Category: Photography

Made in the Shade – Why Taking Portraits in the Shade Can be Ideal
The post Made in the Shade – Why Taking Portraits in the Shade Can be Ideal appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

You’re taking portraits, and it’s time for your subjects’ “moment in the sun.” If you really want them to shine, let’s look at why taking portraits in the shade is the way to go.

I can remember when the recommendation to photographers was to “always photograph your subject with the sun at your back, so the light is on their face.”

I think I read that many years ago on an insert in a box of film. Perhaps the idea was not to wind up with a silhouette with the bright sky tricking the camera into an underexposed subject.

There are no doubt circumstances where you might do it this way, but I’m ready to teach you why the shade is your friend and that of your subject as well.

Make a bad location with your subject squinting into the sun work by shading them. 1/160 sec. f/5 ISO 100. White reflector fill.

Why not to shoot portraits in the sun

Let’s list some reasons you probably don’t want to shoot portraits in the sun:
- The light will be bright, contrasty, and the shadows will be hard and distinct.
- Your subject will probably squint.
- On a hot day, your subject will get hot, and cranky and both you and the subject won’t have much fun. The photos will suffer.
- The extremes of the exposure range between highlights and shadows will make getting a good exposure difficult.
Mixed, speckled, uneven shade…don’t do this!

Why taking portraits in the shade is better
- The light will be diffuse, less contrasty, and the shadows will be minimal
- Your subject will relax and open their eyes.
- On a hot day you and your subject will be more comfortable, have more fun, and the photos will show it.
- Getting a good exposure will be far easier and you will have less editing later to create a nice image.
Light direction

Obviously, when discussing taking portraits in the shade, we’re talking about working outdoors with the sun as your primary light source. Depending on the position of your subject relative to the position of the sun in the sky, the light can come from these basic directions:

Overhead

Most photographers know that the worst time for photos is mid-day when the light is directly overhead. This is especially true for portraits and even more so if you make the shot in direct sunlight.

Working in the shade has the advantage of allowing you to make portraits during midday since the overhead light is diffused.

Side

If the sun is lower in the sky, you can position your subject, so the light comes from either side. There might be circumstances where you’d want one side of the subject to brightly lit while the other side is in shadow, but generally not. Again, taking portraits in the shade is the answer.

Taken in an alley, the light in this shot was from camera right and above. A fill flash helped fill the shadows and put a nice catchlight in the subject’s eyes.

Front

With the sun lower in the sky, you could position your subject, so, as the film insert I mentioned suggested, the sun was at your back and on the face of your subject. Occasionally this works if the sun is not intense, you have the right background, and you don’t mind a more contrasty look.

Most often you’d still be better, that’s right…in the shade.

Back

If the sun is lower in the sky, sometimes you can make backlighting your subject work. With their back to the sun, their face will be shaded. Now it’s you and your camera that will be looking into the sun.

You will need to be careful with your exposure so as not to make your subject a silhouette or totally blow out the background. Sun flare can also be a problem.

This could be a time for spot metering. You may also wish to use a reflector or fill-flash (we’ll cover that in a minute). Properly done, however, you may get a nice rim-light look.

Open vs closed shade

You will hear the terms “open shade” and “closed shade.” Let’s define those.

The subjects are in a shaded area looking toward a brighter lit area. This is “Open Shade.” 1/250 sec. f/6.7 ISO 400

Open shade

Even with your subject in the shade, the light will still usually come more from one direction than the other. Your subject will be in “open shade” when in the shade, but the ambient light is strongest on their face.

If you can’t determine which direction this is, walk around your subject. Ask them to turn as you walk so as to keep facing you. The position when the light is at your back (and on their face) is the most “open shade” position.

One advantage of shooting in this position is the light will be brighter on their face, and the catchlights in their eyes will usually be most dominant.

The predominant light is from behind and the subject is looking into a more shaded area. Fill-flash is used to fill the shadows. This is “Closed Shade.” 1/200 sec. f/8 ISO 200

Closed shade

This is pretty much the opposite of open shade. Your subject is in the shade, but looking into a darker area.

An extreme example of this might be a subject standing just inside a doorway where they are in the shade, but looking inside toward a darker room or area.

Usually, this will not be as good because the background will be brighter than the subject, and the eye catchlights will be minimal if they are there at all.

This is “closed shade” where the predominant ambient light is behind the subject and she is looking into a darker area. Fill-flash brightened her face and filled the shadows. 1/180 sec. f/7.1 ISO 100

Making it all work

It might be a fine idea to suggest you always take portraits in the shade. Usually, though, you also want to consider:
- your location,
- what you want in the shot other than just your subject
- your background
- where you and the subject can position yourselves
- camera angle
- and many other factors other than just where a shady spot might be.
If you want to pose your subject in front of that iconic landmark, and you’re there during the middle of the day, you may not have much choice where you position them.

So let’s discuss ways to use shade where you find it, make shade when you need it, and enhance the light you find while still making the portrait you want.

Let’s take a look at some examples.

Under the trees

It’s often pleasant in the shade of a tree, and sometimes even the tree itself works well in the shot. Depending on where the light may be coming from, you might be working with open or closed shade, and light coming from various directions.

We’ll cover enhancing the light you might find there in a minute, but here’s a couple of things to keep in mind when working in the shade of a tree or other foliage.

1. Light color

The leaves on most foliage are green (though perhaps other colors at different times of the year). Sometimes the translucent leaves will cast their color on your subject.

Kermit the Frog will tell you, “it ain’t easy being green.”

Green light and skin tones usually won’t be a good mix. Keep this in mind.

Shoot in Raw mode, and if necessary, be ready to tweak your white balance and tint slightly in post-production to back off the green color if it appears.

With green foliage above and green grass reflecting from below, your subject may go green – not a good look. Shoot in Raw format, and you can tweak the white balance when editing. 1/60 sec. f/5 ISO 400 with fill flash.

2. Dappled light

When making portraits, deep shade is good. Dappled light, the kind where the leaves put a pattern of light and shadow on your subject is bad – very bad.

You can rarely fix this in editing. So when taking portraits in the shade, always look to be sure the shade is complete, and the light is not dappled and patchy on your subject.

This can be especially tricky with group photos where some subjects may be in the shade and others in the sun. See what you can do to have everyone in total shade or, if that’s not possible, find a spot where you can have the light coming from behind them so at least their faces are shaded.

Take advantage of shady spots that work with your composition. The object making the shade can sometimes work with your shot. 1/125 sec. f/5.6 ISO 200 with pop-up fill flash.

Other shady spots

Depending on where you’re photographing, there might not be trees but other ways to put your subject in the shade.

Buildings, structures, rocks and cliffs – whatever you might find that works with your shot and vision can be useful.

Something to keep in mind is that other structures or objects might be reflecting light into your shady spot. Your subject might be in the shade, but whatever else that is close by, even the nearby sunlit ground, could reflect light into the scene.

Sometimes you can make this work for you. Other times, particularly if the reflecting object has a strong color, it will reflect colored light onto your subject.

With the surroundings painted in warm colors, as well as the opposite red brick, the reflected light is going to be warm as well. Shot in Raw mode, I could adjust as desired later in post-processing. 1/30 sec. f/4 ISO 100

Throwing shade

Most people don’t like it when you “throw shade” on them. However, in photography, this can be a good thing, especially when you want to photograph them in the shade, but the place where you want them to stand isn’t shady.

What to do?

Make your own shade!

Anything you can put between the light source and your subject is going to put shade, aka a “shadow” on your subject.

This could be a piece of cardboard, a 5-in-1 reflector (which we’ll discuss in a minute), an umbrella – you name it. If the object lends itself to the theme of your image, you can even include it in the shot. Just be sure whatever you use is large enough to shade the area you need completely.

If you’re making a full-length image of a person and your 5-in-1 can only shade their upper body while their legs are still in the sun, that won’t look good. You’ll either have to restrict your shot to the shaded area or find something bigger to shade them with.

Bad light where you want to make your shot? Throw some shade on your subject! Here, I’ve used the black side of a 5-in-1 to shade the subject. A fill-flash nicely evens out the light, also putting a catchlight in her eyes. 1/60 sec. f/6.3 ISO 100

A Scrim shot

The reason you will usually want to put your subject in the shade is that the direct sun is bright, harsh, and produces hard shadows. In the studio, photographers use diffusion to soften the quality of light. Photo umbrellas and softboxes use a translucent material, which scatters and diffuses the light. It also makes the light source “larger” relative to the subject.

This can work outdoors with the sun as well. Rather than use the pinpoint of intense light that is the sun, instead, put the translucent panel of a 5-in-1 between the sun and subject to make the light source larger relative to the subject. It will also make the light more diffuse.

Need something bigger? A translucent shower curtain or piece of white nylon cloth can work well if you have a frame or helpers to hold it.

Of course, there are commercial versions of this if you will be doing a lot of outdoor portrait photography and have the budget.

On a sunny day, you might be surprised on how much fill the silver side of a 5-in-1 will throw.

How about some fill?

So you put your subject in the shade, they’re happy, their eyes are open, you like the composition, but now you see the subject is darker than you’d like. What can you do?

It’s time for a little fill light.

There are several ways you can (and often should) add additional light to your subject.

Let’s cover a few.

Reflectors

I mentioned a 5-in-1 reflector above. This is a portable, and usually collapsible, disk typically covered with translucent fabric. Use it alone as a scrim, as we just discussed.

It then has a zip-on cover that is black on one side, white on the other, and turned inside out, silver on the inside and gold on the reverse of that.

Variations exist. So, 1) Scrim, 2) Black, 3) White, 4) Silver, 5) Gold = a 5-in-1.

You can use the colored side to reflect light onto your subject. Black is the side to use when you want to shade the subject. The white will give a softer, less intense light while neutral in color. Silver is the most intense and can be a slightly cooler light, while the gold will warm your subject.

For photographers doing outdoor portraits, I’d almost consider a 5-in-1 reflector mandatory. It is that useful. There are many brands, styles, and sizes. I have a 42″ (106cm) Interfit brand as well as a little 23″ (59 cm) version that, when collapsed, is just 9-inches (23 cm) and fits nicely in my photo bag.

One device, 5 ways to use it – a 5-in-1 reflector. I think all outdoor portrait photographers should own one, or even a few of these in different sizes.

Doing it “on-the-cheap” you can also use a piece of white poster board or foamcore. It has the disadvantage of being less portable, but the advantage of being available in very large sheets if you need that big of a reflective panel.

Fill-Flash

If the only time you use a flash is indoors, at night, or in dimly lit situations, you’re missing a real use of this lighting tool.

Shooting subjects in the shade and then filling the shadows with a touch of flash works exceptionally well, especially with most cameras doing a great job of balancing the fill light using ETTL (Evaluative Through-the-Lens) exposure control.

If you are a new photographer just getting into outdoor portraiture and have a camera with a pop-up flash, I’d strongly encourage you to shoot in the shade and use the pop-up flash for every shot.

Even on sunny days with plenty of light, that little extra flash will fill shadows and put a nice catch-light in your subject’s eyes.

Your portrait photography will improve tremendously. As you advance, a Speedlight is the next step, and beyond that, a fill-flash you can use off-camera.

Backlit/Golden hour/Rim light

Photographers love the “golden hour,” that time in the morning or evening when the sun gets low, and the light is warm. You can make beautiful portraits in such light.

Often you can pose your subject with the light behind them, and the golden glow will rim-light their hair with a beautiful look. (Visualize a model on the beach with the setting sun behind them).

To get some light on your model’s face and better balance the exposure between them and the background, it’s time for some fill light. A reflector or fill-flash will do the trick.

One advantage of the reflector is that you’ll be bouncing the same warm light back onto their face and so your white balance will be consistent.

If you use a flash, consider putting a warming gel on it to better match the color of the background light.

Here the subject is standing in full sun. With the light from behind, her face is shaded. I used the bright silver side of the reflector for fill. You may need to “feather” the reflection slightly by adjusting the reflector position as it can easily become too bright and make your subject squint. 1/160 sec. f/5 ISO 100

Nature’s Softbox

The average person would think a “nice day for portraits” would be that beautiful, sunny, cloudless “bluebird day.”

They’d be wrong.

On such days you’ll really need the tricks we’ve explored here and should be taking portraits in the shade.

If, however, the day you’ve scheduled to do that outdoor portrait shoot should be overcast, consider yourself blessed, especially if you need to shoot at midday. Now, instead of that harsh, pinpoint light source of the sun with associated hard shadows, the entire sky becomes your light source – “nature’s softbox.”

Made in the shade…This one was done in full shade and filled with flash. Note the catchlight in her eyes. 1/40 sec. f/4 ISO 100

Now the challenge might become working with light that is too flat. The effect of your reflector will be much less on a day like this, but your portable flash could perhaps now become your key light. It can give you just enough contrast to make your portrait more dimensional and interesting.

I’ve also just started exploring the use of portable LED lights for portraiture and purchased a Lume Cube.

This small and intense little light doesn’t immediately strike me as something I’d use for the standard portrait, but when taking portraits in the shade or on overcast days, perhaps it could work into the mix.

After I’ve had more experience with it, perhaps I’ll cover how you can use such a device in a later article.

Go do it and show us your work

It’s always great to see photographers putting new knowledge to work, so we’d love to see the images you make when taking portraits in the shade.

Post your images in the comments below and tell us a little about what you did. Best wishes!

The post Made in the Shade – Why Taking Portraits in the Shade Can be Ideal appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

Digital Photography School
February 7, 2020
Professional Photographer Catherine Hall’s Advice On How to Get The Perfect Shot

In this article, Catherine Hall tells us about what inspired her into photography, and gives us tips and tricks of the industry offering some advice to fellow photographers. What influenced you to photograph people? Over the years, I’ve tried many different types of photography, and at the beginning of my career all I knew was that I loved shooting but Continue Reading

The post Professional Photographer Catherine Hall’s Advice On How to Get The Perfect Shot appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

February 6, 2020
How to Use Old Lenses with New Digital Cameras (with Bonus Video)
The post How to Use Old Lenses with New Digital Cameras (with Bonus Video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

They say time flies when you’re having fun. I’ve been having so much fun that I realize it has been over six years since I first talked to you about how to use old lenses with new digital cameras.

A lot has changed when it comes to going about using vintage camera lenses with our modern digital camera bodies. Well, things haven’t exactly changed but have rather “progressed” from where they were just a few years ago.

Let me show you now, how you can easily use classic glass with virtually any interchangeable lens digital camera…with a few exceptions.

Understanding old lenses

Vintage lenses are a fantastic gateway into the world of photography. Many are usually cheap (relatively) and comparatively well constructed. Additionally, the majority of old lenses are surprisingly sharp with fast apertures, even by today’s standards.

Speaking of current standards, seeing as the majority of these types of lenses were manufactured for use with 35mm film, they are essentially ready-made to match with the growing number of high resolution full-frame digital cameras available to us today.

Some of these lenses also add a unique character to your images, which might or might not be desirable depending on your own expectations. Lenses such as the legendary Helios have become prized lenses for portrait photographers and videographers due to its distinctive “swirly” bokeh.

This photo was made with the Helios 44-2 at its maximum F/2 aperture. Note the distinctive swirl of the background.

Check out this cool tutorial on how to simulate this effect in Photoshop

In short, vintage lenses bring a lot to the table in terms of sharpness, build quality and cost-effectiveness. This is all well and good, but how do you get these old lenses to fit your camera?

To find out, keep reading.

This is the cool part.

Adapting vintage lenses

When it comes to using old lenses with new digital cameras, there are two things to consider: lens mount compatibility and a little thing called “flange-focal distance.”

We’ll talk more about flange-focal distance in the next section, but for now, let’s focus (haha) simply on how to get a lens from manufacturer A to fit on a camera from manufacturer B.

It’s all really quite easy – mostly.

You’ll need an adapter to use your old lenses with new digital cameras. However, this isn’t limited to vintage glass, as today, there are quite a few ways to use even modern lenses across a wide range of camera platforms. For our purposes, though, we’ll stick to showing you how to use older lenses.

The first problem an adapter solves is the conversion of your lens mount to the mount your camera uses.

Think of the adapter as a “connector” with one side matching the lens and one side matching the camera. This allows us to physically attach the lens to the camera even though they sport different mounts.

Here we see some examples of various vintage lens mounts.

There are all sorts of adapters available on the market today. They range from the alarmingly cheap to the shockingly expensive and everything in between.

Some are complex with electronic components intended to aid in metering/focusing with autofocus lenses, and some are as simple as small rings of metal.

A few adapters used for fitting various vintage lenses to new digital camera bodies.

Now, you may be thinking that all you need is an adapter that will convert a lens to a certain mount, but there’s a bit more to it than that.

Let’s talk about what might be the most important factor when it comes to using old lenses with new digital cameras – flange-focal distance.

Flange focal distance

No matter the lens, you will have to overcome something called “flange-focal distance” if you choose to adapt older lenses for your digital camera.

This is where you have to be careful because there are some lens adapters out there that do not take this very important aspect into account.

Without the correct flange-focal distance, your adapted lens will not be able to focus correctly. In some cases, it will not focus at all.

Although crucial, flange-focal distance is extremely simple to understand. Flange-focal distance is the distance (in millimeters) from the rear mount of the lens to the focal plane of the camera, which can be either film or a digital sensor.

Your focal plane is designated by that little symbol that looks like a ‘0’ with a line.

Different cameras all have different flange-focal distances and vary widely between manufacturers. Compensating for this differing flange-focal distance is a key factor when it comes to determining whether or not your adapted lens will be able to obtain the correct focus.

So, in reality, your lens adapter needs to not only act as a mount converter but also be able to accurately correct for the specified focal-flange distance.

Flange-focal distance and the mirrorless advantage

Up to this point, we’ve only explained what flange-focal distance (FFD) is and why it’s important. Now, we’re going to discuss the practical aspects of FFD when it comes to actually adapt your old lenses to new digital cameras.

More specifically, we’ll touch on why mirrorless cameras are so versatile when it comes to adapting various camera lenses.

Hypothetically, you can adapt virtually any lens to fit any digital camera. However, this is not always practical. In some cases, it would require massive modifications to your camera.

The reason for this all goes back to the importance of FFD. With a camera manufactured with a relatively large FFD, like a Canon DSLR (44mm FFD), it becomes quite easy to adapt the lenses for that camera to one with a smaller FFD.

Seeing as the majority of older lenses were made for cameras with mirror mechanisms, most of them will have a FFD larger than today’s modern mirrorless digital cameras.

An example of this is using Canon EF mount lenses with Sony mirrorless cameras like the A7R.

Since there is no mirror reflex mechanism, the A7R has a relatively tiny FFD of 18mm. So in our case, all that is required to achieve the correct FFD of the Canon lens (44mm FFD), and thus facilitate proper focusing, is for the adapter to provide 26mm of spacing in order to reach the correct 44mm FFD of the Canon EF lens.

Sound a bit confusing? It’s okay! I’ve put together a super short video that breaks down how FFD works in simple terms.

?

As I mention in the video, you have to be mindful that you aren’t buying a lens adapter that does not compensate for the needed difference in FFD.

There are quite a few adapters on the market that are essentially only “mount adapters,” that just convert one lens mount to another while not enabling the lens to actually achieve focus. Not only that, you run the risk of damaging your precious camera should the lens intrude too far inside the body – more on this and other complications in the next section.

Common complications

Using old lenses with your modern mirrorless or DSLR cameras has a lot of benefits. Many of these older lenses are sharp, fast and brilliantly constructed. Unfortunately, with age comes a few problems. I’ve listed a few things to watch out for below. Some are obvious and some you might not expect.
- Dust and fungus – Older lenses can have dust and lint inside the lens as well as fungus growing on the lens elements. There can even be a separation of the optical coatings should the lens elements feature this. So when considering purchasing a vintage lens to use with your digital camera, make sure it comes from a reputable place. Also, examine the lens closely for any flaws.
- The infinity focus problem – We’ve already talked about how important FFD is for focusing, and if you are primarily a landscape or astrophotography shooter, you’ll want to pay special attention to infinity focus. Should your adapter be only slightly too large, meaning it goes past the FFD for the particular lens you’re using, the lens will not focus to infinity. In most cases, the adapter will physically be minutely shorter so that the adapted lens will focus past infinity for this very reason.
- FFD incompatibility – Perhaps one of the most important things to keep in mind when using old lenses with new digital cameras is that many lenses aren’t backward-compatible. This means, instead of requiring an adapter to compensate for larger FFD, the lens needs to be mounted closer to the focal plane. So, lens intended for mirrorless cameras (with short FFD) can’t be adapted to DSLR bodies (relatively large FFD). Refer to the video for a bit more info on this.
- Potential camera damage – Always remember that it’s up to you to decide if you want to try adapting any lens to your camera. There is always a chance of damage, and this risk goes when electronic adapters are involved. Furthermore, some lenses can protrude inside of the camera body, which could possibly damage digital sensors and other internal mechanisms.
Some closing thoughts…

I sometimes wonder if the original makers of some of my vintage lenses ever thought about the manner they might get used thirty, forty, or even fifty years down the road.

Making use of old lenses with new digital cameras is not a new concept. However, with the recent rise in popularity of mirrorless digital cameras, their use is becoming more and more common.

With the correct adapter and a bit of basic photographic know-how, you can put many of these beautiful old lenses to work for you with minimal investment in both time and money.

So whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to make great photos or you’re simply a fan of the character of old glass, I believe you’ll find it worth your while to try out some vintage lenses for yourself.

Have you used some old lenses with your digital camera? We’re all camera geeks here, so we’d love to see your results! Feel free to post your images made with old camera lenses below.

The post How to Use Old Lenses with New Digital Cameras (with Bonus Video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

Digital Photography School
February 6, 2020
Hot-Shoe Go-To: The Godox TT600

How best to put this?

The Godox TT600 is, objectively, a screaming bargain. It is a full-sized manual-only speedlight with power comparable to OEM speedlights that cost over eight(!) times as much.

It features a reliable, built-in transceiver, a suite of different remote triggers and is part of a ridiculously comprehensive lineup of lighting gear.

I honestly don't know how they can possibly sell them for under $ 70 and still make a profit. Read more »
Strobist

February 6, 2020
Are Lightroom Presets Worth Buying?

If you follow any popular photographer on YouTube or Instagram, chances are, that you’ve been pitched to buy their Lightroom presets. Some photographers actually give theirs away, while some charge a pretty penny. Which leads to the question, are Lightroom presets worth buying? If you search the Internet for this question, you would mostly find strong opinions telling you to Continue Reading

The post Are Lightroom Presets Worth Buying? appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

February 6, 2020
How Practicing Abstract Photography Can Influence Your Photography

The post How Practicing Abstract Photography Can Influence Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Also known as experimental, non-objective or conceptual photography, abstract photography depicts imagery removed from the immediately identifiable subject matter. Gaining momentum at the hands of photographers like Alvin Langdon Coburn and Paul Strand, practicing abstract photography explores the bare bones of image-making.

Abstraction has performed a critical role in pushing the boundaries of the photographic medium. In this article, we’ll look at ways in which abstract photography can inspire your creative approach to all photographic genres.

f/18.0, 1/25, ISO 400, Canon 5D Mk II with a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens

Focusing on detail

One of the most predominant ways to create abstracted imagery is through isolation.

Isolation in abstraction involves zooming in on detail, creating a study of subject matter that may otherwise go unnoticed. Through isolation, context is replaced with an emphasis on intimate detail. By elevating detail, the unnoticed subject matter is given a new visual significance.

Abstraction places a great deal of importance on details. As a result, many abstract photographers develop a strong sense of detail in any situation.

Naturally, an eye trained for subtle details proves useful in other facets of photography too. It allows a photographer to pinpoint interesting elements of a scene with greater efficiency.

By practicing abstract photography, the photographer becomes attuned to the visual weight of unique subject matter. This translates to deeper, more engaging photography as a whole.

f/7.1, 1/400, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II with a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens

Experimentation

Abstraction expands on our understanding of the photographic medium through re-invention.

Of course, experimentation is not limited to abstraction. However, abstract photography emphasizes alternative approaches to subject matter. This stimulates creative thought which then flows through to other areas of photography.

Alternative processes, in-camera techniques, image manipulation…abstraction emphasizes the expression of fresh creative possibilities through constant experimentation.

Photographers like Andrew S. Gray, Wolfgang Tilmans and Barbara Kasten all push the boundaries of photographic art. Their work, and the work of countless other abstract photographers, is proof that practicing abstract photography expands the creative horizon of photography as a whole.

f/1.8, 1 second, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens

Creating something unique

Abstract photography is highly subjective – every photographer approaches abstraction from a unique perspective.

This means that individual emotions, experiences, and ideas are embedded in abstract visual responses. The more you practice abstract photography, the easier it will be to identify abstract subject matter that fascinates you. It will open up more and more opportunities to hone your skills.

There is no right or wrong way to create your own abstract photography.

In fact, you may not even need a camera.

Because of this, practicing abstract photography provides a free space to forge a unique aesthetic that inevitably carries through to other facets of photography.

f/4.0, 1/40, ISO 500, Canon 5D Mk II with a Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens

Pressing the reset button

Adhering to the more formal qualities of photography can sometimes culminate in creative fatigue. Abstraction tends to relax the grip of the photographic convention, adhering instead to the instinctual responses of the photographer.

This means that practicing abstract photography can provide a much-needed reset button for photographers suffering from creative weariness.

Abstraction beckons the photographer to capture subject matter that resonates on a personal level. Satisfying lines, intriguing textures, ephemeral colors…Practicing abstract photography reconnects a photographer with the basics of photography and creativity.

f/2.2, 1/800, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens fitted with a 36mm Kenko extension tube

Honing in on composition

Although lacking in objective subject matter, abstraction still relies on the principals and elements of design to cultivate imagery. Elements like form, line, color, and texture are as relevant to abstract photography as they are any other genre. Likewise, precepts such as the rule of thirds or leading lines can also shape the way an abstract image is digested.

Practicing abstract photography coaxes out reflexive responses to image-making, revealing gaps in compositional knowledge and introducing new approaches to subject matter.

Compositional instincts honed within the bounds of abstraction spill over to other types of photography too, revealing practical insights into your own image-making process.

f/4.0, 1/15, ISO 1250, Canon 5D Mk II with a Canon EF 25-105 f/4L IS USM II lens

Conclusion

Abstract photography is sometimes approached with confusion or trepidation. However, in practice, abstract photography is often a liberating and invigorating undertaking.

Though lacking in specific subject matter, abstract photography operates on creativity, critical thinking, and personal growth. Without the freedom that abstract photography affords, photography would be a much more rigid and prescriptive undertaking.

Abstract photography encourages a focus on detail, experimentation, and skill. It can also be a welcome respite from creative fatigue. Availing itself to the unique inclinations of the individual photographer, practicing abstract photography builds on the foundations of the photographic process.

Share with us your abstract photography in the comments!

The post How Practicing Abstract Photography Can Influence Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Digital Photography School

February 5, 2020
Mastering Lightroom Keywords in a Flash

The post Mastering Lightroom Keywords in a Flash appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

As your collection of photographs grows, it’s important to have a way to manage all those images. Lightroom keywords can help you tame your ever-increasing photo library, but mastering them can take a bit of practice. Whether you’re a Lightroom veteran or completely new to the software, these tips and tricks will save you plenty of time and a few headaches too.

Nikon D750, 95mm, f/3.3, 1/250 second, ISO 250

Understanding keywords

Lightroom keywords are like tags on a social media post. They help categorize your pictures according to specific elements contained therein, as well as broader themes you can’t necessarily see.

For instance, let’s say I post the following picture of a mockingbird on a social media site. The caption contains text I might share with the image, along with a few hashtags.

I shot this mockingbird on a chilly November morning. So fun to get out and enjoy the great outdoors! #Nature #Bird #Mockingbird #Outdoors #Oklahoma #Nikon #Sunshine #Happy

Each of those hashtags could be considered a keyword: they help describe and categorize the image. You can’t see that I shot the picture with a Nikon camera. And yet I used the #Nikon hashtag in case people are searching for images taken with that type of gear. I also added the hashtag #Happy because this is a picture that makes me feel joy.

Keywords in Lightroom work in the same way. When you apply them to your images, you are helping make sure you have a way to organize and locate your pictures later on. It might take a bit of work (but not much!) to apply keywords, but that work can pay huge dividends down the line.

Nikon D750, 125mm, f/4, 1/180 second, ISO 180

Adding keywords on import

The process of adding Lightroom keywords is pretty straightforward. Lightroom has a number of tools to help you with this step in the process in order to make your job as easy as possible.

You can add keywords to pictures at any time, but the best way is to apply them when you initially import your images.

I usually shoot in batches, so all the photos from any given import operation generally have similar subjects and themes. That makes adding keywords en masse quite practical as opposed to entering them later, but you can certainly do that too.

You can add keywords during the import phase.

In the above photo, you can see the import dialog with thumbnails of several pictures I shot on a foggy morning. Applying keywords when importing them into Lightroom will help me later when I want to find these same images.

On the right side of the Import screen is a panel called Keywords. You can use this to type in a set of words that describe the pictures, just like you would add hashtags to the pictures on social media. For the images above, I would use keywords such as Morning, Fog, and Sunrise.

Lightroom keywords are kind of like social media hashtags. Use them to describe your image as well as non-visual aspects – like how it makes you feel.

You can also create a Metadata Preset that applies a specific set of keywords. Choose the “New…” option under the Metadata section of the Apply During Import panel.

Then navigate to the Keywords section and enter the keywords you want to apply.

Save it as a new Metadata preset, and you can apply these keywords as a batch to a group of images on import.

You can create a metadata preset that includes a set of Lightroom keywords to apply during import.

If you don’t want to apply keywords when importing, you can do it in the Library module after finishing the import. In some ways, this process is even easier than applying on import, but I find that if I don’t do it right away (i.e., when importing), I tend to forget. I can sometimes end up with a huge backlog of photos to keyword, so I prefer to get it done right away and not worry about it later on.

Adding keywords in the library module

In the Library module, select the photos to which you want to apply keywords. Then you can add keywords using a few different methods.

You can also add keywords after importing using the Library module.

The most obvious way to enter Lightroom keywords is to just type them in the text entry box in the Keywording panel.

Separate each keyword with a comma and add as many keywords as you want.

Lightroom will offer keyword suggestions based on what it thinks you might want to use, but I don’t find these to be particularly helpful.

Use the Keywording panel to enter keywords for your images, and separate each keyword with a comma.

If you have several keywords you find yourself using consistently, you can store them in a Keyword Set. This is a collection of Lightroom keywords that are particularly useful for certain shooting situations, such as Outdoor Photography, Portrait Photography, or Wedding Photography.

Click the drop-down menu to select a set, and then click individual keywords to add them to an image or a batch of selected images.

Lightroom has a few existing Keyword Sets, but you can create your own as well.

Scrolling down below the Keywording panel brings up another panel called Keyword List. As its name implies, this is a list of every single keyword you have ever used in Lightroom. It also shows a number indicating how many photos to which that keyword has been applied.

Select one or more photo thumbnails and then click the checkbox next to one of the existing keywords to apply them to the images.

If you have hundreds of keywords, you can narrow the list by searching for specific keywords using the search box at the top of the Keyword List panel.

The keyword list can be used to quickly add existing keywords to images

One other way to add keywords is to use the spray-can icon near the bottom of the Library module.

Click the icon and then select Keywords from the drop-down menu.

Enter any keywords you want to apply and then click the pictures on which you want to apply them.

Use the spray paint icon to add keywords to images with a single click, or multiple images by clicking and dragging

I don’t find the Painter tool to be especially useful, but plenty of photographers use it in their workflows. Your own usage will vary, but the bottom line here is that there are many ways to add Lightroom keywords to your pictures. The important thing is to find a solution that works for you.

Searching and sorting

After you have keywords applied, you can use them in a variety of ways to organize and search through your pictures.

If you just want to find images with one specific Lightroom keyword quickly, you can click the arrow icon next to a word in the Keyword List panel.

If you want to revert to showing all your pictures, select the Library menu, and then un-check the “Enable Filters” option. You can also press Ctrl-L (or Cmd-L on a Mac) to do the same thing.

Another way to use Lightroom keywords for finding specific images is to use the Filter bar.

In the Library module, choose the View menu and then “Show Filter Bar,” or press the “\” key. This brings up a search interface that lets you filter your photos according to hundreds of individual criteria.

The filter bar lets you search for a wide variety of image data, including keywords.

Type the keyword you are looking for in the search bar, and Lightroom will instantly pare down your images to show just the ones you need.

You can also adjust the criteria from “Contain All” to more than a half dozen other options such as Contain, Starts With, or Are Empty.

My favorite use of Lightroom keywords is in conjunction with smart collections. These are collections of images populated on the fly according to the criteria you set.

Every time I do a photo session, I assign the keyword “PhotoSession” on import. These are automatically sent to a Smart Collection containing, as you would expect, every photo from a session.

I also have smart collections for my personal photographs. Since I keep everything in the same Lightroom catalog, I use keywords to sort it all out.

Smart Collections are a great way to use Lightroom keywords to organize your photos.

This means that I never have to think about which photos are from my formal sessions and which ones are not. Lightroom keywords and Smart Collections handle this task for me, which means I have more time to focus on editing instead of sorting.

Nikon D750, 180mm, f/2.8, 1/500 second, ISO 1800

Conclusion

If you haven’t used Lightroom keywords, I think you will be surprised at how helpful they can be. It takes just a small amount of work on your part to apply keywords, but the end result is a library of images that is much easier to tame.

Do you have any tips or tricks for mastering lightroom keywords? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Mastering Lightroom Keywords in a Flash appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

Digital Photography School

February 5, 2020
Canon EOS R5 on the Way, With a 45 MP Body and 20 FPS Electronic Shooting

The post Canon EOS R5 on the Way, With a 45 MP Body and 20 FPS Electronic Shooting appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

After months of vague rumors regarding upcoming Canon mirrorless bodies, we now have specifics on a camera, right down to the name:

The Canon EOS R5.

While still unconfirmed by Canon, the EOS R5 is shaping up to be a powerhouse of a mirrorless camera, sporting a 45-megapixel full-frame sensor, in-body image stabilization (potentially 5 stops, and 7-8 stops with a combined IS lens), and 20 frames-per-second continuous shooting with the electronic shutter (12 frames-per-second with the mechanical shutter).

In fact, the EOS R5 appears to correct most (if not all) of the faults of Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless body, the EOS R:

First, instead of a single card slot, we’re on track to see dual slots in the R5. This is a necessity for pretty much any photographer who requires redundancy in their work, such as professional wedding shooters (after all, you can’t reshoot that big day if your card fails!), as well as professional sports photographers.

The programmable touch bar on the back of the EOS R, which received significant criticism following the R’s release, will be replaced by a scroll wheel.

And, as mentioned above, we should see some impressive IBIS, something which the EOS R left out, and which plenty of shooters see as a key trait in mirrorless bodies.

Astonishingly, the EOS R5 is reported to shoot 8K video at 30 fps and 4K video at 120 fps. While the details of these specs aren’t certain, 8K video of any kind would be a significant upgrade from the Canon EOS R, which offers 4K video at 30p.

So who is the EOS R5 for?

From the specs listed above, it’s clear that the EOS R5 will be aimed at professional shooters. The dual card slots and high continuous shooting rate suggest a body designed for serious sports photographers, wildlife photographers, and some wedding photographers. And while no details on the autofocus system have been released, I suspect that we’ll see something impressive, even compared to the excellent AF offered by the EOS R.

As far as the release date goes, the Canon EOS R5 will supposedly be announced in mid-February, several weeks prior to the late February CP+ show. The camera will likely ship in July.

The post Canon EOS R5 on the Way, With a 45 MP Body and 20 FPS Electronic Shooting appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

February 5, 2020
4 Tips to Choose the Right Lens for your Photography

The post 4 Tips to Choose the Right Lens for your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

A few years ago, I came across the term ‘gear lust.’ Suddenly all those feelings of wanting, dreaming, and lusting over the latest and greatest lens and cameras that I would see in glossy magazines and catalogs were categorized as a known condition. How could I choose the right lens to use and buy for my photography when there were so many options out there?

Did I really need to choose? Couldn’t I just buy everything and make myself a happy camper?

Pretty soon, I came crashing down to earth and realized that buying every single lens out there was not practical and near impossible given my finances and photography budget.

So, I learned fairly quickly how to understand my photographic needs and choose a lens that best fits that need – from a usability, functionality and budget perspective.

Here are some tips on how you can choose the right lens that works for you, based on your photography style, needs, and budget. Remember, these are all very individualistic, so make sure you are honest when answering these questions.

1. Understand your photography style

When we are starting out as photographers, there is a need to master everything. And rightfully so.

The early stages of learning any art form is one of exploration, and we should try everything out there.

When I first started, I was exploring different genres and editing styles. I explored moody to black and white, to light and airy, and everything in between.

I soon found myself gravitating towards a light bright airy style. This meant photographing wide open and using a lot of natural light in my photos. I realized that my lens needed to be fast to focus and let me photograph wide open at apertures of around f/1.2 through f/2.

These needs saw me gravitating towards prime lenses. I found that they worked well for me in post-processing for the style that I wanted to focus on too.

So I invested in the Canon 50mm f/1.2 L and a Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L. Now, 9 years later, I still have both of these lenses and use them consistently.

Even though my genre and specialization have changed slightly, my photography style has remained fairly consistent. So these lenses have served me well.

Taken with my beloved 50mm f/1.2

So, take the time to understand what photography style works for you and then try out different lenses. Do you prefer working with zoom lens, or are primes more your style?

You will find that choosing the right lens for your style of photography becomes much easier when you take the time to understand what your photography style is rather than buying something and then adjusting your style to match the gear you have.

My 24-70mm f/2.8 lives on my camera 80% of the time. This is the lens I choose in a giffy because I know it gives me what I am looking for.

2. Understand your photography needs

When I first started photography, I considered myself a family and lifestyle photographer. Soon I added newborn and weddings into the mix.

I quickly realized that while I love kids, I just could not handle newborn photos. Newborn shoots take a lot of time and a lot of patience, waiting on babies to be cooperative.

However, I found my sweet spot with weddings and lifestyle photos.

As I tried out different lenses for this type of work, I quickly realized that speed and wide angles were important for family photos and weddings. With weddings, I often found myself in the back of the room, taking photos of the couple at the altar or interacting with family and loved ones. As I did not want to intrude on these special moments, I found that a lens with a good zoom was pertinent.

With this realization, I invested in the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 because this lens had everything I was looking for – the zoom and speed.

Taken with the 70-200mm f/2.8 shot – I will love this lens till the day I die!

Choosing the right lens sometimes is like choosing your favorite child! You cannot voice it publicly but you know which one is the favorite!

I also found myself renting the Canon 35mm f/1.4 for larger weddings to take wide-angle photos. My second shooter would use this lens to get a different angle as we photographed side-by-side.

So, take the time to understand your photography needs. Do you want to focus on close-up portraits or do you want wide-angle photos of architecture? Perhaps you want to experiment with street photography? Do you want to do more macro or wildlife photos?

Choosing the right lens will become a breeze when you really narrow down what your photography needs are.

3. Acknowledge your budget

If you have to pick only one lens because of your budget, understand that it is perfectly okay, and even the top photographers do that occasionally. The amount of gear you own does not equate to skill and proficiency.

For my very first photoshoot, I rented a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens and used that with my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8. I had no idea what I was doing other than the fact that I had read that the nifty-fifty was the best thing since sliced bread!

I hated that lens and couldn’t wait to return it. Fast forward a few years, and once I had the understanding and the budget, I invested in the L version of the 50mm. It is now my favorite lens for portraits of any kind. The bokeh from this lens is pure magic!

My 24-70mm f/2.8 is almost 9 years old. It has been readjusted multiple times by Canon Professional Services, but I will never get rid of it. It delivers day-in and day-out!

You can get creative with what you have.

Change up your angle. Change up the focal length by moving closer or backing out.

No matter what the limitations, for the most part, you can make it work.

4. Find the happy match between lens and photographer

This is the million-dollar question, isn’t it? With so many choices out there, what lens should you choose, and when? Investing in camera gear should always be a healthy balance between need, wants, and budget. The last thing you want is a closet full of gear that you never use.

Rent or borrow a lens that interests you so you can test it out for yourself first before outlaying a big amount of money on something that may not suit your needs.

An example of this is the Sigma 135mm f1.8 I was interested in buying. It is an incredible lens. I was so tempted to buy it having heard about its awesomeness from all my photographer friends. However, when I had a chance to test it out, I realized that I get a lot of the same results from my 70-200mm f2.8 for the way I was using it. So it would have been an unnecessary addition to my gear.

Selling off your unwanted gear is always an option, but it’s better to get it right to start with. Remember, needs and styles constantly change, and that is fairly common among photographers. That way, if you find yourself needing the same lens down the road, you can always keep using what you have or upgrade to a newer version.

As I slowly move away from weddings and more towards travel and culture, my needs have changed. I want to travel light and wanted the most bang for the gear I lug halfway around the world. Hence, I choose lenses that fit that need.

I’ve been lucky, because the lenses I chose for my initial needs, still suit my new needs. My go-to lenses are the 24-70mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.2 and 70-200mm f/2.8. I find that this combination works the best for travel portraits, wide-angle landscapes as well as the occasional wildlife photos.

Good gear is essential for a good photographer, but expensive gear does not make a good photographer.

If you only have a kit lens and cannot afford anything else, that’s perfectly okay. Master your craft with what you have, and when the time is right, choose the right lens based on what you need and what you can afford, not on what is the latest/coolest gadget on the market.

You may also like:

Photography Gear You Will Need for Different Types of Photo Shoots

Do you have any other tips to choose the right lens for your photography? If so, please share in the comments section.

The post 4 Tips to Choose the Right Lens for your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

Digital Photography School

February 5, 2020
Nikon Trade-Up Program for the D780 and the Z-Series Mirrorless Cameras in US

The post Nikon Trade-Up Program for the D780 and the Z-Series Mirrorless Cameras in US appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

With competition coming from Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, and more, it seems that Nikon is doing whatever it can to keep buyers walking in the door. This includes a new trade-up program, which offers photographers savings when purchasing the Nikon D780.

The Nikon D780 is Nikon’s recently-released DSLR update to the Nikon D750; it features a 24.5-megapixel full-frame sensor, 7 frames-per-second continuous shooting (12 fps silent shooting), a tilting touchscreen, 4K video at 30p, and more.

While the trade-up program hasn’t yet begun, Nikon claims that you’ll be able to hand in “any working camera” when purchasing the Nikon D780. And that they’ll take $ 300 off the price of the D780, plus the “value of your trade-in.”

How will the trade-in value be calculated?

We can’t say for certain, but a similar deal has been offered on Nikon’s Z50/Z6/Z7 mirrorless lineup, promising trade-in value plus savings on a Nikon mirrorless model. To calculate the trade-in value, you’ll need to enter your camera model and condition. Nikon’s trade-in estimator will spit out a quote, and you’ll be able to claim the offered trade-in value (assuming that you’ve described your camera model and condition accurately).

If you’d like to test out your current camera on the trade-in value calculator, you can enter your camera model here.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the trade-in values are on-par with current used marketplaces (e.g., eBay), so unless you don’t want to spend time selling off your own gear, it may make sense to just purchase the D780 (or the mirrorless bodies) separately and sell your gear elsewhere.

Now, Nikon does promise savings in the form of $ 300 off the D780. But a quick look at the parallel Nikon offer for the Z6 and Z7 shows that this “instant savings” simply makes the price competitive with an Amazon offering. For instance, Nikon supposedly drops $ 600 off the Z7 price of $ 3399.95 USD, taking it down to $ 2799.95 USD; compare this to Amazon’s current offer of $ 2796.95 USD, and your enthusiasm for these “instant savings” will immediately wane.

Regardless, we won’t know for certain until the D780 trade-up program officially debuts on February 3rd. It’s worth a look, especially if you’re looking to sell off your old camera without much hassle. Note that if you’ve already purchased the D780, you should still be able to grab the deal when it drops.

The post Nikon Trade-Up Program for the D780 and the Z-Series Mirrorless Cameras in US appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

February 3, 2020