Category: Photography

Photoshoot with 30-Year-Old HELIOS 44M-4 58mm f/2 Lens

The post Photoshoot with 30-Year-Old HELIOS 44M-4 58mm f/2 Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.

Helios 44M-4 58mm f/2 lens is probably one of the most mass-produced camera lenses in the world. I was lucky enough to find the M42 screw-mount version of this Helios lens in a nearby camera store. Using an ‘M42 to EF’ adapter I was able to use this 58mm f/2 lens on my Canon APS-C camera body.

After using this manual lens for more than 3 months now, I envy its build quality. The Helios 58mm f/2 lens is built like a tank and you can literally smash an onion with it. But that is not the reason I bought this lens. Its swirly bokeh effect is the only reason I have been scouting this lens for the past few months.

This lens has always been famous for the swirly bokeh effect that it produces as you move towards the edges of the image. So if you position your subject at the center, the lens produces what is also known as a ‘Cat Eye’ Bokeh effect. I hope the photos shown will help you understand this better.

Optical Performance

This is not one of those sharp lenses you would get nowadays, but it is not that bad either. Being an f/2 manual lens and at 58mm on an APS-C sensor, means that you will have to be patient while focusing. The depth of field is narrow, but once you have the subject in focus, you get magical photos. The swirly bokeh if used properly, can completely transform the look of your images.

The highlights are a bit on a higher side, but again it has its own charm if it suits your taste of photography. I had to boost the contrast and saturation during the editing process to suit my style of photos.

However, if you are buying this lens, it has to be for its swirly bokeh superpower and not to achieve the sharpest or punchy images. Thanks to Photoshop and Lightroom, we can later adjust the sliders as per the need.

Thanks to mirrorless camera technology, using the ‘focus assist’ feature, I can easily focus on a manual focus lens. Trust me – it saves a lot of time. And if you are short tempered, then you must make use of this feature if possible. The photos that you see in this article are all clicked using a Canon M50 mirrorless camera. Thank god, someone invented this technology.

Aperture Ring

As you must be aware that the aperture value of the manual focus lenses is adjusted using the physical ring on the lens. One of the few issues I had with this lens was the ring being too smooth. The slightest touch on the ring can make it rotate to a different aperture value. During this shoot, I was unaware of the fact that my aperture value had moved from f/2 to f/4, and I shot around 20 images until I realized.

Conclusion

As a digital photographer, being able to capture such dreamy images with a $ 30 lens is in itself unbelievable. The Helios 58mm f/2 lens was ideally mass produced for Zenit cameras, but the fact that you can still use it on a modern digital camera is amazing. I am very impressed with the results and the bokeh effect this lens allowed me to capture at f/2. Though this lens is not easily available online, you can check a few websites to find one in used mint condition.

The post Photoshoot with 30-Year-Old HELIOS 44M-4 58mm f/2 Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.

Digital Photography School

June 24, 2019
The Best Photographers Make Time To Practice

The post The Best Photographers Make Time To Practice appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

The 10,000-hour rule is often quoted as the magic number of hours that you need to practice in order to master an activity. Now, I’m not saying that after 10,000 hours of practice you’ll definitely have mastered photography. But I do think it’s true that the more you practice, the better you will get!

The secret of practicing to improve your skills is to have a plan. You need to know what you’re practicing, you need to set goals, and you need to find a way to somehow measure your improvement.

Recently, I spent the day practicing with a new lens at Silverstone motor racing circuit. I just wanted to improve my panning to show speed and learn more about my equipment. I was reminded at the time that many photographers can find real joy in just practicing their craft and trying to improve. So with that in mind, here’s my guide on how to make a plan to make your practicing more productive!

Decide what to improve

It sounds obvious, but you need to start with something in mind that you’d like to improve. Wanting to improve your photography is too general. Try and narrow it down more. I wanted to improve my automotive photography and identified that shooting moving objects was a real weak spot in my technique.

Once you’ve narrowed it to something specific you can begin to research. Start here on Digital Photography School. There’s a handy search bar on every page to help you find articles that might be useful. Read those articles and make some notes on things to keep in mind when you’re next shooting. Start building your own instruction manual in your own words to take with you.

Plan your practice

When you’ve decided the things you want to improve, you need to start planning a subject, time, and a place to shoot. This could be as simple as photographing food in your kitchen, or as complicated as a week-long road trip. Put your plans in your diary and make a note of how long you’ve got to prepare. If you get organized, you’ll be far more likely to stick to your plan.

Make sure what you plan is something you find interesting too. Don’t plan for a day of photography (or even a few hours) that you’ll find boring and won’t enjoy. It’ll only put you off photography in the future.

Source the right equipment

If you need a piece of equipment that you don’t currently own, now is the time to decide how you’re going to get it. Hiring lenses can be a cheap way to try new options before buying (but borrowing from friends is even cheaper). Sometimes a piece of new equipment can be just what you need to kickstart your photography, but you need to practice and learn how to use it.

For some pieces of equipment, there are even DIY solutions. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try things out. It doesn’t matter if your shots aren’t perfect; this is an exercise in practicing, not perfection!

Take your notes with you

When you go out shooting to practice, make sure you take your notes with you. It doesn’t matter if they’re in a notebook or on your phone, but make sure you’ve got that research that you did while you were planning.

If you’re trying something new, then you may well have questions as you practice. Even if you’re an old hand at photography, it’s still good to refresh your knowledge before you start taking pictures.

Practice as much as you can, for as long as you can

The costs of film and developing don’t limit you in this digital age. This means you have the opportunity to shoot lots of images when you practice.

Digital storage is cheap, so take a couple of memory cards and keep shooting until you get it right.

Make the most of your time out practicing photography and shoot as much as you can. You never know which image you’ve taken will teach you something new. It could be the first, or it could be the last!

I like to make a day of it when I go out practicing, stubbornly shooting images long past everyone else has left, and my friends have got fed up. It feels like the more I practice, the more I learn, so I try to make the most of the opportunities I get to practice.

Don’t worry about perfection

The aim of practicing isn’t to get images for your portfolio or to take pictures to publish on social media or show your non-photographer friends. The aim is to improve your technique or your creativity.

Check your images as you shoot. The displays on the back of digital cameras are good enough to see if you’re on the right track.

You should be taking the opportunity to try new things and be experimental. Don’t just write off an idea that you’ve had because it won’t work – take the pictures and prove to yourself that it won’t work! You never know what you’ll learn from a failed experiment until you’ve got back home and reviewed the pictures.

Review your shots

Sometimes your practice will be over when you finish shooting. You’ll have learned enough about the technique that you don’t need to review the images.

However, while the experience is fresh in your mind, it’s worth sitting down at a piece of software such as Adobe Lightroom and reviewing the images in conjunction with the EXIF data to try and work out exactly what worked and why (and what didn’t work and why).

The Library module in Adobe Lightroom has the ability to view all the data from your images including shutter speed, ISO, aperture, and focal length. Start pulling up your images one by one, marking the ones that you like, and then reviewing the EXIF data for them.

Make some notes

Ideally, with the research notes that you made before you went shooting, make some notes on how your practice went. Look for patterns in the EXIF data to tell you what was successful and what wasn’t. Write down how you feel about the images, and perhaps make a note for other related techniques that you’d like to work on in the future.

Research how to correct your mistakes

If you consistently made the same mistake over and over while you were practicing, then you’ll want to work out how to fix that for next time.

Read some more articles or even try and find a mentor. Ask questions to your friends who seem to already have the technique nailed (or see if you can go shooting with them for some practice).

Make notes on how to improve for next time using everything you’ve learned so far. If you try and keep it all in your head, then I promise you’ll forget most of it before you get your camera out again!

Plan more practice

Practice makes perfect, after all. And you don’t learn everything on your first attempt.

Using the notes and research that you’ve gathered plan another time to practice. Perhaps this time you’ll work on something related that you’ve identified as a weak spot in your technique. Perhaps you could try the same technique but in a different setting (I’m planning a day out shooting moving wildlife next having now practiced on cars at a racing circuit).

Whatever you plan next, don’t stop practicing. Not even after you’ve reached over ten-thousand hours of practice because there’s always something new to learn.

The post The Best Photographers Make Time To Practice appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

Digital Photography School

June 24, 2019
How to Realistically Enhance Light Beams in Photoshop
The post How to Realistically Enhance Light Beams in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

As a general nod to creative decency, in my work, I tend to steer clear of the “influencer” types of photographs. You know the ones I mean. The photos of people standing at the edge of some gorgeous vista, smiling, but, of course, seldom looking at the camera. They usually have some brand name product conspicuously visible in the frame. It’s not that those kinds of images are wrong, neither in execution or intent, but rather slightly tired and overdone.

With that said, there is one type of photo that I find myself producing again and again, that I admit would fall into the category I attempt to keep myself away from most of the time. I love making photos at night time with light beams shining off into the dark of space.

The problem is, that without an enormously powerful light source, achieving highly pronounced light beams is fairly difficult to achieve. In short, your average consumer flashlight or headlamp likely won’t pack enough luminous punch.

This is where a super simple piece of Photoshop magic can make these types of photographs truly stand out. In this tutorial, I’m going to show you an easy way to enhance the light beams in your images using Photoshop.

Before we begin

As with most any type of photography, your finished results are directly dependent on the quality of the starting material. You should always strive to get as much right in-camera as possible before you move to post-processing. This means correct exposure relative to the elements of your images, accurate focus, and appropriate ISO settings.

While this technique can enhance light beams in any photo, the outcome will vary enormously in terms of both quality and realism depending on the solidity of the original digital file.

Alright, now let’s have some fun!

Process first

It’s a good practice to save the enhancing of the light beams in your photos until the very end of your post-processing. This means that you should process all other aspects of the image as you would like them to appear in the finished photo before you apply the steps we’re about to discuss. Here is the RAW file of our example image before any post-processing.

Here is that photo after I have finished the global and local adjustments. In short, aside from the somewhat lackluster beam emitted from the headlamp, the image shown here looks exactly the way I like.

I have completed all exposure, contrast, color adjustments, sharpening and noise reduction. Regardless of what software you use to complete your post-processing, you will need to bring the image into Photoshop to finish your work. Since I use Lightroom Classic CC, I choose ‘Edit in Photoshop.’

How to enhance the light beam

After you’ve kicked your image into Photoshop, it’s time to begin the incredibly easy process of enhancing that beam of light. We’ll do the entire operation with some super simple layer masking. To get started, select the polygonal lasso tool (keyboard shortcut ‘L’).

We’re going to imagine that we are drawing a shape which corresponds to how the light will naturally diverge from the source. In this case, the headlamp. So, beginning at the base of the light beam we’ll create our shape. Simply click and let go, then draw the first line. I recommend extending this first line past the canvas of the image. I’ll explain why in a moment.

Connect the dots

Now it’s just a matter of drawing more lines and connecting them. Click each point to anchor the lines together until you reach back to the beginning point. This will complete the shape automatically. At this point, the shape will also appear to be moving with the so-called “marching ants.” It will essentially look somewhat like a triangle.

It’s this shape from which we will create our first mask. Believe me, this is all about to make perfect sense!

Add a Brightness Adjustment Layer

Click on the Brightness Adjustment Layer icon to add a brightness and contrast adjustment layer. Photoshop automatically creates the mask for this layer based on the shape we’ve just drawn.

This is where the magic happens. Increase the brightness slider.

Boom. Isn’t that cool?! All that has happened is that the brightness increase only affected the shape we created with the polygonal lasso tool.

Feather the mask

There’s still a light problem, though. Look how unnatural the beam emitted from the headlamp now looks. We can fix this by adjusting the feathering of our mask. Click on the mask icon within the adjustment mask window.

Increasing the feathering of the mask makes the edges softer and appear as if they are naturally diverging from a finite point of origin.

Doesn’t that look so much better already?

Create multiple masks

At this point, we could be completely finished, or we could repeat the steps we’ve already learned to “stack” additional layer masks based on shapes we’ve drawn using the polygonal lasso tool. In this particular image, I’m going to create another more intense beam inside the one we’ve already made.

Then it’s just a matter of adding another brightness adjustment layer just as we did before. Then adjust the brightness and mask feathering.

Don’t think that your masks are limited to brightness adjustments. You can add any adjustment that you choose.

In this case, I want to cool down the beam to better match the original color of the headlamp light. To do this, I’ll draw another shape with the polygonal lasso tool, but this time, I’ll select the ‘photo filter’ adjustment and add a cooling filter.

And remember when I said there was a reason we extended the mask past the actual border of the image canvas? We’re going to learn why in the next section. It all comes down to realism.

Fine adjustments

When it comes to this type of adjustment, it’s always crucial you understand the mechanics of the effect you are either simulating or enhancing. In this case, we are enhancing the way light travels from a given source.

As you probably are aware, light diverges as it travels, hence the widening of our light beam. Not only that, but the further it perceivably travels, the less bright it becomes to our eyes. The light essentially disappears into space.

To mimic this natural principle, we will “dim” the light beam as it extends further towards the edge of the frame using the brush tool.

We’ll select each layer, and selectively adjust the masks so that the light appears to dissipate softly. Make sure you set your brush to black.

This is where you will need to exercise your own judgment based on your particular image. Experiment with different opacity and flow rates. If you remove too much, just switch the brush to white and paint the effect back in as needed.

Isn’t Photoshop great?

And that’s it! Here is our final photo with the enhanced light beam.

Considering this is what we started with…

…the overall creative power of this cool edit is obvious.

Let’s recap

When it comes to enhancing (and even simulating) light beams in your images, you’ll want to remember a few key guidelines:
- Begin with the best image possible
- Save your light beam enhancements until the very end of your processing
- Maintain realism by understanding light – it diverges and dissipates (in our perception) as it travels
- Stack as many masks as you need
- Remember to feather your masks!
- Don’t be afraid to adjust the color of the enhanced light beams
At its core, enhancing light beams in Photoshop is an extremely easy way to add some immediate power to your images. Even though we’ve used the example shown here, you can apply this technique to any scene with point sources of light such as car headlights, street lights or in any scenario where you might want to creatively pump up the luminosity of light beams.

Try it out, experiment and, as always, be sure to share your results with us!

The post How to Realistically Enhance Light Beams in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

Digital Photography School
June 23, 2019
Is Unsplash Really an Issue for Photographers?

The post Is Unsplash Really an Issue for Photographers? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

Joseph Barrientos on Unsplash

Unsplash is killing photography! I am sure you will have read this somewhere? After all, photography blogs have been full of articles like this. You may agree – you may hate Unsplash. You may want to educate every photographer you meet on why they should not upload their photos to the platform. However, despite photographers and websites rallying against it, the platform continues to thrive. But is Unsplash really wrecking the photography industry?

A little history

Unsplash started back in 2013 by Mikael Cho. Cho was the founder of the company Crew – a company designed as a marketplace for freelancers. Cho needed images for the home page of his business website but was unable to find the type of images he wanted online and within his price range. To get the images he wanted, he hired a photographer to create the imagery for the brand.

After the shoot, there were several leftover images. So Cho decided to post them on his Tumblr, allowing others to download them for free and use as they wished. Cho uploaded ten free images every ten days. The blog (which also directed people to Crew) was launched on Hacker News and instantly became the top story.

It took off.

Soon millions of people were searching for the images, and thousands were redirected to Crew.

Unsplash launched in May 2013, and by September it had hit one million downloads. In the first 12 months, it reached ten million downloads. This is when Unsplash moved away from Tumblr and launched an independent website.

Since then, it has continued to grow at an alarming rate. I checked the latest Unsplash stats whilst preparing for this article and the numbers are mind-blowing. 21 photos are downloaded from the platform every second!

Unsplash has a community of over 121,000 photographers whose photos have been downloaded heading for one billion times. A partnership with Squarespace allows users to place Unsplash images into their site directly from one of the most popular website builders. Like it or not, Unsplash has changed the photography industry.

Built into Squarespace. It is simple and easy to get copyright-free images.

How is Unsplash affecting photographers?

It is pretty easy to see how Unsplash is affecting the world of commercial photography. The Squarespace/Unsplash partnership is the perfect example of this. As the screenshot below shows, I can go into Unsplash, search for anything and usually find an image. Not just an image, though – a really good quality image. It is easy to see why photographers might be upset about this.

Why pay for a photographer, when I can get something similar to what I want? Want a photo of a beautiful shoreline for an article on the World’s best beaches? Unsplash has the answer. Want a magazine cover for an issue about coffee? They have that too. It is simple to get photographs of pretty much anything – on demand, and for free. Perfect for an editor, but not so much for a photographer.

The issue with Unsplash is that it devalues photography.

High-quality photography is now literally free.

You do not need to budget for it, which is great for small companies who cannot afford bespoke photography. It also means, in the age of good enough is good enough, the bigger companies who can afford great photography, simply don’t see the need.

For every blogger out there who makes no money from their blogs, but wants to be ethical and use images legally, there is also a large media company who simply want to maximize profits.

This problem isn’t new though. In case you have forgotten, the disruption started with the introduction of microstock.

Ryan Holloway on Unsplash

Microstock

Remember when microstock burst onto the scene? There was an uproar by so many photographers about how it destroyed the stock industry. When researching this article, I found several rants on websites about how microstock was destroying the photography industry. I found stories of people who made a good living in stock photography having their livelihood ruined by the likes of sites like iStock photo. As one photographer wrote about microstock in 2009 “they came in like a drunk bull in a china shop with careless regard for the devastation of the existing market”.

The rise of microstock and the rise of affordable, high-quality digital cameras are easily linked. Technology changed the game – especially the stock photography game – and many didn’t adapt.

The industry changed, rapidly, and many got left behind. When we look at Unsplash, it is hard not to look at microstock. As many photographers use Adobe products, I looked at Adobe stock to see what was happening in the microstock world.

In terms of quality, there is some great stuff on Adobe stock. But whilst it is not free, the pricing structure is hardly enough to make a business out of it.

Looking on their site now, Adobe can purchase 10 images a month for £19.99 (roughly £2.00 per image) or 40 for £47.99 (roughly £1.20 per image). In the UK, the minimum wage is £8.21 per hour meaning that even if the photographer got 100% of the £1.20 per image, they would need to sell roughly 260 images per week to make the UK minimum wage.

I know that if you want to use the image commercially to sell products, the license fee is larger. But still, it is not enough to live off without selling a huge volume.

Yet when was the last time we saw the major photo websites writing hate-filled articles about Adobe ruining photography? Okay, I stand corrected. It all kicked off when it looked like they would increase the photography subscription fee.

But seriously, almost all photographers use Adobe. Even though you can make a little pocket money, Adobe has a business that is strikingly similar to Unsplash, yet nobody mentions it.

The question is though, do we not mention it because we agree with this model, or do we see it as normal now?

I think it is because we see it as normal.

The outrage, the rallying cry of photographers, was drowned out by market forces. This is what is happening with Unsplash. One billion downloads prove that despite the passionate reasoning, arguing, and pleading, once again the market has spoken. They don’t care about your business model; they care about their bottom line.

It appears that the main market that will be affected by Unsplash is microstock. As I said before, microstock was not a way to make a living before Unsplash, so effectively nothing has changed.

Charles ?? on Unsplash

Are photographers hypocrites?

This is the point that tends to make hypocrites of photographers (and the websites) rallying against Unsplash. Many photographers do the exact same thing.

How many photography videos do you see with free-use music in them? Who has used Fiverr for a logo rather than pay a professional designer? Why do we use templates for web design rather than pay a professional web designer to create a bespoke site for us? Photographers do this with other services frequently. What is the difference between free photographs and free music?

Unfortunately, the answer lies in ourselves. We only tend to see the impact of changing business models affecting our own industry. We happily use free music (or the microstock equivalent) without thinking about it, because that’s how it is. Unsplash is now how it is for us. As I said earlier, we adapt, or we die.

My favorite example of hypocrisy was when one of the biggest photography blogs wrote an article about the damage Unsplash is doing to photography. However, in the same article, they admitted that their site had used images from Unsplash for their articles. If that isn’t the perfect description of irony, I don’t know what is.

Education (or ranting at people who couldn’t care less)

I have heard many terms like, ‘we need to educate people about this,’ ‘people need to stop being so stupid,’ ‘how can people let their photography be exploited?’

Whilst this is a noble cause, there are huge issues here.

The biggest is the fact that rather than educate, people tend to rant and belittle. Calling people stupid does not help educate them. The fact is, many of them are educated on the facts and choose to do it regardless. They don’t need your approval and trying to tell them they are wrong will achieve nothing but make an enemy of them.

Many people do not want photography careers. Many love the fact that people appreciate their imagery, and that is enough for them.

Photography for many is a passion and an art. Charging for their work takes away their reasons for doing it. Uploading to Unsplash, Pexels or to Flickr with a Creative Commons zero license is a way to get more peoples eyes on their work. And the feedback and likes are their rewards.

This is not wrong. Some people have to accept that others live their lives by different rules, with their own set of morals and they can do whatever they want with their photos. You might not agree, but that is life.

Finally, even if you are right (in your opinion), you cannot educate everybody. It is the equivalent of trying to push water uphill. Many will admire your determination, but unfortunately, in the end, it is futile.

Sebastian Unrau on Unsplash

Should I upload to Unsplash?

Rather than give a yes or no answer to this (I will leave that to you guys in the comments), I thought the best way to conclude this article was to look at what you need to be aware of when uploading to Unsplash. Things that you might not know that could help you make informed choices.

Exposure doesn’t pay the bills

Lots of photographers will have heard some variation of the following phrase: “We can’t afford to pay you, but it will be great exposure.”

The problem is, exposure doesn’t pay the bills. I can’t pay for my electricity with a photo credit. And, I can’t pay for my food with exposure either.

However, I have done work for exposure, to get in with the right people, that has lead to paid work. I wrote about this in a previous blog post.

There is no doubt that Unsplash provides photographers with great exposure. Unsplash is used by influential people every day. Being on the platform is a great way to get your work seen by these people. There are stories of people out there who, through their work on Unsplash, have been offered high-paid jobs with major clients. However, this is not the norm.

Unsplash, will more than likely not make you any money. Microstock may make you a small amount of money, but without a huge library, this is not an income you can use to start saving for a Ferrari. In fact, you will probably struggle to buy a toy Ferrari.

It is important to go into this with this in mind.

You will not get the respect you deserve

People who use your images will generally not bother to credit you. Most of them will not even care about you. You may end up on the cover of a high-end magazine and never even know about it. For better or worse, this is how Unsplash works. Your photos are free, and they will be treated as such. Your work (and by extension you) will generally be given zero respect.

Zack Arias summed this up best in one of his videos on the subject of Unsplash. He tells the story of a woman whose photo was used on a gift guide for a major UK bridal publication. The photographer was not informed about this or offered a copy of the magazine for her portfolio. Instead, she simply happened to stumble across it when browsing magazines in a coffee shop. This magazine’s full-page ad rate is £10,000, and she did not even get a photo credit or an email to thank her. This shows you the value placed on your work.

The thrill of getting featured can lose a little shine when you look at it like this.

Sasha • Stories on Unsplash

The people problem

This is the educational part. The Unsplash license does not cover the use of an identifiable person in a commercial setting. You, as the photographer, are liable. If a photo ends up being used commercially via Unsplash and you do not have a model release, then you had better have deep pockets (and a good legal team), because if the subject in the photo objects, you are in big trouble.

A model release should be completed by anyone whose photo you plan to upload to Unsplash, even family members or partners. A partner can soon become an angry ex-partner with a grudge. If a photo of them you uploaded to Unsplash gets used commercially, you may end up in a world of pain.

A simple Google search will help you find an appropriate model release. There are also many model release apps. This allows you to digitally store the release and allow the model to sign it on your phone. Simply put, there is no excuse for not using a model release; you need to protect yourself. This should be something you always do when photographing models, Unsplash or not.

Is Unsplash really ruining photography?

Is Unsplash ruining photography? No. It’s changing it.

Photography, like many industries, is in constant flux. It is disrupting traditional income models, but I think microstock was much more disruptive.

Is Unsplash taking advantage of people? Again, it depends on your point of view.

The people who upload to Unsplash know what they are doing. Some may be naive in thinking this is the easy way to photography stardom. However, I bet that for some of them, it will be the start of a great career. Just because it is different, doesn’t always make it wrong.

What do you think? Share with us in the comments below.

The post Is Unsplash Really an Issue for Photographers? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

Digital Photography School

June 23, 2019
Weekly Photography Challenge – Food

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

This week’s photography challenge topic is FOOD!

Photo by Darina Kopcok

Go out and capture your lovely cafe lunch, or restaurant dinner, something you have baked/made yourself. Just be sure you do it creatively! They can be color, black and white, moody or bright. You get the picture! Have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Photo by Nisha Ramroop

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

Tips for Shooting FOOD

How to Make Easy and Affordable DIY Food Photography Backdrops

The dPS Ultimate Guide to Food Photography

The Best Camera Gear for Food and Still Life Photography

Are You Making These Five Food Photography Mistakes?

4 Tips for Beginners to Food Photography

How to Take Cool Food Photos in Your Refrigerator

Weekly Photography Challenge – FOOD

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 #DPSfood 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 – Food appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School

June 22, 2019
Tiniest Interchangable Lens Micro Four Thirds Cameras for Travel with Amazing Quality
The post Tiniest Interchangable Lens Micro Four Thirds Cameras for Travel with Amazing Quality appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this video by MarkusPix, he looks at some of the tiniest ILC micro-four-thirds cameras and shows how well they hold up on his travels when taking some portraits.

In the video, he specifically looks at the Panasonic Lumix GX1 (2012), GX850 (2017), GM1 (2013), GM5 (2014) and uses the M Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 lens (which he describes as a great portrait lens).

He also uses the Godox Ad200 with the world’s smallest flash trigger – the FlashQ.

?

Panasonic Lumix GM1 (2013)

He states that the GM1 is one of the smallest and lightest ILC M4/3 cameras in the world. It has no viewfinder, hot shoe or image stabilization. However, the GM1 has a 16mp CMOS sensor, with a shutter speed of up to 1/16,000th, face detection, built-in wireless, built-in flash, video, and time-lapse recording.

Panasonic Lumix GM5 (2014)

Mark also states that the GM5 is one of the smallest and lightest ILC M4/3 cameras in the world. It has similar features to the GM1 but the GM5 has an electronic viewfinder and a flash shoe.

Panasonic Lumix GX1 Black (2012)

The GX! has a hotshot and can take an optional EVF (you can’t use a flash while using the optional EVF as it connects to the flash hotshoe). It has some similar features as the above cameras, but it also has optical image stabilization and built-in flash. The battery door opens all the time and the menu is confusing.

Panasonic Lumix GX850 (2017)

The GX850 (also known as the GX800 and GF9) has no EVF or hotshoe, but has a tilting screen, better LCD resolution, focus stacking and face detection. The images are very sharp. It also has a built-in flash.

So check out his experiments and see if you think these cameras would make a great (lightweight) travel companion.

Have you used these cameras? Do you agree? What are your thoughts?

Or do you have any cameras you’d add to the list?

Share with us in the comments below.

You may also find the following helpful:
- Full Frame VS Crop Sensor VS Micro Four Thirds: Camera Sensors Explained
- Some of the Pros of Using Micro Four-Thirds Cameras for Wildlife Photography
- My experience with a micro-4/3rds camera – (Panasonic GF1 Review)
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 Review
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 Review
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 Review
The post Tiniest Interchangable Lens Micro Four Thirds Cameras for Travel with Amazing Quality appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School
June 21, 2019
5 Scenarios Where You Should Use Luminosity Masks
The post 5 Scenarios Where You Should Use Luminosity Masks appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Christian Hoiberg.

The world of post-processing is a big world with endless possibilities. Every photographer applies photo editing tools in their own way, and we all have different purposes of what we want to convey through our photography. For me, post-processing is a way to overcome certain limitations found within the camera and to better represent what I experienced in the field. For this purpose, I use both Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop.

I used Luminosity Masks to selectively process this image

While I do most of the work in Lightroom, there are several techniques I apply that can only be done in Photoshop. Some of these techniques are quite popular, while other techniques are the result of spending too many hours playing around and trying various things. The one thing I often notice when viewing images from aspiring photographers, or when talking post-processing with my workshop clients, is that every effect is applied globally. I believe that is a BIG mistake.

Certain effects should only be applied to specific parts of an image. That’s where Layers and Masks in Photoshop come in handy. However, I like to make my selections more accurate than just painting with a black/white brush on a Layer Mask, which is why Luminosity Masks have become an important part of my workflow. I’m not going to get into what they are and how to create them in this article. If you don’t know how to create them, I suggest you read this article first so that what I discuss in this article makes sense to you. I will be covering 5 scenarios where you should use Luminosity Masks.

1. Use Luminosity Masks to apply contrast

Let’s step out of Photoshop and into the Lightroom RAW editor for a moment to take a look at what happens when you increase the contrast slider:

Pulling Lightroom’s Contrast slider to the right brightens the brights and darken the darks, without taking into consideration how dark the darks are and how bright the brights are. That will quite often result in shadows becoming pure black and the brightest highlights becoming pure white. Yes, you can avoid this by adjusting the slider more gently or playing with the Highlights/Shadows sliders (which I often do in addition). However, there’s another way that’s even better: apply contrast using a Luminosity Mask.

I’ve already applied contrast and made basic raw adjustments when opening this file in Photoshop. So when I now keep working with the contrast, I don’t want to affect the brightest highlights or the darkest shadows. That means that I only want to apply contrast to the midtones. This is easily achieved in Photoshop by creating a Midtones Luminosity Mask (I often go for Midtones 2, but make sure to create the other masks as well) and applying it to the Curves Layer Mask (you can also use a Levels or Contrast Adjustment Layer):

The Midtones 2 Luminosity Mask applied to the Curves Layer Mask

Looking at the mask above, we can see that we’re not affecting the darker parts of the image when adjusting the contrast. The effect will also be less visible in the brightest parts. If you’re not quite sure what you’re looking at above, remember this phrase when talking about Layer Masks: White Reveals, Black Conceals.

2. Selectively work on color balance

The second adjustment that should be done through a Luminosity Mask is Color Balance. Globally working with color will often result in strong color casts.

Let’s say that you want to cool down the shadows of an image by using a Color Balance Adjustment Layer. The common method would be to set the color balance tone to Shadows and pull the cyan slider to the left and the blue slider to the right, such as this:

Doing this simple adjustment has given a nice cold color cast to the shadows but, unfortunately, it’s affected more than just the darker parts of the image. Also, less dark areas (areas which are not considered bright), have been affected more than I wanted. Even the highlights seem slightly faded.

If I make this exact same adjustment through a Darks 3 Luminosity Mask, the result is quite different:

Notice that the colder color cast has been applied to the darkest parts of the image, which is what I initially aimed for. The midtones and highlights are entirely left alone and remain the same as they did before applying the adjustment.

3. Darken a bright sky with Luminosity Masks

Another good use of Luminosity Masks is to darken a too bright sky (in this scenario, it’s important that there’s still information to be pulled out of the bright parts). A quick look at the RAW file below shows us that the left side sky is slightly too bright. I still want it to be brighter than the right since the sun sits just left of the frame. However, I want to get some of the details back from the overly bright areas.

Using a Curves Layer Adjustment without a mask will affect other parts of the image too. So, again, let’s do it through a Luminosity Mask. The Brights 4 mask seemed best for this particular image:

Remember, only the white parts of the mask will be affected by the adjustment. As you see above, that means that the majority of the image won’t be affected whatsoever.

With the Brights 4 Luminosity Mask selected, create a Curves Adjustment Layer and darken by pulling the middle part of the line downwards. We’ve now successfully darkened the bright sky:

4. Blend multiple images using Luminosity Masks

Digital cameras have had a great boost in improvement in a short time, but there’s still one thing that they struggle to do: capture the full dynamic range when working with bright skies and dark foregrounds. This certainly is something camera manufacturers are working on. I’m blown away by how far its come, but it’s still not good enough for many of the scenarios landscape photographers work in.

The workaround is to capture multiple exposures of the same frame with different shutter speeds. Typically, you capture one dark, one base, and one bright image. You then blend these images in post-processing where both the foreground and sky is correctly exposed.

There are a million ways to do this, but one of the most accurate is to use Luminosity Masks in Photoshop. It might sound advanced, but let me show you just how easy it is.

Let’s say we want to blend these two images to get back the lost information in the blown out sky. (To keep this simple, I only blend two exposures here. But, I strongly recommend the 3rd exposure as well to use in the brightest part):

I prefer to have the bright layer on the top and paint in the darker exposure, but either way is perfectly fine. If you prefer having the dark exposure on the top, just do the opposite of what I explain in the next few steps.

Here’s how you easily blend the images using Luminosity Masks:
1. Place the bright exposure on the top
2. Align the layers to avoid ghosting (select both layers and go to Edit -> Auto-Align Layers)
3. Add a white Layer Mask to the top layer
4. Create a Brights Luminosity Mask (the exact mask depends on the image. I used Brights 3 for this example)
5. Use a black brush at 0% hardness and 50% opacity and brush repeatedly on the areas where you want to reveal the darker exposure. Repeat until you’ve got a smooth blend.
That’s it! Not to hard right? In a matter of minutes I was able to blend the two images above into this:

As mentioned, this image still needs one darker exposure to be painted back into the brightest area close to the suns’ position. This is quite easy, and all you need to do is have another darker layer at the bottom and use a more restricted Brights mask on the middle layer to reveal it.

5. To apply Glow Effects

The final adjustment I strongly recommend doing selectively rather than globally is any glow effect. There’s no need to add a strong Orton Effect to the shadows of a picture, right?

There are two “guidelines” that I follow when creating a glow effect:
1. Never apply it to the closest foreground (keep the foreground sharp)
2. Avoid adding too much to the shadows
Since there might be highlights in the foreground, I’m going to combine a Luminosity Mask and free painting on the mask in this scenario. Again, this is quite easy and you can achieve it by following a few quick steps:
1. Create a glow effect on a new layer
2. Create a wide Brights mask and apply it onto the layer
3. Grab a soft black brush at a medium opacity and remove the adjustment from the immediate foreground by painting directly onto the layer mask
By following these simple steps we have added a nice soft glow to the highlights of the image.

The point of adding a glow effect, in my opinion, is not to make the entire image look soft and hazy but to add a little extra depth and atmosphere. I have achieved this by selectively applying it.

What next?

These are just a few adjustments that I recommend applying through a Luminosity Mask. They have become an essential part of my processing workflow during the past several years. I use them in one or another way for the majority of my images. Sometimes I apply to sharpen through them, other times contrast. There really are endless opportunities.

The post 5 Scenarios Where You Should Use Luminosity Masks appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Christian Hoiberg.

Digital Photography School
June 21, 2019
Tips for Creating Better Documentary Travel Photos
The post Tips for Creating Better Documentary Travel Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Good documentaries tell a story, often with the help of a narrator. To add interest to your travel photos you can employ the same techniques.

Showing your family and friends endless pictures of your recent adventures may seem exciting to you. You were there. You had the experience. They didn’t. If you want them to sit through your latest travel slideshow, you need to make it interesting.

I had a lovely conversation with this man. He and his wife come to sell vegetables at their market stall each day. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Here are some tips on how to add more interest to your photos and create better documentary travel photos.

Tell a story with your photographs

Planning your trip took time and effort. Deciding where you wanted to go, what you wanted to see and how long you would stay. Why not include your photography in the planning stage as well?

Think about why you’re going and what you’ll be doing. How can you turn this into a story? Think about adding a connecting thread of what interests and attracts you most to each location you’ll visit.

Make a list of some themes you can follow. Each day you are traveling, check your list and make sure to include some of the items in your photos.

You might want to photograph:
- specific architectural aspects
- local artists working
- old people’s faces
- coffee shops
- street signs
- advertising hoardings.
Consider what’s most relevant to the places you’ll go. Which of these interest you the most and will make the best photo opportunities. Plan to spend more time at these locations.

Many tourists choose to rent bicycles for sightseeing in Chiang Mai because the city is mostly flat. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Get the whole picture

One trick I learned when starting out in video production was to always capture wide, medium and close-up angles. This allows for more flexibility to build up the whole picture when editing. The same works when creating documentary travel photography.

I often encourage our travel photography workshop participant to imagine they are working for a magazine. They need to produce a series of images for their editor to show the essence of each place they visit.

Only capturing wide or close-up details is not going to build a complete picture.

Close up of large red chilies. The larger the chilly, the milder it is. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

You need to get in close. Show the texture and patterns.

Muang Mai Market in Chiang Mai is the biggest and busiest food market in northern Thailand. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

You need to stand back to encompass the whole scene.

Owners of small shops, restaurants, and household shoppers all come to buy produce at Muang Mai market. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

You need to come in tighter and capture what’s happening at that place.

Include your travel companions

Traveling with other photographers usually makes life easier. You can take your time rather than being hurried along by someone taking snapshots with their phone.

One way to make the most of your time with non-photographer travel companions is to include them in your photos. Make them part of your story.

I don’t mean for you to just take cheesy social-media-styled pictures of your partner. Put them in the story. Show what you’re doing and the interesting aspects of the places you visit. Having the people you’re traveling with in some of your photos makes them more personal.

Including them in some activity helps tell the story. Photograph them ordering meals or coffee. Take pictures of them boarding the boat or rickshaw. Make photos about what you are doing together, not only of what you are looking at.

My wife and I enjoyed meeting the locals at Pompee village when we traveled to Myanmar. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Take time out

If including your travel companions is not possible, take time out for photography. Arrange time each day to spend time with your camera with no other objective.

Rushing from place to place without taking the time to engage in your photography story is frustrating. Give yourself permission to enjoy using your camera.

This may mean having to wake up earlier than others you’re traveling with. It might be ducking out of the restaurant while you’re waiting for your lunch or dinner to be prepared. You will find it’s worth it because you will get better photographs when you can take your time.

This ornate temple complex on the outskirts of Chiang Mai includes examples of Lanna and Shan temple architecture. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Book a photography workshop

Many popular travel destinations offer opportunities for travel photography workshops or photo tours.

Investing in either of these will undoubtedly mean you will come away with better photos. You’ll be experiencing the location with a photographer who knows it more intimately. They will be able to take you to the most interesting places at the best times for photos.

Taking a photography workshop you’ll also learn some new skills. Being on vacation is a great time to learn because you can put into practice what you learn immediately.

A good travel photography workshop will incorporate teaching camera and photography skills. You’ll also learn local cultural information which will improve your photography experience.

Kevin Landwer-Johan teaching a photography workshop in Chiang Mai, Thailand. © Pansa Landwer-Johan

Take more photos and edit them

Take more photos than you think you need to. Then choose the best.

Don’t go crazy and make snapshots of everything you see. A good subject does not make a good photograph. You don’t want to return home with hundreds of photos you could have made with your phone.

When you find something interesting to photograph, look at it from different angles. Consider how it will look from different points of view. Walk around and make a series of photos. Wide, medium and close up of the same subject.

Taking time to do this will mean you have more to work with to help tell your story. If you’re not taking enough photos, you may regret it later when you see gaps in your narrative.

Weeding out the rubbish photos and only showing the best ones is important. No one will want to look through all the photos you take. Be discerning and be selective about which ones you choose to share. This will help you in taking better photos next time you travel too.

Tuk-tuks are an iconic part of Chiang Mai’s public transport. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Caption your photographs

Captioning your photographs is like adding a narrative to your story.

Include details of the location and maybe the time of day when it’s relevant. Think about how you can add information which will enhance your photograph. Don’t always include the obvious. You don’t need to describe what can already be seen.

A caption may be a few words or several sentences. Your caption should be succinct and informative. Don’t waffle or include irrelevant information. Use your captions to support your photos and enhance your story.

I found an alternative point of view to take this photo of a tuk-tuk. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Conclusion

Vacation travel is usually exciting. You see and experience new and interesting things more frequently than when you’re at home. This trends for more interesting photographs.

You want to put together a documentary travel photography story that will not put your family and friends to sleep. Tell your story well and you’ll inspire them to travel too.

The post Tips for Creating Better Documentary Travel Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Digital Photography School
June 20, 2019
6 Ways to Make Your Photography Stand Out
The post 6 Ways to Make Your Photography Stand Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

When was the last time you googled your city and your genre photographer? I tried this the other day, and I used ‘Chicago lifestyle’ and ‘travel photographer.’ The search results returned 18.5K results. Yes, that is ‘K’ as in thousands.

Photography is an extremely competitive field and it can be difficult to make your photography stand out. Low cost of entry in terms of gear, free online tutorials and a pool of clients who want everything for ‘free’ or ‘low budget’ means there is work for anyone who wants to get into the field. Sure, some genres are harder to get into than others, perhaps. But the reality is that if you want to get paid to take photos for someone else, chances are you will be able to do that relatively easily.

Now, I am not against any of this. We all start somewhere, and I had also done the ‘free’ photoshoot when I was starting to get my feet wet. I understand all that is needed to become a photographer.

But I quickly learned that the $ 50 or $ 100 photoshoots are not worth my time, effort, and talent. As a photographer, there are many expenses such as:
- gear insurance
- business registration
- taxes
- administrative overheads including website domain name and hosting
- travel costs etc.,
I was effectively paying people to let me take their photo.

That math did not add up and made no sense what so ever.

If you want to make it long term in the photography industry, there are several things you need to do to get yourself on the right track and stand out from the rest of the crowd when it comes to your skill, your business practices and your presence – on and offline!

1. Consistency

Don’t be a one-hit wonder. Consistently create and produce new work. Even if that work is just for you, personal projects or collaborative projects.

If you have to do ‘free’ or ‘low budget’ shoots, have a plan on when, how, and what you are going to get and give from these shoots. Spending 6 months providing free shoots or low-cost shoots to build up your portfolio is okay, but taking 2 years to do so is a bit much.

Also, realize that free/low-cost shoots tend to look very different from clients who are willing to spend $ 1000 or more on a family photo shoot. So be practical with your goals.

It took me years of practice to find a style that I liked and that worked with my personal asthetic – a clean, bright style of imagery.

2. Authenticity

A lot of photographers offer styled photo shoots and portfolio-building photoshoots. This is where a bunch of photographers walk through a styled setup and create work that they can showcase on their portfolio. There is nothing wrong with this but only if you use this as a way to build your skill.

For example, you are editing clients of different skin tones, learning how to photograph in challenging light or how to pose and interact with clients. Don’t use these images as ‘your’ work. You are better off indicating images from a styled shoot as such than you are in showcasing work/styling that isnt your own.

I love 1:1 styled shoot because they give me creative freedom and a chance to create unique images.

Instead of consistently looking for styled shoots for building a portfolio, invest in one of your own. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or fancy. Loop in a few vendors and see if you can set something up that can fit your brand and theirs. This is a win-win for all involved. That way, you create unique images and also make friends in the industry.

3. Play well with others in this space

This relates to number 2. Make friends in the industry. I belong to many FB groups and Whatsapp groups for creatives and photographers. We meet, chat, connect over business issues as well as offer advice and help as needed. I also am a part of a group with many different kinds of entrepreneurs to build a community of like-minded people and professionals. I have gotten a lot of business from these groups but have also made some life long friends and mentors. People who are always there for me because I am always there for them.

A collaborative photoshoot with a fellow photographer to create portfolio and editorial photos. The image is a triple exposure on film.

No matter what level of business you are at or even if you are just a hobbyist, there are always people who are just like you and are looking for the same things as you – friendship, love for photography and camaraderie. Give out as much as you can, be helpful and uplift others who are on this journey with you. The more you put out there, the more you will receive from the universe.

4. Patience is key

Photography is a very competitive industry. At any given point in time, there are bound to be people who can do something better than you. And that is totally okay. Know where your strengths lie and use those to your advantage. Aim to be in it for the long haul and not just the short term gigs that are one and done deals. Build relationships with your clients so that they will refer you and come back time and time again for quality results.

Success doesn’t happen overnight. Be consistent and be patient, and things will happen in their own time.

5. Success your way

Whether you choose to be in business or not, be true to your art. Get inspiration from other photographers and daily life. There are many amazing things around us at any given point in time. Just because no-one else photographs it, does not make it boring. Similarly, think outside the box. Just because everyone photographs something a certain way, does not mean you have to follow the pack.

When you are starting out, don’t obsess over clients, getting work, and making money. Yes, they are absolutely important but take the time to perfect your art (to the point where you are confident charging money for your photography). Then, money and fame will follow.

6. Have a 360 approach to your career

When I used to work in Corporate America many many years ago, one of the companies I worked for had a 360-degree approach to annual performance evaluation. My performance was judged by how effective I was in four areas: my peers in my team and across teams, my managers, and those who worked for me. Apply this approach to your photography. No matter where you are committed to helping those just starting out, collaborate with your peers, learn from those who are where you want to be. This can be in terms of meetups, workshops, and conferences or even just meeting for a cup of coffee to connect with others.

I started teaching technique at conferences and love meeting and connecting with other photographers who have become good friends.

Your photography career and mindset around your work and your art will grow in leaps and bounds when you have a mindset of abundance instead of scarcity.

Conclusion

If you have read through this article in its entirety, you would have noticed that I talked nothing about camera brands, lens, lighting, models, posing etc.

In my opinion, the tips for making your photography stand out from the crowd focus on things that are more important. Your attitude towards yourself and others, your mindset, your willingness to get help and help others, and your long term vision for where you want to be, are far more important than your skill with the camera. After all, almost anyone can take a picture – simply point and shoot. It takes a lot more to become a successful photographer who consistently creates art.

The post 6 Ways to Make Your Photography Stand Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

Digital Photography School
June 20, 2019
The 7 Nature Photography Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making
The post The 7 Nature Photography Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Do you like to do nature photography?

Then you might be making these 7 mistakes.

And here’s the thing:

These nature photography mistakes are the kind that you don’t even know you’re making. They’re the type of mistakes that are easy to miss, but they’re absolutely critical to your photography.

To discover these mistakes (and to ensure you never make them again!), read on!

1. Shooting under bad lighting

I’m going to start with the single most critical, most common mistake I see nature photographers making:

Shooting in poor lighting conditions.

Because good light is absolutely essential to good nature photography.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that without good light, you cannot get a good photo. It’s so easy to have the perfect setup, the perfect composition, and the perfect settings…

…only to ruin the shot with bad light.

So what counts as bad light?

Two main situations.

First, shooting under the harsh, midday sun will pretty much always ruin your shots. The midday sun just isn’t good for nature photography!

And second, shooting in low light, at any time of the day. Unless you’re shooting with a tripod, your shots will end up grainy or blurry, which you definitely don’t want.

Which begs the question:

What is good light?

I recommend that you do nature photography at two main times.

First, you can capture some great nature photography under cloudy skies. Cloudy light is especially great for photography that involves color because the clouds diffuse the light and saturate the colors.

Second, you can always rely on the golden hours, which are the two hours after sunrise and before sunset. Golden-hour light is warm, wonderful and, well, golden. It’s perfect for capturing that stunning, once-in-a-lifetime shot.

In fact, most of the best nature photography you’ve seen was probably taken during golden hour. It’s just that amazing!

2. Shooting your subject from a standing height

Here’s another common nature photography mistake:

Not paying attention to your angle!

(More specifically, photographing from a standing height, so that you’re shooting down toward your subject.)

This is especially problematic in wildlife and macro photography, where shooting downward conveys a sense of dominance and separation.

Instead of shooting downward, try to get on a level with your subject. That way, the viewer will feel much more connected, like they’re in the same world as your subject.

And don’t just shoot from a single angle. Try to experiment with different possibilities, and take note of the way a different angle results in a different nature photo.

This is a great way to get out of a creative rut: Force yourself to shoot a subject from an angle you’ve never used before. Get on the ground and shoot upward!

3. Using a (slightly) messy background

In nature photography, the background is absolutely essential.

If you don’t include the perfect background, then your photos just won’t stun the viewer.

And one of the easiest mistakes to make is using a messy background.

You’ve got to do everything you can to avoid the mess. You must avoid chaos. Instead, you need to produce a background that’s as simple as possible:
- Uniform in color
- No additional subjects
- No lines or shapes
Your goal is to make your subject stand out. And to do that, you have to eliminate everything that’s unnecessary in the background. Only include the essentials.

4. Photographing low-quality subjects

Once you’ve found a subject…

…do you check to make sure that it’s not damaged, dirty, or poor quality?

It’s so easy to forget this step. And yet it’s critical to capturing a stunning nature photo.

I recommend you always do a quick evaluation of your subject.

If it’s a flower, then you’ll want to ask yourself:
- Are there any blemishes or holes?
- Are there any spots of dirt or mud?
- Are there any insects in the center of the flower?
If it’s a landscape, then think about:
- Whether there’s any litter or human-made items
- Whether your foreground subject is damaged
Your evaluation doesn’t need to be in-depth. You should just spend enough time to be certain your subject is in good shape.

5. Not including a point of focus in your compositions

This is another quick way to ruin a great nature photo.

Because basically, every composition must have a point of focus.

By this, I mean that you must include a subject. Something that viewers can latch onto. The subject can be whatever you like (as long as it’s there!).

If you’re shooting landscapes, then try to include a subject in both the foreground and the background. Ideally, the foreground subject will lead the eye to the background.

If you’re shooting wildlife, then your subject is pretty much guaranteed. Just make sure that you emphasize the wildlife in your photo!

And if you’re shooting macro photos, then make sure that an aspect of your subject is tack-sharp, so that your viewer’s eyes go straight to it.

6. Shooting low-contrast scenes

This mistake is a bit more advanced, but still important to keep in mind.

When you’re doing nature photography, you should strive to avoid ultra-low contrast scenes.

By ‘low-contrast scenes,’ I’m referring to those with very little variation in tone (that is, lights and darks) and color.

A low-contrast scene might be almost entirely white.

Or it might be entirely red, or blue, or black.

What’s the problem with low-contrast scenes?

The lack of contrast makes every element blend in. So no single element stands out, and the photo becomes boring.

Which is exactly what you want to avoid.

Instead, look for scenes where the subject pops off the background. And look for scenes where you have some nice shadows and nice highlights.

I should note: It is possible to use low-contrast scenes for an artistic effect. But you have to do it deliberately, and it’s extremely easy to mess it up.

So I recommend you stick to high-contrast scenes. That’s how you’ll avoid low-contrast issues!

7. Not post-processing your nature photos

There are three fundamental aspects of every nature photo. They are:
1. Light
2. Composition
3. Post-Processing
If you can nail all three of these things, then you’re set. Your photos will be stunning. And we’ve already talked about light, and how you should shoot during the golden hours. We’ve already talked about composition, and how you must include a point of focus.

But we haven’t talked about post-processing. And here’s the thing:

Without post-processing, your nature photos just won’t stand out. Because editing is what adds that finishing touch, that last bit of shine, to your nature photography.

Now, you don’t have to do much editing. But there are a few things I recommend you do to every photo:
1. Check the exposure. It’s especially common to let your photos remain underexposed. So make sure that the shadows in your photo still look nice and detailed.
2. Check the contrast. In general, I recommend boosting the contrast of your nature photos. This gives an extra bit of punch and will help your images stand out.
3. Check the saturation. While it’s easy to overdo this step, a little bit of saturation goes a long way. You want your colors to look deep, but natural.
If you can just follow these three steps, then your nature photography will look so much better.

Nature photography mistakes: conclusion

Now you should know all about these seven deadly nature photography mistakes.

And you’re prepared to avoid them!

The key is to just keep a lookout. Maybe even create a checklist.

Then, when you’re shooting in the field, you’ll make sure that none of these happens, and your photography will turn out better than ever.

Have any nature photography mistakes that I didn’t discuss? Share them in the comments!

The post The 7 Nature Photography Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School
June 19, 2019