Archives For how to use a camera

Focus as a Creative Choice

Jay Patel —  April 22, 2013

When I shoot, I pay particular attention to where I am setting my focus. When I’m shooting with a wide angle lens, I use the principles of Hyperfocal Distance to get everything in focus. When I’m shooting with a macro lens, I often use focus-stacking to get around the limitations of a narrow Depth of Field.

California, USA

While it may be technically feasible to get everything sharply in focus, is it always necessary? Or artistically pleasing? Take a look at the image above. For this shot of barnacles, I used focus stacking in an unconventional way. Rather than blending the sharpest parts of a series of images to get everything in focus, I chose to use the out-of-focus parts of each image – creating a soft focus effect around a single sharp barnacle. I also used a lens blur filter and the simple mask show below to further soften the area around that one sharply focused barnacle. As a result, the main subject stands out among other similar subjects.

California, USA

Here’s what a traditionally focus-stacked shot would look like. This image is more about texture and repetition than it is about showcasing a single barnacle.

California, USA

Do you use focus creatively at times? Feel free to share a link!

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Developing Creativity

Jay Patel —  April 15, 2013

How often to you hear photographers say that there is nothing to shoot because the light is really bad? When you hear yourself using that as an excuse – change your perspective. Instead of putting away your camera, see if you can get creative!

Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii (HI), USA

I took this shot late in the morning during our stay on the Big Island of Hawaii. The brilliant sunbeams appeared as mist from ocean spray blew through the trees. To capture sunbeams like these, you need bright sunlight… and mist or dust in the air. The particles in the air scatter the light, and create sunbeams.

Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii (HI), USA

I took this second shot to show you the conditions I was working with that morning. As you can see, the light was pretty harsh because the sun was up, and there were no clouds. Most photographers would classify this as “bad light” - but I see this as a great time to stretch your creativity.

Ok – so maybe this shot required certain conditions – the angle of the sun, the sea spray, the high trees near the beach. But this isn’t the only shot I took in bright sun while we were on the islands. I took each of the shots below when lighting conditions were less than optimal.

  • Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii (HI), USA

    Hilo, Hawaii

  • Lanai Kai, Oahu, Hawaii (HI), USA

    LaniKai, Oahu

  • Big Island, Hawaii (HI), USA

    Big Island, Hawaii

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Playing with Shutter Speed

Jay Patel —  March 11, 2013
Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii (HI), USA

Shutter Speed: 0.5s

Have you tried playing with different shutter speeds to see the changing impact on an image? I spent some time experimenting with my camera during our recent trip to Hawaii while taking abstract shots of a stream.  My objective was to create an abstract that captures both the reflected color on the surface, and the flow lines in the water. The key to getting the look I wanted was to find just the right shutter speed.

  • Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii (HI), USA

    Shutter Speed 1/5s

  • Shutter Speed: 1s

    Shutter Speed: 1s

  • Shutter Speed: 2.5s

    Shutter Speed: 2.5s

So, how do I determine the “right” shutter speed? It comes down to experimentation – I took a series of shots with different shutter speeds and compared them. I used a 4 stop ND filter to get a very slow shutter speed – between 1/6s and 2.5s. I used my Induro Tripod and a 2 second timer to make sure that the camera was rock solid steady during the exposure. I took 4 shots between those shutter speeds, and checked them for contrast and exposure using the histogram on back of the camera.

The most brilliant reflected colors occurred at high speeds of around 1/6s and o.5s. At that speed, I could capture the reflections without losing color as the white flow lines started to mix with the smooth surface. A longer shutter speed meant that the overall contrast was reduced – along with the intensity of the colors. I could easily see the differences on the back of my camera – and the histograms confirmed it.

In the end, the choice came down to two photos – taken with shutter speeds of 1/6s and 0.5s. I liked the flow lines in the 0.5s shot better than the ones in 1/6s shot. Don’t be afraid to play around with different camera settings to see what you get.

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Am I An Effective Landscape Photographer?

Jay Patel —  February 25, 2013

Tom McCall Nature Preserve, Oregon (OR), USA

So – you’ve got the brand new Canon 5D MKIII or the Nikon D800, and you’ve stocked up on the most expensive lenses money can buy. And maybe now you think you are all set to conquer the world of landscape photography. Right? Well… we’re guessing you know it’s not that easy. Buying the gear is the easy part. Now it’s time to head out into the field.

Some photographers spend hours reading every single review of the latest cameras. They study the MTF curves for each lens in their collection, and indulge in countless debates about the best gear for pursuing their landscape photography passion. But sometime they forget to consider something more important – what to photograph, and how to get a good shot.

I’m not talking about improving your technical or processing skills. No. This is about your effectiveness as a photographer in the field. Ask yourself – can I consistently capture effective images when I am on location?

Tom McCall Nature Preserve, Oregon (OR), USA

Pony Tail Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon (OR), USA

During interviews, we are often asked, “How much time do you spend on location?” To answer this question, let’s take a look at a typical year for us. We traveled to Florida, California, Utah, Oregon, Nicaragua, Denver, and Hawaii. For an example of a typical photography trip, consider our trip to Oregon. We spent 3 full days hiking, exploring, and shooting in the Columbia River Gorge and the surrounding area. To date, I have processed 14 unique images (photos with completely different compositions) that will make it to my portfolio. Sometimes we’ll shoot more, and sometimes less… but 14 shots is a nice average for a short photography trip.

Punch Bowl Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon (OR), USA

So how can I produce a few good images per day on a consistent basis?  It comes down to research and field techniques that allow us to shoot in a variety of different light conditions. Before we go out, we research weather patterns, tides, seasonal colors, phases of the moon, climate, flora, fauna, and locations. We often contact local photographers and pick their brains about the local landscapes. Based upon this research, we try to choose the locations that will allow us to maximize the probability of getting a good photograph at the time we plan to travel to the location. When we arrive at the location, our plans will always be fluid. They will change based upon weather patterns as necessary.

How much time do you devote to research and field techniques vs developing your technical and processing skills? Does the time spent researching locations help you make the most of your time on location?

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Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii (HI), USA

Capturing Reflected Colors

Jay Patel —  January 28, 2013

When we talk about using reflections, the first thing that comes to mind is capturing reflections on the smooth and still surface of a body of water. Most of us will ignore the reflections on a windy day when the surface of the lake is choppy – or in a flowing stream. But reflected light can make an image beautiful even even when the reflection is blurred.

This is an abstract shot I took during our recent visit to the Big Island of Hawai’i. I positioned my camera so that the most intense reflected light surrounded a small cascade in the stream. The brilliant colors you see in the stream are reflected from vegetation that was lit by harsh, late morning sunlight. I chose a long shutter speed that would preserve the flow lines in the water to create a pleasing abstract.

What if I were to change the position of my camera? In the image above, I photographed the same cascade from a different angle. As you can see, the glowing colors are completely gone.

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Old Failthful, Yellowstone National Park Wyoming (WY), USA

Just a Dream

Jay Patel —  January 2, 2013

I love the Old Faithful area for its amazing natural beauty and the diversity of colors and terrain. The first time I saw that place I felt like this was not quite real… until the masses of people started arriving around noon. :)

I used a LensBaby to create this image. The lens baby was a gift from one of our students, and we were experimenting with it. The lens requires a bit of getting used to. I adjusted the lens to give the clouds a dreamy, motion effect.

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Maroon Bells, Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado (CO), USA

Outdoor Photography – Being Flexible

Jay Patel —  December 17, 2012

We plan our landscape photography outings so that we maximize our chances of getting the best weather patterns and the right seasons. But things don’t always go according to the plan. Experience has taught us to be flexible and open to new ideas.

I first visited Maroon Bells in 2007. I used an interesting root structure beneath the surface of the lake as a foreground object in the photo above. Five years later, in 2012, we returned to the lake again. This time, we discovered that the lake had shrunk dramatically because of a long summer drought. It no longer reached the grassy shores we remembered from our previous trip. Instead, the lake was surrounded by mud and rotting wood. The brilliantly colored moss that was growing under water in 2007  had died off. Here’s a shot of the same roots I photographed five years ago. The difference is stark.

Though the banks of the lake were uninspiring, I still felt that there was incredibly beauty to be captured in this place. I focused my attention on the creek and the mountains behind me. I waited until the clouds were lit up by the evening light and captured the photo below less than 50 yards from the roots in the first two shots.

I was able to come away with a photo that I like because I was willing to be flexible and look for alternative shots. So next time you are faced with unexpected conditions, don’t give up.

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Workflow Series Macro

eBook: The Workflow Series – Details and Macro

Jay Patel —  November 19, 2012

Price:  $6.00

Format:  eBook, PDF format, 29 pages

Size:  16.4 MB

Requirement:  Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 or greater

Add to Cart

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Composition

Aperture and Depth of Field – A Simple Comparison

Varina Patel —  August 30, 2012

When I teach photography to beginners, I try to use clear visual examples to help make a point. So, when I’m in the field, I’m often thinking about how I can use an image to help explain concepts… either here on my blog, or in future eBooks. Here’s an example.

The technical explanation for adjusting aperture settings is pretty basic… the wider it gets, the narrower your depth of field. But, many students have a hard time visualizing the idea of depth of field. So, during a recent trip to Oregon, I took two photographs in a lovely, open field. This flower called attention to it’s tiny self with a burst of color. For the first shot, I used an aperture of 3.5 (f/3.5). Notice how soft the background looks. Only the flower itself and a few blades of grass are in focus.

Tom McCall Wilderness Area, Columbia River Gorge - Oregon, USA.

Now take a look at this next photograph. I took this shot at f/16. This is a much narrower aperture, and the result is obvious. The depth of field is much wider. Now, you can see lots of leaves and grass in the background, and there’s a lot of brown as well. All those details are distractions – calling for your attention and pulling it away from the flower. You may also notice that I’ve lost some of the sharp details on the flower itself. That’s part of the trade-off when you are working with a narrow depth of field. I love the effect – but  you may wish to choose an aperture in between f/3.5 and f/16 two to get a little more sharpness on  your flower, and a little less softness in your background. (Or, you could stack images in Photoshop if you want to have your cake and eat it too!) The choice is yours!

Tom McCall Wilderness Area, Columbia River Gorge - Oregon, USA.

In this case, I prefer a wider aperture – and the resulting narrow depth of field. The soft background leaves the image feeling very soft and dreamy – and it serves to eliminate a lot of distracting elements.

Of course, the discussion of aperture and depth of field is a whole heck-of-a-lot broader than this – but these two photographs make a great jumping-off point for a detailed discussion of basic concepts. Heck – maybe you’ll see these shots in one of our eBooks someday! ;)

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Kids

Tips for Smart Phone (or Point-n-Shoot) Photography

Jay Patel —  August 20, 2012

So you want to travel light? You don’t want to carry a heavy camera and all those lenses. Lots of people feel the same way – and with better point-and-shoot cameras available these days, you can actually get pretty good shots if you know what you are doing.

Jay has been taking lots of photos with his iPhone lately. We don’t think he’s going to give up his expensive camera gear anytime soon, but his iPhone photos prove that it’s the photographer that makes a good photo… not the camera. Now, we should point out that iPhone photos won’t make very good prints. The resolution isn’t very good, so large prints will look pretty bad. But if you just want something to share with your friends on social media networks, you can learn to make nice photos with a simple camera. Here are some of his tips for taking great shots without expensive camera gear.

We use SmugMug’s “Camera Awesome” app for our iPhone photography. It lets us control focus and exposure separately – which is important to us. We just tap two fingers on the screen, and then move the focus point to where we want it, and choose the best spot to measure exposure with the other exposure icon. The app is great for macro and close-up photography, too. If you are using a point-and-shoot camera, learn to use the basic settings so you can adjust your focus and set your focus independently.

Here are some photos from our recent trip to Nicaragua – we’ll give you tips and suggestions along the way.

Evenly-lit Scene – There are no harsh shadows or highlights.

An inexpensive camera won’t handle a high dynamic range very well – so look for scenes with even lighting. Jay took this shot early in the morning, and the light on the kids is relatively even. There were several photographers snapping pictures as the kids jumped. We made sure the kids were facing the light, so their shadows are behind them and invisible to the camera. The ground is lit by the sun, and is at about the same brightness as the sky. Perfect for those simple cameras!

Exposure selected by tapping. Some experimentation was required.

And now, we’re breaking our own rule. Notice that this building is brightly lit on one side, and in shadow on the other. This is a shot where the controls on the Camera Awesome app are particularly useful. You can select your focus point – lets say we want the front forner of the building in perfect focus – and then we can choose the proper exposure separately. Experiment until both shadows and highlights are properly exposed. Proper exposure will bring out the brilliant colors in a scene like this. For the best exposure, Jay set his exposure by placing his exposure icon in the sky. Measuring the exposure there gave him the best possible overall exposure. Not bad at all!

Camera Awesome used to select Exposure and Focus separately

For this shot, Jay selected exposure and focus separately once again. He wanted really sharp focus on those pretty droplets on the leaf, and he placed his exposure icon on the highlight area in the top petal. This ensured that the brightest area in the picture would be properly exposed.

Used iPhone Flash, Exposure selected for the face of the foreground subject.

For low-light images – like this shot from a dark market stall in Granada – Jay uses the flash on his iPhone. The flash can be pretty harsh, so use it sparingly. You can soften the effect of the flash by moving away from your subject. In this case, Jay set his exposure and focus on the face of the seated woman. The flash provided enough light to bring out her features and capture the sleeping woman behind her.

Tips

Look for evenly lit scenes that are completely in the sun or completely in shade. Avoid heavy shadows and harsh highlights.

If you are using your smart phone, look for an app that will let you select your focus and exposure separately. We recommend Camera Awesome. Experiment with the settings and choose the best shot.

When the light is harsh, look for Macro shots. You can create shade with your body or a piece of clothing for nice, even lighting.

Use Flash in low-light situations. If you need to (and if you can), move away from the subject to reduce the intensity of the flash.

If your camera has an optical zoom feature, feel free to make the most of it! If you are stuck with digital zoom only, try to avoid using it. Digital zoom just crops your photo and blows it up – which leaves you with a pretty crummy finished product. Jay’s iPhone only has digital zoom – so he rarely uses the zoom feature at all.

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