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Two Ways to Create a Snowstorm Using Photoshop

11 Nov

The holidays are upon us and you want to have the perfect photo but it’s just too cold, slippery, or you missed the snow all together? There are times that regardless of your will, the weather won’t allow you to go outside to shoot the photos you want. Fortunately, it’s easy to recreate a snowstorm using Photoshop to give that final touch to your image.

Two Ways to Create a Snowstorm using Photoshop

Select an appropriate image

First, you have to choose an image that will be believable as having been shot during a snowfall. It can be a snowed-in landscape or a holiday view like the ones I’ll use here to show you the technique. However, you can get as creative as you like. In this tutorial, I’ll teach you two different techniques to make it snow in Photoshop so you can choose which suits you best.

#1 – Snowstorm with layers

With your image open in Photoshop, duplicate it as a layer by going to Menu > Layers > Duplicate Layer. An exact copy of your image will be created on top of the original and as a default will be called Background copy. However, if you want to rename it “snow” for organization purposes just double-click the layer name.

With this new layer selected, go to Menu > Filter > Pixelate > Pointillize. In the pop-up window, you can choose how big or small you want the snowflakes to be by dragging the slider and when you’re happy click OK.

Note: Your background color should be set to white.

Pointillize - Two Ways to Create a Snowstorm using Photoshop

While on the same layer, go to Menu > Image > Adjustments > Threshold to make it monochrome. The higher the number, the less dense the snow will be and therefore it will look more real.

Threshold - Two Ways to Create a Snowstorm using Photoshop

Layer blend mode

Once you click ok you will only see a black canvas with white spots. So to merge it with your image you need to change the layer blend to Screen; you can do this in the drop-down menu of the layers tab.

Now you need to give the snow some movement to make it look like it’s falling. For this you can go to Menu > Filter > Blur > Motion Blur. When you adjust the angle you will change the direction in which the snow will appear to be coming down. The Distance setting changes the space between the “snowflakes”. When you’re happy with it click OK.

Two Ways to Create a Snowstorm using Photoshop

There you have it, a digitally created snowstorm! You can adjust the opacity of the layer if you want the effect to be less intense. You can also repeat the process to create more layers and change the values of the Motion Blur to make it less homogeneous and therefore more realistic.

Snowstorm Two Ways to Make it Snow in Photoshop

However, this will always be a bulk effect, if you want to do it more precisely and more controlled then follow the next set of steps in method two.

#2 – Snowfall with brush strokes

First, you need to create a personalized brush for the snow. To do that, open a new canvas with a white background and then paint some uneven circles (with a black brush) that will be your snowflakes. Make two or three in different sizes, remember that you can adjust the size of the brush in the top left menu. It’s also good to use a soft brush to avoid any hard edges.

To turn this canvas into a brush, you need to go to Menu > Edit > Define Brush Preset. In the pop-up window, you can rename it as Snow. Now you can close this document without saving it because it was already saved as a brush that you can now use on any image. Now you can open the photo in which you want to make it snow.

Brush Two Ways to Make it Snow in Photoshop

Paint in the snow

Having your desired scene as the background, you need to create a new layer by going to Menu > Layer > New Layer. This is where you are going to paint the snow using the new brush you just created, but first, you need to set the properties of the brush.

First click on the brush tool, choose the snow brush from the pop-up menu and set your foreground color to white. Then open the Properties window by going to Menu > Window > Brush or by pressing F5. Here you can change many things to adjust the brush to suit your needs, in this case, I did the Scattering, the Shape Dynamics and the spacing of the Brush Tip Shape, but you can play around until you’re happy.

You will always see the applied effect of what you’re doing in the preview window at the bottom right-hand side of the screen. You can also activate or turn off each of the settings with the check sign to the left of the brush preset name.

Brush Properties - Two Ways to Make it Snow in Photoshop

Refine the snow

To make it more realistic, go to Menu > Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. In the pop-up window, you can change the radius to soften the snowflakes.

Now you can create more layers to give the impression of depth. The snowflakes you did before form the base, think of those as being the farthest away. Then repeat the process on another layer in which the flakes are going to be closer, for that they need to be bigger, which is controlled by the brush size. You also need to show motion, so instead of the Gaussian Blur, this time, use a Motion Blur.

Snowfall - Two Ways to Make it Snow in Photoshop

You can add and paint snow on as many layers as you want. Of course, you can always colorize it with some hue if your scene has a different tonal palette, adjust the layer opacity, and mix the two techniques described here in order to make your image look just right, as shown below.

Both - Two Ways to Make it Snow in Photoshop

Conclusion

Please give this a go, and share your before and after snowstorm images in the comments below.

The post Two Ways to Create a Snowstorm Using Photoshop by Ana Mireles appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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5 Non-Gear Related Ways to Improve Your Work and Take Better Photos

19 Sep

I have lost track of the number of times I have heard complete strangers compliment me on having a great fancy camera that takes “great pictures”. Initially, I used to be quick to the defense and try and get a word in on how I am a professional photographer and hence have some level of skill in my craft. But now I just nod, smile and quickly move away. Unfortunately, the reality is that a lot of photographers (and others) think that by having the latest and greatest fancy camera, they have the ability to take better photos.

The truth of the matter is that you don’t need the latest equipment or fancy qualifications to be a good photographer. Photography is a creative art form and like any art form, it takes a lot of hard work, practice, and perseverance to get really good at taking great pictures. Sure, you need to really understand your gear and what it can and cannot do. But there are loads of simple, non-technical stuff you can do to improve your photography as well.

Here are some non-gear related tips that will help you take better photographs.

#1 Take your camera everywhere

You never know what might be around the corner, be it close to home or on your far away travels. Life is unpredictable and things change in a split second. There’s always something interesting to photograph. You just need to open your eyes, look around and be ready to snap that shot. And additionally, make sure your phone or camera of choice is within easy reach ready for that shot.

5 Simple Non-Gear Related Ways to Improve Your Work and Take Better Photos

Cows hitching a ride inside trucks is quite a sight especially on narrow streets in India!

These migrating pelicans found the most electric resting places…hopefully, they got re-charged for their next flight.

#2 Take pictures every day

Overnight success is a myth. The sooner you realize that the more at peace you will have on your photographic journey. We all know that to get really good at anything, we need to practice and practice a lot. After all, practice makes perfect. The more pictures you take, the better you will become.

Don’t get hung up on what you’re using to take the pictures, either. Many times I only have my iPhone with me and take a shot if it catches my eye. Be confident that if done correctly, you can make good pictures with any camera.

Cupcakes and coffee = great food editorials shots.

Other times it is just a bowl of fresh fruit that can spark an inspiring photo. Don’t get hung up on the perfect scenery – let your imagination be your guide for your everyday shots.

#3 Analyze other photographs

Seek inspiration in other photos. Look at pictures you like and ask yourself what you like about those pictures. What makes it interesting to you and why? Also question how you could make it better or do it differently.

Don’t be afraid to try something similar and put your own creative spin on it. Take an old idea and make it your own. That makes it different, new and in turn, you just might make it better than the original.

A recent obsession in the study of effectively capturing movement in photographs led to a multi-exposure frame – one of my personal favorites to showcase my creative journey.

#4 Study your images

Become your own best critic. Question everything. Look at your pictures and ask yourself what you like and what you don’t like. Be completely honest with yourself as this will really help you improve your craft. Sometimes it is also beneficial to repeat the shot and change it up to make it better than your own original.

And when something works, celebrate your success. It is very important in your creative journey to celebrate your own milestones – it makes the journey that much more fun.

This is the view from my home in Bombay and I love photographing the sea bridge – one of the technological marvels of the modern world – at different times of the day and in different weather conditions. It is amazing to analyze how light and color changes the whole perspective of an image.

Of course, night shots have their own charm. Next time I shall remember to take my tripod along for some car trails!

#5 Stop, look and then click

Most of today’s fancy cameras have a continuous shooting mode where you can fire away at six to eight frames per second. But I find that this tends to make us lazy as photographers. We take on the mentality of the “spray and pray” theory that if we take 20 shots of something, chances are at least a couple will be worthwhile.

Yes, taking loads of pictures is great. But if you pause and take a few seconds to really observe your surroundings, you will be able to visualize your shot. Think about how you want your picture to look and do what you need to do to achieve that look. It might mean moving position, waiting for the light to change or the crowds to dissipate, but it could be the difference between a good photo and a great one.

We were walking along the narrow street of Vridhavan in India and this cow was ahead of us. We just stopped to see what he was doing and also to give him a wide berth as he was a very big bull. He calmly walked into this abandoned house and just made himself at home. It’s not every day that you find cows lounging inside your house.

Conclusion

I hope these simple yet powerful tips help you take better photos and improve at your skill and craft. Remember it is not the camera that takes a great picture but the skill of the person behind the camera that gets the money shot.

The post 5 Non-Gear Related Ways to Improve Your Work and Take Better Photos by Karthika Gupta appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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3 Ways Luminar May Cure Some of Your Post-Processing Headaches

13 Sep

Lately, I’ve been playing around with Luminar by Macphun. I’ve found that this program reduces the number of my editing headaches. I’ll share a bit of my experience with it, and you can see if it can help solve some of your headaches or challenges as well.

Processing is a chore

I’m the impatient type; I hate sitting down. I spend my life trying to find ways to keep moving and being active. I love to create and build and explore. Sitting down to edit photographs is a true chore. You all know a photographer like me. They spend their time carefully composing, adjusting lighting, and building the image in the camera, so they don’t have to spend hours editing their images.

Let’s be clear I’m not criticizing those who build images using several layers and masks. Some of my favorite photographers are editing masters, and I truly appreciate the skills they use to create their work. It’s incredible. But it’s not me. Editing is a headache for me. I hate it, but I’m too possessive of my work to ever considering outsourcing my post-processing. So anything that reduces the time I spend behind a computer is a bonus for me.

Lately, I’ve been playing around with Luminar by Macphun. I’ve found that this program reduces the number of my editing headaches.

I used the presets in Luminar to help process this image. I’ve been on an abstract kick lately and the blue of this painted wall drew me to photograph all the cracks in the paint.

Luminar is very quick to use. The program works as a stand-alone application, or you can install and use it as a plug-in for Lightroom and Photoshop. I chose to edit using Luminar as the standalone version. So here are three of my editing headaches that Luminar helped reduce.

1) Finding a starting point for processing the image

Often we photographers shoot with a finished look in mind. We know we are going to convert an image to black and white or we want to create a luminous light filled look, and we shoot accordingly. However other times we struggle to picture the finished image. We can’t figure out a starting point for processing the photo. That’s where presets come in.

You can use presets as an idea bank that helps to get the creative juices flowing. The only issue is viewing these presets and finding the right starting point. In Luminar the presets are large, and you can easily scroll through each look using the slider bar. The display of presets is easily accessible at the bottom of the screen. You can click through several different looks and return to the one you like.

3 Ways Macphun's Luminar Cures Some of My Post-Processing Headaches

Here you can see the open screen and all of the presets are displayed at the bottom.

The other bonus to this method is the slider located on each preset. If the look is just a little too strong for your liking, it’s easy to dial it back. You can adjust how strongly each preset affects the image. For someone like me who tends only to make global adjustments to images, these types of features are really useful. I am able to select a preset then gently adjust the image to my liking.

Luminar helps with ideas and possibilities

This is the image I created in Lightroom. The color version is more like the picture I had in my head but when I saw the preset in Luminar it sparked some creativity.

The image you see below was pretty much a quick snap on my way out the door. I was in Cuba and waiting for my aunt to get ready before we caught the bus. I had no vision for the shot other than a quick sighting of something interesting. So when I returned home, I struggled with what to do.

I would never have thought of doing a black and white conversion for this image if it were not for one of the presets in Luminar. A headache solved, the program gave me an idea. I used the preset as a base and tweaked the image slightly. In total it took me about five minutes to edit the image.

I would never have thought of processing the image in black and white if not for the presets provided by Luminar.

2) Soooo many buttons to manage and remember

For those of us who want to edit images quickly, it’s difficult to remember all those keyboard shortcuts, and it’s time-consuming to keep checking the cheat sheet by our desks.

In Luminar, the interface is very simple, and it’s quick to use with just a few simple buttons. It’s easy to crop, compare, and apply a brush or a gradient to your work. It’s easy to make both global and more isolated adjustments quickly and effectively.

As you can see I quickly added a layer to this image. I wanted to use the brush to apply some very specific adjustments just to some areas of the image. Notice the clean interface.

Here you see the simplified interface with some of the options hidden (presets and histogram). It is a workspace called Quick & Awesome which you can select from the pull-down menu.

3) Layers can get complicated and confusing

Managing layers and masks can be confusing in Photoshop and for some of it’s a real headache. In Luminar, the layers are easy to access and utilize.

You can add filters to an image by creating another layer or apply them directly to the image. I used the filters and brushed them into the image on separate layers.

Pushing the plus (+) button adds a layer quickly in Luminar. The layers can be used to overlay a second image, like a texture or to apply filters, brushes, etc. It’s easy to apply a preset to an image, globally. Then if you want to apply a preset to just a few areas of an image you can also create another layer and brush the preset onto specific areas of the image.

To illustrate this point, I’ve quickly applied a black and white preset to an image using the brush tool. You can see how quick and easy it is to make very specific adjustments to an image by painting in the preset as a layer mask, similar to tools like Adobe Photoshop. However, Luminar can take things even one step further. Filters themselves can also be applied in the same manner. To do this, simply click on the brush tool, then click on the title bar of a filter (not a layer). When you begin painting in the mask, you’ll see a small mask preview thumbnail appears in the title bar. After creating the mask, adjust the filter sliders as desired to apply the effect to the mask. Once you get the hang of filter masks, you’ll find it’s an extremely efficient way to make selective edits to your photos.

Filters themselves can also be applied in the same manner. To do this, simply click on the brush tool, then click on the title bar of a filter (not a layer). When you begin painting in the mask, you’ll see a small mask preview thumbnail appears in the title bar. After creating the mask, adjust the filter sliders as desired to apply the effect to the mask. Once you get the hang of filter masks, you’ll find it’s an extremely efficient way to make selective edits to your photos.

Managing layers and masks can be confusing in Photoshop and for some of it’s a real headache. In Luminar, the layers are easy to access and utilize.

I really like how the program displays all the masks and layers I’ve created. I found it easy to manage.

In conclusion

For some of us, editing is a chore. It depends on your personality and your style. Post-processing is an essential part of the photographic process, but it doesn’t have to ruin your love of photography.

Many of the features in Luminar help to alleviate those editing headaches from which many of us suffer. The program simplifies complicated processes and allows users to create beautiful images in a fairly short amount of time.

Here’s a finished image I completed using Luminar.

The Mac version of Luminar is available for a free trial or purchase here.. If you’re on a PC, download a free public beta version of Luminar for Windows here.

Disclaimer: Macphun is a dPS advertising partner.

The post 3 Ways Luminar May Cure Some of Your Post-Processing Headaches by Erin Fitzgibbon appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Four Ways to Use Snapshots in Lightroom

27 Aug

What’s Lightroom’s most underrated feature? If you ask five different photographers you’ll probably get at least six answers. But for me, it’s Snapshots.

Lightroom snapshots

Unused and unloved – that was the fate of Snapshots in my Lightroom workflow for many years. It’s taken me a long time to appreciate how useful they are. For most of that time, I used Virtual Copies when I needed to create different versions of the same photo. But now I use Snapshots, and it’s made life a lot easier.

Why use Snapshots in Lightroom?

Let’s look at why you would use Snapshots or Virtual Copies.

One of the benefits of a Raw file is that you can interpret the file in many different ways in Lightroom. The most obvious example is that you could create both a color version of an image and a black and white one.

Two versions of the same photo created in Lightroom from the same Raw file.

There are so many different ways of developing a photo in Lightroom that’s easy to make multiple versions of the same image. Sometimes it’s difficult to know when to stop! Especially if you have a large collection of Develop Presets.

Snapshots are the easiest way to keep track of all the different versions you make of a photo.

What is a Snapshot?

A Snapshot captures all the work you have done on a photo at a particular point in a time.

Snapshots are related to the entries in the History panel. You can turn any entry in the History panel into a Snapshot by right-clicking and choosing, Create Snapshot. Snapshots save you time because you don’t have to go searching through the History panel for the point you’d like to revert to.

Some of the History panel entries for a photo I developed in Lightroom. It’s nearly impossible to pick the correct entry if you want you to go back to an earlier version of the photo.

How to create a Snapshot

There are two ways to create a Snapshot.

1. Go to Develop > New Snapshot (or use the Cmd-N [Mac] / Ctrl-N [PC] keyboard shortcut.)

Lightroom creates a Snapshot from the current Develop module settings. You can give it a name or use the default (current date and time).

Lightroom Snapshots

2. Right-click on an entry in the History panel and choose, Create Snapshot. Lightroom creates a Snapshot from the settings applied to the photo at that point in the development history.

Lightroom Snapshots

Reasons to use Snapshots

Now you know how to create a Snapshot, let’s look at some ways you can use them.

1. To record where you are in the Develop module

When you’re developing photos in Lightroom you may find yourself arriving a point where you are about to go off in a different direction. For example, let’s say you want to make both a color and a black and white version of the same image. You might start off by developing it in color. When you are finished, you make a Snapshot.

Then, you can convert it to black and white. When you’re done, make another Snapshot. You can then switch between the two versions by clicking on the appropriate Snapshot. See what that might look like below.

Lightroom Snapshots

2. To test out Develop Presets

Let’s say you would like to apply some Develop Presets to your photo, but you are not sure which ones are best. For example, I often develop my portraits using my Vintage Portrait Presets for Lightroom. There are 30 presets in the pack, and I don’t know in advance which ones will work best.

Using Snapshots, you can go through the entire set. When you find a preset that you like, you can create a Snapshot quickly using the keyboard shortcut Cmd-N [Mac] / Ctrl-N [PC].

At the end, you will have several Snapshots. You can then click on them one by one to see which preset you prefer. For example, I applied five different Vintage Portrait Presets to this portrait and saved each as a Snapshot. In the end, I decided the Vintage 19 preset was my favorite.

Lightroom Snapshots

Tip: Rename the Snapshot you decide is the one you like best to something like “Preset name [final]” so you can remember which one it is. You can also delete the other Snapshots by right-clicking and choosing, Delete.

3. To make comparisons

There’s an easy way to compare two Snapshots to see which version you like best.

Start by right-clicking on the first Snapshot and selecting Copy Snapshot Settings to Before. Then click on the second Snapshot to apply it to the photo you are developing. Use the backslash (\) keyboard shortcut to switch between the before and current settings to make the comparison.

You can also cycle between the Before/After views by clicking the icon marked below in the Toolbar (use the T keyboard shortcut to display the Toolbar if you can’t see it).

Using the Before/After comparison to compare two Snapshots.

4. To take the place of Virtual Copies

At the beginning of the article, I mentioned that I use Snapshots instead of Virtual Copies. The main reason is that Virtual Copies are difficult to keep track of.

For example, let’s say you create four Virtual Copies of a photo, each one developed a different way. To start with, they are probably all in the same Collection. As time goes by you may create more Virtual Copies of the same photo. This is quite common – many photographers change the way they develop photos as their style evolves and Adobe adds new tools to Lightroom.

A problem arises when those new Virtual Copies are in different Collections to the originals. Suddenly you have a situation where Virtual Copies are scattered across your Catalog. That makes it nearly impossible to see how many Virtual Copies of a photo you have created.

Snapshots solve that problem. With Snapshots, there is only ever one version of your photo in the Catalog. You never have to go hunting for missing Virtual Copies. All you need to do to see the different versions of your photo is click on the Snapshot name.

This photo has 9 Snapshots. If they were Virtual Copies instead it would be much harder to keep track of them.

Tip: What happens if you make a Snapshot and then update the settings? The Snapshot doesn’t change as it’s intended to record the state of a photo at the point in time you made it. But it’s easy to update the Snapshot. Just right-click on the Snapshot’s name and choose, Update with Current Settings.

Conclusion

Hopefully, now you can see why Snapshots are both useful and under-appreciated. If you have a problem with too many Virtual Copies in your Catalog then try using Snapshots instead to see if they solve your problem.

And of course, if you have any questions about using Snapshots in Lightroom then please let me know in the comments below.

If you’d like to learn more about Lightroom, including great tips like the one in this article, then please check out my popular Mastering Lightroom ebooks. You’ll be making the most of Lightroom in no time.

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5 Ways to Promote Your Photography Business

25 Aug

You worked really hard to learn the skills that you need to be a fantastic photographer and you worked even harder to build your business. But, for your business to succeed long-term, you need to have a solid marketing plan in place. Courtesy of Pixabay.com Check out the five tips below for effectively marketing your photography company to the masses. Continue Reading

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7 Different Ways to Approach Macro Photography

19 Jul

Macro photography is one a genre that many people love. But the expense of buying a top lens to take close up photos can make it restrictive or impossible to do. However, there are many ways of approaching this kind of photography, and not all of them have to break the bank.

Here are seven different approaches to macro photography. We’ll start with what most people think of, and cover other ways to help you do macro photography when you don’t have a big budget to do what you love.

7 Different Ways to Approach Macro Photography - orange flower

105mm Macro lens with auto-focus. I have used the same flower for all the photos. They were taken as close to the flower as the lens would allow for focusing. A full frame camera was used to take the images, except for the last one.

#1 – Dedicated Macro Lens

Getting yourself a macro lens is one if the best ways of doing close-up photography. These lenses are specifically designed to allow you to focus very close to your subject. With most macro lenses, you can get as close as about four inches or 10 centimeters (compared to “regular” lenses which close focusing distance is usually around 12 inches or more). That is with autofocus on, but if you turn it off you will be able to focus even closer.

Manual focusing seems to be the preferred way of doing macro photography. If do some reading, you will find a lot of photographers prefer to use their macro lenses this way. It allows them to get even closer. This, then, might be where you ask the question, “Why should I bother buying a macro lens that has autofocus?”

Many of the top lenses manufacturers make options for macro photography. They are high-end, and the quality is as you would expect those brands to produce. However, they are also very expensive and you can expect to pay quite a bit for a dedicated macro lens.

Many other companies are now also making macro lenses. Some don’t have autofocus, but if you are happy using manual then they may be a better (or less expensive) alternative for you. They are often around half the price of the big brands, so if you can’t afford one of the top models, then this could be a much better fit for you.

7 Different Ways to Approach Macro Photography

Shot with a 105mm Macro lens using manual focus.

#2 – Zoom Lenses

When many people start doing macro photography they often start with a zoom lens and do their best to get as close as possible. Depending on the focal length of your lens you can get pretty close to your subject. You may not get tiny bugs on your flowers from the garden, but you will get whole flowers.

There are some zoom lenses that also have a macro ability which makes it easier for you to get great photos and it allows you to focus in closer. Often zoom lenses will only focus if you are a few feet away from your subject. If you have one with the ability to get closer, then you will be able to get fairly good “almost macro” images.

Image taken with a zoom lens and the focal length was 300mm.

#3 – Lensbaby Velvet 56

The Velvet 56 by Lensbaby is a special lens that can be used for taking normal photos, but what a lot of people use it for is macro photography. It looks like a normal prime lens, but it has a very short depth of field, which makes it ideal for macro photography. You can change the aperture to give you very little in focus or a lot.

A lot of macro photographers who start using the Velvet 56 fall in love with it and find it difficult to use other lenses again.

This image was taken with the Lensbaby Velvet 56.

#4 – Lensbaby Composer Pro and Optics

This is a unique system where the first part, the Lensbaby Composer Pro, fits onto your camera like a lens. It is made up of two parts which are connected by a ball-like socket so you can move the outer part around to put your focus point and plane where you want. Into this, you put an optic that will give you the desired effect you want. There are many different types of optics, however, the Sweet 35 and Sweet 50 are the most popular ones for macro photography.

The Composure Pro and optics gives you a lot of opportunities to get some interesting and different effects. You can change the point of focus to anywhere you want in the image. You can also decide what depth of field you want to get. Macro images that are very different to what you can achieve with other types of macro lenses are possible with this system.

Read my overview of the Lensbaby system here: Overview of the Lensbaby System – Is it for you?

This image was achieved by using the Lensbaby Composer Pro with a Sweet 50 optic.

#5 – Extension Tubes

You can also get extension tubes that will fit in between your camera and your lens. These will make your lenses get closer to your subjects (and shift the focusing distance). Your 50mm lens with extension tubes, and you can start taking photos that are very close to those from a macro lens. It should be noted that there are differences though, and a dedicated lens for close ups is easier to use.

Extension tubes are usually bought in a group of three, you get a 12mm, 20mm and a 36mm. You can use them individually, or combine together. You can get one that will not allow the lens to communicate with your camera, they are usually much cheaper. So look for what they call automatic rings, with Autofocus. I use Kenko Automatic Extension Tubes.

You have to be careful with the rings as they are not very heavy and if you put a big hefty lens on your camera and don’t give it enough support, then you risk damaging the connection between the lens and camera.

7 Different ways of approaching macro photography

Shot with a 50mm lens on its own.

Shot with a 50mm lens and a 36mm extension tube.

#6 – Close-Up Filters

There are many filters available for your lenses and you can also get ones that help you get really close to subjects. They are called close-up filters and are like magnifying glasses. You are quite limited in what you can do with them, and they can be hard to use.

When you go looking for close-up filters you will find different levels of magnification. It would be tempting to get lots of them, but you really only need a couple. The one I have is a +5 from B+W.

I also use the close-up filters on my macro lens as it allows me to get even closer to the flowers I’m trying to photograph. Sometimes you have to use everything you have to get as close as possible.

105mm macro lens with a +5 close-up filter.

#7 – Phone

Most cell or mobile phones have quite good cameras now and you can get some really good images with them, including macro photography. You can find the option for macro photos in your settings. Though my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge doesn’t have a specific macro one, there are some that will help you get better photos.

With the phone, you can get just as close to your subject as you can with most macro lenses. That makes it great, however, it can be much harder to get a good image. It is very hard to hold the phone steady enough to get good photos. It takes a lot of practice to get good images.

Many companies now produce lenses that you can use with your phone including a macro lens which can be a great way for doing this kind of photography.

This macro image was taken with the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Phone.

In the end

There are so many different approaches, and while seven have been mentioned here, there may be a lot more. Whichever way you choose to go, you have to find the method fits within with your budget and the amount of time you want to spend photographing subjects at a macro level.

What do you use to do macro photography? Do you have a different approach you can share with us?

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Ten ways to shake ‘photographers block’ for good

16 Jul

Get your groove back

Have you ever found yourself in a photographic rut, feeling uninspired to go out and shoot? Most of us have – it’s a frustratingly easy place to end up. So what’s the best way to reclaim your inspiration when ‘photography block’ strikes? Through self discipline, which can be a breath of fresh air at a time when memory cards are large enough to feel limitless and social feeds provide an endless stream to flip through.

What follows are 10 tips to help you not only feel refreshed in your photography, but to stay inspired to go out and shoot. Think of these tips as a workout routine to lead you toward a healthier creative state. They are meant to supplement your photographic goals, not replace them, and they’re geared towards nurturing the skill sets that will help make you a stronger photographer. Get ready to get disciplined!

All photos by Dan Bracaglia unless otherwise credited

Switch up your medium from time to time

If you primarily shoot digital, try your hands at film. Or if you only shoot film, try digital. Why? Because the inherent nature of both mediums offer separate benefits that will help you to improve your photography. Digital gives instant feedback, which is useful for honing technical skills as well as better understanding the behavior of your gear, while film teaches us to take our time and be decisive.

These are two very different skill sets that when practiced together, create a well-balanced photographer.

Try shooting in green square mode

Take your beloved digital camera and throw it in ‘green square’ mode or whatever other fully automatic mode is offered. This will force you to work around the camera’s chosen parameters which in turn will force you to think outside the box and get creative.

It will also teach you a little bit more about how your camera behaves when it’s left to make its own decisions. Understanding the default behavior of your camera is important, even if you mostly shoot full manual.

Limit your memory card size

Want to simulate the limitations of the film era without the actual hassle of shooting film? Grab some 1GB memory cards. Depending on how you shoot (and what you’re shooting with) you’ll get a pretty limited amount of shots per card (a 1GB card in my personal camera is about 30 images). This will help you to be more decisive and intentional with your shots.

For an even more difficult challenge, disallow yourself from viewing images in playback, or deleting files. Just shoot, and swap your card for a fresh one when it’s full.

Shoot with a prime

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘zoom with your feet,’ and as hackneyed as it sounds, this is still some of the best photography advice there is. Shooting a single focal length forces you to move around more, which in turn opens up new compositional paths. But that isn’t the only benefit. You also generally have the advantage of shooting with a lighter, less obtrusive lens, compared to a zoom (there are of course large, heavy primes).

Fixed lens compacts, like the Fujifilm X100 series, Ricoh GR series and Sony RX1 series are great carry-everywhere cameras that will also force you to zoom with your feet.

Consider a disposable

Hey, did you know disposable cameras still exist? They’ve survived the dawn and maturing of the digital area and can still be found at many local corner stores (in the US, at least). So why on Earth would you shoot one? Because they are the perfect tool for living in the moment, while still being a photographer. With a disposable, neither framing nor exposure are precise arts, so there’s no need to put a lot of effort into either. The only thing you, the shooter can truly control is moment the shutter is snapped, the general direction of the camera and whether the flash fires.

Disposables also do a surprisingly good job at close distances, balancing flash with ambient light. And they’re the perfect companion for a rowdy night with friends (a time when some of the best/worst images get taken), while your expensive gear stays home, safe and sound.

Keep a camera on you, always

You’re a photographer – act like one. Whenever you got out, whether its to the store, the doctor or the circus, bring a camera, any camera! Because inspiration plays by its own rules, but you can beat it at its own game by always having a camera on you.

Point and shoots, whether film or digital, are perfect for this (I personally like the Olympus Stylus Epic and Ricoh GR II). And while a smartphone can offer image quality comparable to many compacts, the act of carrying and using an actual camera is arguably more beneficial to your photographic improvement.

Compose pictures even when there’s no camera

OK, this contradicts the previous slide, but allow me to explain: Once in a while, make the choice to not bring a camera along to something you’d ordinary shoot. And while you’re there, challenge yourself to compose mental photographs. The more you get in the habit of doing this, the more you’ll recognize compositions you like when you do have a camera on you.

Photo: Wenmei Hill

Draw, doodle, sketch

This one plays off of the previous slides’ advice in terms of preparing yourself for desirable compositions before they present themselves. Even if you are a terrible with a pen or pencil, spend some time pre-visualizing and drawing out scenes you like, whether abstract or realistic. This exercise can also be surprisingly helpful at helping you to better understand the concept of 3D space on a 2-dimensional plane.

Look at more pictures

Get in the habit of consuming quality photography every day. Social media is both a savior and a curse when it comes to daily consumption of imagery. The relentless nature of ‘the feed’ can lead to binge consumption – try to slow down and take the time to look into images, not at them. Apps like Instagram allow you to easily curate and view only the work of those photographers that inspire.

Better yet, view photography outside the context of a screen: go to a museum or gallery show. Photo books are another great way to quickly inspire. Keep one or two favorites easily accessible, so when you’re feeling creatively drained, you need only pop them open to recharge.

Post your images, watch your progress

Maybe you aren’t ready to share your work with the world just yet, no problem! Start a photoblog anyway. Even if you don’t share the link with anyone, by maintaining a place you update often, you’re making a record of your photographic progress. So when you’re feeling uninspired or low about your work, simply look back on how much you’ve improved to lift your spirits.

Because hopefully, you will have.

Share your tips

Have any other tips? Share them in the comments below.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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7 Ways to Stay Organized While You’re Traveling

08 Jun

Travel has the capacity to take you to any number of amazing destinations to photograph. It also means you are often on the move, setting up in your new location of choice, only then to pack up and move to the next, often soon after. Staying organized while traveling can have some major benefits to the enjoyment of your trip as well as your photography.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

Ultimately, the more organized you are, the less time you need to spend on the logistics of travel, and the more you can dedicate your time to taking photos when opportunity knocks and enjoying the journey. The list below covers both travel and photographic logistics to help in the process.

While reading this article, keep in mind that all points suggested for staying organized can be implemented into your workflow before you go traveling. Getting organized and developing an efficient workflow is best established before you hit the road where time can be of the essence and photo opportunities plentiful.

The points raised below could definitely be considered common sense. But, there are also very real practical benefits to each of them that may result in the difference between coming home with a special, image or missing out.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

1. Download and backup when you have the time

There’s nothing worse than realizing you are about to visit an amazing location and you do not enough memory to photograph it comprehensively.

If you are traveling with your own computer and hard drives, then you will have greater flexibility to download and backup your precious files. Assume for a moment, you are relying on other people’s computers. This is where it is important to take advantage and download and backup when you can.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

I have seen many memory cards corrupt or simply stop working during expeditions for many different reasons. If you only have a couple of free cards left and one of them stops working, you will definitely be limited until you are able to download and make room for more content. This is especially true if a situation presents itself and you have a once in a lifetime opportunity to capture something special.

While working in Antarctica, I had several days where I shot over 1000 images before lunchtime because the subject matter was so good. It is this type of situation it is imperative to efficiently download when possible.

2. When you have time to charge batteries, do it

For much the same reason as downloading your content, when there is the opportunity to charge your batteries, be sure to do it. It is often the most obvious, day to day tasks that we forget about, yet they can be responsible for the worst possible situations to present themselves.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

While it is imperative to have multiple batteries (as well as multiple memory cards), it is also critical to be sure to recharge them when there is time. It is all too easy to think the pile of batteries in your bag are mostly fully charged, when in fact they may be mostly empty. Keeping empty ones separate can help keep yourself organized, however, your best practice should include charging when there is time.

3. If you can do it today, don’t do leave it until tomorrow

This is an old saying that I have heard many times. If there is time to get organized today, then do it. I have been reminded of this many times when having an early start to photograph sunrise, only to arrive five minutes after the light was at its best.

If there is the opportunity to make sure your bag is packed and ready to go, then take it. Be sure to have memory cards and charged batteries in your cameras before you leave for a shoot. If time is of the essence, you will only regret not being more organized.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

If you need specific gear for the next day’s location, be sure your bag is packed with the gear you need all in the one place. It will lessen the pressure to get everything ready when you’re running out of time.

4. Put your gear in the same place

Once you have figured out the best places to keep all your gear within your bag, always put each item back in the same spot.

I learned this photographing weddings when I was always working quickly and needed quick access to accessories like flash triggers, camera remotes, batteries, memory, etc. There is nothing better when you are under pressure for time than knowing exactly where the item you need is within your bag. It also means that if you send a friend to get something for you when time is not plentiful, you can not only describe the item clearly, but also tell them exactly where to find it.

Learning the best way to pack your gear is something that comes from time and experience. Before you travel, be sure to head out on day trips taking photos as much as possible. This will help cement the best way to pack your bag to allow for efficient packing and quick access to your gear.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

5. Keep your gear clean

Keeping your gear clean and well-maintained will also help to keep it functioning properly. If you are working near the ocean or in a dusty environment, be sure to wipe down your cameras and lenses on a regular basis so nothing foreign finds its way into the internal parts of your cameras. Be sure to also clean where possible, the inside of your camera bag. I have always found it to be a place where dust can build up over time, especially when working in challenging environments.

If you are confident to do so, also consider cleaning your sensor. Avoiding dust spots on your images can help reduce the amount of editing time your images need at a later time.

6. Keep all other non-photographic related items organized and separate in your bag

Often while travelling, we have more personal items on us than normal. Be sure to keep these safe and packed well within your camera bag, preferably separate to your gear so it does not interfere with daily activities. This is particularly important when working in challenging environments.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

It’s also important to be sure to have them organized and easily accessible, especially if you have flights or other forms of transport that require paperwork and/or tickets that need to be accessed regularly.

7. Be sure to keep your data organized

This more organized your content is while travelling, the quicker you can begin choosing images, begin keywording and captioning them, as well as editing once you are home or even while still on the road. This is an important factor whether you are shooting for a client or just for your own enjoyment.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

The enormity of starting the editing process can sometimes turn you off making a start, as the task can seem too big to comprehend. This feeling changes the more experienced you become, however, breaking your editing process down into steps will always help. Speed in handling your files and the editing process comes with time, and is usually achieved by increasing efficiency across the many steps in the process.

Staying organized across all the stages of editing will only help to reduce the amount of time it takes to organize, and choose and edit your images. This in turn gives you a completed portfolio sooner to enjoy and share.

7 Reasons to Stay Organized While You're Traveling

Conclusion

The bottom line for staying organized while you’re traveling is it will help reduce your stress level. Travel can be hard at the best of times, make it easier for yourself by planning and staying organized. You’ll be ready for anything.

Do you have any other tips to add? Please do so in the comments section below.

The post 7 Ways to Stay Organized While You’re Traveling by Damian Caniglia appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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7 Ways to Become More Spontaneous with Your Street Photography

16 Apr

As you become more experienced and comfortable doing street photography, you will notice that the way you shoot will begin to change. You will notice more, focus more on what you like, and your work will improve significantly. At this point, it can be important to embrace spontaneity in the way that you shoot.

street photography NYC

So often the first shot of a scene that you take will be the best, for reasons I can’t explain, except that your gut and instinct are something to embrace with this type of photography. The more experienced you become, the more vital they will be.

Here are some tips that have helped me to shoot in a more spontaneous fashion.

1. Choose your camera settings so that you can forget about them

The first step is to figure out your camera settings so that you can forget about them. You don’t want to worry about your camera or changing settings as you’re shooting. When you’re feeling good, it often feels like the camera isn’t there. street photography

If it’s a shady day and the lighting is consistent, then it’s easy to choose your settings and not have to worry about them. But it becomes tough when you are shooting in direct sunlight, where some areas are lit with extreme light and others are in the shadows.

For these situations, what I will do is change my camera to Aperture Priority mode, around f/8, and I will put my ISO up high, to around 1600. I will make sure that when I point my camera at shady areas it will still give me a fast enough shutter speed, like 1/250th of a second, to freeze motion in people. Then, when I point the camera in sunny areas, the shutter speed will be something insane, maybe 1/1000th or more of a second.

Obviously, these settings are not perfect for sunny areas since the ISO is high, but with newer cameras, ISOs of 1600 look beautiful. I prefer to shoot with these settings because it allows me to forget about my settings regardless of what light I walk into. It makes the day much more fun and relaxing, and I can spend more energy looking around.

2. Slow down and shoot quick

street photography NYC

When I work with newer photographers, I often seeing them run from place to place, searching for that elusive spectacular moment, as if the more ground they cover will yield more of those moments. Those moments will occur whether you are moving fast or not. Except when you are moving fast, you’re not focusing on the area that you’re in at the moment. There are interesting photos everywhere, particularly in places that you might have previously disregarded.

The slower you move, the faster you will be able to react when something happens. By increasing your awareness, you will allow yourself to be more spontaneous. You will have more gut feelings to follow. This will allow you to react much quicker when actually capturing the photograph.

3. Spend more time looking with your eyes than the viewfinder

street photography scene

In street photography, your eyes should be the real viewfinder. Focus your energy on looking around. It’s actually hard to do, especially if you are easily distracted or going from place to place. Notice the potential for something to happen with your eyes and get in position, then the viewfinder and camera will follow. But it should almost feel like the camera isn’t there – the hard work is done before you even bring it up to your eye.

4. Figure out how to take good photographs anywhere

street photography - garbage

Stop taking things for granted. The more you think an area will not provide you with a good photograph, the more you should try to get a good one there. Much of the time you’ll get nothing, but you will be surprised how often this works out, and it’s a fantastic way to train your eye.

This will also allow you to create unique and interesting photographs. By shooting in areas where not many others photograph, your good shots will be unexpected. They will stand out.

5. Go with your gut

street photography - crosswalk

We’ve talked a lot about going with your gut already, but what does that really mean? When you’re out there shooting, you’re going to get feelings that moments are about to happen. Most people wait to actually see something happen before they shoot, and often the moment has disappeared by then.

When you feel something good is about to occur, capture the moment in a quick and spontaneous way. Go for it instinctively – use your instincts to your advantage and develop them. While many of these shots will turn out to be nothing, when you hit one at the perfect moment, you will be left with an incredible image that you could not have captured otherwise. Be spontaneous.

6. Don’t worry about perfection

street photography

It is common for newer photographers to worry about cutting people’s feet off, something getting in the way, or the shot being skewed. I have heard so many comments about wishing that a person, group, or object wasn’t in the background or in a certain location. This is, of course, important stuff to consider. But when I hear these comments being made, I detect that the reason they find these things annoying is because they ruin the perfection of the image.

Have you ever shown an image to someone and the first thing they notice is this random background detail that’s barely noticeable? This is part of having too much focus on perfection, and it can drive you crazy. You’re trying to get the most perfect and clean image possible, and that is rarely possible in street photography. You take what is given to you, and an interesting moment is an interesting moment.

Street photography is supposed to feel real, and so many of those imperfections can add to that feeling of it being a spontaneous moment. They can improve an image just as much as they can ruin it. Try to embrace these imperfections when you can as being part of a real and special moment.

7. Don’t be afraid to take weird photographs

street photography - weird

These photographs are for you. You don’t need to take photographs that appeal to everyone, and not everything has to be perfect, grand, and pleasing. Capture photos that are not standard, off in some way, and weird. Focus on what interests you and try to foster that. This is where the voice in your work will begin to shine.

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Five Ways to Improve Your Composition Skills

15 Apr

Composition is one of the most important skills you can learn as a photographer. The interesting thing about composition is that it’s all to do with observation and learning to see. You may need to invest in a book or two to help you understand the basic principles, but nothing more. It’s a much more cost-effective way of becoming a better photographer than buying a new camera or lens!

There are five things you can do right away to improve your composition skills.

Composition and photography

1. Learn how to use your camera properly

The aim is to know your camera so well that you can photograph without thinking about it. This comes through familiarity and practice.

Try this exercise. Close your eyes and pick up your camera. Which buttons and dials do you need to use to adjust aperture, shutter speed, and autofocus? How do you select the active AF (autofocus) point? How do you apply exposure compensation? If you don’t know the answers without looking, then read your manual. You should be so familiar with these settings that you can adjust them automatically, with no more than a glance at your camera.

Learn this simple approach

Digital cameras have lots of menu options and it’s easy to get caught up in adjusting settings. I suggest you ignore most of them and keep your approach simple. Here’s how:

Always shoot RAW format and set White Balance to Daylight or Auto and keep it there. Pick one camera profile and stick with it. You can adjust all of these settings afterward in Lightroom.
Don’t touch any settings such as lens corrections, contrast, dynamic range, noise reduction, sharpness or highlight preservation. These are all irrelevant if you shoot RAW.
Don’t switch between metering modes. Stick to one and learn how it works.
Understand your camera’s focus modes and when to use each one.
Learn how to select the active AF point so you can make the camera focus where you want.
Make sure you know how to switch to Manual shooting mode and when you should do so.
Learn how to apply exposure compensation, preferably without taking your camera away from your eye.

For most forms of photography, you don’t need to know anything more than that. The main exception is anything that involves fast action, as you may need to adjust your camera’s autofocus settings to suit. The idea is to know your camera so well that you can concentrate on observing the subject and finding the best possible composition.

Some photographers say that the dials on cameras like the Fujifilm X-T1 (shown above) and old style film cameras help them adjust settings quickly.

Fiddling with your camera’s settings is a distraction. The more attention you pay to your settings, the less you’ll pay to the composition of your images.

2. Look beyond the obvious

The first viewpoint you find when you take a photo of something may not be the best or most interesting.

When you find a worthwhile subject spend some time with it. Try and look beyond what first attracted you to it. This is called working the subject.

What happens if you photograph it from another angle?
With another lens?
Or if you get closer or further away?
Is there anything interesting about the subject that you have overlooked?

For example, if you are taking someone’s portrait it might be because they have a captivating or beautiful face. But what else is interesting about them? Their clothes? Jewelry? Tattoos? Look beyond the face and see what you can find.

I made some portraits of a friend of mine. But he also has interesting hands. After I made the portraits I asked him to hold his hands out and made this photo.

3. Educate your eye

You can learn a lot about composition by studying the work of master photographers. It’s time to pick some photographers whose work you like and get analytical. I like looking at photos taken decades ago. Photographers back then worked with much simpler equipment and didn’t have our technological advantages. Yet the best still created beautifully composed images.

So, how did they do it? When looking at somebody else’s work ask yourself these questions:

Are they working in black and white or color? How would switching from one to the other affect the composition?
What is the focal point of the image? Is it positioned in the frame according to the rule of thirds or could there be other principles at work?
What shapes and patterns do you see?
Is there any negative space in the photo? How much room does the subject have to breathe?
Is the photo balanced or unbalanced? What is the visual relationship between the various elements in the scene? Which are dominant and which are secondary in importance?
Can you tell what lens focal length the photographer may have used? How would using a different focal length affect the composition?
How did the photography create a sense of depth?

Questions like these deepen your understanding of the work of other photographers. The answers inform your work as you evolve as a photographer.

This landscape scene was lit by the light reflected from the clouds and sky after the sun disappeared below the horizon. I first became aware of the beauty of this type of light when looking at the work of Galen Rowell, a famous adventure and landscape photographer.

4. Work with geometry and symmetry

Learn to look for shapes in your photos. A good place to start is with anything man-made, as we tend to build things with recognizable shapes like triangles, squares, and circles.

Repeating shapes create patterns and symmetry that can also form the basis of an interesting composition.

For example, when you look at this photo, what do you see?

At first glance, it’s a photo of an outdoor cinema screen in a Chinese village. But look closely and you start to see shapes. The rectangle of the screen is an obvious one. But did you notice the diamonds made by the pattern in the flooring? Or the organic shapes of the Chinese characters on the wall?

5. Use punctuation and gesture

Jay Maisel talks a lot about gesture and Bob Holmes talks about punctuation. Look up the work of these two photographers to learn more about these concepts.

Punctuation is the addition of something interesting, often a human figure, that completes a scene. The photo needs that little something extra to lift it above the ordinary. Punctuation is an important part of street and travel photography.

For example, this photo is completed and made stronger by the presence of the woman in the doorway.

Composition and photography

In his book “Light, Gesture & Color” Jay Maisel defines gesture as the thing that reveals the essence of the subject. Everything has it. Gesture takes us beyond the superficial to the essence of the subject and reveals itself through observation.

Imagine you are photographing a mountain. What do you see? Maybe it’s the shape of the mountain against the sky. The textures of the rocks scattered over the surface, the steepness of its cliffs, or the way that clouds wrap themselves around the summit. All these things are part of the gesture of the mountain, the things that make it what it is.

With people, gesture is a mixture of body language and attitude. If you are making a street photo it may be in the body language or appearance of somebody in the photo. If you are making a more formal portrait it is something in the model’s expression or body language that helps create mood or communicate character.

In this photo the pose and expression of the dancer are gesture.

Composition and photography - gesture

Punctuation and gesture are advanced concepts. But it’s worth thinking about how you can apply them to your photos, as they help make the composition of your images stronger.

Conclusion

Composition is an important skill. It takes time to master, but it’s worth the effort as the quality of your photos will improve immensely.

Do you have any other suggestions for ways to improve your composition skills? Please let us know in the comments. I’m looking forward to seeing what ideas you come up with.

Andrew is the author of the ebook Mastering Composition.

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