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  • iOS 12.1 arrives with ‘beauty filter’ fix and real-time Portrait depth control

    Apple has released iOS 12.1 for iPhone and iPad on Tuesday. As promised, the update brings a fix for the “beauty filter” issue that resulted in soft selfies and debate. The new version also adds the ability to preview Portrait mode depth of field in real-time before capturing the image.

    The ability to adjust Portrait mode depth of field post-capture remains, but users now have the option to adjust that depth of field before capturing the image, as well, with a real-time preview of the background blur for more control over the process.

    Camera updates aside, iOS 12.1 also brings dual SIM support to the newest iPhone models, more than 70 new emoji, and Group FaceTime for chatting with up to 32 people.

    You can download iOS 12.1 by going into Settings > General > Software Update.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Understanding Tonal Range in Photography

    Understanding tonal range in photography can be the last thing on a photographers mind.

    As we progress on our particular paths, there can be times when even the most mindful of us take some things for granted. The simple elements are sometimes overlooked first – such as a sloppy tripod setup or assuming our cameras settings are where we last left them.

    In the same vein, the steadfast technical concepts of our photo work are misunderstood, misinterpreted or worse – completely forgotten. This malady spans every level of skill and afflicts both pros and hobbyists alike.

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 1

    Take as an example the most basic building block of any photograph; light. In our weirdly flexible digital age of post-processing, we can sometimes forget what is happening with the luminance values of our images.

    Our photographs are displays of contrast between light and dark, but the distance between the two are virtually limitless.

    A Brief Word on Tonal Range

    All that we’re talking about here today is the measure of brightness from complete dark to complete light. The range between the different brightness levels within our photos determines its degree of contrast. Take a look at this tonal scale:

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 2

    We move from complete darkness on the left (black) to complete light (whites) on the right. This scale applies for both color and black and white photographs. Now, let’s talk about each of these values and how they relate to your photography.

    Highlights

    Traditionally, I’ve always thought of highlights as the brightest portions of an image, which is not the case. At least not the case to the utmost extent. In truth, highlights can be considered the areas of a photograph which consist of high luminance values yet still contain discernible detail. Here’s an example of highlight luminance values:

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 3

    Notice that even though these areas are bright, there is still some discernible texture and detail to be made out within the bright spots. If we were to increase the exposure, in camera or with post-processing, it would become so bright that it would lose detail entirely, which brings us to our next point.

    Whites

    If we increase the brightness to the extent that our highlights become ‘blown out’ (where details are invisible), we have complete white.

    Even if the white area doesn’t appear white, it may be considered a total ‘white area’ due to the lack of detail. The following is an example of luminance considered total white:

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 4

    Depending on your photograph, it may or may not be desirable to push the exposure to the point of white-out. We’ll talk more about this as we discuss the relevance of tonal range in regards to constructing your images.

    Midtones

    A mid-tone is precisely that – all luminance values that are not dark or light are considered to be mid-tones. Most of the time our camera meter will attempt to expose for this average brightness when in ‘Automatic Mode.’

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 5

    While mid-tones help to ensure much information is contained in an image, a photograph consisting of only mid-tones lacks dynamics.

    Shadows

    Areas that appear as shadows are closely related to highlights albeit in the opposite direction. Shadows are the areas of a photo that are dark but still retain a level of detail.

    The above photo is a perfect example of more information in the shadow areas, so let’s use it one more time:

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 6

    These darker areas still possess information seen by the viewer. However, if we darken them to the point where that detail gets lost or ‘burnt out,’ then…you guessed it, they become a completely black luminance value.

    Blacks

    Any portion a photograph that has zero luminance is considered to be black. Much like the complete white areas earlier, these points within our images don’t have to be utterly devoid of color to be regarded as pure black.

    Let’s look at some shadows that are completely burnt out and retain no detail whatsoever:

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 7

    Completely black areas are so dark that you can see nothing. Consider them the ‘dark abyss’ within a photograph. Having these areas within your image isn’t necessarily a bad thing, so let’s talk about that now.

    Luminance Values and You

    If you ever open a conversation among a group of photographers about the suitability of brightness levels within a photograph, you’d see that the schism is split. Some photographers feel that images should contain no areas of complete black or complete white – that all portions of the photograph should present some level of detail for the viewer.

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 8

    Still, others contend that it’s perfectly fine to either burn or blow out some luminance values for the sake of contrast. Doing this means that there is an area of complete black and complete white so that all the other luminance values fall somewhere between those two absolutes.

    While it’s true that it is often desirable to deliver the maximum amount of visual information to your audience, this is not always the case. There are times when a crushed and burnt out shadow or a super-bright highlight are just what you need to bring a photograph home.

    Understanding Tonal Range in Photography 9

    Final Thoughts

    I’m happy to profess my opinion that there is no such thing as a set technique for each photograph you make. It might seem like a simple thing to remember, but it’s easy to overlook the importance of how different levels of brightness affect an image. Let’s take a quick run back through what we’ve learned about luminance values:

    • Highlights – Bright areas within a photo that still maintain detail
    • Whites – Areas of extreme brightness where there is absolutely no information(detail) remaining
    • Midtones – These are neither shadows or highlights but rather a middle value of luminance
    • Shadows – Darker areas of the image that still maintain detail
    • Blacks – Completely ‘burnt out’ portions of a photo that contains absolutely no detail

    Like most concepts in photography, it’s essential to have a full understanding of the tonal range falling within your photos. You should use this knowledge to strive for technical excellence and also so you know when to break the rules in favor of fulfilling your creative vision.

    How do you make use of tonal range in your images? Share with us your thoughts and images in the comments below.

    The post Understanding Tonal Range in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School.


    Digital Photography School

  • DJI drones temporarily banned in UK after reports of them falling from the sky

    The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has banned a number of DJI drones from flights over human beings as investigations are carried out into the cause of some models falling out of the sky. Matrice 200 series models and the Inspire 2 have had temporary flying restrictions applied to them as they use the DJI TB50 and TB55 battery packs that are suspected of failing mid-flight.

    The authority states that “a small number of incidents have been recently reported where the aircraft has suffered a complete loss of power during flight, despite indications that there was sufficient battery time still remaining.” While the drones in these incidents themselves have suffered damage from the incidents no third-party persons or property has been affected as a result.

    The cause of the fault remains unclear at the moment, and not all of these models of drone seem to suffer from it, but investigators believe the common link is the batteries in use. DJI itself is advising customers to ‘fly with caution’ when using drones that use these batteries as it says they can show incorrect power levels. The company suggests users follow the guidance of the CAA ‘out of an abundance of caution’, and say they are working on firmware to fix the problem.

    In addition to the temporary ban on flights over people the CAA has also suspended permissions to fly these models:

    • over or within 150 metres of any congested area;
    • within 50 metres of any persons;
    • within 50 metres of any, vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the SUA Operator or remote pilot of the SUA;
    • over or within 150 metres of an open air assembly of more than 1,000 persons; or
    • using EVLOS

    DJI seems to have suspended sales on its website of the Matrice 200 series models. For more information see the DJI newsroom, and the CAA website.

    CAA Safety Notice:

    Civil Aviation Authority
    SAFETY NOTICE
    Number: SN–2018/009

    Small Unmanned Aircraft

    Issued: 31 October 2018

    DJI Battery TB50 and TB55 In-Flight Power Failures

    This Safety Notice contains recommendations regarding operational safety.
    Recipients must ensure that this Notice is copied to all members of their staff who need to take appropriate action or who may have an interest in the information (including any ‘in-house’ or contracted maintenance organisations and relevant outside contractors).

    2 Introduction
    2.1 This Safety Notice supersedes and revokes Safety Notice SN–2018/008.

    2.2 This Safety Notice applies to operators of multi-rotor small unmanned aircraft utilising DJI battery model TB50 or TB55, including all DJI Matrice 200 series (which includes the 200, 210 and 210 RTK platforms) and the DJI Inspire 2 (the “Affected SUA”).

    2.3 A small number of incidents have been recently reported where the aircraft has suffered a complete loss of power during flight, despite indications that there was sufficient battery time still remaining. In each case, this resulted in the aircraft falling directly to the ground due to the immediate loss of lift with the remote pilot unable to control its subsequent flight path. The small unmanned aircraft were damaged upon impact, but the CAA has not received any reports of injuries to people or other property.

    2.4 Investigation by the manufacturer has confirmed that this issue is not confined to any specific firmware version and is thought to be related to the batteries TB50 and TB55. The full details of the occurrences are still being investigated.

    2.5 The purpose of this Safety Notice is to highlight the requirement for the SUA operator and/or remote pilot to be reasonably satisfied that the flight can be safely made (Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO) article 94(2)), restrict overflight of persons at any height and to temporarily limit the scope of any operational authorisations issued to operators of the Affected SUA.

    Civil Aviation Authority Safety Notice SN–2018/009

    3 Compliance/Action to be Taken
    3.1 This Safety Notice requires the following actions to be taken:

    a) Provisional Suspension of Operations

    i) In accordance with Air Navigation Order article 257 and 257(2)(c) operators of Affected SUA are hereby directed not to permit any flight that involves overflight of any persons at any height until further notice.

    ii) In accordance with Air Navigation Order article 253, any element of a permission based on an Operational Safety Case (OSC), issued by the CAA to an SUA operator which permits the operation of an Affected SUA to be operated:

    * over or within 150 metres of any congested area;
    * within 50 metres of any persons;
    * within 50 metres of any, vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the SUA Operator or remote pilot of the SUA;
    * over or within 150 metres of an open air assembly of more than 1,000 persons; or
    * using EVLOS

    is provisionally suspended until further notice.

    iii) These limitations will be subject to regular review. As soon as further updates have been obtained from the manufacturer, and the CAA is satisfied that this has been addressed in a satisfactory manner, the CAA will then issue a further update via the SkyWise alerts portal on the CAA website.

    b) Emergency Services Operations

    i) Due to the unique nature of emergency services operations, the privileges contained within General Exemption E 4506 (ORS4 No. 1233) may continue to be exercised whilst using the Affected SUA, provided that the potential risks highlighted in this Safety Notice have been considered within the decision to proceed and the overflight of uninvolved persons is minimised.

    4 Queries
    4.1 Any queries or requests for further guidance as a result of this communication should be addressed to the following e-mail address: uavenquiries@caa.co.uk, with the subject line ‘Safety Notice – DJI Battery TB50 and TB55 In-Flight Power Failures’.

    5 Cancellation
    5.1 This Safety Notice will remain in force until further notice

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes

    6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes 1

    Towns and cities can be noisy, busy, stressful and congested but provide excellent subjects for photography. Taking great photographs of cities is not easy so here are six ideas to help you capture city scenes:

    1) City Skyscrapers

    Urban photography offers a great opportunity to document a cities environment.

    On a sunny day, most photographers choose to head out into nature, where the coast or a rolling landscape is usually only a short drive away.

    However, if you opt for urban landscapes, there are a whole manner of worthwhile subjects where you can point your lens. Skylines, architecture, famous landmarks and bridges are all beautiful examples of city elements worth capturing.

    Cities dominated by skyscrapers are visually exciting and provide a wealth of interesting buildings to view and photograph. You could find strong patterns, symmetry, dramatic lighting and different textures amongst high-rise buildings.

    Look for architectural or urban features that create interest and use a wide angle of view to convey a grander sense of the scene.

    6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes 2

    Shanghai, China

    2) A Nocturnal Cityscape

    Cities are becoming more popular as destinations for short breaks. Overnight stays in cities provide an opportunity to photograph a nocturnal cityscape.

    One key advantage of shooting a city at night is you can work in all kinds of weather such as rain, snow or light fog.

    It is possible to do this because you are mainly focusing on elements that are characterized by darker tones with a few spots of color and light.

    When capturing cities in the dark, you don’t need to concentrate on the usual shadows and tonal gradations that are relevant in the daytime. You work purely with light.

    I suggest that you set yourself up before it gets dark so you can see what you’re doing and experiment with the changing light as it shifts from light to dark.

    6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes 3

    MILLENIUM BRIDGE, London

    3) Reflected City

    Many buildings and city landmarks are so photogenic that they can be too familiar a subject to photograph.

    Instead of shooting the usual perspective of just buildings, concentrate on reflective surfaces that mirror back the surrounding architecture.

    You can find reflections in a pool of water, a polished surface or shiny glass (reflecting abstract patterns) and the bonnet of a car parked on a rooftop.

    6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes 4

    Photographs of reflections are visually pleasing when executed correctly. To be most effective, select the maximum depth of field and aim to achieve an image that’s as sharp as possible.

    4) City Scenes by Night

    City centers become great light shows at night.

    They give an array of color from buildings to lights of passing cars. One tip I recommend is you capture the energy and excitement of a nighttime scene by including a human element.

    Doing so will make your images more dynamic and dramatic.

    6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes 5

    Radcliffe Camera

    If you are shooting at night, you will need a slower shutter speed to capture the scene. Use this to your advantage by recording flowing traffic such as buses and taxis or colorful clouds.

    These can add motion to your city scenes or a splash of color to supplement the buildings in the background.

    6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes 6

    Piran, Slovenia

    5) An Urban Landscape – Day Shots of the City

    Another way you can capture striking images of cities is to photograph the urban landscape.

    Perspectives can be obtained from ground level or by capturing the city from above. Overlook a city from a tower or a rooftop. Find interesting patterns, contrasting buildings or views of street life to photograph.

    6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes 7

    University Church of Saint Mary the Virgin viewpoint

    When shooting from high elevations, if you have to lean out for your shot, make sure it is safe to do so. Secure your camera strap around your hand or neck to keep it safe.

    6) City Streets or Cityscapes From Afar

    6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes 8

    City streets provide intriguing and picturesque subjects such as human interest and variable light.

    You may find yourself walking past a location every day and not realize its potential. Until striking shadows from the sun transform it into a great composition that brings it to life.

    You don’t have to take pictures of city scenes only from close range. Take a step back and capture a wide shot of the urban landscape from afar. Seek out a viewpoint that allows you to obtain more context from an unusual angle.

    Conclusion

    Use these tips to go out and capture your best shots of city scenes and share your images in the comments below.

    The post 6 Tips For Photographing Better City Scenes appeared first on Digital Photography School.


    Digital Photography School

  • The thing that impresses me most about Leica? Its innovation

    Ok, so maybe there’s still room for innovation when it comes to memory card access.

    It might sound odd to discuss the innovations of a company whose best-known product is anachronistic to the point that you have to take the baseplate off to change the film memory card, but I’m serious.

    I know I’m supposed to be impressed by the company’s history, its (rather outdated) use as a press camera and the stellar reputation of its lenses. But I’m not, especially*.

    I love that Leica doesn’t just have crazy ideas, but that it turns them into workable, purchasable products.

    It’s not that the lenses aren’t great. It’s just that I’m not terribly impressed a company’s ability to make single focal length, manual focus lenses good when money’s essentially no object and you can individually correct every one if you have to. My experience of working as an engineering journalist always reminds me that it’s many times harder to produce a kit zoom that has to offer decent performance at multiple focal lengths, offers fast autofocus for both stills and video, includes image stabilization and can be made with a degree of consistency for something like $ 35.

    But while I’m not that fussed about all that ‘red dot’ business, I love that Leica doesn’t just have crazy ideas, but that it turns them into workable, purchasable products. Even if they’re not necessarily the most affordable ones.

    Take an ‘e’ (off the word Monochrome)

    The Bayer color filter array is amazing. It lets spectrally-indifferent sensors perceive color and does so with a good level of resolution and fairly few downsides. Except that it steals around a stop of light.

    I love the idea of a mono-only second camera. But perhaps not one that costs more than my (admittedly ludicrous) road bike.

    So why not make a mono-only camera? None of the softness and noise that comes from demosaicing, and better, cleaner image capture because you’re not letting a series of color filters absorb half your light. That’s a great idea, why doesn’t someone do that?

    Well, Leica has, with the Monochrom series of cameras. They do exactly what you’d hope: produce super-detailed mono images.

    Of course, given that you have only one ‘color’ channel, it becomes more important than ever to avoid clipping, so I wish there was monochrome camera that didn’t meter by looking at the light reflected off the stripes painted on its shutter blades. Also, since it would need to be a second camera for me, I’d prefer it to cost less than a small car. But I have to applaud Leica for doing it, rather than just thinking about it.

    What’s the opposite of Iconoclasticism?

    Again, who would have thought it’d be Leica: a camera brand that added a faux winder lever onto its latest camera, that would design one of the most innovative user interfaces of the past decade?

    Love it or hate it, the icon-led touchscreen interface of the Leica T series is one of the few genuine attempts we’ve seen to completely re-think how you should interact with a camera and its settings. Interestingly, the person I’ve met who dislikes it most is also one of the few I know who owns a digital Leica rangefinder (though that could be because the first iteration had some interesting quirks). Personally, though, I thought the design struck a good balance between command dials that controlled the primary exposure parameters while letting you tap and swipe the settings, just as you might on a smartphone. Certainly an ambitious thing for a ‘traditional’ camera company to do.

    Settings? There’s an app for that

    On the subject of smartphones, it’s long been suggested that they might provide a solution to the uncontrolled menu sprawl that’s overwhelming even the best-designed modern UI. Connecting cameras to smartphones over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is becomes ever more easy and ever more commonplace, just as the complexity of menu options becomes unbearable, so why not pass-off responsibility for settings to the phone?

    Handing off responsibilities for camera settings to a smartphone app makes great sense. I’m not sure the same is true of taking away the rear screen or adding a faux-winder ‘thumb rest.’

    And, if looked at from a certain angle, that’s what Leica’s M10-D does. I’m not necessarily convinced that it made sense to keep going and take the entire LCD screen away but pushing set-and-forget settings off to a smartphone app I could get behind. An app can offer a nicer interface with better guides and instructions, meaning the on-camera interface can be stripped back to focus on the main shooting parameters. But perhaps leave me a screen, eh, Leica?

    You can’t be serious?

    I don’t want flippant tone to completely undermine my sincerity. I genuinely am more impressed with Leica’s innovative thinking than the specifics of its products. I’d love to see some of them more widely adopted. Like having a 36 x 24mm image capture area, that might take off.

    * Full marks to every comment or blog post concluding that I don’t ‘get’ Leica. To be clear, I love shooting with its rangefinders. They deliver a unique shooting experience that every keen photographer should strive to have. Even if I wouldn’t necessarily recommend spending the cost of a hatchback (or a nice road bike) on one. [Return to text]

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Yongnuo teases YN450 mirrorless camera with Android, 4G connectivity

    Chinese company Yongnuo has revealed plans to launch an Android-based mirrorless camera. The model is being referred to as “YN450,” but Yongnuo is soliciting name suggestions in a new contest on its Facebook Page. The public has until January 2019 to submit their name ideas.

    The Yongnuo mirrorless interchangeable lens camera features 4G connectivity and runs on the Android operating system, which is accessible via a touchscreen display that covers the entire back of the camera. PhotoRumors elaborates on the Facebook post, claiming the YN450 camera will feature a memory card, headphone jack, 4000mAh battery, 4K/30fps video recording, support for RAW files, and built-in GPS.

    Yongnuo will reveal the model’s final name in January 2019 and send contest winners a YN50mm F1.8C/N YONGNUO lens. As noted by MirrorlessRumors, the January date hints at a possible CES 2019 unveiling, though the company hasn’t confirmed the rumor.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • How to Take Better Winter Landscape Photos

    Winter is personally my least favorite time of year – it’s cold, it’s depressing, there’s barely any sun out. But one thing that even I have to admit is that winter landscapes make for positively fantastic photographs – if you know how to approach them.  There are a couple of issues that even amateur photographers will notice when they take Continue Reading

    The post How to Take Better Winter Landscape Photos appeared first on Photodoto.


    Photodoto

  • Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions

    As a photographer who captures rare and priceless moments, you can’t afford to have disasters during photo sessions. However, sometimes things go wrong regardless.

    If you have a recovery plan in action before anything goes wrong, you’ll never have to freeze up and panic at that moment. You’ll never have to fear a photo session getting ruined.

    If you psychologically prepare yourself for disasters in advance and rehearse the crisis in your mind, then you can switch to autopilot when it happens.

    Let me walk you through what to do when cameras fail, families fight, or photos fall short of your vision.

    Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions 1

    Knowing that you are prepared for any disaster will allow you to banish your worry and focus on the moment.

    1. Technology

    If you show up to a session with only one camera and one lens, you’re asking for a disaster to happen. You should always have a backup camera with you. Even if you have no intention of using it during the session, you need to have something to fall back on.

    I heard of a wedding photographer who showed up with one camera and one dead battery. The wedding was delayed for an hour while she searched around for somebody to help her find a battery. Don’t let that be you!

    Instead, bring two cameras and two lenses to every photo gig (along with spare batteries). I bring a Fuji camera with a 56mm lens. It’s the only camera and lens I’m interested in using.

    However, I keep a Nikon with an ultra-wide 10-24mm lens tucked in my camera bag (from before I switched to Fuji). It’s there in case I want a unique wide-angle photo. It’s also there in case of disaster.

    Golden hour, wide angle, landscape portrait, Disasters During Photo Sessions

    This is the sort of photo that I would take with my spare Nikon camera and wide angle lens. A couple of nice wide angle photos like this balance out the look of the photos taken with the portrait lens.

    Last spring, I timed a maternity session for the golden hour. If you’ve ever photographed during the golden hour, then you know how quickly the time passes. When the family arrived, I pulled out my camera, dialed in my settings, and then noticed with surprise that the battery was dead. ‘That’s strange; I always charge my batteries,’ I thought. I reached into my camera bag to pull out a spare battery and panicked when I realized I hadn’t brought any!

    Decide right now what you’ll do when your camera stops working, or you make a foolish mistake as I did. Decide right now what your backup plan is so that when it happens, you can switch to autopilot and get the job done.

    Most likely, you’ll reach for your second camera. That’s what I did.

    I had no choice but to shoot the whole session with an ultra wide angle lens! It’s the last lens I would ever choose to photograph portraits.

    Golden hour maternity photo - Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions

    All of the photos in this article are from the photo session with the ultra-wide lens. You can let a family down with your mistakes, or you can rise above and make whatever you’ve got work. I’ve seen enough episodes of “Pro Photographer, Cheap Camera” to know that beautiful photos can be made with nearly any camera and lens.

    Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions 3

    During one session, I was waist deep in a river. There was one camera around my neck and one in my hand. After a few minutes, I realized I had been dunking the camera around my neck into the water. Panic rushed through my head and chest – I just drowned a $ 2000 camera. But I calmly walked ashore, packed away the camera and got back to work. Nobody knew but me. I allowed the need to capture memories to overcome the panic I was feeling in the moment. I could deal with the camera later, there was a family counting on me. Decide in advance not to let your negative feelings rule you.

    Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions 4

    I’m more concerned about the people I’m photographing than the gear I’m using. Personality knows nothing about cameras and lenses, it shines whenever it wants to.

    2. People

    Beyond technology, other disasters can happen during your photo session.

    How about a family that arrives at the photo session in miserable moods and arguing? They probably found it stressful getting ready for the photo session.

    It’s uncomfortable for the photographer and might even lead to the family completely blowing up at each other.

    You can get upset and stressed out (how dare they treat me like this as a professional photographer?), or you can diffuse the situation.

    These scenarios can be tricky to figure out. Try to get them focusing on something else by asking questions and bringing up topics they love. Focus more on the kids first. If you can cheer them up, their excitement becomes contagious. You’ll find the moment that the tension is released, the scene turns to laughter.

    Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions 5

    Laughter is so contagious. My wife always comments that I come home from photo sessions in a better mood. It’s because there is so much laughter.

    Challenging Kids

    Once in a while, families bring me very challenging kids. One mom came with her non-verbal child. He didn’t take direction at all, and immediately ran off into the woods! All of the photos from that session were candid because the child didn’t sit long enough to pose. It wasn’t until he rested with exhaustion that I finally got a photo of him and his mom.

    It was the first session where I thought I had failed. However, upon reviewing the photos, I discovered many wonderful moments, and the mom loved them.

    You need to begin every tough situation by telling yourself, ‘there is a way.’ I now know that completely candid photo sessions are possible.

    Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions 6

    As a photographer, I prefer candid moments over posed ones. Even when posing a photo, I wait for the candid moment to appear.

    Terrified Kids

    I remember one little guy who was terrified of cameras. Just the sight of one sent him into hysterical tears. Beginning with the phrase, ‘there is a way,’ I built a trusting relationship with the child. It naturally led to smiles and no fear of my camera. It took a while, but it worked.

    3. Photos that Fall Short of Your Vision

    Every master was once a disaster – T. Harv Eker

    You may feel like some photo sessions were a disaster because you weren’t happy with how the photos turned out. It is perfectly reasonable for creative photographers struggling with their vision. It’s part of how you grow as a photographer. Allow that dissatisfaction to push you harder next time. Learn from your mistakes and let them prepare you to avoid future disasters.

    Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions 8

    In the end, I learned that an ultra wide angle lens can lead to nice photos. I broke my dependency on my favorite lens. It makes me wonder what other disasters will help me grow as a photographer.

    What is Your Biggest Fear?

    Technology, people, and our lack of creativity threaten our photo sessions all the time. But if you create and rehearse your backup plan in advance, you’ve got much less to actually worry about.

    What’s your biggest fear about a photo session going wrong? Let me know in the comments and see if we can figure out your backup plan in advance.

    The post Recovering From Disasters During Photo Sessions appeared first on Digital Photography School.


    Digital Photography School

  • Lexar announces ‘the world’s largest’ A2 microSD card

    Longsys has announced the world’s largest A2 microSD card under the Lexar brand name.

    The impending 512GB Lexar High-Performance 633x microSDXC UHS-I card meets the Application Performance Class 2 (A2) requirements, meaning it has a minimum write speed of 2000 input/output operations per second (IOPS) and a minimum read speed of 4000 IOPS. In the case of this particular Class 10 card with a V30 rating, that means it can read up to 100MB per second and write up to 70MB per second.

    This particular card is designed more for smartphones and tablets, but can also be used in various action cameras and drones that use microSD cards for storage. Based on the speed, this particular card should handle 4K/30 video and 1080p/120 video without any hassle.

    Lexar says the card has been tested in the “Lexar Quality Labs with more than 1,100 digital devices, to ensure performance, quality, compatibility, and reliability.” It claims an operating temperature range of 0°C/32°F to 70°C/158°F, storage temperature range of -25°C/-13°F to 85°C/185°F, and a humidity range of 5-95 percent.

    Lexar said the card is expected to hit shelves by the end of October for an MSRP of $ 299.99, and has the card up on its website, but the 512GB version isn’t yet available from any retailers.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)