Digital photography is a huge passion of mine and I want to further my techniques and experiences. I can't wait to start a career. I am also excited to start my portfolio. For me, I like to take things that would normally be unflattering, or just blah and shoot them in a way that makes it beautiful.
Photography is such a great expression of creativity and I am glad that it is an outlet for me.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Another Idol
Robert Doisneau is an old time photographer. No, he never worked with digital cameras, but he is a photography great in my mind. Here are a few samples of his work:
Monday, December 10, 2007
My Hero
Annie Leibovitz is one of my photography icons. Her work with Rolling Stone magazine as well as Vanity Fair is remarkable. Here is a small sample of her work.
Mastering Your Digital SLR
Feature Master Your DSLR Camera, Part 1: Program Mode
Editor: When photographer and reader Scott D. Feldstein offered to write a tutorial on how to put your digital SLR camera to good use this holiday season, we couldn't pass it up. Our new Canon's dial never budged from Auto mode—until now.
You ponied up for a digital SLR camera because you hated the shutter lag on your little point-and-shoot. The good news: Your photos have improved! The bad news? You know they could be even better—if only you dared to let go of the camera's "auto" mode. It's as if you've been creeping around the neighborhood in a new Mustang using only first gear. No more! It's time to take control, hit the highway, and learn what you can do in program mode.
In auto mode your camera makes just about all the decisions for you. Sure, you frame the subject and push the shutter release button, but you never have to think about things like exposure or whether you need to use a flash; the camera handles all of that for you. Most of the time it does a pretty good job, even if the results are a little less than artistic. Switching to program mode, however, allows your camera to make some decisions for you, but also puts three things in your control: the flash, the ISO value, and the white balance.
Let's start! Put the camera in program mode by turning the mode dial to "P" as pictured above.
Flash
Your new flash options are easy. The flash will never pop up and fire automatically, no matter how dark the scene is. Instead, you'll have to pop it up yourself if you want to use it. So when should you use it? Volumes could be written about that subject, but the main thing I want you to understand is this: Learning how your camera works lets you avoid using the flash in borderline light situations, but also lets you use it to enhance some well-lit scenarios. Here's what I mean.
Sometimes the best situations to use a flash are ones in which it will never fire automatically, such as this outdoor portrait of my gorgeous fiance.
The light from the flash eliminated shadows from her face while adding a pleasing catchlight to her eyes. To try this technique yourself, pop up the flash manually by pressing the flash button located on the left side of the flash/viewfinder hump as shown.
Conversely, one of the worst situations to use a flash, aesthetically speaking, is one in which it's virtually guaranteed to fire automatically: taking pictures of people in indoor light. The harsh and unflattering light from the flash may cause your subject to look like someone who has just risen from the dead, while their surroundings may become too dark to make out at all.
To avoid the flash in program mode, don't do anything. It will fire only when you invoke it manually by pressing its button, so just don't press it. But how do you take a picture in low-light situations if you don't use the flash? If you do nothing to compensate for the lack of flash, your photos may be dark and/or blurry. What can you do to avoid this? Plenty.
ISO
Shutter speed and aperture size are the two key factors that effect how much light gets inside the camera, but we won't be talking about them today. In program mode the camera is still choosing these settings for you. But no matter who is choosing the settings, sometimes shutter and aperture adjustments alone are not enough to pull off a flash-less shot in indoor light. By raising the ISO value, however, you can actually make your camera more sensitive to light, thus requiring less of it to make the correct exposure. Here's how you do it. (The acronym ISO doesn't mean anything even remotely photographic, by the way. It stands for International Standards Organization. Go figure.)
Press and hold the ISO button (1) while simultaneously rotating the command dial (2). You should see the ISO value changing in the LCD status screen (3).
For your indoor flash-less shot, try raising it to at least ISO 800. You can go to 1600 or even higher with some cameras, but there is a drawback: You may find "noise" or oddly colored speckles in the darker areas of your photo.
Is it worth it? That depends. Sometimes you don't want the look of the flash, sometimes it's intrusive, still other times it can't be used anyway—such as when your subject is too far away to be reached by it. In these cases you have to ask yourself: Is dealing with some noise better than not getting the shot? Using a flash in this birthday party shot would have killed the moment. Instead I went to ISO 800 and got the shot without a flash.
White Balance
So you've taken control of the flash and dealt with a low-light situation by increasing the ISO setting. Now what? There is one other cool thing that program mode allows you to fiddle with: white balance.
You may never have thought much about it, but in addition to the fact that there is usually more light outside than inside, the color of the light also differs. Daylight tends to be bluer, whereas tungsten bulbs tend to be yellower. This is usually no problem, as your camera is pretty adept at compensating for these differences automatically. If, however, you notice your photos taking on a weird color cast, the camera isn't doing a good job and it's time to take matters into your own hands.
Press and hold the white balance button (1) while simultaneously rotating the command dial (2) as shown. You will see various icons in the LCD status screen (3) such as a light bulb, the sun, a cloud, and a fluorescent bulb.
I bet you can guess what kind of light each of these settings is for. Try the one that best describes your circumstances. Experiment! Many people especially like using the cloudy setting outdoors—even when it's not cloudy.
In addition to automatic and the various pre-set white balances, there is another setting you should know about: manual white balance. This one is a little harder to set, but it can really be worth it. You may want to consult your camera's manual for the exact method, but the general idea is that you choose the manual setting using the white balance selection process described above, then take a picture of something completely white. Many pros carry around white cards for just this purpose, but I find that any piece of white paper folded up and jammed into your camera bag works just fine. Whatever you choose, completely fill the frame with white so that no other color enters the picture at the edges. After setting the white balance with that shot, you can proceed to shoot as many pictures as you like in that environment and be sure that the colors will be accurate.
http://lifehacker.com/software/feature/master-your-dslr-camera-part-1-program-mode-323605.php
Editor: When photographer and reader Scott D. Feldstein offered to write a tutorial on how to put your digital SLR camera to good use this holiday season, we couldn't pass it up. Our new Canon's dial never budged from Auto mode—until now.
You ponied up for a digital SLR camera because you hated the shutter lag on your little point-and-shoot. The good news: Your photos have improved! The bad news? You know they could be even better—if only you dared to let go of the camera's "auto" mode. It's as if you've been creeping around the neighborhood in a new Mustang using only first gear. No more! It's time to take control, hit the highway, and learn what you can do in program mode.
In auto mode your camera makes just about all the decisions for you. Sure, you frame the subject and push the shutter release button, but you never have to think about things like exposure or whether you need to use a flash; the camera handles all of that for you. Most of the time it does a pretty good job, even if the results are a little less than artistic. Switching to program mode, however, allows your camera to make some decisions for you, but also puts three things in your control: the flash, the ISO value, and the white balance.
Let's start! Put the camera in program mode by turning the mode dial to "P" as pictured above.
Flash
Your new flash options are easy. The flash will never pop up and fire automatically, no matter how dark the scene is. Instead, you'll have to pop it up yourself if you want to use it. So when should you use it? Volumes could be written about that subject, but the main thing I want you to understand is this: Learning how your camera works lets you avoid using the flash in borderline light situations, but also lets you use it to enhance some well-lit scenarios. Here's what I mean.
Sometimes the best situations to use a flash are ones in which it will never fire automatically, such as this outdoor portrait of my gorgeous fiance.
The light from the flash eliminated shadows from her face while adding a pleasing catchlight to her eyes. To try this technique yourself, pop up the flash manually by pressing the flash button located on the left side of the flash/viewfinder hump as shown.
Conversely, one of the worst situations to use a flash, aesthetically speaking, is one in which it's virtually guaranteed to fire automatically: taking pictures of people in indoor light. The harsh and unflattering light from the flash may cause your subject to look like someone who has just risen from the dead, while their surroundings may become too dark to make out at all.
To avoid the flash in program mode, don't do anything. It will fire only when you invoke it manually by pressing its button, so just don't press it. But how do you take a picture in low-light situations if you don't use the flash? If you do nothing to compensate for the lack of flash, your photos may be dark and/or blurry. What can you do to avoid this? Plenty.
ISO
Shutter speed and aperture size are the two key factors that effect how much light gets inside the camera, but we won't be talking about them today. In program mode the camera is still choosing these settings for you. But no matter who is choosing the settings, sometimes shutter and aperture adjustments alone are not enough to pull off a flash-less shot in indoor light. By raising the ISO value, however, you can actually make your camera more sensitive to light, thus requiring less of it to make the correct exposure. Here's how you do it. (The acronym ISO doesn't mean anything even remotely photographic, by the way. It stands for International Standards Organization. Go figure.)
Press and hold the ISO button (1) while simultaneously rotating the command dial (2). You should see the ISO value changing in the LCD status screen (3).
For your indoor flash-less shot, try raising it to at least ISO 800. You can go to 1600 or even higher with some cameras, but there is a drawback: You may find "noise" or oddly colored speckles in the darker areas of your photo.
Is it worth it? That depends. Sometimes you don't want the look of the flash, sometimes it's intrusive, still other times it can't be used anyway—such as when your subject is too far away to be reached by it. In these cases you have to ask yourself: Is dealing with some noise better than not getting the shot? Using a flash in this birthday party shot would have killed the moment. Instead I went to ISO 800 and got the shot without a flash.
White Balance
So you've taken control of the flash and dealt with a low-light situation by increasing the ISO setting. Now what? There is one other cool thing that program mode allows you to fiddle with: white balance.
You may never have thought much about it, but in addition to the fact that there is usually more light outside than inside, the color of the light also differs. Daylight tends to be bluer, whereas tungsten bulbs tend to be yellower. This is usually no problem, as your camera is pretty adept at compensating for these differences automatically. If, however, you notice your photos taking on a weird color cast, the camera isn't doing a good job and it's time to take matters into your own hands.
Press and hold the white balance button (1) while simultaneously rotating the command dial (2) as shown. You will see various icons in the LCD status screen (3) such as a light bulb, the sun, a cloud, and a fluorescent bulb.
I bet you can guess what kind of light each of these settings is for. Try the one that best describes your circumstances. Experiment! Many people especially like using the cloudy setting outdoors—even when it's not cloudy.
In addition to automatic and the various pre-set white balances, there is another setting you should know about: manual white balance. This one is a little harder to set, but it can really be worth it. You may want to consult your camera's manual for the exact method, but the general idea is that you choose the manual setting using the white balance selection process described above, then take a picture of something completely white. Many pros carry around white cards for just this purpose, but I find that any piece of white paper folded up and jammed into your camera bag works just fine. Whatever you choose, completely fill the frame with white so that no other color enters the picture at the edges. After setting the white balance with that shot, you can proceed to shoot as many pictures as you like in that environment and be sure that the colors will be accurate.
http://lifehacker.com/software/feature/master-your-dslr-camera-part-1-program-mode-323605.php
Photoshop Tutorial
This website has quite a few helpful hints with using Photoshop. There are some really nice techniques that the site describes how to use. I like the selective sepia technique myself. Go check it out at http://photoshoptutorials.ws/
Improving shots with a digital SLR
How to improve your Digital SLR Camera pictures?
By: Scott Karcich
Digital SLR cameras are amazing tools to expand your creativity and to document special moments. If your starting out and strive to improve your work master these five important tips. These tips deal with the relationship of shutter speed and focal length, achieving proper focus, stability, handling back lighting, and the effects of ISO and noise.
Understanding how the focal length of lenses relates to the shutter speed.
If your shooting with a 50mm lenses the rule of thumb is that you can hand hold your camera with shutter speeds of 1/50th of a second and higher. With a 200mm lenses that it's 1/200th of a second. With expensive image stabilization lenses you can hand hold a 200mmm at about 1/100th of a second maybe 1/60th of a second if you have steady hands. One trick I have used to squeeze an extra shutter speed stop while hand holding my camera is holding my breath and keeping my arm tight close to my chest. Knowing your lenses and remembering this simple tip should yield sharper results in your photos while hand holding your digital SLR camera.
Understanding the focus system in your camera
Practically every digital SLR camera focuses when you press the shutter button halfway down. Usually you will hear a beep and see a green or red square through the viewfinder. This is what the camera is focusing on. Then press the button the rest of the way down to take the picture. Understand that the computer inside the camera is looking at differences in image contrast and that difference is what is focusing the camera. Most digital SLR cameras also let you change the focus point manually to anywhere there is a predetermined point in the viewfinder. At a minimum you will get 9 points of focus up to 45 points of focus. It depends on the model and make of your digital SLR camera.
While executing my day-to-day shooting I always start with my focus point in the center of the viewfinder then I move it according to the subject I am shooting. It is easy to forget about where you set your focus point and then wonder why your photos are off focus or out of focus. So when you start a shoot the first place to check is where your focus point is and then center it, this should help you get more shots in focus.
Stability and when to use a tripod
If you are dealing with long exposures when shooting or if the shutter speed exceeds the focal length, then you need to use a tripod. All tripods are not the same. If in the studio a lightweight tripod can be used effectively if you weigh it down with sandbag or an alterative weighting device. When outdoors use a tripod on the heavier side is probably best, it also depending on weather condition. If there is a lot of wind you really need to secure the tripod with weight or some tripods even have a feature where you can spike them in the ground for more stability.
Any movement during a shot with a long exposure will almost always render that shot useless and that is why stability is so important. One of the newest advancements in camera technology is "image stabilization" in both lenses and camera bodies. This new technology is great and its best used if shooting with two hands on the camera and bracing your body against something. Still in some shooting situations there is still no replacement for a good weighted tripod.
How to handle strong back lighting
Back lighting subjects can be our enemy. Many people try to shoot a photo with a strong bright window light in the background, and then wonder why the shot didn't come out. Why does this happen? The bright light from the window floods the lens, and your camera usually can't compensate for it. One way to combat this is to use a fill flash on your subject or use a large white fill card. Another option is to diffuse the strong window light and fill the subject with a white fill card. Do not be afraid of backlighting use it to your advantage, just remember you need to counteract a strong backlight with a strong fill.
Understanding the effects of ISO in Digital SLR Cameras
Digital SLR cameras have some of the same characteristics as film SLR Cameras like interchangeable lenses, viewfinders, matrix metering, etc, but they do not handle ISO the same way. They are similar in that the relative ISO setting handles the light sensitivity that reaches the sensor or film. Where they differ is in the look they achieve in the final product. High ISO speeds on film have a certain film grain look to them that can be pleasing, but high ISO speeds on a digital SLR camera creates noise on the files and the look is not the same as film grain. In most situations noise is your enemy. If you want that film grain look, shoot your digital photos with the lowest possible ISO and then use Alien Skins Exposure® 2 plug in for Photoshop to achieve that film grain look.
In closing mastering these five tips will make your photography stronger, sharper, in focus and properly lit.
http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tutorial/Improving-Digital-SLR-Camera-Photos/30491
By: Scott Karcich
Digital SLR cameras are amazing tools to expand your creativity and to document special moments. If your starting out and strive to improve your work master these five important tips. These tips deal with the relationship of shutter speed and focal length, achieving proper focus, stability, handling back lighting, and the effects of ISO and noise.
Understanding how the focal length of lenses relates to the shutter speed.
If your shooting with a 50mm lenses the rule of thumb is that you can hand hold your camera with shutter speeds of 1/50th of a second and higher. With a 200mm lenses that it's 1/200th of a second. With expensive image stabilization lenses you can hand hold a 200mmm at about 1/100th of a second maybe 1/60th of a second if you have steady hands. One trick I have used to squeeze an extra shutter speed stop while hand holding my camera is holding my breath and keeping my arm tight close to my chest. Knowing your lenses and remembering this simple tip should yield sharper results in your photos while hand holding your digital SLR camera.
Understanding the focus system in your camera
Practically every digital SLR camera focuses when you press the shutter button halfway down. Usually you will hear a beep and see a green or red square through the viewfinder. This is what the camera is focusing on. Then press the button the rest of the way down to take the picture. Understand that the computer inside the camera is looking at differences in image contrast and that difference is what is focusing the camera. Most digital SLR cameras also let you change the focus point manually to anywhere there is a predetermined point in the viewfinder. At a minimum you will get 9 points of focus up to 45 points of focus. It depends on the model and make of your digital SLR camera.
While executing my day-to-day shooting I always start with my focus point in the center of the viewfinder then I move it according to the subject I am shooting. It is easy to forget about where you set your focus point and then wonder why your photos are off focus or out of focus. So when you start a shoot the first place to check is where your focus point is and then center it, this should help you get more shots in focus.
Stability and when to use a tripod
If you are dealing with long exposures when shooting or if the shutter speed exceeds the focal length, then you need to use a tripod. All tripods are not the same. If in the studio a lightweight tripod can be used effectively if you weigh it down with sandbag or an alterative weighting device. When outdoors use a tripod on the heavier side is probably best, it also depending on weather condition. If there is a lot of wind you really need to secure the tripod with weight or some tripods even have a feature where you can spike them in the ground for more stability.
Any movement during a shot with a long exposure will almost always render that shot useless and that is why stability is so important. One of the newest advancements in camera technology is "image stabilization" in both lenses and camera bodies. This new technology is great and its best used if shooting with two hands on the camera and bracing your body against something. Still in some shooting situations there is still no replacement for a good weighted tripod.
How to handle strong back lighting
Back lighting subjects can be our enemy. Many people try to shoot a photo with a strong bright window light in the background, and then wonder why the shot didn't come out. Why does this happen? The bright light from the window floods the lens, and your camera usually can't compensate for it. One way to combat this is to use a fill flash on your subject or use a large white fill card. Another option is to diffuse the strong window light and fill the subject with a white fill card. Do not be afraid of backlighting use it to your advantage, just remember you need to counteract a strong backlight with a strong fill.
Understanding the effects of ISO in Digital SLR Cameras
Digital SLR cameras have some of the same characteristics as film SLR Cameras like interchangeable lenses, viewfinders, matrix metering, etc, but they do not handle ISO the same way. They are similar in that the relative ISO setting handles the light sensitivity that reaches the sensor or film. Where they differ is in the look they achieve in the final product. High ISO speeds on film have a certain film grain look to them that can be pleasing, but high ISO speeds on a digital SLR camera creates noise on the files and the look is not the same as film grain. In most situations noise is your enemy. If you want that film grain look, shoot your digital photos with the lowest possible ISO and then use Alien Skins Exposure® 2 plug in for Photoshop to achieve that film grain look.
In closing mastering these five tips will make your photography stronger, sharper, in focus and properly lit.
http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tutorial/Improving-Digital-SLR-Camera-Photos/30491
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