Category: Photography

How to Find Great Photography Opportunities Where You Live
The post How to Find Great Photography Opportunities Where You Live appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Prasad Np.

Are you one of those folks who wait to travel to an exotic destination to make photographs? Is your camera nicely packed or gathering dust until you are traveling or on an assignment because you don’t have enough inspiration or subjects? If you are one such photographer, then you are actually missing countless photography opportunities right in front of you. No matter what level of skill and experience you have, the more you take your camera out and make photos, the better you get.

This image of the Gurgaon Metro was taken in the night on one of the busiest streets of the city and clicked from 20-floors above © Prasad Np

Gone are the days when you made images on film, and there was a cost involved in acquiring and processing rolls of films. Now, thanks to the digital cameras, you can take as many photos you want and keep on learning and improving every day.

So there’s no reason to wait until you are traveling to an exotic location to make images. Look around you, and you will find countless opportunities to make beautiful images, test your technical skills and take your game to the next level.

Whether you live in a developing city like Gurgaon (where I live), or in a picturesque mountain town, there are photographs to be made and shared. So the question is, how do you find great photo opportunities when you think you live in a boring location?

Sunset In Gurgaon © Prasad Np

The first step is to believe there are beautiful photographs around you that you must capture. It doesn’t matter what your preferred genre of photography is. Whether you enjoy wildlife, landscape, people or street photography, there are photographs to be made right near your home, in your own city.

Advantages of photographing your city and its surroundings

The advantages of photographing your city and its surroundings include:
- You get to practice photography regularly and dissect your photographs technically and artistically to take better photos next time
- You don’t have to travel a lot. You can always take pictures close to your home
- Unlike when traveling to an exotic, faraway location where you may get only a short window to get the shot, closer to home you can always revisit the place and get the shots you may have missed the first time
- If you are not happy with some of the photos, you can always go again and click, and you can also plan the shots in a better way, especially in cases like the city skyline, or sunsets
So here are a few pointers for you to find great photo opportunities right where you live. In this post, I am sharing some images I made in Gurgaon – a city I now call home.

Go for skyline and redefine it

Every city has its own iconic skyline that people can identify it with. However, that should not restrict you from trying to redefine or interpret it in your way. You can always go for a different shot; especially if the city is still developing. Capturing it as it develops creates an everlasting record of the change the city went through as it grew.

Even the most mundane of skylines can give a dramatic effect when you combine it with beautiful clouds or a sunset. Because you know the best vantage points from your previous experiences in your city, you can be well prepared and reach the spot in time to get the shot you have always wanted to take.

A Housing Society In Gurgaon © Prasad Np

Photograph seasonal natural phenomenon like blooming of trees

Many cities in Japan are known for the Sakura or Cherry Blossom festivals. Think about what the equivalent may be in your city. Every change of season brings a visual spectacle that is a hallmark of that season. In Gurgaon and most of North India, April to June are months of Golden Shower. The hotter the weather, the more beautiful flowers of Indian laburnum trees you find. Make a point to find out when the local trees in your area are in bloom, so you are prepared to take their pictures. An advantage of this is you can go over an extended period and click pictures of the same tree in various stages of bloom, including being barren in autumn. If you have these trees growing close to local landmarks, then your pictures may be easily identified with your city.

Laburnum blooms Gurgaon © Prasad Np

Local festivals and fairs

Local festivals & fairs are a great way to photograph your local community and happenings around you. Festivals and fairs are excellent opportunities to document the vibrancy and bonhomie of your city and how people connect – more so when a festival is a community event. “Lohri” is one such festival celebrated on 13th of January every year. Here, they light large communal bonfires in various housing communities, and people walk around the fire singing songs and celebrating. Find out what festivals your city celebrates. It could be as big as Christmas or something that could be very local, like a fair. Be there and make images to your heart’s desire.

Lohri Festival Bonfire Gurgaon © Prasad Np

Night photography in your city

A big city is no place for star trails as light pollution may be too much. However, there are other night photography opportunities in abundance. All you need is a good vantage point, your DSLR and a sturdy tripod. Any high-rise with a safe observation area or a balcony can become your vantage point to capture the light trails of vehicles down below.

Look for exciting locations like a curve in the local metro train tracks and wait for the train to come along. You can also click interesting images while incorporating the moon against your city skyline. The photo below of Super blood moon was deliberately clicked with part of it hiding behind the building to give an idea of the size of the moon compared to a normal one you see in the picture with the power towers.

Super Blood Moon Gurgaon © Prasad Np

Power Towers Gurgaon © Prasad Np

Go abstract

Night photography is also a great time to go abstract with some images of your city. While there are no creative limits to what you can do when trying to create a work of abstract photography, it is always a good idea to never overdo it, especially when you are beginning. A creative idea you can try is to move to manual focus and deliberately click out of focus images that render the distant lights with a bokeh-like effect. Use a tripod or keep your camera on a sturdy surface. Also, use a time release button or remote to click images to keep your images sharp.

Abstract Night Photograph Gurgaon © Prasad Np

Be observant of your surroundings

One of the keys to photography is being observant of your surroundings. Even when you are on your apartment balcony or in your backyard, there are enough photography opportunities available to you. If you live in a highrise, look down. You may get an interesting frame like the photo below of the two kids carrying similar umbrellas on the sidewalk. Or perhaps, the cars passing below under the trees that look like a beast under the canopy of the rainforest.

Kids Walking with Umbrellas © Prasad Np

Car under tree Gurgaon © Prasad NP

Conclusion

As you can see, any place can be a good location for making photographs. Don’t miss any opportunity to take photos as it helps in honing your skills both technically and artistically. Most of all, photographing your own city helps you learn much faster. You have an opportunity to click images in various seasons, in many light situations and go back as you need.

Now it is your turn, do share where you live and your favorite image that you made in your own city.

The post How to Find Great Photography Opportunities Where You Live appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Prasad Np.

Digital Photography School
February 28, 2019
6 Ways to Easily Improve Your Landscape Photography

The post 6 Ways to Easily Improve Your Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

Capturing beautiful scenery is one of the most enjoyable aspects of outdoor photography where you can fully immerse yourself in a breathtaking landscape and record the scene unfolding right before your eyes. There is so much available to shoot when out in the field photographing landscapes, from epic vistas of majestic mountains to lush, and green rolling hills. Here are 6 ways to help you improve your landscape photography:

1. Include a point of interest

Lavendar, Provence, France © Jeremy Flint

Usually, when people are first starting in landscape photography, they take pictures of the countryside to show a view of the land and sky but don’t consider other aspects such as adding an interesting feature to their frame.

One way to bring your landscapes to life is to add a point of interest in your photograph.

Some suggestions for points of interest could be an outbuilding, a fence, gate, tree, hedgerows or anything else you can find that would enhance your images. This extra feature could lift your landscape images from ordinary to excellent.

2. See the light

Namibia © Jeremy Flint

Light is one of the great aspects of photography that can help to improve your landscape images. Have you ever been to a location only to find the weather was cloudy and overcast? While this can be great for some types of photography, such as coastal and seascape scenes, having some light shining on a landscape scene can help to improve your image. Landscape scenes without light can often be flat and uninteresting. So be sure to make the most of the light when the sun is out as it can bring your landscapes to life.

I recommend looking out for changing patterns of light and be aware of how the sun affects your shots. For example, during the middle of the day, the sun is much higher in the sky and lights up most of the landscape from above. Whereas, when the sun sits lower in the sky, shadows can form where some parts of your scene become shaded.

© Jeremy Flint

3. Consider where to place the horizon

Depending on what you are photographing and what you are trying to achieve, it would be advantageous to consider the horizon and where you intend to place it in your landscape images.

Whatever you find most appealing, you may want to consider including more sky or foreground in your frame. If you find the sky more interesting, place the horizon on the lower third section of your image. Alternatively, if you think the foreground is more appealing position the horizon towards the upper third of the frame. Also, placing the horizon line in the middle of your pictures could make a landscape more balanced. It is entirely your choice and comes down to how you want your final image to look.

© Jeremy Flint

4. Eliminate distractions

The elimination of distractions may seem like an obvious aspect to consider when photographing landscapes. However, it is amazing how many photos include distracting elements. Remember that sometimes less is more and that by taking certain eyesores out of your frame, such as unsightly telephone wires or lampposts, can improve your landscape photos dramatically.

5. Time of day

© Jeremy Flint

The time of day you decide to capture landscapes can affect how your images look. I appreciate that you may be limited on time or are only able to take photos at certain times of the day due to work, family or other commitments. Therefore, use this to your advantage as landscape photography can look good at any time of day – daytime, sunrise or sunset.

Don’t limit yourself to the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset as you waste far too much of the day. You can take great pictures at any hour! For example, daytime can be just as good as sunset, especially if it is a cloudy day as the clouds complement the scene and can add drama.

Talybony-on-Usk, Brecon Beacons © Jeremy Flint

6. Focus

The last element to consider when looking to improve your landscapes is the focus. Ask yourself are you looking to get the entire landscape sharp or would you prefer a part of the image to be out of focus?

Using a wider depth of field enables your images to have front-to-back sharpness, whereas using a narrower depth of field renders the foreground or background out of focus. Applying the latter technique can be used for creative effect if you are looking to emphasize a particular part of your image, such as a prominent tree or object.

Conclusion

I recommend putting these tips into practice to see how they may help you improve your landscape photos and share the pictures you take with us below. What methods do you find help improve your landscape photography that you would like to share?

The post 6 Ways to Easily Improve Your Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

Digital Photography School

February 27, 2019
How to Achieve Monitor Calibration on a Budget
The post How to Achieve Monitor Calibration on a Budget appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

Photographers will often tell you to buy a calibration device for your monitor. It’s the pro thing to do. But do you need one? After all, most of the photo world manages without such a device and still enjoys its pictures.

Even among “serious” photographers, many do not have a workflow that fully utilizes calibration. Plus, there are differences between monitors and other devices that calibration cannot always bridge. Color management is not a perfect science.

Calibration versus Profiling

Before going any further, it’s useful to distinguish between calibration and profiling. If you use a hardware device (e.g. colorimeter), it will calibrate your monitor. It then builds a profile based on the calibrated state you just created.

A profile describes the monitor so that color-managed programs display colors accurately. Included among calibration settings are black level (brightness), white level (contrast), white point (color temp) and gamma.

A custom profile reflects the output of your monitor. This image shows the gamut of my monitor enveloping (mostly) the sRGB color space.

If you don’t own a calibration device, you can still calibrate a monitor manually, but you can’t profile it.

The disadvantages of calibrating a monitor without a device are as follows:
- Human eyesight is unreliable, so the more you “eyeball” during the calibration process, the further astray you may go.
- You cannot physically measure the monitor’s condition (e.g. luminance in cd/m²). That means you can’t return it to the same state with each calibration.
This optical illusion demonstrates how easily deceived the eyes are. Squares A and B are identical in tone. Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Do you need a calibration device?

A calibration device isn’t expensive compared to camera bodies and lenses, but the best can cost a couple of hundred dollars or more. The $ 200 question, then, is do you need one?

Yes: if you use an inkjet printer and want “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” results. In that case, a calibrator is vital. You need accurate profiles for soft-proofing, where you preview print colors before printing.

Yes: if you’re a pro or semi-pro shooting color-critical subjects (e.g. products, fashion).

Probably: if you pay for Photoshop CC, otherwise you are undermining its color capabilities. That said, many Adobe features are not dependent on pin-point color accuracy.

Maybe not: if you’re a stock photographer, since there is no direct client or color-managed chain. One of the world’s biggest libraries, Alamy, has millions of non-color-managed photos on its website.

Maybe not: if you get your prints done at the mall or via the Internet. In that case, the need for a calibration device is less. Why? Because most labs are not color managed. So, a disconnect exists even if you calibrate and profile.

In Photoshop CC, the ability to “proof colors” depends on an accurate monitor profile as well as an output profile. If you identify a need for this feature, you also need a calibration device.

The need for a calibration device might hinge on your approach. Content is almost everything in photos. Most people viewing your pictures will not be privy to the color you saw on your monitor.

Black & white level calibration

The less you do to a monitor, the less you cause problems like banding, and the better it performs. You needn’t adjust all the settings a monitor has. Even when using a calibration device, many people leave gamma and white point in their “native” condition.

You’ll be in a minority if you can view this gradient without seeing any banding, lines or colors (it’s in grayscale). The more you adjust your monitor, the worse this effect will be. But it will only rarely affect photos.

With the above in mind, you could just calibrate the black and white levels. This ensures you can see shadow and highlight detail while editing, preferably in subdued lighting. The process would be something like this:
- Reset the monitor to default settings.
- Using black level patches, lower the brightness setting until the darkest patch (#1) is not visible, then brighten it so it is — barely.
- Using white level patches, adjust contrast if necessary to make the brightest patch (#254) just about visible.
(The #254 pattern on the Lagom site is hard to see except under very subdued light, so #253 will suffice.)

The numbers used to set black and white levels are the same as in an 8-bit image or a levels adjustment (i.e. 0-255). Thus, “0” is pitch black and “255” is the whitest white. All levels in between should be visible.

Most monitors are too bright out of the box. Aside from being poor for editing, this reduces the lifespan of the backlighting.

Free calibration software

There are a couple of free software-only calibration programs. Although they create a profile for you, this profile is not based on the output of your monitor since no measuring takes place. At best, it will be a generic profile taken from your monitor’s EDID data, which may be better than the sRGB alternative.

QuickGamma (Windows)

QuickGamma is a free program that lets you calibrate gamma and black level, but I’d suggest calibrating the latter as described earlier. (I think scrutinizing individual patches is less error prone than squinting at a ramp.) One benefit of QuickGamma v4 is that it can calibrate multiple monitors.

Screenshots of the QuickGamma utility program.

If you want to adjust gamma, follow the instructions supplied with the download. I’d advise against adjusting red, green and blue levels unless you see a color cast in the gray bands. Stick to adjusting the gray level if possible. Should you want to adjust the red, blue and green levels, try using this page with the software.

QuickGamma creates a profile based on generic monitor EDID data or sRGB. The first should be more accurate. The profile carries the calibration data, which loads separately on startup. (Windows Desktop does not use the profile.)

Calibrize (Windows)

Calibrize is a simple utility for adjusting black level, white level, and gamma. Unlike QuickGamma, it can only handle single monitors. It doesn’t let you set gray gamma, so you are forced to tweak red, green and blue levels. Adjusting these RGB levels is easier than in QuickGamma, but you’ll still need to squint at the screen to do it.

To build a profile, Calibrize also uses the EDID color data within most monitors. If this is unavailable, I’d guess it uses sRGB.

The first and second screens of Calibrize software.

Windows & Mac built-in calibration

Apple and recent Windows operating systems have built-in calibration tools. Personally, I find third-party calibration tools and pages to be better than the Windows utility, particularly regarding the target images used.

I’d suggest these choices for Apple calibration: generic monitor profile, native or 2.2 gamma, native white point. Note again that native settings better preserve the capability of the monitor.

This is the image for setting black level (brightness) in Windows. To me, the black “X” seems too bright, which results in a screen that’s too dark.

A paradox exists in calibration in that, the less you do, the better a result you may get. Ironically, you often have to pay for the privilege of doing less in calibration software. Basic programs don’t always allow it.

DisplayCal

Another way you can save money is to buy a basic calibration package and pair the included device with DisplayCal software. In some cases, it’s the complexity of the software that dictates the cost of the calibrator. DisplayCal is one of the best calibration programs, so you’ll gain all the features you need for less money. Be sure to check its compatibility with any device you intend buying.

(DisplayCal is free, though you may wish to contribute towards its upkeep.)

Screenshots from DisplayCal, which pairs with many calibration devices on the market.

Your call

The aim of this article is not to talk you out of buying a calibrator. If you’re just starting out in photography, you needn’t rush into buying one. Equally, if you don’t like color management or can’t get to grips with it, there is less need to gauge monitor output.

Calibration devices aren’t so expensive, but anyone on a budget has my sympathy. Photography isn’t so cheap. I can also understand the desire to keep things simple. If you can identify with any of that, I hope this article has given you some useful low-cost calibration ideas.

The post How to Achieve Monitor Calibration on a Budget appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

Digital Photography School
February 27, 2019
Review: Filterbooth Preset Collection for Lightroom and Photoshop

The post Review: Filterbooth Preset Collection for Lightroom and Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Stacey Hill.

When it comes to post-processing, I have to admit, I like to use presets as part of my workflow. So when I came across this collection of filters from Filterbooth, I was keen to test them out and see if they were a pack I would benefit from using in my day-to-day editing.

The Filterbooth Preset Collections

Filterbooth has 12 collections in total, and each collection holds between 11-15 individual presets. The preset packs are available for both Lightroom and Photoshop ACR. For the purpose of this review, I have used the Filterbooth Professional Package which consists of:

Amber – rich warm autumn tones with a vintage touch
Azure – shades of seaside blue
Clean/Standard – clean standard finish
Emerald Forest – give landscapes and foliage and other greens some pop
Faces – adding impact to portraits
Night Owl – inspired by starry skies and deep nights
Food – for food
Golden Hour – warm and inviting tones to enhance sunrise/sunsets
Moody Vibes – what it says on the tin
Monochrome – black and white filters for all subjects
Urban Vibes – street scapes, city scenes, architecture
Interior – for inside of buildings

Mostly, the names are relatively descriptive concerning the intended use. The names of the individual presets are similar, in that they mostly describe what the effect they can do. If you would like to see examples of the effects, there are some Before/After slider examples on the website, which is always helpful to get an idea of the outcomes.

The whole collection has some common styles; Clean, Classic, Lucent, Vintage, and Warm are some examples that pop up in several collections. The style and result of the preset seem to be reasonably consistent for these as well, so if there is one style you particularly like, it may be repeated across different collections for some variations.

System Requirements – Filterbooth requires Lightroom CC, Classic CC, 6, 5, or 4 and for ACR requires Photoshop CC or CS6 to work properly.

Pricing

There is a free sample of 5 Presets to try out (which is a lucky dip of sorts as the website doesn’t tell you which ones they are). However, this is a nice touch, as a lot of the expensive professional preset makers don’t always offer a free sample.

Next, there is a Starter Kit (US$ 45) which includes 5 samples from each of the 12 collections (again, it doesn’t tell you the specific ones).

Lastly, there is the Professional Kit (US$ 115) which gives you every preset.

Keep an eye out on their website for special offers too, because, at the time of writing this, some discounts were on offer.

Testing out the presets

Presets use all the settings within Lightroom to do their job. Depending on their design, they may edit key things like exposure, white balance and so on. Some do, some don’t. Any image you are using should already have had your basic edit applied to correct for White Balance, Exposure, Lens Correction, Horizon Angle, Crop, etc. Therefore the preset affects the other editing tools.

As a result, some presets can be ‘stacked’ on top of each other to build up layers of effect. This works if the presets alter different settings from the previous one, and only those elements are selected to be active in the preset. I found it isn’t generally obvious until you try them out. The image at the head of this article did have several presets applied for a stacked effect, and then some manual edits to finish it off.

In general, most of presets don’t adjust the exposure when you apply them – however, some do, and it varies by the amount. So keep that in mind when you are applying them to your image.

Testing Technique

The example image I used for this review was edited in Lightroom from a RAW file so that the finished image was suitable for having presets applied.

After the preset was applied, I did NO FURTHER EDITS – all you see is the result of applying the preset. Once the I exported and saved the file, I removed the current preset from the Lightroom image. Therefore each time a new preset was applied, it was against a clean copy of the Base Image to maintain consistency.

I chose to use the flatlay food image because of it’s color range and texture. It also provided a good comparison on a close-up shot.

The second image I chose to use is a landscape with a bright blue sky, snow, grass, and rocks. This offered a larger scale scene with a typical contrast range of a landscape on a bright sunny day — typical of many landscape images.

I have noted the Collection Name, and the Preset Name in the captions and examples are in Alphabetical order of Collection Type.

BASE IMAGE FOR TESTING

Amber -Classic

Azure- Blues

Emerald Forest – Rich

Faces – Clean

Food – Classy

Golden Hour – Soft

Interior – Dim

Monochrome – Ageless

Moody Vibes – Blog

Night Owl – Crimson

Standard – Moody

Urban Vibe – Chilly

Next we have a Landscape shot of the New Zealand high country, taken from the rocks at Castle Hill. It has a nice blue sky, highlights in the snow, quite a lot of mid tones and it lacks a little contrast making it interesting to see how the presets work with it.

BASE IMAGE FOR TESTING

Amber- Warm

Azure – Mystery

Emerald Forest – Air

Faces – Warm

Food – Pop

Golden Hour – Pink

Interior – December

Monochrome – Ageless

Moody Vibes – Blog

Night Owl – Colour

Standard – Moody

Urban Vibes – Film

Conclusion

As you can see, there is a lot of variation in effect here. While crafted for specific uses, the collections can also be used outside of that as well.

In general, I found there was enough variety to make these useful, and enough similarity to feel comfortable in getting consistent outcomes by using Presets of the same name. While the full collection gives you everything, it may be outside the budget for some. In that case, the Freebie pack, or Starter Collection may be a better option.

The presets themselves, felt crafted for a modern, slick styling similar to what you might see in high-end magazines, or portrait and wedding studios. So if that is your thing, these are probably worth checking out.

For landscape, food or other photographers, I would recommend trying the free sample pack (what have you got to lose?) and then decide if you want to invest further.

As I mentioned, I use a lot of presets in my work and have many from a range of creators. This offering from Filterbooth is probably the most modern and professional set I have used. While the preset styles don’t suit the styling I have used for my photographic brand, I did enjoy the Moody and Vintage options, as well as the ones with a bit of desaturation and matte finish.

If you are a general purpose photographer, and considering presets, the Filterbooth Preset Collection is a great, professionally produced, collection with a wide range of options to suit many styles. So give the free sample pack a try and take it from there.

Review 4 and a half /5 stars (the extra half for having a Free Sample Pack)

The post Review: Filterbooth Preset Collection for Lightroom and Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Stacey Hill.

Digital Photography School

February 26, 2019
Full Moon and Eclipse Photography: Your Guide to Where They Are in 2019 and How to Capture Them Effectively

The post Full Moon and Eclipse Photography: Your Guide to Where They Are in 2019 and How to Capture Them Effectively appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Jongsun Lee

Full moons and eclipses are a unique time to capture some interesting photographs.

Full Moons

Full moons usually happen once a month, with the occasional second full moon falling in the same month. This second full moon is called a Blue Moon.

Solar and Lunar Eclipses

A solar eclipse happens when the new moon passes between the earth and the sun, casting a shadow over the sun.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth passes between the full moon and the sun, causing the moon to fall into earth’s shadow. Lunar Eclipses occur only at the full moon.

To give you the opportunity to shoot the moon, below is a calendar of Full Moons and Eclipses for 2019, followed by some articles that will help you to capture the moon or eclipse effectively.

Full Moon and Eclipse Calendar

Full Moons

New York, N.Y (US/Eastern)

Date Time

Jan 21 00:17

Feb 19 10:53

Mar 20 21:43

Apr 19 07:12

May 18 17:11

Jun 17 04:31

July 16 17:39

Aug 15 08:31

Sep 14 00:35

Oct 13 17:10

Nov 12 08:37

Dec 12 00:14

Eclipses

Date Type

July 2 Total Solar Eclipse

July 16 Partial Lunar Eclipse

Nov 11 Mercury Transit

Dec 26 Annular Solar Eclipse

Full Moons

Sydney, Australia (AEST)

Date Time

Jan 21 00:17

Feb 20 02:53

Mar 21 12:42

Apr 19 21:12

May 19 07:11

Jun 17 07:38

July 17 17:38

Aug 15 22:29

Sep 14 14:32

Oct 14 08:07

Nov 13 00:34

Dec 12 16:12

Eclipses

Date Type

July 17 Partial Lunar Eclipse

Full Moons

London, England, UK

Date Time

Jan 21 05:16

Feb 19 15:53

Mar 21 01:42

Apr 19 12:12

May 18 22:11

Jun 17 09:30

July 16 22:38

Aug 15 13:29

Sep 14 05:32

Oct 13 22:07

Nov 12 13:34

Dec 12 05:12

Eclipses

Date Type

July 16-17 Partial Lunar Eclipse

Nov 11 Mercury Transit

How to Achieve Better Full Moon and Eclipse Photography

20 Dos and Don’ts for Shooting the Moon

Beyond Full Moon Photography

Moon Photography: 6 Tips for Better Moon Photos

How to Photograph a Solar Eclipse

Tips for Photographing a Lunar Eclipse

How to Photograph a Lunar Eclipse

The post Full Moon and Eclipse Photography: Your Guide to Where They Are in 2019 and How to Capture Them Effectively appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School

February 26, 2019
5 Tips for Better Forest Bird Photography

The post 5 Tips for Better Forest Bird Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Samuel Bloch.

Birds are a delight for the eye, and it’s natural you want to capture them with your camera. However, when you start shooting more and more, you’ll realize that each environment offers challenges, and therefore each requires a unique approach.

Red-Crowned Parakeet © Samuel Bloch

Birds are often found in good numbers in the forest, but you’ll find them moving fast into dark places, making photography there truly difficult. Here are a few tips I gathered during my time in the woods; I hope they can help you make the most of your trips there.

1. Wait for cloudy days

Light is everything in photography, and bird photography is no exception. Ideally, you’ll want to shoot birds during the golden hour (at sunrise or sunset). However, you’ll face two main obstacles shooting at this time. Firstly, sunrise and sunset may not reach inside the forest, especially if you are in a valley that opens to the north or south. By the time the morning light reaches the bottom, it may be harsh and unflattering. Secondly, forest birds might not be as predictable as, say, waterfowl, and you’ll need much luck to find a bird in the right spot at the right time before light becomes harsh.

On the other hand, shooting during a sunny day creates too much contrast: leaves catching sunlight turn into bright spots, branches cast ugly shadows on your subject, and in general, all the generic issues with shooting during the day apply in the forest as well…unless you go on an overcast day.

If it’s a cloudy day, contrast reduces, light softens, and the overall atmosphere will be much more flattering for your subject.

As an example, here are two pictures of the same bird; a New Zealand Bellbird. The first one was taken on a sunny day and exemplifies all the issues described above. Notice the branch’s shadow over the bird’s face and the bright spots on the tree to the right. I photographed the second image on a cloudy day when the light was softer and more homogenous.

New Zealand Bellbird on a sunny day © Samuel Bloch

New Zealand Bellbird on a cloudy day © Samuel Bloch

2. Embrace high iso

Under the canopy, it’s darker than in an open area. If you’re shooting on an overcast day, it will be darker than on a sunny day. Therefore, as in every situation, you’ll have to adapt your camera settings.

The first thing to mention is that you don’t need as high a shutter speed as you think, especially if you have a stabilized lens. If you shoot handheld, the general guideline is to use a shutter speed no lower than the inverse of your focal (i.e., if you’re shooting with a 400 mm focal length, you shouldn’t go below 1/400s). While this is good to keep in mind, you can go down to 1/250s or even 1/200s and still make great photographs! This requires practice, as you need to be very stable, but it’s possible. Birds move fast, but when they perch on a branch, they stay still for only a short time; trigger a burst of shots at the right moment, and you should come up with good frames.

The other aspect I’d like to focus on is ISO. Again, you can push your ISO much further than you think. I’ve found that if your bird is well in focus, grain is a problem only in the background, where you can easily remove it (with Photoshop for instance).

As an example, I shoot with a cropped-sensor camera (Canon 7DII), and I’ve heard people with the same equipment tell me they won’t go over ISO800. In the forest, I’m happy to go as high as ISO3200. Of course, you should not expect the image quality to be the same as ISO100, but you can still produce images you’ll like. Full-frame users have more flexibility in that regard.

Stitchbird shot at ISO3200 with a Canon 7DII © Samuel Bloch

3. Shoot Aperture Priority with auto ISO

Birds, especially songbirds, move quickly. You won’t have time to use Manual mode.

I make the majority of my bird photography with Manual mode, but there’s no shame in using a semi-automatic mode if it helps you create amazing shots! However, you’ll need to help your camera. Let it decide what ISO it wants to use (Auto ISO), but if you can, set a maximum ISO number that the camera won’t overrun (I use ISO3200 on a Canon 7DII). You can also set a minimum shutter speed, to prevent your camera from going too low there.

The aperture is the only thing you need to decide. Personally, with a Canon 100-400mm II, I prefer to shoot at f/6.3 because I find it sharper than when it’s wide open. However, in very dark conditions, I go down to f/5.6 (the minimum at 400mm). Remember the wider, the brighter.

North Island Saddleback © Samuel Bloch

North Island Robin © Samuel Bloch

Once you’re set up, start shooting and keep an eye on your screen. You can play with Exposure compensation to adjust your exposure; I often like to underexpose by one or two-thirds of a stop, but it depends on the conditions.

4. Mind your background

Because you’re shooting in Aperture priority mode, you have more time to work on composition. Your image has more impact if you can draw the viewer’s eye directly to your subject (the bird), so it is good to limit distracting elements. A clean, smooth background is one way to achieve that. It doesn’t have to be uniform. Some color patterns can be pretty, but branches and foliage should not be recognizable (at least, not too much!) The best way to create such a background is to be close to your subject while the background is far away. The further the bird, the harder it will be to obtain this clean background.

New Zealand Bellbird © Samuel Bloch

The other trick you can use for composition is framing: use out-of-focus branches and leaves to surround the bird and direct your viewer’s eye. Again, on an overcast day, these elements look soft and pleasant, while they can be harsh and distracting on a sunny day, as they catch the sunlight.

Juvenile New Zealand Bellbird © Samuel Bloch

5. Anticipate

Forest birds move fast. You can’t expect them to stay on a perch for ten seconds for you to fine-tune your shot. One second, maybe two, and they are gone.

Therefore, you need to anticipate. Keep your camera up, at the ready. When you spot a bird, try to guess in which direction it will move next, and position yourself to maximize opportunities there. Study the possible perches, and choose those with the most favorable background. Prepare yourself to shoot when the bird lands on these perches.

The approach above can be a gamble, especially if you don’t know the birds. It pays to regularly watch birds to learn their habits. It also pays to visit a place time and again, to learn it, to know where to find each bird, what area they like, and what perches they favor.

Rifleman © Samuel Bloch

You may want to set up a hide, but it is also valuable to stay mobile. Forest birds are not necessarily shy. Move slowly, and they may grace you with fantastic encounters. Then, it’s up to you to make the great pictures happen! Good luck!

Conclusion

If you can’t find birds at sunrise or sunset, elect to shoot on a cloudy day. It will be dark, so you have to adjust your settings – don’t fear high ISO! Aperture Priority mode gives you more time to work on your composition (mind the background!), and if you take time to observe the birds, you will be rewarded with fantastic photo opportunities.

The post 5 Tips for Better Forest Bird Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Samuel Bloch.

Digital Photography School

February 25, 2019
SLC-OE-06 Chocolate Box Studio

I am happy to announce my brand new studio. It features hardwood floors and a seamless, backlit ceiling as its primary light source.

Sadly, like many studios, this one is a little on the small side: it measures exactly one cubic foot. But that's fine, as this workspace was designed specifically for one subject: chocolates.

Today, we'll be harkening back to the roots of this website, namely working with cardboard and glue to solve a problem for next to nothing. Read more »
Strobist

February 25, 2019
15 Common Portrait Mistakes to Avoid

The post 15 Common Portrait Mistakes to Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Creating portraits is challenging for many photographers, for many different reasons. There can be so much involved in making a portrait of someone that it’s easy to make mistakes.

To make great portraits you need to be concentrating on more than just your camera settings. (I believe this is true for all photography.) You have to make sure the lighting is right, the background is suitable and wardrobe and props are on hand if needed. Most of all, you must give your attention to the person you are photographing.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Juggling all this is not easy, especially when you have little or no experience.

Practising taking portraits of someone you know, who enjoys being photographed, is a fabulous way to gain experience. Working with the same person for more than one or two portrait sessions will help you develop the skills you need.

As you begin you will most likely make some or all of these common portrait mistakes. Being aware of them can help you avoid making them.

1. Poor composition

The most common portrait mistake I see people on our workshops making with portraits is leaving too much space above the subjects head. Emptiness above someone usually does nothing for the look and feel of the photo.

Unless there’s significant information above a person, crop in more tightly to the top of their head.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

2. Distracting background

Having too much detail in focus behind your subject can draw attention away from them. Be careful about how you position your subject.

Also, make your lens choice thoughtfully. Using a longer lens will reduce the amount of background in your frame.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

3. Subject too close to the background

Don’t get your subject to sit or stand right up against the background. If it’s a busy scene your subject may be overwhelmed and end up not being the main focus. Even with a fairly plain background, it’s often best if you separate your subject from it.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

4. Not enough in focus

You may be tempted to open your aperture to the widest setting so you can blur out a distracting background. Be careful doing this that you maintain enough in focus on your subject.

Blurring the background may also mean blurring your subject more than what really looks good.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

5. Out of focus eyes

If your subject has eyes, focus on them. This is one photography rule I stick to, most of the time. It’s not often a portrait with the eyes out of focus looks great.

When your subject is facing directly at the camera it’s easy to get both eyes in focus. If their head is turned to one side you need to focus on the eye closest to the camera.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

6. Slow shutter speed

People move. You need to choose a fast enough shutter speed to freeze your subject. Even if they make a slight movement it can result in a blurred photo if your shutter speed is too slow.

1/250th of a second is usually fast enough. Slower than this and you may have problems.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

7. Poor lighting

Modern cameras can take photos when there’s next to no light, so it’s easy to get it wrong.

With portraits, it’s most important to have the right lighting for the mood you want to create in your photos. Hard, high contrast lighting is not good when you want a soft, romantic looking portrait. Equally, soft light will not help you create drama in a photo of a person.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

8. Bad timing

Capturing the right expression will flatter your subject. If you don’t, they may be reluctant to let you photograph them again.

Careful timing can make or break a portrait. Waiting and watching a person’s face for the right time to press the shutter button is vital. Most people will not stare into your camera without changing their expression. You need to be ready when they look their best.

If you’re photographing someone who is blinking a lot you need to time your photos in between blinks.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

9. Not taking enough photos

You need to take plenty of photos. Not taking enough photos will frustrate you when you are editing, because you will have too few to choose from.

Try to capture a range of expressions. Don’t just sit with your camera on burst mode filling your card up with nearly identical images. Aim to create a good variety. This will please your subject as it will allow them to make their selections more easily.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

10. Taking too many photos

Finding the balance between not enough and too many photos can be difficult. This will depend a lot on your subject.

Some people will be more comfortable being photographed for a longer period of time than others. You need to be aware of this. If your subject is getting bored or agitated because you are taking too long or taking too many photos, this will show in their face. Your results will suffer for it.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

11. Failing to connect with your subject

Connecting well with the person you are photographing is one of the most important aspects of portraiture. So many photographers spend more time and attention connecting with their cameras. This is a big mistake during a portrait session.

Building a rapport with your subject, even if you only have a few minutes, can make the biggest impact on your resulting photos.

When your subject is relaxed with you and happy, you will get better pictures of them. Your manner and the way you interact with them is vital.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

12. Not giving your subject enough direction

Communicate clearly what your intention for the portrait session is. What type of picture does your subject want? What kind of image do they want to portray?

When you know what they want, you will know what you have to achieve. If they do not understand what you are asking them to do, show them. Put your body, hands, face, just how you want them to look and they can mimic you.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

13. Feeling like you are imposing

This is common with photographing strangers. Many street photographers prefer candid portraits because they do not want to impose on people.

Standing back with a long lens on will not often produce an intimate portrait. You need to change your thinking and consider that what you are doing when you take someone’s photo has got the potential to bless them.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

14. Not being confident

If you are self-conscious and not confident this will generally be reflected back to you by your subject.

Having a calm, confident manner when you are making portraits will enhance both their experience and yours.

You don’t need to put on a show, but just be relaxed and assured that you are creating good photographs.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

15. Rushing to get finished

Take your time. It’s not a race.

Give yourself space to concentrate well on what you are doing. Make sure you are getting what you want and your subject is more likely to be pleased with your pictures.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Conclusion

It takes practice. Like learning to do anything well, it takes concentrated perseverance to succeed. This is why it’s good to practice making portraits with someone you know who is willing to be photographed.

Know your camera, be confident with it and with your subject and you will learn to make wonderful portraits.

When I started out as a photographer I found it incredibly difficult to photograph people. I was shy and lacked confidence. It was hard work, but over the years I have come to really enjoy the art of portraiture.

Do you have any other tips or portraits you’d like to share? If so, do so in the comments below.

The post 15 Common Portrait Mistakes to Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Digital Photography School

February 24, 2019
Have Digital Filters Replaced the Need for Physical Lens Filters?

The post Have Digital Filters Replaced the Need for Physical Lens Filters? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.

Do you need filters for beautiful pictures?

If you are old enough to have used a film camera, you know why people needed lens filters in order to accomplish visual effects in their images. Back in the film days, you had limited control over white balance or ISO. Once you selected your film from the available film stock, and put it in your camera, you were stuck with a roll (24 or 36 exposures) of single ISO negative or slide film that was probably daylight balanced. In order to not waste money, you did everything you could to carefully mete out your images and make the most of them.

Most film was daylight balanced so getting it right in-camera was critical

Back in the day

To help you make great images in the film days, you needed certain filters to help fix your white balance, and neutral density (ND) filters to allow you to slow your shutter speeds down. That was then, this is now. With the advent of digital cameras and the high-powered abilities of most image editing software, you can accomplish digitally much of the work that filters used to do. Is there still a place in modern digital photography for optical lens filters?

The answer is yes, but only for a few specific types of filters. In fact, you may find it difficult to get many filters in your local camera store that would have been readily available in the film camera days. Most bricks and mortar camera stores carry few filters. The more unusual filters might be found in the bargain bin section, next to the books on how to use your new Canon 5D mark 1 (hint: that is an old digital camera).

Some filters have to be really large to accommodate wide angle lenses

Types of Optical Lens Filters

I find that optical lens filters break down into six general types: UV/skylight filters, color modifiers, special effects, specialty filters, ND filters (including graduated), and circular polarizers. Most optical filters can be replaced by digital processes, either in the camera itself or in post-production. Some optical filters are really big and all take up space in your bag.

Ultraviolet (UV) or Skylight filters

Let’s consider UV or skylight filters. Film stock was often sensitive to UV light so it was important to protect your film by using a filter so that UV light wouldn’t make the images hazy. Modern digital cameras are not susceptible to UV light interfering with their sensors as there are already UV and IR filters built into the cameras (we will discuss the importance of this later). Today, UV or skylight filters serve a completely different purpose: many photographers use them to protect the front element of their lenses.

A UV or Skylight Filter will protect your lens front element

UV/Skylight filters as lens protection

As an aside, there are two schools of thought regarding UV or skylight filters. Some argue that putting a cheap filter in front of a really expensive lens significantly degrades the optical properties of your lens and that most good quality lenses have great coatings and are quite robust. Alternatively, others would prefer to replace a $ 100 filter than replace a $ 2000 lens. While I agree you should never use cheap filters, I do tend to think that if you use good filters they do protect your investment in much more expensive lenses. I have replaced lots of filters that were shattered from an impact. In all of those cases, the front lens elements were protected from contact by the filter. I am not sure that would have occurred without the sacrificial filters.

Regardless, since these UV/skylight filters don’t cause any significant changes to your image, they really are only useful for physical lens protection.

A warming filter to adjust white balance

Color filters

Color filters were another common filter used with film cameras for simple color correction. Back in the film days, the film stock was mostly daylight balanced so if your images were taken in non-daylight conditions, you would need to use a color filter to correct your white balance. Although film processors had some ability to adjust the white balance in the lab, back then – today too, for that matter – it was always easier when you got things right in camera. Color filters are still available but are more of a novelty item, used for a specific effect, often in concert with gelled flashes and strobes. They are also still used for film cameras, instant cameras, and for specific applications like underwater photography.

Special effects filters

Once upon a time, there were lots of special effects filters that would produce in-camera special effects like grids, streaks, and starbursts. These all still work on digital cameras, however, most of these effects can be digitally produced, reducing the need for the optical filter. Many film shooters will take their images and then scan them to edit them, so the extra effort and cost of using special effects filters seem unnecessary. They are also difficult to find.

Rectangular Graduated Neutral Density Filter

Neutral Density Filters – Graduated

The next filter type to consider is the neutral density filters, commonly used by landscape photographers (both film and digital). These divide into two groups: graduated neutral density filters and overall neutral density filters. Acting like sunglasses for your camera, graduated neutral density filters are all neutral colored – they should impart little color change – and darken only part of the image. Graduated filters help deal with the dynamic range of your sensors, particularly when shooting into scenes that are very bright and very dark in the same view. Most modern digital cameras have a dynamic range of about 10 – 14 stops whereas your eyes are more like 20 stops. Keep in mind that this is not really a fair comparison because our eyes work quite differently from camera sensors. Graduated neutral density filters can usually be applied in post-processing. Although, if the dynamic range is really huge, it often means you can take one image rather than multiple images that need to be composited (this is what HDR images really are).

The left shows the image normally processed with the right having a digital neutral density filter

Neutral Density Filters – Non-Graduated

A neutral density filter (non-graduated) is the first optical filter type that does things that cannot be easily duplicated, either in camera or in post-production. At least not all of its functions. While it is certainly possible to darken your images digitally in post, a non-graduated neutral density filter allows you to take images that your camera would not allow you to take in full sunlight. In full sun, it may be so bright that you may not be able to stop your lens down and slow your shutter down sufficiently to get motion to blur. Non-graduated neutral density filters allow you to slow your shutter speed down in the field when conditions are bright. You will be able to take images of moving subjects in bright locales and blur the motion to create interesting effects. For example, waterfalls are often shot using a non-graduated neutral density filter. Neutral density filters are often measured in stops to indicate the number of stops you can slow things down. At the extreme end of the non-graduated neutral density filters are the specialty filters used for photographing solar eclipses. Without these strong filters, the sun can permanently damage camera sensors.

Neutral Density Filters on the front element of the lens

Smooth water motion with a non-graduated neutral density filter for longer exposures

Specialty filters

The second optical filter type that cannot be duplicated in post-processing or in-camera are specialty filters related to UV and IR light. By default, cameras have filters on their sensors that cut UV and IR light out so that only visible light is recorded. However, it is possible to get these filters removed (you have to send your camera body away) to allow you to shoot UV-only, full spectrum (which includes UV, visible and IR), or IR-only images. Once this is done, your modified camera is generally limited to that particular use, but the images it produces can be quite interesting. By using specialty filters on a modified camera body that allows for full spectrum, you can control what portion of the spectrum is visible in your images. There are cut filters that allow full spectrum sensors to only see UV, visible light or IR spectrum. These filters cannot be duplicated in post-processing.

Slight neutral density cast for a circular polarizer

Circular Polarizers

The final optical filter type that cannot be duplicated in post-processing is a circular polarizer. There are actually two types of polarizers, linear and circular. They both cut the same light out but circular polarizers can rotate an allow you to find the optimal orientation whereas linear polarizers are fixed (you should only use circular polarizers unless you know what you are doing). Circular polarizers do two things: cut down reflections and increase contrast. Some also act as a weak neutral density filter. When light hits a metallic or watery surface, the reflected light tends to be polarized (all the light is vibrating in the same direction). The circular polarizer lets you filter out this polarized light. You do this by turning the filter. The change can be quite dramatic, and it cannot be achieved in any practical sense through post-processing. In addition, because there is always some polarized light in the atmosphere, the filter will make the colors in your images punchier. This is a secondary feature of polarizers but adds to their use. Colors just pop more. Different brands and types alter how much this occurs. In general, you can’t go wrong using a circular polarizer, particularly for landscape photography.

Circular Polarizers help control reflections

Conclusion

Many filters that were used with film cameras are not really required anymore because of the ability to control white balance and ISO. Other filters created effects that can easily be duplicated using image editing software like Photoshop. Despite this there are a few filter types that cannot be replaced by processes applied in post, thus they remain vital tools in your photographer’s toolbox.

Do you use filters? Share with us in the comments below.

The post Have Digital Filters Replaced the Need for Physical Lens Filters? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.

Digital Photography School

February 24, 2019
Review: Alien Skin Exposure X4 Software

The post Review: Alien Skin Exposure X4 Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

Alien Skin Exposure X4 is a photo editor providing direct competition to Adobe Lightroom, but with a few extra tricks up its sleeve. While it is a cataloging software, it doesn’t require a catalog like Lightroom. There is no importing to be done. It has a host of features and over 500 presets to help get you started with edits.

Who is it for?

Exposure X4 is aimed at a wide variety of users. From novices just getting started who want a little help via presets, to advanced photographers possibly tired of the subscription model Adobe keeps pushing for its programs.

As a professional myself, I don’t find any show-stopping limits within the program as I’ve seen from Lightroom competitors in the past. You’ll notice the word “robust” used a number of times in this article and I don’t use it without warrant. It’s a very serious competitor to Lightroom.

Highlighted Features

No catalog

At its core, Exposure X4 is built to edit photos quickly, dynamically and then to help you get the finished product out to the world, be it in print or online. Exposure X4 uses non-destructive edits, much like Lightroom, and does this without a catalog. Instead, Exposure X4 drops another folder inside of any folder you are editing as in the screenshot below.

Some may like this system because without a catalog there is no catalog to corrupt. While not a widespread problem in Lightroom, it can happen if you don’t close the program properly or if your computer crashes. Uniquely, it also allows for a limited amount of shared editing.

As the program only looks to individual edit information files (those ending in .exposurex4 in the screenshot above), it is conceivable to run the program on two computers sharing the same files, such as with a Network Attached Storage or other file sharing services (Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive, etc…). There’s also no need to pack up or export a catalog before moving files as the folder with edits will travel with the master folder.

File copy from cards

Instead of importing files, Exposure X4 uses a simple copy and bookmark feature to handle raw images.

The copy feature lets you copy from a card, or from a hard drive or network resource if you want to move files. This is a separate process than simply bookmarking an existing folder to bring its contents into Exposure X4.

The copy feature is pretty robust, with the ability to change file names, make backup copies, add metadata, including keywords and copyright. It can also apply presets (from the over 500 included or ones you create yourself).

The file naming convention is also robust with all kinds of variables you would expect. Below is an example of all the date related options you have.

As a long time Lightroom user, I was happy with the selections included.

Bookmarks instead of Imports

Lightroom requires you to run an import function to bring any images you want to edit into its catalog. Exposure X4 accomplishes this, in my opinion, in a more elegant way.

Simply click the plus sign on the Folders pane and select which folder you want including in the program.

The program also has the ability to monitor folders, so when new images show up (if you are importing with another program, for instance, or shooting tethered) the program will automatically bring those images in.

Layers

For those familiar with Photoshop, the Layers technique of editing will see standard practice. Using features like Brushes (for masks) and gradients will create a new layer for each desired effect.

In this case, I added some clarity to the mountains and a slight gradient. The array of presets is decent and you can modify any mask/edit to your liking.

Each layer can be turned on or off, which is very helpful when you want to see what effect each has without having to step back through the History.

Lastly, as you would expect, layers can be copied, named and deleted.

All the other edits

Exposure X4 has a vast array of editing options as you can see from this collapsed panel below.

While featuring every single item is beyond the scope of this review, I will mention the IR (infrared) and Focus.

For instance, take this shot of photographers in front of Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world, shot from the Nepal side.

With a quick swipe of the adjustment brush on a new layer mask then a few slider moves as such:

Bingo! We have selective focus.

Further editing needs to be done, but this is a nice start to helping the photographers stand out.

Presets galore

If you love presets, you’re going to love what Exposure X4 packs into its programming. Here’s a quick screenshot of the categories:

If you want to see what is behind each of those headings, take a look at their website.

One downside I can see is there aren’t many third parties making presets for this program, at least not that I was able to find.

However, you are able to create your own with no limits.

Lightroom Migration Tool

Now the crux of it!

When you install Exposure X4 on a computer with Lightroom, it will add a Migration Tool as an add-on within Lightroom.

So what does it do?

It’s fairly basic and, for the most part, tells Exposure X4 where to find all your files from the Lightroom catalog as well as bring over keywords and collections.

Does it work?

Yes and no. You need to know what to expect.

First off, it’s not going to bring over the entire history for a photo with all your edits just as they are in Lightroom.

You have two options: 1) Simply point Exposure X4 to the RAW file and then start from scratch or 2) Export each file that you have edited as either a JPG, TIFF or PSD file.

The second option works well when I had it create new PSD files. Keywords, star ratings, color coding, and all the metadata came right along into Exposure X4. The one annoying thing is it renames each file and appends it with “_migrated.psd”. This can easily be cleaned up with Exposure X4’s renaming feature.

Here’s an example of a small catalog brought into Exposure X4.

More info on the tool can be found on their site.

Show me more

There really is way too much to talk about in this one post. Luckily they have a great Features page that lists the plethora of features you may be looking for.

What Could Use Work

I found a few issues with the program while testing it. I left out the items I would describe as “That’s not the same as Lightroom!” where I blurted out that phrase because it’s not exactly the same.

No preview on import

I admit that import is the wrong name for it. Mentioned above, I’m talking about the “Copy From Card” feature to move items from a card to a local hard drive and also include them in Exposure X4.

When running this feature, there’s no ability to preview the images. This also means there is no ability to choose individual images when copying from a card.

Hopefully, this will be addressed in a future version. But I can see why they left it this way; because Exposure X4 is supposed to look at all images in a folder. If you don’t want to see them, they shouldn’t be there! It does cut down on the need to synchronize things as Lightroom can.

Not all profiles are present

The camera profile for my drone, a Mavic 2 Pro, was not included. At least that’s what I thought.

While it did have the profile for the Mavic Pro, it was not automatically recognized and applied in the Lens Correction pane. This may be a temporary thing, but the Mavic 2 Pro has been out since last summer.

Two finger rotation

This will seems like a little thing, but it really annoyed me. Rotating images is accomplished by holding down Command/Ctrl and the left and right arrow keys. Using the arrow keys make sense, because they point the way of rotation, but I want it quick and easy, not with the added Command key.

I know, it’s a little thing.

Lack of Add-Ons and Plug-Ins

Because it is not Adobe, Alien Skins doesn’t have a huge pile of developers pumping out plug-ins and add-ons for Exposure X4. It tries to make up for this fact by offering a robust program from the start, but I use the Lightroom tethering abilities often and not having that feature in Exposure X4 is hampering.

Conclusion

Alien Skin Exposure X4 can do almost all of what Lightroom can do. It’s worthy competition that deserves a close look if you are getting fed up with Lightroom and Adobe’s current path.

It offers a number of creative features you won’t find in Lightroom, like the adding sun streaks or other lighting effects to your photos.

It’s a fun and different approach than Lightroom. It can export to Photoshop and has a decent migration tool if you are already using Lightroom.

It’s not compatible with Lightroom, though. Using both programs on the same images will not work, so you need to choose one or the other. In my mind, it’s worth giving it a try and really diving into the keyboard shortcuts (“-” is used to reject a photo and “+” is used to flag it, while either shortcut can be used to toggle off the flag. No more trying to find “U” (to unmark!) to see if it is the right program for you.

Have you used this software? What are your thoughts?

The post Review: Alien Skin Exposure X4 Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

Digital Photography School

February 24, 2019