The post How to Use the Orton Effect in Photoshop to Save Blurry Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
Is your photo a little bit blurry? Don’t throw it out just yet. In most cases, you wouldn’t want soft-focus in your image, but you can rehash-it with a different purpose. One thing you can do is apply an Orton effect in Photoshop to give it new life, especially if it’s a landscape.
Some times when you see your photographs in the camera without zooming in, they look sharp when they are not. Maybe your shutter speed was too slow, or you were using the wrong focus mode.
There are many reasons this can happen. Often you find out too late – when you’re already back home on your computer.
If it’s possible just go back and shoot again, you can find some useful tips in this article so that you can get the best results. If this is not an option, soft-focus and blurry images are completely acceptable if done in a creative way. This is where the Orton effect in Photoshop comes in.
What is the Orton Effect?
The photographer Michael Orton invented this technique, hence the name. It was created in the 80s, which means that it was done with film photography. He overlapped different versions from the same scene with different exposures and a different focus. As a result, the image gained a surreal atmosphere.
His images look like paintings thanks to the experimentation he does with light, color, and motion. On his website, he says that “The vast color combinations and unique variations of light found in the natural landscape, used with the wide variety of choices in compound camera motion provide an exciting challenge.”
You can go there to see his work and understand more of the technique before getting into it.
The Orton Effect in Photoshop
Because this technique was done by stacking images, it can be perfectly recreated in Photoshop because you can work with Layers. Since this is technically easy to do, many photographers have tried it.
Get yourself acquainted with what is out there so you can find your own style. Try using hashtags like #orton or #ortoneffects on Instagram and Pinterest.
Choose your image
Although technically speaking, you can apply this technique to any photo, it doesn’t necessarily look good on all of them. This is mostly done on landscapes because of the dream-like glow that will result from it.
This image is slightly blurry, it’s mostly a landscape and the man in the bear custom works well with a surreal atmosphere.
Another thing to consider is that it’s not a magical way to save an image that’s completely out of focus. Because it mixes areas with different amounts of detail in them, the soft-focus won’t be distracting. But you do need a certain degree of sharpness in it.
Step by step
In the same way that Michael Orton stacked slides, you’re going to be stacking layers. There are many ways to achieve this technique, it’s a matter of experimenting and finding your own. The basic principle is the same, though; blend different exposures and focus. Here’s my way of doing it to get you started.
Different exposures
When you open your image in Photoshop, it will be a Background layer that is locked. Click and drag it into the Duplicate Layer button at the bottom of the panel to create a copy of it.
Now, change the Blending Mode to Screen. You can do this by opening the menu that you’ll find at the top of the Layers Panel.
The Screen blending mode is one of the different options that allow you to lighten your image. When this layer blends with the one underneath, the pure blacks – if any – will be covered. The pure whites will stay the same and the greyscale will become brighter.
Next, duplicate the original background layer again and drag this copy to the top.
Then, change the blending mode to Multiply. This one does the exact opposite of the Screen blending mode. As the name indicates, it multiplies the base color by the blend color resulting in a darker one.
Different focus
Now that you have different exposures, you need to add the different sharpness.
For this, you’ll need to add a filter.
Whenever you do this, it’s a good idea to make it a Smart Filter so that you can always come back to change it. The first thing to do is to right-click on the layer and choose Convert to Smart Object.
With this change, you’ll be working non-destructively. So, go to Menu>Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur. In the pop-up window, you can adjust the right amount of blur for your image. Keep the preview option checked so that you can see what you’re doing.
It’s easy to overdo it, so I recommend that you always come back to your work and check with fresh eyes. Because you made it a smart filter, you can just double-click on it and the Gaussian Blur window will pop-up again so you can make any adjustments you want.
Finishing touches
Because the filter will be on a mask, you can paint black any area that you may want to keep without the blur. This can help to create a different effect or direct attention to a specific subject.
You can then crop or add any adjustment layers to finish it off.
There you go, an easy and fun technique that can turn your not-so-great photo into an artistic project to save the day. Try it and share the results in the comment section.
The post How to Use the Orton Effect in Photoshop to Save Blurry Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
The post Sony to Announce Ultra-Wide 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
If you’re a landscape photographer, you’re in for a treat.
Sony is preparing to announce its brand-new, ultra-wide 12-24mm GM lens, which will offer a great range of focal lengths, an impressive f/2.8 maximum aperture, and (likely) stellar optics.
Let’s take a look at what we know.
First, the lens specs:
The Sony 12-24mm will feature a focal length range custom-made for landscape photographers. At 24mm, you’ll be poised to capture some wide images. And once you zoom out to 12mm, you’ll have wide-angle capabilities that few lenses can match, able to capture sweeping vistas that would normally be impossible to shoot.
A consistent problem with ultra-wide lenses is a bulbous front element, which makes it impossible to mount circular polarizers and neutral density filters. But Sony seems to have addressed this too, with the (rumored) inclusion of a rear-mounting filter option. That way, landscape photographers can take advantage of drop-in filters, and don’t have to choose between a wide focal length or enhanced image quality.
As for the optics:
Given the G Master designation, we can expect the lens to offer excellent sharpness from corner to corner, very limited chromatic aberration, and more.
In other words, the new Sony 12-24mm is a landscape photographer’s dream.
Note that Sony does already offer a 12-24mm lens, one that’s well-known for its optical prowess. But the current 12-24mm only shoots as wide as f/4, and while this is fine for most landscape situations, there’s one area of landscape photography where a wider maximum aperture is almost always better:
Astrophotography.
For photographers who shoot skies in complete darkness, an f/2.8 aperture allows for a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the stars without boosting ISO too much. The difference between f/2.8 and f/4 may not seem huge, but it does matter; at f/2.8, you’ll often come away with a sharp, clean shot, compared to the blurry or noisy result you get at f/4.
Of course, a lens that offers such impressive specifications is bound to come with a matching price tag. While Sony has not yet revealed any details, rumors suggest that the 12-24mm f/2.8 GM will cost around $ 4000 USD.
Is this pricier than I would like?
Absolutely.
But it’s bound to be one heck of a lens!
So keep an eye out for further news; you should see a Sony announcement sometime in the next few weeks.
Now over to you:
What do you think about this new Sony lens? Do you think that $ 4000 USD is too high a price? Or will the lens be worth it? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post Sony to Announce Ultra-Wide 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Do you want to learn how to use light in photography? Photograph a flower. A flower in and of itself is an interesting subject. Flowers have different textures, bright colors, and won’t get bored of sitting still while you adjust your settings. But a quick snap of a flower, while beautiful, can be boring. If you really want to bring Continue Reading
The post How To Take Good Pictures of Flowers- An Easy Step by Step Guide appeared first on Photodoto.
The post How to Photograph Long Exposures to Create Dreamy Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.
Many new photographers may not know how to photograph long exposures, or even what that means to their photography. Thanks to the development of camera accessories and filters, capturing long exposures is becoming a very popular medium of photography for enthusiast photographers.
Long exposure photography is a technique used by many landscape, cityscape and seascape photographers. Have you ever seen a picture of the city where clouds show motion, the car lights have been made streaky or the seawater is rendered blurry? Well this will usually be the result of using a filter to achieve a long exposure that captures the movement of the subject.
Before we look at how to photograph long exposures, it is first worth considering the meaning of a long exposure, and the different types of photography you can apply the method to.
A long exposure is “a timed exposure of a long duration where the shutter is open for a speed of several seconds where the purpose and aim of long exposures is to sharply capture and minimize movement of static objects within the frame whilst blurring the elements with motion.”
Samples of long exposure photography
There are a variety of different styles of photography where using long exposure photography techniques can result in great images. Some examples of popular subjects include landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes, astrophotography (such as creating star trails), street scenes, and even abstract scenes.
Applying the technique of long exposure photography to landscape scenes can be a great way to create drama in skies or foregrounds with moving clouds or foliage.
Shooting water with long exposures can also benefit your images. Capturing moving water can bring an ethereal look and feel to seascapes as waves break or crash. Using a long exposure, you can capture the swell of the ocean or motion of tides for dreamy-looking images.
How to achieve long exposures
When considering how to photograph long exposures,
you will initially need to think about the kit that you will require, how to
set this up and the steps to capturing your image.
The Lee Big and Little Stopper Neutral Density (ND) Filters are great for long exposure photography.
Kit required
A tripod is an essential piece of equipment to enable your camera to remain still during the image capture time when the shutter is open.
Next, you will need a cable release, or wireless remote so you can start and stop the long exposure. Please note this is only required if you need to extend your exposure time beyond 30 seconds. If you shoot below 30 seconds your cameras self-timer will be sufficient to trigger and close the shutter.
A filter holder is another essential item that is required to achieve long exposures. These are used to hold the filters in place that will be used to slow the exposure time down.
The filter holder with the Lee 6-stop ND Filter attached to the camera.
With regard to using filters, neutral density (ND) filters are recommended to minimize the light entering your camera.
These vary in strength and the effect they can create. The darker the coating, the greater the number of stops of light and the stronger the filter will be. For example, a 10-stop filter will block out more light than a 3-stop or 6-stop filter, and enable you to achieve longer exposures. Examples of these filters include Lee Filters Big Stopper (10-stop) and Little Stopper (6-stop).
St Nectain’s Glen waterfall, Cornwall, England Canon 5DSR, EF24-70 f2.8 USM II | 1.5sec f/4.5 ISO 100
Leaving your shutter open for an extended amount of time can result in some really interesting shots. With this shot of a waterfall, I wanted to make the water more blurry, so I set the camera up on my tripod and photographed it using an ND filter and a longer exposure. By increasing the exposure time, you can see I have been able to create a milky, smooth effect on the water, giving a pleasing result to the image.
Set Up
Once you have found a composition you like, you will need to place your camera on the tripod, attach your cable release and affix your filter holder. Next, focus the camera manually (using the MF button on the side of your camera) before putting the filter in place.
Ponta do Rosto, Madeira Canon 5D Mk IV, EF16-35 f2.8L III USM | 241sec f/11 ISO 100
Steps to photographing long exposures
Once your kit is set up, here are some simple steps on how to photograph long exposures using the equipment mentioned above to achieve sharper images.
1. Bulb mode
Arrange your camera so that you are shooting in bulb mode. This allows you to keep the shutter button open for longer. It will stay open as long as you hold it open.
2. Set your aperture and ISO
I recommend setting a small aperture of over f/8 to f/22. The larger the f/number the longer the exposure you can achieve and a low ISO of 100.
3. Exposure times
Depending on the strength of the ND filter you are using, your exposure time will change. Based on an initial exposure time of ½ second using a 6-stop filter, you will need to shoot for 30 seconds or 8 minutes using a 10-stop filter, for example.
Land’s End, Cornwall, England Canon 5DSR, EF16-35 f2.8L III USM | 1.5sec f/4.5 ISO 100
Press the self-remote timer and lock the shutter open
or if you are using the cameras self-timer press the shutter button gently on
the camera. When you are ready to close the shutter unlock the cable release
(if you are using the self-timer the image will finish by itself).
4. Extra tips
If you are using a DSLR, it is also a good idea to use your mirror lock-up so that the mirror going up and down during your exposure doesn’t cause camera shake. Also, be sure to cover the back of the viewfinder to prevent light from entering and potentially ruining your pictures during the exposure. Many cameras have a little rubber cap that comes attached to the camera strap, to cover your viewfinder. That will stop any light leaking through.
Conclusion
In summary, shooting long exposures is a great technique you can use to enhance landscapes, seascapes and images of water where movement is added to the image by extending the exposure time.
When you are looking at how to photograph long exposures, be sure to get the right kit for the job such as a tripod, filter holder, ND filter and a cable release. Remember to follow the steps required above to capture your long exposures, and share the images you take with us below. It will be great to see what you capture.
If you want to go deeper into long exposures, see this article by DPS writer, Rick Ohnsman.
The post How to Photograph Long Exposures to Create Dreamy Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.
The post Samyang/Rokinon Announces 14mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.4 Series II lenses appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
If you’re looking for a reasonably-priced but high-performing lens or two, then you’re in luck.
Samyang/Rokinon has now announced an update for two of its most popular pieces of glass:
The 14mm f/2.8 and the 85mm f/1.4.
The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and the 85mm f/1.4 are already highly-regarded among photographers looking to get strong images while keeping prices low (and who don’t mind full-time manual focus). The ultra-wide focal length of the 14mm is perfect for astrophotography, especially when combined with an f/2.8 maximum aperture. And the f/1.4 aperture on the 85mm is a great way to produce that gorgeous, creamy bokeh that portrait photographers want.
All for under $ 650 USD.
But now, with the announcement of the 14mm f/2.8 Series II and the 85mm f/1.4 Series II, Samyang/Rokinon has taken their product lineup a step further.
The 14mm f/2.8 Series II offers the same optics of the original Samyang 14mm, but now sports a focus lock; this allows you to set your point of focus and hold it in place, which is great for maintaining perfect focus in astrophotography, time-lapse, or other difficult-to-focus situations.
The Samyang 14mm Series II also features a “de-click” option, so that you can manually change the aperture along a near-infinite spectrum (rather than being forced to work in increments, which is the standard for most lenses). This is a great way to fine-tune your apertures in the field, and it also benefits video shooters who want to subtly alter exposure throughout a recording.
As for the 85mm f/1.4 Series II:
You still get the same excellent sharpness and bokeh, but Samyang has added a “de-click” feature to match the 14mm f/2.8 Series II.
And both lenses now offer weather sealing, which will be appreciated by astrophotographers, landscape photographers, and other outdoor shooters, and will make both lenses an easier sell for photographers that work in adverse conditions.
But perhaps the most enticing thing about the new Samyang lenses is the price:
You’ll be able to grab the 85mm f/1.4 Series II for just $ 400 USD, while the 14mm f/2.8 Series II will come in at $ 500 USD.
Sure, constantly using manual focus may come as a bit of a shock, especially if you’ve never used it before. But you’ll become an expert before long and, at such impressively low prices, these two lenses are hard to pass up.
You can currently preorder both the 85mm f/1.4 Series II and the 14mm f/2.8 Series II for Canon EF, Nikon F, Fujifilm X, MFT, and Canon M mounts.
Now over to you:
Do you have any experience with the original Samyang 85mm and 14mm lenses? What do you think of them? And for those of you who are interested in the new lenses: What do you plan to use them for?
The post Samyang/Rokinon Announces 14mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.4 Series II lenses appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The post 8 Core Lightroom Retouching Techniques to Enhance Your Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
Adobe Lightroom is the preferred RAW editor for many photographers. It’s user friendly, yet has many powerful features to help you get the most out of your photos. Here are the core Lightroom retouching techniques to get more out of your photographs.
1. Start with your histogram
The histogram is the first step in retouching using Lightroom. It mathematically represents the tonal range of a given photograph. The tonal range considers all the tones between the darkest part and the lightest part of your image.
The histogram maps out the brightness area in the photo in grayscale. Black is situated on the left side of the histogram, while white is on the right. You can find all the shades of grey in between. Every shade has a scale of brightness values. For a standard JPG image, there are 256 different recorded values of brightness, “0” being pure black and “255” pure white.
Learning how to read your histogram is important because it will tell you whether your photo is properly exposed or not. If you have pixels touching the very ends of your histogram, your photo is either underexposed or overexposed
Unfortunately, you can’t recover these missing details with Lightroom retouching techniques.
2. Choose the correct Color Profile
Before you start the retouching process, you should decide on a color profile, as it will make a significant difference in the color and contrast in your photo.
You can find the Color Profiles in the Basic panel. You can choose from Adobe profiles or from color profiles from your camera.
3. Get a base with the Tone Curve
Before making exposure adjustments in the Basic panel, it’s a good idea to get a base with the Tone Curve.
The Tone Curve is a graphical representation of the tones found throughout your image. By making tweaks to the curve, you can influence the look of the shadows and highlights.
I recommend starting by lifting the curve at the midpoint when in the Point Curve. This will boost the midtones and contrast, which looks attractive in most images.
Pull the curve down in the bottom quarter of the curve to deepen the shadows. These simple tweaks can make your image immediately look more dynamic.
Mid-tone lift in Tone Curve.
If you’re new to the Tone Curve, you might be more comfortable starting with the sliders in the Region Curve. This won’t give you as much control as the Point Curve but will help you make significant changes to the aesthetic of your image.
Once you’ve made other edits to your image, you can come back to the Tone Curve for further tweaks.
Retouching is a process of building and assessing, so you’ll most likely have to jump around from one panel in Lightroom to another until you get a look that you’re satisfied with.
Tone Curve for apricots image.
4. Tweak the Basic Panel
the Basic panel
The next step is to correct your White Balance.
Keep in mind that White Balance can be set in-camera to be 100% accurate, or can be used creatively if you’re not striving for a correct white. For example, if your style is warmer in tone, you can push your white balance above 6000+ to give it a golden look.
I kept my image on the cooler side because I wanted to bring out the blue and emphasize the complementary color choice to make my apricots pop.
Once you’ve made the best white balance, make any necessary edits to the Highlights, Shadows, and Whites and Blacks in the Basic Panel.
If your image doesn’t look correctly exposed in these areas, you can then adjust the exposure. However, I don’t recommend starting there. It’ll boost the exposure in all those areas, which may not be what the image needs.
5. Layer Contrast and add Vibrance in the Presence Panel
When retouching in Lightroom, I recommend using the Vibrance slider instead of Saturation.
Vibrance lifts the mid-tones. Saturation boosts all the color in the image, which can make it look unnatural and clownish. If you do choose to use the Saturation slider, watch how it affects your picture as you move the slider. A maximum of +10 is usually more than enough.
Be sure to add a bit of Clarity, which will boost the contrast in the image. The best retouching is often the result of layering various effects at low numbers, rather than adding a high amount of any one tool, such as Contrast.
To create contrast, you can use a combination of Contrast, Clarity, Texture, and the Tone Curve. Even a touch of Dehaze works great for a lot of images.
6. Adjust color in the HSL Panel
Color has a huge impact on your image. Color is an aspect of composition and crucial to the aesthetic of your photography. The HSL panel in Lightroom is where you will do the most color treatment.
Unless your aesthetic is quite warm, you might want to bring the orange saturation down a bit in your photos. It tends to look too strong. Also, pay attention to the Luminance sliders and use them instead of Saturation to control brightness, as they control the brightness of individual colors.
Before and After Lightroom Retouching – Shot at F9 on 50mm at 1/200 1SO 100
7. Try Split Toning in the highlights and shadows
Split Toning is a Lightroom tool that you can use to great effect when it comes to Lightroom retouching techniques. Split Toning adds color toning to the highlights and shadows individually, based on luminance.
However, note that a little goes a long way.
To add split toning, hold down the Alt/Option key while you move the sliders for Highlights and Shadows. This will allow you to see the variations for each color and pre-visualize how it will look applied to the image.
Dial-in as much saturation as you feel appropriate for the image. This is usually a low number. A small amount is often all you need to make your images more dynamic.
Split-toning is sometimes overlooked or used with too heavy of a hand, but with a subtle approach, it’s a very effective Lightroom retouching technique.
8. Enhance with local adjustments
Local adjustments are applied to a localized area in an image rather than globally. They only affect the part of the image selected. This allows you to fine tune your photo and have more control over your final result. You can use them to correct problem areas or to create a certain effect.
The local adjustment tools are:
the Graduated Filter
The Graduated Filter is for filtered effects and creating evenness throughout the image.
the Radial Filter
The Radial Filter helps you easily isolate subjects for retouching.
the Adjustment Brush
Layer your local adjustments to create targeted and powerful results.
The Adjustment Brush helps you create masks for localized retouching by brushing them on.
the Spot Removal tool
The Spot Removal tool gets rid of blemishes or small objects in the image. The Adjustment Brush is for creating free-form masks, while the Radial Filter is used to isolate subjects.
Range masks have been added to three of the local adjustment tools to allow you to target color and luminance.
The key to enhancing your images with local adjustments is to use a combination of the tools for subtle adjustments, as well as adjusting the opacity or feathering of the tool to create subtle transitions.
Using local adjustments is one of the most powerful Lightroom retouching techniques.
Conclusion
You’ll get the best result in Lightroom by layering the different tools. For example, don’t just use the Contrast slider to add contrast and call it a day. Layer the contrast with small adjustments to the Tone Curve, Dehaze, and Clarity for a subtle and effective look.
Every photographer develops a workflow that works effectively for them. Hopefully, these core Lightroom retouching techniques will help you fine-tune your editing process.
If you have any other Lightroom retouching techniques you’d like to share, please do so in the comments section.
The post 8 Core Lightroom Retouching Techniques to Enhance Your Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
The post How to Publish a Photography Zine to Promote Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.
Until a couple of years ago, I’d never considered publishing a photography book or zine. Years ago, the self-publishing options weren’t very attractive to me: they were either expensive and complicated or offered templated cookie-cutter style books that didn’t appeal.
In recent times, new publishers specialising in short-run zines have sprung into the marketplace, making it much easier for photographers to get their work into print. Inspired by other photographers producing zines, I have just published my own. Here is my guide on how to publish a photography zine to promote your photography.
What’s a zine?
A zine is a self-published booklet of images and text, often produced in limited edition print runs. The word zine (pronounced zeen) is derived from both the word magazine and also the word fanzine – unofficial publications produced by fans of a particular movement in popular culture. Zines were usually put together by hand, then photocopied and stapled.
Copies of my first film photography zine Every Summer. I also had limited edition art print postcards created to celebrate the launch.
These days the term zine is commonly used to refer to any short-run booklet of photography and/or images. There are so many creative choices that you can make when you publish a photography zine. The look and feel of the final product are up to you, and the lines between a zine and a book are often blurred.
For example, my first photography zine Every Summer is perfect bound, meaning the pages are glued together into the spine without a staple. It’s full-color, printed on uncoated paper, and the cover has a smooth laminate finish. It falls somewhere between the extremes of a do-it-yourself stapled zine and a high-end coffee table book.
So now you know what a zine is, your next question might be, why publish a photography zine? I’ve outlined a few reasons below.
Seeing your images in print is magical
One of the most frequently said things about photography in the digital age is that we’ve ended up with tens of thousands of images on devices and hard drives that are hard to access and view. There’s nothing quite like having an image in your hands – whether it’s an instant photo, a print, or your own book or zine.
Close-up of my first photography zine Every Summer. Holding it in my hands for the first time was magical.
Seeing my first photography zine in print was so much more satisfying than seeing images on a computer screen. Creating a zine also ties together the set of images as a collection, with a single narrative throughout. A zine is a perfect way to showcase your images to others.
Use a zine to promote your photography
Publishing a photography zine is a fantastic way to promote your photography. A zine could be used as an alternative to (or in addition to) your digital offerings.
I recently showed my first zine to a professional photographer friend and he said it was a really interesting concept he’d consider for promoting his wedding photography business.
In this digital age, a zine could be a way of standing out from the crowd by providing something tangible people can hold in their hands that promotes your photography.
Creating a zine as a tool for personal growth
Publishing a zine is such a rewarding project. As a photographer, there are many other skills you’ll potentially need to learn or improve to get your zine into production. Design, editing, writing, printing and marketing: these are just some of the skill sets you’ll use.
Once you create your zine, you can send it to your favorite clients, give it away to leads at events and shows, and, of course, send it as a gift to family and friends. You never know who might end up seeing it.
Blurring the lines between a zine and a book, my first self-published work “Every Summer” is perfect bound.
Creating a zine is also addictive – once you create your first, you’ll no doubt be thinking of your second. So, if you’d like to publish a photography zine, where do you start?
Zine ideas
The concept of most zines or books revolves around an idea. Your zine could be made up of images from a road trip, a wedding, your favorite city, or your neighborhood.
A zine could also show off a photographic style, a personal project, tell a story through images, or be a showcase of your best work. It can also be a combination of all of those things or none of them – it’s up to you.
My first zine is a collection of images that I took on the Isle of Wight in England. When I reviewed the images in the weeks after my holiday, I felt there was a certain magic to them, so I decided to put together a zine.
It’s also becoming increasingly common for photographers to collaborate on zines together, typically with the same subject or style in mind.
Choose your images
Choosing and editing your images is a process in itself.
It’s not necessarily about choosing all the best images but choosing images that work well together and continue a narrative throughout your publication. For example, there were some images that I loved from the Isle of Wight, but there didn’t seem to be a point in the zine where it made sense to include them, so I left them out in favor of other images.
The first 20 pages of my zine Every Summer in acontact sheet view. Choose images that work well together and continue a narrative. Also, note the double-page spread on pages 6-7.
Some people find it beneficial to print out small copies of their images and arrange them on the floor to work out an image order. I tried this approach, but I found that it just left me with a stack of paper to put in the recycling bin. I found it easier to rate images in Lightroom and then drag them onto pages in InDesign, where I could play around with the layout.
To add text or not to add text?
There are two schools of thought around adding words to a photo zine or book. The first is that the photos should do the talking and everything else is a distraction. The second is that well-thought-out text adds context to the images and makes it a more rewarding experience for the reader.
Generally, I fall into the latter school of thought.
I decided to add passages of text to my zine for one simple reason – I wanted to introduce locations by recounting anecdotes from when I visited these places on the Isle of Wight. These passages detailed what attracted me to photograph those locations.
Adding text throughout my zine gave me the opportunity to provide context to the locations I photographed on the Isle of Wight.
Either way, it’s commonplace to write an introduction at the start of your zine or book. This should introduce yourself to the reader and explain your motivation behind producing the zine and your relationship to the images.
For example, in my photography zine Every Summer, I reflected on my relationship with England, my home for over a decade, and how travel photography has influenced the style of images I take. In my introduction, I also added my contact details so readers could send me feedback about the zine.
Zine design
The design of your zine can be as simple or as complex as you like. Some online publishing companies have their own software that makes it as easy as possible for you to choose a layout, drag and drop photos, and add some text.
With other zine publishers, you can create your own design in software programs like Adobe InDesign and then upload them as a PDF for printing. Always make sure you read and understand the instructions your printer gives you about document set-up and exporting your publication – especially with regards to the quality of your images, color space, page bleed, and margins.
Of course, you can also work with the book module in Lightroom too.
Many pages in my zine follow a standard layout. This is broken up by double-page spreads and full-page photos throughout the zine.
Creating your zine in InDesign also gives you the flexibility to produce an electronic PDF version of your zine to distribute to people. You can also do that with the first option, but some online publishing companies charge an extra fee to download a PDF copy of your work. You can also create a PDF version in the Lightroom Book Module too.
Whichever road you go down, remember that simplicity is often at the heart of good design. Try and stick to a standard way of displaying your photos throughout the book, with the occasional breakout from that design for a double-page spread or full-page photograph.
Simplicity should also be front of mind when working out your choice of font. Don’t choose too many fonts to work with and always make sure they’re easy to read. For my photography zine Every Summer, I chose two fonts.
Part of the introduction to my first photography zine. I explained who I was, my motivations for putting the zine together, and my relationship to the subject matter.
For headings, I chose a retro font that captured the spirit of the 1970s. This matched the subject matter of some of my images such as the retro ice-cream van and the seaside pier at Sandown. For body text, I used a typewriter-style font that is easy to read, and also conveys some of that retro charm.
Print vs screen
Looking at images on a screen is not the same as looking at images in print. Digital images are usually in the RGB color space, which has a wider color gamut than the CMYK color space used for printing. Our screens are also back-lit, so often digital images look brighter and more saturated than images exported for print.
At some stage, your publication will be converted to the CMYK format. Some online publishers do this process automatically for you, but if you are uploading a PDF to a printer, they will typically ask you to supply a PDF in the CMYK color space. Always check with your printer on the exact settings to use.
Seeing your images in the CMYK color space for the first time can be a bit of a shock: it has a narrower gamut than RGB, which means that not all colors from the RGB color space can be displayed when printed. This means some colors may look slightly different in the printed version. For example, the vivid blues, yellows, and oranges of the ice-cream van on the front of my zine are not quite that vivid in the print version, but they’re close.
Laying out images and text for my zine in Adobe InDesign. A lot of people shy away from InDesign, but it really isn’t difficult to pick up, especially if you’re familiar with Adobe Photoshop.
Zine format and size
When you publish a photography zine, you will also need to decide on the dimensions of your zine and how many pages it will have. Remember, the more pages your zine has, the more expensive it will be to produce and potentially ship to customers.
For my first zine, I chose a square 210mm by 210mm format (just over 8 inches). I’d seen a friend’s zine using the same dimensions and it felt like a good size to me. Square pages also have an advantage: they suit portrait-orientation images, landscape-orientation images, and square images.
Another consideration is the type and weight of paper you want your zine printed on. There is usually a range of types including satin, gloss, uncoated, and even recycled. Many publishers will send you a sample of their papers for free. This sample pack will also help you decide on the weight (thickness) of different paper stocks.
Many online printers offer a wide range of choices for your publication.
Final review
When you’ve finished your layout and have a zine ready to publish, check everything as many times as you can. After you’ve completed your checks, ask a trusted friend to do the same. I made one small error with my zine and it still annoys me. As it turns out, a couple of people I sold my zine to didn’t even notice it.
If you’ve never printed anything before, you can also get in contact with your printer to ask for their advice on your publication. For example, you could ask them if the images are good enough quality to print, if the layout will work, if you’ve done the page bleed and margins correctly, and if you exported your PDF in the correct color space.
When you’re satisfied that everything is correct, it’s time to print.
If you’re a little nervous about the final product, order the smallest quantity that is financially practical. This will give you the opportunity to check you’re happy with everything before another print run.
After that, it’s time to show your zine to the world! I’ve sold my zine via my website to friends, family, listeners of my podcast, and others in the photography community. For the launch, I even had some art print postcards created featuring three images from the zine as a bonus for my customers.
Exporting my zine from Adobe InDesign. Find out what settings you should be using from your printer for the best results.
Conclusion
I hope this article has been helpful for those wishing to publish a photography zine. Self-publishing can be a lot of work, but ultimately, it’s a very rewarding process. There are so many skills related to photography that you can learn and improve, adding to the creative challenge.
Seeing your images in print for the first time in a publication that you’ve created is very special. I’ve learned so much creating my first photography zine and plan to create another in the coming months.
Whether it’s just for fun, a creative challenge, or to promote your business, learning how to publish a photography zine is a fantastic way to get your images in front of other people and reach a wider audience.
If you have any questions about the zine-making process, please let me know in the comments below.
The post How to Publish a Photography Zine to Promote Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.
The post Heaps of Fun Creative Photography Ideas to Keep Your Photography-Juices Flowing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
This week, I thought I would compile a few videos of creative photography ideas that will get your photography juices flowing.
These videos are from Jordi Koalitic, who shares some of his unique, fun ideas.
Some of these you can do in your own home or out and about. Check them out, try them out, and share some of your photos with us in the comments section!
Still looking for more creative ideas?
Then you may also like:
10 Great At-Home Creative Photography Ideas
Creative Photography Exercises to do at Home (video)
10 Creative DIY Photo IDEAS when Stuck at Home (video)
Creative Abstract Photography with Food Coloring and Milk
Creative Water Photography – A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Water Monsters
Creative Photography Exercises: Setting Limitations to Achieve Better Photography
How to Use a Pinhole Body Cap for Awesome, Creative Photography
The post Heaps of Fun Creative Photography Ideas to Keep Your Photography-Juices Flowing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
The post Black and White are Rarely Black or White appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.
There are very few absolutes in this life. Most issues we face fall into more “gray areas” than the purely polar dictionary definitions of actual black and white. We use these terms rather cavalierly when expressing personal opinions even when real-life situations are anything but! This is also true in a number of photography-related issues. Since photography is the topic de jour, I’ll turn the conversation in that direction. I’ll explain to you how black and white are rarely black or white.
Total black and white can lose important detail. Occasionally this is appropriate for drama, but in general, even the darkest areas of an image should contain contrasting tones. f/9, 1/250, ISO 200, 70.0-200.0 mm f/2.8.
The hard facts
Black is the total absence of light, as in a cave at midnight with your eyes closed. Nada, nothing, total emptiness. Nothing is quite as disorienting or scary as total blackness. Blackness is un-relational and unforgiving. Even our sense of balance is affected by our inability to orient ourselves to our environment. What we can’t see, we can’t relate to.
Opening up the darkest channel (unfortunately labeled “Black” in most software) can reveal a depth that otherwise gets buried in the D-max of the photographic medium.
White is at the other end of the light measurement scale, defined as a direct unobstructed blast of light from the Sun at noon. Blinding, blazing, searing, scorching light.
True white light would actually blow the rods out of our eyes and leave us (at least temporarily) blinded. Perhaps it is good that we don’t try to function either physically or psychologically in either of these two extremes.
Dark and light vs black and white
In the photographic film and darkroom world, “D-max” and “D-min” determined the total light range of photographic prints and transparencies. Actual black and white light measurements simply cannot (by definition) be replicated in photographic materials.
D-max refers to the maximum light blocking capacity (density) of a particular film or print. D-max is the point of maximum development for either film or prints in a traditional (chemistry-emulsion) darkroom environment.
D-max for an inkjet printer would be the darkest black that can be achieved by a particular ink on a particular paper (yes, some different inks and papers achieve different results).
D-min would be the highest light-reflective measurement possible from a particular paper with no ink.
In either case, neither “actual” black nor total white is possible. In truth, black and white cannot be expressed in the medium of photography, though we still employ the terms.
Actual original image (left) and adjusted image (right). No kidding. RAW files deliver! f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 1600, 35-100mm, f/2.8.
Real-life vision vs digital interpretation
By contrast, we live our everyday lives in the natural world where we can experience this “actual” extreme range of natural light. We occasionally witness these extreme lighting conditions, and this reference to reality keeps our lives in clear focus.
There exists a broad range of contrast in nature’s lighting that keeps our visual cortex amused and intrigued. We experience the extremes of light and dark almost every day, and our eyes adjust to these dynamics quite naturally. But in the subdued visual expression called photography, we are restricted to using a much more muted palette, which presents our minds with a different challenge.
Our brains insist on detail to help us navigate this world, both visually and rationally. We are a relational species, and we rely on the existence of distinct details in our surroundings in order to relate and negotiate our way through those surroundings. The very same issue determines how we relate to things photographic, which brings me to my point – finally.
Every physical item that we describe as “black” must be distinguished from actual dictionary-definition “black” if it is to be seen as a dimensional object.
Detail is all about contrast
Contrast is the determining factor in detail. Without contrasting tones, there can be no detail.
Our eyes get to experience the full dynamic range of light in real life. However, in photos, our perception is very limited by the whole visual D-max/D-min thing. We must learn to use what range we have to mimic the range that we don’t… get it? Pushing the internal tones around within an image will simulate the full range of tones that we normally see (and often take for granted) in real life.
Another example of extremes. The lighting was good on the female, but the male model was underlit. Some serious internal adjustments were made in one copy of the RAW file, and a masked copy of the correction was placed into the scene. Once again, tonal reproduction is key. f/3.2, 1/250, ISO 1600, 35-100mm, f/2.8.
In a practical sense, the detail is created when a visual relationship is established. The greater the contrast between tones, the sharper the detail becomes.
In order to express detail in a dark area, there must be a distinction between black and “almost black.” Without that distinct separation, there can be no detail.
There is a cardinal rule when printing a photo on a printing press… “there are no absolute blacks and only specular (reflections) pure whites in print.” Even pure white must contain a tonal element to maintain dimension and texture – neither black nor white express detail.
Black must be implied more than stated. Even a black hat or garment must contain tones of dark gray to carry the illusion of detail.
Black is a relative term. Total black loses important detail and dimension. f/4.5, 1/50, ISO 1600, 35-100mm, f/2.8.
Delivering the impression
When a photo lacks internal contrast, it lacks detail. The tension of contrast creates both detail and definition. Of course, even detail is a relative thing. Not all images require the same dynamic appearance. If all pictures contained the same degree of (internal or overall) contrast, the monotony of sameness would probably drive us to boredom.
The point I want to make here is that in order to keep the human mind amused, engaged, and involved, we must learn to use all the tone dynamics at our disposal.
Fortunately, the human mind (and it’s willing accomplice, the visual cortex) provide us with a very forgiving and creative instrument that interprets (and believes) the limited dynamics of printed photos. When this tonal orchestration is successfully accomplished, the result can be breathtaking.
We were designed to be very creative. Start believing that and watch the magic happen.
The post Black and White are Rarely Black or White appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.
If you are still stuck indoors, photograph from your windows, or step out into the garden (if you are lucky enough to have one). Alternatively, go back through your archives and do some brand new edits on your photos, like false-color infrared or black and white.
Use backlight, sunsets, sunrises, intentional camera movement or close-ups of foliage.
The choice is yours! I look forward to seeing what you share
Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.
5 Tips for Capturing Nature Across Different Seasons
5 Tips for Taking Beautiful Photos of Nature
How to Take Creative Landscape Shots using Intentional Camera Movement
Simulating False-Color Infrared Photography in Photoshop
Create Powerful Black and White Photos with the Photoshop Gradient Map
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 #DPStrees2020 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 – Trees appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
