Sometimes it can be blue or yellow.

Most popular image processing software now has dedicated tools for eliminating this problem.

4. Clone out sensor spots and other blemishes

Sensor spots look ugly in photos. It’s best to keep your camera sensor clean, but this is not always possible. Other dust and blemishes also need to be removed so you can upload the cleanest photos possible.

Using clone tools is often the best way to clean these blemishes from your photos. Again, zoom into 100% so you can see these spots easily. Work methodically over the whole photo to make sure you don’t miss any.

Sensor spots are usually visible against a clear space in your photos. They are likely to show up in large areas of sky, snow, or other similar elements containing little or no detail.

white cross for editing stock photos — This type of image with lots of sky needs to be checked well for sensor spots. © Kevin Landwer-Johan. Nikon D700, 85mm f/1.4, 1/5000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200, Manual Mode, Pattern Metering.

5. Straighten your photos

Buildings, lamp posts, horizons, and other elements must look properly aligned. If you’ve taken your photo with your camera on a bit of an angle, the vertical and horizontal lines will not appear natural.

Cropping your photos, so elements in them are aligned correctly, will help them pass inspection.

6. Correct your white balance

Most of the time, I have my camera set to auto white balance. This produces the correct color in my photos most of the time. When the color in your photos looks odd, it must be tweaked so it looks natural.

Having your camera set to save RAW files makes all aspects of post-processing easier, especially color correction. If you have photos where the color looks too cool or too warm, use the eyedropper tool or color correction sliders to help you achieve the natural color.

Lonely girl on the steps for editing stock photos. — © Kevin Landwer-Johan. Nikon D700, 50mm f/1.4, 1/200 sec, f/4, ISO 200, Manual Mode, Pattern Metering.

7. Remove all copyrighted elements when you are editing stock photos

This is the most frustrating aspect of stock photography for many people. So many things are copyrighted and branded. It’s best to avoid anything with a logo or branding when you are taking your photos. Sometimes you can’t, so you need to remove any instances of copyrighted material from your images.

If you are only uploading your images to sell under an editorial license, the requirements for copyright are different. You’ll need to check the terms and conditions for each stock photo agency as they differ from one to another.

Sometimes copyrighted material is in plain sight. Branding on a coffee cup. An outdoor advertising banner. Logos on shoes and clothing. All these are unacceptable when submitting photos to royalty-free microstock photo agencies.

Some of the more elusive things that contain copyrighted material are:

Zips with branding
Clips on bags with branding
Buttons with branding
Watches
Phones
Artworks

Text written in a language the inspector does not read will also often be rejected as they have no way of knowing if it’s copyrighted.

Cloning out any logos or branding can take a long time, so it’s best to avoid including these things in your photos when you can.

jet ski on the beach — I had to clone out a lot of branding from the jet ski. © Kevin Landwer-Johan. Nikon D700, 35mm f/1.4, 1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200, Manual Mode, Pattern Metering.

8. Post-processing editorial stock photos

What’s allowed and what is not allowed is different for regular and for editorial licensing.

Images submitted for sale under a standard royalty-free license can be edited freely. Editorial stock images must meet higher standards. The most important thing to know is you cannot generally make use of the clone tool.

Any alteration to the content, other than sensor spots is not allowed. You must check the rules for each stock agency you submit editorial images to.

Conclusion

Become familiar with the requirements of each stock photo agency you want to upload to. Understand what is acceptable and what is not. This can take some time but ultimately will save you time and stress.

Take your time when you are editing stock photos. Look carefully at each one. Zoom into 100% to ensure your image quality meets the standards required.

I hope you find these tips useful. Do you have any other tips for editing stock photos you’d like to share? Please do so in the comments!

The post 8 Tips for Editing Stock Photos so they Pass Inspection appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

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How to Choose the Perfect Focus Mode For Every Situation

16 Jun

The post How to Choose the Perfect Focus Mode For Every Situation appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

dps-how-to-choose-the-perfect-focus-mode

Do you struggle with choosing a focus mode? Do you want to know how to choose the perfect focus mode, every single time you pick up your camera?

You’ve come to the right place.

Because while it may seem to difficult to choose the best focus mode for the situation, there are a few guidelines you can use to ensure you nail focus, consistently.

Let’s dive right in.

little blue heron choosing a focus mode — Canon EF 400mm f5.6L USM lens | 400mm | f/6.3 | 1/1000s | ISO 200

The three key focus modes

Most cameras are equipped with three key focus modes:

AF-S, also known as One Shot.

AF-C, also known as Continuous, also known as AI Servo.

Manual (sometimes abbreviated as M).

Note that some cameras include an additional focus mode, known as AI Focus, also known as AF-A. But it’s a mode that I never use, and I certainly don’t recommend to others (it’s frequently finicky, and not very effective).

Instead, I suggest learning how to use the modes listed above, and you’ll do just fine!

So how do each of these key focus modes work?

Assuming that you use the shutter button to activate focusing:

When set to AF-S, your camera will acquire focus as soon as you half-press the shutter button. And that point of focus will lock until you let go of the shutter.

When set to AF-C, your camera will begin to acquire focus when you half-press the shutter button. But it will continue to refocus as your subject moves (or as your camera moves).

jumping person choosing a focus mode — AF-C is very helpful for tracking moving subjects, like the leaping girl in this image.
Canon EF-S 24mm f2.8 STM Lens | 24mm | f/5.6 | 1/800s | ISO 320

Note that you can tell a camera in AF-C to track a subject as it moves through the frame, or to continuously acquire focus at the center of the image, etc.

When set to manually focus, your camera won’t focus at all. You have to do all the focusing work via the focus ring on your lens.

Make sense?

So, to recap:

AF-S focuses and locks.

AF-C focuses and keeps focusing, potentially even tracking a subject as they move.

And manual leaves control over focus to you, the photographer.

But when should you use each of these focus modes?

Read on to find out!

When should you use your AF-S focus mode?

AF-S focus mode is my go-to, and the mode I use most frequently. When choosing a focus mode, AF-S is my first thought. And if you’re more of a still photographer (i.e., not an action/sports/wildlife shooter), I recommend you use AF-S mode all the time.

This is because it has so many applications, from landscape to street to portrait and more.

Basically, whenever you’re shooting a non-moving subject, AF-S is the way to go. You can set the focus point to the center of the frame, half-press the shutter button to lock focus, and then compose the shot however you like.

(This is often referred to as the focus and recompose technique.)

For instance, if you’re photographing a street scene, you can focus on a prominent element, such as an interesting poster. Then you can carefully compose the scene. And, as soon as all the elements come together (e.g., a person walks through in just the right place), you can take the shot!

I’m also a fan of using AF-S for handheld landscape photography. I’ll often find myself wanting to put elements off-center, so I’ll lock focus in AF-S, then shift the composition slightly.

tree at sunset — I used the focus and recompose method to capture this landscape shot at sunset.
Canon EF 100mm Macro f2.8L Lens | 100mm | f/8 | 1/1250s | ISO 200

And then, when I take the shot, it looks exactly the way I envisioned.

Really, AF-S is an extremely useful mode and the one I recommend you use it whenever you’re shooting a motionless scene.

When should you use your AF-C focus mode?

You should use AF-C focus mode whenever you’re shooting action.

ibis in the water choosing a focus mode — An action shot like this is a lot easier in AF-C!
400mm | f/7.1 | 1/1250s | ISO 200

You see, AF-C mode allows you to focus and refocus, or focus and track a subject as it moves throughout the frame.

This is invaluable when shooting sports, where players rarely stay still long enough to allow for easy focusing.

AF-C mode is also great for wildlife and bird photography because you’re frequently faced with fast-moving subjects at high magnifications.

And if you’re an insect photographer, you’ll also want to use AF-C mode, assuming you’re shooting an active subject such as a butterfly.

Even pet and street photographers can profit from using AF-C a lot of the time (though I recommend switching between AF-C and AF-S, depending on the situation).

dog image captured using AF-C mode — Animals tend to move *fast*, so AF-C can be a big benefit.
50mm | f/2.8 | 1/640s | ISO 200

You should also be aware that AF-C often offers quite a few useful AF Area Modes (which are mostly used for tracking). These allow you to specify whether a subject should be tracked at a single autofocus point, by a single point and nearby surrounding points, or across the entire frame.

So, bottom line:

If you’re choosing a focus mode when shooting action, pick AF-C.

sanderling in the water choosing a focus mode — 400mm | f/7.1 | 1/1600s | ISO 200

When should you use your manual focus mode?

macro flower close-up in manual focus mode — 100mm | f/3.5 | 1/320s | ISO 200

Manual focus is often a mode of last resort, and the one that you go to when AF-S and AF-C fail.

Manual focus is very, very slow. It can also be frustrating if you’ve not had much practice with it before. But it’s the only mode that is consistently accurate, no matter the lighting, and no matter the size or color of your subject.

You see, there are some situations where AF-C and AF-S just don’t work well.

When the light is low
When your subject is heavily backlit
When your subject includes very little contrast
When you’re working at very high magnifications

Whenever you’re confronted by these situations, your autofocus will hunt like crazy.

Until you switch to manual, that is!

For instance, I do all of my macro photography in manual focus mode. My lenses just can’t handle focusing at such close distances.

dahlia close-up — Shots like this require manual focus; otherwise, I’d be there all day waiting for my lens to lock onto a petal!
100mm | f/2.8 | 1/250s | ISO 200

I also do still life photography while focusing manually, because I often work in dim light (with a couple of flashes).

I’ve also used manual focus when photographing birds, because my AF-S and AF-C modes struggle when shooting backlit silhouettes.

Note that manual can also be used for finer control over your point of focus. Many landscape photographers use manual focus mode for this very reason. It allows you to choose a point of focus that maximizes your depth of field, and it even allows you to do precise focus-stacking with ease.

So don’t think that manual focus is only for a few specialized genres of photography. It can be useful in a number of different situations, and it pays to practice frequently.

That way, next time you’re in a situation where your autofocus isn’t working, you can quickly switch over to manual and nail the shot.

How to choose the perfect focus mode: Conclusion

choosing a focus mode restaurant sign — 50mm | f/4 | 1/250s | ISO 200

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know that choosing a focus mode doesn’t have to be hard.

Because you know about AF-S (which is great for still subjects).

You know about AF-C (which is perfect for action photography).

And you know about manual focus, which is useful in quite a few scenarios (including macro, landscape, and still life).

Now over to you:

Which focus mode is your favorite? And how do you go about choosing a focus mode? Let me know in the comments!

The post How to Choose the Perfect Focus Mode For Every Situation appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom

15 Jun

The post Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Earlier this week, Tamron announced its brand new 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 lens designed for Sony mirrorless cameras.

In addition to its massive range, the lens boasts a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at its widest focal length, making it officially the first all-in-one zoom lens to begin at f/2.8.

While the lens ultimately tops out at f/5.6 at the 200mm end, the wide-angle f/2.8 maximum aperture offers low-light shooters the opportunity to work with a fast, lightweight, compact zoom, one that also features significant reach on the long end.

In terms of weight and dimensions:

The Tamron 28-200mm clocks in at just 20.3 oz (575 g), while measuring 4.6 in (117 mm). This positions the lens as a comprehensive option for travel photographers, landscape photographers, and more; just slip the Tamron 28-200mm plus a Sony camera in your backpack, and you’ll be ready for anything.

Of course, none of this matters if the lens can’t deliver on image quality, and all-in-one zooms are known for their lackluster optics, especially at focal length extremes.

While we can’t definitively comment on sharpness, Tamron promises “liberal use of special lens elements…to greatly suppress chromatic aberrations, making it possible to achieve high image quality from edge to edge.”

Tamron also claims to have “concentrated all its all-in-one zoom technologies into achieving optical performance that sets a new standard among existing all-in-one zoom lenses.”

While we’ll have to wait a few weeks to confirm Tamron’s claims, the company’s other all-in-one zooms have been mediocre-to-great. If Tamron has taken this one a step further, then the rewards could be great.

The new lens also offers:

An impressive minimum focusing distance of 7.5 in (0.19 m) on the wide end and 31.5 (0.8m) on the long end, making for a close-up magnification ratio of 1:3.8
A fast, quiet AF motor
Moisture resistance
A reasonable price of US$ 729

Assuming the optics are good, this lens will be a steal for almost any shooter, but especially photographers looking to reduce the size of their kit for travel, outdoors, or walkaround photography.

At the time of writing, the lens will launch on June 25, though Tamron warns of potential COVID-related delays.

So if you’re interested in an all-in-one zoom for Sony with tremendous low-light capabilities, great optical potential, and much more, check out the new Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD.

Now over to you:

What do you think of this new lens from Tamron? Do you expect it will separate itself from other all-in-one zooms in terms of optics? And if so, will you purchase it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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