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How to Choose the Perfect Photography Background

28 Aug

The post How to Choose the Perfect Photography Background appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Choosing the perfect photography background is as important as choosing your subject. A background is usually best if it helps enhance your main subject and complements it.

First, you need to consider your subject and your intent for taking photos of it. Then, consider how your subject works with the background. Are your subject and background conflicting? If they are, you must then use some method of controlling the background.

How to Choose the Perfect Photography Background Pink Dahlia

Some subjects will look great in a photograph against their natural backdrop. A pink flower against foliage, for example. Others you’ll have to work with to make them stand out or to better relate to their surroundings. This depends on your intent.

What’s your intent for the subject?

Do you want your main subject to be the focus of the viewer’s attention? If so, you must manage your technique in making the photograph so that your subject is most obvious.

Isolating your subject can be achieved in many ways. Some of the main ways to accomplish this are:

Place it against a plain background
Make sure there’s enough tonal or color contrast between your subject and the background
Use a shallow depth of field to blur your background

How to Choose the Perfect Photography Background Used Coffee Cups

In this example, the coffee cups are on a plain black background. Lack of detail and high contrast ensures the main subject stands out.

Alternatively, you may decide to incorporate your background into the meaning of your photographs. Placing your main subject in context with its surroundings can often add depth of meaning.

A typical example of this is an environmental portrait. This style of photography uses the background and surroundings to add narrative to the image.

how-to-choose-the-perfect-photography-background

In this portrait of a copper craftsman working on his art, the environment helps build a story. His father looking on, the tools and other items on the shelves behind, are all an essential part of the portrait.

My intent was to tell a story illustrating his occupation. If I’d photographed him against a plain background, the photograph would contain very little narrative.

How point of view determines background

Naturally, where you choose to stand will determine what is behind your main subject.

When you find an interesting subject, don’t only photograph it from one perspective. Move around it. See how it looks if you stand on the other side. The background may be completely different.

Even a slight change in your position can alter what will be visible in the background. Move to your left or right. Shift your view up or down a little. How does this change the relationship between your subject and background?

Coming at a low angle to make this landscape, I’ve included the ice boulders, mountains, and glacier in the background. The composition gives context to the ice in the foreground. If I had stood in the same place, looking down at the ice boulders, there would have only been rocks in the background.

Moving closer or further away from your subject also determines what’s in view behind your subject. Changing your lens focal length does too but in different ways. Moving closer with a wide-angle lens has a very different result than standing in the same spot and zooming in.

Always experiment to see what will be included and excluded.

How contrast determines background

If your main subject is darker or lighter than the background, this can determine the significance of the composition.

A dark subject against a light background looks very different than a lighter subject against a dark background. Generally, a dark background helps isolate a subject. It can also allow for more detail to be visible in the subject.

Choice of exposure can affect this, as in the photos above of the tree. Both were taken a few minutes apart. All I did was to expose for the tree in the first image and let the sky become overexposed.

In the second photo, I exposed for the sky to show the detail in the clouds. In both images, the tree is isolated, but the feel of the photos is very different.

Controlling depth of field to determine background

Depth of field control is a good way to manage your background. Choosing how much or how little is in focus allows you to manage your intention.

By completely blurring a background, you effectively isolate your subject. Partially blurring the background leaves some idea of what’s in the background. But it doesn’t have to be distracting.

In this close up of the detail on an old bicycle, I waited until the person on the other bike rode past. My settings were such that it’s obvious it’s a bike in the background.

If I’d chosen to take the photo with a shallower depth of field, the passing bike might have blurred completely. Then it would not have added anything to the photo. If I’d had everything in sharp focus, the passing bike would have been distracting.

Learn to control how much or how little of your composition is in focus. This is an essential tool in determining your background.

Conclusion

Making intentional choices about the background is essential to making strong photographs. I am often surprised when I’m teaching photography workshops how little attention people pay to the background.

It’s easy to become transfixed on a wonderful subject. Focusing on other aspects of photography like exposure, you must remember to look at the background as well.

Be intentional. Include only what you want to see. Limit or exaggerate the amount of background detail depending on what you want. The amount of control you have over the background will determine the strength of your photographs.

Do you have any other tips for choosing the perfect photography background? Share with us in the comments!

The post How to Choose the Perfect Photography Background appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

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How to take Great Flower Photos without a Macro Lens

27 Aug

The post How to take Great Flower Photos without a Macro Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Are you interested to try some flower photography but you get discouraged by guides telling you to get a macro lens? I was too at first, but macro is not the only way to get some amazing pictures. Keep reading for some tips on how to take great flower photos without a macro lens or buying any new equipment or accessory.

Flower Photography Detail Close Up

Detail and depth of field

One of the reasons photographers recommend a macro lens is to capture small details with shallow depth of field. Some offer alternatives like extension tubes or reverse rings that allow you to focus while being very close to your subject. This is, in fact, a nice look for flower photography, but if you’re not ready to invest in new gear, there are other ways to get it.

Focal Distance: 55mm, f/13, 1/400th, ISO 640

I shot this image using a 55mm lens with f/13, 1/400th shutter speed and 640 ISO. As you can see, I managed to get reasonably close, so never let the lack of equipment prevent you from practicing.

You can start by using a wide aperture and the longest focal distance you have to experiment from there. In order to make the best out of the equipment you have, check out the article How to Control Depth of Field in Your Photography.

Draw inspiration from nature

Now that we’ve covered the macro effect, let’s broaden the horizon and think big. There’s much more to flower photography than just the details. Flowers come in all shapes and colors, so include all those natural elements and use them to your advantage.

Flower Photography in Nature

Composition

There are many rules that you can use as guidelines to create interesting images. To learn more about them I recommend the article How to Apply Compositional Theory to Still Life Photography.

In this photo below, I lowered my point of view so I could create three different segments following the rule of thirds: flowers, trees, and the sky.

The Rule of Thirds and point of view help your composition.

Color contrast

Using color as a compositional element is very easy to do when photographing flowers. Because they are so vibrant, you’ll always find one that stands out. You can put contrasting colors next to each other to make elements stand out while still being in harmony. You can start by isolating a subject against the background and work your way up to include more elements.

How-to-take-Great-Flower-Photos-without-a-Macro-Lens

Tones or patterns

Another way to use color in your images is to use only one to dominate the image. It may sound easy and perhaps dull, but in reality, if you incorporate different tones of the same color or a pattern, it can become a subject in itself. Megan Kennedy wrote a number of articles here on DPS called Master Colors Series covering the psychology and evolution of each color. Check them all out for inspiration!

Hues and tones from the same color

The cultural aspect

Now that we’ve passed aesthetics and are into content let’s say that flowers are much more than just pretty subjects. They speak their own language as we have given them all sorts of cultural meanings. The color, the season, and even the presentation change our perception. We use them in joyous celebrations and on the occasion of grief, passing through all other kinds of events. When you incorporate this matter on top of the visual aspect, things can become really interesting.

Still life

Defining the line between photography genres is always a tricky subject. Are all flower photography images a still life? No. Are all still life images flower photography? Also, no. But the two genres often intersect, so play within that field to stage your images. You can use different elements, adjust the lighting and even some post-production. To get you started here are some Simple Methods for Creating Better Still Life Images.

Still life is great for flower photography

Conclusion

I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t buy a macro lens or any other gear and accessories, especially if you are planning on becoming a professional. However, there’s much versatility in flower photography so you can do without them. Of course, you can also look into many creative techniques like double exposure, light painting, or dynamic zoom.

Do you have other ideas to take flower photos without a macro lens? Share in the comment section!

The post How to take Great Flower Photos without a Macro Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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4 Necessary Reasons to Look Through Your Old Photos

27 Aug

The post 4 Necessary Reasons to Look Through Your Old Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

As photographers, we mustn’t live with our heads stuck in the past. If we’re not trying new ideas, exploring new techniques, or finding ways to push ourselves to be better, we might quickly find ourselves drowning in a sea of irrelevance and mediocrity. However, there is a time and a place to look in the rear-view mirror. Looking back at some of your old photos can have incredible benefits, aside from just happy feelings of nostalgia. Sometimes the best way forward is to look at the path we have taken. Even though to look through your old photos can be embarrassing, there are some clear benefits to doing so.

Reasons-to-Look-Through-Your-Old-Photos

1. It helps you realize you weren’t that bad

I’m a pretty self-conscious guy, and as such, I don’t like looking at pictures of myself. I always find something to criticize, even if they are things that no one else would ever notice! Looking back at some of the earlier pictures in my photography portfolio is the same way. Sometimes seeing the pictures I shot is enough to make me cringe. So I want to throw my old albums out the window!

This is precisely why it’s good to dust off your old photo albums or look through the image folders on your computer you’ve been neglecting for years. Looking through the images you shot when you were new to photography, can more often than not, let you see how you really weren’t as bad and probably much more talented than you realize.

I shot this in 2013. While I had a lot to learn about lighting and editing, it’s actually a pretty decent image.

If the thought of looking at your old pictures makes your skin crawl, there’s a good chance you might have been a lot better than you thought. While your early images were probably not perfect, they can be a source of encouragement. You see that you clearly did have some skills – even if they had a little way to go before maturing.

2. You can learn from your mistakes

Even though your older pictures might not be as bad as you think, you can learn a lot from going through your earlier work. Over the years, you have almost certainly improved your techniques in terms of lighting, composition, framing, or even just posing your clients.

I shot this in 2014 when I didn’t know how to use a reflector but brought one with me to the session anyway. The colors on his face just don’t look right.

I know how it can be painful or embarrassing to scroll through your photos from five or ten years ago. It’s almost like looking through your high school yearbook and cringing at the silly hairstyles and weird fashion choices from days gone by. If you do this with your images, instead of turning away from your mistakes, learn from them. Realize what not to do now and in the future.

The image below is a good example of this. While my clients were happy, and so was I at the time, when I look at this picture now all I see are errors to fix. I shot it with a 50mm lens at f/2.8 and focused on the man in the back, which meant everyone else is out of focus. I didn’t have a sense of how to pose, nor was I really paying attention to lighting. The list goes on.

However, rather than pretend this session didn’t exist, I use it as a learning opportunity.

One of my first portrait sessions, shot in early 2013.

Here’s another illustration of how much I have learned since my early days, especially when it comes to formal sessions. Why is there an orange shoe in the middle of the picture? Also, why is there a giant tree growing out of the head of the child on the left? Why did I use a 1/80th shutter speed?

The world may never know the answers, and I certainly don’t. However, when I see this old picture, it helps me also see what I can do differently today.

Image: Another family portrait session from 2013. Don’t judge me…I was new and didn...

Another family portrait session from 2013. Don’t judge me…I was new and didn’t know what I was doing. My clients liked it though!

3. It helps you refine your editing style

In addition to photography style and techniques, searching through your old pictures can give you a great deal of insight into your editing process.

It’s not easy to see slow, incremental changes over time. However, when you compare your current editing style to that of when you first started, you might be surprised. You may even be shocked at the difference. This can be a learning opportunity and help give you insight into how you might continue to refine and hone your edits.

I took the following picture in the summer of 2013, and I clearly remember spending a long time working with it in Photoshop. The result is what you see here: over-saturated sky, poor dynamic range, and a weird color balance that seems unnatural and icky.

4 Necessary Reasons to Look Through Your Old Photos

When I edited this RAW file, I was way, way over-thinking the process and ended up with kind of a mess. I can still see myself hunched over an old iMac, refining my selections, creating new layers, and fiddling with color edits ad nauseam. Now I’d just pull this into Lightroom, tweak a few sliders, and end up with a much cleaner and more pleasing image.

Here’s another picture that, upon first look, makes me want to chuck my computer out the window and never look at my cameras again.

Shot in the fall of 2014, when I still had an awful lot to learn.

This picture is practically a textbook example of what not to do when shooting or editing a picture. Aside from all the issues in the image itself (soles of shoes, people sitting on an old canvas, awkward posing and hand placements, an disregard for background objects), the editing was atrocious.

My subjects are underexposed. The white balance is all wrong, and there’s no sense of contrast. Moreover, I didn’t bother using any noise reduction, so their faces are kind of patchy if you zoom in to 100%.

I’m a much better editor now than I was back when I shot this seven years ago. When I look at this picture and others like it, I can immediately see how I have changed my editing process over the years. It gives me a few ideas of what I should continue refining in the future.

When I edited this picture in 2013, I didn’t know what I was doing. But looking back at it helps me remember what to do, what not to do, and what I can change in my current style.

4. Early photos can inspire you!

There’s a lot I wish I could take back about my early photography. However, I feel some of my work now lacks something: a spark of life and a sense of abandon. When I first picked up a camera, I would see photo opportunities everywhere; inside my home, walking around the neighborhood, even my office at work.

With clients, I had a much more carefree attitude, shooting whatever I wanted, whether I thought it would look good or not. It was a carefree time when I didn’t worry about (or even know about) proper technique, good lighting, high ISO values, rolling shutter, or any of that. Like a kid in a candy store, I remember latching on to anything and everything around me.

I even set my alarm early so I could take pictures of my kids’ toys in the living room before the sun came up.

I took my camera to a sporting event back in 2014 and shot everything I could see, even if I didn’t know what I was doing. Including these bocce balls sitting on astroturf. I kind of miss that approach, and looking at photos like this helps rekindle it.

When I started taking pictures more seriously, I saw the world differently. Every tree, building, or animal was a fun and exciting photographic opportunity. I’ve lost that over the years. Now I think I over-analyze situations – trying to find the perfect moment, subject, or lighting condition.

Going back through old photos takes me back to a time when I didn’t care about any of that. I just took pictures of what I thought was fun and interesting. It has inspired me to be a little more creative and a little less analytical with my photography now.

Image: I spent half an hour trying to capture this image with my brother in the summer of 2014. We h...

I spent half an hour trying to capture this image with my brother in the summer of 2014. We had such a fun time doing it! I need to do more shots like this…

Looking at your old pictures can bring up some strange emotions, and it can certainly be awkward or feel silly. But buried in your images from days gone by is a treasure trove of education just waiting to be unlocked.

This image of a tree borer I took in 2013 remains one of my favorite insect pictures I have ever taken.

Conclusion

The next time you pull up your photo library on your computer or scroll through images in your photo app, go back to your earliest pictures and see what you can learn from them. You might be surprised at how enjoyable and educational your trip down memory lane can be!

Do you ever look through your old photos? What have you learned from them? Share with us in the comments!

The post 4 Necessary Reasons to Look Through Your Old Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

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Firecrest 77mm 16-Stop Stackable Neutral Density Filter Review

26 Aug

The post Firecrest 77mm 16-Stop Stackable Neutral Density Filter Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

There is something about long exposure photography that is just, for lack of a better word, appealing. Blurring moving elements (like water, clouds, tourists and moving cars) in your images can create an ethereal or even surreal aesthetic that many photographers, myself included, are drawn to. Formatt-Hitech’s Firecrest 16-stop neutral density filters take long exposure photography to the extreme. By allowing ten-minute exposures in the middle of the day, these filters open up long exposure techniques to normally impossible times. And it does it with fantastic results. In this article, I’ll review the Firecrest 77mm 16-stop Stackable Neutral Density Filter.

What is it?

Firecrest-77mm-16-Stop-Stackable-Neutral-Density-Filter

A neutral density filter is a piece of material (glass or resin in most cases) that you affix to the front of your lens. What they do is cut down the amount of light hitting your sensor, increasing the amount of time you need to expose for. Doing this allows you to get longer exposures than you would normally be able to, making it easy to blur water and clouds in a satisfying way.

Most ND filters come in a range of one to three stops. However, five and ten-stop filters are also very popular amongst landscape photographers. During golden hour and blue hour, when light levels are generally quite low, these strengths of filter make it easy to achieve exposures that last for several seconds.

Image: An exposure time of 408 seconds in the middle of the day is impossible without a specialist f...

An exposure time of 408 seconds in the middle of the day is impossible without a specialist filter such as this one.

What a 16-stop filter allows is extremely long exposures even in the brightest of lighting conditions; including midday sun. For example, with a 16-stop filter, an exposure of 1/2000th of a second becomes 30 seconds. In comparison, with a 10-stop filter, that 1/2000th of second exposure becomes 1/2 of a second. You can probably already see the advantage that the denser 16-stop filter provides.

To drive it home, look at the sunny 16 rule, which says that on a bright sunny day, an exposure of f/16 at 1/125th of a second should give you close to a correct exposure (it usually does). With a 10-stop filter, that becomes 8 seconds.

That might be good enough in many cases, but it also won’t completely blur anything other than the fastest moving elements. With 16 stops, that 1/125th of a second becomes 8 minutes and 44 seconds, ensuring anything moving in your frame is either blurred or disappeared.

What is this good for?

Firecrest-77mm-16-Stop-Stackable-Neutral-Density-Filter

A 16-stop ND filter allows you to blur moving objects in your frame, which can lead to more pleasing images.

Being able to blur details out of clouds and water allows you to remove details that might detract from your subject. This lends itself well to minimalist styles of photography. If that fits your taste, the results can be stunning.

Exposures of this length not only blur moving elements within your frame but can also completely remove other moving things. Boats in rivers, tourists in front of landmarks, and anything else that might move through your frame during the exposure time disappears.

A filter of this strength is also good for things like star trails at night.

Before you consider

Image: You may need some extra specialist equipment before you get started, such as the trigger that...

You may need some extra specialist equipment before you get started, such as the trigger that allows the control of your camera with a phone.

The one thing that you need to know before you consider purchasing a filter like this is that you will need some extra equipment you may not already have. A high-quality tripod is an absolute must as you will need to keep your camera absolutely still during the long exposures.

The other thing you need to take into account is some way of controlling your camera. Because many cameras are limited to exposures of 30 seconds, you will need a way to keep the shutter open in bulb mode for the duration of the exposure without touching the camera. There are many options out there, including remotes and cable releases. I used the Pulse time-lapse trigger from Alpine Labs, which lets you control your camera with your phone. There are others available too, like the MIOPS trigger.

An exposure calculator is also an absolute must as you will need to be able to calculate how long your exposures need to be. There are plenty of free options available for both Android and iOS.

The Filter

Firecrest-77mm-16-Stop-Stackable-Neutral-Density-Filter

After shopping around for a bit, I decided on Formatt-Hitech’s circular screw-in Firecrest 77mm 16-Stop stackable neutral density filter. This filter has a few features that make it stand out.

Since I knew that I would not be using any other filters in conjunction with this one, I wanted a circular screw-in variety. That’s because I thought that the length of the exposures might create the opportunity for light leaks with my normal filter system. I might be wrong on this, but it’s not a chance I wanted to take.

Formatt-Hitech claims their filter is truly neutral (including in the UV and infrared spectrums) and that there are no color casts. This is important to me as my Lee Big Stopper (10-stops) always adds a strong blue cast that is painful to deal with. I won’t go into details about the coatings as you can find them on the product listings.

Does it do the job?

Image: The Formatt-Hitech Firecrest 77mm 16-Stop stackable neutral density filter is certainly a cap...

The Formatt-Hitech Firecrest 77mm 16-Stop stackable neutral density filter is certainly a capable piece of kit.

That’s an emphatic “yes” from me. While there are some downsides to the filter, it provides all of the quality you could expect. The few places it does fall short are all easy to overcome and well worth the little effort to do so.

Pros

Exposure times

The exposure difference between a 10-stop and 16-stop filter can be a bit staggering at first.

Just as the exposure calculator said, the 16-stops of ND filter provides really long exposures even in daylight. 1/125th of a second becomes nearly nine minutes, while 1/15th of a second becomes nearly one hour and thirteen minutes.

Attaches well

It still takes care, but the filter attaches easily enough.

It’s easy enough to attach the filter to the filter thread of your lens. It does require care as it is easy to slip (I’m sure that’s more me than the filter), but with this technique, there’s no reason to go fast anyway.

Color casts

The color represented without the 16-stop filter.

Color represented with the 16-stop filter.

I won’t say there is no color cast, but they are very minimal if they appear. Comparing shots with and without the filter side by side, it does seem that there is a slight, slight shift towards blue and green. However, I am not sure if that’s an optical illusion. Either way, it’s easy to deal with.

Cons

There are some downsides of both the filter and the technique. However, their effects are minimal and easy to overcome.

Extra equipment

Firecrest-77mm-16-Stop-Stackable-Neutral-Density-Filter

As mentioned, to get started with this technique, it’s not just the cost of the filter you need to take into account. If you don’t have a good enough tripod or some variety of release to trigger your camera, you will have to shell out for those.

Light leaks

Circled is a pair of light leaks that appear at either edge of the frame.

Despite opting for the circular filter to avoid light leaks, they did appear in my images at the left and right of the bottom third of the frame. They were minimal and easy to deal with in post-production, but they are there.

I have done some research, and it seems there’s a chance these leaks are coming from where the lens attaches to the camera body. If that’s the case, you can fix it by covering the join with black material. Formatt-Hitech also sells an accessory that fits around the front of the lens and filter to help prevent light leaks.

Exposure times in low light

When it comes to shooting later in the day when the exposure times get longer, and the light changes rapidly, it’s likely your required exposure time will change partway through your exposure. For example, if your metered exposure when you start is 1/125th (8 minutes and 44 seconds), and the light levels drop to 1/30th (if the sun moves behind a cloud for example) during that exposure, the new time is 36 minutes and 24 seconds. This means that your image will be quite underexposed.

Because of this, I’ve found this technique works better in the middle of the day when light levels are consistent.

Noise and hot pixels

Here, you can see a combination of noise and hot pixels after an 8-minute and 44-second exposure.

Noise and hot pixels have little to do with the filter itself. Extremely long exposures with digital cameras open you up to problems with noise. The longer your shutter is open, the more noise appears in your frame.

Software is very good at dealing with this, but you do need to be aware of it.

This is especially true if you opt to up your ISO in lower light levels to keep the exposure time in the minutes rather than in the hours.

Direct light

Taken in overcast conditions, the technique has emphasized the flatness of the light.

In direct sunshine, contrasty conditions get emphasized.

What I’ve found with this technique is that it works best with direct light on your subject. If the conditions are overcast, or the light is otherwise dull, the long exposure tends to emphasize the flatness of the scene.

Of course, that won’t always be the case and please don’t take that as a rule of any sort, it’s just an observation. If you live somewhere that is sunny and bright most of the time, this won’t pose you much of a problem. However, I live in Yorkshire and overcast days are the rule rather than the exception.

Price

I do not include the price of the Firecrest 77mm 16-Stop Stackable Neutral Density Filter as either a pro or a con. At $ 125, it’s probably not going to be an impulse buy for most photographers. However, for what it is, what it does, and how well-made it is, it is well worth that price. It’s also roughly the same price as filter offerings from companies like Lee Filters.

Overall experience

Overall, the Formatt-Hitech Firecrest 77mm 16-Stop Stackable Neutral Density Filter does exactly the job I bought it for.

In the end, the Firecrest 77mm 16-stop Stackable Neutral Density Filter does exactly what I wanted it to when I bought it, and it does it well. The complications aren’t hard to overcome, and it is well worth the extra effort. At $ 125, it is well within reach of anyone who wants to have a serious attempt with the techniques it offers.

I also found that I really appreciate the side effects of the technique. Because the exposure times are incredibly long, you can spend a couple of hours on location and come away with only a handful of images. This slow-treacle approach to photography is enjoyable and turns the whole experience into a mindful one.

If you like the effect of streaky clouds and flat water, or you are into minimalist photography, this type of filter may be indispensable for you.

Do you do long exposure photography? Do you use a 16-stop filter? What are your experiences? Share with us in the comments!

The post Firecrest 77mm 16-Stop Stackable Neutral Density Filter Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

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How to Plan and Pull-Off a Toddler Photo Session

26 Aug

The post How to Plan and Pull-Off a Toddler Photo Session appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

Toddlers are filled with volatile emotions. They can be shy, moody, defiant, chaotic, unpredictable, and in need of bribes. So a toddler photo session can be a challenge.

But when you build a photo session just for toddlers, it’s far less challenging and lots of fun. It is also the perfect opportunity to get creative.

Here’s how to let your inner child create a toddler photo session that’s fun for you and toddlers.

Toddler-photo-session-Documentray toddler photo session

1. The big idea

The first step is to plan out the photo session. I think that a themed lifestyle or documentary session is perfect for toddlers.

The big question is, how do you come up with an idea or theme for the session?

Many photographers choose a theme themselves, such as princesses or pirates. The benefit of choosing your own theme is that you get to exercise your creative vision (designing the set, costumes, etc.) and let people choose to be part of it or not.

Of course, one downside is that it’s a cookie-cutter approach that gives every child similar portraits.

If you want to choose something unique to the child, keep in mind that every toddler has something they love to do. Go with that as the theme for the session.

If they love dinosaurs, then find a way to make dinosaurs part of the session. If they love to play with big-rigs and diggers, then make those part of the session. Whatever it is they love, try to make it larger than life for the session.

Toddler-photo-session-Toddler photos at football field

When I found out that this little guy loved watching football with his Mom and Dad, I knew we had to visit an actual football field for his photo session.

Start with a small everyday experience and take it to the next level (I’d love to hear some of your ideas in the comments).

2. The toddler photo session

When it comes to pulling off the session, start by being prepared. This seems obvious, but many photographers come unprepared, and it can ruin a session.

If you are prepared, then you won’t have to think about it during the shoot. The less you have on your mind, the more room you have to be creative.

Gear

Pack the right gear and check twice that you’ve got it all.

Spare camera
Charged batteries
Lights (if needed)
Props (provided by you or the family)
A checklist of other things you need

Part of being prepared is being familiar with your camera and knowing what settings to use. I keep things as simple as possible with aperture mode and exposure compensation. I only use manual mode when I need it.

Fire fighter thmemed toddler photo session.

Even though props for the session should be prepared in advance, you should still allow room for spontaneity. Dressing up as a firefighter was not part of the plan, but it was the best part of the session.

Chaos

Generally, you’ll need to embrace chaos as part of the toddler photo session. Toddlers are emotionally volatile, and the session may take many twists and turns. This is one of the reasons that I love lifestyle sessions. It easily allows for pauses, breaks, and spontaneity.

Go with the flow and don’t try to force anything. If you design the session for the toddler, then it should be fun. They should be happy, and it should be the perfect environment for them. Even a studio can be fun.

Keep the parents informed, but don’t feel the need to explain things to the toddler. You don’t even need to tell the toddler it’s a photo session. If it’s a lifestyle or documentary session, just let them be themselves.

How to Plan and Pull-Off a Toddler Photo Session

Creativity

Use many creative elements with your photography. Go for a variety of angles, close-ups, storytelling, wide angles, and beautiful light.

Part of your creativity is in choosing the environment and backgrounds for your session. I used a combination of background, composition, and moment for these two photos. The moment began with him confronting his opponent’s mascot and ended with him making a run for it.

Beware of yourself

You’ve got to be able to handle any problems that arise and still get great photos.

Before a toddler photo session, I do some reflection. What could go wrong with this session? Has anything gone wrong in the past? What is the worst that could go wrong? But most importantly, how will I respond? I make this decision in advance so that I don’t have to think in the moment. Do the thinking while things are calm, and you’ll make better decisions.

Consider answering these questions in advance:

What if the toddle is grumpy?
Suppose the parents are overbearing?
What if the kid throws mud at my camera or turns the firehose in my direction?
What if the toddler gets hurt?

As much as we all love nature, there are many harmful elements out there for toddlers. Keep parents close by and make sure they are comfortable with where their toddler is exploring.

3. The edit

When it comes to the edit, be ruthless in narrowing down your photos. Most photographers are happy if they keep 10% of their photos from a session. Some are satisfied with less. Don’t be afraid to cut, cut, cut!

Your final selection of photos should have lots of variety to it.

Close-ups
Full scene
Details

When it comes to touching up your photos, I recommend a simple edit with Lightroom or a similar program.

How do you know what to do with a photo? Keep these two principals in mind. When it comes to editing you’re either:

Putting the finishing touches on your photo (crop, exposure adjustments, etc.)
Or you’re trying to fix a photo that didn’t turn out

Toddler-photo-session-Before and after edit with Lightroom

The main things I did with this RAW photo is I cropped it and warmed it up with the temperature slider.

Generally, I would say if you need to do a heavy amount of fixing or editing of a photo, you should just leave it out of the final collection. If you constantly have to fix certain elements of your photos in editing, this is a good clue as to what you need to learn to improve your photography. Editing should be about finishing touches, with fixing as a last resort.

A perfect session for you and toddlers

Follow your nature as a creative person and the nature of the toddler you are photographing. Design everything for the toddler, and you’ll have an amazingly creative toddler photo session that will leave everyone wanting more.

Do you have any other tips for a successful toddler photo session? Share with us in the comments below!

The post How to Plan and Pull-Off a Toddler Photo Session appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

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How to Make an Awesome Pop-Up Card with your Photos

25 Aug

The post How to Make an Awesome Pop-Up Card with your Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

If you can cut and fold a piece of paper to make a pop-up, why can’t you make it to an image? A photograph translates our three-dimensional world into a two-dimensional representation. With a pop-up card, you can present it with tridimensionality. Here are some ideas to bring your photos to life by turning them into an awesome pop-up card!

How-to-Make-an-Awesome-Pop-Up-Card-with-your-Photos

From paper crafting to paper engineering, this creative practice can be as complex as you want. I will show you two basic techniques that you can apply to your own images. Keep in mind that each image will need specific measures and some testing before you get it right, so be patient!

What you need to make your awesome pop-up card

I recommend you print some copies of the photo in black and white on a cheap paper so you can do your testing without spending much. Then get scissors, a precision cutter, ruler or measuring tape, double-sided tape, and a cutting board.

How-to-Make-an-Awesome-Pop-Up-Card-with-your-Photos

1.Single image pop-up card

Choose the right image

Because you want to give it a third dimension, images that have a clear separation of elements will work best. For some guidelines on this check out the article How to Use Figure to Ground Art Theory in Photography. Print your image at least two times, and one for each layer you want to add.

Foreground and Background are separated for a better pop-up card

Layers and more layers

The more elements you separate into layers, the more interesting and elaborate your card will look. I promised to keep it simple so I’ll just add one layer to show you the process, then just repeat it as many times as you want. Cut out the element of the layer that will pop up. In this case, I’ll cut the house in the front.

How-to-Make-an-Awesome-Pop-Up-Card-with-your-Photos

Cut also a stripe of paper, either from the photo or any other thick paper that will hold the layer up. The longer you make it, the bigger the separation to the background.

Fold and paste

Now paste the background to the card which can be store-bought or just a piece of colored paper folded in two that you can later write your message on. Place the base of the photo on the crease where the card folds.

paste background into card

Fold the paper stripe into a square. Then paste one side to the background and one to the bottom side of the card. This will serve as support to the pop-up cutout.

piece of paper to hold the pop-up piece

Paste the other side of the square to the background, and the bottom part to the card. Making sure the cutout matches the original image when you position it. That’s it. Do the same for any elements you want popping out.

How-to-Make-an-Awesome-Pop-Up-Card-with-your-Photos

2. Multiple image pop-up card

This technique is great when you want to showcase many images. For example, an anniversary or a birthday where you want to sum up the highlights of the year. It’s also useful when you want to make a themed card to communicate a concept.

Create the layout

The first thing you want to do is choose your images. Then arrange your images in a grid. To automatize this process you can use Lightroom. If you need some direction just follow the instructions of How to Create Contact Sheets in Lightroom. Set it to the size of the card you’re going to use: for me is an A3 so 4 columns and 3 rows should look nice, but this is entirely up to you.

Print thumbnail images to use

Note that the outer images of the middle row will get folded in half, so use images that fit this crease, or leave it black.

Fold

Fold the paper vertically in half, and then each side again in half towards the opposite direction. As a result, you will have an accordion where the folds separate the columns.

Fold contact sheet as accordion

Cut

Unfold the accordion and just leave it in half. If you do it in a way that the images are towards the outside, you won’t have to measure and just guide yourself by the images. Cut horizontally between rows reaching the middle of the outer image. Then fold inwards the piece you just cut.

How-to-Make-an-Awesome-Pop-Up-Card-with-your-Photos

Paste

Now put some double-sided tape into the side edges and fix it to the card. Make sure the fold in the middle of the accordion coincides with the fold of the card.

pop-up card with accordion photo album

I hope you enjoyed reading How to Make an Awesome Pop-Up Card with your Photos and that you enjoy making pop-up cards yourself! For future occasions, if you want to go deeper into this craft side of photography I’ll leave you some links to check out.

Additional reading

If you’re feeling creative and want to do other types of cards, check out these amazing tutorials:

How to Make Your Own Postcards: Cheap!
Greeting Card Templates in PS or PSE
How to Make Great Photo Invitations in Photoshop

The post How to Make an Awesome Pop-Up Card with your Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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The Canon 90D Unveiled Through Leaked Promo Video

24 Aug

The post The Canon 90D Unveiled Through Leaked Promo Video appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

After months of rumors and speculation surrounding Canon’s new DSLR offerings, we finally have something certain to report:

The specs of the Canon 90D, as indicated by a promotional video leaked from Canon.

The Canon 90D Unveiled Through Leaked Promo Video

If you’re a Canon user, you’re going to want to pay attention. Because the Canon 90D is a seriously impressive piece of kit, one that seems to be a combination of the Canon 80D line and the Canon 7D line, and one that will carry on many of the best features from both camera lineups.

Here’s the promotional video in full:

Now, what’s so special about the Canon 90D?

First, the resolution is bound to impress: The 90D is slated to have a 32.5-megapixel sensor, which is a huge step up from both the Canon 80D (at 24.2 MP) and the Canon 7D Mark II (at 20.2 MP). The increased megapixel count means increased crop capabilities and an increased potential for large prints.

High megapixel counts usually result in slower continuous shooting. But not for the 90D, which fires off 10 frames per second. This is enough for any type of action photography: sports, wildlife, bird, and more. Plus, the Canon 90D features 45 autofocus points, all of which are cross-type. Together, these features should be a potent combination in the hands of a dedicated photographer.

Add to this 100% viewfinder coverage, impressive battery life of 1300 photos, and an articulating screen, and you’ve got yourself a winner. You should also remember that the Canon 90D will offer dual pixel autofocus, which practically guarantees fast and efficient focus while using Live View.

Who should get the Canon 90D?

I’d recommend grabbing the Canon 90D if you’re a hobbyist or semi-professional photographer. Better yet, you should be interested in action photography of any kind. The strong autofocus and 10-fps continuous shooting is too impressive not to pass up.

Plus, if you’re looking for a bit of a megapixel boost compared to an older Canon, the 90D is the way to go.

Now I’d like to ask you:

What do you think of the Canon 90D? Will you be looking to purchase it? And what are your favorite Canon 90D features?

Let me know in the comments!

The post The Canon 90D Unveiled Through Leaked Promo Video appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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How to Photograph Architecture as Sculpture

24 Aug

The post How to Photograph Architecture as Sculpture appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

Architects design buildings based on form as much as functionality. Many of these creative structures serve as works of art as well as mere brick and mortar buildings. Viewing subjects for their form as well as their function, and capturing that beauty with creative eyes and a little careful planning, can deliver stunning results. In this article, you’ll learn how you can photograph architecture as sculpture.

A statue of Wilbur Wright stands in front of the Student Union building on the campus of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Rule One: Observe before you shoot

Too often we are struck with the initial appearance of a subject and immediately start shooting. However, this knee-jerk snapshot approach rarely provides the kind of result that it could if we took our time. Take the time to walk around the subject and observe it from several different angles. Those angles will provide different vantage points, reflections, and shadows that will change and influence the framing you use for each shot.

Investigate the uniqueness that each structure presents and appreciate the visual statements the architect is making. Structures are more than a collection of connected boxes with passageways and windows. They are the physical housing of the community. We should study the features that make each structure unique. Throughout time, architects have designed structures that reflect social attitudes and serve the full spectrum of cultures from very conservative and business-like to modern and avant-garde.

London’s amazing architecture along the Thames.

If you carry optional lenses in your bag, consider how each will render the scene. Don’t hesitate to stop long enough to find out. Lenses not only provide a distance variable, but they also change the dynamics of dimension. Longer lenses tend to compact the range much more than wider lenses.

Remember, backgrounds play a large role in the process. It is easy to get carried away with the subject and not see the effect that items in the foreground and background have on the final result. You can shorten major post-production chores, and even eliminate, by carefully seeing and shaping the background.

Rule Two: Think before you shoot

Digital cameras tend to override the cardinal rules of photography by allowing us to haphazardly capture dozens of shots without thinking them through. Remember, photography is a discipline and technical science as much as it is a process of documentation. Don’t allow yourself to excuse sloppy shooting.

The basic tradeoffs of exposure should run through your mental checklist as you think through each shot. Here’s where “Auto” settings can work against you as a photographer.

Briefly weigh the big three factors behind correct exposures before you click the shutter: Shutter speed, ISO, and Aperture each contribute to the shot, and each affects the result.

Interior of Student Union at Embry Riddle University

The most important of these three variables in architectural photography is the aperture. Aperture controls the depth of field (DOF), particularly in long lenses. Since buildings rarely move around and daytime outdoor lighting is usually ample, shutter speed is of little consequence in the final analysis. As is ISO, but your choice of framing and DOF will make all the difference.

Rule Three: Plan your shot before you shoot

Make it a point to develop specific intent for each shot and develop at least a mental shot list of the project. Without this exercise, you’ll end up with a multitude of lookalike shots that you’ll have to cull through. Ask yourself if you want to capture the entire scene or just highlight a particular aspect of the scene?

Image: The 19th century stone structure of the Chicago Water Tower stands in contrast to the gleamin...

The 19th century stone structure of the Chicago Water Tower stands in contrast to the gleaming metal surface of the Trump Tower, also in Chicago.

Rule Four: Account for Keystoning

Buildings are always taller than the camera lens and thus always distort the parallel nature of the vertical lines. The only way to avoid this is to keep the camera axis parallel to the horizon. The moment you shift the lens skyward, the vertical lines will keystone. This is both normal to the human eye and advantageous to adding drama to tall buildings, but the camera lens can exaggerate it.

If you’re fortunate, and a bit creative, you can shoot the building from the inside (or atop) another structure. This will allow you to keep the vertical surfaces parallel.

Image: Seeing this domed rooftop from an adjoining property delivered a unique view. If I’d ca...

Seeing this domed rooftop from an adjoining property delivered a unique view. If I’d captured this dome from the ground, the actual shapes and features would have been distorted.

The other option, and the one most utilized, is to adjust these angles in post-production. Almost all imaging software provides the ability to straighten the lines by either automatically or manually stretching the image using the software’s Transform function. However, be aware that every time you distort an image’s shape, you reassign pixel values which can affect the sharpness of your image.

Rule Five: Assess White Balance

The general assumption is that you should capture outside photos in Daylight mode. But this isn’t always the case. Outdoor lighting changes constantly. Images captured either in the shade or in mixed lighting (dusk with street lighting, windows illuminated with tungsten lighting, or interior shots that include sunlight coming from outside) can create problems. The best way to address this issue is to capture your images in RAW mode. Doing so, allows you the latitude to experiment with the color temperature during post-production.

Even after extensive damage suffered in World War II, Dresden, Germany still hosts a great number of historical and cultural buildings.

Rule Six: Carry a tripod

There are many good reasons to carry a travel tripod when shooting architecture. Exposures can vary greatly, and a tripod eliminates the possibility of camera shake during longer exposures or shooting to match precise angles of structures.

Since buildings don’t move much, a tripod allows you to lock down the focus and the steady the camera even at strange angles. Tripods also allow you to use your camera’s timer for hands-free exposures.

Genoa Archway

Rule Seven: Choose the right lens for the shot

Wider-angle lenses allow you to capture larger buildings in areas of limited access. However, extreme wide-angle lenses (both zoom and non-flat field) can also introduce undesirable issues like barrel distortions that bow straight lines. Moderately wide-angle lenses and reasonable distances from the subject will most times address these issues.

Rule Eight: Pay attention to textures and geometry

The array of interesting textures, colors, fixtures, and surfaces used in building materials is quite diverse and makes for very interesting detail shots. Textures are the fabric of life and vary wildly both inside and outside modern architecture.

Architects are perfection artists who love geometry, and good geometry is the foundation of good structure.

From the earliest days of piling and arranging huge stones into pyramid shapes to today’s massive sports arenas, you can see the mathematical beauty of creative geometry everywhere. Look for geometric design in the biggest and smallest elements of architectural structures.

The Interior of the Frauenkirche cathedral in Dresden, Germany is graceful in structure and beautifully finished in pastel colors.

Rule Nine: Break the rules

Don’t be scared to see your subject from very strange vantage points. This includes looking both straight up from the floor and straight down from balconies. You may look a little silly to passersby, but chances are you’ll never see those people again, and they may well marvel at the photos you produce. The result of your creative vantage point will let your viewers see life from a fresh angle.

Almost everybody takes pictures from eye height (which is quite boring), and most of us are between five and six feet tall, so this means that most photos appear…average and “normal.” Get un-normal and show people life from a fresh viewpoint.

Image: Many of the European cultural and government buildings include beautiful cultural symbols and...

Many of the European cultural and government buildings include beautiful cultural symbols and statues sculpted with old-world craftsmanship.

Rule Ten: Look for contrast and balance

This applies to subjects as well as tone curves. Today’s buildings are focused on issues that reflect environmental and social issues. Pay attention to the juxtaposition of natural and human-made elements that are designed to coexist in total harmony. Colors and textures emphasize cooperation between human achievement and nature. The balance of the practical and artistic aspects of modern engineering reflect a renewed sense of respect between progress and responsibility in today’s world.

Conclusion

Most of all, take the time to appreciate the marvel and beauty of human creativity. The more you look, the more you’ll appreciate the ingenuity and genius of today’s architectural masterpieces.

Don’t rush through this process. Exercise the same level of care and skill that you observe in the design and structure of the buildings and interiors that you capture, and you’ll produce some amazing pictures. Shoot inspired.

The post How to Photograph Architecture as Sculpture appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

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Weekly Photography Challenge – Hands

24 Aug

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

This week’s photography challenge topic is HANDS!

Perry Grone

Hands can say so much about a person! So go out and take some fab photos of hands! They can be wrinkly, newborn, working, dirty, or clean. They can be color, black and white, moody or bright. Just so long as they include hands! You get the picture! Have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Quino Al

Akira Hojo

Liv Bruce

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

Tips for Shooting HANDS

6 Tips for Posing Hands in Wedding and Portrait Photography

26 Expressive Images of Hands

Handiwork: How to Pose Hands

How to Pose Hands in Portraits

Black and White Portraits a Set of Images to Admire

How to Photograph Close-Up Details of Newborns and Infants

Weekly Photography Challenge – HANDS

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 #DPShands 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 – Hands appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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How To Take Better Headshots: The Complete Guide

24 Aug

Headshot photography is a huge sub genre of portrait photography right now and is becoming bigger and bigger as time passes. So many people need to get headshots done and they should be going to you for this service! I want to talk about how we can all make our headshot photography so much better and thus provide our clients Continue Reading

The post How To Take Better Headshots: The Complete Guide appeared first on Photodoto.

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