The Canon RF 70-200mm F4L IS USM is a very compact, medium-aperture zoom lens for the company’s mirrorless RF mount. With an innovative design and advanced optical makeup, it offers the promise of high image quality in a package not much larger than most standard zooms. So how does it perform?
We’ve been shooting with a production sample for a few days, and you can view our gallery from the links above and below.
View our gallery of samples from the Canon RF 70-200mm F4L IS USM
The post How to Photograph Silhouettes in 8 Easy Steps appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
In this article, I’m going to show you a step-by-step process for doing stunning silhouette photography.
I’m also going to share tips and tricks that work really, really well for silhouette shooting; that way, you can get gorgeous results as soon as possible.
So if you’re ready to discover the secrets to amazing silhouettes, let’s dive right in!
Silhouette photography: the basics
Silhouettes are a wonderful way to convey drama, mystery, emotion, and mood. They often stand out thanks to their simplicity as well as the story that they convey.
I love silhouettes because they don’t give a clear picture of the scene. Instead, they leave part of the image up to the viewer’s imagination.
Now, here’s the basic strategy for doing silhouette photography:
Place your subject (the shape you want to be blacked out) in front of a light source.
Then force your camera to set its exposure based on the brightest part of your picture (i.e., the background).
In doing this, your subject will be underexposed. It should turn very dark and sometimes even black.
There are a lot of very technical discussions surrounding silhouette photography and how to get a particular exposure. But I’d like to ignore the technical details and focus on what matters:
Getting you a great result!
So without further ado, let’s take a look at the step-by-step process for stunning silhouettes:
How to Photograph Silhouettes
Before heading out to shoot silhouettes, make sure you have a camera that lets you adjust the exposure. In other words, you should be able to brighten and darken the photo at will.
(All modern DSLRs and mirrorless cameras have this functionality and so do most smartphones.)
Step 1: Choose a strong subject
Almost any object can be made into a silhouette. However, some objects are better than others.
Choose something with a strong and recognizable shape that will be interesting enough in its two-dimensional form to hold the viewer’s attention.
Silhouettes can’t draw on the colors, textures, and tones of subjects to make themselves appealing, so the shape needs to be distinct.
Step 2: Turn off your flash
If you have your camera in Auto mode, it’ll probably use flash – and this will ruin the silhouette.
Basically, silhouette photography requires as little light as possible on the front of your subject.
So make sure that your flash is off!
Step 3: Get your light right
When it comes to lighting your subject, you’ll need to throw out a lot of what you’ve learned about normal photography and think a little backward.
Instead of lighting the front of your subject, you need to ensure that there is more light shining from the background than the foreground of your shot. Or to put it another way, you want to light the back of your subject rather than the front.
The perfect setup is to place your subject in front of a sunset or sunrise – but any bright light will do the trick.
Step 4: Frame your image
Frame your shot so you are shooting with your subject in front of a plain but bright background.
The best backgrounds are often a bright, cloudless sky with a setting sun.
You want to position the brightest light source behind your subject (so that it’s either hidden or somewhere in the background).
Step 5: Make silhouetted shapes distinct and uncluttered
If there is more than one shape or object in the scene that you’re attempting to silhouette, try to keep them separated.
So if you’re making a silhouette from a tree plus a person, don’t position the person in front of the tree and don’t have the person lean against the tree, because this will merge the two shapes into one and cause confusion.
Also, when framing, you’ll probably want to photograph silhouetted people as profiles rather than looking straight on. That way, more of their features (nose, mouth, and eyes) are outlined, and the person becomes more recognizable.
Step 6: Feel free to start in Auto mode
Most modern digital cameras are pretty good at exposing a photo so everything is nice and bright.
The problem is that most cameras are a bit too smart; they’ll light up your main subject instead of underexposing it to get a silhouette.
So what do you do?
You trick your camera.
You see, Auto mode generally determines the exposure levels when you push the shutter button halfway down (at the same time that the camera focuses).
So point your camera at the brightest part of your scene, then press the shutter button halfway (and don’t let go!). Then move your camera back and frame your shot how you want it.
Finally, press the shutter button the rest of the way.
With most digital cameras, this will result in a silhouetted subject; by forcing your camera to expose for the brightest part of the scene, you cause it to render the main subject as a dark silhouette.
Note that some cameras also have a spot metering mode that helps with the above technique. Spot metering puts the exposure meter on the central part of your frame – so you can accurately tell your camera the exact portion of bright background you want to use to set the exposure.
Step 7: Manual mode
If the Auto mode technique doesn’t work, and if your camera has controls to allow manual exposure, you might want to adjust the settings manually.
A simple way to use Manual mode is to actually start in Auto. Point your camera at the brightest part of the sky, look at the shutter speed and aperture that your camera suggests, then switch over to Manual mode and dial in those settings.
Next, take a test shot and review it on your camera’s screen.
If your subject is too light (i.e., you need to make it darker), increase the shutter speed and see what happens. And if your subject is too dark, decrease the shutter speed to brighten up the shot.
Eventually, you’ll end up with a well-exposed silhouette!
(You can also use a bracketing technique to get a variety of shots at slightly different exposures.)
Step 8: Keep your subject sharp
In most cases, you’ll want your subject to be crisp and in focus.
Unfortunately, this can make the metering process – described in Step 6 – somewhat tricky. You see, pushing your shutter halfway down to get the metering right also means that you’ll focus on a spot in the background rather than your subject.
If you’ve used Manual mode, you can always focus on the background, acquire your exposure settings, dial them in, then refocus on your subject.
But if you prefer the Auto mode strategy, then you have two options.
First, if your camera has manual focusing, you can try prefocusing on your subject. Next, meter off the background (and press the shutter button halfway). Frame up your composition, then trigger the shutter.
Second, you can try adjusting the aperture to maximize your depth of field (i.e., the amount of your image that is in focus).
For this, you’ll need to set a small aperture (i.e., a large f-number, such as f/11 or f/16) to increase the depth of field. If the f-number is large enough, and your subject isn’t too close to the camera, you’ll end up with both a sharp subject and a sharp background, even if your camera is focused on the area behind your subject.
Bonus tip: try partial silhouette photography
While a total silhouette with a nice crisp, dark subject can be powerful, also consider a partial silhouette where some detail of your subject is left, such as in the photo below:
Sometimes, a touch of light makes the subject slightly more three-dimensional and real.
And if you’re not sure whether to create a full silhouette or a partial silhouette, that’s okay; just bracket your shots! That’s the beauty of bracketing: it will leave you with both total and partial silhouettes to choose from.
Silhouette photography: conclusion
Well, there you have it:
How to photograph a silhouette in eight simple steps.
So head out when the light is right – and start doing some silhouette photography of your own!
Now over to you:
Have any silhouette photos you’d like to share? Post them in the comments below!And if you need inspiration, check out these 12 amazing silhouette example shots.
The post How to Photograph Silhouettes in 8 Easy Steps appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
The post A Lighting Ratios Guide: How to Make (or Break) Your Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.
Want to take your portraits to the next level with lighting ratios?
You’ve come to the right place.
Because in this article, I’m going to share everything you need to know about lighting ratios for amazing portraits, including:
What lighting ratios are
Basic ratios for portrait photography
Tips for using ratios
(And much more!)
So if you want to become a portrait photography master, then let’s get started.
What is a lighting ratio in photography?
As a math term, a ratio is a comparison of one thing to another.
So when calculating lighting ratios, you measure the light falling on the light or highlight side of the face and compare it to the light falling on the shadow side of the face.
For instance, if you have twice as much light falling on the highlight side of your portrait, then the lighting ratio would be 2:1. If you have four times as much light falling on the highlight side of your portrait, then the lighting ratio would be 4:1.
But how exactly do you measure light?
While you can do it with the built-in meter in your camera, it is much easier and more accurate to use a handheld incident light meter. You see, your in-camera meter takes a measurement of the light reflecting off your subject – whereas a handheld meter can measure the amount of light falling on your subject and therefore gives you a more accurate value.
Lighting ratios: key concepts
To properly measure and understand lighting ratios, you need to know a few things.
First, light is measured by f-stops. The aperture dial on your camera generally goes up in 1/3-stop increments, though the full stops for aperture are f/1, f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22, f/32, etc.
(A simple way to remember all the numbers is to memorize f/1 and f/1.4; all the other pairs are doubled from these with a few rounded off.)
You also need to understand that shutter speeds are also representative of f-stops, with the full stops at 1s, ½s, ¼s, 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s, 1/250s, 1/500s, 1/1000s, etc. Shutter speed full stops are easier to remember as they are generally doubled (with a couple instances of rounding, such as 1/8s to 1/15s).
Finally, know that each full stop is double (or half, depending on whether you go down or up) the amount of light compared to the previous one.
For example, if you are shooting at f/4 and want to shoot at f/5.6, you will need to double the amount of light to get an equivalent exposure (you’ll need one more full stop of light). If you want to narrow your aperture by 2 stops, you’ll need to add 2×2 – or 4 – times more light. Likewise, 3 stops correspond to 8 times more light (2x2x2) and so on.
Knowing this, you can figure out how to create and measure ratios. In the next series of photos, I will demonstrate four different lighting ratios and how they were achieved.
1:1 ratio
A 1:1 ratio is even lighting.
In other words, there is no difference in the meter readings on both sides of the face. As you can see in the photo above, 1:1 lighting is very flat, and it can be achieved in a couple of different ways.
First, you can use fill flash and make the flash equal to the main light source. This is harder to achieve until you’ve had some practice, and you’ll often end up overpowering the light with flash.
Secondly, you could use a reflector. It will need to be very close to the subject, and the goal is to eliminate all shadows on the subject’s face.
This is a 1:1 ratio, and it’s pretty easy to see and recognize visually.
2:1 ratio
As the numbers suggest, a 2:1 ratio occurs when one side has twice as much light compared to the other.
So knowing that plus what you know about f-stops, we can set up this lighting ratio.
First, put your subject into the light where you are going to photograph them.
Using a light meter, measure the light falling on the side of their face closest to the light source (i.e., the highlight side). Let’s say that measures f/8. (Keep your shutter speed the same for all measurements to maintain consistency.)
Then bring in your reflector and use the light meter again, but this time measure the light falling on the side of the subject’s face that is farther away from the light source (from here on in, this will be referred to as the shadow side).
Note: If you are using a handheld meter, make sure to shield it from excess light that comes from the other side of your subject. So if you are metering the shadow side nearer the reflector, shield the meter so the main light source isn’t hitting it.
Now, you know that your highlight side has a reading of f/8. To achieve a 2:1 lighting ratio, you’ll need to get your meter to read f/5.6 (which is one stop less light) on the shadow side. So adjust the reflector distance until the meter settles on f/5.6.
Also, it may help to study the image above and recognize the contrast range from the highlight to the shadow side of the face. It’s subtle, but you should be able to see it.
4:1 ratio
A 4:1 ratio is double a 2:1 ratio. So if 2:1 featured twice as much light – or one stop – how much light will a 4:1 ratio require?
The answer is four times as much light (2×2), which is a 2-stop difference from the highlight side to the shadow side of the face.
I teach an available light class, and I always recommend working with natural light before you advance on to speedlights. With available or natural light and a reflector, it is much easier to learn and practice lighting because you can see what happens as you make changes (WYSIWYG). Flash is harder to predict as you can’t see it without actually taking a photograph.
So if our main light (the window) is still at f/8, what should be the value of our fill light/reflector (or the shadow side) to achieve a 4:1 ratio? Let’s do the steps again: f/8>f/5.6>f/4.
Therefore, two stops less than f/8 is f/4 (and this is the desired measurement to create a 4:1 ratio). Look at the photo above and compare it to the 2:1 image; do you see how the shadow side is getting darker?
8:1 ratio
The last ratio we’ll look at is 8:1.
The 8:1 ratio requires 8 times as much light, or 3 stops, on the highlight side of the face compared to the shadow side.
As you can see in the image above, 8:1 lighting is quite dramatic, and anything greater than 8:1 will not hold much detail on the shadow side of the face at all.
In fact, prints have a maximum contrast range of 4-6 stops, so unless you want one side of the face overexposed or the shadows pure black, I suggest keeping your lighting ratios at 8:1 or smaller.
Note that an 8:1 ratio can be a bit tough to create. You may need harsher lighting and possibly a black reflector to add blacks into the shadow side (rather than reflecting light onto it).
We calculate it the same way as above: if 4:1 is 4 times the light, then 8:1 will be 8 times the light, or 3 stops.
So if we are still at f/8 on our highlight side, we need to get our shadow side to read: f/8>f/5.6>f/4>f/2.8.
How to use lighting ratios
Now that we have this knowledge of ratios, let’s put it to use! Remember: The ratio can add to the success of your portrait, or it can ruin it.
If you look at the example images again, pay attention to how the mood of the image changes with the ratio. Notice how the higher ratios create more drama and power. Notice how the lower ratios are softer and more innocent.
Generally somewhere between 2:1 and 4:1 is the commonly used ratio for most portraiture. It’s enough to create three-dimensionality on the face, but not too much to create unattractive, deep shadows. I personally like a 3:1 ratio (1.5 stops) or a 4:1 ratio, myself.
For a child or baby, you often want a lower ratio because the softer result goes well with the subject matter. But a grizzled old cowboy with weathered, wrinkled skin and unkempt whiskers looks much better with 4:1 or 8:1 lighting. Why? He’s rougher, tougher, and can handle the increased contrast, plus it’s suitable for his look.
If you’re worried about not owning a handheld meter, you don’t necessarily need to go out and buy one. I’d only suggest you do that if you plan on getting into studio lighting. Otherwise, just practice seeing the difference between the various ratios (which is why I suggest natural light), and if they aren’t a perfect 4:1 or 8:1 or whatever, then it doesn’t matter. Just learn to recognize when it’s too strong and when it’s too weak for the effect you want to create.
Here’s another example of ratios at work. None of it is right or wrong, but which do you think is the most appropriate ratio for my subject? Figure that part out, and you’ll be ahead of the game!
My first shot had no reflector, and I found the shadows too dark and the overall portrait too contrasty. So I brought in a reflector for the next shot.
This is the second image I took, this time with a silver reflector. I found the ratio to be almost 1:1, and I wanted a bit more drama for a man’s portrait.
For this last image, I switched to a white reflector and backed it off a bit to get a ratio that I was happy with.
Note: I’d like to thank my subject, Gabriel Biderman from B&H Photo Video, for these shots.
Lighting ratio tips
Now that you understand the lighting ratio basics, let’s take a look at some quick tips that’ll make your photos look better.
First, get your subject out of the sun. Shooting in bright sunlight makes it almost impossible to control your ratios, plus the light won’t be desirable or flattering on the subject’s face. Use natural light from a window with indirect lighting (no direct sun coming in) if you can. And if the sun is streaming in, try adding sheer curtains or even stretching a white bed sheet across to diffuse the light.
Second, here are some lighting ratio starting points:
For babies and small children, use a lower ratio like 1:1 or 2:1. Children move so quickly that keeping them in the light and facing in the right direction is exceedingly difficult, and even light helps mitigate this issue.
For women, use a medium ratio like 2:1 or 3:1.
For men and business portraits, use a slightly stronger ratio, such as 4:1 or 6:1.
For artists, bands, and other dramatic portraits, use a higher ratio.
Finally, keep in mind that there are no steadfast rules on how to do ratios in portraiture. Like everything in photography, it’s about learning the techniques, then using them as suggestions while you experiment and find your own style or voice.
For instance, can you put 8:1 lighting on a glamorous movie star or 1:1 lighting on a coal miner? Absolutely!
(I’ll even give you some homework that’ll prove both ratios can be effective if they are done well.)
Homework and action steps
Your homework assignment is to research the following photographers. Tell me how they broke the general rules I’ve mentioned above, yet still had great success and amazing images:
George Hurrell
Richard Avedon
Yousuf Karsh
Those three photographers right there are some of the greatest portrait artists to ever live. Learn from them.
A lighting ratios guide: conclusion
Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all about lighting ratios – and you know how to use them for stunning results.
So what’s the next step?
Practice! If you simply dedicate a few minutes per day to working with portrait lighting, you’ll become a master in no time at all.
Now over to you:
What do you think of these lighting ratio concepts? Will they help you in your portrait photography? Share your thoughts (and images) in the comments below!
The post A Lighting Ratios Guide: How to Make (or Break) Your Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.
Ansel Adams once said, “you don’t take a photograph, you make it.” Fortunately, with tools like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, producing that perfect image is a much less daunting task nowadays. Still, it can be hard to keep up with all the updates and changes. Have you ever fallen in love with a preset that you want to use in Continue Reading Photodoto
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The post Weekly Photo Challenge – Artificial Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
There’s no question that when we start out in photography, at some point, we find ourselves needing to add light to an image we have in our mind.
But you only use ‘natural light’ I hear you say? Well, flash is available, so is a desk lamp or a torch – this is the week to try them out!
This week’s photo challenge is ‘Artificial Light’ you can use any light source that isn’t the sun (or you can combine the sun with artificial) for your photo. Use the hashtag #dPSLight
Light comes in MANY shapes and sizes, my first try with adding light to a photo came from a funny little desk lamp (We called it ghetto lighting) I used to stand around trying to get the ceiling light (one of those big paper ball things) in the right spot to give me the light I wanted, the addiction starting mostly on the 29th of September, 2008…
These days lighting comes in many (as many as it always has, plus a couple more?) forms, I’ll share the ones I use – I have a single flash, it’s a Jinbei HD-2 Pro and a very capable little unit! If I need more power, and what I use on any commercial shoot, as well as the HD-2 Pro, are my two Westcott FJ-400 studio lights, they’re very nice, powerful enough for pretty much anything I need them for. Other lights I love and use often are the two little Aputure AL-MW lights (they’re waterproof) and I have two Spiffy RGB LED lights, too… A collection of many years I guess you’d say!
BUT you don’t need to have “proper lighting gear” you need to have a desire to learn and a desk lamp! SO for this week’s challenge, we want you to use ANY sort of artificial light in your photograph (Just one photograph for the challenge, folks) and share it in the comments below or via social media (Tag us!) and make sure you tag #dPSLight on social media.
Missed a Challenge? Don’t sweat it, find all of our previous challenges here!
Share on Instagram or Twitter and use the hashtag #dPSEyes so we can see them!
How do I upload my photo to the comments?
Simply upload your shot into the comments field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.
Have a great weekend!
If you get stuck, leave a comment below or drop us a note on the dPS help desk! support@digital-photography-school.com
The post Weekly Photo Challenge – Artificial Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
The post The Sigma fp L: A Full-Frame, 61 MP Sensor in a Minuscule Body appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Yesterday, Sigma announced “the world’s smallest and lightest pocketable full-frame mirrorless camera,” the fp L, which packs a high-resolution sensor into a minuscule, rectangular body:
And that’s what makes this camera special; it’s literally a pocket-sized full-frame camera, one that you can take anywhere yet boasts the power of a much larger model.
The fp L joins Sigma’s current full-frame mirrorless offering, the Sigma fp, another ultra-compact, ultra-light camera that launched back in 2019.
But while the Sigma fp appealed strongly to videographers, the fp L seems to be more stills focused. First, there’s the 61-megapixel sensor, which serves up plenty of resolution for landscape shooters as well as commercial photographers in need of detailed files.
Then there’s a 3.68M-dot external electronic viewfinder, which attaches to the side of the fp L and allows photographers to work with the camera the way they’d work with high-resolution competitors such as the Sony a7R IV. As a stills photographer, I can’t fathom the idea of shooting without a viewfinder, so this is a welcome addition to the fp lineup.
(In fact, the EVF is also compatible with the original Sigma fp, so folks who weren’t satisfied shooting via the LCD or the optional LCD viewfinder might want to give that camera another look.)
Unfortunately, the electronic viewfinder does cost extra, though you can save a couple hundred dollars by purchasing it in a bundle with the fp L.
Sigma’s press release emphasizes the fp L’s new Crop Zoom feature, which gives users the option to zoom by cropping for up to 5x magnification. Of course, zoom in too far and you sacrifice significant megapixels, but given the impressive starting resolution, it may come in handy if you need a bit of extra reach.
The fp L also promises improved autofocus over the fp, thanks to a hybrid autofocus system that combines contrast-detection and phase-detection AF for “smooth autofocus that is high precision, fast, and excellent at tracking a moving subject.” While the fp’s contrast-detection system was certainly serviceable, street photographers, portrait photographers, and travel photographers will appreciate the boost in speed and tracking, as will plenty of videographers.
Interestingly, Sigma also highlights another new feature of the fp L: “USB-C charging while the camera is on.” In other words, you can pop in the battery, start shooting, and then – if the battery gets low – you can plug the camera into a mobile power bank for what Sigma is calling “unlimited power supply.” If you’re a photographer who spends days in the field but doesn’t want to juggle stacks of batteries, this will be a huge help, and videographers will love the ability to film for hours without worry.
Speaking of videography:
While the fp L may not be as video-centric as the fp, it’s perfectly capable of pro-level recording; you can shoot 4K/30p footage, and you get plenty of other video features, such as a mic port, zebra patterning, and RAW recording.
Regarding lenses: the fp L is compatible with L-mount glass from Sigma, Leica, and Panasonic, including a host of powerful Sigma L-mount lenses.
So for those looking for a tiny camera that punches far above its weight, the Sigma fp L is a great option. You’ll be able to purchase the fp L for $ 2499 USD (or $ 2999 USD when bundled with the external EVF) as early as next month.
Now over to you:
What do you think of the Sigma fp L? Is it a camera you’d be interested in buying? Is it missing any features that you’d like to see? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post The Sigma fp L: A Full-Frame, 61 MP Sensor in a Minuscule Body appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
With technology rapidly changing and becoming better every year, many people are asking the age-old question “which camera is better?” You now have an array of options including DSLR Cameras, Mirrorless Cameras, Phone Cameras and Point and Shoot Cameras. Having so many options can become overwhelming and make you wonder, where should I invest my money? But the truth is Continue Reading Photodoto
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NASA has announced that it is preparing to launch its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter no earlier than April 8. Ingenuity’s maiden flight will mark the first attempt at a powered, controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet. Before Ingenuity can lift off, the team must meet numerous challenging milestones.
The Mars Perseverance Rover landed on Mars on February 18. Since then, the rover has been sending important images and data back to Earth while the team goes through different instrument checks and testing procedures. Since then, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has remained attached to the belly of Perseverance.
However, the operation has experienced progress. On March 21, Perseverance deployed the ‘guitar-case shaped graphite composite debris shield’ that protected Ingenuity when Perseverance landed last month. Perseverance is now in transit to the ‘airfield’ where Ingenuity will attempt to fly. After Ingenuity is deployed, the helicopter will have 30 Martian days, known as sols, to perform its test flight campaign. This is equal to 31 Earth days.
‘When NASA’s Sojourner rover landed on Mars in 1997, it proved that roving the Red Planet was possible and completely redefined our approach to how we explore Mars. Similarly, we want to learn about the potential Ingenuity has for the future of science research,’ said Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters. ‘Aptly named, Ingenuity is a technology demonstration that aims to be the first powered flight on another world and, if successful, could further expand our horizons and broaden the scope of what is possible with Mars exploration.’
‘When NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter attempts its first test flight on the Red Planet, the agency’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover will be close by, as seen in this artist’s concept.’ Caption and image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
It’s difficult enough to get a helicopter to Mars, and that accomplishment is the result of years of work by many talented people and considerable financial resources. When designing Ingenuity, the team had to ensure it was small and light enough to be an acceptable payload for Perseverance. The helicopter is solar-powered, and it must be efficient enough to have the required energy to operate on Mars and survive cold Martian nights.
There are significant challenges to flying on Mars. The Red Planet has about one-third of Earth’s gravity, for starters, and the atmosphere is also only 1% as dense as Earth’s at the surface. The weather poses unique challenges, with nighttime temperatures dropping to -130° F (-90° C), which can wreak havoc on electrical components.
‘Members of the NASA Mars Helicopter team inspect the flight model (the actual vehicle going to the Red Planet), inside the Space Simulator, a 25-foot-wide (7.62-meter-wide) vacuum chamber at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, on February 1, 2019.’ Caption and image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
‘Every step we have taken since this journey began six years ago has been uncharted territory in the history of aircraft,’ said Bob Balaram, Mars Helicopter chief engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. ‘And while getting deployed to the surface will be a big challenge, surviving that first night on Mars alone, without the rover protecting it and keeping it powered, will be an even bigger one.’
Once Ingenuity is in place, squarely in the center of its 33′ x 33′ (10m x 10m) airfield, the complicated deployment process can begin. ‘As with everything with the helicopter, this type of deployment has never been done before,’ said Farah Alibay, Mars Helicopter integration lead for the Perseverance rover. ‘Once we start the deployment there is no turning back. All activities are closely coordinated, irreversible, and dependent on each other…’
‘NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover’s descent stage was recently stacked atop the rover at Kennedy Space Center, and the two were placed in the back shell that will help protect them on their journey to Mars. In this image, taken on April 29, 2020, the underside of the rover is visible, along with the Ingenuity helicopter attached (lower center of the image). The outer ring is the base of the back shell, while the bell-shaped objects covered in red material are covers for engine nozzles on the descent stage. The wheels are covered in a protective material that will be removed before launch.’ Image and caption credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
If all goes according to plan, the deployment process will take six sols. On the sixth scheduled sol of the deployment phase, NASA states that ‘the team will need to confirm three things: that Ingenuity’s four legs are firmly on the surface of Jezero Crater, that the rover did, indeed, drive about 16 feet (about 5 meters) away, and that both helicopter and rover are communicating via their onboard radios. This milestone also initiates the 30-sol clock during which time all preflight checks and flight tests must take place.’
Artist’s rendition of the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Ingenuity is not carrying special instruments, and unlike the rest of the mission, its goals are not scientific. Ingenuity is solely an experimental engineering test flight. The team wants to see if it can fly on Mars. When Ingenuity is ready to fly, JPL mission controllers will send and receive flight instructions through Perseverance. Hopefully, early next month, Ingenuity will successfully launch from Mars’ surface. When it does, it will mark a monumental achievement for NASA, JPL and countless others.
The post 12 Tips for Stunning Black and White Street Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Black and white street photography is classic and timeless. Stripping away color renders a rawness and an alternate reality to street life.
But merely removing the color will not make a compelling street shot. If you want to create strong street images with no color, you need to be intentional. And that’s what this article is all about.
I’m going to give you 12 tips for capturing beautiful black and white street photos. And by the time you’re done, your classic street photography will be much improved.
Why is black and white great for street photography?
Choosing monochrome for street photography can make for great images. That’s because black and white photos often appear more emotional or mysterious. There’s something missing, so we automatically have a sense of wonder.
Whether you are out in the streets or working on the highway, your street photos will convey a different mood in black and white. If you’re intentional about creating this feeling from the start, you can make your photos more compelling.
So how do you take beautiful black and white street photographs?
Here are my 12 best tips:
1. Start well
Pay attention to your camera settings so you can capture in-focus and well-exposed images.
When you nail your settings, you’ll get image files you can work with in post-production.
For instance, you’ll be able to manipulate a well-exposed image without risking quality degradation. Even with the simplicity of black and white, you need to be careful to maintain image structure.
So know the look you want to capture, then choose the camera settings that will achieve it.
Digital photography means it’s easy to capture images in color and later decide to render them in black and white. This will sometimes create good monochrome photos, but not always.
Thinking in black and white and intentionally shooting without color is best.
Despite the amount of control that’s available when converting color photos to grayscale, pictures deliberately taken for black and white editing are often stronger.
3. Look at light and tone contrasts
Without color, you must rely more on tone and light to shape your images.
When you compose your photos, look for where light and dark meet. How do these tones relate to each other? What graphic impact do they have on your composition?
Tone is largely dictated by light. If you are out in the street on a sunny versus a cloudy day, this will affect the style and mood of the photos you’ll be able to take.
Think about how the light looks in black and white – and work with it because you cannot change it.
Figure-to-ground photography is when the main subject sits in stark contrast to the background. This means your subject is most prominent in your photo, even if it only occupies a small portion of the frame.
You can create this look when your subject is in the sun and the background is in the shade:
Or when your subject is in the shade and you have a very bright background. (A silhouette is another example of figure-to-ground photography.)
5. Find a good background
Finding a good background is important for color or black and white street photography. However, when working in monochrome, your background choice is influenced more by lighting.
Will a background that’s completely in the sun or in the shade suit your subject best? Will the type of images you want to create be stronger if there’s more or less tonal contrast in the background?
Once you find a good background, be patient. Wait for some interesting activity to occur – and when it does, take a photo.
6. Be comfortable with what you’re doing
The more comfortable and confident you are when you are out taking photos, the better your images will be.
So if you’re not comfortable in one location, move somewhere else, because worrying about your situation will distract you from being creative.
When you are comfortable, you’ll be able to think more clearly and visualize the scene in black and white. Focus your thoughts on how the parts of your image will look. Observe the colors and imagine how they will look when converted to grayscale.
Don’t get consumed with worries about how other people will notice you and what they might think.
Be aware of everything you include in your frame. Make sure to only shoot what’s relevant to the main subject and to the style of photograph you want to create.
If you are capturing too much and it’s not making your photo stronger, move closer or change your focal length.
Look at the light and shadow and use these intentionally as compositional elements. Include strong shadows to help shape your images. Frame your subject with light and dark areas.
Don’t only focus on capturing a moving subject at the decisive moment; make sure to include it meaningfully in your composition.
Filling your frame does not mean it needs to be cluttered. When it’s intentional, negative space in your black and white street photography can be used very effectively.
When space is left in a photograph without purpose, it weakens the image. But deliberately including empty space will often create a more compelling image.
Think about the lighting and tone in the empty space. Is it going to take away from the main subject? Or will it help the main subject stand out?
Being in control of how your camera autofocuses and exposes your photos means you can be more precise and more creative.
I prefer to use single-point focus as it allows me to focus on the part of my composition I want sharp. If your camera has touchscreen focusing, you can do precise focusing very quickly and easily.
Manual mode and semi-automatic exposure modes put you in charge of which tones in your image will be well exposed. Sometimes, you may want shadows to render black. Other times, you may want highlights to completely blow out while you capture shadow detail. You can manage all of this in Manual mode.
Black and white street photography looks classic. But capturing images with the intention of rendering them in monochrome requires that you think carefully about the light and tones in your compositions.
So before you head out with your camera, take a look at some black and white street photography from the masters. Check out Bruce Davidson, William Klein, and Robert Doisneau, for starters. Look for the secrets of style in their work and let it inspire you.
And remember the tips I’ve shared today!
Now over to you:
What’s your favorite tip from this article? Which tip are you going to implement immediately in your work? Share your thoughts (and your black and white street photos) in the comments below!
How do you change a street photo to black and white?
All image-editing software allows you to convert images to black and white. Desaturating is the simplest way to make a color photo black and white, but it will not bring out the best in the image. You will see better results by controlling the conversion.
Should I shoot in black and white or convert later?
You can adjust your LCD so it shows you a black and white image. On cameras with electronic viewfinders, you can also do this with the display. When you capture a RAW image, it’ll be in color; by converting to black and white from a RAW file, you’ll get the highest-quality results.
What does black and white do to an image?
Black and white can make an image look timeless!
The post 12 Tips for Stunning Black and White Street Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
The post How to Create a Glitch Effect in Photoshop (Step By Step) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
Ever wondered how to create a glitch effect in Photoshop?
That’s what this article is all about.
While glitch art embraces technological mishaps, there are simple ways to introduce a glitch art effect in Photoshop.
And in this article, we’ll take a look at how to get glitchy with a quick-and-easy Photoshop process!
Let’s get started.
What is a Photoshop glitch effect?
Glitches are visual or sonic flaws that are inherent in our digital landscape. Glitch art is made by deliberately capturing these organic glitches, manually corrupting digital media, or physically manipulating electronic devices to cultivate glitched imagery.
Instantly recognizable yet difficult to produce, the glitch aesthetic has fascinated many, with innovative artists harnessing glitches to create unique artworks that explore the fabric of our digital world.
Rewiring Kodak DC series digital cameras to create evocative auroras, Phillip Stearns subverts the nature of digital photography. Art theorist, curator, and visual artist Rosa Menkman also investigates glitch art in the form of video compression and feedback. On her website, Menkman says, “A glitch can be understood as a technological failure, but also as a space for artistic creation.”
A glitch that occurred as the result of a CF card malfunction.
Glitches are unstable in themselves, so they’re difficult to anticipate and capture successfully.
But different techniques have emerged to mimic a glitch aesthetic and create evocative, glitchy effects. A Photoshop glitch effect is a way to simulate the glitch aesthetic without the traditional corruption of data.
When should you use a glitch effect?
Glitch art is a visual manifestation of our modern technological climate. Glitches can seem both futuristic and retro, abstract or figurative – but like many art forms, they can also take time to cultivate.
Although creating a glitch effect in Photoshop isn’t an organic source of glitch artistry, the process can be easier to manipulate and control.
So if you’re looking to create glitchy imagery but don’t have the time, equipment, or know-how to wrangle a glitch in the wild, applying a glitchy effect in Photoshop can be a way to explore the unique potential of glitchy aesthetics.
Now let’s take a closer look at how you can actually create a Photoshop glitch effect:
How to create a glitch effect in Photoshop: step by step
To get started, first select an image and open it in Photoshop.
For this project, just about any image will do. I recommend using an image with some variation in color, but you can try a portrait, a landscape, an object study, or something else entirely.
Here’s my starter image:
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/4 | 1/4000s | ISO 100
Step 1: Start with the Channels panel
To work non-destructively, first right-click on your chosen image in the Layers panel and select Duplicate Layer.
In the pop-up window, rename the layer Glitch and click OK.
To apply our glitch effect, we need to work in the Channels panel.
So with the Glitch layer selected, click the Channels tab or go Window>Channels.
Once the Channels panel is open, you’ll see four channels:
RBG, Red, Green, and Blue.
Click on the Red channel to select it. Then, with the Red channel highlighted, select the Filter dropdown menu from the topmost Photoshop toolbar and select Distort>Wave.
In the Waves window, you’ll need to make a few adjustments. The screenshot below shows the settings I generally stick to, but a bit of experimentation can be a good idea, too.
Once you’ve picked your settings, click the Randomize button until you get an interesting preview.
Then select OK.
Next, select either the Blue or Green channel in the Channels panel.
Again, select Filter>Distort>Wave. Your previous settings should be saved in the current Wave window, so just click Randomize a few times and then click OK.
Click on the RGB channel, and you’ll have an effect similar to this:
Step 2: Add a filter
First, return to the Layers panel by clicking on the Layers tab.
Right-click on the Glitch layer and select Duplicate Layer. In the pop-up window, name this duplicate layer Filter, then select OK.
Make sure your color swatches are set to the default (black foreground and white background) or press the “D” key. With the Filter layer selected, go to Filter on the topmost toolbar and then Filter Gallery.
In the Filter Gallery, you have a couple of options to choose from. The Grain filter (under the Texture heading) adds a grainy effect to an image. For glitchy projects, I usually set the Intensity slider here to around 90, the Contrast slider to 50, and the Grain Type drop-down menu to Regular.
Reticulation (under the Sketch heading) can add an eye-catching density to the overall image.
For that filter, I often set the Density slider to around 10-12, the Foreground Level slider to 40, and the Background Level to no more than 10.
The Halftone Pattern filter (also under the Sketch heading) will add vertical lines to an image so it looks like an old TV broadcast.
Adjust the settings for the Halftone Pattern so that the Pattern Type dropdown menu is set to Line. Dial the Size slider to 3 or 4 and set the Contrast slider to 1 or 2.
Results after applying the Halftone filter.
Film Grain (under the Artistic heading), Texturizer (under the Texture heading), and even Graphic Pen (under the Sketch heading) are also useful filters to experiment with; they’ll add texture and the impression of digital deterioration.
Once you have a filter selected and set, click OK.
Step 3: Select the right blend mode
The next step in how to create a glitch effect in Photoshop is to work with blend modes.
Once your filter is applied, select the Filter layer again and choose a suitable blending mode from the Blending Mode drop-down menu located in the Layers panel.
Different blend modes work differently depending on the image, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
For the image below, I used the Halftone filter combined with the Luminosity blending mode.
Step 4: Add finishing touches
After applying the filter and a blending mode, your image might look a little bland.
So create a Vibrance adjustment layer in the Adjustments panel and give the Vibrance slider a boost.
If the image is still a bit dull, boost the color saturation with the Saturation slider. You can also make adjustments using a Curves layer.
Here’s my final image:
The finished result after a boost in saturation and vibrance.
How to create a glitch effect in Photoshop: conclusion
And that’s it! You should now be well equipped to create a beautiful glitch effect in Photoshop.
And though it doesn’t technically create glitch art, this method is an interesting way of presenting digital photographs that remind us about the unique potential and inherent fragility of our technological landscape.
Now over to you:
What subject are you going to use with the glitch effect? Share your glitchy photos in the comments below!
The post How to Create a Glitch Effect in Photoshop (Step By Step) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
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