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Photographing Artwork? These Tips Will Make the Process Much Easier!

20 Dec

The post Photographing Artwork? These Tips Will Make the Process Much Easier! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

Photographing artwork may seem like a simple task, but it’s often hard to do well. There are technical hurdles to overcome, like achieving an even exposure, avoiding reflections, focusing accurately, choosing the right aperture, and so on. In this article, I’ll give you some tips on photographing artwork that make the process much easier!

Detail from ‘The Ninth Wave’ (1850) by Ivan Aivazovsky. Russian Museum, St Petersburg.

Tips on photographing artwork

The tips I’m about to give mostly relate to 2D art, meaning paintings, drawings or prints in whatever form they come. I’ve photographed most of them, ranging from grand oil paintings in national museums to antique newspaper illustrations at home.

I will give a few tips on photographing sculpture, as well. Creating successful pictures of 3D art is not always straightforward.

White balance

When photographing artwork, white balance is not objective – there’s a creative decision to make. Do you want to preserve the color of the art as you see it or should you neutralize it and make the whites white? Will you be a historian or a restorer?

Taking archival photos of old newspapers

I could restore whiteness and original color in this Victorian newspaper with a single click, but using a gray card, I’ve reproduced its 125-year-old state. Lighting is overhead daylight.

Paper and paint tend to discolor with age, typically with yellowing. So, you have to decide if you want to copy what you see or turn back the clock. That’s assuming you’re correct in your assumptions about the original color.

To “correct” white balance, there are two main approaches:

To make whites appear white: choose an area within the artwork that should be neutral in tone – preferably a mid-gray if one exists. By clicking on this area with a white balance tool, you’ll equalize the RGB values and, with any luck, correct color in the rest of the image. Problems arise when the artwork has aged more in some places than others, which tends to create ugly yellow blotches when you perform a WB adjustment.
To preserve signs of aging: use a gray card to correct for the light illuminating the art, which keeps the existing color of the artwork including signs of aging. There will still be some slight shift in color since the appearance of all objects is affected by the light they fall under. But you’ll retain the overall appearance of age. You can always warm the photo up a bit if you want to emphasize the antique look.

A third option, if you have no neutral tones in the image nor any gray card, is to fiddle with color temp and tint sliders until you think the white balance is correct. Correcting color by eyesight is hit and miss, however, and never as accurate as using numbers.

One thing we know about snow is that it looks better white. Artificial lighting and/or aging make this painting come out yellow in a photo. A white-balance tool quickly restores it, though it’s hard to always know how a painting looked when fresh. Artist: Ferdinand Schmidt (c1900), La Piscine Museum, Roubaix.

The light source makes a huge difference to white balance. Avoid mixed lighting if you can. In museums, you won’t often find paintings under mixed light sources, but the same is not true of sculpture. A mixture of warm artificial light and window light causes strong orange or blue color casts in local areas of the picture. This can be hard to deal with in post-processing.

Art museums don’t tend to display paintings under mixed lighting, but you might find sculptures near a window. That will often result in blue highlights and orange shadows. Sculpture: Epicurus and Metrodorus, Louvre Museum.

Color correction, DNG profiles, light sources

We’ve talked about correcting white balance when photographing artwork, but you can take color correction further than that. You can also correct for the characteristics of the light source.

Fluorescent and LED light sources are more energy-efficient than old filament lights and don’t outwardly transmit heat. LED lighting is now very common in art museums. And yet its light is lower quality from a photographic viewpoint than that of halogen.

Modern light sources emit either a discontinuous or narrow-band spectrum, meaning they reproduce colors inconsistently and sometimes not at all across the visible spectrum.

Image: Art museums and galleries use one light source to illuminate paintings. It might be overhead...

Art museums and galleries use one light source to illuminate paintings. It might be overhead diffused light or spotlights on a track lighting system. Photo by Riccardo Bresciani from Pexels

To some degree, you can judge the quality of LED/fluorescent lights by their CRI rating. You need 90+ if you’re shopping for them, but a high rating does not make them equal to traditional light sources. The CRI test is a lenient, non-standardized test using a few color patches, so the difference between 95% and 100% is greater than the numbers suggest. Incandescent and halogen lamps score 100% by default.

One way you can improve color in your photos when shooting art under modern light sources is to create a DNG profile. For this, you use a product like the X-Rite Color Checker and either X-Rite or Adobe software. You then apply this profile at the raw-conversion stage if the software supports it.

photographing artwork tips - X-Rite Color Checker - white balance correction

This page from an antique WW1 history book is clearly being lit from the right. Note the X-Rite Color Checker includes neutral patches for correcting white balance as well as color patches for DNG profiles.

If you try to correct for LED or fluorescent lighting by eye, you are likely to need the “tint” slider in raw converters. These light sources vary greatly in their output along a green to magenta axis. Old filament lamps don’t behave the same way – their output always sits along the orange-blue Kelvin scale.

Window light – Pros and Cons

This old advertisement was on display outside. Though the color temperature of daylight varies, no other light source displays color so fully across the visible spectrum. KattenKabinet Museum, Amsterdam.

You’ll never beat daylight for its ability to display all colors of the visible spectrum with little bias. It’s an ideal light source for art. The only problem is you can’t control it very well. If you use window light to photograph a piece of art, the exposure will likely be uneven from side to side. There may be a stop or more difference. You can get this down to about half a stop or less if you use a reflector.

Of course, you can even up the exposure in post-processing. One thing you can do is photograph a blank card or piece of white paper under the same light, which makes uneven exposure obvious when you see it on the computer. Use what you see there to correct other photos in the shoot.

If you photograph a postcard by window light, flipping it over makes uneven exposure more obvious. The right of this photo is 25% brighter than the left.

Use adjustment brushes, layers, and layer masks or a graduated neutral density filter to correct uneven exposure across an image. On-image local adjustments like those found in DxO PhotoLab are good. A graduated filter is a smooth way of dealing with it, but you can just as easily use brushes with lots of feathering.

Perspective: positioning art for a photo

When photographing a 2D piece of art, position it flat against a wall or table and try to get the camera sensor perfectly aligned with it. Otherwise, you’ll see the same “keystoning” effect you get with architecture, where vertical lines diverge. The subject of the art will be slightly distorted if you take it at an angle, though not always to a degree anyone will notice.

One way you can align a camera with art is to use a spirit level on both. Test the surface that the art lies against to see if it is even, making adjustments with props if necessary (much like you would with a table leg on an uneven floor). Do the same thing with the camera, using a spirit level on the hotshoe or resting on a flat part of the camera in a tripod. It needn’t look professional if it does the job.

photographing artwork tips - positioning

Ideally, you want the camera to be level with the center of the picture when photographing art. I haven’t done badly with this handheld shot, though it’s slightly wonky to the right (wall-mounted paintings might tilt slightly at the top). The correction will be moderate. Artist: Lucien Jonas (1880-1947), La Piscine Museum, Roubaix.

Spirit levels vary in their accuracy, but you’ll soon see if your method works or not with rectangular artwork. If it does, the horizontal and vertical edges will align with the 90-degree angles of your photo. If you’re off-kilter, you’ll see the slight keystoning effect.

Does this matter? You can correct perspective in editing software, but only with a loss in edge-to-edge sharpness.

The less you have to correct, the better.

Use spirit levels along with any perpendicular lines in the artwork to achieve the best possible perspective. Heavy corrections for keystoning after the fact have an adverse effect on image quality, which may or may not be noticeable depending upon intended use.

If all you’re doing is sharing a photo of a painting on Facebook, you don’t need to be fussy about aligning artwork and camera. Using sufficient depth of field will compensate for minor focusing errors and nobody’s going to pick you up on imperfect verticals! On the other hand, if you’re selling art online, you want to do the best job you can with the photos.

Lens choice and depth of field

A good choice of lens for photographing art is a 50mm or 100mm prime lens with decent close-focusing capability. Many people use macro lenses, not least because they create very little distortion at close range. A high-quality zoom will suffice at around portrait-length.

You needn’t choose a small aperture when photographing 2D art, since you don’t need much depth of field. Closing the lens down two or three stops to f/8 often produces optimum sharpness, whereas much more than that reduces sharpness by diffraction.

Focusing Accuracy & Live View

Without question, the most accurate way to focus on almost anything is to set your camera up on a tripod and use live-view mode with manual focusing. Needless to say, it doesn’t work so well for moving subjects, but it’s the perfect technique for artworks.

Using live view works well for 2D subjects but isn’t crucial unless you want perfect sharpness. You can focus adequately through an optical viewfinder and let depth of field take care of any minor errors.

For 3D subjects like statues, live view is invaluable. It overcomes problems like field curvature, inaccurate focusing screens or focusing points and misaligned mirrors & sensors.

Image: I’m far from ready to take a picture here, but I’m lining up an antique postcard...

I’m far from ready to take a picture here, but I’m lining up an antique postcard in live view mode on the tripod. One problem with flat artworks is keeping them flat for the picture. You can use pieces of high-quality masking tape and clone them out afterwards, but be very careful not to rip off the paper surface upon removal.

Technical issues often make it hard to achieve critical sharpness where you need it in statues – usually the face and eyes. You may not notice this unless you zoom into your photos 100%, but it’s easy for focusing to be slightly off, especially on large statues where you are shooting upwards.

You can’t rely on focusing points or focus/refocus techniques, as they don’t always work. Live view and manual focusing overcome that.

Avoiding reflections

When you’re taking a photo of 2D art behind glass, one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is reflections.

Sometimes it’s easier to move on to another subject, but there are ways of avoiding reflections in your artwork photos. Here are some of them:

Do not use direct on-camera flash. It’ll create a hideous hotspot in the glass that is impossible to remove after the fact.
Use directional light sources from the side – preferably two at equal distance (one at either side of the art). Non-directional light is softer but will create reflections from other items in the room.
At a museum, wearing black clothes can help in photographing small art pieces as it shows up less in reflections and absorbs light from other light sources.
Get friends or relatives in dark clothing to stand near the art and block reflections.
Use a large black scrim/screen and push your lens through it to photograph the object – same reasons as black clothing but more effective.
Use a polarizing filter to cut out much of the glare (increases exposure time or ISO, so not ideal for handheld shots in dim museums).
Shoot at a slight angle to cut out reflections and adjust perspective in post-processing. Overdoing this will noticeably decrease edge-to-edge sharpness.
Examine the artwork carefully for reflections that may not be immediately obvious – they have a habit of being more noticeable on a PC.

Capturing texture

If you want to capture texture in a piece of art (e.g. oil painting), the last thing you want is a diffuse light source like a fluorescent bulb. What you need is a directional light source from one side.

In oil paintings, revealing texture usually means some light will reflect into the lens, which can be distracting. It’s a question of controlling the effect so that spectral highlights don’t ruin the picture. A polarizing filter will help as long as it doesn’t make other shooting parameters unusable.

photographing artwork tips - texture in artworks

The reflections in this oil-painted portrait emphasize texture but they’re distracting. Like all spectral highlights, reflections in art need to be subtle and kept away from focal points.

Note that LED lighting is directional by nature. You can improvise at home by setting up LED narrow-beam G50 spotlights or similar. Otherwise, you can control diffuse artificial lighting or flash lighting with modifiers such as a snoot.

Few artists laid down paint more thickly or wildly than Vincent van Gogh. You can see light reflected in this detail from one of his paintings, but it’s subtle enough not to detract from the bigger picture. Photo from rawpixel.com / Yale University Art Gallery (Source)

Copy stands, light tables, and light tents

If you’re photographing fairly small artworks, you can be ultra-professional by using equipment meant for the job. Personally, I like to save money by using Heath Robinson methods, but not all the gear I’m going to mention is expensive. I might even talk myself into buying some of it…

Copy stands

Copy stands include a base, two lights, a column, and an arm to hold the camera. They’re ideal for photographing large volumes of flat art because they’re ready to go, whereas setting up a tripod, camera and lights takes time. Copy stands usually cost from around $ 200, but you can pick them up secondhand for less than half of that.

Light tables

Light tables are often used to create product photos with a clear, smooth white background. You could just as easily use one for small artworks and ornaments. A copy stand is a better bet if you want to record flat artworks without a background.

Light tent or cube

Light tents tend to be five-sided cubes held together by wire or plastic frames. The sides are made from a translucent material that allows diffused light through. Also supplied are various backgrounds. Some tents have an aperture in the top that lets you point the lens downwards. This is ideal for photographing small, flat artworks.

You need an even exposure for flat art, so lights of equal strength and distance either side of the tent are good. With sculpture, uneven lighting creates modeling and emphasizes form, so the set-up is different.

Image: Light tents can easily be made at home by constructing a simple frame and covering it with tr...

Light tents can easily be made at home by constructing a simple frame and covering it with translucent material. Photo: Alison Christine from North Yorkshire, UK [CC BY 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Light tents are often cheap to buy, unlike light tables and copy stands. They’re often flimsy, too, but they’re worth trying for a few bucks. No viewer is ever going to question technique or how much you spent on gear if the picture works.

Why photograph artwork instead of making it?

Photographing other people’s art may seem pointless, but it’s a useful exercise in developing your creative eye. That’s especially the case if you isolate areas of a painting or sculpture, which forces you to study art closely. There are often several pictures within a picture.

Image: Within larger paintings, you’ll see delightful details. Here, a young girl distracts he...

Within larger paintings, you’ll see delightful details. Here, a young girl distracts herself with flowers whilst possibly slightly bored at a wedding table. Artist: Albert Fourié (1854-1937), Musée des beaux-arts de Rouen.

The only activity I’d strongly advise against is making straight copies of work from living or recently-living artists (unless they are your client and they have commissioned you to do so) and trying to make money from them. Then, you’re on very thin moral and legal ice (in fact, you’ve fallen through it). Copyright durations vary from country to country.

Of course, you might be photographing your own art to share online or sell on eBay. There is no photographic motive purer than sharing. The desire to share is, after all, in the heart of most artists, no matter the size of the audience.

Do you have any other tips for photographing artwork that you would like to share? Please do so in the comments.

The post Photographing Artwork? These Tips Will Make the Process Much Easier! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

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Slideshow: These are the winners and finalists of the ‘Hasselblad X You’ photo contest

20 Dec

Hasselblad X You grand prize winners and finalists

Over the past 3 months, Hasselblad X You, a competition put on by the camera company along with partners Peak Design and PolarPro, has been showcasing the best of what photographers have captured with Hasselblad’s X System cameras. 12 winners have been selected each week. The final grand prize winner is Chicago-based photographer Clarissa Bonet for her striking urban capture.

“For me, this image stands out because of the mixture of subjects and genre – fashion vs street – all while maintaining a clear focus on the model. So much to take in and yet there is still a strong focus when viewing this image. Very nicely done,” said 2018 Hasselblad Master Jorge de la Torriente. Creative content duo, and Hasselblad content partners, Daniel Rueda and Anna Devís remarked, “As architects, we really appreciated the effort of the photographer in building – no pun intended – a connection between fashion and architecture with her photography.”

Part of Grand Prize Winner Clarissa Bonet’s award includes a trip to Hasselblad’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Bonet will travel to Hasselblad’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she’ll tour the factory to see how their cameras are assembled. She’ll also get a tour of the Hasselblad Foundation and the Gothenburg Museum of Art. Prizes awarded will include a 907X Special Edition camera, travel bag, and accessories from the competition’s partners.

Hasselblad’s 970X Special Edition camera.

All captions for the following slideshow photos are the photographers own words. You can view all Hasselblad X You weekly winner features, in their entirety, here.

Grand Prize Winner: Clarissa Bonet – Chicago, Illinois, USA

About this photo: In Bonet’s own words: ‘This image is part of a fashion editorial I shot for Chicago Magazine that celebrates both the Bauhaus movement and architect Mies van der Rohe. The assignment was shot on location at multiple Mies buildings throughout the Chicagoland area. When thinking through the assignment, I knew the images must reference the Bauhaus style – minimalist, graphic, with bold lines and shapes.

After scouting the location at multiple times of the day, I knew exactly when a slim beam of light would open on the west side of the building, creating a bold, graphic band of light for our model to stand in. This specific image was made in Federal Plaza, which has three Mies buildings next to each other. To capture all three buildings in the same frame, I used the 45mm lens and stood in the middle of the street during a red light. An assistant watched for cars so I could focus on nailing the shot.’

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F9,5; Shutter Speed: 1/350 sec.

Weekly Winner: Julius Hirtzberger – Vienna, Austria

About this photo: This image was captured at the first morning light on 2 January 2019 on the glacier of Margherita Peak (5109m above sea level), right before reaching the top of the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda. This scenery, with this very intense light and the breathtaking landscape, was reward enough for endless hours of tedious hiking through mud and rough terrain during the 8 days before and the 1am wake-up call on the peak-day (at -15 degrees Celsius).

These moments were so intense – I had tears in my eyes while taking this photograph, which made it a bit difficult to compose and nail the focus. As with all of my images in general, this image is by no means overdone in post. The intense morning light actually brightened the ice, giving these magenta and red tones!

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F3,5; Shutter Speed: 1/20 sec.

Weekly Winner: Brian Love – Los Angeles, California, USA

About this photo: For this series we really wanted to have a minimal, mono theme where Vivica would really stand out but also be in harmony with the colors selected. For light, I wanted a daylight look with a little more pop, so I created more of a shaded daylight with strobes and v-flats. It was also important to have a team who shared in the same vision, so the color of lipstick that the makeup artist used and the clothing we chose all came together perfectly in the end. Just enough texture and color harmony to keep it simple yet stunning.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F4,5; Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec.

Weekly Winner: Björn Ceder – Jönköping, Sweden

About this photo: Two years ago, I spent my summer vacation in Canada where I flew to the Great Bear Rainforest from Port Hardy with a sea airplane. I wanted to explore the temperate rainforest and found this amazing floating lodge where you made daily bear excursions with guides. One early morning rowing through the river delta in this unique Canadian environment, we found this bald eagle guarding his territory. It was a truly majestic nature experience that the X1D helped me capture.

All the people in the boat were using extreme telelenses to get really close to the animals but I wasn’t interested in photographing the animals this way. It’s in the context of the nature and the weather that makes the shot special. I ended up photographing bears, dolphins, eagles and other animals on this trip. When adjusting the focus of the X1D in this quiet surrounding, the minimal noise the camera makes is really rewarding, almost like cracking the code on a safe. You really experience the quality of the camera in the moment and it’s special when you end up with a shot like this.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F3,2; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

Weekly Winner: Jean Michel Voge – Millancay, France

About this photo: Crossing through Iceland before arriving to Greenland, I found myself in front of this very inspiring landscape. After taking two horizontal photos with the XCD 120 to capture the exact gradient of the sky, the snow and the rest of the vegetation, I had the idea to take 6 or 7 vertical photos (handheld) trying to capture the same horizon with each view. The raw files allowed me to combine these photos very easily.

To my pleasant surprise, the well-designed XCD optics gave results that kept the perspective uniform throughout the different shots. I also discovered throughout the past month on this trip that the XCD 120 is perfect for finding lines and framing in a wide landscape with the feeling of being neither too close nor too far – perfect!

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 120mm (XCD 3,5/120); F6,3

Weekly Winner: Jacob Degee – Warsaw, Poland

About this photo: The first challenge with this photo was being able to take my Hasselblad underwater. There is no branded housing on the market, so I custom-built one for my use. It took me 6 months and many underwater trials to have a X1D housing fully operational. The second challenge was to find an interesting wildlife subject. A few years ago, people discovered a congregation of whale sharks in the north of Isla Mujeres in Mexico. Once a year, some of the biggest fish in the world are drawn to this area for food.

The final challenge was to approach the animal and position myself properly. I was freediving and photographing whale sharks when I was lucky enough to spot a manta ray circling around. This manta was so happy with the huge amount of food that she was even swimming upside down continuing her feast. I needed to get closer to minimise the amount of water between the subject and the lens and to be angle my shot from the right side in order to catch the sun beams. I wanted to present the manta as if it was flying in the sky, framing the photo in such a way that the surface is at the bottom and the crystal-clear water seems like the sky.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 21mm (XCD 4/21); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/2000 sec.

Weekly Winner: Saeed Nassouri – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

About this photo: I live in a city located on the outskirts of the desert and the sand dune formations have a special poetry about them that registers well with many people. The details in this series of photographs can be captured really well using medium format. The main reason I created these images was to show detailed impressions in the sand dunes. Little insect footprints in such a vast space fascinate me.

When I walk through the dunes, which is usually in hot and humid conditions where the temperature can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius, I come across little details such as the footprints of small insects and desert wildlife. I positioned my camera directly above a small portion of the ripples and captured 3 different footprints going in different paths in one shot. Although I seldom see any of these creatures, their impressions lift my spirits, knowing that there is such diverse life in the empty desert and their footprints are renewed every day just like the prints I leave behind.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 45); F19; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

Weekly Winner: Matthew Ng – Hong Kong

About this photo: I was walking around Hong Kong, and I decided to explore the Polytechnic University campus. It brought back memories of when I attended university back in Canada. The exact building that this staircase is in is the Jockey Club Innovation Tower. When I took this image, I had the idea in my mind that it would look great in black and white.

The colour temperature of the interior lighting was daylight so nothing special. When I post processed the image, I converted it into black and white but it didn’t feel right, so I converted it back into colour and still had this picture in a monochromatic style. I started moving the sliders until I found a cool blue tone that I liked. I do a lot of my editing without presets and just edit freely depending on how the photo speaks to me.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D II 50C, Focal Length: 30mm (XCD 3,5/30); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec.

Weekly Winner: Rajiv Bhambri – Melbourne Beach, Florida, USA

About this photo: The Quiraing is a massive landslip located in the Isle of Skye in Scotland. There are breathtaking views, with spectacular cliffs, hidden plateaus and pinnacles of rock. I started my hike early so I could watch the sunrise, and I was not disappointed. The sun shone through the clouds to light up this mountain and loch with sheep grazing at the foothills. I used the 135mm lens to better capture this gorgeous mountain scene.

True to the unpredictable Scottish weather, there was intermittent rain, and at some point, the sun disappeared completely. Because of the large dynamic range of the X1D camera, I did not need to spend time with ND graduated filters because of which I was able to take pictures quickly in between the periods of rain and also enjoy my walk.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 135mm (XCD 2,8/135); F29; Shutter Speed: 1/25 sec.

Weekly Winner: Martin Kube?ka – Pezinok, Slovakia

About this photo: This image was created while testing my new lighting gear, which allowed me to also put the sensor of the X1D II 50C to the test. My aim was to shoot a simple portrait where the emphasis was put more on colours and the face of the model. As I wanted to make this simple portrait unique, I took inspiration from the show “Stranger Things”, specifically the character Eleven’s usual dark expression.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D II 50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/30 sec.

Weekly Winner: Frédéric Bastin – Brussels, Belgium

About this photo: Mostly it’s teamwork with the stylist, makeup artist and the hairdresser. They know that I like to shoot new faces in the fashion industry – the uncommon beauty. I’m at war with the obvious. As soon as I find a new interesting model, I submit a project and we work on it together. Last summer when the model, Heloise, entered the studio, she had this vivid, transparent skin full of freckles.

My makeup artist had the brilliant idea to reveal and accentuate her personality with black vinyl dots – something organic, like a second skin with a high contrast of black and white. I wanted to shoot this portrait with an extremely soft light, a mix of daylight and flash to capture this alternative beauty. That’s how I describe her identity.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F6,8; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

Weekly Winner: Ellen McDermott – New York, New York, USA

About this photo: While on an editorial assignment shooting interiors for CTC&G (Connecticut Cottages & Gardens) Magazine, our Editor in Chief DJ Carey introduced us to our lifelong friends at Hound House, CT – Collin Robison and Trent De Berry. I mention this because DJ’s skill at pairing the location with the photographer is significant in how an assignment is realized. Our continued friendship and collaboration with Collin Robison Design led us to this photograph with Nailah, the Ocicat.

Incorporating animals into our interiors can add a warmth and humanness that is more approachable and visually interesting. I’ve always loved photographing animals. There is a moment of stillness when the subject becomes engaged with the camera. There is a connection. It is paramount to have the proper gear to capture these transient moments. The X1D’s excellence in handling low light situations with an elusive subject matter made this image possible with superior results!

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F8

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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These 6 dPS courses are now 50% off

15 Dec

The post These 6 dPS courses are now 50% off appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Deal 4 dPS Holiday Deals

It’s day 4 of dPS Holiday Deals and we’re giving you 50% off 6 of our dPS video courses.

Save 50% now

Normally priced up to $ 99, you can now get 50% off these six courses

These step-by-step courses created by some of our talented photography experts include:

Night Photography by Jim Hamel – yes, even you can take amazing photographs at night
Landscape and Nature Photography by Johny Spencer – get outdoors and get creative
Lightroom Mastery by Mike Newton – every photographer should have a copy of this to create perfect photos!
Lightroom Mastery: People & Portraits by Mike Newton – will help you transform dull headshots into stunning portraits
Photo Nuts and Bolts by Neil Creek – the ideal course for the beginner photographer
Photo Nuts and Shots by Neil Creek – creative photography advice from a pro so you can get off auto

(If you’re wondering about our 31 Days to Becoming a Better Photographer Course – keep an eye on your email!)

Each course is packed with series of tutorials, with demonstrations shot in high-quality video by professional photographers, and you can follow along at your own pace.

You also get lifetime access to these courses, so you don’t have to rush to finish them and you can go back and review topics anytime you like.

Check out all the discounted courses here.

PS – Did you miss yesterday’s deal? You can still get it and become a long exposure master courtesy of Photzy. Check it out here.

The post These 6 dPS courses are now 50% off appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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These are the 20 most important cameras of the decade (and one phone)

09 Dec

These are the 20 most important cameras of the 2010s

As we near the end of the second decade of the 21st Century, we wanted to take a look back, and reflect on everything that has happened in the last ten years. While the first decade of the century saw enormous leaps and technological advancements, it was in the 2010s that consumer digital imaging really matured.

We’ve gone through all of the cameras released from 2010 to 2019, and selected twenty which we consider especially significant, plus one phone because, well, this was the decade when that really became a thing.

In this article we’re proceding chronologically, starting with 2010, and we’ve selected at least one camera per year of the decade for special consideration. You can vote on which of those twenty you think should be considered the most important, and as always, leave a comment with other suggestions if you disagree with us.

2010 – Samsung NX10

If we asked you ‘which company made the first APS-C format mirrorless camera?’ the chances are you would be tempted to answer ‘Sony’. But you’d be wrong. While the Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3 were indeed the noble scions of an undoubtedly very significant (and still successful) line of cameras, Sony didn’t (quite) get there first.

The first year of the 2010s saw a deceptively major announcement from an unexpected quarter. We’d seen mirrorless cameras before 2010, but the Samsung NX10 was the first to offer an APS-C sensor – considered by many enthusiasts the smallest ‘serious’ sensor format, offering a 50% greater imaging area than the then-standard Four Thirds.

We said: ‘That Samsung has managed to offer so much camera in such a small, well-designed body is impressive – especially with the excellent 30mm F2 lens – but the fact that it’s such a likable camera, considering Samsung’s relative inexperience in the sector deserves still greater respect. The NX10 comfortably competes both with the enthusiast DSLRs and the Micro Four Thirds cameras that conceptually sit on either side of it.’

May 2010

The Samsung NX10’s specs might not seem particularly impressive now, but back in 2010, a 15MP APS-C sensor, 921k-dot electronic finder and AMOLED rear screen were very competitive – especially in such an affordable ‘little Korean camera’ – to quote our original coverage.

The NX system didn’t last as long as it deserved to, but Samsung should be given credit not only for being the first to market with a practical APS-C mirrorless line, but for getting so much right at the very beginning.

2010 – Fujifilm Finepix X100

Our second pick from 2010 is another hugely influential APS-C camera, from (at the time) another relatively minor manufacturer. The Finepix X100 represented a completely new direction for Fujifilm, which in 2010 was known as a fairly small-scale camera maker, with a flair for unconventional sensor technologies. Back then the company didn’t have its own lens mount (Fujifilm’s DSLRs were created in collaboration with Nikon) but with the X100, Fujifilm created a product that nevertheless found itself in the camera bags and around the necks of thousands of professional and enthusiast photographers.

We said: ‘Despite all of its manifest flaws, the X100 is a camera that’s become a firm favorite in the DPReview offices. Its drop-dead gorgeous looks and excellent build make it a camera that begs you to pick it up and take it out with you, and the image quality it returns at the end of the day is nothing short of superb. And this ultimately is the key to its attraction – it just takes wonderful pictures, time after time.’

March 2011

Offering mouth-watering retro styling, a proven bayer-pattern 12MP sensor (basically the same one found in the Nikon D300/S and several other DSLRs) and a unique ‘hybrid’ electronic / optical viewfinder, the X100 was like nothing else on the market. Gloriously buggy when it was first released, major firmware updates rounded off most of the X100’s rough edges pretty quickly.

Perhaps more than any other product, the X100 helped create a market for large-sensor, fixed-lens compact cameras. Subsequent models in the X100-series would lose the ‘Finepix’ moniker, but gain ‘X-Trans’ – another of Fujifilm’s non-standard filter arrays. Old habits die hard.

2010 – iPhone 4/S

We did say this article was the twenty most important cameras of the decade, and one phone. Well, here’s the phone.

The iPhone 4 was not the first iPhone (obviously) and very far from even being the first smartphone with a camera, but it was the first that we considered really usable as an alternative to a ‘proper’ camera.

When I got mine in late 2010 (shortly after moving to the US, in fact) I remember being genuinely excited by the creative possibilities of the iPhone 4’s camera, and simultaneously rather worried about what it might mean for the camera industry. The iPhone 4S, which followed in 2011, improved the iPhone’s camera even further.

We said: (about the iPhone 4S) ‘For better or for worse, photography has been democratized and commoditized, and there just isn’t any going back – and while yes, we can thank smartphones in general for that, the iPhone 4S was one of the more influential players in changing the way that we view smartphone cameras and smartphone photography.’

August 2017 (Throwback Thursday)

It turns out that the excitement was justified – and so was the nagging worry. Launched in the same year as Instagram, the iPhone 4 didn’t destroy the compact camera market on its own, but it certainly accelerated the decline. For arguably the first time, you didn’t need a dedicated camera to be a dedicated photographer.

And here we are.

2011 – Nikon J/V1

Nikon launched the J1 and V1 in unusual secrecy, without any pre-disclosure. These were the cameras meant to reinvigorate Nikon’s product lineup for the 2010s, to address the needs of a new generation of photographers perhaps coming from a smartphone, or at risk of being tempted away from Nikon by new mirrorless upstarts like Panasonic, Olympus, Sony and Samsung.

The 1 system lasted for four years, and eight years after its inception, Nikon’s first mirrorless system is sometimes dismissed as a failure, if it’s remembered at all. It’s true that unlike Micro Four Thirds and Sony’s E-mount, Nikon’s first mirrorless line was (like Samsung’s) ultimately a dead end. And it’s probably no coincidence that compared to those other manufacturers, Nikon opted for the smallest sensor of all: 1-inch, which hadn’t been used in an ILC system before and (aside from the also doomed Samsung NX Mini of 2014 – which we all know how that turned out) hasn’t been since.

We said: ‘Right now by far the biggest advantage that [the 1 J1 and V1] have over the competition is their adaptive hybrid AF systems. If you want to shoot moving subjects in good light with a small (ish) camera then the J1 and V1 really are the only game in town […]. If this sort of photography is not a priority for you, then given the strength of the competition it is very hard to recommend that you go out and buy either of these cameras’.

January 2012

To Nikon’s credit, the company didn’t give up on the 1 System before giving it a fair crack of the whip, and 1-series cameras did perform well in some global markets. I’ll still challenge anyone who says the V3 (2014) wasn’t a fun camera to use, but it certainly wasn’t for everyone, and like the V1 and V2, it was too expensive to be taken seriously by photographers who could afford it.

People tend to forget how innovative those cameras were, though. Offering on-sensor phase detection AF (unique in ILCs at that time) and ultra-fast shooting, the J1 and (especially) V1 were genuinely advanced products that showcased some of the key differentiating technologies that we take for granted in today’s mirrorless cameras, including dual-gain sensors. It would be seven years before Nikon launched another lens lineup featuring much of the same tech, in the form of the Z-mount.

2012: Canon EOS 6D

Aaah the EOS 6D. The DSLR that would never die. Officially a current model for so long that it almost became a joke (~5 years is a long time for an ostensibly entry-level offering) the Canon EOS 6D was a major success for Canon. It’s included in this list because of its significance as a ‘gateway’ model: The 6D introduced full-frame to a generation of Canon DSLR photographers who had been putting off ‘upgrading’ from APS-C due to cost.

We said: ‘The EOS 6D doesn’t offer the depth of features that its best competitors can, but it combines very good image quality, impressive high-ISO performance and class-leading low-light autofocus ability (with the central AF point) as well as impressive built-in Wi-Fi and GPS features.

February 2013

Basically a cheaper, stripped-down alternative to the then-current EOS 5D Mark III, the 6D was Canon’s smallest, lightest and least expensive full-frame camera up to that point: A no-frills workhorse with so-so autofocus that was never going to excite camera snobs, it could be relied upon take great-looking pictures in most situations, and it sold like crazy.

The fact that Canon didn’t feel the need to officially replace the 6D for five years speaks for itself. The EOS 6D (along with the troubled Nikon D600 – released a week earlier) did not create the market for full-frame, but it certainly helped democratize it.

2012: Olympus OM-D E-M5

Panasonic might have (just) beaten Olympus to the punch when it came to launching the first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, but it was Olympus which arguably made the first really good one. The OM-D E-M5 was Olympus’s eighth Micro Four Thirds camera, and as we said at the time of its launch ‘without question the most accomplished’. Styled after the company’s classic film-era OM-series SLRs, the E-M5 was – just like that series of cameras – small and lightweight, but very powerful.

And so much fun to use.

We said: ‘The Olympus OM-D E-M5 is certainly the most capable Micro Four Thirds camera we’ve reviewed and arguably the most likable mirrorless model yet. It falls down a little bit on its continuous focusing but we have absolutely no complaints about the image quality. It’s small, attractive, and a pleasure to use, and its pictures are equally enjoyable.’

April 2012

Yes, Four Thirds is a small sensor format, and was considered so even in 2012. And that does come with some disadvantages. But the E-M5 was such an endearing little camera – and such a complete package – that a lot of photographers were happy to overlook issues like higher noise levels and limited depth of field control. Thanks to its small size and weather sealing, the E-M5 was a lovely option for travel and everyday photography, but it wasn’t all about size: The first OM-D model packed some powerful features, too.

These included 5-axis in-body stabilization, a 1.44m-dot electronic viewfinder, and good (for 2012) 1080 60p video mode. Where the E-M5 mostly fell down was where a lot of mirrorless cameras did, at that point in time: continuous autofocus. But it really wasn’t meant to be a sports and action camera. It was meant to be a small, lightweight option for photographers who wanted to shoot with something a little different. In that respect the OM-D E-M5 honored Olympus’s OM-series legacy perfectly, and pointed the way for things to come.

2012: Sony Cyber-shot RX100

You knew it was only a matter of time before Sony showed up on this list. The Cyber-shot RX100 was the first of what has turned out to be a very successful line for Sony, and introduced the basic ingredients which have made the RX100-series so popular ever since: a large 1-inch sensor with very high speed shooting capability, a high-quality zoom lens and excellent video features all wrapped up in a genuinely pocketable form-factor.

We said: ‘[Images from the RX100] are consistently so good that you’ll rarely find yourself too disappointed on the occasions you didn’t have your big camera with you. And its class-leading video capabilities mean it’s worth keeping with you, even when you did. In addition, it’s as happy shooting sweep panoramas and automated HDR images as it is capturing Raw images with plenty of exposure control, which means you arrive home with a more varied selection of images and videos than you might with one of its competitors.

August 2012

Subsequent RX100 models added valuable improvements and useful extra features like a built-in EVF (the RX100 VI and V are still our favorites, thanks to the EVF and fast, relatively short lens) but Sony got a lot right in the original RX100. Overnight, this was the compact camera to beat, and in the years after its introduction, models like Canon’s PowerShot G5 X and G7 X-series (and Nikon’s unrealized DL-series) sprung up in direct competition.

2013: Samsung Galaxy NX

The Galaxy NX was intended to answer the question ‘what would happen if you combined the best things about a smartphone with the best things about a dedicated camera?’ As such, it was an important product from a company that by 2013 knew how to manufacture both things, very well indeed.

It was also a flop.

Sadly, while perhaps an appealing idea in theory, the $ 1,600 Galaxy NX didn’t end up setting the world on fire. It was capable of taking great photographs though, thanks to its APS-C format 20MP sensor. But in the end, the melding of a Galaxy S4 smartphone’s app-centric interface with the large sensor and ergonomics of a conventional camera ended up not being particularly fun to shoot with for someone used to either sort of platform. And did we mention it cost $ 1,600?

We said: ‘For day-to-day photography, the Galaxy NX doesn’t improve on the camera experience or the smartphone experience. Ultimately, it’s less than the sum of its parts. But it’s also a more logical and successful product than the devices that came before it in this line, so it’s possible that after a few more refinements, the Galaxy series could produce the first connected camera/phone hybrid that’s actually worth owning.’

November 2013

So why is it included on this list? Well, for one thing it was without doubt important, in the sense that nobody had ever attempted anything quite like it. We’d seen ‘smart’ cameras before, but none with an interchangeable lens-mount.

In retrospect it’s easy to look at the Galaxy NX as a failure. An example of how not to meet related but different consumer needs in a single product (what Apple’s Tim Cook memorably described as a ‘toaster fridge’), but this is a misuse of hindsight. The Galaxy may simply have been ahead of its time. It was, definitely, overpriced. But the basic idea was sound – Samsung’s conceptually-similar but less ambitious Galaxy-series zoom compact cameras actually did pretty well.

Will any manufacturer ever again attempt such a literal blending of smartphone and camera? It’s an interesting question. With Samsung out of the picture, the only brand with significant expertise in both the camera and smartphone arena these days is Sony. Could we ever see a Sony Alpha Xperia? We wouldn’t bet against it.

2013: Sony a7/R

Sony may have just been pipped to the post by Samsung when it came to APS-C mirrorless, but it was first with full-frame. As commenters on DPReview like to point out (both at the time and still today) the original a7 and a7R had their fair share of issues, and it also took quite a while before Sony caught up in terms of lenses. But they were first-generation products, and no new system has ever been launched in a finished state.

Quirky they may have been, but the original a7-series cameras were technically innovative and competitive full-frame options released at a time when the industry desperately needed shaking up.

We said (about the a7R): ‘When it comes down to it, the Sony a7R’s image quality, created by a combination of its high-resolution sensor and premium quality optics, make it an impressive image-maker. That fact trumps most quibbles we have about operation, JPEG processing, and even pre-processing in Raws. Its autofocus system nails focus most of the time and is fast enough for all but action photography.’

February 2014

DSLRs were the only game in town in 2013, and the a7 and a7R caught Canon and Nikon napping. It would be a full five years before either of the traditional ‘big two’ came out with their own full-frame offerings and Sony spent the intervening time releasing seven more full-frame ILCs and in the process securing a major share of the full-frame market. With the a7S / II and later a7-series models the company also made major inroads with amateur and enthusiast / independent filmmakers too – a market that Canon is sometimes credited with inventing when it released the video-capable EOS 5D Mark II.

So yes – despite their flaws, the a7 and a7R really were important. Compact full-frame was a big deal back in 2013, and they were the first in a line of cameras from a manufacturer which would go on to turn the enthusiast full-frame market on its head.

2014: Leica T (Typ 701)

The Leica T was – literally – mold-breaking. Unlike pretty well all cameras, which are assembled from molded shell sections joined by screws, the Leica T was formed from a single block of milled aluminum, with the sensor and internal electronics slotted inside. There’s a tendency among camera reviewers to describe high-end products as feeling like they’re ‘milled from a solid lump of metal’, and I’m probably guilty of doing that myself a few times, but in the case of the Leica T it was true, for once.

More importantly, the T introduced a novel way of interfacing with the camera via its oversized touchscreen and app-like operating system. Although not literally app-driven, like the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy NX, the T’s tiled interface and scrolling features menus would look familiar to a smartphone user even now. In 2014 this approach was still quite a novelty in the world of ‘serious’ photography, and at a time when ‘novelty’ was not a word we would have naturally associated with Leica.

We said: ‘It’s rare these days to encounter a product that offers a genuinely new way of doing things. The Leica T most certainly does, and I want to be very clear that in my opinion, Leica deserves praise for being bold. Making the Leica T’s control logic so reliant on a touchscreen was a brave move from the German manufacturer, and although its experiment in combining conventional camera ergonomics with a smartphone-like screen experience doesn’t entirely succeed, it’s certainly an intriguing first attempt.’

April 2014

The Leica T is not on our list of most important cameras of the decade because it was a really good camera. It was not. It was slow, finicky, and when it was first released, certain aspects of the T’s UX (especially those relating to autofocus) were basically broken. But the T marked the beginning of a new phase in Leica’s evolution as a camera maker. For one thing it wasn’t just another re-badged Panasonic Lumix clone. More significantly though, it represented a very bold break from conventional camera ergonomics – ‘the kind of camera that Apple might make’ as we said in our original first-impressions review.

The T also debuted Leica’s first fully-electronic, designed-for-mirrorless lens mount. It would be year after the launch of the T before the full-frame SL really showed the potential of the L-mount (and still another five before Panasonic and Sigma would be asked to join the party) but it all started with the T.

2014: Nikon D750

Five years after its launch, we’re still recommending the Nikon D750 to our readers and our friends. And to our friends who are readers (you’re all our friends). Not just because it’s a reliably good deal every winter when the sales come around, but because it’s still really good. The D750 is just a straightforward, well-designed camera. The kind that, as camera reviewers (and sunny optimists who don’t need to worry about things like margins, R&D cost and product differentiation), we wish manufacturers would make all the time.

Just put all the features most photographers really need, in a relatively small and affordable package. It can’t be that hard, right?

Well actually it can be that hard (see point about margins and R&D, and product differentiation) which is why it happens pretty rarely. Historical examples include the Canon EOS 10D, the Nikon D700, and more recently the Sony a7III. And, of course, the Nikon D750.

We said: ‘It’s not often that we review a camera that does nearly everything right. The Nikon D750 is one of those cameras, due in large part to its top-notch sensor and autofocus system. It also wins points for its responsive (but buffer-limited) continuous shooting mode and video quality. While it has a few flaws, they’re minor and won’t affect the majority of photographers.’

December 2014

With an autofocus system genuinely capable of keeping on top of sports and action, and a really solid 24MP full-frame sensor, the D750 can do pretty much everything you ask of it – assuming we’re only talking about stills photography. It’s possible that while the Nikon D850 may end up being regarded as the pinnacle of DSLR technology for enthusiast photographers, the D750 will forever be remembered as among the best DSLRs across the board, thanks to its uncommonly good balance of features, usability and price.

2014: Samsung NX1

Speaking of features and usability, 2014 saw the launch of another major camera that, like the D750, still doesn’t seem out of date. The APS-C Samsung NX1 sent a bolt of electricity through the market when it was released five years ago, offering features and performance previously unheard-of in the mirrorless market segment (with a confidently high MSRP to match).

The NX1’s specification sheet reads like a wish-list from a particularly needy professional photographer (or a sunny optimist of the kind described on the previous page). What other mirrorless camera at the time could come close to full-resolution shooting at 15fps with autofocus? That kind of capability is still impressive now. Likewise 4K video recording (using the new and more efficient H.265 wrapper), serious weather-sealing and a lovely electronic viewfinder. And the world’s first APS-C format BSI-CMOS sensor.

We said: ‘We could probably justify giving the NX1 an award simply based on technological advancements and raising the bar for both image quality and video performance in its class. But those achievements are wrapped inside a well designed camera with a great user experience. We also have to credit to Samsung for really innovating on this product. In the process they got a few things wrong, but they got a lot of things right, and that’s the type of product we like to see because it pushes boundaries and drives innovation across the entire market.’

April 2015

The NX1 had it all, and was released alongside two highly impressive fast-aperture zoom lenses, which made the most out of its excellent 28MP sensor. Note that it wasn’t until this year, with Canon’s EOS M6 Mark II and EOS 90D, that the NX1 was out-resolved by another APS-C format camera.

If a manufacturer came to us today with a new camera that matched the performance and ergonomics of the NX1, we would still be impressed. There were rumors after its launch that Samsung was poised to release a full-frame system, but sadly the company exited the camera industry before we could find out if this was true. With the NX1, Samsung certainly left on a high note.

2015: Leica Q (Typ 116)

Often criticized – and sometimes fairly – for being a boutique brand that has forgotten how to cater to genuine photographers, the Q was a camera that (temporarily) shut the Leica haters up. Aimed at camera users, not just camera collectors, the Q offered a competitive 24MP full-frame sensor and extremely high-quality 28mm F1.7 lens, with ergonomics that while definitely informed by the company’s legacy, weren’t weighted down by it.

We said: ‘The Leica Q is the most affordable full-frame Leica camera to date. Its 24MP sensor is good though not class-leading, and the fixed 28mm F1.7 Summilux lens is superb. The camera is built beautifully and responds rapidly. With the exception of a few software issues and some troublesome noise banding in pushed Raw files, the Leica Q is an excellent camera that you’ll want to bring along for documenting the world around you.’

March 2016

The Q’s MSRP of $ 4,250 unquestionably made it a premium product, but bear in mind that its only serious competition – the Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II – cost $ 3,300. And was a Cyber-shot. Considering that the Q offered a (slightly) faster and optically stabilized lens, at a desirable wider focal length AND HAD A RED DOT ON THE FRONT it’s hard to argue that it was egregiously overpriced.

The Q ended up being so successful that it wasn’t refreshed for four years.

2016: Pentax K-1

Pentax is one of those brands that its fans just love – passionately and loyally. Now owned by Ricoh, Pentax has had a rocky few years but it’s still hanging in there, thanks in no small part to a small army of repeat customers that can’t imagine ever buying from another brand.

The K-1 is a really solid camera – literally. Peppered with buttons, dials and switches, it’s an SLR in the classic mold, and one of the toughest models on the market. Specifically meant to appeal to outdoor photographers, the K-1 and its successor the K-1 II is one of the very few cameras we’d feel confident about taking out into truly awful weather. Backlit controls and neat features like ‘Astrotracer’ make it attractive to nocturnal photographers, too.

We said: ‘The Pentax K-1 is a 36MP fully weather sealed, image stabilized full-frame DSLR that offers an enormous amount of features at a bargain price. Although the autofocus system fails to catch up with some of its peers the image quality that the K-1 offers is some of the best on the market and users will enjoy the ability to utilize the K-1’s clever sensor shift technology.’

July 2016

It’s pretty rare to hear phrases like ‘this is a camera for MX owners’ uttered in a product briefing, but it’s great to see a company taking such good care of its legacy (and of its most loyal customers).

The K-1 was the first full-frame Pentax DSLR, but it isn’t in this list because it had a significant impact on the wider photography market (although in some respects it was very competitive, especially for landscape shooters). It’s included here because it’s one of those rare products that deserves to be celebrated: a love letter, in effect, from a manufacturer to its customers. The K-1 was packed with all the special features that Pentax users had come to appreciate in the company’s APS-C DSLRs, and being full-frame it was fully compatible with their collection of lenses going back decades – something that Pentax shooters had been waiting for, for a long time.

2016: Fujifilm GFX 50S

Fujifilm entered the mirrorless interchangeable lens camera market a little late, with a dedicated APS-C platform. Unlike Sony’s E-mount, Fujifilm could never have squeezed a full-frame sensor into the XF mount, and opted in the end to skip full-frame entirely. Instead, the company calculated it had a better chance of differentiating in the medium-format segment, which (with the honorable exception of Pentax) had until 2016 been dominated by a small number of companies making small numbers of really, really expensive cameras aimed mostly at studio professionals.

The Fujifilm GFX 50S changed all that. Offering 50MP from a 43.8 × 32.9mm sensor (close enough to traditional 120 film formats that it is usually referred to as ‘medium format’) it offered 4X the imaging area of Fujifilm’s APS-C ILCs and 1.7X the area of full-frame. Given an even technological playing field, this should have given the 50S an immediate advantage in image quality over its smaller-sensored competition.

We said: ‘The Fujifilm GFX 50S represents the company’s entrance into the medium format digital market. It takes the ethos of APS-C X-series cameras and combines it with a larger sensor. Control points are plentiful, image quality is exceptional and autofocus is precise, just don’t expect it to focus on moving subjects. The only thing truly holding back the GFX 50S from reaching its potential is a limited lens selection (at launch) with slow maximum apertures. Still, it is capable of the best image quality we’ve tested to date and is all around a lovely camera to shoot with.’

April 2017

This ended up not quite being true (the Nikon D850 at ISO 64, for example, is at least a match for the GFX 50S in Raw mode) but it was certainly competitive against other medium-format cameras, and at a lower cost and with much more user-friendly ergonomics. The semi-modular design of the 50S made it pleasantly versatile in and out of the studio, and Fujifilm’s range of GF lenses have proven to be excellent.

The GFX 50S didn’t bring medium-format into the mainstream overnight, or all on its own, but it certainly opened the format up to a generation of photographers who would never even have considered it before.

2017: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5

Panasonic will always be remembered by camera nerds as the company that invented the mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, way back in 2009 (it’s just outside the scope of this article, but let’s hear it for all those Lumix DMC-G1 fans out there!). As APS-C and then full-frame mirrorless ILCs became mainstream in the later part of the 2010s, Panasonic needed to differentiate, and to do that the company looked to video.

Panasonic had been making video-oriented ILCs for some time, starting with the GH1, but the GH5 was quite a leap.

We said: ‘If you’re serious about video, it’s hard to go wrong [with the GH5]. This camera can probably deliver the goods unless you have very specialized needs, and if you’re just learning, it’s a camera you can grow with. But what if you’re already a GH4 user? Think of it like this: the GH5 isn’t just a camera that does everything your current camera can do, plus a bunch of other things. This is a camera that does everything your current camera can do, but better (often by a wide margin)… plus a bunch of other things.’

April 2017

The GH5 was a videophile’s dream. It could capture 4K/60p footage with no crop, 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording, optional V-LogL support, a waveform monitor, adjustable luminance levels and much more. An optional adapter added XLR jacks and numerous audio controls. Equally as usable for stills shooting as for video, the GH5 offered a 20MP Four Thirds sensor, 5-axis in-body stabilization and the option of 9fps continuous shooting.

With the GH5, Panasonic was aggressively courting indie filmmakers, and production companies looking for small, lightweight and versatile ‘B’ and ‘C’ cameras. The Lumix S1H – the first consumer stills / video camera to be certified by Netflix for video production – is a direct descendant of the GH5.

2017: Sony a9

For years, journalists and DPReview readers have been asking ‘when will we see a full-frame mirrorless camera designed for sports and action professionals?’ In 2017, that question was answered. Sony – in characteristically Sony fashion – stuffed everything it could into the a9, with the aim of creating a camera which would convince even the most demanding photographers that they didn’t necessarily need a DSLR.

Ask a lot of professional DSLR users (and professional DSLR manufacturers) about the major advantages of their cameras and they’ll typically list off build quality, battery life and – especially – the viewfinder experience. Sony designed the a9 with the intention not only of addressing all three of these points, but also of exceeding some of the other capabilities of contemporary DSLRs.

We said: ‘The Sony a9 is more than just a refinement of the company’s a7-series of full-frame mirrorless cameras; it’s an evolution. With meaningful ergonomic and user interface improvements, the a9 is a polished and highly capable camera. It may not be a go-to camera for landscape and studio photographers, but its compact dimensions, silent operation, abundant speed and blackout-free shooting make it not only a step forward for mirrorless, but a compelling proposition for professionals who can’t afford to miss a moment.’

June 2017

The a9’s stacked super fast-readout stacked CMOS sensor is stabilized, and offers 20fps burst shooting with no viewfinder blackout, courtesy of its electronic shutter. Even if you don’t need this kind of speed, silent shooting with almost no compromises (think a photojournalist shooting in a hushed courtroom or a sports shooter covering golf) has the potential to be a (possibly literal) game-changer.

Meanwhile, the a9’s magnesium-alloy body is weather-sealed, and battery life runs to thousands of shots per charge in normal use. Its 693-point on-sensor phase-detection autofocus system started out excellent and was improved even further with a major firmware update this year. The a9 can also shooting oversampled UHD 4K video.

When it was released, the a9 was arguably the most capable camera on the market for shooting sports and action, and with new firmware it’s only gotten better since then. That Sony managed within half a decade to create a product that rivaled established professional DSLRs is astonishing.

Want to know what a future professional mirrorless camera from Canon or Nikon might look like? The chances are it’ll look a lot like the Sony a9.

2017: Nikon D850

I mentioned earlier that the D850 may end up ultimately being regarded as the pinnacle of DSLR technology for enthusiast photographers, and I stand by that statement. It seems extremely unlikely that we’ll ever see a more advanced DSLR developed for enthusiasts. The D850 was a significant upgrade over the D810 (which was little more than a warmed-over iteration of the D800/e) and remains without a doubt one the most technically impressive DSLRs ever made, shy of the likes of the sports and action-oriented D5 and Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark II.

What made it so important? Like the D750, the D850 was exquisitely well-designed for its intended audience: enthusiasts and semi-professionals. But it was tough enough and fast enough for professional use, too. And for a DSLR, its 4K video features aren’t too shabby either.

We said: ‘If you’re careful with your technique and have the requisite lenses, the D850 will reward you with incredible detail in landscapes and portraits. If you need to shoot moving subjects, you have a highly capable AF system and 7fps at your disposal, with the option to boost that to 9fps if you so require. The D850 puts out great color and overall image quality regardless of where the ISO value lands. You really can shoot just about anything with it.’

July 2017

The D850 has the feel of a camera designed on the assumption that it will be on the market for a long time. It checks just about all the boxes an enthusiast photographer could ever want checked: high resolution (46MP), excellent autofocus (153-points, linked to a 180,000-pixel metering system), fast continuous shooting (up to 9fps with autofocus) and seriously solid build-quality. It also had (and still has) one of the best optical viewfinders ever put into an SLR.

Arguably, in hindsight, Nikon’s marketing department actually did itself a disservice by making the D850 as good as it was. Its formidable reputation and constant position on top of ‘Best DSLR’ lists probably made it inevitable that when the company’s new mirrorless Z6 and Z7 were released in 2018 they would suffer by comparison.

2018: Nikon Z6/7

Speaking of which, a year after the D850, Nikon released two extremely important cameras: The Z6 and Z7. Nikon’s F-mount soldiered on for 60 years (and is still supported) but it became obvious a long time ago that it had reached the limit of its technical potential. Specifically, the F mount was too narrow to easily accommodate lenses faster than F1.4 with autofocus, and physically couldn’t support lenses faster than F1.2. Nikon deserves credit for maintaining lens compatibility as well as it did across six decades of technological development, but nothing lasts forever.

The move to mirrorless allowed Nikon to start with a blank sheet of paper, and it’s interesting to note that the company’s engineers opted not only for a wider mount (by 17%), but for the widest of all full-frame mirrorless mounts, allowing for the creation of lenses as fast as F0.95.

We said (about the Z7): ‘Class-leading dynamic range, AF performance (including tracking) and robust build quality are the three core factors we’ve come to love about Nikon DSLRs. While the Z7 is built well, its dynamic range and AF usability and performance come up a little short. Still, it represents a huge leap forward for Nikon cameras, especially in terms of video capability, image stabilization and the new Z mount. And for a first generation product, we’re hugely impressed.’

November 2018

The Z6 and Z7 are essentially twin models separated by sensor resolution. The 24MP Z6 might be compared to the D750, while the 46MP Z7 is more naturally (and problematically) compared against the D850. Both offer plenty that their DSLR cousins do not: 100% on-sensor phase-detection autofocus, full-time live view via an exceptionally detailed electronic finder and – of course – properly integrated, highly detailed 4K video capture, without a crop.

Looking back at the Z6 and Z7 over a distance of slightly more than a year, it’s a shame that when they were launched, so many people focused on their relative shortcomings (no equivalent to the 3D AF tracking mode in Nikon’s DSLRs being one of the most often-voiced, and entirely fair complaints). For most purposes though – and for most photographers – they’ve proven to be excellent and highly capable cameras, as well as being arguably the nicest of the current crop of full-frame models to actually use.

With the Z6 and Z7, Nikon took a big step into the future, and we can’t wait to see what’s coming in the next decade.

2018: Canon EOS R

Within days of Nikon’s Z6 and Z7 launch, Canon officially joined the full-frame mirrorless party too with the EOS R. Like the Z-series for Nikon, the R system is hugely important for Canon, representing a major leap forward in technology, and one for which the company had been carefully preparing for some time.

Let’s recap some of the EOS R’s notable features: Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus? That was introduced in the EOS 70D, back in 2013. Capacitive touch-sensitive controls? The EOS 5D Mark III’s rear control dial was touch-sensitive, even earlier, in 2012. High-quality video in a full-frame stills camera? Arguably a trend started with the EOS 5D Mark II. Fully-articulating rear LCD? I can’t remember the first Canon DSLR to have one of those, but I know my PowerShot G1 from 2000 does.

Say what you like about Canon – you can’t argue its engineering team aren’t far-sighted.

We said: ‘With a 30MP sensor, fantastic color reproduction and on-sensor autofocus, the EOS R can produce some beautiful photographs with pinpoint-accurate focus. But it’s Canon’s first mirrorless full-frame camera, and in many ways, it shows. The ergonomics feel unfinished, and for the same or less money, you can find better video, more dynamic range and faster burst speeds elsewhere. But we have to admit that Canon’s new RF lenses are simply spectacular, and at this time, the EOS R is the only way to get to use them.’

November 2018

We knew Canon would get around to full-frame mirrorless at some point, but we will admit to being a little underwhelmed by its first RF mount camera. The EOS R just felt slightly unfinished, which is unusual for Canon. A major firmware update this year has made a welcome difference to the shooting experience, but the subsequent EOS RP – despite its uncompetitive sensor – is a more convincing (and affordable) offering.

The EOS R is not on this list because it is an outstanding camera in its class, or because we really like it (it isn’t, and in many ways we don’t) but because it is important. Much like the original EOS 650 back in 1987, the R (alongside a bevy of beautiful new L-series RF lenses) points towards something more exciting on the way – a little further down the road.

2019: Fujifilm GFX100

Fujifilm’s third camera in this list is arguably its most impressive – ever. The GFX 100 was first announced as being under development in 2018, but hit the shelves in 2019 year with a bang. Or maybe that should be a ‘thud’. Essentially the same size and weight as a professional full-frame DSLR, the GFX 100 is a substantial piece of kit, but given all the technology that Fujifilm packed inside, it’s amazing that it’s not bigger.

The headline feature of the GFX 100 is its 100MP medium-format BSI-CMOS sensor. This offers double the pixel count, and a substantial increase in overall image quality compared to the sensors used in the GFX 50S and 50R. But its resolution is honestly one of the least impressive things about the GFX 100. How about the fact that it’s sensor is stabilized? Or that alongside extremely high-quality stills, it can also shoot superb 4K video? Or that despite its complexity, ergonomically the GFX 100 still behaves essentially like an overgrown X-series ILC?

We said: ‘From the point of view of image quality alone, the GFX 100 is the best camera we’ve ever reviewed […]. The new BSI sensor and higher pixel count of the GFX 100 puts clear water between it and even the best smaller sensor cameras, and if you need the kind of detail that the GFX 100 offers, there’s no more affordable way to get it. On top of this, its in-body stabilization, autofocus performance and well-designed user interface make it significantly more flexible (and usable) than other medium format competitors.’

August 2017

As I wrote back when the Fujifilm GFX 100 was released, after reading through the GFX 100’s spec sheet, “you get the sense that beyond a certain point Fujifilm’s engineers were simply showing off”. And it really does seem that way.

But while Fujifilm was definitely throwing down the technological gauntlet with the GFX 100, it’s far from being a ‘stunt’ product. What makes it so impressive is that the GFX 100 is a wonderfully usable camera.

Have your say: Vote now

So that’s it – ten years, and twenty cameras. Well, 20 cameras and one phone, but you get the idea. A lot has happened between 2010 and today, and this list could easily have been much longer. Cameras like Canon’s EOS 70D, and Sony’s NEX-series, plus the best-selling a6000, not to mention oddities like the DxO One could all, justifiably, have been included for their contributions to the technological gene-pool.

Looking back through our archives, in retrospect we were late to realise the significance of some developments, but it’s reassuring to note that many of the cameras we’ve been most enthusiastic about over the last decade made it into this list.

Of course what you just read is purely our collective opinion, and to that extent subjective. But hopefully this article explains why we think these 21 products are especially significant, and we’d love you to vote on them in our poll, linked below.

As always though, if you think we’ve missed something, please let us know in the comments. In the meantime I hope you’ll join all of us here at DPReview in looking forward keenly to what the next decade has in store.

.

Have your say

$ (document).ready(function() { Poll({“pollId”:”8933501460″,”openForVoting”:true,”mainElementId”:”poll0″,”slot”:null,”isSingleChoicePoll”:false,”minNumberOfChoices”:1,”maxNumberOfChoices”:5}); })

Most important cameras of the 2010s

Apple iPhone 4

Canon EOS R

Canon EOS 6D

Fujifilm GFX 50S

Fujifilm GFX 100

Fujifilm FinePix X100

Leica Q (Typ 116)

Leica T

Nikon D850

Nikon D750

Nikon Z6/7

Nikon 1 J/V1

Olympus OM-D E-M5

Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5

Pentax K-1

Samsung Galaxy NX

Samsung NX1

Samsung NX10

Sony a7/R

Sony a9

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100

Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to five products, and rank them in order of priority.

Poll Rules:

This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It’s not sponsored, promoted or paid for in any way and DPReview doesn’t care how you vote. Our readers’ polls are run on the basis of trust. As such, we ask that you only vote once, from a single account.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Along These Roads – A Film Exploring the Realities of Being a Travel Photographer

30 Nov

The post Along These Roads – A Film Exploring the Realities of Being a Travel Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Are you a travel photographer or long to be one?

In this film by, Mitchell Kanashkevich, author of the dPS books, Transcending Travel, Natural Light, and Captivating Color, explores what life is like as a travel photographer.

Beautifully shot, with incredible imagery of some epic, and often isolated landscapes, Mitchell explores the inner struggle he has with the need to be on the road doing what he loves and his commitment to family life.

He also explores the effects that being alone in isolated places has on him mentally and his need to revisit the chaos of cities to escape the loneliness of those very isolated landscapes he is drawn to.

Watch this thought-provoking film by talented landscape photographer and filmmaker, Mitchell Kanashevich, and let him take you on a visual and emotional journey.

If you are interested in becoming a travel photographer, be sure to check out Mitchell’s dPS e-book, Transcending Travel.

Also, share your thoughts on the film, or your travel photography adventures in the comments below.

Two approaches

There are two basic techniques for dramatic light-painted photos:

1. Single exposure

Here you determine how long you will leave the shutter open. This will often be multiple seconds or even longer. While the shutter is open, you “paint” the subject with your light, emphasizing the portions of the scene you want to bring out, leaving in shadow those you want subdued.

Your working time will be the shutter duration, and you will make your entire image during that single exposure.

2. Multiple exposure

This technique is somewhat like the previous one in that you paint a portion of the subject with light during what will often be a multi-second exposure.

The difference is that you will take multiple shots of the subject, each time painting just a portion of the scene. Then in the edit, you combine these multiple images, much like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, into the final composite image.

techniques-for-dramatic-light-painted-photos

“Goin’ Down in the Mine” – This is a single exposure light painting with some additional light from the lantern.

Single exposure technique

Scene considerations

What you decide to make the subject of your light painted photo is strictly up to you. Favorite subjects of mine are still-life images in the style of the old Dutch Master’s paintings. These use simple, static scenes. There is an emphasis on very directional lighting with portions of the image well-lit while other portions may be in deep shadow.

It is easy to find a few simple items and create a nice still-life scene. Perhaps put up a backdrop to simplify the shot, turn off the lights and let your flashlight be your sole source of light as you make the shot.

When starting to learn this technique, this can be a great place to start.

“Doc Brown Makes a House Call” – Thematic scenes which tell a story can make nice subjects for still life light paintings.

I also like to make these kinds of light paintings with items in the shot which show a theme or tell a story. I was fortunate to initially learn light painting in a workshop put on by area photographer, Caryn Esplin. Espin not only taught our group the technique but also had various thematic sets we could photograph.

Several of the images in this article, I made during that workshop.

Motion types – light trails

Most of what we cover here will use a light to “paint” the subject.

A different kind of light painting is where the light IS the subject. It too, uses a long exposure, and when the light moves during that exposure, it creates light “trails.”

Sometimes this will be the lights of moving objects, such as the streaks of light created by moving vehicles or other illuminated objects. Other times, the photographer, or perhaps an assistant, will “draw” with a light source, creating the image with the light.

“Rush Hour – Boise, Idaho” – Lights that move during a long exposure will create light trails. This is a type of light painting, just not the kind we’ll discuss in this article.

There are many variations of this style of light painting, and the light used may not always be a flashlight. Special light “wands,” some even programmable, can be purchased for all manner of amazing effects. Steel wool spinning where an ignited piece of steel wool is spun, throwing sparks, and creating light trails is another example.

If a light moves during a long exposure, you will get light trails.

Any moving object which emits light will create light trails during a long exposure. While that is a fun technique and one I’d encourage you to try as well, it’s just not the type which is the subject of this article.

Instead, we concentrate on using a light source, typically a flashlight (aka a “torch”), to paint our subject with light.

Single exposure: step-by-step

Location – Total darkness

You will be using a flashlight to make your image during a long exposure and want to be able to control exactly where that light does and does not fall. Ambient light is not what you want.

Try to work in a location that is quite dark. You can check if it is dark enough by making a shot with the exposure setting you intend to use, but not lighting it. You should get a black frame or at least only see a faint background of objects you might want to include.

“The Thousand-Yard-Stare.” You can light paint portraits, but your subject will need to sit very still during the long exposure.

Equipment

Most cameras will work for this if they go into full manual mode. You will need to be able to control the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed manually. Plus, you’ll need to focus and lock the focus manually.

If you will be shooting longer than the camera’s longest shutter speed (often 30-seconds), you will also need to be able to go into Bulb mode. This will allow you to keep the shutter open as long as you like. Usually, 30 seconds or less will be fine, but that depends on the subject, your light source, distance from the camera, and other exposure factors.

If you find your exposure will be longer than 30 seconds, you will also need a shutter release so you can hold the shutter open longer in bulb mode. There are very affordable corded releases.

If you need to be working further from your camera so you can both light the scene and trigger the shutter, a remote cordless shutter release can be a great way to go.

Single Exposure Technique. 10 Seconds, f/16, ISO 100 with Canon 6D and Canon EF 24-105 f/4 IS Lens at 58mm.

Lens selection will depend on your proximity to the subject. For tabletop still life shots where you’ll usually be just a couple of feet from your subject, a 50mm prime can be just right. The “nifty-fifty” (Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens) on my Canon camera is sharp and a perfect lens for this kind of work.

Pick your sharpest lens and an appropriate focal length to fill the frame with your subject.

A tripod is practically a must for this kind of long-exposure photography.

The camera must not move during the exposure. Whatever way you have of doing that will work, but I personally believe any photographer worth their salt owns a good, stable tripod. Have a good tripod and use it.

Light

Here is the U.S., we call it a flashlight. In other places, it’s called a torch. What we’re talking about is a battery-powered portable light source that you can direct onto your subject.

Some will have focusable beams, which can be a nice feature. Some might have multiple intensity settings, which is also useful. If you can find one that has a neutral-white (about 4500-5000K) output, that’s even better.

Standard incandescent bulb flashlights will tend to have a warmer, yellowish color light while most LED bulbs are blueish in color.

The Zanflare F2 is a nice flashlight for tabletop light painting.

The Zanflare F2 which can be purchased with a 4500-500K bulb is a nice and inexpensive light for light painting.

A nice light for table-top light painting is the Zanflare F2 which can be had with a 4500-5000K bulb. It has two power output settings and can usually be purchased for under $ 10.00 US.

Another very affordable light I recently purchased for longer range outdoor light painting is the Energizer ENPMHH62. It’s under $ 15.00 US. You can pay a lot for fancy “tactical” flashlights, but I’m not sure they will improve your light painting photography unless perhaps you need to light something very far away.

Camera settings

If you’re working inside where you can turn the room light off and on, set up your shot with the lights on. Focus on the subject, then turn off the autofocus, so the focus stays locked at that spot. Failure to do this will have your camera hunting for focus in the dark, and that will certainly ruin your shot.

If you’re outside and it’s already dark, use your flashlight to help set up the shot and get good focus. Turn off autofocus and lock it in once you have it.

Put your camera in full manual mode. Set the ISO as low as you can for the lighting conditions, remembering that a lower ISO setting will help reduce noise in your shot. Because you can make the shutter speed as long as you need to, you can often get away with ISO 100. Try that and adjust it later if you need to.

See if you can work with the “sweet spot” – the sharpest aperture for your given lens – usually about f/8 to f/11. This should also help give you an adequate depth of field. Stop down to f/16 or even f/22 if you really need the depth of field. However, realize smaller apertures significantly increase the amount of light, and the time of the exposure you’ll need to make a proper exposure.

As for the shutter speed, that depends on how much light you’re working with, the proximity of your light to your subject, the brightness of the subject itself, and how long you need to properly paint your subject for the look you desire. There is no “right” answer to this.

Start with good average settings – something like ISO 100, f/8 for 20 seconds. Once you make a shot and evaluate it, you can make adjustments for subsequent shots.

Ready, set, paint!

With everything ready to go, set the 2-second timer to trip the shutter (or use the remote), trip the shutter and start painting your subject with the light. Here are some things to keep in mind when doing so:

You will probably want to direct your light from the side, above, or maybe behind the subject. Lighting from the front, the same position as the camera view, will result in an image that looks flat and uninteresting.
Shadows are every bit as important as the light. You are not going for an image that is evenly lit, looks like it was taken in ambient light or was done with a flash. Deep shadows, light on parts of the subject you want to draw attention to and shadows elsewhere will add to the drama you’re seeking. Again, look at the still life Dutch Master’s painting style for clues on how to light your subject. Less can really be more here. Caryn Esplin, the photographer I mentioned earlier, uses the expression “Reveal and Conceal.”
Use your light like a paintbrush, moving it in circular motions.
Do not allow the beam of light to point at the camera or you will create light trails on the image.
To be able to pinpoint smaller areas of your subject, consider “snooting” the flashlight, that is, putting a piece of tape, a cone, or something else on it to reduce the size of the beam.
Brighter objects in the scene will need less light, darker objects more. You will also want to leave some portions of the scene dark to better emulate the painters’ style and add drama.

Cross Lighting brings out the texture and adds drama to this image.

Simple subjects can make good light paintings. The cross-lighting brings out the texture and the deep shadows add drama in this “Pigskin Portrait.”

Shoot, chimp, evaluate and adjust, and shoot again. Adjust your camera settings as necessary for the best exposure. Look at your image and think about what you might do differently. You might get lucky and nail the shot on your first try. However, it’s more typical to make lots of images, trying different things and later choosing the best. Digital film is cheap. Don’t be afraid to make LOTS of shots.

Image: “Patriotic Pickup.” Put it on an Australian flag and you can call it a “Lan...

“Patriotic Pickup.” Put it on an Australian flag and you can call it a “Land Down Under Ute.”

Multiple-exposure technique

This is the second of the techniques for dramatic light-painted photos. While in the previous technique, the photo is made and the subject painted all in one long exposure, this technique involves making multiple exposures. Then you combine them like the pieces of a puzzle into the final image.

Making each of the individual exposures is essentially identical to techniques used in the prior method, but instead of having to light paint the entire scene in one shot, smaller pieces of the scene are done individually.

For example, say you wanted to make a light-painted photo of an old truck at night with the Milky Way overhead in the sky. You could make the background shot of the stars first, then using your flashlight, make a shot lighting just the front tire. Then light the grill, hood, or perhaps the interior. Add some light from the side, back, and on the grass in the foreground. Each of the individually lit shots would be a piece of your puzzle.

That’s exactly the technique used by Richard Tatti, the guy whose online Youtube tutorials taught me this method. The only difference is that he, being an Australian photographer, calls what I would describe as a pickup truck a “ute.” (Editor note: As an Aussie, we also call them “you-beaut utes!” Total slang, of course.)

One image was made for the sky and mountains, followed by about 10 other shots, each lighting a different location in the scene. This uses the multiple-exposure technique.

Richard does a nice job describing the light painting and photographing of a scene, as well as how to edit and combine the individual images into one in this tutorial. So I will suggest you view that for the step-by-step how-to.

I will simply list the steps you’ll be taking.

In Lightroom

After making the individual shots, Lightroom is a good tool for preparing, sorting, and perhaps doing some minor editing to them. Be sure to sync them, so they are all the same size before the next step. The next step is where you select the individual images you will use and then use the “Open as Layers in Photoshop” command to export them into Photoshop. To do this, go to Photo->Edit In->Open as Layers in Photoshop.

Image: Decide which of your images you want to use as “pieces in your puzzle,” select th...

Decide which of your images you want to use as “pieces in your puzzle,” select them all, and then send them out using “Open as Layers in Photoshop.”

In Photoshop

This might take some time, especially if you have lots of layers, but when done, you will see the individual photos all lined up in a Photoshop layers stack.

Find what you would consider your “base” or bottom layer in Photoshop, and if it is not already in the bottom position, click, hold and drag it to that spot in the stack.

Aligning

If you shot on a tripod and the camera didn’t move during the series of exposures (which is what you need to do), this step might not be necessary. However, if the camera moved even a tiny bit, you will want to align the images. It’s not a bad idea to do anyway; it just takes a little more time.

Click the top layer, hold down Shift, and click the bottom layer, so all are selected. Then click the Edit->Auto Align Layers->Auto->OK. Let it work; it’ll take a bit.

Once done, if you see any white edges, crop the image to eliminate those.

Lighten Blending Mode

At first, you will see just the top layer in the stack. Let’s turn the lights on.

Click the top layer in the stack to select it. Then hold down Shift and click the next to last layer, so all but the bottom layer is selected. Then click the Lighten blending mode.

Presto! The lighted portions of your image will all appear, much as if you’ve turned on all those individually lit portions of the image. Cool huh?

Image: Selecting the layers and then applying the “Lighten” blending mode will turn the...

Selecting the layers and then applying the “Lighten” blending mode will turn the lights on!

Use the Eyeball

The little icon to the left of each layer is an eyeball. If you click it on any individual layer, you can toggle that layer, making it visible or invisible. In this case, if you click it to make it invisible, the “lights” on that layer will be turned off.

Think of the eyeballs as light switches. Click them on and off on each layer, and it’s like individually switching the lights on each portion of the shot. It’s a great way to see the effect of that layer on the entire shot.

Sometimes after viewing what a given layer is doing, you may not choose to use that layer at all. If not, leave the eyeball off for that layer.

Image: Work a layer at a time using masking layers and a brush set to black to rub out pieces you do...

Work a layer at a time using masking layers and a brush set to black to rub out pieces you don’t want or perhaps want to reduce the opacity.

Fine-tuning with masks

If you’ve not worked with layers and masks in Photoshop before, this part can seem intimidating. It need not be. You will simply use a layer mask and the paintbrush tool set to black to, as Richard calls it, “rub out” any parts of the lighting layers you don’t want to appear. You can also adjust the opacity of a brush or of the layer itself to control how much impact that layer has on the overall image.

For more on using layer masks, read this article.

This is the same scene as before, but with a different camera angle and different choices about how I used each lit layer.

Go let your light shine!

Light painting is a lot of fun and a great way to produce some nice images. Because of the nature of how you move the light over a subject, no two images will be the same, and what you create will be uniquely yours.

The single exposure method is a great place to start, and if you are a beginner photographer, using the manual settings of your camera will be a good lesson. You will quickly learn the relationships of light and the camera controls; ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, for adjusting your exposure.

The multiple exposure method is a great way to work in larger settings. You can light a tree here and another way across the field if you want as you’re not restricted to making the image all in one click of the shutter. Blending the individual images in Photoshop will also teach you a lot about layers and masks, something that can sometimes be a challenge to learn.

If you make some nice images, post them in the comments so we can see what you’ve created. Also, if you have problems or questions, post something in the comments, and I’ll see if I can help you.

Now, grab your camera, tripod, flashlight/torch, and try these techniques for dramatic light-painted photos. And go let your light shine!

Author’s Note – Just as this article was being submitted, I held a light-painting workshop for my fellow members of the Boise (Idaho) Camera Club. Have a look at their work here.

The post Learn these Two Techniques for Dramatic Light-Painted Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

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Capture Epic Photos Outside the Golden Hour with these Easy Photography Tips

20 Nov

The post Capture Epic Photos Outside the Golden Hour with these Easy Photography Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

The golden hour is one of the most magical times of the day for photography with wonderful light at sunrise and sunset. Yet, have you ever challenged yourself to photograph around these times? You can still capture amazing photos outside the golden hour and here are some ways you can achieve this:

Shoot during the Blue Hour

capture-epic-photos-outside-the-golden-hour

The blue hour is a fantastic window of opportunity where you can create some stunning images. It refers to the period of twilight when the sun is well below the horizon, and residual, indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue shade. The blue hour generally lasts for 20-30 minutes and occurs just after sunset and just before sunrise.

It is important to use a tripod when capturing images in low light. Sharper images will also result from using a tripod by minimizing camera shake when using a slower shutter speed. In terms of the best subjects to photograph during the blue hour, start with cityscapes, roads with street lights, roads with traffic, bridges, fairs, wharves, and marinas.

Include electric lights for dramatic effect and use the extra light to add interest to epic scenes. Most of all, be creative and capture the artificial and natural light together. The warmer tones of illuminated buildings can blend beautifully with the cool blue hues of the sky.

Shoot at night

capture-epic-photos-outside-the-golden-hour

Don’t be in a hurry to put the camera away after the blue hour. There are still more opportunities to take great photos outside the golden hour and blue hour with night photography.

Although the natural light will have faded away, other photographic moments awaken.

Regarding city scenes, the sky will appear darker, and as a result, it can help make other city landmarks and street lights stand out.

Using moonlight can be a brilliant way to capture epic scenes as it paints the landscape or photographing it within a wider frame. Then there is the night sky, which can present wonderfully scenic photos. You can shoot stars, star trails, and even the northern lights.

Combine any of these with the landscape, and they are a recipe for epic images.

Shoot in the midday sun

Outside golden hour 3

Most people tend to avoid photography during the middle of the day, preferring to shoot during the golden hour. Well, challenge yourself to capture photos outside the Golden Hour by shooting at this time of day, and you can be greatly rewarded.

Although the light can indeed be harsh with the midday sun directly overhead, think outside the box. Subjects are well-illuminated, so look for colors that may stand out.

Blue skies can look great with cityscapes. Colorful buildings or flowers can look amazing with a backdrop of a clear blue sky or fluffy white clouds. Also, some cloud cover that reveals patterns of light over a nice landscape scene can look great.

Another option is to shoot the light reflecting indoors. You can head to your local market or capture the interior of a building. Both locations can be great for capturing images at midday.

Shoot when the sun is lower in the sky

Outside golden hour 4

During the winter, daylight is reduced, and we all like to stay in and enjoy the comforts of our home. However, this is a great time to get out and be creative with your camera to capture some awe-inspiring, majestic winter images. At this time, the sun arcs lower in the sky, which is perfect for getting some memorable photos. As this happens throughout the day, you can get some good images at any time.

Watch how the sun stays low and casts long and dramatic shadows and capture this in your images. Use shadows to support your main subject and to give a sense of scale.

Shoot in the morning light

Outside golden hour 5

One of the best times to take photos outside the golden hour is in the morning.

If you shoot after the hour following sunrise when the light is still good, you can get some great images. Whether you find yourself on a trip or in your local area, there is always a morning photography opportunity.

You can photograph landscapes or cityscapes by aiming your camera towards the sun whilst it is still rising. Alternatively, turn around and photograph the gorgeous light painting the land or city behind you.

If you are in a warmer climate, the temperature can be good at this time of day before it can get too hot to be carrying around all your camera equipment. If you like to photograph street scenes and people, head to some of the busier streets as more and more people will be around as the day warms up.

Look for any interesting activity and capture epic scenes of these subjects – they can really be worth the early morning start.

Conclusion

Remember, you can achieve awesome images when shooting at a variety of times outside the golden hour. Choose a time to take your camera out and go and do it!

Do you have a preferred time for taking amazing images besides the golden hour? Share the images you capture with us below.

The post Capture Epic Photos Outside the Golden Hour with these Easy Photography Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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These hilarious photos are the winners of the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

15 Nov

2019 The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

The winners for the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Contest have been announced, showcasing some of the more humorous wildlife photos from around the globe.

This year, more than 4,000 entries from 68 countries were whittled down to 40 finalists. Of the finalists, Sarah Skinner’s photo titled ‘Grab life by the…..’ took home Overall Winner, as well as the Creatures of the Land Award. The painfully funny image was captured in the plains of Botswana and depicts a little lioness ‘playing’ in the most unfortunate sense of the word.

In response to taking home the Overall Winner prize,, as well as the Creatures of the Land Award, Skinner had the following to say:

‘I am absolutely delighted to be awarded the title as Overall Winner in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019. It certainly warms my heart to know that this image will spread some laughter and happiness around the world. I am happy to report that this lioness continues to thrive in the pride, having seen her again in October this year. I can only hope and encourage everyone, as a collective to each do our part in the conservation of all wildlife species so that future generations can enjoy them, in the same way that I have done during my career as a wildlife photographer. Long may lions walk the plains……….’

In addition to Skinner’s winning photograph, we’ve rounded up the winning photographs from each of the categories as well as the Highly Commended Winners and presented them in the following gallery with permission from the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

As funny a the contest may be, the organization also takes a very serious role in conservation, saying ‘is at the heart of our competition.’ To help kickstart conservation efforts, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards offers three tips:

SHOP RESPONSIBLY.?

Try to shop locally and avoid buying un-recyclable products and one-use plastics/packaging.

RESTRICT WATER USE AT HOME.?

Ok, this is the thing, each time you flush the loo we send approx. 20?litres?of water down the drain – seriously, it’s crazy. Have shorter showers, water your garden less and stop flushing the loo every single time. This would save billions of litres of fresh water that could support our environment as well as supply homes and food for a global plethora of wildlife.?

BECOME A “WILD INFLUENCER.”?

This is a special person?who?may be not a mega activist, but really, really cares about the environment and wants to do something to help. For more ideas, please go to: www.comedywildlifephoto.com

Overall Winner/Alex Walker’s Serian Creatures on the Land Award Winner

Image description: African Lion, Savuti (Chobe National Park) Botswana

Spectrum Photo Creatures in the Air Award

Image description: Birds, Croatia

Olympus Creatures Under the Water Award/Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award

Image description: Sea Otter, Seward, Alaska

Amazing Internet Portfolio Award

Image description: Cape Squirrels, Kalahari, South Africa

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: White Rhino, Egret, Nairobi National Park, Nairobi, Kenya

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: Fox Squirrel, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: Red Squirrel, Sweden

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: King Penguin & Antarctic Fur Seal, South Georgia Island

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: Red Fox, Amsterdam, Holland

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: Marmot, Austria

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: King Penguin, South Georgia Island

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: Gentoo Penguin. Bleaker Island, Falkland Islands

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: Japanese Snow Monkey

Highly Commended Winner

Image description: Snow Monkey, Japan

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Posts Tagged ‘These’

Tips on photographing artwork

White balance

Color correction, DNG profiles, light sources

Window light – Pros and Cons

Perspective: positioning art for a photo

Lens choice and depth of field

Focusing Accuracy & Live View

Avoiding reflections

Capturing texture

Copy stands, light tables, and light tents

Copy stands

Light tables

Light tent or cube

Why photograph artwork instead of making it?

Hasselblad X You grand prize winners and finalists

Grand Prize Winner: Clarissa Bonet – Chicago, Illinois, USA

Weekly Winner: Julius Hirtzberger – Vienna, Austria

Weekly Winner: Brian Love – Los Angeles, California, USA

Weekly Winner: Björn Ceder – Jönköping, Sweden

Weekly Winner: Jean Michel Voge – Millancay, France

Weekly Winner: Jacob Degee – Warsaw, Poland

Weekly Winner: Saeed Nassouri – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Weekly Winner: Matthew Ng – Hong Kong

Weekly Winner: Rajiv Bhambri – Melbourne Beach, Florida, USA

Weekly Winner: Martin Kube?ka – Pezinok, Slovakia

Weekly Winner: Frédéric Bastin – Brussels, Belgium

Weekly Winner: Ellen McDermott – New York, New York, USA

These are the 20 most important cameras of the 2010s

2010 – Samsung NX10

2010 – Fujifilm Finepix X100

2010 – iPhone 4/S

2011 – Nikon J/V1

2012: Canon EOS 6D

2012: Olympus OM-D E-M5

2012: Sony Cyber-shot RX100

2013: Samsung Galaxy NX

2013: Sony a7/R

2014: Leica T (Typ 701)

2014: Nikon D750

2014: Samsung NX1

2015: Leica Q (Typ 116)

2016: Pentax K-1

2016: Fujifilm GFX 50S

2017: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5

2017: Sony a9

2017: Nikon D850

2018: Nikon Z6/7

2018: Canon EOS R

2019: Fujifilm GFX100

Have your say: Vote now

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“Wherever there is light, one can photograph.” – Alfred Steiglitz

Two approaches

1. Single exposure

2. Multiple exposure

Single exposure technique

Scene considerations

Motion types – light trails

Single exposure: step-by-step

Location – Total darkness

Equipment

Light

Camera settings

Ready, set, paint!

Multiple-exposure technique

In Lightroom

In Photoshop

Aligning

Lighten Blending Mode

Use the Eyeball

Fine-tuning with masks

Go let your light shine!

Shoot during the Blue Hour

Shoot at night

Shoot in the midday sun

Shoot when the sun is lower in the sky

Shoot in the morning light