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How to Use Lightroom to Learn Composition in Photography

06 Jul

If you want more Lightroom help from Viktor, get 50% OFF his Four Seasons Lightroom Preset Collection, on now at Snapdeals (only until July 19th, 2016)

When you start learning about photography, the whole process can be overwhelming with its complexity. But, when you break it down into smaller pieces that you can tackle one at a time, you quickly realize that photography isn’t rocket science at all. By then, it’s only a matter of time before you understand the whole picture, and are comfortable with the different aspects and techniques.

Images Composition in Lightroom 01

I still find one aspect of photography is more challenging than the rest, however. That is composition, which is difficult to learn and even more difficult to teach.

Why? The main reason is because of its subjective nature. It is not easy to quantify composition. In other words, there is no right or wrong; everything is open to interpretation. As a result, learning and mastering composition is usually a long and gradual process.

I want to share with you an exercise that you can perform using Lightroom, in the comfort of your home, that can accelerate the composition learning cycle. This approach was incredibly helpful in building my comfort with, and understanding of composition, in my photography. I hope you find it useful too.

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The way I approach composition today is different, compared to my approach five years ago. The reason for that is because of new publishing channels.

As a photographer who runs a popular blog dedicated to travel photography, I have multiple channels where I publish my photographs. It all begins on the blog, then moves to social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, G+, and Pinterest. Plus, I often prepare an extra version for printing purposes as well.

Typically, different publishing channels require different versions of the same photograph. For example, if the original photograph has a landscape orientation with the aspect ratio of 3 x 2, Instagram requires a square 1 x 1 version, and Pinterest requires a vertically oriented image. I might need a panoramic version for print.

Even though creating multiple versions of the same photo with meaningful composition takes more time and effort, I find this exercise is extremely valuable in learning and mastering composition in photography.

Exercise in a Real Life Scenario

I took this photo just after the sunrise on O’ahu Island in Hawaii.

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From the very beginning, I could see the potential of the scene and was confident that I would use it on my blog, and maybe even in my portfolio.

I intentionally took the shot of the scene wider than I would want for a regular 3 x 2 landscape composition. I left some room to have more freedom when creating different versions for publishing. I have no problem with cropping and trimming my photographs in post-processing, because 24 Mpx sensor on my Sony a6000 gives me enough pixels even for very aggressive cropping.

I started the editing process by applying few of my favorite presets from my Landscape collection, and when I was happy with the result I started working on composition.

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First, I set up the Crop tool Overlay options, setting it to Golden Ratio. I know that Thirds is the most popular option among visual guides, but I find that Golden Ratio helps me to create more balanced compositions.

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You can also scroll through the various overlay options by repeatedly hitting the O key on your keyboard, until you find the one you want.

I set the aspect ratio to 2×3 and lock it.

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I create my first version by simply making the composition tighter.

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Version 1 – Aspect Ratio 3 x 2

When I am happy with the result I use the Snapshot functionality of Lightroom to save my version as a new Snapshot, and name it 3 x 2.

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Then, I move on to the next version.

Version 2 – Aspect Ratio 1 x 1 (Instagram)

Version 3 – Aspect Ratio 2 x 1

Version 4 – Aspect Ratio 4 x 3

Version 5 – Aspect Ratio 16 x 9

Version 5 – Aspect Ratio 3 x 4 (Pinterest)

When I am done I have the Snapshot Panel filled with six newly saved versions (snapshots).

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Another alternative is to use the Virtual Copy functionality for each version I create. bu I prefer the Snapshot panel, which makes Lightroom less cluttered.

Now, I can review each version by clicking on an individual Snapshot version, and if I am happy with the results, I am ready to start publishing.

Conclusion

The only way to learn composition in photography is to practice on a regular basis. I highly recommend the exercise I outlined above. Make a habit of creating at least two extra versions for each photograph you edit, one for Instagram and another for Pinterest. I can guarantee you it will help you to accelerate the process of learning.

If you want more Lightroom help from Viktor, get 50% OFF his Four Seasons Lightroom Preset Collection, on now at Snapdeals (only until July 19th, 2016)

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The post How to Use Lightroom to Learn Composition in Photography by Viktor Elizarov appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Tips for Successful Star Trails Photography

06 Jul

Star trail photography – not so difficult with the correct planning and appropriate gear

In this short article I will show you, the night sky enthusiastic, that by using the right gear and proper planning, you too can make beautiful star trail photo.

Actually, shooting the stars is not that much different from any other kind of photography, and a decent composition is the key to an outstanding photo. Here are some star trail photography tips to help you.

Camera pointed to North/North-West with an artificially lit foreground.

Prepare your gear

A DSLR camera (or one that has Manual shooting mode) with fully charged battery.
Plenty of room on your memory card. I suggest shooting all in RAW as you’ll get better results later in post-processing.
A wide angle lens. Anything between 10-20mm will give you good results. You can shoot also with a longer focal length but the results will be less impressive. Using a wide aperture is also essential to allow lower ISO.
A strong, steady, tripod. When placing it, make sure nothing will cause it to shiver from a passing wind.
A remote control (preferably not wireless). If you have a way to program intervals in your camera, the remote is not necessary.
Stuff to help you pass the time – coffee set, snacks, a comfortable chair, etc.

Camera pointed to North with an artificially lit foreground .

Planning ahead

Before going out there, you must consider there is some planning needed to be done.

Choose your location carefully (there is no place for spontaneity). There are several things to consider, but most importantly you need a dark location, as far as possible from light polluted areas. Consider that city halos are visible at night for a very long distance, so get as far as possible from light sources. The darker the area you’re, the more stars you’ll see.
Consider an interesting foreground item to be used as your anchor in the photo. It is not enough to shoot the stars, you want to have a nice foreground to make your photo interesting and unique. Find yourself a big tree, an interesting rock formation, a pier on a lake, or any other item to be used as your anchor.
Learn about the weather and the moon phases – to get a good, clean shot you need a good, clear, dark sky. Choose that period of the month when the moon is not visible in the night sky (or is smaller like crescent moon), and make sure the forecast does not predict too many clouds. High humidity is also not good, as it may accumulate on your lens and result in blurry frames.
Consider the rotation of the stars and the Earth, as this will determine the appearance of the final result. The best results (in my opinion) will be achieved by shooting to the North (photo above) or to the South-East (photo below). Since Earth and the North Star are moving in the same direction, at the same pace, it appears as if all stars are rotating around the North Star, so having it in your frame will result in getting circles of stars. Shooting to the South-East will grant you with an almost horizontal line, that is concave in one corner and convex in the opposite corner. The stars rotation speed is 15 degrees per hour around the North Star. That means that stars closer to the North Star will make a shorter distance in comparison to those further away (also, the longer you’ll shoot, the longer the lines will be).

Camera pointed to South-East with foreground lit by surrounding light pollution.

Getting started

#1 Pick a foreground anchor

Although you may want to show as much of the night sky as possible, it cannot stand alone. Your photo must rely on a “strong” anchor / foreground if you want your viewers to be really impressed.

#2 Get there before dark

In most cases, it will be quite difficult, to the verge of impossible, to build your composition at night, in total darkness. It is better to arrive before night falls and it gets too dark to see. The last minutes of the day are your best time to plan and build your composition.

#3 Compose your shot

This is now the moment you place your camera and composing your frame. Remember to consider not only the appearance of your foreground in the frame, but also the direction that the camera is facing (as explained above).

Camera pointed to North/North-West lit by surrounding light pollution. Trails looks fragrant due to passing clouds.

Camera pointed to North/North-West lit by surrounding light pollution. Trails looks fragmented due to passing clouds.

#4 Shoot for the foreground

Take the first shot which will be used as the foreground of the frame. If you want your foreground to be a silhouette then all is good. But, if you want details to be shown, you will need to have at least one frame lit up. This can be achieved if few ways

Shooting one frame during twilight
Use a high ISO and longer exposure
Using an outside light source such as flash (it is good to use a CTO gel for the right color temperature). Your goal here is to get one frame that has good detail of your chosen foreground. It is better to take few options using different ISO level / exposure time / lightning options to be able to choose the best result afterward. When satisfied, you can move on to do a test frame of the sky.

#5 Setup and test camera settings for the night sky

Change the settings of the camera to get the best result for the night sky, without interference of light pollution. You need to see as many stars as possible, and to make sure they are in focus. The camera needs to be in Manual mode (or Bulb if using intervals). White Balance needs to be decided by you, and not on Auto mode (preferably in Tungsten mode, it will give you more blue in your image). Aperture set as wide as possible and an exposure time of around 30 seconds (with intervals you can set it to longer, but not more than a minute, for the sake of your sensor – it gets too hot).

You can change the ISO to get lighter or darker sky as needed, but not too high to keep a smooth, clean frame. Once satisfied with the result, keep the settings and erase these test frames (just make sure to keep the foreground frames you did in step #4 above).

#6 Take a couple dark frames

Camera pointed to South-East with foreground lit by surrounding light pollution coming from behind.

Take one or two dark frames. This is done by putting on the lens cap, and shooting with the settings you chose in step #5 above. These frames will be used later in post-processing. Make sure you remove the cap once you’re done this part!

#7 Take your interval shots

Lock the shutter release controller or press start if doing intervals. Wait to see that it works properly, and a new exposure starts immediately after one ends. Now it’s time to let the camera work for as long as you decided, while you rest or go do something else, but make sure you keep a distance and are not adding light into your camera or composition. For a good result, it is advised to shoot for at least two hours, especially when shooting to the North.

#8 Take two more dark frames

Once your intervals are finished, before moving the camera, repeat on step 6 and take a couple more dark frames.

This is it, YOU made it! All is finished and you can go back home for the post-processing part.

Post-processing star trails

First, from the foreground frames, choose the one that looks the best and process it to your liking. In this frame you can ignore the look of the sky, and if possible, it’s even better to darken it. When you’re happy with it, convert to JPEG or TIFF.

A frame taken during blue hour to be used as foreground.

Next, move on to the sky frames. Process the first one to improve the appearance and visibility of the stars. In this frame you can ignore the look of the foreground, and if possible, it’s better to darken it. Synchronize your settings to the rest of the sky frames. Export or convert the files to JPEG or TIFF.

One of the frames taken for the stars.

If you did any lens corrections, apply them also to the dark frames, then convert them to the same format as the sky frames.

Move on to the software you use for combining the frames – you can choose StarStax (Mac and Windows) or Startrails (Windows only) which are both free, very easy, and efficient. Upload the frames to their dedicated location (dark frames goes separately – the software is using them to subtract burned pixels from the final result).

The result of merging all the sky frames in Starstax.

The foreground frame can be handled in one of two ways – (a) placed together with all other sky frames or (b) left aside for merging it later to the final result, in Photoshop.

If you are working with StarStax, I recommend marking the Gap Filling option (in Startrails it is called: Lighten-screen-blend). It will make the processing time a bit longer, but the final result will be smoother.

If you chose to add the foreground image in when stacking the sky image, the result you’ll get is the final one and you may need only some fine-tuning to be done in Photoshop. Due to the time passed from the shooting of the foreground frame to the sky frames, you will notice a dot in front of every trail. These are the stars captured in the foreground frame. I see them as an interference in the overall look and erase them one by one.

If adding the foreground image in Photoshop later was your choice, then now is the time to put it all together. Load the foreground frame and the star trail frame as layers in Photoshop, and merge them into one using a layer mask. This option is better when the sky in the foreground frame is too bright.

The final frame after cleaning up any disturbing lights in the sky, and merging with the foreground.

The post Tips for Successful Star Trails Photography by Amir Ehrlich appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Equipment Tips for Quick and Efficient Studio Product Photography

05 Jul

In this article I’m going to discuss the equipment you will need to create great product photography. I built my setup to provide great versatile lighting, speed, and the ability to cut out the product in post production very quickly and accurately. This setup can be used for still life, food, fine art and even some macro work.

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When I first started doing product photography I was hired by a company to reshoot their entire 3200 piece inventory. Needless to say that was a HUGE job, and speed and efficiency was paramount. I had previously not done more than a few dozen parts at one time for a client, so I really was not set up to undertake a job of this scale. I was going to have to rethink a lot of things, and I knew I was going to need additional studio equipment. The words, “Not going to happen” were not going to come out of my mouth, as I wanted the challenge and the learning experience. Many of the things I implemented for that specific job are still in use for my product photography today. This tips in this article are a good base to start if you are an aspiring product photographer.

Requirements of a product setup

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Here is what I felt were the most important things to plan for to make this job happen.

Speed – to be able to quickly move through multiple angles of a single product, and to adapt quickly to the next product.
Versatile light – lighting that can stay constant for similar groups of products, but remain flexible enough to quickly shift to get proper exposure.
Cut-out ease – the ability to knock out a product from the background quickly in post-production, and place a product on pure white without having to open the image in Photoshop.

With this list in mind you find yourself smack dab in the crosshairs of a shooting table. There really is no other way around it. This is why a shooting table works so well for this type of setup.

1. Speed

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A platform is needed when you want to quickly move products in front of your camera and then off the set. Why not make it a platform that is specifically made for photography? The seamless background of a shooting table means less fussing around with intersecting lines that is typical with most background setups, and you won’t have to spend much time with product placement within the scene. That alone will speed up your shoots.

2. Versatile light

You can bounce light off the white shooting table, or better yet light the table from below, causing it to glow. Another great thing about a shooting table is that it’s white. White is a great way to control the shadows of a product. If I had it my way I would have the product completely enshrouded in white light or reflectors, then introduce shadows that add shape and dimension via black cards for the ultimate control. That unfortunately isn’t going to happen, but a white table is a great start.

Table with light coming from below.

Table with light from above.

3. Remove background quickly in post-production

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Nice clean light, easy to cut-out product shot.

No one wants to sit around using the Quick Selection tool in Photoshop, refining the edge, seeing the horrible job that tool does, and then finally having to use the much more labor intensive Pen tool to mask out the background. It’s far easier to get this done in camera, or at least give yourself a huge head start. The time you will save with this method will add up very quickly, and will give you a more natural look.

A shooting table

A shooting table is the first place to spend your money. There are many different tables out there but after all my research I found the Foba DIMIU shooting table to be the perfect solution for me.

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It is a large shooting area, a long sweeping seamless Plexiglas surface that allows you to light from above or below it, the table frame features 4 – æ inch studs at each corner that can be used for various attachments such as arms and brackets to hold cards, product or lights.

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The table is lightweight, can be moved around the studio with ease, and is easy to assemble. I raised the height of my table by using 6×4 lumber cut into blocks, and some bed risers.

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At $ 1,544 I realize that the price might keep it out of a lot of hands. But, don’t fret, a more affordable option can be found, like the Manfrotto large still life table for $ 811. If you’re planning on shooting only small products, the Manfrotto mini table at $ 480 is an option as well. Keep in mind, if you think you might have large products in the future, spend the money now and get the largest table you can afford.

Lighting

Lighting is the next thing to consider. The type of system you choose is going to make a pretty big difference when it comes to shooting your actual products. You will ultimately be choosing between two main types of light; a constant (continuous) light system or a studio strobe (flash) system.

A constant light setup is going to be much easier if you’re just starting out with product photography. With a constant light system the learning curve is exponentially smaller. The benefits of What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) light cannot be overstated. I am going to go out on a limb to make a broad statement and say that if you are reading this article for help with your product photography, then you likely do not have the experience needed to employ studio strobes as your light source.

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Even if you have some experience with strobes, unless you have two to three years or more of shooting strobes in a product environment, do yourself a huge favor and get continuous lights. You will be amazed at how much, and how quickly you will learn when you use constant light. Plus there are some added benefits of using a constant light:

No tether equipment. You do not have to control the lights with a radio transmitter, by placing the light in optical slave mode, or by a cable like you do with studio strobes. They will always be on, ready to make pictures.
You can use them as video lights if you want to get into motion for product shots.
They are a far superior light learning tool, even for more advanced photographers. In my opinion this reason alone is why you want go with constant light.

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Okay great, you are going to take my advice and get some constant light. My recommendation would be the Westcott Spiderlite TD6 system for the following reasons:

They are bright.
The fluorescent bulbs stay cool. A huge deal when you are stuffed in a studio with no windows.
The included bulbs are daylight balanced and can be mixed with light from a window.
Option to use tungsten halogens (not sure why you would because those bulbs run so hot).
Westcott has plenty of light modifiers for shaping your light.
Light output is controllable in 33% increments with three switches.
Solid build, with all metal heads and quality light modifiers.

When I bought the kit from Westcott it came with the Spiderlite TD6 head, six 50w fluorescent bulbs, a tilter bracket, and the 36×48 softbox. I paid $ 700 per light, and bought two of those kits for a grand total of $ 1400.

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There is some good news though. At the time of writing this article, there is a Westcott promo kit that comes with two of everything, two heads, two brackets, two sets of bulbs, and two softboxes, one is the 36×48 the other is a strip 12×36. The kit is going for $ 799. A fantastic buy for this lighting system.

If that is still a little more than you want to spend, then there are some other options for lighting. Impact has a kit that has light heads, stands, bulbs, and modifiers for about $ 265. But as my grandfather always said, you can’t afford to buy something twice. If product photography is something you are going to do, pay for the quality of Westcott. It will last, day in and day out.

My TD6 lights are used primarily as my key (main) and fill lights. I still need to be able to light my shooting table. For that I turned to some reflectors.

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I went with two 16″ reflectors from Flashpoint, for $ 70 a piece. These sit under my raised shooting table and shine straight up through the bottom to blow out my table top.

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Light stands

Now is a good time to talk about support. Supporting your lights should be carefully considered, and you need to ensure you don’t skimp here. I have a story to help illustrate this point. While doing a product shot for a client I was moving about the studio, and I brushed past my lights on my way back to my camera. Before I could turn around and look at the scene I heard a crash. My light had toppled over, hit the table, knocked the product off balance, and it hit the floor and broke. It was a bottle of wine. I was left with a huge mess to clean up, a broken bottle that needed to be replaced, and a bill from the client for the unreturned product. It could have been worse, but not by much. Invest in your light stands. Get good ones and weigh them down properly with sandbags.

You are going to want to use some sort of a C-Stand. Whether it be a turtle base (removable legs from the center column) a rocky mountain C-stand (a stand with one leg that can go up and down the center column) or a super C-stand (extra heavy duty) invest in a C stand for your large lights. Also, always have sandbags handy to weigh the C-stands down once you bring them onto your set.

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For the price of $ 129 per stand from Adorama, for their Flashpoint C-stand with turtle base is pretty great, I couldn’t be more pleased. It has been a fantastic solid stand for my large TD6 lights.

The other stand that I bought was a lot less mission critical, it was for my reflectors. I bought a few Manfrotto Nanopole stands which bottom out at 20″, and can go as high as six feet. They are not meant for anything too heavy, but they do the small stand job perfectly.

So, we touched on all the main equipment needed to make a successful product photography set. Do you have any other tips to add? What do you use for product photography? If you have any questions please ask in the comments below.

The post Equipment Tips for Quick and Efficient Studio Product Photography by Jacob Macias appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Fighting the elements: Landscape photography in Antarctica

03 Jul

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When most photographers want a new accessory or piece of gear to help them get a shot, they can usually pick it up at a local store or online. But when you’re a photographer living in Antarctica, you have to be a little more resourceful.

Josh Swanson has spent 16 seasons working in Antarctica and photographing its landscapes. Starting with a disposable film camera and now shooting with a Nikon DSLR, Swanson has learned the ins and outs of shooting panoramas in one of the most unforgiving environments on earth.

For example, when he began running into issues with elements in his panoramas not aligning correctly, he discovered that a specialized bracket would help sort things out. He tells Resource Travel, ‘…being on the ice I was not able to get one (planes don’t regularly arrive during the winter which means no mail service). I ended up just building one. It worked for the season, although I later replaced it with a manufactured one for that had degree increments etc. for faster more accurate pans.’

As you’d expect, he’s also had trouble with LCDs freezing and battery life plummeting in the cold weather. He tells Kira Morris, a fellow photographer and former Antarctic resident, all about it over at Resource Travel.

Read ‘A Look Inside the Darkness of the Sub-Zero Antarctic Winter’ on Resource Travel

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Weekly Photography Challenge – Stars

02 Jul

Night photography is something that goes beyond the average snapshot, something many beginners shy away from because it seems difficult. But the results of learning how to do night photography, especially of stars is well worth the time and effort required.

By Olli Henze

Weekly Photography Challenge – Stars

If you need some help with night and astral photography here are some dPS articles to get you started:

Two Methods for Shooting Star Trails Made Easy
How to Shoot a Star Trails Selfie
Single Image Star Trails – a Powerful Technique to Create Star Trails in Minutes Using Photoshop
Photographing Stars Using a Kit Lens
How to do Milky Way Photography: A Comprehensive Tutorial
How to Photograph the Full Band of the Milky Way
Down and Dirty Guide to Milky Way Photography
How to Photograph the Stars

By Howard Ignatius

By DAVID MELCHOR DIAZ

By Jeff Krause

Share your images below:

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer upload them to your favourite photo sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

By Wayne Stadler

By Alistair Nicol

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Stars by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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How to Use a Travel Photography Shot List to Come Home with Better Photos

01 Jul

Checking off your travel photo list Want to bring back travel photos that your friends actually enjoy viewing on Facebook? Want to make sure you don’t miss anything when visiting a new culture? Then it’s time to make a list!

We all have our easy ruts we fall into when photographing, but travel, for me, is about expanding my view. That’s why I take a travel shot list and try my darnedest to get at least one of each shot when visiting a new location.

What’s on my list?

Here are some tips for you to help make a travel photography shot list for your next trip. Feel free to use my list and add to it with your own ideas.

1 – People – old, young, and in-between

Spread out your people photos between age ranges. I’ve seen a bazillion images of old ladies from Cuba, while often missing are people like me; middle aged and fairly normal, even a bit boring. Round out your people photos with more variety, is all I am saying.

What’s not to love about those shoes and that smile?

Kids are an easy target as they often love having their picture taken. You will need to be aware, though, that not all parents wish for their children to be photographed. That’s the crux of it; parents worry how the images this stranger just took will be used. Sometimes all it takes is a simple “Hello” first to the parents to gauge if taking photos is okay. If language is a barrier, you can also point to your camera, then to the children with an inquisitive look on your face. Either way, no matter the answer, respect the parent’s choice.

Kids playing in Inca ruins, Peru

Street scene in Delhi, India with people my age.

People watching at the Red Fort, Delhi, India

2 – Food – preperation, presentation, social aspect

Food brings us together. It’s a basic need we can all relate to, even if we don’t know exactly what we are about to eat.

Inside the commercial sized kitchen at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India

Don’t just shoot the Instagram-worthy image of a plate of the amazing new delicacy you are experiencing, find a way to shoot the preparation of food. Get behind the counter (where it’s allowed) to see how it’s cooked, and where it comes from. As you plan to share these photos (why else are you taking them?), you may find that a large, and often hidden, swath of your friends and followers have a strong interest in food prep.

The full kitchen at a monastery, high in the Himalayas of Nepal

3 – Architecture – old, new, juxtaposed

In some locations the old and the new architecture matches, Bhutan comes to mind. I watched artisans paint a brand new home with traditional patterns and motifs from the nearby 400 year old monastery. Everything there fit a certain style.

Looking up at the Punakha Temple, Bhutan

Then we have countries making vast changes from the old style to what constantly evolves as modern – think of Tokyo or Dubai. Look for the differences even where you think there is just one style.

4 – Water – how is it used?

While food brings us together, water is even more vital to our lives. In California we are familiar with our current drought, but forget that not every place has this problem. Some places are quite extravagant with their use of water, while it is a scarcity in others.

Scarcity of water in Kathmandu means water lines, while a woman in Varanasi, India, washes her clothes in the river.

How do the locals use water? Do they wash their laundry in the rivers? Are there fountains everywhere? Are their cities built along waterways, or with vast ports?

An infinity pool 23 stories up in the Burj al-Arab, Dubai, UAE

Old water storage tank overflowing and leaking

In the woods of Oregon, there is often way too much water.

5 – Transportation – private and public

How do people get around? At home we have our patterns, and often don’t see the other forms of transport we might use. But when you travel, it will hopefully be obvious how the people there transport themselves.

Tuk-tuks in Amritsar, India, are the easiest way to get around town.

It might a passel of buses, camels, rickshaws, taxis, or Maseratis.

Also, how are goods moved? Does your location have shipping traffic and a lot of cargo? From continent to continent, the methods for moving goods from here to there can be vastly different.

Boating along the Ghanges River in Varanasi, India

6 – Commerce – macro and micro

When I think of macro-commerce I think of things like whole industries like: agriculture, tourism, and banking.

With micro- commerce, I think of markets and vendors, where money actually changes hands. Who’s selling what, and who is buying? Is there a special technique to transactions?

Try to capture both the large scale, and intimacy of commerce, and show how things may be very similar, or very different from what you are used to back home.

7 – Nighttime

When the sun goes down, don’t stop shooting! Learn to find light, and exploit its unique qualities during the night. Maybe you have some moonlight or some neon in your location. No matter the source, there is still light at night.

Balanced Rock, Arches National Park, at Night

Balanced Rock in Arches National Park, Utah, USA takes on a new look at night.

Does your location shut down when the sun hits the horizon? Or does it rally for an all-night bender?

I found the markets in Aqaba, Jordan come to life once the heat of the day was done. I also found that the town had way more neon signs than I ever expected, but hadn’t bothered to notice while touring in the daylight. Get out at night and explore.

Neon in Aqaba, Jorda

8 – Religion

How different parts of the world practice religion has always fascinated me. There isn’t a single part of this globe, that does not have some nod to the local religion, in some aspect of their lives.

Colorful minaret in Jebel Shams area of Oman

It may be subtle, such as a small altar to burn incense, or it could be the overt repetition of churches across a city. Travel is a time to break out of your routine and try new things. Stick your head (respectfully) inside a temple. Tour a mosque. Visit a cemetery to see the influence of religion on those in the past.

Photography inside many Buddhist temples in Bhutan is banned, but on the night of this retreat for monks from all around the valley, I was allowed to shoot the ceremony.

Military tombstones and flags located in Eastern Washington, USA

9 – Landscapes – natural and manmade

I love landscapes, so they come easy to me. But, I have not always been a fan of cities and people. So, it takes me some effort to really appreciate the organization and layout of a nice cityscape. But it’s always worth it to bring back a mix of both in your images.

View of Canyonlands National Park at sunset

No people to see. Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA.

A few people give a sense of scale to Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world, Gokyo, Nepal.

Sunrise view of Seattle, Washington and Mount Rainier

Here there are a lot more people in Seattle, Washington, USA

I am reminded of the craze for photos of Iceland. I’ve seen my fill, and rarely was a single cityscape in the mix. Black sand beaches with ice, waterfalls, all that stuff shows up – but most photographers have left out the manmade landscape. Include it! At least once.

10 – Icons – clichés big and small

I know people who refuse to shoot iconic locations. “They’ve been over shot and I wouldn’t be caught dead shooting them,” is a common refrain. Ignore those people.

The classic Taj Mahal view.

You’re traveling, so have fun. Shoot the Eiffel Tower if you’re in Paris. Hit up Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, and why not get a reflecting pool image of the Taj Mahal, or a cigar smoking lady in Havana? Do it. Get a posed photo of Masai Mara villagers, a llama in front of Machu Picchu, pretend to push over the Tower of Pisa.

Heck, even get a photo of that same waterfall everyone else visiting Iceland has shot.

That being said, you probably shouldn’t share only the cliché shots. Unless you’re on assignment to shoot something highly unique, go ahead and hit the clichés, then move on to the rest of the list. Better yet, look around your cliché location for something new to bring back and share.

The not-so-classic view of the Taj Mahal, but a lot more fun.

11 – Wildlife – domestic and truly wild

My daughter’s obsession with taking photos of cats in Morocco sticks with me as a reminder to not ignore the domestic animals, along with the wild. I’ve photographed big cats in India and Africa, tarantulas in Peru and breaching whales in Alaska. But, I’d be remiss if I didn’t convey the fact that the town of Essouira, Morocco, with its fresh fish markets, is a haven for cats of all kinds.

Humpback whales in Alaska, USA

FIghting Hippos, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Fighting hippos in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

What about the beasts of burden? The donkeys, llamas, horses and camels? Put those on your list as well.

12 – All the pretty plants and flowers

Some of us just don’t care that much about plants. A green thing giving off oxygen at home is the same as a green thing giving off oxygen halfway across the world.

Rhododendrons at 14,000′ up in the Himalayas

But, I had no clue there were rhododendrons in the Himalayas of Nepal, much the same (but smaller), as both the ornamental and wild versions, I knew in Washington state growing up. When you get down to the tropics, the plants certainly get exotic, don’t they? Grab their wonderful colors and adaptations to share with friends back home.

Conclusion

This list can be just a start for your own customized version. Take it, shape it, make it your own. Put your favorite things on the list, but also keep those that don’t interest you. Growth as a photographer comes from trying new things and shooting new subjects.

Lastly, when it’s time to share your trip photos, I would suggest using 2-4 images from each category when making an online album. This will force you to pick only the best and it will give your viewers a good cross section of what you saw on your travels.

The post How to Use a Travel Photography Shot List to Come Home with Better Photos by Peter West Carey appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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3 Ways to Simplify and Learn Photography Faster

30 Jun

It’s not always easy to be a photographer, seeing all of the great photo opportunities around us, and wanting to capture them all. Recently, I was working with a student of mine, and she wanted to know how to handle changing settings quickly from one situation to another. Her example was trying to go from photographing landscapes, to trying to focus on a bird or other wildlife that may quickly enter the scene. While some seasoned photographers may be ready for a situation such as this, it’s certainly not easy, and for someone just learning, I would argue that it shouldn’t be attempted at all.

24-120mm, shot at 120mm, 1/160, f/4, ISO 1400. Knowing how the lens behaves at both ends of the zoom, I knew I could use this lens for wide angle shots in close, but zoom in as the flower girl was coming down the aisle and still get an interesting shot.

While many of the camera manufacturers want to make photography sound easy (anyone remember “So advanced, it’s simple”?), the fact is, photography is a craft, that despite the advances in technology, takes some time to master. Different photographic situations call for different settings, different lenses, or even a completely different approach to the subject matter. If you’re a hobbyist with only one camera, it can be impossible to be ready for all of the possibilities as they happen.

So here are three ways to keep it simple while you’re learning photography, and stop the overwhelm.

#1 – Focus on one subject at a time

I’m a strong advocate for keeping things simple. First off, if you’re planning to photograph landscapes, wildlife, or portraits, stick with that one goal. It is easy to get distracted by other subjects that come along. Those opportunities can seem like gold when they pop up, and they can be, but if you’re already set up to shoot a landscape photo at ISO 100, f/16 aperture, and 1/20th shutter speed, quickly switching to settings suitable for capturing a bird in flight is not an easy process. It will likely end in you being frustrated, capturing photos that don’t quite meet your expectations, or worse, don’t come out at all.

Even now, 20-plus years after beginning my photography career, I try not to do too much at once with a camera. I focus on what my goal was when I first decided to pick up the camera and head out. If I’m planning on photographing a landscape at sunset, that’s what I do. The only time I will try to be ready for two separate subjects, is when I have two cameras. For instance, if I’m photographing a landscape, but there are waterfowl nearby and I want to be ready for that, I have a second camera set up with a telephoto lens, so I can grab it and try and get the shot. Even this requires me to at least temporarily put my initial subject, the landscape, aside for a bit.

Wildlife image taken using a fast shutter speed and a telephoto lens.

This shot of the blue heron was taken with a 400mm lens, using continuous AF, and 1/1250 shutter speed.

The image of the waterfall (below), and the image of the great blue heron (above), were both taken at the same location. However, for the shot of the waterfall, I needed to use a neutral density filter to slow down the exposure. There is no way I’d have been able to remove the filter, and be ready to photograph the heron, even if both shots could have been captured with the same lens. Not only would my shutter speed have needed to be drastically faster to stop the flight of the heron, I would also have needed to use continuous AF to capture its flight sharply, while I always use one-shot AF when photographing landscapes.

Knowing there may be wildlife nearby, I mounted a Nikon 80-400mm lens on one camera (on a strap on my shoulder), while I had a second camera with a shorter lens, set up on a tripod to capture the waterfalls. If I only had one camera, I would have needed to choose between one subject or the other, and then move on. Rare is the occasion when you can jump so quickly from one subject to a completely different one using only one camera.

Landscape image using a slow shutter speed and wide angle lens.

This shot was taken with a 16mm lens, using one-shot AF, and a 0.6 second shutter speed.

If you’re working with only one camera, don’t try to do too much. Pick one subject and work that until you feel you’ve accomplished what you wanted, then move on to another subject. Yes, it’s difficult to be set up to catch a sunset and watch a beautiful snowy egret land nearby and start fishing, leaving you itching to try and catch it, but chances are it will fly away again while you’re still fiddling with your settings. Meanwhile, the sun is still setting, the color is fading, and you’ve likely missed a shot or two there as well.

#2 – Use only one lens

Back when I took my first photo course in college, my professor was adamant that each student use only a 50mm lens. I didn’t understand why at the time, but I do now. It’s important to understand how your lenses behave, so you’ll know which one is right for the job. As photographers, many of us become gear collectors, always wanting another lens, to allow us to photograph the way we saw another photographer do it. But before you start collecting lenses, it’s important to recognize what each lens can do for you, and to truly understand that, you’ve got to use each lens extensively.

Using a wide angle lens, I was able to emphasize the ice in the foreground, while pushing the bridge to the background at the top center of the frame.

I currently have seven camera lenses in my kit right now. At any given time, there may be four or five in my camera bag when I’m out photographing, depending on what my planned subject is, or what contingencies I want to be ready for. But, as usually happens, it’s rare that most of those lenses will see the outside of my bag once I get where I’m going. While each situation is different, I often find that one lens will usually handle what I want to do when I get to a location. So unless it’s one of those rare times when a situation calls for both a telephoto and a wide angle look, usually only one of those lenses gets mounted on the camera. While in the above example I broke this rule and used two cameras with two different lenses, that is not usually the norm for me.

When you pull your camera out of the bag next time and select lens to use, stick with that one lens. Really get to know it. If it’s a zoom, shoot at only one end of it. The next time you use it, use the other end. Learn how to make that lens really sing. Find out what it’s really good for, and what it’s not good at. Do this with every lens you own, if you own more than one. When it comes time to purchase new glass, you’ll have a much better understanding of where your kit comes up short, and what you need to buy. In addition, you’ll also be building on my first point, focusing on one subject. Too often, new photographers miss opportunities because they are busy changing lenses because they think they need one over another. If changing lenses is not an option, you won’t waste time with it, and can focus on making great photos with whichever lens you find on your camera.

Telephoto lenses compress perspective. Want to make the sun or moon look really big in relation to a building or structure? Back away from your subject a bit and use a telephoto lens to compress the perspective and distort the size relationship.

In the two images shown above, the same bridge can be found in both, and both shots were taken from roughly the same spot. One was taken with a 16mm lens, and the other, with a telephoto lens at 290mm. Wide angle lenses expand perspective, emphasizing the foreground and pushing background objects back, while telephoto lenses minimize foreground and tend to flatten perspective. Using only one focal length will also help you to compose more effective images. Zooms can at times make you lazy. Zooming from a wide angle to a telephoto lens changes the image profoundly, and it’s important to understand what effect that can have on your image.

Telephoto lenses compress perspective, while wide angle lenses enhance it, and each perspective communicates something different to the viewer. There are reasons to use both wide and telephoto lenses, but only working with them extensively will help you recognize the situations where each is most effective.

#3 – Don’t accessorize

For the lighthouse image- Shot at 16mm, f/16, 15 seconds, ISO 64. I simplified my composition down to two elements, the reflection in the foreground, and the lighthouse in the background. Knowing the lighthouse would be there regardless of where I stood or how I zoomed, I focused on getting the reflection right, and letting the rest of the composition fall into place.

Shot at 16mm, f/16, 15 seconds, ISO 64. I simplified my composition down to two elements, the reflection in the foreground, and the lighthouse in the background. Knowing the lighthouse would be there regardless of where I stood or how I zoomed, I focused on getting the reflection right, and letting the rest of the composition fall into place.

One of the great things about digital photography, and today’s technology, is the many cool new tools available to help with your picture-taking endeavors. It’s great to be able to connect to a camera from your smartphone, and do things such as time lapse or long exposures, but often times, these accessories are one more thing that can go wrong, or distract you from actually taking photos.

There are only three accessories that I use regularly. One is a time controller that plugs into my camera directly, second is a tripod, and finally, a set of neutral density and graduated neutral density filters, used to help control exposure. I didn’t even begin using the filters until a few years ago, more than 15 years into my photography career. Both images below used nothing more than a remote shutter release. In the case of the Milky Way image, on the right, I set my camera to manual for a 15 second exposure and used the remote release as I would the shutter button, simply to avoid touching the camera. For the image on the left of the star trails, while that becomes a bit more complicated in processing, in reality, it’s just a lot of 30-second exposures. I simply set my camera to continuous drive, and locked the shutter button on the remote down. Simple.

Even for images such as these, the only accessory I used was a time controller, with only the shutter button locked down.

It’s important, when learning photography, to focus on the basics – aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and understand how they affect your images. It’s too easy to get caught up in all the bells and whistles and how cool they are, and forget that the end result is what matters. In my mind, if the accessory isn’t contributing in a way that affects the final image, then I don’t need to use it. I’m not saying that accessories are bad, or even unnecessary, but if you aren’t sure how to achieve a proper exposure yet, put off purchasing that shiny new toy, and really learn your camera.

I would even advise you to stay away from the special modes on your camera, such as HDR, or star trails mode (I do that manually in post-production), or multiple exposure mode. Yes, they can look cool, and do great things, but again, understanding the basics of exposure is paramount. If you don’t understand basic exposure, using the bells and whistles won’t help you make music.

I find that simplifying the process as much as possible helps me come away with the best images possible. What do you do to help simplify your photographic process?

The post 3 Ways to Simplify and Learn Photography Faster by Rick Berk appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Improve Your Photography by Getting the Right Feedback on Your Images

28 Jun

Have you ever felt that your photography isn’t improving as much as it once was? Do you feel that the level of your work is stagnating and not progressing much more?

Improve Your Photography

Yet you keep reading article after article, either on the web or in magazines. You hope that one of them will provide the next breakthrough for your work and help you rip through the barrier that will bring your photography to the next level. You show off your work to friends and family, and you hear the resounding praises of, “That’s a beautiful photograph” or, “You nailed it”, or any other form of overly positive, loving feedback. The people that you show your work to love it, but you feel that it’s just becoming a little boring, and the next image isn’t really any different from the last.

By Justin

Do this one thing to improve your photography

If this sounds like you, don’t panic; you’re very likely not alone! Even better, there is a very simple remedy for this. This remedy will not only help you now, but also continue to help you well into the future, and at all stages of your photographic journey. You won’t need to read anything extra for it, nor will you have to buy any equipment. To break through this barrier you need to do one thing: be more selective with the feedback you listen to.

The trouble with feedback from people like friends and family is that, unless they are photographers themselves, they won’t tell you want you need to hear. Rather, they will tell you what you want to hear – which is generally positive reinforcements – however, when you come to think of it, no one really wants to hear that their latest photo is rubbish!

But it’s this honest, yet brutal truth, that will ultimately help you take better photos. Sure, I’ll be the first to admit that it wasn’t the best feeling in the world when I was once told a collection of my photos weren’t that great. To make things worse, this came from a photographer whom I greatly admired and respected. It shook me up a little. It made me feel a little inadequate. It made me question if this was indeed the career for me, and if I actually had what it took to succeed.

By arileu

But I needed to hear it. I needed to know what my work was actually like. Being continually told that my work was great and amazing wasn’t really helping with anything other than inflating my ego. I needed to hear exactly how a seasoned photographer viewed my work, and I needed to hear it honestly and clearly. This feedback set me on the direction that I needed to take to improve my game, and because it wasn’t sugar coated, I had no ambiguity about any of the feedback I had received.

Finding good feedback

This kind of feedback is not something that you will get from friends and family. You have to go out there and find a third party. A person that not only has no emotional connection with you, but also who knows one or two things about photography. By removing the emotional connection, you open the door for truth and honesty.

By Quinn Dombrowski

How it’s delivered, however, is a variable you cannot control. This means you also need to bring something to the table; a thick skin. Some photographers, just like doctors, are fantastic at delivering bad news in a nice subtle, even positive, way. Others will tell you how it is, warts and all, without the sugar coatings. But where do you find this third party?

There are many avenues you can take to find the right third party for getting feedback on your work. Social media, such as Instagram and Facebook, can be great. Facebook in particular has many useful groups where you can seek feedback and critique on your work. But if keeping it in person and face-to-face is more your thing, looking around at camera clubs is another option. The feedback you get at camera clubs may not always be accurate, but it is a useful tool to network with other photographers.

By s3aphotography

Just keep in mind exactly who your third party will be. You ideally would like your mentor to be involved in the genres you’re most interested in – there’s no point showing a wedding photographer, for example, a body of sport or landscape images. Also keep an open mind to having multiple people. This will help you smooth out any personal preferences each photographer may have, and find a more common denominator to look out for.

Being more selective with who you seek for feedback will help improve your photography immeasurably. It won’t always be easy to hear your work being torn apart, but if you keep at it and keep your chin up, you will come out the other side a stronger photographer and perhaps even a stronger person.

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The Secret to Finding the Hero Angle in Food Photography

27 Jun

Have you ever stared at a photo of a food dish, and instantly thought that something looked a little odd? Like the shot wasn’t quite bang on, but you can’t quite put your finger on what it is? Chances are the dish hasn’t been shot using its hero angle.

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 12

You can have the freshest ingredients, the maddest styling skills, and be able to tame ever changing natural light, but if your angle isn’t complimentary to the food you’re shooting – you’re missing out on the full potential of creating a powerful food image.

Never fear though, the secret to finding the hero angle in food photography is simple. Just approach the shoot with two things in mind; the height of the dish and/or the props, and the layers contained in them.

The Height of Your Dish and Props

The height of food basically falls into two categories; tall or flat.

Tall subjects are simply anything with height – like a bundt cake, an ice cream cone, or a burger with the lot. For tall subject you will usually default to shooting somewhere between a 45 degree angle to straight on. Going beyond 45 degrees can sometimes limit being able to see the full dish and layering.

Flat subjects are simply anything whose width is inherently larger than its height – like a tart, a cookie, or a pancake. For these types of subjects, default to shooting somewhere between straight above and a 75 degree angle. Going too close to 45 degrees will also accentuate their flat qualities.

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 8

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 5

But what about everything else? What about soup, salad, or how about liquids? I am so glad you asked, because this is where the fun starts.

There are quite a few foods that are dependant on serve-ware. A burger or cake can hold their own, but liquids, soups, salads, and puddings cannot. Which category these guys fall into is dependent on the food styling prop in which they are presented.

Take soup for instance, is it being served in a bowl, or is it a fancy cold soup served in a tall shot glass? The salad, is it served on a plate or a large glass bowl? What sort of holder is the liquid in; tall, short, opaque? Is it in a flat tray because you’re about to freeze it and turn into granita?

Oh the possibilities are endless! But remember, they all fall into two categories, so you’ve got a 50/50 shot of getting it right. I’m pretty sure you’ve got this.

The Layers in Your Dish and on Set

There are two things to consider when thinking about layers in food photography. The layers present in your food dish and the layers present on set.

Layers in a dish are the number of visual components in a recipe. The classic example is a burger with seven layers, bun, meat patty, cheese, sauce, slice of tomato, lettuce, bun. Or a layer cake with seven layers, cake, jam, cream, cake, jam, cream, cake. So to get the best food photography shots, you’ll want to choose an angle that exposes these layers in their best light.

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 6

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 7

Layers on set are the number of elements or props that you have on your set (props) on top of one another. For example, napkin, plate, and garnish would be three layers and would appear on top of one another. I don’t count the food/recipe as a layer as it is the subject and will always be present. If the prop layers are an important part of telling the food story, you’ll want to make sure your angle captures those elements too.

Putting it all Together

Now that you’ve thought about the height of your dish and the layers, you can marry those two, in order to figure out your hero angle. Let’s look at some examples.

This is a little game I like to play called; Okay, Better, Hero. There is nothing wrong with any of these shots I’m about to show you per say, but there can only be one hero, right? That’s what we’re aiming for, so let’s dive right in.

Turkish Delight (a flat dish without layers)

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 1

I shot this Turkish delight with a 105mm micro (macro) lens, at a 25 degree angle, overhead, and 75 degree angle respectively.

Because this is such a flat dish, you may expect that the overhead angle would be the most flattering. But really the 75 degree shot is hero angle, here is why. It is so close to overhead, yet allows you to capture the gorgeous light coming through the Turkish delight which adds to the richness of its colour.

25 degrees also captures the colours, but accentuates the flatness of the dish, and detracts from the overall feel.

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 11
Horizontal variation, shot at the same angle.

The Burger (tall dish with layers)

I shot this burger with a 105mm micro (macro) lens, at a 45 degree angle, 25 degree angle, and straight on respectively.

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 4

The hero angle is the one shot straight on, because it allows the viewer to focus on all the delicious layers, and elongates the height of the burger which you naturally expect to be a tall food. Your mind thinks, the taller the burger, the more ingredients, and the more bang for your buck you get.

The 45 degree angle doesn’t give you enough context of the layers, and the 25 degree angle makes the top burger bun look too flat.

Kale Pesto (tall dish without layers)

I shot this with a 60mm micro (macro) lens, at a 85 degree angle, 45 degree angle, and straight on.

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 3

Pesto, being a sauce or condiment, is dependant on the serve-ware in which it is presented. As you want to show that there is enough of the pesto to coat an entire family size dish of pasta, it was shot in a tall glass. This also complimented the tall spoon, and bottle of oil in the shot as props.

The 45 degree angle is workable, but straight on one is the hero angle here. It allows for an overall sense of how the dish is being served and stored, while still allowing the viewer to comprehend its texture.

If you want to get into the nitty gritty, the 45 degree angle allows for reflection of the plate to show up in the glass, hindering the ability to see the texture of the pesto.

Egg and Bacon Muffins (flat with layers)

I shot this with a 60mm lens, at a 45 degree angle, 30 degree angle, and from directly overhead.

Rachel Korinek Food Photographer DPS Hero Angle 2

Here the 45 degree angle accentuates the flatness of the dish, but does show the layers. The 30 degree angle is better, but it doesn’t show the full layers of the dish as much as the overhead shot does. That’s why the overhead shot is the hero angle in this case. It allows you to see right into the dish, while still getting the action of the egg filling being poured into each compartment.

Putting Finding That Hero Angle Into Practice – 5 Take Aways

Next time you’re doing a food photography shoot, put the following into practice:

Thinking about whether your dish falls into the tall or flat category.
Are there layers in your dish, or through your use of props on set?
For tall foods, especially those with layers, explore angles between straight on and 45 degrees.
For flat foods, explore angles between overhead and 75 degrees.
Take a few shots with different angles outside the recommended ones above, and look for the OK, better, hero shots.

Do you have a favourite angle for food photography that you can always rely on? Please share in the comments below, as well as your food shots.

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23 Quick Tips for Street Photography or Your Next Photo Walk

26 Jun

The guys over at the Cooperative for Photography (COOPH) have some good quick tips from Thomas Leuthard for you. If you are planning on doing some street photography this summer, joining a photo walk, or even doing travel photography – apply this tips to those genres and have some fun. Let’s see the tips:

My faves are:

#2 control your camera remotely: I never even thought of that but will work great with my Fuji X-T1
#10 get down low: another thing cameras like the Fuji X-T1 do well with a tilting screen.
#13 shoot water as a slow shutter speed: this is starting to sound like an ad for the Fuji X-T1, but I love the fact my camera is weather resistant (WR) and I’ve stood in the rain, and taken a direct hit from an ocean wave and it withstands it and keeps going! Read more on this camera here.
#17 shadows make great photos: see How to Use Shadow and Contrast to Create Dramatic Images for more on that

Thomas Leuthard, “Street photography is like fishing, catching the fish is more exciting than eating it.”

Which of those quick tips did you like best?

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