RSS
 

7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

05 Feb

The post 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Many photographers experience anxiety when they think about using flash. It’s a big unknown, difficult to control and to predict what the results might look like.

Knowing when you need to use flash to improve a photograph is just another choice you need to make. A little like deciding what lens to use to take a particular photo. Obtaining the right amount of light from your flash to compliment your picture is key to effective fill flash photography.

Attractive Young Photographer 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

In this article, I share some thoughts on when and why you might choose to add fill flash. I’ll also walk through seven situations where using fill flash helps enhance a picture.

Using fill flash – what, when and why

Fill flash is typically used to balance with the ambient light to provide the main subject with a more pleasing exposure. So you are filling in some additional light to obtain a better or more interesting exposure. Balance is key. When light from a flash overpowers the ambient light, this is not fill flash.

You can make use of fill flash not only at night or in dark locations, but also when there is plenty of light. Fill flash can be used to effectively decrease or eliminate unwanted shadows when the ambient light is very bright.

1. Fill flash and bright sun

mannequin hitch hiker 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

The bright sun casts a hard-edged, dark shadow. When there’s no other light source or reflected light, contrast can cause problems.

Photographing people in bright sunshine they will often have dark shadows under their eyes, nose, and chin. Adding some fill can help to fill in these shadows.

Adding just the right amount of light from your flash is important so it’s balanced with the sunlight. In this photo of a mannequin I saw on the roadside one morning, I have added fill flash. I directed my flash at the smiling figure. I set the output so she was well lit, but her shadow, from the sunlight, is still clear.

2. Electric light source and fill flash

Circuit Board 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

When you have any light source which causes your main subject to be poorly lit, adding fill flash can help.

The large magnifying glass in this photo has a light behind it to illuminate the electronic board. Had I not added any fill flash, the electronic board would be well exposed, but the white surround of the magnifying glass would be underexposed.

Fill flash can even out the light when it’s important to have everything in your photo well exposed.

3. Using ambient light as backlight

Thirsty Traveler 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Photographing your subject with the main light source behind it is known as backlighting. This situation again can create problems when you want evenly exposed photos.

Adding fill flash to a subject which is backlit, you can bring a balance of light and obtain an even exposure.

In this photo of the young woman drinking, I wanted to include the train in the background. The light behind her was quite strong so I balanced it by adding in a burst of flash from my right.

By controlling the flash power to output slightly less light from the ambient light, I was able to leave a soft shadow on her face. Had I not included the flash, the shadow would be too dark and not help convey that it was a hot day so well.

4. Fill flash with a bright background

Young Woman in the Park 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Bright backgrounds, even on cloudy days, can sometimes cause you to underexpose your subject if you’re not careful. Adding some flash helps.

The bright background behind my model in this photo was not super bright, as it was an overcast day. I wanted her to be a little brighter than the background, so I placed the flash to my left. I also had a small softbox for the flash so it was diffused to match the feeling of the ambient light.

5. Light your subject at sunset or sunrise

Evening Jetty 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

At either end of a day, when the sun is low in the sky or just below the horizon, fill flash can be helpful. Sunrise and sunset can produce beautifully colored skies, but they are often going to be brighter than your subject.

If you set your exposure for the sky, your subject will be underexposed. If you set your exposure for your subject, your sky overexposes and you lose the effect of the color in your photo.

Adding a little flash to your subject, so it’s balanced with the light in the sky, will light your subject and allow the color in the sky to be captured also.

6. Fill flash and fire

Bronze Crucible 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

This example is a little different but has the same principle. In this case, part of the main subject is the light source.

I photographed this inside. The workshop was fairly dark so the flames were throwing shadows over the dark metal.

Had I not included any flash in this scene, the crucible, tongs, and surrounds would have been too dark. I wanted more detail to be visible in these areas.

7. Slow shutter and fill flash

Buddhist Chedi Luang 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Any time you have movement in a scene you can use a slow shutter speed to create motion blur in your photos. Using some fill flash can add a whole other dynamic, particularly if you set camera and flash to synchronize well.

Many cameras allow you to set the synchronization to fire the flash just before the second, or rear curtain of the shutter closes. This causes a partial ‘freezing’ of the motion in a more attractive manner.

Again, balancing your flash output is important to achieve the best effect. For this technique, I generally set my flash output to be slightly brighter than the ambient light. If the output is the same or less you will not see the effect much or at all.

How to use your flash well

Woman and Elephants 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

You do not need to have your flash mounted on your camera’s hot shoe pointing directly at your subject.

Diffusing your flash, or bouncing it off a reflector or other surface, will soften the light. Placing your flash off to one side, above or below, will often produce more interesting, pleasing results.

Controlling the output of your flash is always vital. Too much or too little light from your flash causes an imbalance. You need to decide how much light your photo requires and make the correct adjustments to your flash.

Through the lens (TTL) metering is often the easiest setting. You can also use the Auto mode. Sometimes, with either of these settings, you may need to dial in compensation so the light will be a little stronger or weaker.

Using the Manual setting on your flash requires a little more thought and experimentation. It can often produce a more reliable output from the flash when you are taking a series of photos. This is particularly useful when there are variables in light or camera/subject/background distances.

Conclusion

Akha Coffee Harvest 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Adding fill flash can make a positive difference to your photos in many situations. When you are not content with the ambient light alone, consider adding a little light from your flash. Even if the only flash you have is the pop up one on your camera.

You may not get the right result the first few times you try this method. Practice. Study your results. Compare photos where you did not use the flash with ones where you did. In time, you will develop a sense for when adding some fill flash will enhance your photographs.

Share some photos in the comments section below and tell us of your experience with using fill flash, whether you were successful or not.

The post 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on 7 Different Situations Where You Can Use Fill Flash Effectively

Posted in Photography

 

Flickr to begin deleting images over the 1K limit starting tomorrow for free accounts

05 Feb

Changes to the way photo sharing website Flickr operates mean starting tomorrow free accounts that have more than 1,000 images shared on their account are in danger of having images deleted. In November 2018 new owners SmugMug warned the days of all users being entitled to a terabyte of storage were numbered, and noted that as of February 5th 2019 free accounts will be cut down to size starting with the oldest posts.

The company says the cull should affect only a small percentage of its user-base, as 97% of its free account holders have fewer than 1000 images and videos stored. Those who have more should upgrade to a Pro account or scale their albums back. It also points out that the 1000-image limit is five times as generous as the original free account quota, which was only 200 pictures or videos.

Yahoo gets the blame for the situation, as in 2013 it raised the storage limit to attract new users which actually led to sign-ups just using the free storage but not interacting with the community, according to Flickr’s VP of Product Andrew Stadlen. He also says it costs a lot to host all that data, and that by offering it for free devalued the concept of paid online space.
If you are one of that 3% with more than 1000 images in a free account you need to take action now. Fortunately, Gizmodo has produced a handy guide to getting your pictures downloaded back to your local drives.

For more information on these changes see the Flickr blog post from November, and this one from mid-December.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Flickr to begin deleting images over the 1K limit starting tomorrow for free accounts

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Newly shared 1900s photo shows early example of a ‘selife’

05 Feb

Redditor KevlarYarmulke shared an image featuring an early version of the ‘selfie’ on Reddit’s r/OldSchoolCool subreddit last week. The photograph, which is simply dated as ‘1900s,’ features what appears to be a family portrait also showing the photographer who took the picture. Including both the photographer and the subjects in the photo was made possible by the clever use of a large mirror positioned on a tree stump.

This is potentially one of the oldest known photos showing a mirror-based selfie, joining Robert Cornelius’ 1839 self-portrait believed to be the first ‘selfie’ ever taken.

A number of portraits have appeared on Reddit’s OldSchoolCool subreddit demonstrating the film camera and mirror technique. Last month, for example, a user by the name ‘WillianGBishop’ shared a 1960s image of his grandfather taking a self-portrait with a Miranda camera and a mirror. Various users have also shared a photo reportedly from the 1940s titled ‘Wartime Selfie’ that features a couple taking a self-portrait in a mirror.

Via: Fstoppers

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Newly shared 1900s photo shows early example of a ‘selife’

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Almalence compares Google’s Super Resolution Zoom to its own Super Sensor solution

05 Feb

Optical zoom lenses with 2x or even 3x magnification factor are one of the the latest trends on high-end smartphones. However, you don’t necessarily need a dedicated lens to achieve better zoom results than you get from a standard digital zoom.

In the world of computational photographer one solution to getting around optical zoom is to combine a multitude of frames to capture as much detail as possible and apply some clever processing algorithms. While not nearly as clear as optical zoom — yet — these methods result in final images that aren’t far off an optical system. One such example is Google’s Super Resolution Zoom on the Pixel 3 smartphone. Through this method, the Pixel 3 can produce image detail far superior to a simple digital zoom.

But Google isn’t the only company working on this. Computational imaging company Almalence also provides imaging software solutions to mobile device and camera makers with a similar solution called SuperSensor, and it’s shown off just how capable its system is.

On its blog Almalence has compared Google’s Super Resolution to its own Super Sensor technology by installing the latter on a Google Pixel 3 and capturing a couple of test scenes.

The company’s conclusion is that Google’s Super Resolution Zoom ‘reveals some details that are indistinguishable in the normal image,’ but ‘it’s still not the best of what super resolution can achieve.’

In the 100% crops above you can see Google’s system is doing a much better job at magnifying the text in the book that served as a test subject. However, at closer inspection you’ll also see that the characters in the text is better preserved in the image captured by the Almalence system, despite an overall softer appearance.

In the original article you can find another comparison scene and all samples for download at original size, so you can form your own opinions about the performance of the two systems. In any case it’s good to see how far purely software-based systems have come when compared to a simple digital zoom. Combining such systems with optical zoom lenses should open up completely now possibilities on mobile devices.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Almalence compares Google’s Super Resolution Zoom to its own Super Sensor solution

Posted in Uncategorized

 

DJI shares open letter regarding corruption allegations, asks media to ‘pay close attention to the facts’

04 Feb

Three weeks ago, DJI released a statement regarding its ongoing investigation into an alleged corruption scandal that could ultimately cost the Chinese drone manufacturer upwards of more than $ 150 million. Now, DJI has published an open letter on its website detailing more information and urging ‘the media to pay close attention to the facts [DJI has] presented.’

In its initial statement, DJI said that during its internal investigation regarding the alleged corruption, ‘DJI itself found some employees inflated the cost of parts and materials for certain products for personal financial gain […] DJI took swift action to address this issue, dismissed a number of employees who violated company policies, and contacted law enforcement officials.‘

Since the initial statement, DJI has published an open letter on its website that provides more details on the investigation, the events that led up to it and what it plans to do going forward.

‘As DJI embarked on a management reform effort last year, we discovered problems that had evolved during our period of high growth,‘ reads the letter. It later goes on to say ‘DJI has discovered instances of cost inefficiency, purchasing manipulations and outright theft. We cannot ignore these issues. Indeed, for the sake of the vast majority of our employees who work hard and honestly, we need to uncover and eliminate these problems.‘

Although it’s not a full-fledged apology to consumers and investors, DJI does accept blame for letting the corruption getting as bad as it did, saying ‘in the past emphasized corporate growth over new internal processes.‘

DJI says fostering better management will be the key to eliminating such corruption in the future and says ‘will now take a leading role in developing clear policies, procedures and expectations to address corner-cutting and employee theft‘ and calls upon other companies to implement similar processes.

The letter also implores the media to ‘pay close attention to the facts we have presented.’

DJI has been expected to file for IPO in 2019, so these statements and open letters appear to be a part of an intense effort to suppress the fallout from the corruption and its financial implications.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on DJI shares open letter regarding corruption allegations, asks media to ‘pay close attention to the facts’

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Newborn Photography Basics and the Equipment to Use

04 Feb

The post Newborn Photography Basics and the Equipment to Use appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

Many newborn photographers, especially those who specialize in purely newborn photos, have their own studio.

newborn-portable-studio-kit-equipment-dps-lily-sawyer-photo

Parents come to them with their newborns, and their studios are fully kitted-out with lights (unless they are a natural light only photographer), backdrops and props. Some newborn photographers also travel to clients’ home and bring with them their own portable studio.

When I started photography, I did all sorts under the sun. Weddings, families, children, events, birthdays, newborns, maternity…Cake-smash is the only obvious thing I can think of that I haven’t done.

Over time, I cut down on the others and focused on weddings. Now don’t get me wrong, I still do these photography genres, but reserve them for past and annual clients and referrals.

What I’ll share with you is my way of doing newborns, my preferences and the equipment I use. There are other ways and styles, so please don’t take this as gospel and the only way to do newborns. It’s just the style that I prefer. Instead, take this as some advice (if there’s any you find helpful), and as a choice out of the many styles out there.

Before we dive in, let me first say that I didn’t go into newborn photography without reading up on it and learning about safety. Safety is critical. You can’t wing it. Instead, you have to understand risks and take necessary precautions with your equipment, process, and workflow. Baby safety is of utmost importance, over and beyond poses, props and style.

newborn-portable-studio-kit-equipment-dps-lily-sawyer-photo

Choose a style

Your style dictates your equipment. If you want very natural looking photos, no poses, or plenty of candid captures, then you probably won’t need much equipment such as stands, backdrops, or softboxes. All you need are the basics – a camera, the correct lenses (24-70 or 50mm and a macro for close-ups like a 60mm), memory cards, batteries, reflector, speedlight (if using as a back-up).

If you like props, then it’s the opposite. You may need to use everything but your kitchen sink – baskets, bowls, wraps, flowers, textured rugs, fabrics, or toys. These are on top of all other photography equipment.

My preference is going to clients’ homes. I’ve done newborn shoots in my studio, but I prefer setting up in baby’s own home. I take my time and make sure everyone is comfortable and happy, especially the baby. Also, allowing for feeds and soothing. I know most specialist studios have the workflow scheduled to a T, taking an hour maximum and moving on to the next baby. That is fine too and makes good business sense.

1. Props

My style is simple and classic with a few props – namely blankets and wraps, sheepskin, and a basket. That’s it. I use soft fabrics to wrap the babies, so they feel secure. Sometimes I might add something extra depending on the situation, like these newborn twins, where I thought angel wings and a crown would look sweet, or a little flower hairband. Just don’t go over the top. Less is more when it comes to photographing newborns.

I also put them on a sheepskin or blanket to add texture. Usually, the sheepskin or blanket sits on top of a basket, so the babies are shaped curled up. I place the baby curled in there to represent the womb shape. The basket either sits on a beanbag on the floor or on the bed, which must be big, depending on the setup.

I like to keep props to a minimum and focus on the baby’s face, expressions, hands and feet, hair and the lighting.

newborn-portable-studio-kit-equipment-dps-lily-sawyer-photo

2. Poses

Never force a pose on a baby. I do 2-3 poses maximum. If the baby is not comfortable with a pose or not wanting to cooperate, I drop it (the pose not the baby!) and move on to an alternative. I like the bottom up pose, fetal position with baby curled up in a basket, mother and baby/father and baby poses.

3. Lighting

There are many lighting setups. However, I take a softbox with me, speedlights, transmitters, a stand for the softbox, and a reflector. My set-up is simple. I prefer everything on the floor, so that’s where I place the beanbag. A rectangular softbox on a stand sits at a 45-degree angle to the bean bag. Opposite the softbox is a reflector. I use a speedlight in the softbox rather than a strobe for portability. Don’t forget the adaptor for the speedlight to sit on. That’s it. Simple. This way, you can shoot whether there is natural light available or not, whether there is a window in the room , or it’s pitch black!

4. Backdrop

A basic portable backdrop stand kit, with two stands and a bar across to clamp on some fabric, has served me well. Choose material that doesn’t crease! Once I used a black cotton fabric which was so wrinkled I spent ages photoshopping the creases out and painting over the fabric. Luckily it was black and was possible in Photoshop. I sometimes use the backdrop on the beanbag with the baby on top to get a seamless fading background. I prefer a darker background to light colored ones.

newborn-portable-studio-kit-equipment-dps-lily-sawyer-photo

5. Other special items

I like to do the shoot as a story, so I always include other shots of the baby’s nursery. This story may include special newborn greetings cards, booties, or the most special toy gift for the baby. I check with the parents as to what they want capturing. These unique items are also why I prefer to shoot newborns in their homes – the shots become so personal to them and therefore more special.

6. Candids

I often end the session with natural, unposed shots of the family especially if there’s a sibling. That way, they have some memories together of their first few days as a family.

7. Editing

Unfortunately, in my experience, newborn editing takes up much time. Perhaps that’s because I like a more artsy look and there’s a lot of softening to do on the background to match the softness of the newborn skin. Not to mention cleaning up the newborn skin, which is often wrinkly and spotty with milk spots, or very red too. I aim to give the family a variety of images, so they have a good bunch of memories of those first days.

Conclusion

I hope this has given you a snippet of what newborn photography could look like for some. It’s different for others, but this is what I do. I’ve evolved from brightly lit newborn photos to moody, dark tones. Yours can be different. Just make sure it is something you love. Do share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Newborn Photography Basics and the Equipment to Use appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on Newborn Photography Basics and the Equipment to Use

Posted in Photography

 

Panasonic’s new Lumix DC-S1 and S1R: What you need to know

03 Feb

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The new Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R are Panasonic’s first full-frame cameras, and only the second (and third) full-frame options for what had, until recently, been the Leica SL-mount. Broadly comparable in intent to Nikon’s Z-series, the S1 is a powerful all-rounder, featuring advanced video capabilities as well as 24MP stills, while the more expensive S1R is a high-resolution 47MP stills-oriented flagship.

We’ve had our hands on the S1 and S1R, and in this article we’ll pull out the key specifications, and walk through the major features and ergonomics of both cameras.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Ergonomically and cosmetically, the S1 (shown here) and S1R are effectively identical. They’re DSLR-style full-frame mirrorless cameras intended for professional and enthusiast use. As such, they’re fairly large, chunky, and peppered with buttons, switches and dials.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

They’re also tough. Panasonic claims that the magnesium alloy bodies of the S1 and S1R are sealed against dust and moisture, and will operate down to -10°C (14°F). Essentially, we understand that the S1/R were designed to be at least as durable as the GH5 in tough conditions, which in our experience means they should be very tough indeed.

This shot shows the vertical controls on the optional grip, which like the S1/R is weather-sealed and built to a high standard.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Panasonic has stressed to us that feedback from professional photographers was critical to the design of these cameras, and it turns out that when you ask professional photographers what they want a full-frame camera to look like, you end up with something that looks an awful lot like a high-end DSLR, complete with a large grip, and wide, fairly deep body.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

And… (drumroll…) twin card slots! The S1/R support SD (UHS-II / v90 compatible) and XQD recording media, with support for CFexpress (an evolution of XQD offering even higher data transfer rates which has the same form factor) coming in future. A ‘card lock’ feature issues an audible warning if the card door is opened while the camera is still writing data.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The substantial handgrip houses an appropriately substantial battery, which is good for a curiously unremarkable CIPA-rated endurance of between 360 and 400 images, depending on which model, which card type you use and whether you use the EVF or LCD. These figures increase to ~1100 in ‘power save’ mode. In normal shooting, considering the battery’s high capacity, we’d expect much more.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The single biggest difference at a component level is the sensors. The S1 features a 24MP, ‘high-sensitivity’ sensor with a maximum ISO sensitivity of 204,800, whereas the S1R offers greater resolution, at 47MP, with a lower absolute maximum ISO sensitivity of 51,200. Neither cameras’ sensors feature a low-pass filter, which should guarantee excellent sharpness, potentially at the expense of moiré in some situations. Both sensors are stabilized.

It’s worth noting that these sensors are not BSI-CMOS designs. This means that they are not variants of the manufactured sensors we’ve seen in contemporary Sony and Nikon DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. Until we’ve completed our testing we won’t know exactly what that means, except that we’re not expecting any PDAF striping or banding issues. Why? Because there’s no PDAF. More about that on the next slide.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Panasonic has opted to use a variation of its established contrast-detection DFD autofocus system, rather than an on-sensor phase-detection system of the kind favored by other manufacturers. Despite their very different sensors, the S1 and S1R offer the same 225-zone autofocus system.

This is because the AF system is effectively a processing layer on top of the sensor, not built into it. Since both cameras feature the same processor, autofocus performance should be identical – notwithstanding the risk of misfocus being more noticeable in the S1R’s higher-resolution files.

This image shows off the S1/R’s large top-mounted LCD and twin control dials. Just to the right of the LCD is the on/off switch which interestingly – and in our opinion a bit disappointingly – has been moved from its G9 / GH5 position around the shutter button. While less likely to be bumped in its new position, we miss the ability to react quickly and turn the camera on with a single finger.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The S1 and S1R both feature high-resolution 5.76M-dot OLED viewfinders, which Panasonic describes, accurately, as offering ‘the world’s highest resolution’. In use, the S1/R’s viewfinder experience is certainly impressive, and free of the ‘rainbow’ effect which for years has dogged the field-sequential viewfinders used in some of Panasonic’s M43 cameras. We’re not sure it uses all of those 5.76M dots, though, since that number implies a 4:3 finder and these appear to be 3:2.

Sharpness isn’t just about resolution, of course. The optical assembly in the EVF is unusually complex, comprising five elements in three groups, including three ‘optical glass’ elements. The EVF’s default (max) magnification is 0.78X, but this drops to 0.74X or 0.7X if you want to see information displayed around the preview, rather than overlaid on-top.

In this image you can see the S1/R’s rear controls, which include a combined rear dial / 4-way controller and a dedicated 8-way autofocus joystick. The joystick is, no pun intended, a joy to use, capable of directing your chosen AF point around the frame extremely quickly. The 4-way controller beneath it is less satisfying, being a smaller and shallower control which we can imagine being hard to manipulate with cold or gloved fingers.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

On the rear of the S1/R is a 3.2″, 2.1M-dot ‘triaxial’ tilting display, with a tilting mechanism designed to withstand professional use in tough shooting conditions. As we’d expect from Panasonic at this point, the display is touch-sensitive. A ‘night mode’ can be activated on both EVF and / or rear display which switches to a red on black interface to avoid eyestrain and dazzling when shooting in dark conditions.

Speaking of brightness, the rear display is an RGBW type, which includes (W)hite pixels alongside red, green and blue ones to improve visibility in bright conditions and reduce battery use the rest of the time.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Aside from the difference in resolution for stills, video is where we see the biggest differentiators between the S1 and S1R. At a casual glance, both cameras appear to offer fairly similar 4K video shooting capabilities, but a closer look reveals that the S1 is better optimized for serious video capture.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

While both the S1 and S1R can shoot 4K/60 video, they differ in just about all important respects.

The S1 can shoot UHD/30p from the full width of its sensor and can do so for an unlimited time. It can also capture UHD/60p from an APS-C crop for up to 29:59 minutes. All this footage can be captured as 8-bit 4:2:0 footage or output over HDMI as 8-bit 4:2:2. The 30p footage can also be captured as 10-bit 4:2:0 high dynamic range footage in the camera’s HLG mode.

A paid firmware upgrade will allow 10-bit 4:2:2 capture and output of the 30/25 or 24p footage and access to the full V-Log gamma option (not the truncated V-LogL version offered in the GH-series cameras).

The S1R can shoot both UHD/60p and 30p from a 1.09x crop of its sensor, and is pixel-binned, which is likely to mean less detailed footage. There’s no HLG or upgrade option for the S1R, its 30p shooting is capped at 29:59 and the 60p option will shoot for about 10 minutes.

This shot shows the S1’s audio, HDMI and USB C I/O ports. The S1/R can be charged and powered via the latter.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 and S1R will be available in April for $ 2499 and $ 3699 respectively. The optional video firmware upgrade for the S1 will be available at a later date, price still TBD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Panasonic’s new Lumix DC-S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Godox XPro TTL Flash Trigger Review with Phil Steele [video]

03 Feb

The post Godox XPro TTL Flash Trigger Review with Phil Steele appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this video, photography educator Phil Steele reviews the Godox XPro TTL Flash Trigger. While reviewing the Godox unit, he also makes a comparison to other flash triggers he uses; the Yongnuo YN622 and the Phottix Odin. The unit is available for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Fuji, and Pentax.

So, if you are looking to do more flash photography, you should watch this handy review. You may be surprised at the features this unit packs, especially the cross-brand compatibility. Find out more in the video.

 

You may also find the following articles helpful:

How to Trigger an Off-Camera Flash with the Pop-up Flash

8 On-Camera Flash Tips: How To Get Better Lighting From Your On-Camera Flash

Bounce Flash Secrets – Bouncing Your Way to Better Photography

DIY Lighting Hacks for Digital Photographers

How to Understand the Difference Between TTL Versus Manual Flash Modes

How to Make Beautiful Portraits Using Flash and High-Speed Sync

 

If you want to learn more from Phil, check out some of his video courses covering topics like event photography, Lightroom, headshots and more on steeletraining.com.

The post Godox XPro TTL Flash Trigger Review with Phil Steele appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on Godox XPro TTL Flash Trigger Review with Phil Steele [video]

Posted in Photography

 

Video: A humorous short showing the struggle of waiting for pre-ordered camera gear

03 Feb

Regardless of whether or not you suffer from Gear Acquisition Syndrome, more commonly referred to as GAS, you know what it feels like to have to wait for camera get to your doorstep. This holds even more true for pre-ordered camera gear and SkyVista Productions has created a cheeky video making fun of the struggle of waiting for new gear.

The three minute film, titled Letter, pt.II pokes fun at the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, a camera first announced back in April 2018 and is still being released on a limited schedule. It was shot in just two and a half hours according to SkyVista with ‘the impetus behind this short [being] to test the audio capabilities of the BMPCC4K in a real-world movie shoot setting,’ ironically enough.

Sit back, press play and enjoy a few laughs.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Video: A humorous short showing the struggle of waiting for pre-ordered camera gear

Posted in Uncategorized

 

What is a Tech Scout and Why You Need to Do One

03 Feb

The post What is a Tech Scout and Why You Need to Do One appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

When talking about photography, a Tech Scout is a term borrowed from the film industry. It refers to finding a location that will match the setting or scene of a story.

LIke filmmakers, photographers need to do tech scouting (also referred to as a location scouting or a location recce).

The importance of a tech scout is often underestimated. Sure, you may find the most amazing location to photograph a newly engaged couple, but if you’ve overlooked some potential problems, it can end up ruining shoot day.

ech Scout-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Why you need to do a tech scout

As a photographer, a big part of your job is making sure you’re prepared. Cameras stop working, software crashes, and you realize that you forgot to charge the batteries for your Speedlites.

Unfortunately, technical difficulties are a part-and-parcel of the job. However, many various other issues can crop up when you’re on location. That location can even be a studio that you’ve never worked at before.

It’s part of your job as a photographer to ensure that the environment you’ll be shooting in is conducive to getting the desired results for you and your clients.

For example, as a photographer who shoots food, I always make sure that there is a kitchen in any studio I rent out for my jobs. Doing so narrows down the available studios that I can shoot in quite a lot. Food stylists work in all sort of conditions and can sometimes make do with a hot plate. However, why not rent a studio with a kitchen if it’s as easy as renting one without it?

Whenever I have to shoot on location, such as in a restaurant, I do a tech scout too. I visit the restaurant beforehand to find out where I’ll be able to shoot as unobtrusively as possible. I also want to see if there is enough natural light coming in from some windows. If not, I plan to bring in a strobe or a speedlight.

Becoming familiar with the environment you’ll be shooting in will help you not only plan your lighting accordingly but also anticipate potential snafus that can prevent your shoot from going as smoothly as expected.

ech Scout-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Working with clients on a tech scout

If you shoot retail photography, for example, families or couples, you don’t necessarily need to share details or images of the chosen location or locations beforehand. Perhaps your client may be familiar with the setting or has suggested it themselves.

For commercial clients, however, you may be responsible for scouting several locations and presenting them to the client for their decision.

The client will approach you with a creative brief or some ideas of what they are looking for, but it’s up to you to find the ideal location. Your job is to present at least two or three locations based on the brief or mood board or other consultation from the client. It may mean coming up with a list of possible options before narrowing it down to the ones you will actually go check out and photograph.

Tech Scout-Darina Kopcok-DPS

How to do a tech scout

To do a successful tech scout, you need to define the scope of the project.

Be clear on the following:

* who and or what are you shooting?
* how many images are required?
* how and where are they to be used?
* what is the budget to shoot these images?
* what does the client intend to achieve?

You may have some locations in mind, or you might have to start with a virtual scout, a search using Google Maps and street view. You can use Google to search for iconic buildings, structures or other important locations.

Once you have feedback from the client, visit each location with your camera and take some pictures. If possible, do your scout at the same time of time you’d be shooting the final images. An app like Sun Seeker or Sun Surveyor can help you determine where the sun will be at that time, which may be a big factor in your decision-making process.

Send the client a gallery of some of the best images with a color treatment that somewhat reflects the desired results.

Tech Scout-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Potential pitfalls

There are some potential problems that can get in the way of your shoot. Some may be disastrous for you if you haven’t thought ahead, especially on a commercial production where the budget is high.

One such pitfall is permits and licenses. People take images in public all the time, but as soon as you put a tripod down, or have a crew with you, you’ll likely be asked to move along if you can’t provide the proper permits.

Make sure you have the required equipment to shoot in the conditions you’ll be working. This can mean having the right accessories to protect you and your gear from the rain, and even having a large enough vehicle to transport bulky equipment like c-stands.

Parking is another issue you should determine ahead of time. Are you and your crew or the client going to be able to access the location easily, or you will have to walk a bit. If so, how are you going to transport your gear?

Lastly, if you’re shooting outside all day, what are you going to do about bathroom breaks? It may sound funny, but you won’t be able to leave thousands of dollars of equipment and the talent sitting around while you search out a loo. This is a scenario where having an assistant is a must.

Bathroom breaks and meals/snacks are something that needs pre-planning.

ech Scout-Darina Kopcok-DPS

In Conclusion

Hopefully, you’ve learned more about how useful it is to do a tech scout and the best way to approach one.

Proper planning can make or break a photo shoot. No matter how small your shoot or who you’re shooting for (even if it’s for yourself), checking locations out beforehand can save you a lot of headaches in the long run.

 

The post What is a Tech Scout and Why You Need to Do One appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on What is a Tech Scout and Why You Need to Do One

Posted in Photography

 
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »