The post Getting Started with Layers in Capture One Pro appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
One reason that Capture One is such a versatile and efficient RAW editor is the ability it gives you to work in Layers. It combines the ease of working in Lightroom with the functionality of Photoshop Layers.
If you’re new to the software, learning to work with layers in Capture One will elevate your photos and help you in creating a more efficient workflow.
What are layers?
Layers help you make targeted adjustments to certain areas of a photo. They are similar to Local Adjustments in Lightroom. You can make tweaks to color, exposure, clarity and other adjustments you’d typically make in a RAW editor, as well as more complicated edits.
Capture One’s Layers tool enables you to combine brush adjustments, gradients, and repairs to masked areas using multiple layers.
How to get started with Layers
The Layers option is indicated by the + Plus Icon in the Layers panel under the Histogram, which can be found in the Exposure tab. Layers can also be found in the top of the screen in the menu bar and has its own dropdown. Click on the Plus icon to create a new layer.
When creating or working on multiple layers, it’s a good idea to name each layer in a way that tells you what adjustments you made to the layer. Double click the layer to rename it.
Notice that if you make a new layer and start making adjustments, nothing will happen to the image. You need to create a Mask to determine where on the layer the adjustments will be applied.
There are different ways to create masks: for this article, I’ll focus on the brush tool to brush in Masks. You can find the brush tool in the lower right of the Layers panel.
You can also use the shortcut B.
To change the settings on the brush, simply right-click on the photo.
Note that a soft brush is usually desired.
The mask can be seen in red and will, by default, only show when you’re actually brushing on the image.
The shortcut M will toggle this setting, to show or hide. You can also choose to keep your Mask on. Options for the Mask are available in the Brush Panel dropdown in the tools panel at the top of the Capture One workspace.
There is also a Layers panel in the Capture One Menu tab. The great thing about Capture One is that there are several places where you can access any given tool all from one workspace, instead of having to switch Modules, as you do in Lightroom.
If you select too much or spill over into an area that you don’t want included in the adjustment, you can select the Erase brush and subtract the area where you didn’t intend to brush. You can also use the shortcut E.
The square bracket keys [ ] on your keyboard will help you change the size of your brush quickly.
Once you have made an adjustment, toggle off the color so you can see the effect, and if you need to make any further adjustments. That’s why it’s a good idea to have the mask show only when you’re brushing over your image.
Notice that every time you brush over the same area, the effect is stronger.
Reduce the opacity if you want to lessen the effect.
Heal Layers
Another type of layer is a Heal layer, which can be used to cover or conceal objects in your photo. It’s a very useful tool when working with layers in Capture One.
Clone Layer will copy pixels from a source point to destination, however, it is not as efficient. The Heal layer is more dynamic; it will update according to changes made to the background layer or other layers.
You can use the Heal layer to fix blemishes by copying and pasting pixels from a different part of the images.
To start a new Heal layer, choose New Heal layer from the dropdown beside the Plus icon or choose it from the choices in the left-hand dropdown over where your named layers are located.
Using Healing requires you to create a source point.
Create source point by clicking Alt and then clicking once on the photo.
Heal layers will intelligently blend the area with surrounding pixels.
Choose a source point to heal from.
Now brush on the photo.
It will take the area from the source point and cover the object or blemish.
If the appearance of the target area does not match the surrounding pixels, click on the source point and drag it anywhere within the same image in the Viewer.
Conclusion
Capture One is a powerful program that can help take your editing to the next level. The ability to work with layers in Capture One is one way to do that. If you’ve been on the fence about whether to make the switch from Lightroom, they have a free 30-day trial available for you to check out.
The post Getting Started with Layers in Capture One Pro appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
The post Canon to Announce Two Cameras, 5 RF Lenses on July 9 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
For months, we’ve waited for the Canon EOS R5 and R6.
And for months, it’s felt like neither camera would ever actually appear.
But now we have a date to report:
July 9th.
That’s the when the EOS R5 and EOS R6 will officially launch.
While the full details of the two cameras have yet to be revealed, we do know quite a lot thanks to leaks, as well as Canon’s EOS R5 teaser.
So here’s what we can confidently say about the EOS R5:
8K video
20 fps with the electronic shutter
12 fps with the mechanical shutter
IBIS
Dual card slots
Canon has stayed surprisingly quiet regarding the megapixel count, only revealing that “the EOS R5 is set to raise the bar in high level still and video capture empowered by [a] new CMOS sensor and the new DIGIC processor.”
But given the 8K video resolution, you can expect at least 35 MP or so, and previous rumors have offered a plausible figure of around 45 MP.
Note that a 45 MP full-frame sensor at the heart of the EOS R5 would put this camera on the map in essentially every way; the fast continuous shooting, the 8K video, the dual card slots, the IBIS, plus a 45 MP sensor will make this a professional body through-and-through.
That said, the EOS R6 is also shaping up to be a powerful camera in its own right.
And while Canon has confirmed nothing regarding the R6, the ever-reliable Canon Rumors has offered a set of likely specs:
20 MP full-frame sensor
20 fps with the electronic shutter
12 fps with the mechanical shutter
4K/60p (oversampled from 5K)
IBIS
Dual card slots
A 5M-dot EVF
The same AF system as the EOS R5
Assuming these rumors turn out to be true, then the EOS R6 will be positioned a step above both the Canon EOS R and RP, Canon’s two current full-frame mirrorless bodies. The one exception is in resolution, where the EOS R6 falls short (the EOS RP packs a 26 MP sensor, and the EOS R reaches just over 30 MP). But while it’s possible that the EOS R6 will turn out to have a sensor size in the 24-26 MP range, we may be looking at a camera designed for low-light shooting, one that sacrifices pixel count for better high-ISO performance.
Unfortunately, it may be some time before we’re able to do any hands-on comparisons. According to Canon Rumors, the EOS R6 won’t ship until August, with the EOS R5 shipping around a month later (thanks to COVID-related delays).
Also note that the July 9th announcement won’t just cover these two cameras; we’ll also see the release of a number of exciting RF lenses, including:
A 50mm f/1.8 (a nifty fifty!)
A 70-200mm f/4L IS lens
An 85mm f/2 macro lens
A 100-500mm f/4-7.1 IS super-telephoto zoom
A 600mm f/11 DO IS lens
An 800mm f/11 DO IS lens
A 1.4x teleconverter
A 2x teleconverter
Personally, I’m most interested to see the 50mm f/1.8, which should offer an affordable way to break into Canon’s mirrorless lineup. But the macro lens (with an f/2 aperture!) and the 100-500mm super-telephoto lens should be exciting, as well.
If you’re interested in any of this equipment, you don’t have long to wait. July 9th is almost here, so prepare yourself for a lot of new options.
Now over to you:
What do you think of these new cameras and lenses? Which piece of gear are you most excited for? Do you plan to buy any of these as soon as they’re released? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post Canon to Announce Two Cameras, 5 RF Lenses on July 9 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The post 7 Surprising Photography Facts You Probably Didn’t Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
Photography has a long and fascinating history full of interesting facts and stories. Here are 7 photography facts that may surprise you.
Fact #1 – All in the name
We use terms like photography and camera all the time, but where do these words actually come from? Photography fact number one hearkens back to the origins of many of the words we use today.
f/7.1 1/40 ISO 500
The phrase photography actually originates from the Greek words photos and graphé. Photos translates as “light” and graphé means “a representation by means of lines” or “drawing”. When used in conjunction, the two words come together to mean “drawing with light”. The coining of the word “photography” is generally attributed to Sir John Herschel in 1839.
The word camera, on the other hand, comes from the Latin term camera obscura, which means “dark chamber.” The term was originally used to describe a means of projecting an external scene onto a flat surface in a dark room. Sound familiar? The camera, as we know it today, evolved from the camera obscura configuration.
Fact #2 The Kodak Moment
And speaking of words, did you know the term Kodak is simply made-up? Founder George Eastman favored the letter K because he believed it was a “strong, incisive sort of letter.”
Using an anagram set, Eastman and his mother came up with the Kodak name. They used three principals in devising the phrase. The word needed to be short, easy to say, and unlike any other name or association.
Kodak, or rather the term Kodak Moment, later entered the common lexicon to describe occurrences that seemed ideal for a photograph.
Eastman believed the letter K was a visually strong letter
Fact #3 – The first selfie
Self-portraits are commonplace today. But what you may not know is that the photographic selfie itself dates way back to 1839.
Robert Cornelius, a lamp manufacturer with a keen knowledge of chemistry and metallurgy, took on the task of perfecting the daguerreotype alongside chemist Paul Beck Goddard.
In 1839, Cornelius decided to turn the camera on himself, sitting for around a 10-15 minute exposure. The resulting daguerreotype depicted an off-center rendering of Cornelius – the oldest known intentionally-created photographic self-portrait.
Fact #4 – One small step
There are many earth-bound photography facts out there. But there are plenty of interesting factoids sourced from outside our planet too.
Taken in December 1972, Blue Marble was made by the crew of Apollo 17 on their way to the Moon. The first photograph that depicts the entirety of our planet from space, the picture was taken approximately 18,000 miles (29,000 kilometers) from the surface of the Earth. The photograph subsequently became one of the most reproduced images in history.
f/8.0 1/500 ISO 100
Another interesting space-related photography fact is to do with the fate of many of the cameras that have accompanied astronauts to the Moon.
Hasselblad cameras have captured some of the most iconic images in history – including our first steps on the lunar surface. However, due to weight restrictions, not all the cameras that have embarked on Moon missions have made it back. Up to 12 Hasselblad cameras remain on our planet’s only natural satellite to this day.
Fact #5 – The first photo book
Number five on our list of photography facts is based around photobooks.
Photobooks have a rich history in photography, but Anna Atkins seems to be the one that started it all. Atkins, a British botanist, learned early photographic processes from Henry Fox Talbot. She is also one of history’s first female photographers.
Some of the first examples of botanic photography were made by Anna Atkins. f/6.3 1/80 ISO 200
Atkins made a visual documentation of botanical specimens using the Cyanotype process. She then compiled her cyanotypes into the 1843 publication of Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. Atkins produced three volumes of Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions between 1843 and 1853. Today, only 17 copies of the book are known to exist.
Fact #6 – The most viewed photograph
Photographed by former National Geographic photographer Charles O’Rear in 1996, Bliss is an image of rolling green hills and a semi-clouded blue sky in Sonoma County, California. Microsoft bought the rights to the image in 2000. The company then used the image as the default computer wallpaper for the Windows XP operating system.
The success of Windows XP and corresponding marketing material has led to a general consensus that Bliss is the most viewed photograph of all time. Even O’Rear himself conceded that he would probably be best known for the image saying, “anybody now from age 15 on for the rest of their life will remember this photograph.”
Fact #7 – Camera eye
The camera lens and the eye have a lot in common – leading us to the last of our photography facts.
Aperture can be defined as the opening in a lens through which light passes. A camera lens can either permit or restrict the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor with the aperture blades.
In our eyes, the iris does the same job, relaxing and constricting muscles to regulate the amount of light entering the eye. When you move between bright and dark environments, the iris in your eyes expands or shrinks to alter the size of the pupil.
Interestingly, the human pupil can expand to around 7 mm. This equates to our eyes operating from around f/8.3 in very bright light to around f/2.1 in the dark.
Conclusion
From the first selfie to the eye’s aperture equivalent, there is an abundance of fun photography facts to know. Do you have a favorite photography fact? Feel free to share in the comments below!
The post 7 Surprising Photography Facts You Probably Didn’t Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
The post Back to Basics: Everything You Need to Know for Choosing the Right Tripod appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.
Although they seem simple enough at first glance, tripods are tremendously important tools for photographers and videographers. Talking about camera support systems might not be the sexiest topic in photography, but there’s so much to know about tripods. So, allow me to do you a favor. I’m about to clue you in on a few things I wish I’d known about tripods when I first began making photographs nearly twenty years ago. These things will help you when it comes to choosing the right tripod for your needs.
Choosing the right tripod may seem overwhelming – but not once you know these things.
Camera tripods come in all shapes and sizes. Materials and mechanisms vary a lot, as do the specific usages of the tripods themselves. This article will show you the basics of tripod anatomy and talk about the things you need to know about them, so choosing the right tripod for your needs will be easy.
Tripod legs: putting the “tri” in tripod
Conceptually, tripods are delightfully simple beasts. Three extendable (usually) legs offer three points of contact to the ground/floor, then terminate at an apex where your camera will hopefully be securely mounted. This is all deceptively simple and leaves a lot of room for many different types of legs made from many different materials with equally varied locking mechanisms.
Let’s break down some of the common tripod leg variants you’re likely to encounter when choosing the right tripod.
Materials
Tripod leg materials range from the oddly archaic to the weirdly space-aged. Fortunately, in most cases, you can make the best choice for which material will be best for your uses based on these three simple maxims:
Your tripod can be lightweight.
Your tripod can be strong.
Your tripod can be inexpensive.
The catch here is that you can only choose two of those when selecting a tripod. This is where tripod leg materials come into play and where you should be honest with yourself about what you need the most from your tripod.
1. Wood and Steel
As difficult as it might be to believe in this day and age, I still own and regularly use a wooden tripod; yes, really.
It’s a beautifully made contraption of steel and ash wood, Berlebach Report 2042 (new version is 242). Primarily, I use it for large format and medium format work and any other time in the studio when I want to use a large setup or happen just to be feeling extra meta. It supports around 27lbs(12.25kg) and is absolutely rock solid. The drawback is my lovely Berlebach weights over 7lbs without a head, and it tips the scales at over 10lbs when fitted with one.
The point here is that yes, there are still tripod legs made using “old world” materials like wood and steel. Many of these are vintage tripods you can pick up for a wide range of prices.
If weight is not a concern for you, a heavier tripod is more ideal than a lighter one. If you do primarily static studio work, don’t overlook these wood or steel tripods.
2. Plastic
Yes, there are some plastic tripod legs out there. Most of these, thankfully, are relegated to smaller, desktop-type tripods for blogging – as they should be.
A tiny little plastic tripod….
As a construction material for longer tripod legs, plastic and plastic derivatives aren’t ideal. Often the strength is far from adequate for the camera support system and flexes under the load.
While some plastic components on a tripod are perfectly fine, it’s advisable to steer clear of a large tripod with legs completely made from plastic.
3. Aluminum
Ahhhh yes, good ol’ aluminum. In the world of tripods, aluminum is the ultimate workhorse. It has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, is relatively low in price (dropping lower all the time), and makes for a nice, healthy compromise between leg rigidity, compactness, and weight.
Aluminum tripod legs.
For the last couple of decades, aluminum has been the tripod leg material of choice when it comes to camera support systems because it checks so many boxes in terms of performance.
However, in the last ten years or so, modern science has thrown a new material into the mix that has all but unseated aluminum as the ideal material for tripod leg construction.
I’m talking about…
4. Carbon Fiber
I’ve made photographs for over half my life now, with about ten of those years professionally. For as long as I’ve been slinging a camera, I only acquired my first carbon fiber tripod about three years ago. Carbon fiber is a lightweight, strong, and extremely corrosion-resistant material, making it perfect for tripod legs.
Carbon fiber is strong, lightweight and becoming increasingly affordable.
Not to get all “sciency,” but carbon fiber is, in fact, more stiff than aluminum, being 181Gpa and 69Gpa, respectively. This means that a tripod leg made of carbon fiber flexes less than an aluminum leg of the same diameter. That’s a good thing for a tripod.
Of course, there are multiple carbon fiber species out there, and each has different characteristics.
Going back to our “big three” maxims for tripods, while carbon fiber tripods are strong and lightweight, they are often not cheap. Expect to pay around double for a set of carbon fiber tripod legs compared to aluminum.
However, this price gap is quickly closing as more and more manufacturers begin to bring carbon fiber tripods to the market. In most cases, the benefits of having an easy-to-carry tripod that is both strong and stable are often worth the investment.
5. Titanium
After an exhaustive internet search (okay, maybe about ten minutes), I couldn’t turn up any tripod legs made fully from titanium alloy. However, I did find some tripod sales pages using vague language and simply naming aluminum tripods as “titanium” models.
While titanium is making its way into the world of tripod legs, it is doing so in the form of hardware too. This is expected since titanium offers superb tensile strength and corrosion resistance. Yet, oddly enough, titanium isn’t the ultimate material for tripod legs and parts. It doesn’t wear well against other parts, and the strength-to-weight isn’t as good as some carbon fiber materials.
And the price? Words like “astronomical,” “insane” and “laughable” spring to mind.
Locking Mechanisms
To offer portability, tripod legs generally feature either folding or telescopic sections, with the vast majority being of the latter variety. This means that those leg sections sport some sort of locking mechanism. In general, you’re likely to encounter two main types of leg locks.
1. Flip locks
My very first tripod had flip-type leg locks. Then, my second tripod had flip-type leg locks…so it’s no surprise that I became accustomed to, and prefer, flip-type leg locks on my tripods. This, of course, is wholly subjective.
Flip locks are exactly how they sound: a locking mechanism that flips up to release the tripod leg section and flips down to secure it into place.
A flip-lock.
These locks make deploying the tripod fast and easy. Flip locks can be made of a variety of materials and vary in strength accordingly.
2. Twist locks
It seems as if twist locks are slowly becoming the more prevalent method for locking tripod legs into place. Much like their flip-lock cousins, a twist-type leg lock doesn’t function just as you might expect. Simply twist one direction to unlock and twist the opposite direction to secure.
A twist-lock style of locking mechanism.
Twist locks are generally less likely to fail due to dirt and sand over flip locks. However, not all twist locks are made equal. Some twist locks require a good deal of “throw” (twisting) to lock or loosen the mechanism resulting in slower deployment retraction.
Tripod Feet
Now that we’ve reached the bottom of our tripod, it’s time to talk about the silent hero of all tripod legs – the seldom applauded feet. No matter what, your tripod ultimately comes to rest on its feet…well…hopefully.
The feet of a tripod come in all shapes and sizes and are another important consideration when choosing the right tripod. In most cases, tripod feet are made from some sort of rubber or rubberized plastic.
Rubberized tripod feet.
This is where things get interesting.
Now, the shape and characteristics of tripod feet make them more or least apt to remain solid in different environments. The larger the feet of your tripod, the more “flotation” they will offer; meaning the load will be distributed over a wider surface area. The more flotation a tripod foot has, the less likely it is to sink into softer ground materials like sand and mud.
An example of large, high-flotation tripod feet. These kind are great for sandy environments.
Speaking of the ground, if you know you’ll be using your tripod in widely varying outdoor environments (looking at you landscape shooters), it would be a good idea to make certain your tripod feet feature some type of spike system.
Retractable foot spike.
Foot spikes are your best friend when you find yourself shooting in icy winter conditions or on exposed rock. However, they are also your worst enemy when shooting indoors and are the menace of wedding venues everywhere. So if you’re a photographer who shoots both outdoor and indoor scenes, make sure your leg spikes are retractable or removable.
It’s also worth mentioning that many major tripod manufacturers offer interchangeable feet for their products, which means you can change your tripod feet depending on the situation.
Center column or nah?
Let’s move a bit north and talk about a topic of contention when it comes to tripods – center columns. A center column allows the photographer to increase the tripod’s height after deploying the legs to their maximum extension.
A selection of tripods with center columns.
Center columns add wonderful versatility to a tripod’s capabilities simply because they facilitate the quick and tailored height adjustment. At the same time, center columns also introduce a point of movement into your shooting platform. Thus, causing the debate about whether or not using a center column hinders the overall quality of your photos.
Center columns are very much a double-edged sword in that they can add immense versatility to your shooting possibilities while also causing a few problems if poorly executed. As cliche’ as it might sound, the choice of whether or not you prefer a center column is entirely up to you.
Fortunately, the decision is becoming less and less of an issue, as many tripod makers now offer removable center columns for a large number of tripod models.
There’s so much more!
We’ve covered the main components of your tripod, but we haven’t even begun to talk about the wide world of ball heads, pan heads, and fluid heads! There are even base plates and plate clamps to talk about! So instead of reading about all of these cool little gadgets, why not see them in action?
Have a look at this video I made that covers all of the things we’ve already talked about plus the options that are currently available for mounting your camera to your particular camera support system.
As always, feel free to post your questions and comments about choosing the right tripod below. Have a favorite camera support system or setup you’d like to share with us? We would love to hear about them as well!
The post Back to Basics: Everything You Need to Know for Choosing the Right Tripod appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.
The post How to Achieve Great Portraits with Window Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.
When you learn to do portraits with window light you can set up a studio anywhere there is a window.
In this tutorial, I’ll give you all the important information, including what to do with different window sizes, where to position the person, and how to make their eyes sparkle.
You’ll see examples of newborns/infants, children, professional headshots, and candid moments.
The bigger the window, the nicer the light
The first thing that you should know about making portraits with window light is that the bigger the window, the nicer the light. What each photographer considers to be “good” light is relative. But many photographers want soft light for portraits.
If you would like soft light for your portraits, then you need a large window. If you want harsh light, look for a smaller window.
This principle is true for all light sources; the larger the light source, the softer the light will appear on your subject.
Notice how dark and crisp the shadows are when using a small window (approximately 12 inches by 12 inches). ISO 1600 f/2.5 1/320 sec
But the window in this photo was about ten times the size, resulting in brighter light and softer shadows. ISO 1600 f/2.4 1/500 sec
Remember that small windows are more likely to create harsh looking light with dark, crisp shadows, while larger windows will produce softer-looking light with gradual, subtle shadows.
A larger window will also create more sparkle in the eyes (you’ll learn how to do that below).
Where to position the person
Now you know how to get soft light or harsh light for your portraits.
The next thing you need to know is where to position the person for the portrait.
If you have beautiful soft light, but you position the person wrong, then the light won’t look pleasing on the person’s face.
Portrait lighting usually looks best when the light source is in front of the person, but off to the side. It also helps if the light source is a little higher up.
Notice that the window is beside the infant and that she is placed back a bit.
This is the resulting portrait. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/500 sec
In this case, I laid her down with the window above her. I could have turned her to the side a little bit, but decided not to because I like the way the catchlights will appear in her eyes.
This is the resulting portrait with bright catchlights. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/250 sec
Do not sit them in direct sunlight
If there is direct sunlight coming in the window, make sure that you do not sit your subject in the direct sunlight. If you do, the window will no longer be the true light source; rather, the harsh sunlight will now be the light source.
Notice how the two girls are positioned in this photo. The one on the left is in direct sunlight, while the one on the right is out of the direct sunlight.
How to make their eyes sparkle
The sparkle in the eye that you see in portraits is called a catchlight. You create catchlights by making sure that the window is reflected in your subject’s eyes.
Do you see the sparkle in the top left corner of her eyes? This is the window reflecting in her eyes. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/500 sec
You can tell where the window is positioned by where the reflection is in her eyes. Now that she has turned her head, the catchlights are in the lower part of her eyes. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/500 sec
When doing portraits with window light, be sure to bring your portrait to life with catchlights.
How to get rid of unwanted shadows
It can be hard to take a portrait using a window and have no shadows on the face. But you can fill in those shadows or make them disappear using a reflector. Remember, you can use any large white surface as a reflector.
You can soften or reduce shadows by using a reflector. If you don’t have a professional reflector, you can use a large sheet of white paper or poster board.
Window light for headshots
At this point, you understand that large windows create soft light, you can use a reflector to fill in shadows, and that catchlights create a sparkle in the eye. You’re on your way to having a pro studio set up in your living room!
Here is a setup that you can use for headshot portraits with window light.
The same principles apply; a large window will make softer light, set your subject beside and behind the window a bit.
Notice the soft light and nice catchlights. A reflector was used for this portrait.
No reflector was used for this portrait.
Window light in everyday life
Now that you know the principles, you can use window light with candid photography as well.
Remember that it is often good to have the light source coming from the side. However, you can experiment by putting the window behind your subject to make creative silhouettes. You can also get creative by allowing direct sunlight to fall on your subject.
Did you know your home was filled with such great light sources?
Studio strobe lights are wonderful to use, but they’re not always affordable or practical to drag around.
Once you know the principles, you can use windows just as effectively and creatively as strobe lights.
Remember these principles when making portraits with window light:
Larger windows create softer light
Smaller windows create harsh shadows
Do not sit your subject in direct sunlight
Have the window to the side and in front of your subject
Use a reflector to fill in shadows
Catchlights create a sparkle in the eyes
Use a backdrop for professional portraits
Get creative with backlight and candid moments
One of the best ways to get started is to use a toy as a model. Go and have some fun with this and share your results with us in the comments!
The post How to Achieve Great Portraits with Window Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.
The post 7 Essential Tips for Photographing Business Events and Conferences appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by James Maher.
Photographing business events is a lesson in extremes. One day you might be photographing a fascinating gala with incredible lighting and a lot of alcohol and energy. Then another day, you might be forcing yourself to pay attention while capturing an insurance industry conference in a dimly lit hotel ballroom, waiting for one person to make a single joke so people will laugh or smile during a talk on offshore tax havens.
In both cases, you have to do the best job you can to come back with the best possible photography from the day. You have to be prepared for the worst lighting, awkward people, and speeches that will cause even the most focused business professionals to nod off in their chair.
Here are some tips that have allowed me to always be prepared.
1. Before the job/being professional
1/200s at f/5.6, ISO 800.
The more prepared you are before a job starts, the smoother the day will go, and that starts with communication.
Provide your client with quick responses to make sure you don’t get beat out by competitors. Make sure you understand all the details of the event and what will be required of you and explain everything that you will provide the client. The better the communication when photographing business events, the fewer surprises will happen during the day.
Provide an official PDF quote on branded letterhead (it’s a nice touch) and always make sure to use a contract. I know this can be stressful for those just starting, but have a standard contract created that you can easily alter for each job, and it will quickly become a simple step in the process.
1/30s at f/2.8, ISO 3200.
Price yourself well. Do some research on event photographers in the area and value your services. Consider your expenses, travel time, shooting time, and editing time. On top of this, consider the time you spend marketing to get these jobs, your overall business expenses, and your personal expenses.
If you under-charge, you may make a little money, but you will quickly be out of business as well as hurting your competitors at the same time. Your work is valuable.
Always make sure to bring backup equipment for everything vital to the day. Bring an extra camera, lens, flash unit, batteries, and more CF cards than you need. The more prepared you are, the less will go wrong.
Finally, dress the part. This tip segways into the next topic about making people comfortable. As a photographer, people are watching you. Cameras stand out, and as much as you want to lay low to capture the best candid moments, you will be a focus of people’s attention.
Because of this, you need to make the best impression possible, While it may feel superficial, the better you dress, the more people will respect you and believe that you are doing a good job (because they often aren’t speaking to you, just seeing you working). It’s simple, but it works.
2. Make people feel comfortable
1/160s at f/3.5, ISO 800.
Your job as a photographer is to capture people looking happy and comfortable. The first step to doing this is making yourself look comfortable. The more comfortable and pleasant you look, the more relaxed people will feel around you, so remind yourself to keep a smile on your face.
Early on, I smile at people and give a quick hello or nod to some of the guests if the situation warrants it. If people look like they want to avoid me, I’m happy to let them. This makes me look non-threatening.
As the event goes on, people will begin to forget about you. However, the earlier you make people feel comfortable around you, the quicker this will occur.
3. Fast equipment
1/160s at f/4.5, ISO 6400.
In my experience, a majority of business events are in places with terrible lighting, so having the right equipment is necessary. You need to have a fast lens (that goes to f/2.8 or even faster), a flash unit, and a camera that can shoot well at high ISOs of at least ISO 3200 (which most new cameras can do these days).
My main event lenses are the Canon 24-70 f2.8 and the Canon 70-200 f2.8. This will cover everything from the overall room shots, the walk-around cocktail photographs, the group shots, to the detailed speaker photographs.
If you are on a budget, a 50mm f1.8 lens is a fantastic and affordable lens for event photography. However, the prime focal length will cause some significant constraints.
For photographing business events in darker environments, I will raise my ISO to 1600 and often 3200. My camera can handle this level of ISO (and 6400 if I really need) without clients noticing and it allows me to always be able to shoot with f2.8 lenses instead of needing faster ones.
1/125s at f/6.3, ISO 1600.
Now, even though you need to be able to shoot at f/2.8 when the lighting warrants, that doesn’t mean that I always do this. Often you will want more depth of field to show the full venue or multiple subjects sharp.
Particularly when photographing groups of people, I will always try to be around f/4 at least when it’s possible. Photographing a group at f/2.8 will often have the center person sharp while the edge subjects (or people standing too far forward) can be quite blurry.
Finally, you need a reliable flash unit. This will allow your subjects to stand out from the background and give them a pleasing light source much more flattering than your typical overhead ballroom lights. For presentations, I stay away from using a flash and instead stick to high ISOs as to not annoy a room full of people trying to concentrate.
For indoor cocktail event photography and similar, I almost always use flash.
4. Balance the room light with your flash
1/40s at F3.2, ISO 3200.
Whenever I need to use a flash, I will first set my camera to expose the room correctly without the flash. In my opinion, the best event photographs show the room and natural lighting of the environment while artificially lighting your subjects, so they look as good as possible.
I will raise my ISO and lower my aperture number until the room looks good, making sure that my shutter speed does not go too slow to cause too much handheld motion or motion in the subjects.
After this, I will turn my flash on and use the TTL (through the lens) setting to allow it to expose the scene correctly. TTL gives the camera the ability to read the light in the room and to give off what it believes to be the right amount of light.
While this screws up occasionally, it can be very accurate and will allow you to focus more of your attention on the event itself.
5. Bounce your flash with a diffuser
1/80s at f/2.8, ISO 2000.
Using a flash does not mean the light that comes off of it will be automatically pleasing on your subjects. Facing it directly at the subject can be pretty harsh.
Instead, I typically aim my flash up and sometimes slightly to the back. That way, the light will spread out and bounce off the ceiling back to them. The shorter the ceiling, the more this works. With a very tall ceiling (or dark ceiling), you will have no choice but to aim the flash directly at your subject.
I also use a small cap diffuser on the flash, which spreads out and diffuses the light. It will also send some of the light forward when the flash unit is pointed up, which helps out significantly.
I highly suggest the smaller cap diffusers over the larger ones, since the larger ones will light up like a bright bulb and blind anyone near you. This can be disruptive for an event.
6. Anticipate and wait for the right moment
1/125s at f/3.5, ISO 1600.
Anticipation is the key to good event photography. If you walk around constantly, it’s so hard to both pay attention and to be in the right position to capture those quick, amazing moments. Instead, find a location with a good vantage point on people having fun and wait for the right moment to occur. When it happens, you will be in position and ready with your camera to capture it.
When I do this, I try to be candid about it because there is nothing that will stop a great moment from happening more than a photographer staring at you and waiting with their camera. So instead, I try to make it seem like I’m looking around the room or looking at something else. I am scanning the room, of course, but I’m primarily watching them out of the corner of my eye.
Sometimes the moment happens and sometimes it doesn’t, so don’t be afraid to give up and move on when needed.
For conferences and long speeches, the key is to wait for someone to make a joke. That is usually the only way people will smile during these serious events. And while I try to be at attention for the entire time, this can be very difficult for a full eight-hour event of speeches and talks.
Instead, I usually pay the most attention early on in each speech and talk. Usually, the jokes come at the very beginning, so I will shoot a lot early on until I’m sure I have enough good photos. Then I will rest my attention for a bit, while still waiting for jokes or light moments to occur.
7. Edit the photos efficiently
1/200s at f/2.8, ISO 1600.
Coming back from an event with 600-1000 photos (or more) can be a daunting experience, particularly for those newer to photographing business events. Having an efficient workflow is necessary for these situations.
I try to stick to a week-at-most turnaround time. This can be difficult, but it is a big draw for businesses in this fast-moving social media world. Often, I’ll even send a small section of the best photographs the next day.
But how do you do this efficiently?
Before I do anything, I cull down the photos to the selects as fast as I can in Lightroom. I use the star system to go through my photos. I give the best photos 5-stars, 3-stars to the ones I am probably not going to use, but I’m not yet sure about, and the rest 0-stars. Then I go through the 5-star images again to turn some of the photos into 4-star images. This allows me to get down to my final set of 5-star photographs to send to the client as quickly as possible. It reduces the rest of the editing time significantly, which is a key step.
From there, I will edit and crop the photographs. Take significant advantage of Lightroom’s copy and paste functions for the changes you make. Since you will have groups of photographs taken under the same lighting conditions, copying and pasting your changes will save you so much time. Often, some of the photos will need small tweaks after that, but the core of the work can get finished so much quicker this way.
1/160s at F6.3, ISO 1600.
Conclusion
Photographing business events can be overwhelming at first as you never really know what you are getting into. Some events will be easy, inspiring, and delightful, while others will test your patience. Moreover, you often won’t know how this will go until you show up.
But over time, even the tough jobs with bad lighting and boring subjects will eventually become routine, as long as you take advantage of the tricks to get the best out of these situations.
Do you have any other tips for photographing business events that you would like to share? Please do so in the comments section.
The post 7 Essential Tips for Photographing Business Events and Conferences appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by James Maher.
The post Great Photoshop Tools to Edit Backgrounds in Images for Online Use appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
Are you moving your business online? You’re probably noticing the huge amount of possibilities? From blogs to Instagram; from banners to thumbnails – you need to keep editing your images to fit your every need. Fortunately, there are some Photoshop tools to edit backgrounds that come to the rescue. Keep reading to learn how to solve some of the most common issues about backgrounds.
Are your white backgrounds really white?
Photoshop tools to edit white backgrounds
There are a number of Photoshop tools to edit white backgrounds, so let’s break them down.
Curves
A white background shot seems simple, but it ‘s not so easy to achieve. You can always cut out the subject and replace the backdrop, but this can be very time-consuming even if you did it right in the photo-shoot. You still need to do some editing, and one of the best Photoshop tools to edit a backgrounds’ brightness is Curves.
When a white background image is placed on top of a digital background you can see if it was really white.
Often, despite your best efforts, your seemingly white background is not 100% white. Look at the example above. On the left, you can see the result of the photo-shoot, which appears to be okay. But, if I add a white background layer, you can see it’s not. Notice how you can see the difference in the corners. To easily fix this, you have to add a Curves Adjustment Layer.
To add a Curves adjustment, click on the Adjustments icon at the bottom of the Layer palette, denoted by a circle with black and white halves.
Then, lighten your image by dragging the top part of the curve. Keep going until the transition between your photo and the digital background is not visible. Don’t worry if your subject is getting too light, you’ll fix that in the next step.
Now, grab the Brush tool, and with a soft brush at 10 or 15% flow, start painting black over your subject. This will mask out the adjustments from the curve to keep the original exposure on the subject, including its shadows.
Photoshop tools to extend backgrounds
There will be times when you also need to extend your image backgrounds. Here are some tools to help you do that.
Clone Stamp
The Clone Stamp is one of the most useful Photoshop tools to edit backgrounds. Being able to clone one part of the image to another, helps you to retouch almost anything.
You can correct any specks, dust, or scratches in your image.
I want to show you another situation where it can come in handy too. Imagine you need to extend your background to gain some negative space. You can clone your background to cover a bigger area. First, enlarge your document by going to Menu->Image->Canvas Size and set up the new size.
For this example, I was turning a thumbnail into a header.
Grab the Clone Stamp and take a sample from the background to start cloning. If you are working on a separate layer, make sure to set Current and Below in the options bar. If you’re working on the same layer, use “Current Layer.”
Keep going by sampling from different areas each time, that way, it’s less noticeable, and you’ll get a better result. If the area is too big for this, then the Pattern Stamp tool will be more efficient.
Pattern Stamp
First, use the Rectangular Marquee tool to select a sample of the background. Then go to Menu->Edit->Define Pattern. This will open a pop-up window where you can name and save this background as a pattern.
Pick the Pattern Stamp tool that you’ll find under the Clone Stamp. On the options bar, you can open the pattern menu and choose the one you just created.
Now you just have to paint all the space you want to fill. You can adjust the size of the brush, the hardness, and flow for better results.
If the separation between stamps is noticeable, then go back to the clone stamp tool and smooth out the junctions.
Photoshop healing tools for backgrounds
Similar to the Clone Stamp is the Healing Brush, which has two variations. Unlike the clone, both of them will blend the new pixels with the existing ones. As a result, the correction is much smoother. Let’s see the difference between them.
Spot Healing Brush
The Spot Healing Brush will automatically sample the pixels it thinks are best to use as a source. It will take the texture and reproduce it while blending the color and luminosity with the pixels in the new spot.
This is really useful when you’re working on large empty areas, like textures. In most cases, I find it’s very unpredictable, and it includes pieces that don’t belong, so I don’t use it often. However, it’s a matter of finding what works best in each situation.
I wanted to extend the background. Notice how it included the texture from the subject.
If you cancel the action by going back on your history or using the command Ctrl+Z and try again, it will give you a different result. It works better when you use a small brush and tackle small areas at a time.
If you want to cover a big space, you’ll be better off using the Healing Brush Tool.
Healing Brush
This tool is a mix between the Spot Healing Brush and the Clone Stamp. You can manually choose where to sample by clicking on the spot while holding the Alt key. Then click on the area you want to ‘heal’ and it will blend the source pixels with the current ones. This way the result will be much more uniform. Make sure that “Sampled” is marked as the Source in the Options bar.
You can use this tool to extend your background or to retouch any details on it. It’s very versatile, so try it out.
Conclusion
Your background can complement, enhance, or distract from the subject, so it’s just as important and you want to give it enough attention. Whether it’s a blemish or an extension, these Photoshop tools to edit backgrounds can help you out for most of your online needs.
What is your favorite tool? Share it in the comments section!
The post Great Photoshop Tools to Edit Backgrounds in Images for Online Use appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
The post Adobe’s Exciting New Updates to Lightroom, Photoshop, and ACR appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Adobe has released several impressive updates to its Creative Cloud programs, including Lightroom, Photoshop, and Adobe Camera Raw.
The changes give Adobe users a number of features to be excited about, including:
Enhanced subject selection in Photoshop
Easy movement from Lightroom to Photoshop on iPad
An interface makeover for Adobe Camera Raw
The addition of local hue adjustments in Lightroom
While you can read about the many new and improved features on Adobe’s blog, I’ll run through the most important new upgrades for photographers, starting with:
Photoshop offers updated Select Subject tool
Photoshop’s Select Subject tool has been steadily improving since the feature was first released.
But with these new updates comes a huge advance in terms of Select Subject’s capacity to identify complex edges.
As explained by Adobe, Select Subject has advanced in two key ways:
First: “Select subject is now content aware, and applies new custom algorithms if it detects a person is in the scene.”
And second: “Hair and treatment around hair has been vastly improved.”
When it comes to subject selection, any improvements are welcome; for most folks, better selection tools means less time spent in Photoshop and more time out shooting photos.
Hair has traditionally been the most difficult aspect of selecting, even with Adobe’s most powerful tools in hand. But with these improvements, subject selection should become at least slightly easier.
Lightroom on iPad offers easy Edit in Photoshop button
If you frequently edit images in Lightroom on your iPad, you’re in luck:
Adobe has now added an easy method for moving your photos from Lightroom to Photoshop:
The Edit in Photoshop button, which you can access from the export menu in Lightroom and use to quickly open an image in Photoshop.
Adobe explains that, after editing an image to Photoshop, “you can either send it right back to Lightroom, or keep it as a new cloud document.”
This should be a massive improvement for folks frustrated by the lack of integration between Lightroom and Photoshop on iPad.
(According to Adobe, this was among the “top requests” of iPad users.)
Adobe Camera Raw starts to look sleek
The new ACR layout looks far more stylish!
It’s finally happened:
Adobe Camera Raw has shed its aging skin and turned into something better; it’s still not exactly modern, but it’s certainly much sleeker.
Take a look at ACR, and you’ll now see a new interface, one that’s designed to “feel familiar to any Lightroom user.”
The layout has changed, the sliders have changed, and you even have some tool enhancements (for instance, the Curves tool is much easier to work with).
You also get a brand new tool, which comes to both Adobe Camera RAW and Lightroom in the form of local hue adjustment:
Lightroom and ACR gain local hue adjustment feature
Lightroom (and ACR) has long offered global hue adjustment capabilities in its HSL panel:
You select the original color, then you shift it along the color spectrum via a slider.
Up until now, this has remained a global editing tool. Lightroom included no option to selectively adjust hue via the adjustment brush, radial filter, or graduated filter, which meant that selective color editing was a feature largely confined to Photoshop.
But all that has changed, because you’ll now see a new slider when using local adjustment tools, one that allows you to select an area and shift its colors via a handy hue slider.
With this new local editing option, you can selectively adjust skin tones, clothing color, sunset color, and much more.
So here’s my recommendation:
Head over to your Lightroom, Photoshop, and Adobe Camera Raw applications right now.
And try out these new options!
Now I’d like to ask you:
Which of these new updates are you most excited to try? And were there any changes that you’d still like to see from Adobe? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post Adobe’s Exciting New Updates to Lightroom, Photoshop, and ACR appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Boats appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
This week’s weekly photography challenge – BOATS!
Boats on Merimbula Lake at sunset by Caz Nowaczyk
It can be boats, kayaks, or stand-up paddleboards. Capture them on lakes or out at sea, at sunrise or sunset or in the middle of the day. They can be close-ups of things on a boat, or the boats can be part of a large vista. They can be color or black and white. They can be taken with your good camera or your smartphone (as mine are).
Play with post-processing too, if you like.
The choice is yours! I look forward to seeing what you share
Boats on Merimbula Lake and Mitchies Jetty at sunset by Caz NowaczykBoats on Merimbula Lake and Mitchies Jetty at sunset by Caz NowaczykBoats by the Lake at Durras North at sunrise by Caz Nowaczyk
Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.
Tips for photographing BOATS
5 Reasons Why Your Sunrise or Sunset Photos Don’t Look So Stunning
How to Find a Great Sunset Photography Location
8 Ways to Use Water in Photography to Add Impact
Tips for Photographing Reflections to Create Stunning Images
How To Photograph Reflections In Water
How to Photograph Long Exposures to Create Dreamy Images
How to Avoid Blurry Long Exposure Images with Proper Tripod Setup
Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.
Share in the dPS Facebook Group
You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.
If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSboats2020 to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.
The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Boats appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
Photographs have always been intended to provide us with memories to last a lifetime. Of course, the technology has certainly evolved over the past 150 years. There are now countless ways to display our most precious images. Photo albums and high-definition emails are two common examples. However, what if you instead wish to place photos throughout the home? What options Continue Reading
The post Creative Ways to Display Your Photography at Home appeared first on Photodoto.
