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Polarr Deep Crop app crops your images like a pro

20 Sep

Cropping has the potential to turn a good photo into a great one, or even save a shot that would otherwise have ended up in the digital trashcan. Software company Polarr has now launched a new AI-powered app for iOS that should make finding the perfect crop much easier.

Deep Crop’s algorithms have been trained to find the most interesting elements in a photo using

using 200 million cropping data points from real photographers.


Source image	Crop 1

Crop 2	Crop 3

The company also says it has achieved an 20x efficiency boost in RAM and power usage for offline AI- systems, allowing for the app to run locally on your iPhone. This means there’s no need for internet connectivity and your image material won’t be uploaded to any external servers.

When you launch the app, all images in your camera roll will be displayed, and tapping on a photo will show you suggested crop options. By default, you’ll see smart crops of various ratios but it is also possible to specify an aspect ratio.

If you don’t like the apps’ suggestion you can repeat the process as many times as you like to see more crops. Once you like the result it can be exported or shared in the usual ways.


Source image	Crop 1

Crop 2	Crop 3

In its current state Deep Crop is pretty much a one-trick-pony but we’d expect the technology to be integrated into one of Polarr’s more comprehensive applications, such as Photo Editor, at some point in the near future. In the meantime the app can help you achieve better crops or simply discover new perspectives when viewing your own images.

Polarr Deep Crop is available on the Apple App Store now.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Understanding Sensor-Shift Technology for High-Resolution Images

11 Sep

rock silhouette sunset - Sensor-Shift Technology

Georgian Bay – Summer Landscape

Changing How Photographs are Taken

In recent years, a number of manufacturers have produced cameras that are capable of producing higher-resolution images through something called Sensor-Shift Technology. This technology has been made possible with the advent of in body image stabilization (IBIS). Camera designers have used the IBIS as a way to get incredible increases in image resolution or to improve the color information for the images that are taken.

There are a number of names for this technology including High-Resolution Mode, Pixel Shifting Resolution System, Pixel Shift Multi Shooting Mode or the more generic names of pixel-shift/sensor-shift but in the end, the concepts behind this technology are all the same. Multiple images of the same view are taken in such a way that the images are stacked and blended to create a single, usually large, high-resolution image.

There are strengths and weaknesses of this new technology and understanding how it works can help you make better images yourself if you have a camera that is capable of doing this.

NOTE: Because websites use lower resolution images, the images used in this article have been downsized and modified to simulate the differences between the high-resolution images and the standard output from the cameras. When looking at the images in full, the images look similar but when you get closer to the details in the images that is when you start to see the differences.

gerbera daisies - Sensor-Shift Technology

Gerbera daisies indoors, regular resolution (20 MP) Olympus OMD EM 1 Mark II

Gerbera daisies indoors, high-resolution (50MP) Olympus OMD EM 1 Mark II

Many Approaches to Sensor-Shift Images

Sensor-shift image capture has been transformed from expensive specialty cameras to become an increasingly available feature on newer, resolution-oriented cameras. Today, in addition to Hasselblad’s monster H6D-400c (400 Megapixel images), there are offerings from Olympus, Pentax, Sony, and Panasonic.

These versions generally use the same conceptual approach but at much more accessible prices.

Sensor-Shift Movement

Who Uses Sensor-Shift?

Regardless of the manufacturer, the basic action of sensor-shift image capture remains the same. Take multiple images but move the camera’s sensor slightly for each image to capture more image data and then put the image together.

By moving the sensor around, the image color data improves allowing for more detail to be resolved by overcoming the inherent problems with color specific photosites. Ignoring the Hasselblad, the systems that use this technology include cameras such as the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II (Micro Four Thirds), Pentax K-1 Mark II DSLR, Sony a7R III, and Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 (Micro Four Thirds) although there are others from the same manufacturers.

Three of these lines are mirrorless cameras with the Pentax being a crop sensor DSLR. It is interesting to note that the Panasonic/Olympus cameras take one approach and Pentax/Sony take a different approach to the same concepts.

The Olympus/Panasonic systems use an approach that makes very large high-resolution images whereas the Pentax and Sony systems use the sensor-shift to improve the color information of same size images. Both the Pentax and Sony systems also allow for the separation out of the individual sensor-shifted images whereas the Olympus and Panasonic blend the stacked images into a single photograph.

Olympus OMD EM5 Mark II has the sensor-shift technology.

How does sensor technology work?

To understand how sensor-shift technology works you need to also understand how a sensor generally works at a very small scale. In the good old days of film photography, cameras used light-sensitive film to record images. Digital cameras use a very different approach to record light.

Digital cameras use light-sensitive photodiodes to record the light striking the sensor. In most digital cameras, each photodiode has a specific color filter (red, green, or blue), forming a photosite. These photosites are arranged to allow the light to be blended to see the color from the image coming onto the sensor.

The red, green, and blue photosites on a sensor are generally arranged in a specific pattern known as a Bayer array (a.k.a. Bayer matrix, filter). There are also other configurations such as the Fuji X-Trans sensor (used on several of their camera models) or Sigma that uses a Foveon sensor.

With a Bayer arrangement, there are twice as many green photosites as red or blue because human vision is most attuned to resolving detail in green. This arrangement generally works well but if you think about it, on an image, a color pixel is created by blending these photosites together.

The sensor does not know how much red there is on a green sensor location or a blue sensor location so interpolation is required. This can create some artifacts in photographs if you look very closely and tends to mean that RAW images have an ever so slightly soft focus. All RAW images need some sharpening in post-processing (the green, the red and the blue for a pixel are blended together).

Bayer pattern of photosites

Static Sensors

In a regular camera without IBIS, each photosite only records the light from one color in that one spot, so the data that it records is technically incomplete. It is like a bucket that only collects light from a particular color. A cluster of light buckets in the Bayer pattern is used to create a single pixel in the digital image but within that pixel, there are two green buckets, one blue and one red.

To meld the image together and put a single color into that one pixel, the signals from the cluster of photodiodes are resolved together. The collected data is interpolated via a de-mosaicing algorithm either in-camera (jpeg) or on a computer (from a RAW image), a process that assigns values for all three colors for each photosite based upon the collective values registered by neighboring photosites.

The resulting colors are then outputted as a grid of pixels and a digital photograph is created. This is partly why RAW images have a slightly softer focus and need to be sharpened in the post-production workflow.

Moving Sensors

IBIS means that the sensors now move ever so slightly to adjust for subtle movements of a camera to keep the image stable. Some manufacturers claim that their systems are capable of stabilizing the sensor and/or lens combination for an equivalent of 6.5 stops.

Moving the sensor allows all the color photosites to record the data for each location on the sensor.

This stabilization is accomplished by micro adjustments of the position of the sensor. For sensor-shift images, those same micro adjustments are used to have each photosite exposed to the light from the single image recording. In essence, the sensor is moved around not to adjust for external perturbations but to have each portion of an image contain full-color information.

Photosites Rather Than Pixels

You may have noticed the term photosites instead of pixels. Cameras are often rated by their megapixels as a measure of their resolving power, but this is confusing because cameras do not have actually have pixels only photosites.

Pixels are in the image produced when the data from the sensor is processed. Even the term “pixel-shift” which is sometimes used, is misleading. Pixels don’t move, it is the sensors that have photosites on them that move.

In single-image capture, each photosite records data for red, green, or blue light. This data is interpolated by a computer so that each pixel in the resulting digital photograph has a value for all three colors.

Shifting Sensors

Sensor-shift cameras attempt to reduce the reliance on interpolation by capturing color data for red, green, and blue for each resulting pixel by physically moving the camera’s sensor. Consider a 2×2 pixel square taken from a digital photograph.

Conventional digital capture using a Bayer array will record data from four photosites: two green, one blue, and one red. Technically that means there is missing data for blue and red light at the green photosites, green data and red at the blue photosites and blue and green at the red photosites. To fix this problem, the missing color values for each site will be determined during the interpolation process.

But what if you didn’t have to guess? What if you could have the actual color (red, blue and green) for each photosite? This is the concept behind sensor-shift technology.

A normal resolution image.

Diving Deeper

Consider a 2×2 -pixel square on a digital photograph that is created using pixel-shift technology. The first photo begins as normal with data recorded from the four photosites. However, now the camera shifts the sensor to move the photosites around and takes the same picture again but with a different photosite.

Repeat this process so that all the photosites have all the light for each exact spot on the sensor. During this process, light data from four photosites (two green, one red, one blue) has been acquired for each pixel, resulting in better color values for each location and less of a need for interpolation (educated guessing).

A high-resolution image at the same ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

The Sony and Pentax Approach

Sony’s Pixel Shift Multi Shooting Mode and Pentax’s Pixel Shifting Resolution System operate in this manner. It is important to note that using these modes does not increase the total number of pixels in your final image. The dimensions of your resulting files remain the same, but color accuracy and detail are improved.

Sony and Pentax take four images moved one full photosite per image to create a single image. It really is simply improving color information in the image.

The Olympus and Panasonic Approach

The High-Resolution Mode of Panasonic and Olympus cameras, which both use Micro Four Thirds sensors, takes a slightly more nuanced approach, combining eight exposures taken ½ pixel apart from one another. Unlike Sony and Pentax, this significantly increases the number of pixels in the resulting image.

From a 20 megapixel sensor, you get a 50-80 megapixel RAW image. There is only a single image with no ability to access the individual images of a sequence.

What are the Advantages of Using Sensor-Shift?

Using sensor-shift technology has several advantages. By taking multiple images, knowing the color information for each photosite location and increasing the resolution you accomplish three main things. You decrease noise, reduce moire, and increase the overall resolution of the images.

Noise and Improved Resolution

By taking multiple images with a subtle change in position of the sensor, the resolution of the image goes up but so does the color information in the images. This allows similar images to allow for a greater drilling down into the image with smoother colors, less noise, and better detail.

Sensor-Shift Technology - pink gerbera daisy

A normal resolution image.

A high-resolution image.

Cropped in tight to the normal resolution image, you start to see noise showing up like grain and color variation.

Here is the same crop on the high-resolution version, the color and detail are better with less noise.

Less Moire

Moire is the appearance of noise or artifact patterns that appear in images with tight regular patterns. Newer sensors tend to have fewer issues with Moire than in the past but it will still appear in some images.

The cause of the moire tends to be related to the tight patterns being recorded and the camera having problems resolving the pattern because it is having problems with the sensor photosite patterns. The color information for the Red, Green and Blue photosites have troubles with edges in these tight patterns because not all the color for a single location is recorded.

With sensor-shift, all the color for each location is there, so moire tends to disappear.

Normal resolution image.

High-resolution Image with crop area highlighted

The cropped area on the standard resolution image – noise starting to appear (the scratches on the paper were there before).

The higher-resolution image has less noise and more detail.

So Why Not Use This for Every Image?

Well, the main reason is that you have to take multiple images of a single scene. This means that this really doesn’t work well for moving subjects. The process requires, at a minimum, four times the exposure time of single image capture. This translates into four opportunities for a part of your composition and/or your camera to move during image capture, degrading image quality.

Such constraints limit the technology’s application to still life and (static) landscape photography. Any movement in the scene being captured is going to create a blurry or pixelated area. This is a problem for landscape photography if there is a wind moving plants or clouds as well as areas where running water is present.

This also means that usually, you need to be very stable and use a tripod, although there are some clear intentions from manufacturers to make available versions that will allow for handheld shooting of the camera (Pentax has this feature).

High-resolution image shot on a tripod.

Movement artifacts are visible when viewed more closely.

Quirks of some of the systems

As sensor-shift technology has been implemented in different ways and depending upon the system used, the problems are a bit different. The main quirk is that you generally need a tripod, so no run and gun.

The Sony system has other limitations that you cannot see the image until you process the four separate images together. This means you cannot review your resolved image on the camera. In addition, due to the high pixel count on the A7R mark III, any subtle movement of the tripod is particularly noticeable on the resultant image. In order to edit the images, you also need to use proprietary Sony Software to merge the images together.

Pentax has some interesting features. Using the software application that comes with the camera allows for addressing movement by using an algorithm within the software for removing movement artifacts. This works better than software commonly used for image manipulation such as Adobe.

The Olympus system has been around a while and in the most recent iteration on the Olympus OMD EM1 Mark II, any detected movement will have those affected pixels replaced with parts of one of the single regular resolution images in areas of movement. This creates uneven resolution but makes the image look better for things like wind. It also limitations particularly if there is a lot of movement. Often the images look a little pixelated.

Standard resolution image of a tree – everything is sharp.

A high-resolution image of the same tree but it was windy… Cropped area is shown in the yellow box.

Cropped area expanded – the wind movement generated some artifacts on the image.

Limitations

The greatest challenge facing sensor-shift image capture is moving subjects. Additionally, trying to pair a strobe with a camera using pixel-shift image capture can be complicated by the speed of image capture, flash recycle limitations, and general compatibility problems. Manufacturers are aware of these problems and are working to resolve them.

Overall the Technology is Only Going to Get Better

More and more systems are using algorithms to produce these higher resolution images. As the technology matures, the implementations will get better and better results, potentially able to deal with movement and handheld conditions.

The advantage to manufacturers is that better quality images are produced without the need for really expensive high pixel density sensors (cheaper). The advantages to the user are that the images can have better noise and color information for better final results.

Happy hunting for that perfect high-resolution image!

The post Understanding Sensor-Shift Technology for High-Resolution Images appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Getty family strikes deal for majority stake in Getty Images

11 Sep

The Getty family is working to regain control of stock photo agency Getty Images, according to multiple reports published late last week. Sources claimed to Financial Times that the Getty family is working to buy back Carlyle Group’s 51% equity stake, which it acquired six years ago.

Though the terms of the deal haven’t been officially revealed, FT claims the Getty family is paying approximately $ 250 million with about $ 2.35 billion in existing debt rolling over. This is compared to the approx. $ 500 million that Carlyle Group paid years ago to acquire the majority stake.

On September 4, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Getty family confirmed a deal including both cash and “units that provide Carlyle with a continuing financial interest.” However, specific terms for the arrangement weren’t disclosed. The family confirmed to WSJ that the deal is expected to close by the end of Q3 2018.

Via: Financial Times

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon EOS R: first sample images posted

07 Sep

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Canon has formally rolled out its EOS R full-frame mirrorless system with a camera, four lenses and a trio of adapters. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to get to know the camera much better in the short and long term, but for now we’ve published our very first images with Canon’s brand new EOS R. We’ve included images shot with the RF 50mm F1.2L and 24-105mm F4L IS. We’ll be adding more images very soon.

How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

07 Sep

How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images - dandelion bright

With hundreds of thousands of photographers out shooting, how do you distinguish yourself from the pack? How do you repeatedly come home with images that make audiences everywhere gasp? One way is to use a more unique, dramatic style – backlight.

But how do you do this? In fact, it’s rather simple.

In this tutorial, you’ll find a sequence of steps for working with backlight. When you’re finished reading, you’ll have the know-how necessary to take incredible backlit photographs that everyone will love.

backlit flower - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

Step 1: Shoot early or late in the day

Backlight refers to a lighting situation when the light comes from directly behind the subject.

How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images - yellow flower and bokeh

A backlit Black-Eyed Susan.

Because backlit photography requires such a specific lighting angle, it can only be done when the sun is low in the sky. This means photographing early or late in the day.

Too early in the afternoon and the sun won’t offer much directional light. For dramatic backlighting, the sun needs to point across (and into the eyes of the photographer). But during midday, the sun points down.

Also, the golden quality of the light during morning and evening makes for a much more pleasing backlit images.

snow close up - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

I photographed this backlit snow late in the evening.

Step 2: Find a distinct subject

The subject is the focal point of your image. It is what you want to stand out, what you want to emphasize in your photograph.

interesting flower shape - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

The best subjects have distinct outlines. That is, they don’t overlap with other elements in the photograph.

A mishmash of trees? Not the greatest subject for a backlight photograph. The trees will all blend together, creating a load of messy shadows.

A single tree against the sky? Now you’re off to a great start.

Step 3: Get low

Once you’ve found your subject, it’s time to begin actually composing your image.

As mentioned above, the best backlight compositions have a distinct subject. But even if you have a relatively distinct subject, it’s important to work to further isolate your subject so that you get the strongest backlit photograph possible.

One way to isolate your subject is by getting down low.

dandelion seedhead - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

I took this photograph of a dandelion seedhead while lying on the ground. Getting down so low allowed me to isolate the individual seeds.

When you crouch, kneel or even lie on the ground, you change your perspective. Your subject seems to rise into the sky, framed against the bright sky.

This is exactly what you want. A darker subject against a brighter sky is a perfect start to a stunning backlight photograph that you can be proud of.

Step 4: Choose where to put the sun

I have a straightforward recommendation when it comes to backlit photography. That is not to include the sun in the frame.

If you do include the sun, nine times out of ten you’ll find yourself with a bright white blob in your image. That is not very photogenic at all.

Instead, try to place the sun just outside the frame. This way, you’ll still have a brilliant brightness in the sky—which I love to have in my backlight photography—without it being overpowering.

close up of tree bark - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

The sun is just outside the frame of this tree photograph.

You can also place the sun behind your main subject. This is another effective technique for hiding the sun while getting the full force of a brilliant sky.

Step 5: Expose with the main subject in mind

Exposure refers to the level of brightness in the image. In backlight photography, I recommend exposing the image in one of two ways.

First, you can create a silhouette.

flower silhouette - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

I captured this near silhouette in the late evening.

In order to do this, start by exposing for the bright sky. That is, dial back the brightness of the image so that the sky itself has some nice detail in it. If there are clouds in the sky, you should be able to see them in your image.

silhouette and bokeh of a flower - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

Because the sky is naturally so bright, dialing back the exposure will make your main subject dark, which is exactly what you want. After this, it’s a matter of tweaking the exposure to get the exact effect you’re looking for.

Second, you can expose for the main subject.

Personally, I prefer this form of backlight photography. I like to keep some detail in the main subject, while also getting that beautiful backlit glow.

white flower - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

Here, I was careful to make sure this flower photograph was light enough.

For this type of photography, I start by making sure the exposure is light enough that I can see the main subject. I don’t let it get too bright, because then the sky becomes overpowering.

Of course, feel free to take a few images and experiment with the exposure. Slightly different levels of brightness will give your photographs subtly different moods, so make sure to shoot the scene in several different ways!

In Conclusion

Creating unique images can be difficult. But by using backlight in your photographs, you’ll be able to take incredible images that will impress even the best photographers. Just be sure to shoot when the sun is low in the sky. Make sure you find a distinct subject. Place the sun out of the frame. Finally, be sure to carefully choose the brightness of your image.

Have any other tips for shooting in backlight? Let me know in the comments below.

purple flower close up - How to Use Backlight to Create Incredible Images

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4 Reasons Why You Aren’t Getting Sharp Images

04 Sep

Capturing sharp images is something most photographers aim to do, regardless of what genre you do. While it sounds easy on paper, it’s not quite as easy to come home with sharp images; especially when you are photographing in challenging conditions.

There are several reasons why you’re images aren’t as sharp as you’d like them to be but the good news is that most of them are both quick and easy to fix. In this article, we’ll look at the most common reasons and what you can do to avoid making these mistakes again.

#1 The Shutter Speed is Too Slow

The shutter speed is to blame for a lack of sharp images in 99% of the cases. A shutter speed that is too slow results in the image becoming blurry.

moody mountain scene - 4 Reasons Why You Aren’t Getting Sharp Images

A shutter speed of 1/320th of a second captured with a 24mm lens was quick enough to get this image sharp.

This is a common mistake and it’s easy to forget to change the shutter speed when you’re in the field. There’s so much to remember, right? The ISO, the aperture, composition, light… and then the shutter speed. Don’t worry though; spending time using and learning the camera will make this much easier within no time at all.

The exact shutter speed you need depends on the situation. However, a rule of thumb is to never use a shutter speed slower than 1 over the focal length for handheld photography. That means that you shouldn’t use a shutter speed slower than 1/70th of a second with a 70mm lens, or slower than 1/16th of a second for a 16mm lens.

This isn’t an exact science though and while the tip above can serve as a guideline, you still should make it a habit to zoom in on the image preview to double check if the image is sharp.

natural scene at sunset - 4 Reasons Why You Aren’t Getting Sharp Images

I used a tripod to capture this 91-second exposure

If you need to use a slower shutter speed to achieve a certain look or due to the dim conditions, it’s essential that you use a tripod. This makes it possible to increase the exposure time without worrying about the image being blurry.

#2 Your Lens is Not Good Enough

Unfortunately, an unsharp image can’t always be blamed on human error. Sometimes the camera equipment is to blame. While I often preach that camera gear won’t make you a better photographer, it is true that it does make a difference to the image quality.

A budget lens isn’t as sharp as a professional lens and sometimes this becomes quite visible. For this reason, it’s advisable to do some research about the lens before purchasing it and make sure to read what people are saying about the image sharpness.

#3 The Camera is Vibrating

So what about the times when you’re using a slow shutter with the camera placed on a tripod, and you know for a fact that the lens is good enough? The cause might be camera vibration.

road with big trees arching over - 4 Reasons Why You Aren’t Getting Sharp Images

When capturing the image above I could not for the life of me figure out why almost every image was slightly blurry when I zoomed in on the LCD screen. I used a 70-200mm with a semi-slow shutter speed, the camera was mounted on a solid carbon fiber tripod and I used a remote shutter release.

After several attempts and trying to understand what was happening I realized it was due to me not standing still when taking the image. This caused small vibrations in the unstable ground I was standing on and resulted in the camera vibrating slightly.

Camera vibration becomes more visible and is easier to cause the longer the focal length you are using. Had I used a 14mm I would most likely not have noticed it at all.

There are many reasons why you might be having some camera vibration. The example above is perhaps not the most common. It could be caused by wind, waves, the tripod is placed in a river or on a bridge, or perhaps it is from you pressing the shutter button (so get a remote trigger).

#4 The Weather is to Blame

Other times you can’t blame either yourself or the camera gear. Sometimes the weather is to blame and it makes it impossible to capture a sharp image.

The most common reason is lots of particles in the air and high temperatures. Now, I’m not going to pretend I’m smart enough to explain how this works (I’m sure someone wants to take on this task in the comments) but it’s a common issue when photographing distant subjects.

mountains in the mist - 4 Reasons Why You Aren’t Getting Sharp Images

Make sure to zoom in 100% when using a telephoto zoom to see if you’re getting sharp images.

A good practice is to use Live View and zoom into 100% magnification to check for sharpness. This should give you a good idea of whether or whether not it’s possible to capture a sharp image.

Conclusion

So I hope these tips have you to get sharp images next time you’re out shooting. Use this as a checklist of things to look out for and go over them one by one to ensure you have everything sharp.

If you have any other tips of reasons why others might be experiencing unsharp images, please share them in the comment area below.

Be sure to read my eBook The Ultimate Guide to Long Exposure Photography if you’re curious about working with slower shutter speeds.

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4 Tips for Photographing Fog to Create Mystical Images

31 Aug

There’s nothing that I’ve seen so far that compares to the ethereal and mystical beauty of capturing long exposure and photographing fog. There’s something so compelling about the soft silky texture that results from it. So much so, that photographers all over the world are constantly chasing it.

4 Tips for Photographing Fog

In fact, where I live in the Bay Area, we call these people “fog-chasers,” and they spend their days in popular local spots waiting for it to make an appearance just so that they capture this mystical geological phenomenon. The fog can create mystique and drama. It can add mood, be a soft blanket over a scene, a floor, or a wall. It can take many forms in shapes and create some very compelling photographs.

The main challenges in capturing these fog shots are:

Focus issues for getting a sharp image.
Preventing camera shake.
Preparing for the shot.

4 Tips for Photographing Fog

Tip 1 – Finding the fog

This is the most challenging aspect of doing this type of shot since as a photographer you, unfortunately, have no control over the weather. So, what I do is scour the web for weather sites that can provide me with the information I need.

I also check out the weather on the local news religiously as well as follow weathermen on Twitter and Facebook. Once the word is out that fog is on its way, webcams are the best way to monitor it on the day you want to shoot. You can see what the fog looks like and if it’ll be cooperative for the type of shot you have in mind.

4 Tips for Photographing Fog

Tip 2 – Composition

Fog, in general, has a way of turning an ordinary scene into something spectacular. For fog waves, wide landscapes with forest treetops make an interesting subject. So do iconic structures or monuments.

4 Tips for Photographing Fog

Here in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge is a local favorite. At certain times during the year, the fog gets so low that it flows beneath the arches. It serves as the perfect opportunity to cream a soft blanket from these types of long exposures.

Another local favorite is Mount Tamalpais, which consists of long ranges of hills adorned with redwood trees. The way the fog flows over the treetops creates these spectacular waves as it flows through the peak’s ridges.

4 Tips for Photographing Fog - Golden Gate bridge in the fog

Tip 3 – Use an ND Filter

Neutral Density filters are an absolute necessity for smoothing out fog and making it appear almost silk-like. The time of day will dictate the density of the filter needed. If it’s bright daylight out you’ll need something quite dark while if you’re shooting at twilight you’ll need something lighter or you may not need a filter at all.

When using an ND filter, make sure to first set up your shot using autofocus, without the filter. Then set the camera to manual focus and add the filter. This way you’ll assure the proper focus for your shot. Alternatively, you can also use back button focus.

4 Tips for Photographing Fog

Most of the time if the filter is too dark the camera will not be able to focus on a specific focal point. Also, because fog is a moving entity and puts a veil on any element in your composition the camera’s autofocus will most likely fail. Fear not and simply find something in the frame that’s sharp enough to focus on, then lock focus on that spot.

Tip 4 – Experiment with shutter speed

There are two types of fog shots that be taken from the techniques above that will produce different results based on your shutter speed.

4 Tips for Photographing Fog

A shorter shutter speed will give the fog more texture while a longer exposure will make it look silkier and smoother. You’ll need to experiment to see what looks better to you. Sometimes keeping the shutter open too long will result in the fog looking too messy and it could lose its lines and consistency.

Conclusion

Hopefully, these tips are helpful and will inspire you to get out there and experiment photography fog. The most difficult aspect of this type of photography is first finding it, then capturing it in a way that’ll showcase it as well as the scene it should be complementing.

4 Tips for Photographing Fog

In order to achieve this ND filters will help you soften the fog flow and turn it into waves. After that experimenting with shutter speeds will create various results.

In the end, it’s your aesthetic as the photographer that will dictate what is most pleasing to you. I hope that the photos that I’ve captured from the years of shooting the fog will inspire and get you on your way to becoming a fog chaser too!

4 Tips for Photographing Fog

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Tips for Doing Drone Photography and How it Improve All Your Images

28 Aug

In this article, I’ll share with you some of my experiences doing drone photography in my first month with my new flying camera. You’ll see how learning to use and fly a drone can help you improve all your photography as well.

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Getting into drone photography

A filmmaker friend of mine brought his DJI Mavic Pro (a small drone with a built-in 12-megapixel camera) to our house several months ago. I told him that I’d been thinking about all the photos I could take if I had a drone. He insisted that I try his out, so I did.

Bad move. I probably raved about it far more than was wise. My family took my enthusiasm seriously. Thus, for a combined Father’s Day/Birthday/Christmas present (since these flying cameras don’t come cheap), they got me a DJI Mavic Pro. I then owned a drone. And had no idea what to do with it.

You may be in the same situation if you’ve recently purchased a drone or are considering doing so. If you’re still determining which one to get, check out this helpful overview. Or take a look at these tips and reasons why you might want a drone.

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What we’ll focus on here are the issues no one tells you about when you do finally get a drone. Learn how to speed up the learning curve and some surprising discoveries about how using a drone can make you an overall better photographer.

Take time to learn the basics

How long it will take you to learn to fly your drone depends in part on the drone you get. With the DJI Mavic Pro, I spent time reading the manual (somewhat helpful), watching the DJI videos (more helpful) and then watching other people’s YouTube videos (super helpful).

Even if you’re a “forget the instructions, let’s get going” type of person, spend time watching some of these videos. It will be worth the effort since not everything about your drone, especially from a photography perspective, will be intuitive. Besides, you can do it while your batteries are charging.

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On most drones, the controller connects to your smartphone. Your phone’s screen becomes your remote viewfinder. Let’s state what may seem obvious but isn’t if you’ve never owned a drone.

You need a smartphone to fly most drones for photography purposes.

It took me three days of trying to get the detested DJI app (just read the app reviews and you’ll see what I mean) to work only to find that it was incompatible with my older phone. I switched to my wife’s phone and voila, everything suddenly worked.

If your drone doesn’t connect immediately once you download the app, it’s likely the app/phone combo. My advice is to focus on solving the phone/app connection first.

Starting to fly

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The first time I actually flew the drone, I freaked out seeing it go up so high. The second time, not so much. The third time, I stopped looking at the aircraft (which, DJI reminds you repeatedly, is the proper name for the device, not a drone. Drones shoot missiles and spy on terrorists. Aircraft are, well, aircraft, I guess, even if this one can fold up and fit in a purse).

Instead, I just watched the screen. That is much easier. In short, while you want to have your drone in visual range at all times so you’re aware of hazards (that’s actually the law in most areas), concentrate mostly on your screen and you’ll gain confidence in flying it faster.

Learning how to make photos

I posted my first drone shots on Instagram and found some nice folks out there who liked them and have inspired me with their own drone photos. After looking at their photos (I’m only concentrating on photos initially, videos will come later), it gave me additional ideas on how to use my aircraft as a photography tool.

Here are some of the lessons learned in my first month of flying:

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Learn to fly before you learn to shoot

This means finding a really open space and learning the controls well so don’t have to consciously think about every lever and button and what it does. You’ll have plenty of time for making photos later. Get the feel of the aircraft now.

Visualize before you take off

On the Mavic Pro, you get about 26 minutes of flying time on each battery (so definitely consider buying extras). Because of that, try to visualize your shots before you take off so you’re not spending that precious 26 minutes of battery life just flying around aimlessly.

You must realize, however, that when you first start working with a drone, everything will look different from above. Don’t worry. As you get more experienced, you’ll learn how to “read” a scene better and you’ll spend less time searching and more time setting up the shots you want.

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Shoot RAW

Consider photographing in RAW (the camera’s native format for images as opposed to JPEGs) if you know how to process them in a program light Lightroom. For me, it is too hard to see all the lighting nuances on my phone screen. RAW gives me more latitude than JPEGs for fixing later.

Consider bracketing your shots as well (if your drone has that feature) to allow for even greater flexibility with exposure.

Don’t let the initial images fool you

DJI’s RAW files look pretty bad right out of the camera. But pump up the Blacks (for contrast) and increase the Vibrancy and the images can be stunning. Overall, the camera and the Mavic Pro aircraft are surprisingly good.

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Learn the focus and metering buttons

Switching between the focus and metering buttons is easy once you locate them on the controller. Both are very useful since you get strong contrasts from the air.

At first, I blew out a lot of highlights. Once I learned to meter on the right areas of the scene, my photos improved dramatically. Start by sticking with the auto functions of the camera but quickly learn and use the other focus and metering functions available.

Consider getting a polarizer

Lessons Learned from Drone photography

A polarizing filter reduces glare but you can’t just twist it like a circular polarizer on your DSLR (it’s a bit out of reach when the drone is 300 feet above you). You can only adjust it by changing the angle of the aircraft which isn’t always helpful when composing a particular shot.

But the polarizer does protect the lens and makes the sky pop in your images. My next purchase will be some ND (Neutral Density) filters to knock down even more of the light and glare. Because you’re shooting from above, you’ll experience new angles of light that you don’t usually get with traditional photography.

Pay attention to the weather

Wind and moisture are big limiters in some areas. I recently returned from a trip to England (yes, most airlines allow drones on board as long as your batteries are in your carry-on) and was only able to fly the aircraft three times in 10 days.

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Mostly, it was either rainy (moisture will ruin your battery) or too windy. But I did learn that I can fly in more wind than I initially thought, up to about eight mph of wind. I have gotten the high wind warning on the controller (which warns you about wind, if you’re in a restricted area or are too close to an object), but otherwise, no problems. But use your own discretion as one bad gust could ruin your day and your aircraft.

Don’t fly too high

Overhead shots can become more intriguing when you limit your altitude. As the photo above of the couple reveals (shot at a height of about 12 feet/three meters), you can get great images with a drone that no one but you will even know were shot with a drone.

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Play with the color

Because sunlight is hitting the subject from a different angle than you’re used to, that will affect the color of your photos in surprising ways. Some familiar objects such as trees will be more vibrant when shot from above than from the side.

Just be prepared to experiment a good deal in your editing software with color.

Compensate for parallax

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There’s a parallax phenomenon that takes time to understand. Compare the photos of two bridges above and below. In the first, I wasn’t directly over the bridge and the photo isn’t as good as the second one where I took the time to turn the drone sideways while rotating it at the same time to get the shot lined up perfectly.

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It seems simple until you try it. But with practice, you’ll learn little tricks on how to maneuver your drone to get the shot you want. And the image stabilization, at least in my Mavic Pro, worked better than expected. Thus, if you can line up the shot, you’ll likely get a good image.

Start with photographs

As noted, I’ve held off on shooting more than quick snippets of video. Why? Because with still photography, the aircraft is essentially a floating platform that I can nudge into position. If my turns are awkward, it doesn’t matter.

But when you’re shooting video, flying is everything (or a whole lot). You want your aircraft’s movements to flow smoothly. In my first month of periodic flying, I just wasn’t experienced enough for video. But I did ask my friend Randy (who’s had a drone about as long as I have) about his experience with video.

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He noted that a) videos are smoother when you lower the frame per second rate, and b) it’s far better to keep the focus on a single element rather than panning around to capture everything at once.

Learn how to avoid obstacles

In the early stages, you’ll likely be a bit freaked out by trees or other objects that seem to reach out toward your drone. Personally, I haven’t yet gotten close enough for the aircraft to employ its obstacle avoidance procedures.

Randy tested the sensors out by flying his aircraft directly at him. He figured that unlike flying into a tree, he could move out of the way if the sensors failed. As it turns out, they worked great. The aircraft stopped a few feet before him.

You still want to fly carefully, but it is nice to know you have the sensors working for you.

Recognize the limitations of where you can fly

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There are restrictions where you can fly your drone (no national parks, no crowded areas, no flying near airports, etc.) but there are still vast regions you can explore by air that you can’t when tied to the ground. Also, scenes that look boring from the ground (a wheat field, for example), take on new possibilities when viewed from above. You just have to rethink what makes for a great image.

Try direct overhead photos

Shots taken directly overhead will likely be more intriguing to you when you first start. Remember when Instagram was first getting going? Everyone took photos of their feet because they were more enamored with the filters on Instagram than in taking great photos.

You’ll likely soon grow to improve and get better shots at angles, but as a beginner, the direct overhead shot is fun because it is a completely new way of seeing things. And don’t rule them out even as you get better. You’ll still find scenes where the direct overhead shot tells the best story.

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Compare, for example, the two shots of the wrecked fishing boat above and below. Which is better? It’s all a matter of taste, but now you have options.

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Learn to shoot at angles

Angled images are tougher to shoot at just the right height, distance and direction than direct overhead ones. But they don’t scream “DRONE SHOT” the way some higher-altitude-direct-overhead photos do.

Also, a benefit of angled shots is that you can isolate your subject from distracting foreground or background items. For example, in the shot of the ruined church above, using a drone allowed me to avoid several unwanted foreground elements.

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Photograph like a designer

Back to direct overhead shots, another benefit is that they can help you think differently about photography. You may, in fact, start perceiving the world more from a design perspective, being more aware of line, texture, patterns, and colors.

You’ll see shapes, arrangements and interesting connections you wouldn’t otherwise just because you’re viewing scenes from different heights and angles. Check out these 11 drone tips for inspiring examples of using design principles in your photography.

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The added benefits of photographing with a drone

For most photographers, a good quality drone is a luxury, not a necessity. But its greatest value isn’t just in allowing you to take photos you cannot without it. It’s helping you to make better photos even when you’re not using it simply because it will cause you to rethink how you see a scene and thus make a photo.

When I was in college, I played on the school’s tennis team. Part of the training included a class on how to teach others to play the game. For the month that the class lasted, each participant had to play using his or her non-dominant hand. Not easy.

Shooting with the drone/aircraft is similar. Because it is initially so unfamiliar, it will rewire how your brain thinks about the subject you’re photographing and how to compose the image the best way. Without a drone, your photography will likely be two-dimensional and you’ll probably continue shooting in the same way as you always have.

With a drone, you have to factor in height and different angle possibilities. That, in turn, will affect your more terrestrial shots as well since you’ll see more possibilities than you did before.

It may take time to master drone photography. But along the way, you’ll likely capture some surprising and astounding images. And best of all, you may become a better overall photographer as a result.

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How to Use Selective Color for More Dynamic Images

27 Aug

Semi black and white or selective color photos are quite effective. It’s an old trick by some photographers considered a cheap trick, nevertheless, it is a quite effective one. And just because it’s an old idea it should not hold you back from experimenting with it.

Learn How to Use the Strength of Selective Color - old ship in Denmark

A selective color photograph of the Viking ship “The Sea Stallion” in Roskilde, Denmark.

In this article, you will learn a couple of different ways to make selective color photos and you how to spot or photograph the candidates. It’s not a technique that is applicable to all photographs, but for some, it can make a big difference.

You most likely already know some famous selective color photos. A classic image is of a 7-year old boy kissing a 7-year old girl while holding a red rose, where the flower is the only thing in color. Or a photo of a red bicycle, and everything else but the bicycle is black and white.

These examples are probably part of the reason the technique is considered a cheap trick.

street in europe at night with orange lights - Learn How to Use the Strength of Selective Color

Background information

Before diving into the technique, you might want to know the theory. The pioneer landscape photographer Ansel Adams used a technique in his darkroom to change the exposure locally on various parts of a photo. This way he could make some areas brighter and others darker.

The human eye naturally seeks the brighter parts of a photo and by using this knowledge, Ansel Adams could emphasize what he wanted and guide the viewer around in his photos. This technique is called dodging and burning.

selective color landscape scene - Learn How to Use the Strength of Selective Color

You can use a similar technique with colors. Just as the human eye is attracted to bright areas in an image, it is also attracted to more saturated areas. In this way, it is very similar to dodging and burning. You can use this as a tool to guide the viewer’s eye around a photo.

Just to be clear: It is the difference in saturation that the eye can spot not just high saturation. If you have even saturation all over your photo, you can’t control the eye through color. Increasing or decreasing the overall saturation will not change that situation and if everything gets too saturated it often becomes painful to look at.

If you only turn up the saturation on certain objects of interest in your photo, the eye will seek those out. This way you will be able to guide the viewer to the important objects in your photo.

Chicago the Bean - Learn How to Use the Strength of Selective Color

You can achieve the same effect by decreasing the saturation from everything else but the subject. If you go to the extreme end and completely remove all color, except a few elements, you will have a semi-black and white or selective color photo.

By using this technique you will create stronger photos.

The classic technique to create selective color photos

You can create the classic “boy kisses girl” or “red bike” photographs, but you can also go searching for something else. This example is from the famous Nyhavn in Copenhagen. These old houses are very colorful, which can look great, but also can be quite an eyeful of colors.

row of houses in Copenhagen - Learn How to Use the Strength of Selective Color

By removing colors from all houses except the two yellow ones, the attention is strong on those two houses. Any house or two houses picked to be saturated, would attract attention, but the two picked are good candidates, because:

They are both the same color, which creates balance.
They are approximately the same size, which also adds to creating balance.
Most importantly, they have symmetrical placement in the photo.

Composition

Notice that the houses are placed the same distance from the edge of the frame. That emphasizes the composition and makes it a stronger photo than most other available choices.

Notice also that the windows between the two yellow houses have some color. That is a spice that allows the viewer to discover more subtle details, making the image more interesting to look at.

Learn How to Use the Strength of Selective Color

You can use the selective color approach to create a different kind of composition within your photo. You can plan this when you are photographing. Or, as I did in this case, you can discover it when you post-process the photos. It is the final result that counts, not the path you chose to get there.

The next photo is a similar example from a metro station. Again you can see the clearly separated colored stairs. Just like before, you can also find a little spice in the blue color added to the stairs. You can do that kind of trick to make the image more intriguing.

red and blue stairs - Learn How to Use the Strength of Selective Color

If you want to create photographs like these, search for something that you can make stand out. Then frame it, like it was more or less the only object within the frame. You have to think of it as a very simple composition, even if it is a busy scene.

When you desaturate the rest of the image, the balance will change. The colored elements will be the primary focus points, regardless of everything else in the photo.

How to make a classic selective color photo

There are several ways to do this, in this example, you will learn an easy-to-learn approach in Adobe Lightroom. First, you have to find the photo that you want to work on and then follow these steps.

Step 1 – Go to the Development Module

Lightroom Develop - How to Use Selective Color for More Dynamic Images

Step 2 – Pick the Adjustment Brush tool

Step 3 – Set brush settings

At first, make sure you have edge detection (Auto Mask) disabled and the brush is at 100% flow and 100% density. Then reset all settings (double-click on the word Effect) except Saturation, which you will then set to -100.

Step 4 – Paint everything black and white

How to Use Selective Color for More Dynamic Images

Step 5 – Switch to the Erase brush

Step 6 – Paint in the objects you want to have color

Set the size of the brush to something that is fitting for your subject and paint roughly over it. The Erase Brush will remove the black and white, and you will get a colored object.

Step 7 – Zoom in and make sure you have the edges right

Next Zoom in (press Z) and switch between the Brush and the Erase Brush to make a perfect edge.

Depending on your photo, you may have to use either Feather at 0 or you may be able to use Auto Mask, which is the automatic edge detection. In this case, the Auto Mask cannot figure out the edge and I had to use a brush at 0 Feather (hard edge brush).

How to Use Selective Color for More Dynamic Images

Remove some colors

You can also use a different approach. Instead of limiting the colors to a specific object, you can remove certain colors. This approach works well on photos that have unwanted colors or a color cast.

In the example below of the Vikingship, the photograph was shot during the blue hour. Because the blue light reflects in the snow it becomes too much and it is not flattering. By removing the Blues and the Cyan/Aquas the photo changes and becomes a piece of fine art. Use the HSL panel to do this.

How to Use Selective Color for More Dynamic Images - before and after images

Just by removing blue and cyan/aqua a photo can become a piece of fine art.

This technique gives photos that have a much more complex separation between the black and white and the colored elements and the viewer can go searching for details. In the photo above, you can find a second Viking ship with Christmas lights on in the background.

Here’s another example from The Scoop in London. There was a light drizzle, which was enough for the blue light to shine and appear to glow into the air. By removing all other colors than blue and purple the photo is changed dramatically.

This third photograph below is from a train station in Geneva.

If you study the photos you can see the colored selections are much more complex and not something you can do by hand.

The photograph from London is about the shape of The Scoop. The original photograph had an orange sky, which did not work well with the blue light of The Scoop. By using the selective color black and white technique, the focus is on The Scoop.

How to remove individual colors

You can very easily remove specific colors in Adobe Lightroom. Find the photo you want to work with.

Step 1 – Go to the Develop Module

How to Use Selective Color for More Dynamic Images

Step 2 – Go to the HSL module

HSL panel
Play with pulling some of the sliders to zero and leaving some at 100. You may have to dial several of the sliders to zero to achieve the desired effect.

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6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds for Creative Images

26 Aug

There are many options when choosing backgrounds for your portraits. You can pretty much do anything you want. The key to remember though is lighting and positioning your subjects in relation to that background.

Whether that be natural or artificial lighting, outdoors or indoors, it is vitally important to understand how light also affects your background and not just the subject of your portrait.

#1 Busy or patterned background

6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds You Can Use for Your Images - busy patterned background

Before you look at various types of backgrounds, I’d encourage you to experiment. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or to try your ideas out. That was what I did with the portraits above. I wanted to see how a portrait could look using a busy background in my own home. I decided to use LED lights for these and moved either the subject or the light around depending on how I wanted the background to look.

Backgrounds can either strengthen your portraits by directing focus toward your subject or vice versa. If the background is too busy such as the one above right, (I feel there is a weaker focus on the girl) make sure your light draws focus towards the subject rather than the lighting the background too much.

I didn’t want the background to be completely dark, however, as I wanted to capture the fairy lights in the fireplace as well as the detail of the wallpaper and other decors. To achieve this, I shot with a small aperture for greater depth of field and put my subject closer to the background. All of these required balancing the exposures in post-processing.

The photo on the left also has a very busy background – a patterned wallpaper. However, unlike the busy photo of the right, I didn’t want to emphasize the pattern but planned to use it as a blurry background. In order to achieve this effect, I shot with a shallow aperture and positioned my subject away from the wall.

#2 Dark textured background

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The above set is another one of my experiments. This time I wanted to use textured fabrics in a natural way as a backdrop.

The lighting I used for these portraits was a simple window light coming from the side. The choice of dark fabrics was because I wanted to draw attention to the face and keep everything else rather minimal but rich in texture.

In contrast to the busy patterned background, I reigned in the color palette here to just browns and skin tones. They are simple portraits but are very rich in texture.

#3 Bright background

6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds You Can Use for Your Images - bright background kids photos

When I do outdoor family shots, this is one of my go-to-backgrounds. I look for bright spaces which are not the sky but are brighter than the subject such as foliage, trees, and leaves showing the bright sky behind it.

As long as it’s bright but is not the sky, it’s fine to use. The most important thing to remember is to put your subject in front of the bright background and expose for their face. This means the background gets brighter and the face is properly exposed. Use a flash to light the face if you want but as long as you properly expose the face, the image looks right.

6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds You Can Use for Your Images - kids photos by trees

Another thing to remember is to avoid having any dappled light on your subject’s face. The background can be dappled such as the trees with the light coming through on these the images above but never on the faces. That would more often than not, ruin your image unless you are intentionally doing so in an artistic shot, for example.

#4 Plain dark or light background

kids with dark background - 6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds You Can Use for Your Images

Plain backgrounds whether they be light or dark or mid-tone in color, make for classic portrait shots. You can’t go wrong with them as long as you know what you are doing with your lighting.

In the portraits above, I simply used a dark wall and window light for the main light. I put a reflector on camera right to bounce some of the light. That’s it.

dps-portrait-background-examples

The portraits above were shot in the client’s kitchen where they had a bench by the wall. It was perfect for some quick natural and fun portraits of the children for as long as they sat still! The lighting here was merely the window and skylight on the far right and a weak bounced fill flash behind me on camera left.

My main tip when shooting plain backgrounds is to match the lighting to the background so that if the background is light, then the subjects tend to be lit in the same strength. Similarly, when the background is dark, then I tend to light the subject with a moodier tone.

6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds You Can Use for Your Images - kids on light background

Although this is a personal preference, technically I prefer an even contrast between the subject and the background.

#5 White seamless background

white background portrait of a boy - 6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds You Can Use for Your Images

Contrary to what many people believe, a pure white background is not so easy to achieve. What I mean by that is that you can’t just set up a white background and your subject, take a picture, and you have your nice clean white seamless background. If you do this, you’ll end up with a light grey or off-white, rather muddy background.

Actually, in order to get that bright white background, you have to light the background and light your subject as well.

If you want to learn how to do this properly, read this article I have written and it will show you a step-by-step process of achieving a clean white seamless background – 3 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Shooting on a White Background.

#6 Fake background

fake background kids photos - 6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds You Can Use for Your Images

Yes, you can fake a background in Photoshop!

The photos above were shot on a plain dark wall similar to #4 and then I added textures in Photoshop afterward. You do need a separate image of a texture to overlay on the dark wall.

You can see how this is done on this article here I have written on adding overlays: Basic Photoshop Tutorial – How to Add Creative Overlays to Your Portraits

sun flare portrait - 6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds You Can Use for Your Images

Another way of faking it in Photoshop is by adding a sun flare. The background here was just a plain white wall but it was shot in a windowless room with very little ambient light. I used a flash at camera-left to mimic window light. In post-production, I added sun flares so it looks like the girl is sitting next to a window.

Here is an article where you can learn ways on how to add sun flares to your photos in post-production; 2 Quick Ways to Add a Sunflare in Photoshop

I hope this article has helped you in choosing backgrounds for your portraits. If you have any other ideas you wish to share, please do so in the comments below.

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