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Archive for January, 2021

Sony reveals Alpha 1 50MP full-frame camera capable of 30fps and 8K

26 Jan

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Sony has announced the Alpha 1, a fast, high-res 50MP camera capable of shooting at 30 fps with no blackout. It is capable of 8K video.

It uses a stacked CMOS sensor and a pair of new Bionz XR processors, allowing silent, no-blackout images at up to 30 fps. Despite having twice as many pixels as the a9, the a1 promises to have 1.5x less rolling shutter. This allows flash sync at up to 1/200 sec with the electronic shutter or 1/400 sec using the mechanical shutter.

The a1 can shoot 8K video at up to 30p using its full width. This uses all its horizontal pixels, capturing 8.6K footage and downsizing it to 8K to provide improved resolution. 8K footage can be captured in up to 10-bit 4:2:0 using the XAVC HS format. The camera uses a similar heat-dissipating design to the a7S III, allowing it to record 8K for up to 30 minutes, if the temperature warnings are set to their most tolerant setting.

It becomes the first Sony camera to offer Lossless compress Raw and can also capture HEIF for 10-bit compressed capture. It uses a pair of CFExpress Type A card slots that, like those in the a7S III, also accept SD cards.

The new processors also bring the improved menu system first seen in the a7S III.

The camera’s in-body image stabilization system is rated at 5.5EV, as with previous cameras. This system is also used to offer 4 or 16-shot high-resolution modes, allowing images of up 199MP to be combined using Sony’s Imaging Edge desktop software.

The a1 pushes the autofocus forward from the a9 cameras, offering 92% coverage and now expanding its ‘Real-time Eye AF’ to work with birds, as well as animals and people. It boosts the number of AF and AE calculations it can do to 120 per second: twice as many as the a9 performs.

The camera has a 9.44M dot OLED viewfinder that can be refreshed at up to 240fps. The faster mode still offers 1600 x1200 pixel (5.76M dot) resolution. It has an impressive 0.9x magnification and an eye-point of 25mm, which should allow the finder to be seen even when wearing glasses.

Like the a7S III, it can shoot 4K at up to 120p in 10-bit 4:2:2 quality. Sony says it uses 5.8K pixels in its Super 35 (~APS-C) mode, but there’s no talk of a 4K-from-8K mode. Also like the a7S III it can output 16-bit Raw video output over HDMI. In addition to offering the S-Log 3 curve that promises 15 stops of DR in video, it also offers the S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.Cine color modes that match Sony’s professional video cameras’ output. It also becomes the first Alpha camera to offer the S-Cinetone color response.

For photojournalists and sports shooters needing to deliver pictures immediately, it features dual-band Wi-Fi that allows FTP transfers and 3.5x the rate offered by the a9 II: which Sony presumably expects to be used with its new Xperia Pro smartphone/HDR monitor/5G transmitter. There’s also an Ethernet port for wired connections.

It will cost around $ 6500 / €7,300 / £6,500 and will be available in March. It uses the same VG-C4EM two-battery accessory grip as the a7R IV, a7S III and a9 II.

Press release

Groundbreaking Sony Alpha 1 Camera Marks a New Era in Professional Imaging

The Alpha 1 Delivers an Unprecedented Combination of Resolution, Speed and Video Performance, Empowering Professionals with a New High-Resolution 50.1-megapixel Full-frame Image Sensor, High-speed Shooting at up to 30 Frames per Second, 8K 30p Video and More

  • New 50.1-megapixel (approx., effective) full-frame stacked Exmor RS™ CMOS image sensor in combination with an upgraded BIONZ XR™ imaging processing engine with eight times more processing power[i]
  • Blackout- free continuous shooting at up to 30 frames per second[ii]
  • Fast sensor readout enables up to 120 AF/AE calculations per second[iii], double the speed of the Alpha 9 II, even during 30fps continuous shooting
  • Bright and large 0.64-type 9.44 million-dot (approx.) OLED Quad-XGA electronic viewfinder with the world’s first[iv] refresh rate of 240 fps
  • Silent, vibration-free electronic shutter
  • World’s first[v] anti-flicker shooting with both mechanical and electronic shutter
  • Electronic shutter flash sync[vi] up to 1/200 sec. for the first time in the Alpha™ series
  • World’s fastest[v] mechanical shutter flash sync up to 1/400 sec.
  • 8K 30p[vii] 10-bit 4:2:0 XAVC HS video recording with 8.6K oversampling for extraordinary detail and resolution, in addition to 4K 120p[viii] 10-bit 4:2:2 movie shooting capabilities
  • Wide dynamic range of 15 stops for stills[ix] and 15+ stops for video[x]
  • Improved Real-time Eye AF (autofocus) for humans and animals, and new Real-time Eye AF for birds[xi], as well as Real-time Tracking that automatically maintains accurate focus
  • 5-axis optical in-body image stabilization for a 5.5-step[xii] shutter speed advantage
  • S-Cinetone color matrix as seen in FX9 and FX6 to deliver expressive cinematic look
  • Professional workflow support with the industry’s fastest[xiii] built-in Wi-Fi, SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps, 1000BASE-T Ethernet and more

SAN DIEGO, CA – January 26, 2021 – Sony Electronics, a global leader in imaging sensor technology and digital imaging, has announced the arrival of the groundbreaking new full-frame mirrorless Alpha 1 camera – asserting their commitment to leading the industry with a stunning combination of innovative new features.

The most technologically advanced, innovative camera that Sony has ever released, the Alpha 1 combines high-resolution and high-speed performance at a level that has never been accomplished in the world of digital cameras. With a brand new 50.1-megapixel full-frame stacked Exmor RS™ image sensor, up to 120 AF/AE calculations per second, 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 video and much more, the Alpha 1 will allow creators to capture what they’ve never been able to before.

“We are always listening to our customers, challenging the industry to bring new innovation to the market that goes far beyond their expectations.” said Neal Manowitz, deputy president for Imaging Products and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics. “Alpha 1 breaks through all existing boundaries, setting a new bar for what creators can accomplish with a single camera. What excites us the most – more than the extensive product feature – is Alpha 1’s ability to capture that which has never been captured before. This camera unlocks a new world of creative possibilities, making the previously impossible now possible.”

The newly developed image sensor is built with integral memory and paired with an upgraded BIONZ XR imaging processing engine, making it capable of shooting 50.1-megapixel images continuously at an astounding 30fps with up to 120 AF/AE calculations per second. The Alpha 1’s shooting capabilities are further enhanced by a 9.44 million dot OLED Quad-XGA electronic viewfinder, with a refresh rate of up to 240 fps[xiv], ensuring no black out. Additionally, for the first time in an Alpha series camera, 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 video is available. The Alpha 1 is also capable of 4K 120p / 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 recording and includes S-Cinetone color. The Alpha 1 is also packed with features that support field professionals with faster workflow, including 3.5 times faster wireless FTP transfer speed[xv] and more.

Unprecedented Resolution and Speed

Continuous Shooting at Up to 30 Frames Per Second

The Alpha 1 captures moments that would otherwise be lost thanks to its high-speed performance, providing any photographer the speed they require to capture fast-moving objects. High speed readout from the 50.1-megapixel image sensor and a large buffer memory make it possible to shoot up to 155 full-frame compressed RAW images[xvi] or 165 full-frame JPEG images[xvii] at up to 30 frames per second with the electronic shutter while maintaining full AF and AE tracking performance[xviii].

At an astonishing calculation speed of up to 120 AF/AE per second, the Alpha 1 can maintain focus with high accuracy even for fast moving subjects. It can automatically adjust exposure, even with sudden changes in brightness, with an AE response latency as low as 0.033 seconds[ii].

Advanced Electronic Viewfinder with the World’s Firstiv Refresh Rate of 240 fps

Complimenting the camera’s ability to capture images at an unprecedented speed, the Alpha 1 viewfinder features the world’s first[iv] 240 fps refresh ratexiv, for a super-smooth display. The viewfinder does not black out when an exposure is made to offer an uninterrupted view and allow for seamless framing and tracking, even during continuous shooting. The 9.44 million-dot (approx.), 0.64 type Quad-XGA high-definition OLED display and refined optics deliver the highest resolution in its classiv. It also offers 0.90x[xix] viewfinder magnification, a 41° diagonal FOV, and a 25mm-high eyepoint for clear, low distortion viewing from corner to corner.

Advanced Autofocus

Sony continues to push the boundaries of autofocus technology with the introduction of the Alpha 1, which can easily track complex, fast-moving subjects with high precision. The camera features 759 phase detection points in a high-density focal plane phase-detection AF system cover approximately 92% of the image area – ensuring accuracy and unfailing focus in environments where focusing might otherwise be difficult.

Sony’s advanced Real-time Eye AF improves detection performance by 30% over the previous system[i], thanks to the powerful image processing engine, BIONZ XR. It ensures accurate, reliable detection, even when the subject’s face looks away. In addition to improved Real-time Eye AF for humans and animals, the Alpha 1 employs high-level subject recognition technology to provide Real-time Eye AF for birds[xi], a first in an Alpha series camera. Optimized algorithms ensure that tracking is maintained even if a sitting bird suddenly takes flight, or the framing suddenly changes[xx].

The Alpha 1 also features AI-based Real-time Tracking that automatically maintains accurate focus. A subject recognition algorithm uses color, pattern (brightness), and subject distance (depth) data to process spatial information in real time at high speed.

Silent, Vibration-free Electronic Shutter

High-speed readout from the new image sensor has made it possible to reduce rolling shutter by up to 1.5 times when shooting stills, compared to the Alpha 9 II. It also offers silent anti-flicker continuous shooting with an electronic shutter for the first time[v] in the world. The electronic shutter[xxi] operates silently, without mechanical noise, and is vibration-free. Stress-free continuous shooting is now possible even when shooting in challenging lighting situations with florescent or other flicker-prone types of artificial lighting. And for the first time in an Alpha camera, electronic shutter flash sync up to 1/200 sec[xxii] is possible. The advantages of the electronic shutter advantages can now come to life even when using flash for broadly expanded shooting versatility.

Dual Driven Shutter System for 1/400 Flash Sync

The Alpha 1 boasts the world’s fastest flash sync speed[v] of 1/400 sec. with mechanical shutter, making it even easier to capture dynamic action. In addition to a carbon fiber shutter curtain, the Alpha 1 features the newly developed dual driven shutter system utilizing spring and electromagnetic drive actuator, offering high durability and lightness at the same time.

High Resolution Shooting Enhancements

Even with this sensor’s high pixel count, the Alpha 1 offers high sensitivity with low noise, plus 15+ stops of dynamic range for video and 15 stops for stills, for smooth, natural gradations from shadows to highlights thanks to its cutting-edge processing system, throughout a wide ISO sensitivity range of 100-32,000 (expandable to 50-102,400, when shooting stills).

Additionally, the new camera features an evolved Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode that composites up to 16 full-resolution images. In this mode, the camera precisely shifts the sensor in one pixel or half-pixel increments to capture 16 separate pixel-shifted images containing a total of 796.2 million pixels of data, which are then composited into a 199 million pixel (17,280 x 11,520 pixels) image using Sony’s Imaging Edge™ desktop application. With a flash sync of up to 1/200 sec. in this mode, it is ideal for photographing architecture, art or any other still life subject with a level of detail and color accuracy that is simply stunning.

Professional Video Quality

8K High-resolution Movie Shooting

For the first time in an Alpha camera, the Alpha 1 offers 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 XAVC HS recording with 8.6K oversampling for extraordinary resolution. Combined with Sony’s acclaimed autofocus technology, gradation and color reproduction performance, the Alpha 1 will help the user realize their creative vision with the finest detail. It’s 8K footage can also be used for flexible 4K editing during post-production.

Supporting Various Video Formats for Professionals

The Alpha 1 offers in-camera 4K recording at up to 120 frames per second[viii] which allows the user to shoot up to 5X slow-motion video[xxiii]. In addition to supporting 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, this feature can be used with efficient Long GOP inter-frame compression or high-quality Intra (All-I) intra-frame compression.

The Alpha 1 features S-Cinetone, the same color matrix that produces the highly regarded FX9 and FX6 color and skin tones. It delivers natural mid-tones, plus soft colors and gorgeous highlights to meet a growing need for more expressive depth. The S-Log3 gamma curve makes it possible to achieve 15+ stops of dynamic range, while the S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.Cine color gamut settings make it easy to match Alpha 1 footage with video shot on VENICE cinema camera, FX9 and other professional cinema cameras.

Heat-dissipating Structure

A unique heat dissipating structure keeps image sensor and image processing engine temperatures within their normal operating range, preventing overheating while maintaining compact body dimensions. This makes it possible to record 8K/30p video continuously for approximately 30 minutes[xxiv].

Supporting Hand-held Shooting

A high-precision stabilization unit and gyro sensors, plus optimized image stabilization algorithms, achieve up to a 5.5-step shutter speed advantage, maximizing the quality of the high-resolution images derived from the camera’s 50.1-megapixel sensor. The Alpha 1 also features an Active Mode[xxv] that offers outstanding stabilization for handheld movie shooting. When using Sony’s desktop applications Catalyst Browse or Catalyst Prepare[xxvi] for post-production, an accurate image stabilization function is available which utilizes metadata generated by camera’s built-in gyro.

Other features that the Alpha 1 offers include; 16-bit RAW output[xxvii] to an external recorder[xxviii] via HDMI for maximum post-production flexibility, a digital audio interface has been added to the camera’s Multi Interface (MI) Shoe for clearer audio recordings from a compatible Sony external microphone, 5.8K oversampled full pixel readout without pixel binning for high-resolution 4K movies in Super 35mm mode and more.

Enhanced Workflow with Network Technologies including Connectivity to 5G Compatible Devices

The Alpha 1 has been designed and configured to support photo and video journalists and sports shooters who need to deliver stills or movies as quickly as possible with advanced connectivity options. It offers several features for fast, reliable file transfers. Industry’s fastest[xiii] built-in wireless LAN allows communication on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz[xxix] bands with dual antennas to ensure reliable communications. 5 GHz includes 2×2 MIMO support (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac) offering 3.5 times faster wireless FTP transfer speed than the Alpha 9 II – a notable advantage for news and sports shooters who need to deliver with reliable speed. There is also a provided USB Type-C® connector to support fast data transfer when connected to a 5G mmWave compatible device such as Sony’s Xperia PRO and makes high-speed PC Remote (tethered) data transfer available for smooth handling of large image files. The Alpha 1 also has a built-in 1000BASE-T LAN connector for high-speed, stable data transfers, including remote shooting. FTPS (File Transfer over SSL/TLS) is supported, allowing SSL or TLS encryption for increased data security.

In addition to compressed and uncompressed RAW, the Alpha 1 includes efficient lossless compression with no quality degradation, Lossless Compressed RAW. There is also a new “Light” JPEG/HEIF image quality setting that results in smaller files than the “Standard” setting, allowing faster deliver for news and sports photographers who depend on speed. Along with a versatile range of RAW and JPEG formats, the Alpha 1 includes the HEIF (High Efficiency Image File) format for smooth 10-bit gradations that provide more realistic reproduction of skies and portrait subjects where subtle, natural gradation is essential. Images shot on the Alpha 1 can be trimmed in-camera to a desired aspect ratio, size, or position for versatile usage.

The Alpha 1 is also compatible with a variety of apps, add-ons and tools. With Imaging Edge Mobile and Imaging Edge Desktop[xxx], professionals can easily transfer RAW files and files that use lossless compression and remotely control Touch Tracking and Touch Focus for convenient AF operation. The Transfer & Tagging add-on (Ver. 1.3 or later) can automatically covert voice memos attached to image files to text captions or transfer the files to an FTP server from a mobile device. Desktop applications Catalyst Browse/Catalyst Prepare[xxvi] allow professionals to browse and manage video clips shot by Sony’s camera. In addition, the Remote Camera Tool[xxxi] can remotely change camera settings and shoot from a computer connected via LAN cable and feature a number of refinements for the Alpha 1: faster transfer, touch response, dual slot and HEIF support, and more.

Reliable and Easy Operability

Professional users need more than just refined features and performance. They also need the reliability and durability demanded of any professional tool. The Alpha 1 has two media slots that both support UHS-I and UHS-II SDXC/SDHC cards, as well as new CFexpress Type A cards for higher overall capacity and faster read/write speeds. It also features a durable magnesium alloy chassis, long battery life with the Z-battery which can be extended using the optional VG-C4EM Vertical Grip (sold separately), an improved dust removal feature, shutter close function on power-off to protect image sensor, plus dust and moisture resistance[xxxii] that maximizes reliability in challenging environments. It includes a durable, reliable HDMI Type-A connector, and USB PD (Power Delivery) support, allowing higher power to be supplied from an external source so that users can record for extended periods with minimal internal battery usage.

A revised menu structure provides easier navigation, and touch-responsive menu operation offers fast, more intuitive control with Touch Focus and Touch Tracking on its 3.0 type 1.44 million-dot (approx.) LCD monitor. For easy customization, a subset of the camera’s shooting settings now changes according to the selected shooting mode, making it easier than ever to use different aperture, shutter speed and other settings for shooting stills and movies.

The Alpha 1 Full-frame Interchangeable-Lens Camera will be available in March 2021 for approximately $ 6,500 USD and $ 8,500 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers throughout North America.

Notes:

[i] Compared to the BIONZ X imaging processing engine.

[ii] “Hi+” continuous shooting mode. In focus modes other than AF-C, effective at 1/125 sec. or higher shutter speed. In AF-C mode, effective at 1/250 sec. or higher shutter speed, and the maximum continuous frame rate will depend on the shooting mode and lens used. 20 fps max. when shooting Uncompressed or Lossless compressed RAW.

[iii] At shutter speeds of 1/125 sec. or higher. The number of AF calculations will depend on the lens used.

[iv] As of January 2021, Sony survey. Among full-frame mirrorless cameras.

[v] As of January 2021, Sony survey. Among full-frame interchangeable-lens digital still cameras.

[vi] Up to 1/200 sec. Synchronization via the sync terminal is not available for electronic shutter.

[vii] [APS-C S35 Shooting] is fixed [Off] when shooting 4K 120p and 8K movies.

[viii] 10% image crop.

[ix] Sony internal tests.

[x] When recording with S-Log3. Sony internal tests.

[xi] Still images only.

[xii] CIPA standards. Pitch/yaw shake only. Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens. Long exposure NR off.

[xiii] As of January 2021, Sony survey. Among interchangeable-lens digital still cameras.

[xiv] Field of view is fixed at 33° and resolution is UXGA when selecting frame rate at 240 fps.

[xv] 3.5 times faster when compared against the Alpha 9 II.

[xvi] “Hi+” continuous shooting mode, compressed RAW, CFexpress Type A memory card. Sony tests.

[xvii] “Hi+” continuous shooting mode, CFexpress Type A memory card. Sony tests.

[xviii] At 20 frames per second, users can shoot up to 238 full-frame compressed RAW images or 400 full-frame JPEG images.

[xix] 50mm lens, infinity, -1m-1 diopter.

[xx] Accurate focus may not be achieved with certain subjects in certain situations.

[xxi] Shutter speed slower than 0.5 sec. cannot be set while continuous shooting. Tracking performance and max. aperture differs by settings and lenses.

[xxii] Up to 1/200 sec. Synchronization via the sync terminal is not available for electronic shutter.

[xxiii] Post-production editing and S&Q mode recording required. Data must be recorded to a CFexpress Type A memory card when the frame rate is 120 (100) fps or higher.

[xxiv] Sony internal tests with [Auto Power OFF Temp.] set to [High].

[xxv] Active Mode is not available for 8K recording.

[xxvi] Catalyst Browse™ version 2020.1 or later, Catalyst Prepare version 2020.1 or later are required.

[xxvii] 8K is not applicable.

[xxviii] Compatible recorders to be announced.

[xxix] 5 GHz communication may be restricted in some countries and regions.

[xxx] The Imaging Edge (Remote/Viewer/Edit) desktop application Ver. 3.1 or later is required for compositing.

[xxxi] Remote Camera Tool version 2.3 or later is required.

[xxxii] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and water resistant.

Sony a1 specifications

Price
MSRP $ 6500 (body only)
Body type
Body type SLR-style mirrorless
Body material Magnesium alloy
Sensor
Max resolution 8640 x 5760
Image ratio w:h 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels 50 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors 51 megapixels
Sensor size Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm)
Sensor type BSI-CMOS
Processor Dual Bionz XR
Color space sRGB, Adobe RGB
Color filter array Primary c olor filter
Image
ISO Auto, 100-32000 (expands to 50-102400)
Boosted ISO (minimum) 50
Boosted ISO (maximum) 102400
White balance presets 7
Custom white balance Yes
Image stabilization Sensor-shift
CIPA image stabilization rating 5.5 stop(s)
Uncompressed format RAW
JPEG quality levels Extra fine, fine, standard, light
File format
  • JPEG (Exif v2.32)
  • HEIF
  • Raw (Sony ARW v4.0)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus
  • Contrast Detect (sensor)
  • Phase Detect
  • Multi-area
  • Center
  • Selective single-point
  • Tracking
  • Single
  • Continuous
  • Touch
  • Face Detection
  • Live View
Autofocus assist lamp Yes
Number of focus points 759
Lens mount Sony E
Focal length multiplier 1×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD Tilting
Screen size 3″
Screen dots 1,440,000
Touch screen Yes
Screen type TFT LCD
Live view Yes
Viewfinder type Electronic
Viewfinder coverage 100%
Viewfinder magnification 0.9×
Viewfinder resolution 9,437,184
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed 30 sec
Maximum shutter speed 1/8000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic) 1/32000 sec
Exposure modes
  • Program
  • Aperture priority
  • Shutter priority
  • Manual
Built-in flash No
External flash No
Flash X sync speed 1/400 sec
Continuous drive 30.0 fps
Self-timer Yes
Metering modes
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Highlight-weighted
  • Average
  • Spot
Exposure compensation ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
AE Bracketing ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
WB Bracketing Yes
Videography features
Format XAVC S, XAVC HS, H.264, H.265
Microphone Stereo
Speaker Mono
Storage
Storage types Dual SD/CFexpress Type A slots (UHS-II supported)
Connectivity
USB USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 GBit/sec)
USB charging Yes
HDMI Yes (mini-HDMI)
Microphone port Yes
Headphone port Yes
Wireless Built-In
Wireless notes 802.11ac (Dual Band)
Remote control Yes (via Bluetooth or tethered PC)
Physical
Environmentally sealed Yes
Battery Battery Pack
Battery description NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 530
Weight (inc. batteries) 737 g (1.62 lb / 26.00 oz)
Dimensions 129 x 97 x 70 mm (5.08 x 3.82 x 2.76″)
Other features
Orientation sensor Yes
GPS None

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony to Announce “the One Never Seen” on January 26th

25 Jan

The post Sony to Announce “the One Never Seen” on January 26th appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Sony a9 model

Last week, Sony offered a mysterious announcement, displaying only the words, “The one never seen,” as well as a date, January 26th, 2021, 10 AM EST.

The title of the YouTube countdown reads, “New product announcement on January 26th, 2021.” And the caption simply states to “be ready for the announcement of the new Alpha.”

In other words:

We should have a new Sony Alpha mirrorless model – and our first compelling camera reveal of 2021 – before the week is out. 

But what camera is this new Alpha, the “one never seen”? What model is Sony teasing?

Unfortunately, we have no official knowledge, and Sony will undoubtedly stay silent until 10 AM on January 26th. But the internet has been abuzz with speculation, and plenty of suggestions have been thrown around regarding the identity of the new camera, including:

  • A Sony a9 III
  • A Sony a7 IV
  • A medium format camera

According to SonyAlphaRumors, the new kit is most likely the A9 III, which will potentially offer 8K/30p – hence the “one never seen” designation, because up until this point, Sony has restricted their Alpha models to 4K (with even the video-centric Sony a7S III maxing out at 4K/120p). 

8K capabilities do come with significant resolution requirements. The Canon EOS R5, for instance, sits at 45 MP, and the Sony a9 III may overshoot this by a few megapixels (SonyAlphaRumors suggests a possible 50 MP sensor).

The Sony a9 and a9 II are action photography cameras through and through, offering blazing-fast autofocus and exceptional continuous shooting speeds, but at the cost of resolution. Both cameras sit at an “average” 24 megapixels, so a jump to 8K might even call for a doubling of the current resolution count.

Regardless, a 50-megapixel camera with professional-level action chops will certainly satisfy some photographers, assuming they can afford the (likely exorbitant) price. 

So make sure you check out Sony’s announcement on January 26th at 10 EST. Whatever Sony unveils, it’s bound to be exciting – and only the start of a thrilling 2021!

Now over to you:

What do you think about Sony’s announcement? What camera will the company reveal? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Sony to Announce “the One Never Seen” on January 26th appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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8 Simple Guidelines for Capturing Spectacular Sunrise and Sunset Images

24 Jan

The post 8 Simple Guidelines for Capturing Spectacular Sunrise and Sunset Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.

8 simple tips for stunning sunrise photography and sunset photography

When we are asked to think of popular subjects for landscape photography, images of beautiful sunsets and sunrises immediately come to mind.

What outdoor photographer worth their salt doesn’t have at least a couple of images of the sun dipping below the horizon?

In most people’s minds, sunrise and sunset photography is an easy thing to capture; the beauty and scale of the event itself should carry the photo, with minimal interaction from the photographer.

three birds at sunset

But is this really the case?

Unfortunately, it’s not. Unless you’re relying on luck alone, you’ll need to possess a few seeds of knowledge (eight, in this case!) to get you started capturing that epic sunrise or sunset.

None of these guidelines are difficult to comprehend, and they can all vastly improve your chances of properly capturing one of Mother Nature’s most incredible events.

So let’s jump right in!

1. Scout the location

As tempting as it is to just show up at a convenient location and start shooting, you greatly increase your chances of success by planning your sunrise or sunset photoshoot in advance. The first thing you’ll want to determine is the best location from which to shoot.

Pick a location that is out of the way of road and foot traffic, where you’re unlikely to be disturbed. Go to the location in broad daylight before the shoot, and ensure your view of the horizon will be unobstructed and free of any hazards.

The most important factor after the location is the time of day. Obviously, this will vary depending on whether you’re capturing a sunrise or a sunset.

But start by checking the weather. If your shooting time coincides with an approaching or recently-ended storm, the results can be staggering. Rain and storm clouds can add a dramatic layer of dimension to the scene.

You can also pinpoint the perfect time to shoot with an online tool or smartphone app that will display precise sunrise and sunset times for your location. Many low-cost (and sometimes free) solutions are available, including PhotoPills (for Android and iOS), and The Photographer’s Ephemeris (for Android and iOS).

sunset photography over lake

2. Sunrise or sunset?

If you’re familiar with color temperature, you’ll know that there is a slight difference in the appearance of light at sunset versus sunrise. Early morning light tends to be cooler (higher blue) than light in the late evening, which leans toward warmer color casts consisting of orange and red.

Since there are different color temperatures at work here, you might need to adjust your photos, depending on the look you’re after. You can do this through your camera’s white balance settings, through warming or cooling filters, or via adjustments in post-production – where you’ll need to add or remove warmth to achieve the perfect final photograph.

Be aware that physical filters placed over your lens will degrade image quality slightly, because they’re an additional obstacle for light to pass through, so adjusting color temperature with camera settings or in post-production is often the better choice.

sunflower sunrise photography

3. Plan your shots

Another important step to accomplish before heading out is to plan what you hope to achieve in your sunrise or sunset photo.

Ask yourself:

What look are you going for? Will you capture a definitive subject lit by the sunlight, or will the sunset itself be the star of the show?

Planning beforehand is also a great time to determine any other special considerations, such as whether you’ll be shooting an HDR (high dynamic range) photo.

If you do decide to use an HDR technique, you’ll need to prepare your camera for bracketed exposures to capture the full range of tones in the scene.

But while HDR can be a bit tricky to pull off, it’s a great way to produce some truly dramatic images!

4. Gather the proper gear

You can’t capture the right shot without the right gear, so make sure you have everything ready to go before you head out.

First and foremost, you’ll want to bring your tripod. Sunrises and sunsets are potential low-light situations (depending on the part of the sunset you’re trying to capture), so you’ll need a steady base for your camera.

Second, you’ll want to determine the right lens to use for the shoot. While beautiful landscapes can be captured using a 50mm to 85mm focal length, a wide-angle lens is preferred, including any zoom lenses that can shoot at 40mm or below. If you have a prime lens in the 12mm to 40mm range, you’ll have a better chance of capturing an even sharper image, and using a wide-angle lens will allow you to capture a vast, sweeping portion of the scene.

Do you own and use screw-on filters for your camera?

Although using filters can degrade image quality a bit, some can be useful here. A GND (graduated neutral density) filter, for instance, will darken the upper portion of the sky and keep it well-exposed and dramatic, even without HDR techniques.

A polarizing filter, on the other hand, may actually be a hindrance in these situations, so I recommend you avoid them. 

(Polarizers reduce the amount of light coming in to the sensor, further increasing the required exposure time, which may not be ideal if you’re trying to freeze motion, such as ocean waves.)

lifeguard at sunset

5. Use the right settings

Before you even arrive at your photoshoot destination, you can choose the settings on your camera.

Since you’re shooting a landscape image, you’ll want to use a smaller aperture, such as f/8, f/11, or even higher, to maximize the depth of field and capture sharp detail throughout. If you’re using a tripod, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Although you can shoot in Manual mode, I personally prefer to shoot almost everything in A/Av (Aperture Priority mode). This way, I can lock in my aperture and let the camera choose a proper shutter speed. Since low-light situations like this can confuse the camera and you run the risk of overexposure, you can always use your camera’s exposure compensation settings to drop the brightness a bit.

If possible, you should use a low ISO, such as 100 or 200, to ensure there isn’t a lot of noise in the final shot. This should be very achievable if you’re working with a tripod. However, if you’re hand-holding your shot, you will need to bump the ISO up to get a shutter speed that’s fast enough to avoid a blurry photo.

inlet sunset photography

This is also the time to choose your white balance, and as I mentioned above, you can use this setting to boost (or reduce) the warmth of your shot. If you’re after a warm, orangish image, set your white balance to the Shadow, Cloudy, or Daylight option.

And, of course, always shoot in RAW! To a certain extent, shadows and highlights that are lost in a shot can be recovered in post-processing later – but only if you have a RAW file.

6. Compose for interest

Now that the preparation is over, we get to the fun part! Once you’re on location and are ready to take the shot, you’ll need to consider your composition.

The most common error when shooting sunsets or sunrises is positioning the horizon exactly in the middle of the photo. While this can work, it normally causes a bit too much symmetry and can make the picture uninteresting.

Take a moment to look your scene over. Ask yourself: What part of the sunrise or sunset is the most dramatic? Are there any parts that aren’t that interesting?

Once you’ve done this, simply compose the shot to include more of the most dramatic scenery. If you have an angry, cloudy sky that accentuates the sunlight, let that occupy the upper two-thirds of the scene. If you have an interesting foreground or landscape but a less intriguing sky, let that occupy the bottom two-thirds of the image.

You want to draw the viewer into the composition, then let their eyes drift to the most dramatic part of the image.

sunset photography over trees

7. Waiting for the right shot

If you already have experience shooting landscapes, you know that sometimes waiting is the name of the game. Because of the dynamics of natural lighting, a scene can completely change from one hour to the next – and sometimes even from one minute to the next.

That’s why a sunrise or sunset shoot is the time to be creative! Try different exposure times and play with your exposure compensation settings for different tones. Let the clouds and sun change positions, then reshoot, or try a slightly different angle.

Maybe even include additional subjects in the frame, and shoot them in the foreground against the sunrise or sunset. The longer you’re at the location shooting, the more variety you’ll end up with!

pier close-up at sunset

8. Don’t leave too early

One of the most common tips you’ll hear regarding sunset photography is to stick around after the sun dips below the horizon.

This is certainly good advice, as the entire dynamic of the scene changes after sundown.

grasses at sunset

Specifically, the tones, colors, and hues in the sky often become more saturated and dramatic. You’ll need to compensate for the loss of your main source of light, probably with a tripod – but it’s hard to deny some of the most beautiful images can be shot right after the sun is out of sight.

8 simple guidelines for sunrise and sunset photography: Conclusion

Now that you’ve finished this article, you should be ready to capture some stunning images at sunrise and sunset!

So get up early, stay out late, and create some gorgeous photos.

Now over to you:

Do you have any beautiful sunset or sunrise photography you’d like to share? Post it in the comments below!

The post 8 Simple Guidelines for Capturing Spectacular Sunrise and Sunset Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.


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How to Pose and Angle the Body for Better Portraits

24 Jan

The post How to Pose and Angle the Body for Better Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Alexis Arnold.

how to pose and angle the body for better portraits

One of the best ways to make a living with photography is to photograph people. People need photographs of themselves for their businesses, conferences, publications, acting, and more.

Now, when a person comes to you to have their photo taken, they trust you to make them look good. That is really one of the biggest parts of your job as a photographer:

Make your subject look great.

When someone hires you to take their portraits or headshots, it’s important you understand how to pose them and how to angle their body toward the camera. With the right techniques, you will also be able to work more efficiently, which will benefit both you and your client.

After all, most people don’t like to have their photo taken, so you want the process to move along swiftly.

I have compiled clear examples of the slight changes you can make to create a more pleasing portrait. These photos are straight out of the camera; no post-processing or touch-ups have been done. The model in the photographs had professional makeup done before we shot.

(I recommend that you refer your female clients to a makeup artist so they can have their makeup done prior to the shoot. This will make a big difference in the final look.)

Okay, let’s get started.

how to pose subjects for portraits (the edited photo)
This is the final (edited) image given to the client.

Shift their weight

With the first set of images (below), the model on the left is standing straight on (i.e., square to the camera). Her body weight is on both of her feet equally.

But as you can see with the image on the right, a subtle shift in her weight makes a big difference. All the model did was put the majority of her weight on her right leg – and this immediately created a subtle s-curve with her body.

The model is still facing the camera straight on, but already looks slimmer.

subject shifting her weight

Lean forward from the waist

The model is still facing you straight on, but you can now have her lean forward from the waist.

With the photo on the left, the model is leaning away from the camera or backward, and it’s very unflattering. This angle creates a double chin and makes her look heavier. Anytime a client does this, you should correct them right away.

To make the photo better, just have your subject lean slightly forward from their waist (toward you).

As you can see from the photo on the right, when the model leaned forward, she automatically angled her head and shifted her weight. The pose is much more flattering!

subject leaning forward from the waist

Weight on the back leg

Now have the model shift her weight to her back leg.

In the examples below, the model shifts her weight to her left leg and brings her right leg forward. With the image on the left, you can see how, when she leans backward or away from the camera, the pose looks awkward and unnatural.

So when your subject shifts their weight back, have them either stand up straighter or have them add a bit of lean toward you (as seen in the photo on the right).

subject putting weight on back leg when posing for portraits

Cross arms

A very popular pose for business headshots is to have your model cross their arms (shown below). This projects a feeling of confidence and strength.

It can go wrong, however.

In the image on the left, the model angled her head backward. This mistake is more common in women, since they often tilt their head in photos.

Instead, communicate clearly with your subject to bring their chin forward and down slightly. This easy adjustment makes a big difference and is the shot your client will want.

two examples of a subject with the arms crossed

Lean forward again

You can get a very nice close-up headshot with the crossed-arms pose.

The image on the left was shot wider to show you how and where the model has angled her body.

Ask your subject to lean forward from the waist. Most people will think this feels weird, so just let them know that it’ll look great in the final image.

Remember that most people are insecure about how they look, so always take time to reassure them that they look amazing!

Then either zoom in tight with your lens or step in closer to get a beautiful portrait.

subject leaning forward toward the camera

Photograph on both sides of your model’s face

The example below shows the model’s “good side.” We all have one side that is better than the other. However, it is not usually visible to the naked eye, so please be sure to always photograph your model from the left and the right sides.

This is clearly shown with the model below. Her good side is when she angles her face to the right so her left side is more visible (below right). You can see more of her face, her neck looks better, both eyes are visible, the hair falls naturally, and her nose has a more flattering angle.

model posing with a left side and a right side

When repositioning your model, remember to shoot every pose from each side. Until you get good at recognizing your client’s good side just from looking at the image preview on your camera, always shoot from the left and the right.

Sitting poses

Let’s move on to portraits where your client is sitting down. Having your subject in this sitting position places you above them – so you will be shooting at a downward angle, which is very flattering for most people.

Pose your subject on the seat edge

First, have your subject sit on the edge of the chair. You do not want them sitting comfortably where they lean all the way back.

In the left image below, the model is sitting on the edge of the seat, feet on the floor and shoulders square at the camera. Even though the angle isn’t the best, if you crop in tight, you can still create a nice portrait with the focus on the eyes, as seen in the image on the right.

subject posing on a chair

Consider crossing the arms and angling the face

With your subject still sitting in the chair, have them place their elbows on their knees.

Arms can be crossed or not; I suggest you play around with both options. This forces the subject to look up at you, taking away any issues with their neck.

Make the image better by having your subject angle their face slightly to the left or the right, as shown in the right image (below). Remember that these are tight crops, focusing on the eyes and the smile.

subject sitting and leaning forward how to pose subjects for portraits

How to pose and angle the body for better portraits: Conclusion

It’s easy to see how a simple posing adjustment can result in better portraits.

A good rule of thumb to remember:

Have your subject angle one shoulder toward you, and have them place their weight on the back leg. This will immediately make them look slimmer.

Of course, now that you know how to pose for great results, the best way to improve is to get out and practice, practice, practice!

And have fun shooting!

(All images were shot in a studio with a 50mm lens, on a white paper backdrop, with one strobe light.)

Now it’s your turn:

How do you come up with poses when doing portrait photography? Do you have any additional posing advice? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post How to Pose and Angle the Body for Better Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Alexis Arnold.


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Weekly Photo Challenge – Orange

23 Jan

The post Weekly Photo Challenge – Orange appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

“Orange, oh, that’s easy!” I hear you say, well, let’s see how easy it is and how creative you can get with such a simple theme!

You can see all of our challenges right here, go back and try your hand at ones you’ve missed.

Need some ‘Orange’ inspiration? Have a look here or here! Or use the ‘search’ function at the top of our website.

Tag your photograph #dPSOrange if you share it on social media.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Orange

As ever, take a look below to check out how to upload your image under this blog post, or visit us on our Facebook group, or post your image on socials, @digitalps and use the hashtag #dPSOrange – Sounds good!

Great! Where do I upload my photos?

Simply upload your shot into the comments 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 favourite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.

Weekly Photography Challenge – Looking Up

The post Weekly Photo Challenge – Orange appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.


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Lensrentals tears down a Canon RF 100-500mm F4.7-7.1 lens to solve the mystery of a cracked element

22 Jan

Roger and Aaron are back at it again for Lensrentals, this time with a teardown of a Canon RF 100–500mm F4.7–7.1 lens with a little secret inside.

As Roger tells it, Lensrentals has come across ‘several’ copies of Canon’s RF 100–500mm F4.7–7.1 lens with a cracked element inside. He believes this crack occurs during shipping, but notes that ‘if you’ve ever rented from [Lensrentals], you know how we pack […] Nothing should break in shipping.’ As such, he did what he usually does when he can’t get an answer from the outside, he tore the lens down (with the help of Aaron, of course).

The large crack, seen through the rear elements of the lens. Click to enlarge.

Upon taking a closer look, Roger suspected the cracked element was inside the image stabilization module of the lens, due to the crack appearing to move when the lens was shifted around. He explains that while Canon was known for physically locking down IS units in its EF lenses, that practice has become less commonplace with RF lenses due to improved engineering measures. Naturally, he assumed this lack of lockdown could be the culprit for the cracked element in shipping.

As it turns out though, that wasn’t quite the case.

Roger and Aaron went through the usual routine, starting at the front of the lens. Despite easily removing the filter barrel and front optical group, they hit a roadblock with the light baffle inside. So, ‘like the cowards [they] are,’ Roger and Aaron turned the lens around and started to take it apart from the lens mount side.

A close-up view of the ribbon cables neatly tucked away inside the barrel of the lens.

Along the way, the pair ran into the usual array of screws, ribbon cables and sensors. But it wasn’t all that bad to take apart, thanks to the lens’ modular construction. Roger particularly appreciated how Canon managed to integrate almost all of the ribbon cables into the barrel of the lens, meaning there was little need to trace and mark down where every cable was supposed to be routed to:

‘I get accused every so often of being a Canon fanboy (or Sony, or Sigma, etc.). I’m not, but I’ll readily admit I’m a Canon lens construction fan; these are a pleasure to work on compared to most brands.’

A comparison of how the internals of the lens look when zoomed out versus zoomed in. Click to enlarge.

With the rear barrel off, Roger and Aaron took a look at the intricacies of the zoom section of the lens. Roger notes ‘everything moves in an impressively complex fashion’ and is almost overbuilt in some areas. Specifically, Roger points out that the front barrel moves along six heavy-duty rollers (as opposed to three in most other zoom lenses), each of which has custom-fitted nylon bearings to ensure the tightest fit possible while still offering a smooth glide. To this, Roger says ‘This is why nice things cost more; a lesser lens has three same-size small nylon bushings over screws.’

A close-up of one of the nylon bushings precisely fitted to the guide rail. Click to enlarge.

Another detail Roger noticed is that the two optical groups responsible for zoom operate independent of one another. That is, rather than both optical groups extending together with the barrel, the rear zoom optical group moves into the barrel, but isn’t doing so at the same rate as the front optical group.

From there, it was on to the inner barrel to see if the duo could get to the broken element. Before getting to the IS module though, Roger noted the use of springs to hold the rear baffle in place. He says Canon has been using more and more tensioning springs in its lenses over the years, ‘which suggests they originally thought it was a good idea, found out they were correct and increased usage.’ This particular lens has ‘over a dozen springs.’

A look at the tensioning springs used to hold the rear baffle tight. ‘It’s a complex little bit of engineering for a baffle,’ says Roger. Click to enlarge.

Eventually, Roger and Aaron hit the IS module, which Roger describes as ‘a pretty robust unit.’ He elaborates:

‘In older lenses, we sometimes saw IS units that were encased in a ‘cage’ of plastic bars, which broke sometimes. This is not that at all, it’s heavy-duty interlocking plastic shells with multiple screws and tension springs. We could (OK, we did) shake the heck out of it. It just rattled a bit, but there was nothing but solidness here.’

A close-up view of the ‘robust’ IS unit inside the RF 100-500mm F4.7-7.1 lens. Click to enlarge.

However, as you can see in the above image, there was no crack in sight. So it was on to more disassembling to get to the problematic element. After removing countless cams, spacers, screws and more, Roger and Aaron were able to find the cracked element — a thin, single element that sits right behind the aperture assembly and is also the forward focusing element.

Note the aperture assembly in front of the cracked element. Click to enlarge.

Still confused as to how the element cracked, the pair measured and tested everything around the element and determined there’s no way it could’ve impacted anything inside the lens. So, what could’ve caused it to crack? Roger doesn’t really know.

In his conclusion, Roger says:

‘My first thought, given that it’s winter, was perhaps temperature shock, moving from sub-zero trucks to warm indoors or something. But I’ve asked several people more knowledgeable than I and none think that’s a possibility. The ones that cracked are all early copies from a similar serial number range, perhaps there were some flawed elements early on. Maybe it’s just a statistical anomaly; we have a lot of copies and stuff happens. Or maybe it’s something we do or something with shipping. Nobody else has reported this. It’s worth looking into further, there are a number of things we’ve noticed before anyone else just because we have a lot of gear and a lot of repairs and inspections. But it may be an oddity that never happens again.’

Whatever the case, Lensrentals has sent all of its data and broken lenses to Canon, who already has a team assigned to more thoroughly investigating the issue. Roger says ‘Canon is always proactive about investigating these things and [is] one of the few companies willing to publicly say when they actually have a problem.’

Broken element aside, Roger says the rest of the teardown is what he’s come to expect from Canon RF L series lenses:

‘It’s filled with very robust construction, neatly and clearly laid out in a modular manner. It’s a very well-built and sturdy lens with cutting edge technology.’

To conclude, we’ll let Roger’s Rule of Broken Parts speak for itself: ‘the hardest to get to part is the one that’s broken.’

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The Best Way to Delete Photos From Your Memory Card

22 Jan

The post The Best Way to Delete Photos From Your Memory Card appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Meredith Clark.

the best way to delete photos from your memory card

When it comes to photography, we spend most of our time thinking about taking photos – lighting, composition, exposure, and posing. Then, once the photo is taken, we may start to think about post-processing, gently nudging the photo along until it becomes exactly what we’ve pictured in our mind’s eye. Once that’s accomplished, we do it all over again.

portrait of two girls how to delete photos from memory cards

Back in high school and college, I shot film. I can vividly remember running out, and sometimes having to wait weeks until I was able to buy more. Our public high school relied heavily on film donations, and sometimes when there wasn’t any left, our teacher would have us walk around campus with our pointer fingers and thumbs shaped into a rectangle, pretending to take photographs. Now that digital cameras are on the scene and we’re using memory cards in place of film, the number of photographs that we can take in any given week or month is nearly endless.

You may have noticed that I said “nearly” endless, and that’s because memory cards do have a lifespan and will not last indefinitely. That said, there are a few things we can do to maximize the lifespan of our memory cards, including deleting our photos off the memory card in the most efficient manner possible. This isn’t something that’s talked about all that often, but when it comes down to it, it is really simple.

So if you’re looking for the best way to delete photos from your memory cards, read on!

Less desirable ways to delete photos

If your memory card is full, you may be tempted to use one of these methods to delete your photos.

However, I recommend you avoid them if at all possible.

So here are the ways you should not delete your photos:

Getting rid of each photo individually through the camera by using the Delete or Erase button

If you’re in the middle of a shoot and you take a bad photo, you may be tempted to delete it right then and there with the Delete button.

But this is far from ideal. First, it’s always a good idea to check your images on the computer screen before deleting them forever, because you never know; your image may have some redeeming quality, one that you missed on your tiny camera LCD.

Plus, it’s just not the best way to get rid of your images from a card-health perspective, as I’ll explain in a moment.

deleting an image from your memory card directly on the camera LCD screen

Deleting all photos in-camera with the Delete All option

Once you’ve transferred your photos over to your computer, you can always pop the memory card back into your camera and hit the Erase all images on card button.

But again, this isn’t the best way to keep your card healthy.

Erasing all the images on your card via the LCD screen

Deleting via your computer

Here’s a third way to delete photos from your memory card:

Plug the camera or memory card into the computer, then drag all the photos into the Recycle Bin.

Is this a convenient way to delete images?

Absolutely.

But it’s not the most desirable way to get it done.

Deleting images from your computer

Most desirable way to delete photos

If you’re looking to delete photos off your memory card in the quickest, most efficient, least harmful way, then here’s what I recommend:

Delete with your camera’s Format function

In other words:

Transfer your photos to your PC or an external hard drive.

Stick the card back in your camera and head into the menu.

Find the Format option.

And hit OK.

This is my suggested way of deleting photos off your memory card, and I recommend you use it every single time you need to delete photos, without fail.

(It’s what I do!)

formatting memory cards in-camera is the best way to delete photos from your memory cards

Why are some methods better than others?

In the end, all of the above methods work toward the same end, in that they remove the images from your card.

However, the first three deletion methods are actually more taxing to the memory card than using the card’s Format function. I’ve heard it explained like this:

Imagine that your memory card has a shelf-life of 1,000 uses. Let’s say that you go out and take 500 photos; that’s 500 uses of your memory card. You then upload the photos to your computer, and then individually delete each photo using the Delete button on your camera. Deleting each photo individually counts as another 500 uses on your card. So in all, you’ve just spent 1,000 uses of your memory card, leaving you with no uses left on that card.

On the other hand, imagine that you’ve captured your 500 photos, but instead of deleting them with your Delete button, you use your camera’s Format function. Formatting works in a different way than deleting, because it only deletes the directory files rather than the images themselves. This allows the images to be overwritten the next time you take a picture. Therefore, formatting only counts as one use of your memory card, regardless of how many photos you’re deleting.

So in the scenario above, you’d have used only 501 of your memory card’s uses, as opposed to 1,000 when deleting manually. Certainly, memory cards available today will be able to handle far more than 1,000 uses, but the general logic still holds – formatting your card causes less wear and tear on your memory card than other ways of deleting images.

Additionally, because formatting only deletes the directory file instead of the images themselves, images on a card that has been formatted are typically much easier to recover (if needed) than images that are deleted manually, assuming you did not overwrite the formatted images by taking more photos.

Not a bad trick to have up your sleeve in case of emergencies, right?

I’d also like to add that I have personally seen a difference in the amount of corrupted images/cards that I’ve come across since I’ve been formatting cards.

These days, it’s pretty rare that I delete even a single image using any method other than formatting.

How often should you format?

Some people like to wait until their card is totally full and then do their formatting.

Personally, I like to format my card before each new photo session. It just makes sense to start fresh each time, because I can then upload everything on the card to one location and keep my files organized.

But this is really a matter of personal preference, at least as far as I’m concerned.

The one hard and fast suggestion I do have when it comes to formatting is simply to format the card in whichever camera you plan to use it in next. So if you’re going to be shooting with your Nikon body, make sure you’ve first formatted your card with that Nikon body. And if you’re going to be shooting with your Canon body, format with the Canon body before heading out.

Make sense?

How to delete photos from a memory card: Conclusion

Now that you’ve finished this article, you’re well-equipped to delete photos from your memory cards (the right way).

So make sure to always format in-camera.

Your photos and your memory cards will thank you for it!

Now over to you:

How do you typically delete images, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post The Best Way to Delete Photos From Your Memory Card appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Meredith Clark.


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Backlighting in Photography: The Ultimate Guide to Beautiful Backlit Images

21 Jan

The post Backlighting in Photography: The Ultimate Guide to Beautiful Backlit Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

backlighting in photography the ultimate guide

When used creatively and intentionally, backlighting can be an incredible tool to take your photography to the next level.

However, the concept of backlighting seems somewhat counterintuitive.

After all, when your subject is backlit, the main source of light is coming from behind, not from the front – and conventional photography wisdom generally says that your subject should be well-lit from the front.

So how can you create backlighting that looks good? How can you capture backlit images that really stun the viewer?

That’s what this article is all about.

Let’s dive right in.

Backlighting spider
Nikon D750 | Nikon 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/250s | f/4 | ISO 1100

What is backlighting?

In order to understand how to use backlighting, you should know what the term means.

So what actually is backlighting?

The following diagram depicts a standard photography scenario with the main source of light behind the camera.

frontlighting diagram

Using this type of setup, the subject is well-lit, and there is a shadow cast on the wall directly behind the subject. The result is a detailed, evenly-exposed image that conforms to the basic principles of photography.

In contrast, backlighting reverses the subject and the light source.

The light goes behind the subject (and points toward the camera), which causes the shadow behind the subject to vanish. Backlighting results in a photograph where the subject is usually much darker than normal.

Backlighting diagram backlight

Also, placing the light behind the subject often results in a silhouette or glow effect. This makes the final image look different from a normal photograph and can be jarring, at least at first.

But with a little practice, you can use this technique to create images that are unique and stand out from the crowd.

Backlighting in portraits

Backlighting is a tried-and-true portrait photography technique – one that can get you some stunning photos.

How does this work?

It helps to see some actual portrait photos that illustrate the concept of backlighting versus frontlighting. This first image is a fairly standard portrait shot:

maternity frontlit
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G ED VR II | 122mm | 1/350s | f/4 | ISO 800

The subjects are lit from the front, and the image is evenly exposed without any harsh shadows. It’s a great photograph, and it meets all the normal criteria for a maternity shot someone would want to put in a frame or a photo book.

Now, let’s look at another photo of this couple, this time shot using backlighting:

Backlighting maternity couple
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G ED VR II | 180mm | 1/3000s | f/2.8 | ISO 400

The parents-to-be are shrouded in shadow (which I was able to boost in Lightroom, thanks to the RAW file format), and the woman’s hair is glowing with a brilliant golden halo. The man has a glowing outline around his head, and the entire scene has a slightly mystical quality to it.

This is all due to the creative use of backlighting.

When you light your subjects from behind, you can get images like this, which pack glowing hair, brilliant outlines, and a beautiful background. This type of photo does take practice, but with a little trial and error, you can use backlighting to get similar results.

Here’s a head and shoulders portrait of a young man:

Backlighting senior portrait frontlit
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | 1/250s | f/2.8 | ISO 100

The sunlight is coming from the front, his face is evenly lit, and the background is colorful and easy to see.

Now compare that image to its backlit counterpart:

Backlighting senior portrait
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | 1/180s | f/2.8 | ISO 320

His hair suddenly looks like it’s on fire, and his ears have a bit of a glow. The right side of the background is lush and green, whereas the left side, where the sun is positioned, is almost entirely blown out. Even the man’s shoulders are outlined in gold, and the photo has an energy to it that the frontlit photo just can’t match.

As you can see, knowing how to use backlighting to your advantage can result in portraits that stand out from the pack. It may be a little tricky at first, especially if you’re using natural light instead of studio light.

But with a little practice, you’ll get the hang of backlighting – and you’ll get the type of pleasing reactions from your clients you never knew you were missing.

Backlighting isn’t just for portraits, though! It can be used in a variety of situations for creative, inspiring images, including nature photography:

Backlighting in nature

To illustrate the power of backlighting for nature photography, check out this backlit landscape image:

Backlighting sunrise pine trees
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 35mm f/1.8G | 35mm | 1/3000s | f/4 | ISO 200

Once you start looking for the light, you’ll notice shots like this everywhere. In fact, one of the best ways to learn backlighting is to go out in nature and simply experiment by putting your subjects between the camera and the sun.

Sunrise and sunset are great times to try out backlighting. Look for situations where your subjects are at a bit of a distance; it also helps to have a general idea of where the sun will be at dawn and dusk. Metering with backlight is tricky, so I like to use Aperture Priority to control the depth of field and then dial in exposure compensation to get my shots as light or as dark as I want.

A rule of thumb I like to use in these situations:

Expose for the highlights, then bring up the shadows in Lightroom. Basically, try not to make your photo too bright, because you may end up with clipped highlights (i.e., white, informationless areas that cannot be darkened).

Backlighting sunset wind turbines
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | 1/4000s | f/22 | ISO 100

You can also look for more mundane subjects on which you can practice, like interesting leaves:

backlit leaves
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/1500s | f/2.8 | ISO 100

Remember:

When shooting in nature, the main source of light is the sun, but you don’t have to use direct sunlight. In the image above, the mid-afternoon sun made these leaves glow. The sun isn’t in the frame, but it still lit the leaves from the back and gave me a fun photo opportunity.

I used a similar technique for the image below. You can see how my use of backlighting made this large blade of grass appear almost translucent. The shot was not an accident, and I was only able to capture it by looking for new ways to shoot familiar subjects. In this case, I was only photographing a simple piece of grass!

Backlit grass
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/500s | f/4.8 | ISO 100

Most people would pass by this scene without a second thought, but it just goes to show how backlighting can give new life to even mundane subjects.

Silhouette backlighting

One interesting way to use backlighting is to obscure your subject altogether. This technique is known as silhouette backlighting, and it can be a fun and creative way to showcase people, animals, and other objects.

How does this work?

You create silhouette images by shooting directly into the light source – which completely darkens your subject. The result is a photo that shows a shape or outline instead of a well-exposed subject.

To get the image below, I pointed the camera at my main source of light, then waited for someone to walk by. The fountain itself doesn’t emit light, but instead reflects what comes from the sun – and it was so bright that it completely darkened my subject. The image tells a story, even without seeing any details of the person.

silhouette person fountain
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 85mm f/1.8G | 85mm | 1/1000s| f/4 | ISO 200

I used a similar backlighting technique to get this shot of a young woman in the early morning:

silhouette person sunrise
Nikon D200 | Nikon 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/6000s | f/4 | ISO 200

I knew where the sun was positioned, so I waited patiently until a person walked into the frame. By putting my subject directly between the camera and the main source of light, I was able to capture a silhouette. The end result is much more interesting than a normal, properly-exposed image taken in broad daylight.

Silhouettes aren’t just for people. You can use silhouette backlighting for a variety of subjects; all it takes is a little creativity and a willingness to try something different.

Some type of Manual mode (either full Manual or Aperture Priority with exposure compensation) is best for these shots. It’ll give you better control over the final image, and you won’t need your camera to make exposure decisions in tricky lighting conditions.

goose fountain
Nikon D750 | Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | 1/4000s| f/2.8 | ISO 100

One of my favorite ways to use silhouette backlighting is to create sun stars, like this:

Backlighting sun flare
Nikon D200 | Nikon 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/400s | f/16 | ISO 200

I start by putting a large building between my camera and the sun.

Then I move around until the sun is poking out from behind a corner of the building. I shoot with a small aperture, usually f/8 to f/11, and I shift the camera position until I get the shot just right.

This technique takes practice, but you can easily get the hang of it in under 15 minutes.

Use Aperture Priority and exposure compensation, and look for ways to use the light that might not have occurred to you before.

Backlighting in photography: Conclusion

If you’ve never experimented with backlighting, then I encourage you to give it a try and see what happens.

You might think shots like the ones in this article are beyond your skills, but all it takes is a bit of practice, a dash of patience, and a willingness to try something different.

Backlighting is a fun, creative technique, and you might just find yourself using it far more than you expected!

Have you ever tried backlighting? What did you think of it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Backlighting in Photography: The Ultimate Guide to Beautiful Backlit Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.


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Tips for Photographing Newborns: Do It Yourself

21 Jan

The arrival of a newborn into a family is an amazing and exciting (albeit sleep deprived) time. You can find yourself in this blissful bubble of just you and your little family as you adapt to life as parents. Most parents will attest to how precious yet fleeting these days are and its why so many choose to capture them Continue Reading
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Dodging and Burning in Lightroom: A Comprehensive Guide

20 Jan

The post Dodging and Burning in Lightroom: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

dodging and burning in Lightroom a comprehensive guide

Digital photographers who have never worked with film or never even set foot in a darkroom still encounter terms from the early days of photography. The phrase “dodging and burning” is a throwback to those times.

Now, the reasons for using this technique still apply, but the tools and methods for dodging and burning are much easier today. In fact, you can do effective dodging and burning in most post-processing programs, including Lightroom.

So let’s dig into the what, why, and how of dodging and burning in Lightroom – and show you how this technique can improve your photos.

darkroom setup
Working with an enlarger in the orange glow of a safelight. This is how photos used to be printed.

A history lesson

Adobe’s “Lightroom” is a tip of the hat to the place photos were made in days gone by, the darkroom. I had a makeshift darkroom in a corner of my garage and remember the tanks and trays of smelly chemicals, working in the orange glow of a safelight, developing negatives, and making prints. It was a laborious process, and one for which there was no “undo” when a mistake was made.

The standard darkroom workflow went something like this:

  1. Load the film (sheet film for larger “view cameras,” roll film for smaller cameras)
  2. Make shots in the field
  3. Return to the darkroom, and in total darkness or using a film bag, put the film in a developing tank
  4. Develop the film in a multi-step series of chemical baths (develop, rinse, stop bath, rinse, fix, rinse, Photo-Flo, rinse, dry)

At this point, you’d have your negatives, which were film with reversed lights and darks (and colors if you were using a color film.) Next, you’d need to print. Photos were prints; you couldn’t view images on a computer screen.

(Later came reversal film, “slides” that still were physical renditions of your photo but able to be shown with a projector.)

Old school photo enlarger
If you were a DIY photographer and made your own prints in a darkroom, you had to have a lot of tools – including a device like this, called an enlarger. People who think photo printing is challenging today have no idea how it used to be!

At this point in the darkroom workflow, you’d be getting to the dodging and burning part.

You’d put your negatives in an enlarger – a projector of sorts which would shine the negative image down onto a piece of photo paper.

(This was all done in the darkroom under a “safelight,” which allowed you to see your work because the orange color wouldn’t expose the photo paper.)

Now, you had to decide how much time was needed to expose the photo paper to the light in order to make a proper exposure. Often, you’d create a “test strip,” a print where you’d create a succession of incremental exposures (shown below). Of course, that would have to be developed in a series of chemical baths, too.

Test strips were made to determine proper photo printing time.
How long should you expose the photo paper to the negative image projected by the enlarger? Better print a test strip.

Finally, you’d be ready to make your print. You’d put a piece of photo paper under the enlarger, set your timer for the exposure duration you established, hit Start, and expose the paper to the light of the projected negative image.

But wait! What if you wanted some parts of the image to be darker and others lighter?

Well, the amount of time the paper was exposed to the light determined how dark the image was.

So if you used an instrument to block light from portions of the image during the projected exposure or, in a second exposure, exposed select portions of the paper to more light, you’d selectively brighten or darken parts of the final print.

The term for selectively blocking the light from the photo paper is “dodging,” and the term for exposing areas of the photo paper to more light is “burning.”

These used to be the tools of the trade before we had dodging and burning in Lightroom
You could buy a dodging kit – or you could just get some wire and make some cardboard cutouts.

Granted, that was a long story just to explain these key terms, but you need to feel the pain just a bit. Imagine doing all those things, then developing the photo paper, spending time and money, only to find that your print didn’t turn out as you hoped. Frustrating, right?

(Guess you weren’t the…wait for it…”artful dodger” you thought you were.)

Dodging and burning in Lightroom sure is easier than the old-school methods!
These are the origins of the terms: “Dodging” meant using various tools to block the light from reaching the photo paper, thus lightening that part of the print. Burning used tools to allow extra light to reach portions of the paper, thus darkening those areas of the print.

Lighten and darken

We have it so much easier, cheaper, and safer with digital photography. No chemicals, no working in the dark, and maybe best of all, the ability to experiment, undo, and replicate the finished results with ease.

So while you will still hear about dodging and burning in Lightroom (as well as in Photoshop and most other digital editing programs), and the tools are still labeled as such, let’s substitute something easier to understand:

Dodging = Lightening.

Burning = Darkening.

Why dodge and burn?

When we use the sliders in Lightroom to adjust our image, we are working with “global” controls. These uniformly apply the effect to the entire image.

For instance, increase or decrease the Exposure slider, and the entire image will get lighter or darker.

What we may want to do is selectively control portions of the image, making some areas darker and some areas lighter. A major reason for doing this is because viewers tend to look at brighter portions of an image first, concentrating less on darker areas.

So to emphasize and deemphasize portions of our image, we may wish to selectively lighten or darken them.

(Remember, lighten=dodge and darken=burn).

The “quick and dirty” method

Dodging and burning in Lightroom can be complicated – but it can also be very simple, and that’s what I’m going to discuss in this section.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Bring up the image you wish to edit in the Develop module of Lightroom. Perform whatever global adjustments you like using the sliders.
  2. Select the Adjustment Brush tool. Double-click the word “Effect” to zero all the sliders. First, we’ll work on areas we wish to lighten (dodge) in the image.
  3. Now let’s “load” the brush. In the Basic panel, drag the Exposure slider up to about +1.0. Set your Feather, Flow, and Density all to 100. This will likely create too much of an effect, but will make it easier to see what you’re doing. You can always back off the brightness later by bringing down the Exposure slider.
  4. Pick an area of the image you wish to lighten and start painting on it with the brush. You will see the area get lighter. Only work on one area. When you’ve painted over all the desired sections, go back to the Exposure slider and drag it up or down to get the final amount of lightness you desire. Click Done when finished with this area.
  5. To work on another area of the image, click the Adjustment Brush again (which will add a new “pin”) and repeat the steps explained above. Because adjustments with the sliders will affect everything done via that “pin” adjustment, you will have more control if you work on multiple smaller areas, rather than lightening multiple areas all at once so you’re forced to apply the same degree of lightening (dodging) to each one.
  6. To darken areas of the image, you can use the same procedure, though you’ll need to drag the Exposure slider in the negative ( -) direction.
Combine global adjustments with simple dodging and burning in Lightroom and you can get a nice result.
Combine global adjustments with simple dodging and burning in Lightroom and you can get a nice result. Before (left) and after (right).

With the Adjustment Brush and the Exposure slider, you can selectively lighten (dodge) and darken (burn) areas of your image.

It works, but maybe you’d like to refine your skills a bit, which is what the next sections are all about:

Tools of the trade

When we talk about dodging and burning in Lightroom, we have three tools we can use:

  • Adjustment Brush
  • Radial Filter
  • Graduated Filter

These tools allow you to select areas of your image where you can apply lightening and darkening.

Let’s discuss how each of these tools might be used and look at some examples that illustrate these concepts.

Tools for dodging and burning in Lightroom

The Adjustment Brush

The Adjustment Brush in Lightroom allows you to selectively “paint” the area of the photo you wish to affect. It might help to think of how you’d control an airbrush rather than a regular paintbrush.

You can make several changes to the Adjustment Brush, including:

  • Size: Changes the size of the brush. Roll the mouse wheel, use the left and right bracket keys, or use the slider.
  • Feather: Changes how hard the edge of the brush is and how rapidly the effect falls off. Use Shift while rolling the mouse wheel, Shift and the bracket keys together, or the Feather slider.
  • Flow: Controls how quickly the effect is applied with each stroke of the brush. Use the slider to adjust the flow, or with the Adjustment Brush selected, change the flow with the number keys on the keyboard. Using multiple strokes will build up the effect.
  • Density: Controls the maximum opacity of the brush effect. For example, if the Flow was at 100 but the Density was at 50, one stroke of the brush would apply the effect at 50% opacity.

The Radial Filter

The Radial Filter works somewhat like the Adjustment Brush – but rather than allow you to paint randomly, your adjustments are restricted to a circle or oval shape.

You can control the size and shape of the Radial Filter, and you can also feather the edges. Plus, you can control whether the effect takes place inside the circle or outside the circle.

I often use the Radial Filter with the Invert box checked (so only the inside of the circle is affected), and then adjust the filter strength with the Exposure and Feather sliders. You can create what appears to be a spotlight and use it to selectively lighten (dodge) areas of your image.

Some other tips for working with the Radial Filter:

  1. Hold down the Shift key when you drag out the Radial Filter to constrain it to a circle
  2. Use the “handles” on the top, bottom, and sides to drag the Radial Filter into other oval shapes
  3. Once the Radial Filter is created, move the cursor just outside the shape until you see the double-headed arrow and then drag to rotate the shape
  4. Get another “spotlight” to use on a different area by right-clicking a previously-created Radial Filter pin, choosing Duplicate, and then dragging the new Radial Filter off to the next place you want to work.
Creative use of the Radial Filter, one of the tools for dodging and burning in Lightroom
The Coquille River Lighthouse near Bandon, Oregon doesn’t use the light any longer. But with some creative use of the Radial Filter…
radial filter for dodging
…we can turn the light on! A Radial Filter was used to dodge the lighthouse itself, to put a light in the tower, and (as highlighted by the green overlay) to create a light beam.
lighthouse with beam
The finished result.
the radial filter dodging and burning
A Radial Filter was applied to the first window to dodge it, then the Filter was duplicated and moved to each of the other windows. The window at the bottom-right shows how the round shape of the filter can be modified using the Erase brush – which you can switch to by holding down the Alt (Option on Mac) key. The window is showing red because the mask overlay is turned on.

The Graduated Filter

The Graduated Filter can also help you lighten and darken selective areas of your image, but in a more gradual way.

While you might not immediately think of the Graduated Filter as a dodging/burning tool, the concept is the same – you can use it to choose which areas of your image are affected. While it’s a separate subject, combining the Graduated Filter with range masking in Lightroom can provide a very powerful method of selective dodging and burning, which is why I suggest you also read up on range masking.

the graduated filter is one of the tools to dodge and burn in Lightroom
You might want to burn (darken) a sky in Lightroom. The Graduated Filter is a great tool to use – and combined with the Range Mask, it can help you keep the effect where you want it and away from where you don’t, such as the trees in this shot. The red overlay shows where the effect will be placed.

The vignette

A vignette is used for darkening or lightening the edges of your photo.

When used to darken the frame edges, a vignette puts more attention on the center, brighter areas of the image, and helps direct the viewer to the center of the photo.

The Post-Crop Vignetting option is found under the Effects tab in the Lightroom Develop module.

Behind the mask

Any of the tools you use for selective dodging and burning – the Adjustment Brush, the Radial Filter, or the Graduated Filter – are all applying “masks” to your work, controlling how and where the effect is applied.

Often, it can help to see exactly where the masks are applied.

When we first choose one of our dodging and burning tools and begin to work with it, Lightroom will create a “pin,” a marker showing that an effect has been applied.

There is a control to choose when a pin will be displayed, which pins are active, and where the mask has been applied. You can even choose the color of the mask to help you best see it while editing. Hold down Shift, and each time you tap the “O” key, the mask will cycle through its available colors: red, green, white, and black. Use whichever color helps you best see where you’re working.

the mask overlay in Lightroom
Turning on the mask overlay can help you see where your effect is being applied.

Paint on, paint off

Even once you’ve created a dodge or burn effect, there are ways to further refine your selected areas.

Let’s take a quick look at a few of them.

  • Adjustment Brush: If you need to erase portions of your mask, turn on the overlay so you can see what you’re doing (hit the “O” key). Hold down the Alt (Option on Mac) key, and the “+” sign in the middle of the brush pin will change to a “-” sign. Keep holding down the Alt key, and erase the portions of the mask you don’t want.
  • Radial and Graduated Filters: After applying a radial or gradient mask, click the word Brush (at the top of the adjustment panel). Then hold down the Alt/Option key so the symbol turns to a “-” sign. Finally, brush out portions of the radial mask you don’t want.
  • Auto Mask: Checking this box will help the Adjustment Brush find edges and may assist you in selectively masking areas. I suggest you do some further reading to understand how this tool works.

Using the histogram

One feature of the histogram is the ability to show any shadow or highlight clipping. Tap the “J” key, and if any shadows are clipped they will show in blue, while clipped highlights will show in red.

By using the tools we’ve already discussed, you may be able to “rescue” such areas by selectively lightening or darkening them.

There could also be images where you purposely want to black out or white out areas. The “J” key will show you any clipping, then you can dodge or burn areas you wish to black out or white out.

Have a look at the images below, where I used this technique:

Extreme dodging and burning in Lightroom
You don’t want to completely clip your highlights or shadows in a photo…except when you do. This was the straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) photo. It needed some cleanup.
extreme burning in Lightroom
Here, I’m using the Adjustment Brush for some “extreme burning,” a way to black out the background and remove distractions in this shot.
pepper splashing in water
Here is the final edited shot.
Dodging and burning in Lightroom to clean up the background
I used the same technique for this photo. The rose shot against the black background was cleaned up by burning the background until the shadows were totally clipped. The rose on the white background was cleaned up by dodging the background until the highlights were totally clipped. Turn on the clipping indicator (hit the “J” key), set up your Adjustment Brush, check the Auto Mask box, and go to work.

Complexifying the light

When I was first learning to use Lightroom, I spent quite a few hours watching French photographer Serge Ramelli’s Youtube videos. He would often use the term “complexifying the light” when speaking about dodging and burning, and when talking about how you could use dodging and burning to make images more interesting.

I suggest you take a look at some of his tutorials; below is an image I edited with similar techniques.

Complexifying the light in Lightroom

Less is more

A good chef knows that a little salt can enhance the flavor of a dish, but too much can ruin it. A good photo editor learns that any manipulation of an image needs to be subtle, enhancing the image while not drawing attention to itself.

After a session of dodging and burning, it’s a good idea to get away from the screen for a while, then come back and view the image again. If you didn’t know, would you suspect that areas had been lightened or darkened with dodging and burning techniques?

I think you’ll often find that – especially when learning – you’ll need to dial back the sliders a touch to make the effects more subtle.

The technical and the aesthetic

As with all of photography, there are two sides to dodging and burning.

First, there’s the technical side, which requires learning the tools and techniques for dodging and burning in Lightroom.

The other component is aesthetic; you need to understand how to artistically view your image and decide where to dodge and burn to better direct the eye of your viewer to and through the image.

The technical side requires study to learn the tools. The aesthetic side requires artful contemplation and practice.

Union Pacific 844 train
The Union Pacific 844 is a “thundering beast,” the only steam locomotive owned by a North American Class I railroad that has never been retired. I wanted to capture its might. This unedited shot didn’t quite do it.
train with dodging and burning
But bring to bear the diversity of editing tools in Lightroom, including some dodging and burning, and you get an edited version that does a much better job of capturing my vision.

Dodging and burning in Lightroom: Conclusion

There are many photo-editing programs, tools, and techniques for dodging and burning your photos.

Some photographers may favor Photoshop, Luminar, ON1, Corel PaintShop Pro, or any of the dozens of other choices.

So feel free to choose your weapon.

But realize that no one will ask you what tool you used to improve your image. Master the tool you choose and wield it well. For me, dodging and burning in Lightroom is one tool for adding flair to my photos.

Now over to you:

Do you do dodging and burning in Lightroom? Do you want to? Share your thoughts, tips, and tricks in the comments below!

The post Dodging and Burning in Lightroom: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.


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