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Archive for June, 2019

Your Vacation Photography Packing List

26 Jun

The post Your Vacation Photography Packing List appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

Andrew Neel

It’s summer, and for most people, that means a vacation somewhere nice and sunny! Now, of course, it’s nice to bring those holiday memories back home. That is why people bring nice cameras with them, and perhaps purchase new lenses to get the very best images. You’ve chosen an amazing exotic location, so this is a chance to photograph something that’s not from your regular day. The big question pre-trip is what to pack! Having read this article for your vacation photography, you’ll make the trip knowing you have the right equipment for your needs.

Going alone, or with family?

The group photo, how will you take yours?

Depending on your age and life circumstances, you will either be going alone or with a group. The equipment you bring for either of those situations will be different. If you’re with family, you won’t be able to spend the whole day out photographing somewhere, so the amount of equipment you’ll need is going to be less. This article is going to assume you are traveling with the family since if you’re traveling alone, that’s a different packing list more aimed at a travel photographer. That’s not to say you won’t get great travel photos on your trip. With the right equipment, you’ll hold your own against someone who perhaps has more time.

Landscape and portrait photos?

Landscapes and portraits are the two main areas that every photographer will focus on during a trip. There should be a balance of both of these photos. Then you’ll get a better sense of place from your album.

To get the best results, you’re going to need the following equipment.

This is a broad list which will be referenced when you think about your final packing list. The camera body and cleaning equipment are a given, so here you’ll see the other equipment needed.

  • Landscape – The items you’ll need here will vary depending on the landscape you’re going to photograph. It’s always a good idea to bring a tripod, remote shutter release (Cable or Infra-red), ND1000 filter, CPL filter, UV filter and Graduated ND filters. To capture the scale of the scene you’ll also want a good wide angle lens. The majority of these will be 16mm or 17mm wide on a full frame camera with an aperture of f2.8 or f4. Do you need a longer focal length? Some landscape photos require compression of the background to work, with main subjects too far into the distance. That means that, yes, you do need a longer focal length. A superzoom for travel photography is, therefore, a good option here.
  • Portrait – This isn’t photos of your fellow vacationers, we’ll come to that in a minute. This is about capturing the local life in the place you’re staying. The setup here is simpler. You’ll need a good prime lens. The 50mm f1.8 is a good choice here. Should you want the most striking photos, bringing strobes, radio triggers, and light modifiers will help. However, it’s unlikely you’ll need that for most vacation portraits.

Everyone enjoys seeing a good sunset on their trip abroad.

Vacation photography of friends and family

You’re going to spend the vast majority of your time on this trip with your family. They know you’re the photographer in the family, so the expectations are that you’ll take the family photos. The equipment you’ll need here is dependent on the photography type.

  • Group photo: If you wish to be in the photo yourself you have two options; find someone to take the photo for you, or use a tripod and self-timer. You’ll want a lens with a wide angle for this as well.
  • Posed photos: A good portrait lens like the 50mm will do the job here. They are nice for bokeh background and will work well into the evening when the light begins to fade.
  • Fun moments: The candid captures are best caught using a 50mm lens, or a telephoto lens so you can capture from a distance.
  • Eating together: Eating picnics on the beach, or evening meals at the restaurant? A 50mm lens or your wide angle will work here. Don’t forget to take some photos of the food as well! In the lower evening light, you’ll likely need the 50mm lens. Alternatively, pack a strobe, but be wary of disturbing other diners with your flash. If the situation allows using off-camera flash for food photography, you will really get better results.
  • Famous locations: One of the reasons you’ll have traveled to a place is the famous attractions. Whether it’s the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Taj Mahal – you’ll want the photo. In terms of equipment, you’ll most likely want a wide-angle lens. That’s so you can position both your family and the famous landmark in the same photo. Look to get creative with your photos as well, go beyond the standard group of people standing in front of a famous building.

Candid photos of those you are on holiday with are always nice.

Special events

If you’re lucky, or better still you’ve planned it, a special event may coincide with your trip. This is a great chance to make your vacation photos stand out even more. This is likely to be something like a street carnival like Carnevale in Venice, or a street performance like the Chinese opera. To best capture these type of events during the day, you’ll want a super zoom lens, one that covers the focal range of 28-300mm. If the festival is at night, different lenses will be needed. At night look to bring a fast prime lens, so your 50mm f1.8 will work well.

Getting great portrait photos from your trips abroad will balance out your set of images.

Non-photography equipment

Much of the following are sensible items that you should travel with, whether you’re photographing or not. You may not even have to pack them. In some cases, you’ll be wearing these items.

So bring these items for your vacation photography. The list here could be very long, so items such as clothing, passports, and toiletries, I will assume are packed.

  • Footwear: A special mention for the correct footwear here. In hot countries, a strong pair of hiking sandals are a good investment for walking around towns. Anything more outdoors than this, and consider bringing hiking shoes.
  • Water: Getting good photos will mean a fair bit of walking (if you have the time away from your family that is). You can always schedule your time for the morning and meet your family later. If the country’s hot, bring water bottles and water bladders to keep hydrated while you photograph.
  • Smartphone: A smartphone is useful for many photographic reasons. It can act as a second camera, and there are numerous apps to download for your photography.
  • Weather protection Being prepared for the weather for your vacation photography is a good idea. It could rain, so bring a poncho and weather protection for your camera. You don’t want to burn, so pack the sunscreen, a hat and some sunglasses. If you happen to be going somewhere cold, you’ll need equipment for that as well. Specialized clothes for the cold include a hat, hot packs, and gloves.
  • Money belt: Keep your valuables somewhere it’s difficult for them to be stolen, so using a money belt is wise. Split up your money as well, so keep some on your belt, some in your pocket, and some in your camera bag.

At night you’ll need a fast prime lens, something like a 50mm f1.8.

The final packing list for vacation photography

As you’ll have noted, there is lots of potential for great photography on your vacation. You can’t pack absolutely everything, so here is a suggested packing list to make the best of your vacation photography.

  • Camera bag – This needs to fit all your camera gear into your hand luggage, assuming you’re going to fly somewhere. Never put expensive camera equipment into your checked luggage! The Manfrotto 3N1-35PL is a great bag for this. It’s a large bag so you can probably fit non-camera equipment in this as well.
  • Camera body – An entry-level Canon or Nikon dSLR is ideal. If you want to splurge and carry the extra weight look to a full frame dSLR or the Sony Alpha 3.
  • Lens – Take two lenses with you. A wide angle and a super zoom lens if you’re more into landscapes. Or a 50mm prime and a super zoom lens if you’re more into portraits and street photography. The super zoom should go from 28-300mm.
  • Tripod – This doesn’t need to be too heavy, but it needs to be sturdy. The Sirui T120-5X is all the tripod you’re going to need. Don’t fancy a full tripod? The gorilla pod is a good alternative.
  • Strobe – This is optional, but if you do bring one, look to pack a radio trigger as well so you can use the flash off camera.
  • Filters – Each lens should have a UV filter attached. Look to have a CPL filter, and ND1000 filter, and perhaps an ND4 filter to use with the 50mm prime lens in the midday sun.
  • Storage – Bring a laptop or tablet with you, depending on your way of storing images. A blue-tooth external hard drive is also a great idea.
  • Memory card – Enough for one day worth of photography. If you choose not to bring extra storage devices then enough memory cards for your entire trip.
  • Batteries – Two camera batteries and a charger.
  • Camera cleaning – A blower and cloth to clean your lens and camera when needed.

Try and get some photos of your family eating together.

Conclusion

You’re now all set to nail your vacation photography, with a camera bag that will suit your needs.

Do you agree with everything on this list? Is there anything you’d remove, or anything you’d add to this list?

What camera equipment do you take with you on a trip with your family?

At digital photography school, we’d love to see examples of the photos you’ve taken on your family trips. So please share any thoughts or photos in the comments section of this article.

your vacation photography packing list

The post Your Vacation Photography Packing List appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.


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Once 500PX “Photoshop Master” Now Facing Discipline for “Photomanipulation” from 500PX Moderators

26 Jun

The post Once 500PX “Photoshop Master” Now Facing Discipline for “Photomanipulation” from 500PX Moderators appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Michael Karcz is about to be banned from the 500PX community. His account will likely be deleted. All based on what the 500PX moderators deem to be “non-photographic content” on his page.

Michael Karcz is a well-respected photographer on 500PX. He is known for his fantasy-style images, which involved extensive use of Photoshop to create alternate realities. He has garnered thousands of followers and millions of views.

And in an article published four years back, 500PX heaped praise on Karcz, referring to him as a “Photoshop master” with “formidable Photoshop skills.”

What changed?

On Karcz’s end, nothing. His account has been business-as-usual in recent months. He never attempted to hide the process behind his images. Karcz writes on Facebook: “I marked each work as photo-montage and placed in a category that most closely matches content – fine art.”

Karcz 500PX gallery

Karcz’s gallery on 500PX.

Instead, the reversal is due entirely to 500PX’s new orientation, which rejects anything seen as non-photographic content. And this includes Karcz’s work, which relies heavily on Photoshop.

Here’s the initial message that Karcz received from a 500PX representative:

This email is to notify you that our Moderators have found non-photographic content posted on your account. 500px is a photography community, and we do not currently allow non-photographic content to be uploaded to the site. This includes screenshots, graphic designs, drawings/illustrations, video game screen captures, and other non-photographic content that we deem to be in violation of our Terms of Service. If our Moderators continue to find non-photographic material posted to your account, it may result in your account being banned. Thank you for your cooperation, 500px.

And when Karcz asked for further explanation, this was the reply from 500PX:

Hi there, Unfortunately photomanipulations based on photography is not photography and our website in the current iteration is evolving into a purely photography website. Not only that, our terms of service require you to be the copyright owner of the images you upload so if you’re editing bits and pieces of other peoples imagery then you’re in violation of that. I personally am a fan of your artwork but unfortunately it doesn’t fit within the conditions of our site at the moment.

Karcz is understandably frustrated by this about-face. For years, 500PX was a platform to share his work. And now, without warning, he’s been turned away, despite investing time and energy into building a 500PX following.

Karcz writes: “I never concealed how my work is created, and evidence of hypocrisy is an interview with me in 500px, which was later also found in the Huffington Post. What I use are photographs, and the photomontage is the starting medium.”

He goes on to argue that his photomontage technique has been “used almost from the beginning of photography, by those who wanted to show something more [than] realism.”

What are your thoughts? Should Karcz’s work be allowed on 500PX?

And if not, how should 500PX deal with once-accepted photographers who have been dedicated members of the community?

The post Once 500PX “Photoshop Master” Now Facing Discipline for “Photomanipulation” from 500PX Moderators appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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DJI denies sending flight data to China, looks to manufacture in the U.S.

26 Jun
DJI’s Mavic Enterprise Dual is used by government agencies to aid in numerous efforts.

A little over a month ago, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) sent out an alert stating that drones manufactured in China presented a security risk. This past week, representatives from Da Jiang Innovations Science and Technology, better known as DJI, told a Senate subcommittee that the company does not automatically collect data, including flight logs and photos, from its users to share with the Chinese government.

In a letter addressing the Senate subcommittee, DJI’s Vice President and Regional Manager, Mario Rebello, outlined the numerous benefits drones provide both the private and public sectors. He also clearly stated that ‘DJI drones do not share flight logs, photos or videos unless the drone pilot deliberately chooses to do so […] this data stays solely on the drone and the pilot’s mobile device. DJI cannot share customer data it never receives.’

Rebello also warned of potential economic fallout should the Chinese company fall victim to speculation coupled with unverified information presented to the Senate subcommittee at a hearing called Drone Security: Enhancing Innovation and Mitigating Supply Chain Risks. ‘We believe industry and government have a shared responsibility to build on this momentum and keep our skies open for safe and secure commerce and innovation. Unfortunately, some witnesses who appeared before the Subcommittee want to limit competition, innovation, and the availability of drone technology based solely on its country of origin,’ the letter adds.

‘We believe industry and government have a shared responsibility to build on this momentum and keep our skies open for safe and secure commerce and innovation.’

DJI supplies roughly 70 percent of the drones in the U.S. market, according to recent estimates. It offers up a diverse range of models including the Mavic Air and now a Government Drone. The latter is currently being developed and will not be able to transfer any data collected during flight wirelessly or online.

Lightweight, compact, and versatile, the Mavic Air is popular among consumers.

Unlike most of Huawei’s business, DJI has not been put on the Trump administration’s blacklist. Nevertheless, by establishing a manufacturing base in California, they hope it enables them to continue selling products in the U.S.

In response to the Trump administration’s recent crackdown on technology manufactured in China and escalating trade war, the Shenzhen-based company, which is privately held, plans to repurpose a warehouse in Cerritos, California, to assemble a variety of drones in its product line. While production in the Cerritos facility, which was formerly used to store inventory, will only represent a small fraction of DJI’s overall production, the company hopes that manufacturing on U.S. shores will help it fulfill some necessary federal requirements.

DJI plans to assemble 60 percent of its new Government Drone in Cerritos once approval by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection is secured. Once verified, they can file for certification as the devices produced in the warehouse will satisfy the requirements set forth by the Trade Agreement Act. Under the Act, government agencies are required, by law, to purchase products made in the U.S.

‘This new investment will expand DJI’s footprint in the U.S. so we can better serve our customers, create U.S. jobs, and strengthen the U.S. drone economy,’ the company said in a statement. Building on this momentum, the company yesterday released its Government Edition hardware and software solutions aimed at local, state, and federal agencies.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Select Metabones adapters can now shoot up to 10 fps AF-C on Sony a7 III cameras

26 Jun

In 2017, Metabones released a firmware update for its EF-E Speed Booster and EF-E Smart Adapter lines that added a 10 fps maximum continuous autofocus (AF-C) frame rate to the Sony A9. In an announcement today, the company revealed it’s brought that same functionality to the Sony a7 III model.

The latest update brings 10 fps AF-C to the a7 III via firmware version 62 for the EF-E Speed Booster Ultra I and II, EF-E CINE Speed Booster Ultra, EF-E CINE Smart Adapter and the EF-E Smart Adapter IV and V. These products can be updated over USB with firmware version 62 available to download in the Metabones app.

Metabones explains the 10 fps in the ‘Advanced Mode’ is the theoretical maximum, with both subject movement and the lens AF speed both impacting the actual shooting speed. The company recommends users set the in-camera ‘Priority Set in AF-C’ to ‘AF’ for the best accuracy and hit rate, but warns that it will come with a decrease in frame rate.

The company says older adapter models can be updated to firmware version 62, as well, including the original EF-E Smart Adapter I and II launched in 2012 and the EF-E Speed Booster launched in 2013. These older models don’t feature USB ports, however, so customers will require factory service to get the upgrade. As well, these models will only work in APS-C mode.

Owners of these discontinued products must contact Metabones customer service about upgrading. The company’s firmware downloads can be found here.

Press release:

Metabones® Firmware Pushes A7 Mark III Maximum AF-C Frame Rate up to 10 fps

Vancouver, Canada, June 24, 2019 – Two years ago, Metabones® added support for Sony A9 with a maximum continuous autofocus (AF-C) frame rate of 10 fps by firmware to its EF-E Speed Booster® and EF-E Smart Adapter™ lines of fully-electronic adapters. Today, the same feat is extended to A7 Mark III.

How to upgrade:

  • EF-E Speed Booster ULTRA I/II, EF-E CINE Speed Booster ULTRA, EF-E Smart Adapter IV/V and EF-E CINE Smart Adapter are equipped with USB ports and they can be upgraded to firmware v62 by downloading the latest Metabones App. Choose the “Advanced Mode” checkbox before clicking the “Update” button. To encourage new firmware adoption, the user is assured that the upgrade is reversible to any previous version released in the last 2 years.
  • New customers may set the adapter to “Advanced Mode” with Metabones App or by following the procedure in the online user manual.
  • Even the original EF-E Smart Adapter I/II from 2012 and the original EF-E Speed Booster from 2013 can be updated to v62 and benefit from 10 fps AF-C with A9 and A7 Mark III, but without any USB ports, factory service is required to upgrade the firmware of these discontinued products, and they work only in APS-C mode. EF-E Smart Adapter III (2013) can also be factory-serviced to v62 and is the earliest adapter with full-frame camera support. Please contact Metabones customer service for details.

To achieve the highest possible AF-C frame rate on A7 Mark III, the adapter is set to “Advanced Mode”. On the camera we recommend setting “Priority Set in AF-C” to “AF” for the best accuracy and the highest hit rate, even though that will decrease the frame rate. 10 fps is the theoretical maximum and just how close we get to that is highly dependent upon the AF speed of the lens used and the speed of subject movement.

The fastest frame rate is achieved when the subject is at or near the center where phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) is used. Unfortunately only the central PDAF points are effective, because using all of the PDAF points of the camera would have required metadata about the optical formula of the specific lens used, which we do not have. All the PDAF points can be used by setting the Speed Booster or Smart Adapter to “Green Mode”, although the periphery points will still not be as effective as the central ones.

Some older lenses may have reduced accuracy and/or speed in “Advanced Mode”, but they can still be used in “Green Mode” on A7 Mark III at a lower frame rate (3 fps). “Green Mode” is also faster at single autofocus (AF-S).

With Speed Boosters and Smart Adapters breaking down compatibility barriers, Metabones believes that the products themselves need to be continuously updated with new firmware to cope with new technologies, new cameras and new lenses. Patrons see value in Metabones products in the long term for compatibility with the broadest range of cameras and lenses and for the firmware updates. Leverage the 10 fps continuous autofocus feature of the best-selling full-frame mirrorless camera today using 32 years’ worth of EF Mount lenses.

Download and support page: https://www.metabones.com/article/of/contact-us

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Understanding the Basics of Color

26 Jun

The post Understanding the Basics of Color appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

You will never realize your full potential as a photographer…until you understand the basic elements of color and luminosity (tonality). I know this sounds scary, a bit geeky and just plain over-the-top – but hear me out.

Color photography is built on the structure of B/W photography.

How is it that some photographers seem to consistently produce great pictures?

Most likely because they understand how to control the primary element in photography – light! You can certainly take great pictures without knowing color theory, and you can get good results by learning to operate your camera, but if you wish to consistently produce powerful and visually-moving images, you’ll need to get a handle on the basic issues of color and light. Capturing light, like capturing anything else in the wild, requires an understanding of habits and behavior.

Pictures versus photographs

There is a difference between documenting an occurrence (shooting a picture) and capturing the emotion of a scene (taking a photograph). Shooting a picture requires little more than pushing a button on a camera, but taking a photograph involves a working knowledge of how light behaves and how illumination builds emotion.

Your camera doesn’t take pictures; it merely captures light. You, the photographer, take the pictures.

There are a variety of unique psychological emotions that can be triggered in the viewer’s mind by learning to master how to use light correctly. The issues of color, light intensity, angle of view, depth of field, internal contrast, highlight, shadow, and mid-tone placement all empower photographers to control emotions and portray stories with great impact. This is why one good picture can be more powerful than a thousand words.

The contrasting colors of green and magenta are opposed on the color wheel, which is why this image delivers subliminal psychological impact.

The color wheel is the most elementary form of color science and demonstrates the basis for all color correction. When a photograph displays a color cast, that cast can be removed by adding an additional amount of the color located directly across the color wheel. The additive primary colors that our eyes and cameras see are all based on red, green, and blue (RGB) light. The three colors directly opposite these RGB colors on the wheel are called subtractive primaries and form the basis for all printed pictures. These colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY).

In today’s world, we are so immersed in saturated colors that we sometimes forget the important part that light plays in the process. Dull color is not colorful at all. Color without the proper balance of light has no life…it just lays there on the page.

There are three basic components of color – hue, saturation, and brightness (HSB). The brightness element is the life and sparkle element of good color. In essence, good color is all about the quality of the light. Poorly lit subjects don’t hold the viewer’s interest. This doesn’t mean that all pictures must be bright and cheery, but all pictures must be purposely illuminated to deliver the desired reaction.

Moods are set by shaping light

It’s hard to convey good color in poor or insufficient light. Low-key lighting is ideal for creating somber moods just as high-key lighting tends to convey positive and uplifting thoughts. Learn to capture scenes that deliver a specific emotional message. Make it a point to walk around your subject and observe the light striking it from different angles, especially when shooting nature.

The warmth of the orange skies delivers the beauty, calm, and warm stillness of the ocean at the close of the day.

Make it your purpose to set the tenor (or meaning) with each photo, not to simply take a pretty picture. Look at each scene for a theme or message that will address or elicit a human response.

Colors appeal to each of us not only because they are pretty or because they blend, but because each color has a subtle psychological overtone that affects how we perceive the scene. Bright, cheery colors convey lighthearted and positive thoughts, while darker hues can evoke melancholy and even sad thoughts. “Shooting” is a process that involves aiming a weapon at a target while creating a photograph involves conveying a thought and expressing a purpose. Every time you pick up your camera, you have a choice; you can either document an event or convey an emotion.

Chrominance and Luminance

Color is an emotional impression that is comprised of both chrominance (hue and saturation) and luminance. It is luminance that provides the structure to a photograph. Together, chrominance and luminance deliver the full emotional message.

The two elemental building blocks of color photography involve the hue, or color value and the saturation, or purity of that color. These two aspects are the chrominance portion of an image. The third building block of a photographic image is luminance, or tonality, which is perhaps the most critical aspect of all. This is because it is the very structural framework on which the colors (chroma) are built. Hue and saturation offer no form whatsoever. Only luminance provides the framework or form to a photograph. Balancing these three aspects of HSL (hue, saturation, and luminance) is absolutely essential to achieving success in color photography.

The Visible Spectrum

All color is light energy and white is the combined result of all other colors in the visible spectrum.

The visible spectrum is the color portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that human eyes can see. It is visual energy. The light receivers in our eyes (rods and cones) can only observe a limited subset of this energy. These same lightwaves are captured by your digital camera’s image sensor. The colors of the visible spectrum cascade in a particular order, and for a logical reason. ROYGBIV is the acronym given to this order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. All visible colors of light are perceptible because they travel through space at unique frequencies. All colors are basically vibrations or wavelengths of energy; the only energy visible with human eyesight. The highest (or fastest) frequencies of these colors are “observed” as warm colors while the lowest (or slowest) wavelengths are cool colors. These colors are in this order because of the decreasing frequency of the light waves they represent.

The Electromagnetic Spectrum includes both ultraviolet and infrared frequencies, which are technically not colors simply because they are not visible to the human eye. Each individual color in the visible spectrum is energy that oscillates at a specific frequency. The eye receives these frequencies, and the visual cortex in the brain interprets each as a particular color.

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum is the known span of energy that exists in the world as we know it. It includes all energy measurements on both sides of the visible spectrum. These same colors appear in every rainbow and refracted white light. Occasionally you’ll see a beveled glass edge in a window or table that catches a strong beam of white light, reflecting it onto another flat surface. That beveled glass acts as a prism that splits the white light into its component parts; always in the same order of ROYGBIV. When all these component colors are viewed at full strength, you see pure white light. As you must realize, all color is just individual expressions of white light. Without color, there is no light, and without light, there is no color. All colors have their origin in pure white light.

Hue is the Color of Color. It is what differs red from green or blue.

Red is the bookend on one end of the visible spectrum just inside the infrared frequency. Violet is the other, located just inside the ultraviolet frequency. Both infrared and ultraviolet are frequencies just beyond and outside the visible portion of the energy spectrum. Both of these wavelengths can be read by instruments but are beyond the scope of the human eye.

Saturation is the strength of color expressed as a range between pure color and no color. The opposite of saturated is colorless or gray.

The warmer side of the spectrum (reds, oranges, and yellows) contains the longest wavelengths in the spectrum and present a particular challenge to photography when the balance between saturation and luminance is not carefully monitored.

Warm colors are easy to oversaturate, and when oversaturated, the luminance values are seriously challenged.

This is a critical issue because it is the luminance aspect that delivers the detail in a photo. The cooler colors (blue, indigo {purplish}, and violet {toward magenta}), are much easier to control in both saturation and tonality. These shorter wavelength “denser” colors can handle the rigors of color editing more robustly than the warmer colors.

Luminance is expressed as brightness, ranging from dark to light.

Color balance

When you think of color balance, you must get beyond the elementary issue of white/gray balance; the neutralizing of colors to eliminate any tints or color shifts.

Color balance embraces a much wider issue that is largely governed by tonality or luminance. Balancing color is as easy as using the eyedropper tool in editing software to identify neutral gray. Tonality shapes the entire framework of the photo and clarifies detail throughout the entire range between highlights and shadows. It is quite possible to produce a technically-correct, temperature-balanced picture that loses detail in the shadow areas and softens the snap in the highlights. Tonality and chroma are equally critical in the accurate reproduction of color photos.

Color pictures are a combination of form, color, and luminance. Digital color images rely on all three of these elements to deliver the illusion of what we call photography.

Conclusion

A clear understanding of the basics of color will open up a world of expression for you. Yeah, color science is a little geeky, but it certainly delivers results.

If you want to show your uniqueness as a photographer, invest a little time with color science. Anybody with a camera can publish their pictures across the planet in an instant, but if you want your pictures (and your reputation) to outlast your friends and likes on Facebook…grow your knowledge of color as much as you grow your camera and editing skills!

The post Understanding the Basics of Color appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.


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The Lumecube Strobe is an anti-collision light for drones

25 Jun

Lumecube, a company known for its ultra-portable lighting solutions, has released a new product in the shape of an anti-collision light for drones.

The Lumecube Strobe can be attached to any drone using 3M Dual Lock technology and weighs only ten grams, minimizing the impact on flight performance and time. It’s designed in line with all FAA guidelines for anti-collision lighting and, according to Lumecube, is visible from more than three miles away.

The light is visible from 360 degrees and can flash white, red or green, depending on the color filter attached. There are also multiple light modes, including a fast speed of 60 strobes per second. The Stobe uses a micro-USB cable for charging and, according to Lumecube, provides more than two hours of run time in fast strobe mode. A button lets you cycle through various strobe modes, including a continuous lighting mode.

The Strobe is available now for $ 49.95. More information can be found on the Lumecube website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Phase One to introduce multi-frame Raw capture for its IQ4 camera system

25 Jun

Phase One has announced the impending arrival of its first Creative Control Enhancement update for its IQ4 Infinity Platform. The update offers new multi-frame Raw capture capabilities and other new features to improve photographer’s workflows.

At the core of the Creative Control Package update for the IQ4 Infinity Platform is Automated Frame Averaging, a new Raw capture mode that combines multiple frames together to create a final image with better image quality. Similar to Sigma’s Super Fine Detail mode, which shoots and averages seven images, Phase One’s new Automated Frame Averaging function ‘combines multiple sensor readouts during the capture process to reduce noise, strengthen dynamic range and protect highlights.’

Phase One has also updated Capture One Inside (version 12.1), adding new Clarity and HDR options, as well as the ability to create your own Capture One Styles and upload them directly to the IQ4 system. Direct Image Transfer is included in the update as well.

Capture One says the update will be available for download ‘next week’ on its Creative Control Enhancement webpage.

Press release:

Phase One Advances IQ4 Infinity Platform
– Enhances Photographers’ Creative Control

COPENHAGEN, June 25, 2019 – Phase One today announced its first IQ4 Infinity Platform enhancement – with powerfully redefined RAW capture functionality and new features that boost the photographer’s creative control.

With a focus on dynamically improving image quality, Phase One has innovated RAW image data creation with a new approach to reading, recording, and processing RAW captures. The new Automated Frame Averaging function of the IQ4 Camera System combines multiple sensor readouts during the capture process to reduce noise, strengthen dynamic range, and protect highlights. This process is expected to raise the bar by which image quality is measured, and open new creative opportunities.

“With Automated Frame Averaging, Phase One have adapted and further developed advances in technology, pushing the envelope of what’s possible to achieve in a camera system.” said Paul Reiffer, Professional Landscape Photographer. ”In doing so, yet again, they’ve pushed the industry forward while investing in our development as photographers along with the art of photography itself.”

Additionally, the Creative Control Enhancement for IQ4 Camera Systems offers many more features and functionality, to streamline and advance the photographers’ workflow. Capture One Inside now enables photographers to load their own custom styles into the IQ4, so captured images can reflect their own unique vision and style.

“My style is central to my art. With the XF IQ4 Camera System and Capture One Inside, I am able to advance my creativity in the capture process,” said Gemmy Woud Binnendijk, Fine Art Photographer. “For me, the Phase One Camera System becomes central to my entire photographic process and not just a singular step.”

More information about the IQ4 Infinity Platform Creative Control Enhancement is available here: www.phaseone.com/IQ4-Creative-Control

Creative Control Package for the IQ4 Infinity Platform includes:

  • Automated Frame Averaging
    • Capturing and processing numerous consecutive images into one
  • Capture One Inside (v.12.1)
    • Introducing Clarity & HDR
    • Custom IQ Styles
  • Workflow and Storage Flexibility
    • Direct Image Transfer

Update (June 25, 2019): The original version of this article compared the technology to pixel-shift technology. It has been corrected to more accurate compare the averaging technology to Sigma’s Super Fine Detail mode.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Shopping for a lens? Our buyers guides list our top picks

25 Jun

Looking for a lens for your Canon or Nikon DSLR, or Fujifilm or Sony mirrorless camera? You’re in luck, as we have four buying guides to help you pick out the best lens for your shooting situation, whether it’s landscape, macro or travel.

Best lenses for Canon DSLRs

Best lenses for Nikon DSLRs

Best lenses for Fujifilm X-mount mirrorless

Best lenses for Sony mirrorlessOur Micro Four Thirds buying guide is currently in development and will be published in the new few weeks.

View all our buying guides

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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These unseen photos of Ground Zero following the 9/11 attacks were salvaged from rotting CDs

25 Jun

Archivists Dr. Johnathan Burgess and Jason Scott have published 2,400 previously unseen images of Ground Zero in the days following the 9/11 attacks. The images were found on old CDs purchased from a house clearance sale in New York and shared by a ‘partner’ of Dr. Burgess because it’s ‘about doing what’s right for humanity,’ according to a statement he made to the BBC.

Dr. Burgess said the CDs were in poor condition after so many years in storage, and that a recovery service was used to retrieve some of the photos. At this time, the duo hasn’t been able to locate the photographer or any family members who may know them. Scott says the images were captured with the 3MP Canon PowerShot G1.

The full archive of images has been made available to the public via Flickr. The photos appear to have been taken by a construction worker in the aftermath of the attacks. Emergency and construction workers are featured prominently in the images, as well as debris from the fallen buildings, machinery, dust and the surrounding New York City skyline, including multiple aerial shots.

Dr. Burgess suggests that ‘people who are moved by [the images] should consider donating to a worthy cause of their choice,’ according to the BBC report.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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A sample image from Samsung’s 64MP Quad-Bayer sensor has appeared online

25 Jun

In May, Samsung launched its 64MP Tetracell image sensor for use in smartphone cameras. Like the 48MP Sony equivalent that’s already inside several current flagship devices, the Isocell Bright GW1 is designed to produce full-resolution output in good light conditions and use its Tetracell technology to combine four pixels into one, for better detail, lower noise levels and increased dynamic range, in more challenging circumstances.

Like Sony’s Quad Bayer technology, Tetracell appears to duplicate the Bayer color filter pattern over groups of four pixels at a time, making it easy to combine their data for a lower-resolution, lower-noise image. On a device equipped with the Samsung sensor, this would result in 16MP images vs. 12MP files from the Sony sensor.

Samsung has even come up with the name ‘re-mosaic algorithm’ for the process of reconstructing a full-resolution image in well-lit conditions.

Now we are seeing the first sample image captured with the new Samsung sensor:

According to mobile industry ‘leaker’ Ice Universe, the 64MP sensor will not only be available in Samsung phones. This first sample image was captured by an unreleased Realme device, according to the tweet. Budget smartphone manufacturer Redmi (a sub-brand of Xiaomi) is also interested in the sensor, according to the same Tweet.

A higher-resolution version (4096 x 3072px) of the image has also been shared (h/t eno2). We are looking forward to testing the first production devices with the Samsung Isocell Bright GW1 sensor and comparing its image output against the Sony-equipped high-end rivals.

Update (June 24, 2019): Added a link to a higher-resolution version of the image.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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