Category: Tuesday Photo Tips

The photo below was taken on a business trip to Boulder, CO last summer. That trip was my real initiation into the divine world of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography. I had begun to explore it’s capabilities and showed some early examples in this post. But with the CO scenery and the time constraints I was under – this trip firmly established HDR in my photographic repertoire.

There is no way I could have captured the detail found in the photo above of Lily lake without using HDR. Here’s another example of a photo with detail that could not be captured in a single exposure.

This photo was taken at Goose Pond Keene, NH. I’ve cut a portion of the three exposures that were used to create this HDR photo. The leftmost panel below is what would have resulted from a single exposure. Note the sky is completely blown-out with no detail remaining.

The middle panel shows the underexposed (2-stops) bracket that retains detail in the sky while the rightmost panel shows the overexposed bracket that contributes to shadow detail.

Some recent camera models include in-camera HDR capabilities. Our Canon 5D Mark III does. The photo below shows how our camera combined those same three brackets

The first photo of Goose Pond was created using Nik HDR Efex Pro 2 – a Lightroom and Photoshop plug-in that offers a wide variety of choices from surrealistic to realistic renditions as shown in the HDR photo of Jeremiah below.

The panels below show another example of in-camera vs. Nik HDR rendered. The Nik version (right hand panel) clearly did a better job of capturing detail in the cloud and bringing out detail in the shadow regions. By the way, Nik was recently bought by Google so this advanced HDR capability will likely soon be available at little to no cost.

There is another issue with the in-camera HDR option. If anything in the frame is moving between exposures, blending those exposures will reveal motion “smear” as shown in the left panel below

Nik HDR software has an algorithm that detects motion between frames and makes corrections to ensure there is no smear. You can see the result in the right hand panel which was rendered using Nik HDR Efex Pro 2.

HDR is here to stay. It brings new capabilities and even creates new opportunities such as shooting in full sun as shown in the photo of Dog Lake in Yosemite.

Be sure to check your camera for its HDR capabilities. If your camera doesn’t offer HDR processing and you’d like to learn how to create HDR photos in post processing just drop us a comment below and we’ll cover it in a future Tuesday Photo Tip. HDR imaging, try it – you’ll like it.

Feel free to comment or show off some of your own compositions that illustrate this tip. In the meantime, stay tuned because more Tuesday Photo Tips are right around the corner. Better yet – be updated automatically when we post Photo Excursions, Road Trips, Family Happenings or Photo Tips by “friending” our Facebook site. We also post favorite photos, along with an explanation of how it was captured, on our Pinterest page – follow us there and join in the fun.

PS - This is one of dozens of photo tips in our continuing Tuesday Photo Tips series of posts. There  are other resource articles on our site you may enjoy covering basic and more advanced photography topics. There are also tips that cover topics such as preparing for family or infant/child portrait sessions. If you would like a topic covered just jot it down in a comment or send us a note. Also, if  you think your friends or family members would enjoy these tips please pass them on by using any of the share buttons below.

I came  up with the idea for this Tuesday Photo Tip while talking to a colleague on the East Coast. He was snowed in. I jokingly promised to send him a photo so I snapped this shot of our bedroom with the French doors wide open illustrating “another day in paradise” weather.

The reason for showing this is to illustrate today’s topic. We will give you a simple three step process that will allow you to fully utilize your flash. Three easy steps. Follow along for details…or jump to the end for a list of the steps.

For this “day in paradise” photo I knew I would need flash to balance the outside and inside exposures. That’s done by using your flash and shooting in manual mode. Don’t panic – we’ll list the simple steps you should take.

Here are a few pictures of our backyard at the time I took the bedroom picture. It was a partly cloudy day with big fluffy white clouds.  If I exposed for this outside scene the bedroom would be deep in shadow. So let’s add some light to the bedroom to balance the two exposures.

Why are there two exposures you ask? Great question. The answer (below) will eliminate the mystery of flash photography. Once you understand the two exposures you will master flash photography.

Let’s talk about the first exposure. Exposure #1 is the foreground/bedroom which is lit predominantly by the flash on my camera. The flash exposure (exposure #1) is controlled by the aperture YOU choose and the flash power YOUR CAMERA chooses.

You pick the aperture – let’s say f/4 – and the camera will determine the amount of power the flash should produce. Looking at the aperture illustration above you can see that it would be difficult for the flash to pump enough light through a tiny aperture (say f/16).

Here are the first two steps. Step #1:  set your camera to manual mode. Step #2: set your aperture to f/4 (read this post to learn why manual mode should be used for flash photography). The next step is handled by your camera –  it will automatically choose the flash power needed to properly expose the foreground/bedroom.  Exposure #1 is set – f/4 with the camera determining flash power output.

Simple, let’s move on to Exposure #2 – the background – which in this case is our backyard. The flash exposure won’t affect the background – it’s just too far for the flash to have any impact. Here’s a better example of that point.

I used foreground/background exposure balancing for this photo of Rebecca and Doug at Hoag Hospital. In this photo the background is Newport Harbor. Obviously the flash can’t add any light to that.

So let’s dial in Exposure #2, the background. Exposure #2 is determined by the aperture and the shutter speed. That’s no surprise. It is what you are used to considering when you shoot with no flash. But notice – we now have another knob to turn: shutter speed.

For this exercise we’ve already chosen the aperture (f/4) for the flash/foreground exposure. That’s also used in the background exposure. We now are left with a shutter speed decision – nothing more.

We’re looking for a shutter speed that will correctly expose the backyard/background. We find that by doing Step #3 – roll the shutter speed dial until your camera tells you the exposure is correct. You can adjust it to your taste. Often times we will underexpose the background just a bit to get those deep colorful skies as shown in the photo below. The couple is lit by off-camera flash – the background is underexposed by 1 stop.

Maybe you want a high key portrait as shown below. In that case you would choose a slower/longer shutter to let more background light in.

Changing the shutter speed to add flavor to the background exposure will not affect the flash/foreground exposure (determined solely by aperture and flash power).

Find that hard to believe? Try this simple exercise. Take a photo of any object (vase, fireplace, …) in your home with the room lights dim and blinds/drapes closed. Now change only the shutter speed and take that same photo. Check it out – no difference in the exposure because flash exposure is independent of shutter speed. We talked a bit more on that in this earlier post and used the example photos below.

So, to recap, pick a scene that includes a window on a bright sunny day. Then choose an aperture of f/4 and take the photo with different shutter speeds. Start at 1/200 sec, then use 1/100 sec, then 1/60 sec. Be sure you’re at a low ISO otherwise the background will be blown out at 1/200 sec.

See what’s happening? The flash exposure is constant and the background exposure gets brighter as you change (reduce) shutter speed.

That’s the key to flash photography. Really, it’s that simple. Shoot in manual, choose a reasonable aperture (no higher than ~f/8) and dial in the background exposure with the shutter speed. Then flavor to your taste (higher shutter speeds for colorful skies, lower shutter speeds for high key backgrounds). Want that in easy to see steps:

Step #1: set your camera to manual (Try it, you’ll like it – we promise. Your camera will automatically determine the appropriate flash power).

Step #2: Pick an aperture – anywhere between f/2.8 and f/8 will work for most situations.

Step #3: Dial the shutter speed to taste (stay somewhere between 1/15th and 1/200th). Long shutters (e.g. 1/15th) brighten the background, short shutters (e.g. 1/200th) darken the background.

Feel free to comment or show off some of your own compositions that illustrate this tip. In the meantime, stay tuned because more Tuesday Photo Tips are right around the corner. Better yet – be updated automatically when we post Photo Excursions, Road Trips, Family Happenings or Photo Tips by “friending” our Facebook site. We also post favorite photos, along with an explanation of how it was captured, on our Pinterest page – follow us there and join in the fun.

PS - This is one of dozens of photo tips in our continuing Tuesday Photo Tips series of posts. There  are other resource articles on our site you may enjoy covering basic and more advanced photography topics. There are also tips that cover topics such as preparing for family or infant/child portrait sessions. If you would like a topic covered just jot it down in a comment or send us a note. Also, if  you think your friends or family members would enjoy these tips please pass them on by using any of the share buttons below.

Your memory card is the first step in a chain that, we hope, leads to safe storage and back up of your important photos. Your card will serve you well more often than not. Failures are rare but, as we found out, not unheard of. Unfortunately it happened to us while we were photographing (pro-bono) a local charity event – the annual Blue Martini Ball sponsored by the Long Beach chapter of Food for Kids.

The event participants were dressed in tuxedos and evening dresses and, unfortunately, a few were disappointed to find that we had “lost” their photos. The files were corrupted and useless.

Our latest camera, the Canon 5D Mark III, includes two memory card slots and the ability to write to both in parallel. Had that camera been available during the event we would have had a “backup” card. But, alas, we didn’t and you won’t either unless you own an expensive, pro-level camera.

So here are a few obvious and a few not-so-obvious “safety” tips that will help ensure you never lose that great photo of your child’s first steps.

Tip 1) Do not erase photos from your card while in camera or attached to your computer. Rather, leave them on the card, no matter how bad the photo is, until it’s time to format the card. And, be sure to format the card in your camera; don’t use the computer command. We never delete photos from our card and don’t reformat the card until we’ve transferred all of the images to our hard drive AND created backup copies on a second hard drive.

Tip 2) Don’t fill your card to the limit. Leave a little breathing room. Your camera will let you know when you are running low. Leave a few photos unwritten to ensure your card doesn’t try to write an unusually large file on a nearly full card.

Tip 3) Similar to the card fill limit, make sure you don’t run up against the hard limit of battery life. If you run out of juice while a card is being written to you’re asking for a write error and hoping it only affects that single file. Don’t chance it – replace your camera battery before it goes dead.

Tip 4) Treat your cards with kid gloves. Really – never let them sit out exposed. Never put them in a pocket/purse without being covered. Fibers from your clothes can easily corrupt the small pins of a CF card. We believe that may have caused our charity event issue. Always protect your cards with CF or SD card holders.

Tip 5) Format your new cards as soon as you put them in your camera. Cards will be labeled as ready to go but – do yourself a favor – let your camera format the card to its liking. Data formats vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and from model to model.

Tip 6) Last but certainly not least – use high quality cards and card readers. Go with name brands – Lexar, SanDisk, etc. And be sure you buy from a reputable source. Bogus cards are abundant and will bite those looking for a “real steal”. If you use these bogus cards the only thing that will be stolen is your precious photos. Hoodman is a very high end product that touts zero data loss. As usual, you get what you pay for.

This is the card reader we use for our SD and CF cards. Think Tank Photo makes a Pixel Pocket Rocket that we use to store all of our cards during and after a session.

Stay tuned, more Tuesday Photo Tips are right around the corner. Better yet – be updated automatically when we post Photo Excursions, Road Trips, Family Happenings or Photo Tips by “friending” our Facebook site. We also post favorite photos, along with an explanation of how it was captured, on our Pinterest page – follow us there and join in the fun.

PS - This is one of dozens of photo tips in our continuing Tuesday Photo Tips series of posts. There  are other resource articles on our site you may enjoy covering basic and more advanced photography topics. There are also tips that cover topics such as preparing for family or infant/child portrait sessions. If you would like a topic covered just jot it down in a comment or send us a note. Also, if  you think your friends or family members would enjoy these tips please pass them on by using any of the share buttons below.

High ISO shooting represents a major advancement that your camera, if it was bought in the past few years, brings to your photography. In this post we’ll discuss how you can take advantage of your newer camera to take photos that just weren’t possible earlier.

The first step in this lesson, if you’re willing, would be to read this free resource paper on exposure. It will go a long way towards explaining ISO.  We also covered ISO in an earlier series of posts on exposure. If your pressed for time we will cover enough in this post to allow you to shoot at high ISO with confidence.

ISO “speed” determines your camera’s sensitivity to light. All cameras, DSLRs, point & shoot,  even today’s camera phones, enable moderate to high ISO allowing you to photograph in dimly lit situations. I took this photo of Rebecca and Jeremiah in the neonatal ICU. Obviously flash was not allowed. High ISO (1600) came to the rescue and allowed me to capture this heartfelt image.

You can usually safely shoot at an ISO two “stops” below the maximum ISO your camera supports. So if your camera supports ISO 1600 I would guess you’ll get “OK” results at ISO 800 and great results at ISO 400. ISO values higher than your camera can support will result in “noisy” pictures.  Moderately priced point & shoot cameras can now shoot at ISO 800+. It’ll take a bit more of an investment to get to ISO 1600 and beyond.

Here’s an example of a test I made on a Canon 5D II a few years back. The photos of Rebecca, taken at a pro photography seminar, were shot at multiple ISO values. If you look closely you’ll see little-to-no noise in the left panel, shot at 3200. The right panel, shot at ISO 25600, shows significant noise.

But all is not lost. Take a peek at the panels above showing the ISO 25600 photo before (left) and after processing in Adobe Lightroom (LR). While Rebecca and I prefer to make our own noise corrections using LR, today’s cameras can make similar improvements. Just set the noise reduction option located somewhere in your camera menu.

High ISO is the perfect tool to freeze action at your kids events. In the photos above I used ISO 4000 (left) and 1250 to allow higher shutter speeds. Think of ISO as a major determinant of shutter speed. If you need a fast shutter, use a high ISO. This will be especially important for dimly lit  indoor sporting events.

The best approach for limiting noise while shooting at high ISO is to ensure you expose correctly. Underexposure at any ISO will generate noise.

The photo above is grossly under exposed because the flash did not fire. The right hand panel is that same image after adjustments in LR. These adjustments worked well because the original image was a RAW file (not a jpg). The benefit of shooting RAW is off topic. We’ll get to that in a subsequent Tuesday Photo Tip post.

However, this photo is relevant for this post because it was shot at low ISO (320) and yet you can see in the blown up section above a significant amount of noise. So the moral of this photo is this. “Expose correctly and you’ll be able to shoot at high ISO without noise.”

The photo below from the Chino Air Museum was shot at a much higher ISO (4000) but it needed no noise reduction because it was properly exposed.

The photos below demonstrate two more benefits of high ISO capability. The photo from the Long Beach Aquarium would not have been feasible with a flash. High ISO made it possible. The photo of the Empire State Bldg would not have been possible without high ISO. Shooting at a low ISO would have required a long shutter speed and use of a tripod. Tripods are not allowed on the viewing deck of the Rockefeller Center.

Taking low light photos has never been easier. Take advantage of your cameras high ISO. Crank it up, expose correctly and capture those photos that weren’t possible before you bought that new camera.

Feel free to comment or show off some of your own compositions that illustrate this tip. In the meantime, stay tuned because more Tuesday Photo Tips are right around the corner. Better yet – be updated automatically when we post Photo Excursions, Road Trips, Family Happenings or Photo Tips by “friending” our Facebook site. We also post favorite photos, along with an explanation of how it was captured, on our Pinterest page – follow us there and join in the fun.

PS - This is one of dozens of photo tips in our continuing Tuesday Photo Tips series of posts. There  are other resource articles on our site you may enjoy covering basic and more advanced photography topics. There are also tips that cover topics such as preparing for family or infant/child portrait sessions. If you would like a topic covered just jot it down in a comment or send us a note. Also, if  you think your friends or family members would enjoy these tips please pass them on by using any of the share buttons below.

The price for camera gear is always dropping. As an example, we bought our first digital camera, the Canon EOS Rebel, in early 2003. That was the first digital single lens reflex (DSLR) offered at $1,000. The quality of the pictures from today’s $1,000 camera has drastically improved. But, you get what you pay for at that time in product development.

We’re all looking to get the right camera at the right price. Our recent posts have covered gift ideas, P&S camera choices and consideration of a new breed of mirrorless cameras. Now let’s talk about getting the gear at the best price available.

Unfortunately we can’t remember the last piece of camera gear we bought at a bricks & mortar store. We miss the personal interaction we enjoyed when buying from a local camera store with knowledgeable staff that shared our enthusiasm for photography and gear. Unfortunately those days are (mostly) gone. It’s difficult for retail stores to match the price you find on the Internet. Given that sad reality, we’re going to assume you’ll be looking for the “best price” by surfing the Web.

This new purchasing paradigm puts you at risk from unscrupulous purveyors of the “best price”. There are many, many of these sites that will ruin your experience and, possibly, leave you with useless gear. Untold numbers of unsatisfied consumers regret the decisions they made, on the spur of the moment, while surfing for the “best price”. We don’t want that experience to spoil your holiday gift so we offer these tidbits, based on experience, on how to navigate web purchases of camera gear.

Our first advice is simple. Use these links to learn the going prices offered from these reputable, well-established sites

B&H Photo at http://www.bhphotovideo.com/;

Adorama at http://www.adorama.com/;

Midwest Photo Exchange at http://mpex.com/;

and of course, Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/.

You’ll have to work hard to find better prices than any of these reputable sources. If you find the right price on any of these sites you can rest assured you’re unlikely to have any of the problems or issues we’ll discuss next. If you still want to shop for the “best price” you now know how to identify the “best price”.

There are no end to un-reputable camera supply houses and, for some unknown reason, a large # are located in Brooklyn. There are a couple of “scams” that are prevalent with these suppliers. Let’s look at the most common.

Check what’s in the box. Check the manufacturers site or an independent review site (e.g. www.dpreview.com) to determine what’s supposed to be in the box. Some of these scam artists will break out some of the “extras” that should be part of the price and charge extra. Be sure the site lists exactly what you are getting for your hard earned $$.

Another not so dubious scam is to pressure you to buy a laundry list of “necessary accessories” …. at least if you believe their spiel. Very often, after you’ve placed your order, they will call back to verify your card and then push these overpriced and unnecessary items. Quite often they’ll tell you that the offer includes these accessories that are mandatory. If you refuse them you’re likely to hear that the camera will be backordered. Meanwhile these unscrupulous characters have your credit card info.

Be sure you study what a typical purchase entails. There’s no reason to buy the UV/protection filter and the tripod they sell you will be worthless, without a doubt. Stick to the camera body, “kit” lens, lens hood, battery & charger & camera strap. Plan to buy a CF/ SD card separately.  You don’t need any other “required” accessories.

Finally – be on the prowl for excessive shipping or special handling fees. And don’t buy an overpriced insurance policy, either. It’s likely the seller is not an authorized distributor. That means you’re about to buy a “gray market” item. “Gray market” gear is usually purchased by the supplier in countries where the exchange rate is favorable. They are resold, to you, in the United States – a legal sale but one that won’t be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.

We’ll explain the ins & outs of gray market purchases in next week’s post. For now, we recommend you stick with the Internet sites we’ve listed. Any “savings” you hope to realize by looking elsewhere are likely to disappear before you receive your merchandise.

Be sure to check back next week for our post on Gray Market merchandise. Better yet – be updated automatically when we post Photo Excursions, Road Trips, Family Happenings or Photo Tips by “friending” our Facebook site.

PS - This is one of dozens of photo tips in our continuing Tuesday Photo Tips series of posts. There  are other resource articles on our site you may enjoy covering basic and more advanced photography topics. There are also tips that cover topics such as preparing for family or infant/child portrait sessions. If you would like a topic covered just jot it down in a comment or send us a note. Also, if  you think your friends or family members would enjoy these tips please pass them on by using any of the share buttons below.

In last week’s Tuesday Photo Tip we reviewed some of the strengths and weaknesses of point & shoot (P&S) and digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. We determined that if you’re mostly concerned with image quality, focus speed and manual control capability you should consider a DSLR. If you were more interested in compact form factor, price, or ease of use you would be best to buy a P&S.

There are some high end P&S cameras that attempt to bridge the gap and we identified them in the earlier post. But there is a true “middle ground” available that we’ll discuss today. These “new” cameras present a very attractive option such that if you’re looking to upgrade from a P&S, it’s now worth considering if you really need a DSLR.

This “new” category of cameras, called mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILC), first appeared a few years back with the emergence of the Micro Four Thirds class of cameras from Panasonic and Olympus. The category has expanded giving you more choices that we will review and comment on today We’ll compare brands and help you decide if this is the correct camera for you or your loved on this XMAS.

Micro four-thirds is a specification (sensor format) created and adopted by Panasonic and Olympus. The micro four-thirds sensors are 1/2 the size of a the full frame sensors found in the Canon 5D and 6D camera. By comparison, P&S cameras have sensors that are roughly one twelfth the size of a full frame sensor! Without getting all technical, suffice it to say that with sensors “bigger is (much) better.”

Since the introduction of micro four-thirds sensors other camera manufacturers have developed their own line of MILCs. We’ll briefly touch on each of these. Samsung’s NX, Sony’s NEX, Pentax’s Q, Canon’s M and Nikon’s 1 series employ APS-C size sensors that are the same size as the most popular consumer DSLRs (>60% of a full frame sensor).

Since sensor size is the #1 determinant of image quality the IQ of these MILC models is very similar to that of consumer-level DSLRs. Rebecca and I bought one of the early entrants in this category – the Sony NEX-5N. As mentioned in this post we are very happy with the IQ.  Here are some examples of photos we’ve taken with our compact Sony. “We don’t leave home without it.”

Despite the terrific IQ, we have encountered a few issues. The #1 is autofocus speed. In last week’s post we identified focus lag as a major problem for P&S cameras. The Sony is far superior to any P&S we’ve used but it’s nowhere near as fast or responsive as our Canon 5D Mark III. Focus speed is one advantage gained given the >$2,000 price difference. You get what you pay for.

Mirrorless cameras don’t do well focus tracking moving subjects. This makes them ill-suited for sports/action photography. This limitation also impacts the ability to photograph active children. There is considerable variation in focus lag between the different MILC cameras. If sports or child photography is important to you be sure to read the reviews of the various models listed below.

Mirrorless cameras also struggle mightily when trying to focus in low light (e.g. indoors). Cameras won’t take a picture unless it has found a focus. If your camera is having trouble focusing you’re likely to miss the candid moment that you were trying to capture.

The small form factor of mirrorless cameras dictates smaller capacity (than DSLR) batteries. The smaller capacity batteries, combined with the need to leave the LCD  powered, means you’re unlikely to shoot all day with a single battery charge. We highly recommend you purchase a back-up battery and keep it at hand for any important family events.

It’s been four years since Panasonic introduced the first MILC. All major manufacturers have recently entered the market which now includes a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Different models have targeted different users, from the serious enthusiast looking for a small yet highly capable camera to the P&S upgrader looking for improved image quality in an easy to use camera. You can find low priced models (Olympus PEN E-PM1) or spend more money on  higher-end models (Sony NEX-7 and Fujifilm X-Pro1).

Canon and Nikon have recently entered the fray. Nikon has developed its family-friendly J1 and V1  models, collectively known as “Nikon 1″. The higher priced V1 includes an electronic viewfinder. The smaller J1 includes a pop up flash. Unfortunately, image quality is impacted by the small size of the sensor offered in the Nikon 1 models.

Canon has introduced the EOS M, a mirrorless version of the EOS 650D DSLR, with a simple interface designed for novice users. It has no built-in flash but includes a hot shoe for use with the new AAA-powered Speedlite 90EX unit ($150). Targeting an enthusiast, the camera, with a 22 mm pancake lens, can be found for $799. An optional 18-55 mm zoom goes for around $299.

Sony has their own mirrorless offering — the Sony NEX series. As Rebecca and I have mentioned, our NEX-5N has incredible image quality. The Sony NEX-7 offers an eye popping 24 megapixels of resolution.

Fujifilm has released its high-end X-Pro1 camera. The retro-styled body includes an innovative 16-megapixel X-Trans CMOS image sensor with a larger color array pattern which promises to deliver images that look more like film than digital. The X-E1 is available as a body only for $999.95, or bundled with the XF18-55mm lens for $1,399.95.

The short answer – give up on P&S cameras. That market has dried up due to the ubiquity of camera phones. Give these MILCs a test drive. While they don’t perform as well as a DSLRs, especially for action or low light situations, but their image quality is top notch. For the casual photographer and/or enthusiast you can’t go wrong. Place one of these under the tree and your loved one will have a very merry XMAS indeed!!

Stay tuned because more Tuesday Photo Tips are right around the corner. Better yet, be updated automatically when we post Photo Excursions, Road Trips, Family Happenings or Photo Tips by “friending” our Facebook site.

PS - This is one of dozens of photo tips in our continuing Tuesday Photo Tips series of posts. There  are other resource articles on our site you may enjoy covering basic and more advanced photography topics. There are also tips that covr topics such as preparing for family or infant/child portrait sessions. If you would like a topic covered just jot it down in a comment or send us a note. Also, if  you think your friends or family members would enjoy these tips please pass them on by using any of the share buttons below.