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5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice

21 May

There are certain things as a photographer you should know regardless of if you are an expert or a novice. These simple yet powerful lessons not only differentiate you but also help you grow in your art and your photographic career. For every newbie photographer, these are essential lessons to learn and practice.

Note: For the purposes of this article, all the images used here are SOOC (Straight out of camera). This is done to demonstrate key concepts highlighted here. My camera of choice is Canon 5D MKIII with a few common Canon L-series lenses like the 50mm and 85mm.

#1 – Know your gear inside out

This almost seems like a no brainer but I am surprised by the number of people who say that they have a really fancy (and expensive) DSLR camera but still shoot in auto mode 100% of the time. Now before you get all upset and say that there is nothing wrong with shooting in auto, I will raise my hand and say that yes, I also shot in auto when I got my first DSLR camera. But very quickly I realized that my camera (a Canon 5D MKII at that time) was a fantastic and sophisticated piece of equipment that was capable of some incredible shots if I only knew how to operate it.

So take the time and really know the ins and outs of your gear. The user manual is a great place to start to not only familiarize yourself with what all the buttons do but also where they are located on the camera. You should be able to adjust settings without removing your eye from the eyepiece/viewfinder when you are composing your frame. Think about it this way, would you like to own a convertible and always drive with the top up (i.e. closed), even on the most gorgeous of summer days?

Here are some ways to learn the ins and outs of your gear.

ISO – Play around with various ISO settings to understand how it affects exposure and what is an acceptable ISO grain (for you). This will help you make photography decisions in low light situations. Some of these ISO decisions may be limited to the kind of camera you have. Regardless, you should know the upper limits of your gear.

5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice

The quality of light at the stables where my kids ride is terrible. Even though they have lots and lots of flood lights, there isn’t enough light just because of the sheer size of the barn. These images were shot handheld at ISO 3200 – the one on the left was at 1/60th shutter speed whereas the one on the right was at 1/400th. That was because of the natural light coming in closer to the wall that illuminated my son and gave me a higher shutter speed to capture the motion of the horse.

Sweet spot – Find the sweet spot for your lens. Every lens has an aperture setting where the image is sharper overall than others. This will help you analyze what is the widest aperture (smallest f-stop) you can shoot in and still have the image in focus. This is different than the depth of field (which is how much of the scene is in focus) in that the actual resolution of the image is sharper at the sweet spot.

Minimum shutter speed – Find out what is the lowest shutter speed you can handhold your camera and get a sharp image. This will also help in low light situations as well as in creative motion blur type shots when you don’t have a tripod handy. The general rule of thumb is to shoot at one over the focal length of your lens.

5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice

Here I was shooting in a dark canyon with dark stone walls. I was using a 35mm lens at f/1.4 (completely wide open aperture) because I wanted a very low ISO (100) to eliminate any noise. My shutter speed dropped to 1/30th – which I clearly could not hold steady…the image is completely blurry and out of focus!

Weight – Find out what is the maximum weight you can comfortably carry without hurting yourself or almost passing out because of discomfort from carrying excess weight (true story!)

#2 – Know and understand light

There are some photographers who only shoot in natural light while others only shoot using some form of artificial light. Then there are photographers who shoot in any type of light and do a fantastic job at that. There is no right or wrong answer here in terms of preference but it is important to know how to shoot in any form of light. That might be the only thing that stands between you and the shot of your dreams.

Knowing how to read, analyze, and play with light is one of the most basic and important skills every newbie photographer should know, in my opinion. Keep in mind that not all light is equal from a purely technical standpoint (tungsten versus fluorescent versus white-balanced light). Certain types of light are good and others are not so good. Experiment with many different kinds of light so you know how to read light, then learn how to shoot in each.

These three images were all shot within the hour just before sunrise.

Here my settings are as follows ISO1250, f/2.8, 1/60th shutter speed. I LOVE the blue in the sky falling on the snow covered Pike’s peak in Colorado.

5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice

The warm sunrise cast such a magical glow on the mountain and surrounding areas. My settings here were ISO 320, f/5.0, and 1/500th. The sky filled with so much light that I had to stop down my aperture to be perfectly exposed.

5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice

The overcast sky with little spots of blue took my breath away. My settings here were ISO 320, f/5.0, and 1/800th to get a perfectly exposed photo.

5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice

I do not like indoor yellow tungsten light…everything become so orange! (A custom white balance or correction in processing is necessary)

5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice

But neutral natural light is so much easier to work with and to get even natural-looking skin tones.

3 – Practice good ethics

Be respectful of the people, places, and things you photograph. I cannot tell you how much it pains me when I see photographers (both amateurs and professionals) disrespect their surroundings. Be it climbing where they are not supposed to, keeping heavy equipment on delicate surfaces, overcrowding and overstaying their welcome in public places and not giving other general tourists the opportunity to enjoy the scenery.

Pay special notice to other photographers. These are folks in your industry even if they are beginners. They are all in it for the same reasons you are – love for the art! Leave that sense of entitlement behind, just because you have more expensive gear does not make you a better photographer or a creative artist. Take the extra effort to find out what the photography rules are in the places that you intend to photograph and stick to them.

5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice

I belong to several groups of photographers and we regularly meet to shoot the breeze, photograph together and just generally geek out about all things photography. There is no pressure, no tension and everyone plays nice! Community over competition!

4 – Safety

Be safe when you are out and about. Always be aware of your surrounding especially if you are a female photographer who tends to travel alone. Check out this article  Safety Tips for Travel Photographers (Particularly Women) that addresses this issue. Remember safety always comes first, art next.

5 – Be your true self and be patient

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

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

Also give out as much as you can, be helpful and uplift others who are on this journey with you. The more you put out there the more you will receive from the universe! I truly believe in that mantra across all walks of life.

5 Things Every Photographer Must Learn and Practice

I am always coming up with shoot concepts and ideas to keep experimenting. Some work and some fail miserably but that’s okay. I take everything as a learning experience and try to stay positive in my game. An editorial shoot with my daughter captured on film was a complete disaster as I got all the setting wrong and ended up with grainy, grudge frames! – but I learned a whole lot about film and light and how different it is to digital!

5 Things Every Photographer Must Learn and Practice

Leftover florals from Valentine’s day gave me a chance to practice some styling as well as a more moody, contrasty way of editing – which I sort of like and dislike at the same time! But no money was lost and I only used 10 digital frames and spent 30 minutes in editing experimentation.

Conclusion

Are there any other life lessons that photography has taught you? In the spirit of building this community of creatives, feel free to share it with others.

The post 5 Things Every Newbie Photographer Must Learn and Practice by Karthika Gupta appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

20 May

Ask most photographers and they will tell you that one of the hardest things to find with respect to photography gear is the perfect camera bag. One that will suit your every need. We search and search, but in the end, we all come to the realization there isn’t one bag that will be great for every situation. Though, sometimes you can find one that comes close, for me it was the Benro Ranger 400 Pro backpack.

Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

Lots of options

One of the things to look for in a bag is one that gives you lots of options when using it. One that can handle most photographic situations that you might encounter.

I was looking for a bag that would hold my camera, my filters and holder, plus up to three lenses. Also ideally one that would take my laptop from time to time. It was also very important that it would hold my tripod.

The Benro 400 Pro backpack is lightweight and has a lot of protective elements. The outside of it measures 14 in (35cm) wide, by 19 in (50cm) high, and 8 in (20cm) in depth. It isn’t a large bag, but it’s big enough for most people. The inside is 12(W) x 17(H)x 6(D) inches, or 30(W) x 42(H) x 15(D) cm.

Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

Sitting next to the Benro Tripod.

Space in the bag

The bag has three separate ways to enter it. The main zipper, that allows full access to the inside of the bag. There is a side zipper to allow easy removal of the camera with the lens attached. There is also a small zipper on the back near the top to help you get to your lenses faster for quick changes.

Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

The side entrance to get your camera.

Inside the bag, you can move the dividers around to suit your needs. It is like most camera bags in that respect. It will take the camera, and more importantly large cameras fit easily. There are plenty of sections for your lenses, and  it will also allow you to take up to three others (besides the one on the camera), filters, and other smaller accessories you may need for your trip. You do need to be careful that you don’t carry too much, think of your back.

Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

The inside of the bag.

The bag is deep and you can put your lenses in length ways, unlike other bags where they need to lay down and take up more room. For most lenses you can put them in this way.

There are also places to keep memory cards and batteries. If you want to carry your laptop it will take up to a 14-inch one. A 13-inch Wacom MobileStudio Pro also fits into it fine.

Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

The area at the back so you can easily reach your lenses.

Materials

The Benro 400 Pro backpack is made with a black water-resistant nylon. It has a hard bottom, so for a backpack it will stands up really well when you put it down. When moving around you can just place it down and not worry about it falling over as many other bags do. It is very hard and gives the bag a lot of support with the structure of the bag as well.

Comfortable to wear

It is very comfortable to wear and the smaller size makes it a good bag for most people. The straps are thick and provide a lot of padding which make it good to carry on your shoulders. When the bag is full of gear you can carry it with ease.

Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

The bag sits well on the back and is comfortable.

Waist band strap

It does come with a waist strap that you cannot remove from the bag. The sides that come around your waist to sit on your hips also have small compartments with zips. When you get the bag, one of the pockets holds the strap for the tripod and the other side has the rain cover. You can remove both and use them as pockets for easy access. I use one to store my car keys. The zip means they will be safe there.

Tripod attachment

The strap that is found in the side waist strap pocket is used to put across the front of the bag, and another pocket from down the bottom at the front pulls out so you can attach your tripod. The strap is fiddly and can take a bit to put your tripod on it.  I found it frustrating, and instead, choose to attach it a different way.

Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

How the tripod fits to the front of the bag.

You can also attach it on the side of the bag as well, There is a strap at the bottom of the side that doesn’t seem to have much purpose, and then the strap that is used to keep the front section to the back section, extra security at the top of the side. You can use them to hold the tripod onto the bag. It is, in some ways, a much easier way to attach it. It is nice that you get a couple of choices.

Review of the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack

The tripod attached to the side.

In the end

Since getting the Benro Ranger 400 Pro Backpack I’ve used it continuously. The only time I change bags is when I want to use one on wheels. It has been to many places and has not let me down so far. It has been comfortable to wear for hours and the tripod is easy to get on and off. For me it is almost the perfect camera bag.

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Beyond Human Vision – Seeing More With Photography

20 May

Have you ever been frustrated because you don’t seem to be able to photograph a scene the way it looks to you, with your vision? Maybe you can’t get a sharp image even though the scene is perfectly clear, or perhaps the camera fails to capture the beautiful variety of light in a landscape.

It’s possible that you’re having technical trouble in getting the most from your camera, but it might also be because the human eye and the camera aren’t the same, despite their compelling similarities. For instance, our eyes have a much broader dynamic range than any sensor or film, and our binocular vision gives us amazing depth perception.

But have you ever thought of the ways in which cameras can outperform the vision of your eyes? These aspects of your favorite tool are not obscure quirks, but commonly used techniques that broaden your perception of the world around you.

So let’s dive into the mysteries of the camera! Maybe realizing how photography expands your worldview will make you look at photography (and reality) in a slightly different way.

1. Capturing time

With the camera, you can capture time in different units than your eye does. This, of course, is done by choosing a shutter speed. There isn’t a direct counterpart to shutter speed in human vision, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take advantage of the camera’s ability to observe the passage of time beyond our own vision.

Beyond vision 01

A long shutter speed of several seconds lets you see movement that isn’t discernible at all or in the same way by vision alone. Exposure: 1/3rd of a second, f/14.0, ISO 100.

Beyond vision 02

Controlling shutter speed is also what makes light painting possible. Exposure: 134 seconds, f/5.6, ISO 100.

Beyond vision 03

Using a really fast shutter speed lets you transform continuous motion that you see as a blur into a frozen instant. I thought I was photographing a bird sitting on a snowy branch, but all I got was a miniature snow flurry. Exposure: 1/500th, f/2.8, ISO 800.

2. Capturing light

Even though your eyes are better than cameras at distinguishing a wide range of light levels in the same frame, the camera can extend your observation of very dark and very light scenes. You can accomplish this by carefully balancing shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Modern cameras allow for ever higher ISO levels, which increase the light sensitivity and allow you to capture images in really dark scenes.

Beyond vision 04

If you’re lucky, you can see The Milky Way with your naked eye. Capturing it with a camera, though, allows you to see even more details of our galaxy. Exposure: 35 seconds, f/4.0, ISO 1600.

3. Field of view

The human field of view is static, about 190 degrees depending on the anatomy of your face. By using lenses, you can vary that field of view from slightly larger to much smaller.

Beyond vision 05

A wide field of view, but still not as wide as that of most humans. Exposure: 1/13th, f/7.1, ISO 400.

Beyond vision 06

A very small (narrow) field of view. This close-up, or macro, shows the tiny details of a fungus growing. Exposure: 1/25th, f/6.3, ISO 100.

4. Depth of field

Although you can’t control it, your eyes do have a changeable aperture called the pupil. It’s difficult to find information on exactly what kind of apertures the human eye can pull off. But whether the camera can do more or less, the effects of a small or large depth of field differ between eyes and cameras.

Examples of this are bokeh, which is achieved by a large aperture (small depth of field), and the starburst effects caused by a very small aperture (large depth of field).

Beyond vision 07

Snow and ice crystals creating bokeh. Exposure: 1/100th, f/4.0, ISO 160.

Beyond vision 08

Starburst over a snowy sea. Exposure: 1/500th, f/20.0, ISO 100.

5. Color

Although cameras have been designed to capture the same colors that we see, some can detect color in a very different way, including sensors used mainly by scientists to detect ultra-violet, infrared, or other parts of the non-visible spectrum.

The ability of some film to capture black and white offers us a new way to see the world, focusing on tones rather than colors. You can also make black and white photographs with a digital camera, though this is almost always a conversion from color to monochrome, either in-camera or in post-processing (there are a couple of monochrome digital cameras available on the market, but they are neither common nor cheap).

Beyond vision 09

A monochrome vision – this photo was taken as a color image, then converted to black and white in post-processing. Exposure: 1/80th, f/4.0, ISO 1250.

Conclusion

Can you come up with more things that the camera can do but you can’t? Do you think your camera helps extend your vision – both literally and metaphorically? I’d love to hear from you and see some of your creations in the comments section below.

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How to Photograph Your Museum Visits – Turn Limitations Into Creative Challenges

20 May

Do you feel frustrated that you are not allowed to make selfies in museums? Did a light reflection ruin the photo of your favorite artwork? Are the other visitors always in the way of your perfect shot? Then this article is for you, to help you photograph your next museum visit!

Museums are a great place to get inspiration, however, the great teams behind every exhibition have to be more concerned with the preservation of the artworks than about your photo. Therefore, photographing in a museum poses two big challenges.

First, the multiple rules that you have to follow, remember to always be respectful of them because they exist for a reason. Second, the fact that you can’t alter the conditions in which you have to shoot. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t make great photos, actually, you can turn it around and use these limitations to take your photography to the next level.

Every museum has different rules so I’ll cover some of the most common:

NO SELFIE-STICK

Many museums of the world like the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and many others have banned the selfie-stick. Not to worry, this shouldn’t stop you from making a memory of yourself with your favorite artwork.

Whether it’s in a frame or a display case, most objects in museums are protected by glass. So, you can use your reflection on the glass to make a selfie. You can also use mirrors and other reflective surfaces you can find.

How to Photograph Your Museum Visits - Turn Limitations Into Creative Challenges

Crystals, Teylers Museum, Haarlem, The Netherlands.

How to Photograph Your Museum Visits - Turn Limitations Into Creative Challenges

Albergo Diurno Venezia, during the exhibition Senso 80 by Flavio Favelli, Art Week Milan 2017, Milan, Italy.

In order to work with reflections, you need to understand how light works. Without going into a complicated physics lesson, what you need to know is that light travels in straight lines.

Light Diagram How to Photograph Your Museum Visits - Turn Limitations Into Creative Challenges

Which is also why you can get those annoying light flares that can ruin your photos. So you need to be very aware of all the other objects in the room to avoid unwanted reflections.

Reflection Mistakes - museum

Me As Mapplethorpe, 2009. Gillian Wearing RA, (based upon the Robert Mapplethorpe work: Self Portrait, 1988) exhibited at Gemeente Museum, The Hague, the Netherlands.

Now that you know how it works, you know how to move around the space in order to control your reflection. A few tips to consider though:

  • The darker the background, the better you will see the reflection. For example, if you are doing the selfie in front of a black and white photo, position yourself in a way that you will be reflected in the darkest part of the photo, so you will stand out more. If you are wearing white or a light color shirt that’s even better.
  • Try different positions so that you are not blocking an important part of the artwork. You can even try interacting with it.
  • If there is a metallic surface or a mirror in the piece, use it to your advantage, and acknowledge your presence (smile, wave, etc.) so that it doesn’t look like a mistake.
  • Locate the light source and then position yourself in a way that the bouncing trajectory doesn’t hit the lens of your camera, but it does hit any objects you want to reflect.

NO FLASH

This is one of the most universal rules in museums. This is because the hundreds of thousands of visitors that some artworks attract would sum to a great amount of light that some materials cannot take without damage. So you’ll have to make the best with the lighting of the museum that is designed to either preserve the delicate artworks, or to set a mood that complements a whole concept of the exhibition.

In other words, more often than not it will be very dark. This is where the settings of your camera (and even some smartphones) come in.

Since this article is not about exposure I won’t go into a lot of detail, but I will give you a quick guide to adjust it to better photograph in low light. The correct exposure depends on three things:

ISO

In photography this stands for International Standard Organization just like every other ISO that you’ve heard about. What it standardizes in this case is a scale for measuring sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO number you choose, the higher sensitivity your device will have. A lot of people are afraid to go very high because there is the risk of getting noise in your image, which is like the grain that used to be in film photography.

Nowadays most cameras can keep the quality even at higher numbers, so try all the settings out to determine which one is the highest you can go with your own equipment. However, in my experience, you get less noise from a high ISO than going lower and then trying to correct the underexposure in Photoshop later. Here is an example:

ISO 320 museums

This image was taken at ISO 320.

Versus . . .

ISO 3200 museums low light

This image was taken with an ISO of 3200.

Aperture (f-number)

The simplest explanation I can offer is that the aperture is the hole in your lens that lets in light. Therefore the bigger the hole, the more light will enter.

But here is the tricky part, the aperture reference scale is inversely proportional. So, contrary to what you might think, a smaller number means a bigger hole and therefore more light. For example, a photograph taken with f/8 will be lighter than the photo taken with f/11.

This setting also controls the depth of field of your image (the area that will be in focus). So be careful moving this one because you might loose some sharpness in areas that are farther away from your point of focus if you use smaller f-numbers. Notice in the image below how the objects are loosing focus towards the back.

Depth of field museums

Crystals, Teylers Museum, Haarlem, The Netherlands.

Shutter Speed

This setting controls how much time you expose the sensor to light. Since the sensor (or film) is accumulative, the more time you expose it, the lighter your image will be. Shutter speed is very straightforward and it could be your best choice, except that anything moving will look like a blur if you go too slow.

Even if everything is still, if you are not using a tripod, YOU are the one moving. So don’t let it stay opened too long. In some museums you’re allowed to use a tripod if you pay an extra fee, so feel free to ask.

It is also useful to know that telephoto lenses need a faster shutter speed to avoid blur than the wide angle lenses. So you can also consider re-framing your image like the next example.

Shutter speed 1/8th, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 55mm.

Shutter speed 1/8th, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 22mm.

You can also use this setting in a creative way. For this photo I wanted the tram passing in between the two pieces of the sculpture to leave a blurry line to have a more dynamic result and also show more context on how the sculpture was meant to interact with the space.

Shutter speed 1/2 second, f/11, ISO 400; focal length 18mm.

Shutter speed 1.3 seconds, f/11, ISO 400; focal length 18mm.

Now that you know what each setting does, you can adjust them to your needs. Keep in mind that they are interrelated, so if you move one you need to correct the others accordingly. For example, if you close your aperture because you want more depth of field, remember to compensate it by leaving the shutter open for a longer time, or by making your ISO more sensitive (higher number). Always keep an eye on your exposure meter!

NO TOUCH

Given that you can’t change your surroundings or rearrange the artworks, you will have to be extra creative and flexible.

Take care of composition.

When photographing an artwork in a museum, don’t try to just reproduce it. To do that it’s always better to buy the postcard or the catalog. What you do want is to capture what it’s transmitting to you. Use the architecture of the gallery, make it interact with the other pieces of the exhibition, try to capture the ambiance. In other words, make it your own. Notice how in this example I didn’t photograph any specific artwork, just the space and the atmosphere.

Composition museums

Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Change your position.

Retaking the topic from the No Selfie-stick, if you need to avoid reflections and you can’t move the artwork or the lighting, then reposition yourself. Do this also to play with perspective, to include or exclude objects from your frame, and just try as many angles as you can.

For this next image, I was playing with perspective and the position of the circular lamps in order to make them look like the aura of the statue.

Position museums

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Be aware of other visitors.

It will be very difficult for you to have the museum to yourself, so try to be respectful of others and don’t get in the way. Don’t be afraid to include people in your photo as well, just be sure to wait until the right moment so that they complement your image.

Mirrors museums

Het Dolhys, Haarlem, the Netherlands.

Silhouette museums

Museo de la luz, Mexico City, Mexico.

COPYRIGHT

Last but not least, there is one rule that you won’t see on the museum signs, but it exists and it’s very important – the issue of copyright.

While getting inspiration from other artists it’s great, remember that you are photographing the work of a fellow artist so it is covered by copyright. This can apply from the artwork being exhibited to the architecture of the museum so it can be a very complicated issue to understand.

I advise you inform yourself about it in more depth. A general rule of thumb that you can always follow is that you can’t use the image for commercial purposes without permission and/or retribution from the creator. And in any other context for educational purposes (e.g. this tutorial or giving a conference) you should always give the credits. Let’s be respectful of one another.

Next time you go to a museum you can both get inspired and creative. Enjoy and share your photos!

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How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

20 May

The ability to combine images together is a very useful skill for photographers. Although most want to get the image right directly in the camera, there are instances where merging images together prove useful (and necessary). As well as this, the image we have in our mind may not always be physically possible to produce during the shoot, and merging multiple photographs together can bring that vision to life!

There are many different ways to merge images together. Of the hundreds of approaches to this task, the best one is the method that works for you. This tutorial will showcase my personal, manual preference of merging images. There are ways to automate image merging in software, but it is better to know the manual method before doing so (as they say, learn the hard way to be able to use the easy way!). The manual method also offers significantly more control.

Before we begin with the tutorial, there are several key concepts to keep in mind:

  • Make sure that the images are the same resolution. If one image is 300 dpi (or dots-per-inch), and the other is 72 dpi, you will need to convert one of them to match the other.
  • Try to pick images with a similar light source. Although you can add artificial shadows and highlights, it is quite difficult to ensure that these simulated sources look natural (although absolutely possible). It is far more convincing to find images that already have a very similar lighting situation.
  • Try not to over-complicate the merge. Attempting to add elements that are extremely convoluted (due to having very fine outline details or other types of intricacies) can be frustrating to blend realistically.

How to Combine Images

I can think of many instances in which a photo shoot could be better enhanced by combining different images together. When merging from the same location, the benefit is that, presumably, the lighting and shooting settings are the same (or similar). As well as this, the location being the same makes for an easier merge. If you are merging images from a different location, try to pair elements that can blend in well together! Burning edges can be a great way to blending images together.

On to the steps:

Begin by planning what elements of the individual photographs you will want to combine together (see two images below).

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Source image #1.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Source image #2.

Make a selection – then copy and paste

Secondly, take the lasso tool in Photoshop and draw around the object, model, or animal you want to add to your base image. You can also utilize the selection tool or quick selection tool to do this. In this particular image, because the colors and tones are all very similar to one another, I found the lasso tool to be a much faster way of selecting the part of the image I need. Other photo editing software will likely have very similar tools.

Note: You cannot do this kind of work inside Lightroom. A program that utilizes layers is needed, and that is a function which Lightroom does not offer.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Image with a selection made around the part to copy to the other image.

Next, paste the image into the spot it belongs in the other image. I like to lower the opacity when placing so that I can see exactly where the subject should be positioned. You can then raise the opacity back up.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Pasted area at lowered opacity to aid in placement.

Blend using a layer mask

Fourthly, to blend the image into its rightful place, I utilize layer masks and the brush tool. The benefit to these two tools used in unison is that if you accidentally erase a part of the layer that you want to keep, you can always undo your mistake. Likewise, if you find later that you would like a certain part of the first layer to show, you can do that without issue.

All you need to do is select the top layer, click “add layer mask”, and then select the brush tool. When utilizing the brush tool, the black color will act as an eraser and remove the top layer, while the white color will bring the top layer back. Make sure that the brush is very soft, as that helps blend. Change to a harder edged brush for straight edges.

Note: Make sure you paint on the mask not on the actual layer!

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Paint on the layer mask to blend the two images smoothly.

Keep blending until the image looks to be a natural part of the frame.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

The final blended image – two combined into one.

Repeat the steps as many time as necessary.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Adding or Changing a Background

Adding a new background is quite possibly the most common use of the image merging skill. Whether you shoot your subject in a studio or just a snap out in nature, changing the background can add an entirely different feel to the photograph.

The same steps apply to this type of merging as with the aforementioned. If you’re working with hair or fur, a tip is to try to pick backgrounds whose light and dark areas match with the original background, as that allows you to not have to work around those very fine details (and can leave them untouched). In the photo example here, the new background elements were matched to the dark parts of the photograph, which allowed me to not have to select the fine fur details (see the ear and snout fur).

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Original image.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Edited image with a new background.

Changing Animal Heads

Animals are notorious for not sitting still, blinking, looking away at an inopportune moment, or otherwise being uncooperative for photographs. A very common practice in animal photography is to swap the heads out.

Similarly to the aforementioned merging methods, follow all of the same steps. Make sure you pay attention to how the fur flows, and use that to your advantage when blending! In the photo example case here, the wolf’s neck and head were placed onto the body of the base image. After some basic additional retouching (cloning out the leash and lightening the eyes), I got the finished result.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Original image.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Second source image for left wolf’s head.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Final image of the two combined.

Swapping Human Heads

Like animal photography, sometimes it is necessary to take a head from one image and put it on the body of another. Occasionally, you will like the model’s pose but not her facial expression, or like the model’s expression but not her pose. The key is to make sure you align the neck correctly, or else your model will look disfigured.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Image #1 – I used her face from this shot.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

Image #2 – combined with her body from this shot.

How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop

To make this final image.

For a more detailed look at head swapping check out: How to do a Head Swap using Photoshop

Conclusion

There is a good overview of how to merge and combine images in Photoshop. If you didn’t know that the final images in the article had been altered could you tell they weren’t shot that way?

What other applications can you think of to use this technique? Please share your ideas in the comments below.

The post How to Merge and Combine Images in Photoshop by Anabel DFlux appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Review of the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light INT812

20 May

What is a ring light?

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

Even if you don’t know what a ring light is, it is probable that you have seen photos made using them. As the name suggest, they are a light source in the shape of a ring, often, your camera is mounted on the light so the lens points through it. This on-axis lighting provides even, shadowless illumination on the front of your subject. It is a very distinct style most often seen in fashion photography.

In the past, ring lights were expensive or required a solid set of DIY skills to build your own.

The effect is not to everyone’s taste, and that’s fair enough. Sometimes, the light can appear flat and lifeless, which puts some people off. Also, a lot of photographers don’t like the distinctive ring-shaped catch-lights. That is also fair. If, however, you do like what can be achieved with a ring light, but you’ve been put off by price in the past, then the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light may just be for you.

Pros of the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

There are a lot of things to love about the Interfit Flourescent Ring Light. In no particular order, they are:

Cost

At $ 100, the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light is cheap. No, it’s not a strobe, but when you compare it to, say, Bowens’ dedicated Ringflash Pro (listed for $ 2021 on B&H), the Interfit is close to $ 2000 cheaper. This makes ring lights accessible to almost every photographer who wants to use one.

Weight

The unit itself is quite large, but at 1.3 kg it’s light enough to carry anywhere without much trouble. If you often shoot in a studio or space that isn’t your own, throwing the Interfit ring light in the back of your car is not going to be a logistical issue.

Size

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

The ring light itself is rather large. But because you are not attaching the lens to the light, it gives you a lot of space to move around with the camera while still being able to see your subject through the light’s aperture. It also means that you can use a longer lens, such as 200mm while keeping the light really close to your subject.

Continuous

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

With the Interfit INT812 being a continuous light source, you gain a few advantages. The first of these being that replacement bulbs are cheap, despite the size, they are only around $ 14 each.

Another is that after being on for about an hour, the bulb never gets particularly hot. This is great if you’re photographing people as you don’t have to worry about that aspect of your subject’s comfort.

Finally, there’s the matter of your subject’s pupils. With strobe lighting, you are usually in dark environments with periodic bursts of bright light. As we all know, our eyes adjust to the dark and our pupils dilate to allow us to see. In bright light, such as this ring light offers, it’s the reverse and your subject’s pupils contract, revealing more of the color in their eyes.

Bendable arm

Thanks to a bendable arm, the Interfit INT812 is able to be put in almost any position, making it a very versatile light.

The real beauty of this light is the bendable arm that it is mounted on. This arm, combined with the fact that the light is not mounted to your camera, means that you are not limited to using it as a traditional ring light. You can use and position it as you would any other light source. It’s also possible to point it straight down, a feat usually reserved for boom arms.

At one point I found myself using it as a hair light, alongside a softbox fitted to a strobe as my key light. The versatility all of this provides is more than worth the price tag, even if you never use it on-axis as a traditional ring light.

Interfit NG-65c ring light

Placed at a 45-degree angle, the narrow edge creates interestingly shaped highlight and shadow areas.

Interfit NG-65c ring light

Positioned straight down and a few inches above, the Interfit Ringlight provided some much-needed fill on an all black subject.

Cons of the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

As much as I like this light, it does have a few problems as outlined below.

Build quality

As I’ve mentioned already, the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light is not an expensive piece of equipment. In terms of build quality, it’s reasonable to not expect too much from it. The entire casing is made out of lightweight plastic and does feel a bit flimsy at the best of times. That said, both the bulb and the bendable arm seem to be of good quality. So far, I’ve used it about a dozen times and I have yet to have an issue.

Low intensity

Because this is a continuous light at the cheaper end of the market, the intensity of the light isn’t exactly the brightest. Because of this, you will be limited to working with large apertures and high ISO settings. Depth of field is unforgiving at apertures like f/1.8, so I would encourage using a tripod and taking your time focusing.

At the other end of the scale, it is very bright to look directly into from less than a foot away. This may be uncomfortable for your subjects if you have them in front of it for a long period of time.

If you’re used to using high powered strobes, you need to keep an eye out for other light sources that may affect your images. As the ring light isn’t very high powered, any ambient light around will add unwanted color casts to your images.

Chromatic aberration

When used on axis, chromatic aberration appears around the catch-lights in almost every photo. This isn’t much of a problem as Lightroom will make short work of the aberrations, but it is important to know about.

Chromatic aberration appears around the catchlight from the Interfit INT812; however, this easily fixed in Lightroom.

Color temperature

In terms of mixing multiple light sources, The Interfit INT812 does pose a few problems. It is not daylight balanced, nor does it match the fluorescent light balance preset in camera or in Lightroom. If this is the only light source present, you can eyeball the sliders in Lightroom or use a simple grey card to solve the problem.

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

The Interfit Right Light works well as a fill/hair light, although it does take some time to fix the resulting color casts.

However, when you’re mixing light sources, for example, if you use the ring light in combination with studio strobes, you will have to overcome unwelcome color casts. With the white balance set to flash, the color from the ring light is an unpleasant green. It’s an easy fix with all of the color correction tools in Photoshop and Lightroom, but it’s a problem easily avoided if you’d rather not spend the time correcting it. Of course, you could just use this as an excuse to shoot in black and white.

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

Extra equipment

So far, I have only come across one real problem while using the Interfit ring light. Because it is so light, I was happy to put it on one of my cheaper light stands. When I started using the bendable arm to put the light at weird angles, it became top-heavy and off balance and started to fall over. Putting it on a heavy duty light stand solved the problem. However, watching one of your lights start on its way to the floor is not an experience that I recommend anyone replicating.

The problem here is that good quality, heavy-duty light stands can start at around half the price of the ring light. If you don’t already have a good light stand before you consider purchasing the Interfit INT812, please be sure to include that into your pricing considerations.

Overall Impressions

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

For $ 100, I love this thing. No, it isn’t perfect, but it does add an awful lot of versatility to my toolkit. I like it so much, that as long as there’s a place to plug it in, I will be going out of my way to take it with me from now on.

It might be obvious, but I do like the ring light effect a lot. However, even if you hate ring lights, the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light INT812 brings a lot to the table and does so in a price range that doesn’t make it cost prohibitive to give it a try.

The post Review of the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light INT812 by John McIntire appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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How to Improve your Photography in 21 Days

19 May

The web is saturated with top ten lists of how to be a better photographer. Heck, I’ve even written a number of them myself. Yet, one has to wonder, how much better can someone really become after reading just one article? Wouldn’t a larger transformation involving several weeks or months be necessary?

Depending on your current amount of personal bandwidth, you may not like the answer. There are some shortcuts, but ultimately you are looking at a minimum of 21 days to really make an impact.

Better photographer 21 days 02

For an even deeper understanding of how it all works, you need to dedicate a little bit of time every day for three weeks. It’s a big commitment, I know, but at the end of this period you will be shooting with the best of them. In the grand scheme of things, it’s actually not that long. Just 21 days is all it will take. Let’s get started with the essentials.

Week 1

Day #1 – Believe in Yourself

I know it’s only day one, but this first step is a critical part of your growth as a photographer. It’s where you tune-out your inner critic and start thinking positively. The transformation your thoughts can make is truly remarkable. Be careful though, negative patterns will try to creep back in. Squash them as they arise and replace them with something positive about yourself. This tip is first because it’s the foundation that everything else is built upon. Without it, you’re building a house on sand.

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” – Author, Normal Vincent Peale.

Better photographer 21 days 10

Day #2 – Get a Library Card

Amazon is convenient, but the library has its own charm. It’s where you’ll find treasures you didn’t realize you were looking for. It’s in those long aisles full of books that you’ll find a heaping dose of inspiration. Flip through the pages, study how the masters composed and created their shots. Look for titles by Ernst Haas, Eliot Porter, Garry Winogrand, Robert Frank, Ansel Adams, and more.

Don’t stop there, however. Take the time to learn about photographers you’ve never heard of. Read about what inspired them to get started and any tips they may offer. One of my favorites is the Nature Photography Field Guide by John Shaw. He has the simplest way of teaching the most complex topics, including manual metering.

“Everything you need for better future and success has already been written. And guess what? All you have to do is go to the library.” – Henri Frederic Amiel.

Day #3 – Face Your Fears

If there is some type of photography that really freaks you out, make a concerted effort to schedule time for it. Perhaps you only shoot landscapes and nature. If so, now is the time to try your hand at portraiture or street photography.

Better photographer 21 days 06

I talk to many photographers who never use flash and claim that they only use natural light. That sounds reasonable, but deep down you know it’s just an excuse to avoid learning about guide numbers, slave units, TTL, etc. Don’t avoid this step as it will come back to haunt you later on. The more educated you are, the more jobs you’ll be able to accept. This will make all the difference in your potential earnings, should you choose to go pro.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie.

Day #4 – Reach Out for Help

Okay, so you’ve identified your weakness, but you have no idea where to turn for guidance. This is where you get to wave the flag and ask for help from a professional. Sure you can visit a photography forum, but you may get poor advice from amateurs or those who think they know it all. A better option is to find a local mentor or one who offers online training and Skype calls. Many sites offer this type of service for a reasonable fee.

Better photographer 21 days 05

Regardless of who you use, be sure to check out their work, and read any testimonials from past students. With a trusted advocate by your side, you can speed up the learning process. If you’re hesitant about seeking guidance, consider this; asking for assistance proves your strength, not your weakness.

Day #5 – Learn a New Camera Feature

Cameras have never been so sophisticated. Unlike the cameras of old, they are essentially mini computers. With such features like live view, autofocus tracking, electronic viewfinders, histograms, and white balance. It can seem daunting at times. Yet if you don’t get ahead of technology, you risk being left behind.

That’s why I recommend upgrading your camera every few years. It doesn’t mean your current camera is no longer relevant, but consider using it as a backup to your new model. If purchasing isn’t a viable option right now, then I’d recommend renting a camera for a week or so.

Better photographer 21 days 07

If you’ve only used DSLRs, then a mirrorless camera would be an eye-opening experience. Another educational experience is to really dig into the camera menu. Mess with every button and play with every feature. Keep the camera manual nearby to cross reference anything you’re not sure of, and learn it.

Day #6 – Start a Website

There is no excuse for a Facebook page being used as a website (especially if you want to do this as a business). Your web presence is the first impression people will have of your work, and you know what they say about first impressions. When someone is viewing your images for the first time, send them to a professional website with big bold images, a contact page, and perhaps a short bio.

Today there are totally free options like Wix and Weebly which are perfect for slick portfolio pages. If you want a more powerful platform, check out Squarespace with their photography templates and e-commerce integration.

“First impressions matter. Experts say we size up new people in somewhere between 30 seconds and two minutes.” – Elliott Abrams.

Day #7 – Create a Savings Plan to Buy Good Gear

Better photographer 21 days 11

Lenses are a long-term investment, and as such, they are usually quite expensive. Still, a good lens will absolutely make a big impact on your work. For example, a professional quality lens will typically be sharper, faster to focus, easier to create a shallow depth of field with, and have a tougher build for all-weather conditions.

I would go as far as saying that the lens will make more of a difference than the camera. For this reason, it makes sense to build your kit with quality glass. Rather than starting off in photography with debt, start a savings fund for photography gear. Anytime you make extra money (from your photography or otherwise), save a portion of it. If you’re working a day job, try to squirrel away a little each paycheck.

When you do eventually purchase your lens, be sure to pick up a quality UV filter to protect the glass. I once saw a rented 300mm lens smash to the cement. The filter was shattered in hundreds of little pieces while the lens itself was 100% intact.

Better photographer 21 days 14

Week 2

Day #8 – Accept Your Faults

Whether you’re a reclusive introvert or an over-the-top outgoing type A, there is a type of photography for you. The trick is to work with your faults, not against them. If you’re not a people person, perhaps wedding photography isn’t the best role for you. Instead, consider a more solitary pursuit such as travel or wildlife photography. For those with the gift of gab, portraiture might be a perfect fit.

“The learner always begins by finding fault, but the scholar sees the positive merit in everything.” – Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.

Day #9 – Embrace Success

It sounds counter-intuitive but many people are actually afraid to succeed. Similar to the fear of failure, this can hold one back from fulfilling their dreams. Because success is heavy, it carries a responsibility. It is much easier to procrastinate and live on the “someday I’ll do it” philosophy. Don’t sabotage yourself! Stay focused on all of the good things success can bring.

Better photographer 21 days 19

The writer Denis Waitley says – “People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now.”

Day #10 – Commit to Waking Up an Hour Earlier

I’m not talking about catching sunrise every day, but simply using the extra hour towards your passion for photography. This could be blogging, working on your website, studying, networking, or editing photos. There are endless ways to use the time. Of course, it’s also the best time to take photos as well. Besides there being no one around to spoil your composition, the light is spectacular at dawn and sunrise. It’s also when wildlife and birds are most active.

The coach, George Allen, Sr. said – “Work hard, stay positive, and get up early. It’s the best part of the day.”

Day #11 – Build an “I Quit” Fund

Imagine handing your boss a resignation letter to pursue your career in photography. It happened to me, and it can be your reality as well. Ideally, you want about six months of reserve funds, you can probably get by with three. I know this sounds like a tall order, but it all starts with a single step.

Better photographer 21 days 13

Start a special savings account and add to it every month with funds from your day job. Need help raising the cash? Raid your chest of photo gear and sell anything you haven’t used in at least a year. If you need more, get a part-time job for a while. Eventually, you’ll have enough to leave behind a job you are unhappy with and begin your new career as a photographer.

Day #12 – Meet People in Real Life

Social networks are terrific, but face to face meetings are even more valuable. You may be wondering where to find these like-minded people. Start by joining a local camera club, or visiting a nearby art gallery. Perhaps you can take a photography class at a community college in your area. Bring your business cards to popular photography spots and talk to fellow photographers. You can exchange tips, geek out over gear talk, and share favorite locations.

As another perk, they may recommend you for a job they aren’t interested in. You can potentially get work and experience by simply being cordial. Hey, you may even make some friends along the way. The photo industry is small, so it pays to stick together.

Better photographer 21 days 04

Day #13 – Listen to Your Heart

I know, it’s the title of a song by the 80s band, Roxette. That’s not the point. What is important is to find your passion.

When you look around the web it’s easy to slip into a nasty funk. Don’t compare yourself to what others are doing, even if they’re successful. Follow your gut and do the type of photography that makes you happy. Some people may tell you that being a jack of all trades is not wise. However, if you feel like photographing all kinds of subjects, don’t let anyone stand in your way.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs.

Day #14 – Ask for More Work

It sounds painful, I know, but seeking out more photography work could be one of the best decisions you make. Go on Craigslist, offer to be a second shooter at a wedding. Ask to assist on a portrait shoot, or offer your editing help to a local studio. You have to create your own opportunities as jobs will rarely fall in your lap. As you gain more experience, you’ll also enjoy more exposure.

Better photographer 21 days 20

“There exist limitless opportunities in every industry. Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier.” – Charles Kettering.

Week 3

Day #15 – Invest in Your Mind

Invest in yourself, as there is nothing more valuable than your future. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

For photographers, this can be done in a number of ways. Group workshop are a terrific way to expedite the learning curve. If you prefer one-on-one training, you can take private photography lessons. Of course, not all of your efforts have to be paid options. Watching free online tutorials and reading articles (like those here on dPS!) will cost nothing but your time.

Day #16 – Take a Sick Day

You know those extra hours you’ve been saving up at work? Use one day for a photography outing. There are rarely awards for perfect attendance, so what’s the point? There’s nothing quite like an impromptu road trip to lift your spirits and break you out of a creative rut.

Better photographer 21 days 16

Everyone deserves a day to pursue their passion, plus, you’ll be more productive when you return to work. Recharging your batteries is a necessary way to strike a balance between work and play. This is an essential step, so don’t skip it.

Day #17 – Do Volunteer Work

Not only will this make you feel good, but you are using your skills to make the world a kinder place. Coincidentally, my entire business started by volunteering a single print to a non-profit organization’s fundraiser. The winner was an amateur photographer in a nearby town. She reached out to see if I did private lessons. Fast forward nearly 10 years, and I now teach photography full-time.

Although it’s a hotly debated topic, it can absolutely pay to work for free on occasion. Bare in mind, I’m not talking about shooting a wedding for free. The idea is to find an organization you can back, and donate your time or services to them for an afternoon.

“Research has shown that people who volunteer often live longer.” – Allen Klein.

Better photographer 21 days 12

Day #18 – Forget the Haters

When people are hateful, remember this quote by author Shannon L. Adler, “You will face your greatest opposition when you are closest to your biggest miracle.”

Let’s face it, some people will just not be happy when you’re on the verge of something great. Don’t take it personally, as it’s their issue, not yours. Perhaps the most common place for haters to lurk is online, especially in blog post comments or on photography forums. There are even “trolls” who look to instigate trouble under anonymous names. They want you to engage and waste your time. Don’t take the bait, expend your energy, or let them limit your success. They don’t deserve your attention which can be used for much more positive things.

Day #19 – Cut Out Bad Habits

Do you leave your camera on automatic and just fire away? If so, you are doing yourself a disservice. Work to break these bad habits once and for all. Put the camera into manual mode and learn how to properly expose by using the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. This is one area where there are no shortcuts. Without it, it’s like you are driving blindfolded.

Better photographer 21 days 09

Bad habits aren’t formed overnight. Similarly, it will require considerable effort to break them. In photography, you need to be your own coach. This requires that you be honest with yourself. If you catch yourself cheating, replace the bad habit with the proper steps immediately.

“People try to change too much at once and it becomes overwhelming, and they end up falling off the program. So gradually changing bad habits makes much more of a difference than trying to change them all at once.” – Ian K. Smith.

Day #20 – Plan the Night Before

Laying out your clothes the night before is always helpful, but what about taking it a step further. Imagine how much more productive you could be if you planned the entire next day before hitting the sack. This is especially important when you want to spend time doing photography. It involves charging all batteries, formatting memory cards, packing your gear, getting the tripod ready, and gassing up the car. Don’t leave these things for the last minute or you’ll end procrastinating.

Better photographer 21 days 03

It may also help to write down your five most important goals for the next day. Block out the time, add them to your calendar and get ready to have a terrific adventure. If you need caffeine to get going, be sure to set the coffee pot to automatically brew the next morning.

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” – Paul J. Meyer.

Day #21 – Start a Journal

You don’t need to write like Anais Nin to keep a journal. For photographers, a simple notebook with sketches and ideas can have a number of benefits. For one, you’ll retain more information by writing it down. You can even spark your creativity by capturing your thoughts in a daydream.

Dr. James Pennebaker, author of Writing to Heal says, “When we translate an experience into language we essentially make the experience graspable.” This means that complex topics can be worked out on paper in a way that’s easy to digest. Mistakes can be documented as well as solutions. When you look back at it, you can see just how far you’ve come. This ushers in a feeling of accomplishment and encourages you to keep going.

Better photographer 21 days 08

Conclusion

So is it possible to improve your photography in three weeks? I believe it is, and the keys to do so are listed above.

Granted, it’s going to be hard work, but you’ve read this far so you must be hungry for change. In addition to transforming your photography, some of these items can improve the quality of your life. Of course, it doesn’t all happen at once and will require patience. Stick with the program for 21 days, however, and you’ll see the impact.

Consider this my personal guarantee to you. If you really try the steps in this article, I promise you’ll not only be a better photographer but a happier person as well. Leave me a note in the comments to let me know about your progress.

The post How to Improve your Photography in 21 Days by Chris Corradino appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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How to do Creative Water Splash Photography with Off-Camera Flash

19 May

Photography gives us the unique opportunity to freeze time. Moments that normally can’t be seen because they occur in the blink of an eye can suddenly be captured by a camera with incredible precision. This gives us the opportunity to discover fascinating and unique opportunities for photography that showcase and celebrate the wonder of the world around us. It can also be an extremely fun and creative style of photography, and a way to practice your skills with off-camera flash.

A toy car dropped into water, photographed with off-camera flash

Chances are you’ve come across a photo of a water droplet or water splash before. The intricate and mesmerizing patterns of water droplets in flight make for excellent abstract art.

But how can you take a picture fast enough? How does it work to freeze each individual droplet in midair?

A water droplet frozen in midair with off-camera flash photography

Lightning Fast Photography

Most modern cameras can take a picture as fast as 1/8000th of a second. You’ve probably noticed, however, that lightning fast shutter speeds typically require a lot of light.

If you are walking around outdoors on a bright and sunny, you will be able to get your camera up to 1/8000th, and you can capture a water fight or the splash of a water fountain. However, there often isn’t enough light to take a good image indoors or under cloudy lighting conditions.

Water droplets splashing into a jar, photographed with off-camera flash

Furthermore, taking a picture under sunny lighting conditions won’t hide the background. The intricacies of the water will be lost against the background.

That’s why the trick to creating a truly amazing water image is to use off-camera flash.

How it works

Cameras only record what they see. This means that a picture taken in a dark room will result in a pitch black picture.

When you use flash in a dark room, your subject will be illuminated for the duration of the flash of light – which means that your new “shutter speed” will be the speed at which your flash fires (flash duration).

Depending on the model and power, a flash can fire as quickly as 1/10,000th of a second. This new shutter speed of 1/10,000th of a second is easily fast enough to freeze a water droplet in midair.

A water droplet, frozen in midair with off-camera flash

This shot was taken using the settings 1/250, f/5,6, ISO 250. Even with the “slow” shutter speed, the flash stops the water droplet in mid-flight.

The neat thing here is that as long as the room is dark, the shutter speed on your camera doesn’t actually even matter anymore. With the right setting, your camera can take an image that lasts for a full second long, but the final shot will only be recorded in the blazing fast burst of light from the flash.

Setting up your shot

To try this out for yourself, you will need to set up in a fairly dark room – dark enough so that you can use your in-camera settings to take a completely black picture. You’ll need to get off Auto mode in order to do this.

Remember that the aperture and ISO that you select will affect your flash power. Selecting either a wider aperture or a higher ISO will make your camera more sensitive to light, including the light from your flash. This makes your flash more powerful, in a way.

For this purpose, I used the following setup:

A behind the scenes shot of the setup for water splash photography

Note the towel. A towel just might be the most important piece of equipment to remember when you try water splash photography!

Even though there is still some light in the room, I was able to create a dark background by setting my camera to 1/250, f/5, ISO 250.

Get the flash off-camera

The key is to use the flashes off-camera. Having the light come in at an angle is more in line with how we experience light in the real world, so it produces a more naturally lit image.

But you don’t need to have multiple flashes to try this out – experiment with one flash and see what happens!

More importantly, by bringing the light in from an angle and preventing it from shining on the walls or objects behind your subject, you can create a dark background. This really makes each droplet shimmer and shine in contrast.

Two tomatoes splashing into water, shot with off-camera flash

A toy car splashing into water, photography with off-camera flash

Two common ways of triggering a flash off-camera are to use either a radio transmitter or a sync cord that connects your camera’s hotshoe to the flash itself. Your camera may also be able to fire your off-camera flash optically using the built-in pop-up flash. You may need to check your camera’s manual to see if your system has that functionality.

The exact power settings you will need to use on your flash will vary depending on the type of flash, the setup, and the distance between your flash and the splash you are photographing.

Remember: Digital is cheap! Experiment and watch your camera’s LCD screen after every shot. If it is too dark, simply turn up the flash power or consider moving your lights a bit closer to the subject.

Getting the timing right

Once you have everything set up, it’s simply a matter of trial and error! Even with a fancy setup, perfecting your timing in order to capture a splash at the right moment is tough.

Unless you have a high end strobe unit, you won’t be able to take pictures quickly – the batteries will need a moment to recharge every time they fire. This means you’ve only got one shot for every splash!

A man photographed with off-camera flash as he is hit by water in the face

If you get tired of using toy cars as a model, why not ask a friend to step in?

Every camera has a very slight delay after you press the shutter button (before it actually takes the picture). You’ll want to work on your timing so that you can make the most of every shot – especially if you ask a friend to stand in as a target for a water splash picture!

Shooting digital allows you to experiment until you have a good sense of the timing. After a bit of practice, you will have some incredible and creative water splashes to show for your effort!

A man being photographed splashing water while on a black background

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6 Steps To Better Photography

19 May

A few weeks ago I received an email from a new photographer who asked, “How do I make my images better?” At first, I chuckled, realizing that question has resulted in the production of thousands of articles here at dPS, and uncountable books, websites, and magazines. There is just SO MUCH information on how to do better photography that it’s easy to get lost in the sea of advice, photo tips, and expert opinion.

better photography

In my response to that struggling photographer, I sketched out six things and quickly sent the email. My answer was off the cuff, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my advice was actually pretty darn good. These six things really will help you improve your photographs. Some are easy to accomplish and some reach to the core of the art of photography. All of them, however, will push you further into your process and lead you a bit closer to the images you’ve always wanted to create.

Better photography

Aerial image of the Hula Hula River in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.

1. Know Your Camera

This is the easiest one to tackle. One of the places where I’ve noticed new photographers stumbling is having a poor understanding of their camera. Know what each setting means, what it does to your image, and how to quickly change from one to another. Know the five essential camera settings backward and forwards, how to set them, and what impact they will have on your final image.

Better photography

Understanding how bright, snowy conditions will impact your image, and your camera’s ability to meter correctly will allow you to quickly capture fleeting light like this, when others may stumble.

But don’t stop there. Spend some time in the menus and custom settings. Know things like focus and metering modes, and how those relate to different shooting situations.

I recently added a new camera system to my quiver (Panasonic Lumix) and am having to re-learn all these things for a new camera brand. It is daunting, but it is also extremely important. Get friendly with your camera until you understand it intimately. Then, when you are in the field and need to make changes quickly, you won’t have to think twice, or god-forbid, have to look it up while your opportunity slips away.

2. Learn the Rules

Better photography

Rule of thirds composition. It’s a “rule” because it usually works.

If you’ve spent much time reading about photography online, you’ll have read the words “Break the rules!” so often it’s become a platitude. Everyone is pushing you to break rules, but there is very little discussion about the rules themselves, what they mean, and why they should be broken. The fact of the matter is that the “rules” of photography are guidelines for a reason – they often work.

better photography

The “rule of thirds” for example, is effective because it results in a pleasing composition. (There is a mathematical reason for this, but a complete discussion of the topic is beyond the scope of this article.)

Proper focus, exposure, and color balance are all “rules” because they result in a pleasing image. Know how to effectively achieve these in your images again and again in a variety of shooting situations. Once you’ve mastered the “rules”, you can move beyond them (see #6 below).

3. Study Images Until You Know WHY They Work

As you are browsing through images on the internet, in magazines, or books, take a few minutes to study the photos that catch your eye and consider:

  1. What did you first see that captured your interest? Was there an action, color, or story that was compelling?
  2. How does your eye move through the image? At what point do you lose interest?
  3. What colors or points of contrast are interesting?
  4. Is there a story being told? What is it?
better photography

What about this image catches your eye? Is it something else that causes you to linger?

Images can be effective alone, in groups, or as part of a larger story being told in the surrounding text. Social media has a tendency to raise up stand alone images, but I encourage you to go farther. Good images are often a part of stories, and stories need to go somewhere. Sometimes that’s to the next photo in the series, sometimes it’s integrated into the text.

Successful photographers know this, and will cater their images to reflect the context. Magazines like National Geographic are very good at it, and many of the images in their pages do not stand alone well, but work beautifully within the context of the story being told.

better photography

Consider the images carefully, how they do, or do not integrate with their surroundings, and then try to reverse engineer them. How did the photographer create the photo? Is there artificial light? What exposure was likely used? Often there is a reason why successful photographer’s images look a certain way. See if you can suss that out by looking.

4. Make Lots and Lots of Photos

There is an old adage about becoming a good writer, “Write every day.” It’s no different with photography. Practice is vital. Make images, waste pixels. Delete lots, but make images, one way or another.

better photography

An atypical composition on a bright, flat-light day. The almost upside-down composition makes this image successful despite the poor light.

When you have successful images, study them as I recommended above in #3 to find out why they worked, and what you could have done to make them even better. Honest self-critique is tough. We can almost always find a way to justify our errors or to overlook the mistakes we make. We have a tendency to like our own images because they remind us of our experiences creating them, but our viewers don’t share those memories. The experience of viewing the images has to be sufficient.

Try to look at your photos as an outsider would, take note of the distracting elements, the clumsy balance, or off-kilter compositions. Consider would could be better, and work toward that goal your next time you’re out with your camera.

5. Travel

Getting away from our home environment is a great way to find inspiration. That can be a trip to some photogenic destination a world away, or simply driving to a different part of town. The trick is to break out of your rut, and make some new images.

better photography

When you come eye to eye with a grizzly bear, it’s easy to get overly excited and screw up your images. But, if you have the fundamentals of photography and your camera controls mastered, your odds of success improve dramatically.

New places also tend to inspire, but I caution you here. More than once, at a new place, I’ve been so enthusiastic to make images, oohing and aahing at the sights I’m seeing, that I failed to pay attention to the basics (See #1 and #2). I have utterly blown entire mornings of beautiful light because I was so caught up in the excitement that I didn’t notice my compositions were wonky, or my exposures were blown out.

Escape your normal routine, but always remember the fundamentals of photography.

6. Become Your Own Photographer

better photography

Storm light, shadows, and the sun, play across the northern foothills of Alaska’s Brooks Range. It isn’t a classic composition, yet I knew this image would work when I made it.

Much of the advice I’ve shared here relies on comparing your own work to that of others. This is a great way to learn, but eventually, you run the risk of stagnating, or worse, imitating others.

better photography

Every shooter is inspired by the work of other photographers. We all have gone through stages where we want to make similar images (or even identical) to what others have made. That’s why some sites are so famous: the Firefall in Yosemite, the bears catching salmon in Katmai National Park, the Tetons over the Snake River. Photographers crowd these locations, trying desperately to emulate, imitate, or re-create famous images they’ve seen before. This can be a great way to learn, but please don’t stop there.

better photography

Nothing about the lighting in this image follows the rules. It was blistering hot, midday, washout light. If I had followed the rules, I would never have lifted my camera.

Once you’ve mastered the basics and have a strong understanding of what makes an image succeed or fail, it’s time to break out on your own. Make images for yourself, compositions that are a-typical, weird, strangely composed and focused. Take the rules of composition, focus, and exposure and push their limits. Here is where the rules can be bent and broken. This is where you experiment, play, and most of the time – fail utterly.

But sometimes you won’t fail. Sometimes, that strange composition, that weird exposure, will work, and work beautifully.

better photography

Make images because they speak to you, not because you think your Instagram followers will like them. When you break away from what you think is expected, and to what you care about, your images will become your own. For me, this took a long time, but once I found my groove, my own style, I started enjoying the art of photography even more.

better photography

Caribou in winter on the arctic coastal plain of northern Alaska. Nothing typical about the lighting or composition of this image, yet it’s one of my favorite wildlife images. I’ve never seen another image like this, and that’s a big part of what I like about it.

Conclusion

Don’t try and please everyone. If you do, your work will appear generic and it will not push you to excel. In other words, be willing to fail. A willingness to fail will eventually lead to success.

Do you follow these six tips? Do you have any others that you would suggest to beginners to help them do better photography? Please share in the comments below.

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How to Improve Your Art – The Creative Process in Photography

19 May

As photographers, we all want to be constantly improving our work. However, often this can seem like an uphill struggle, especially when you are just starting out. As an art form, photography is all about the creative process and exploring ideas through images, but in order to really create great images you need to put a plan in place for your own development; especially focused on skills, inspiration, purpose and output. By tackling these elements you can focus your mind and develop your work, to help you produce better and more refined art every time you go out on location.

Creating prints as a final output

Skills – The Basics

In order to get on to the creative elements, having a solid understanding of the base knowledge first is integral to improving your art as a photographer. I’m not going to go into detail here about understanding exposure, depth of field, composition, etc., but these are key things to spend time on.

It may seem like a huge task, but with solid work you can come to grips with being able to shoot in full manual mode easily within a month. After that point, you need to understand the basics as well as the layout of your camera’s functions, helping to make it an extension of yourself and not a distraction from your intended subject. There are a large number of fantastic tutorials here on dPS that can help you to get up to speed and really understand the basics.

Knowing your settings

Focus Days

Taking your learning further is all about practice and persistence, so think about spending a few days focused on certain image types. Set yourself the task of going out the door to just shoot panning images, wide angles, bokeh, etc. This will help you to formulate the skills in your photographer’s arsenal and produce more creative images for the future.

No matter how many years you have been shooting, testing yourself and constantly putting in the time will always help you improve. If you can’t find a whole day, why not a lunch break at work? Small efforts done consistently lead to great results.

Working on a local project

Restrict Yourself

Creativity is something people often believe thrives with options, but in honesty, having too many things to choose from can often dilute your vision and reduce the creativity within your images. Restrict yourself by focusing on a single subject for an extended period of time. Build a long term project in your garden or local nature reserve and keep returning to build upon your images.

Working with primes

Another option is to work with a single focal length or prime lens to explore how you can make the most of what you’ve got. If you don’t have a prime lens use a piece of gaffer tape to hold your zoom lens in position to stop the temptation of zooming in or out. These practices will enhance your skills when it comes to general shooting, as you will be able to quickly select and formulate the ways and ideas you want to shoot.

Create a prime using gaffers tape

Record

In order to get the best out of the images you are taking and the skills you are learning, remember to record them. Working with a simple notebook or online workbook, evaluate the images you have taken for successes and failures, in order to cement the lessons in your mind and learn from your work.

Sketchbook for taking notes

Inspiration

Inspiration is very important for your development as a photographer. Without constant inspiration it can be hard to formulate ideas and develop on past work. Staying inspired doesn’t just mean looking at other photographer’s work, as often over-saturaturation of a single medium can result in less creativity. So it’s better to take input from as wide a range of sources as possible.

Galleries

A traditional showcase of artwork, galleries are still a fantastic option for gaining some inspiration. The variety of work on show, from ancient works such as stone carvings and cave paintings, through to impressionism and modernism, really do offer a superb variety of visual stimuli. Often, to get the best out of them, attending a tour or showcase day can help, giving you the backstories of the work as well as explaining the techniques and mediums used. This knowledge will inform, and allow you to formulate your own processes when creating images in the field.

Nature

As a wildlife photographer, nature is a huge inspiration to me. Heading out on walks, be it with or without a camera, is a great way to soak up some atmosphere. Look at light and shape of the landscape, and pull in ideas for future images.

Architecture

Looking for line and shape

Buildings offer fantastic inspiration for photography. Lines, form and shape are used to make striking structures and can be a excellent source of inspiration. Focus on looking for the way the shapes are used to form elegant structures or draw your eye to a pivotal point. Additionally, take note of the way shadows form, as this will help you imagine and anticipate lighting for future images.

Online

In the modern world the internet has a huge amount to offer, and with so many fantastic resources it is full of inspiration. Taking a look at photographers’ portfolios, or the feeds of 500px, Flickr, etc. offer superb images that can be the perfect inspiration for your own work. One thing to avoid is that of visual trends, copying styles just because they are popular. It is always worth noting that just because an image doesn’t have many Likes or Favourites” does not deny its worth as inspiration, as images will always mean different things to different people.

In person

A great way to find inspiration is to become part of a community. Heading to events in the photography world such as exhibitions or trade shows can provide a great way to meet like-minded people as well as see some excellent work. Also, think about looking for a local photography group or club. Many areas have these and they offer a great chance to meet up and discuss work and camera techniques with your peers, all the while helping you improve and develop your skills.

Record (again)

Just as above, it’s very important to also record your inspirations. Write down the names of artists and photographers you want to look up, and make notes on what you like and dislike about certain images and media. All of these thoughts and feelings are great to revisit when creating to help formulate and focus your own work. Remember to keep that notebook handy!

Purpose

Back Garden wildlife

Creativity often needs purpose and so do your images.The most powerful images almost always have a purpose behind them, be it to tell stories, stir emotion, tempt us, or give us a glimpse into something we’ve never seen before. Images with purpose have greater strength.

When wanting to improve your own images look for purpose within your shots. Tell stories through single images or start to work on documenting a larger idea through multiple images. Have the story in your head and shoot frames to help tell it pictorially. Stories don’t need to be huge photojournalist essays, instead start off by just showcasing the mundane, everyday occurrences.

Training yourself to make powerful images of these situations will equip you with the necessary skills for more exciting opportunities in the future. Working on a local project, be it in your back garden or local community, means you can spend a great deal of time focused on your images as well as developing your story and vision.

Always ask yourself the following;

  • Why am I creating this image?
  • What am I trying to show?
  • What are the key elements in this story?
  • How can I find a unique angle?

These thoughts will help you work toward creating stronger images with purpose and meaning, leading to far more creative photography.

Taking inspiration from architecture

Output

Art deserves to be shown and deciding how you are going to output your final work is a great way to focus your creativity. In the modern world, most images just end up on a hard drive, away from the light of day where no one can see them. With all the work and effort you are putting into them, they deserve more.

In terms of being creative with your work, think about how it should best be shown. Often people lean toward online media, showcasing work through the likes of Flickr or Facebook, Although these are a great way of getting work out there, they can numb the creative and learning process somewhat.

Printing your work

Think about outputting to hard media, printing out your work as well as online platforms. There are loads of great ways to produce photo books, magazines and gallery style prints that will look far better and suit certain bodies of work far more. The creative process of learning to design a photo book, bring together a 12-part print collection, or design a magazine spread, will also be an excellent learning curve to help you when working on future projects.

In addition, there is something to be said for holding a final piece of work in your hands. A finished print really is the ultimate moment for an image. Having passed through all of the creative stages from conception and execution, through to editing and final completion in your hands is a great feeling, and one every photographer deserves after finishing an image.

Conclusion

In order to produce more and more creative work it’s all about focusing on the process. The skills behind creating, the inspiration and purpose behind projects, the final results and how they are output. By taking time to think through these stages you can really focus your mind and produce refined work to be proud of, as well as constant develope your skills and grow as a photographer in the future.

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