Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Exploring Light, Discovering Style: A Lighting Tutorial

Bruce Dorn | 05/03- 09:30 AM

Part 12, Lesson 10: Manage Intensity

Concept: Control light fall-off to balance intensity.
Tools: Two Softboxes+Studio Strobe

Action: I love the figure in repose. Long and languid, it always inspires my subjects to a bit of theatricality. All I need is room to stretch out and a few proper tools…

Friday, April 29, 2011

Creative Use of High Speed Sync

Tom Bol | 04/29- 10:11 AM

Use high speed sync to add mood to your shot.

When most people think of high speed sync, they think fast shutter speeds and freezing the action.  True, shooting at 1/8000 with flash is going to freeze the action no matter what the main light source is illuminating the subject.  But what about other uses of high speed sync and flash.  Until the release of the Pocket Wizard Flex system and Hypersync (see my last post), I was often frustrated shooting in bright sun.  I needed an aperture of F16 to get the right exposure at 1/200, my fastest sync speed using my Elinchrom Rangers.  What if I wanted to use a wide open aperture like F2.8 to get soft focus and blur out the background?  The answer is use high speed sync for selective focus shots in bright, sunny conditions.  Maybe high speed sync should be called ‘soft focus sync.’

Monday, April 25, 2011

Approaches to Light Painting

Chris Meyer | 04/25- 03:29 PM

I’d like to share some alternate techniques I’ve been playing around with.

In simple terms, “light painting” involves taking long-exposure photos in nominally dark environments, where you artfully set up or move a light source to either reveal an otherwise-hidden object, or draw in space using pure photons. Assuming you yourself are either generating or reflecting relatively little light, and/or are moving during the exposure, you become invisible to the film or camera’s sensor, leaving just the light behind.

I recently went on a light painting shoot along with other members of the New Mexico Outdoor Photography Meetup group, dragging along a Canon 5D mkII, a Pixel RW-221 wireless remote control (so I could trigger the camera from larger distances, and without line-of-sight), and a Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 carbon fiber tripod (the lighter weight was appreciated while bumbling around in pitch dark in a open space full of prickly pear cactus). Although I started out with the requisite flashlight and blink toys as light sources, I quickly went off-script and started using an iPad as a light source, plus spent a bit of time in Photoshop and Camera Raw afterward. Here’s what I tried, and what I learned.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Elinchrom Ranger High Speed Sync w/ Pocket Wizard

Tom Bol | 04/21- 01:30 PM

Achieve sync speeds over 1/2000 using an Elinchrom Ranger and Pocket Wizard Hypersync

High speed sync is critical for the action sports shooter.  If you want to freeze action and use flash, your options are limited.  One choice is you could use high speed sync using speedlights and shoot at 1/2000 or faster, but the power output and effective flash range is greatly reduced unless you use multiple speedlights.  Another option is using studio strobe packs/heads and underexposing the daylight so that the main light illuminating your subject is the flash.  As long as the flash duration is fast, your moving subject should be sharp.  But what if you don’t want to underexpose the daylight 2-3 stops?  Of what if you want to shoot at a wide open aperture like F2.8 on a sunny day and use strobe.  Your shutter speed would be much faster than the standard 1/250 most cameras allow as their fastest sync speed.  Now everything has changed.  Using Pocket Wizard Hypersync technology, shutter sync speeds of 1/2000 and faster are possible using studio flashes.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Environmental Portraiture Workshop - A Few Seats Left

Bruce Dorn | 04/19- 02:26 PM

Hosted in Sedona, Arizona

I am really excited to say that the Environmental Portraiture workshop I am teaching at has sold out for Saturday, Mat 7th. There’s still a few seats left for Sunday, May 8th - we have beautiful landscapes and beautiful models to work with, so if you are in the area head to Canon’s site to find out more information and sign up: EOS Destination Workshops

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Packing…method or madness?

Matt Brandon | 04/19- 01:46 PM

A look at my bags and what is inside them and how I organize.

I’ve had a lot of people comment on the use of Packing Pro, the iPhone app that I gave away last week. Many people couldn’t believe that I would be capable of getting all the items on the list in my bags and under the allotted weight limit. While I can guarantee you everything got in the bags. I can’t guarantee to you it is under weight. In fact, my carry-on is probably twice the weight it’s supposed to be.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Exploring Light, Discovering Style: A Lighting Tutorial

Bruce Dorn | 04/11- 08:37 AM

Part 11, Lesson 9: Embrace Serendipity

Concept: Have a plan, but try to embrace the unexpected.
Tools: Fresnel Focusing Spot+Unexpected Sungun

Action: I suspected that this balcony and stairs could provide a tasty composition and felt that a single directional source should create a crisp and glamorous lighting pattern. After rigging a single undiffused Mole-Richardson “InBetweenie” Tungsten Solarspot, it was a snap to balance to the room and we were soon ready to shoot.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Wide Angle Lenses Convey Excitement

Sara Frances | 04/10- 09:35 PM

Tricks and Tips for Visual Value with the wider view in mind. Part 2 of 4 lens use refresher tutorials.

Dramatic change of perspective and size relationships are the boon and bust of wide angles. Don’t think of them just for scenics, architecture, and travel. Why not take advantage of the serious departure from the normal visual relationships of people and objects in the environment?

Friday, April 08, 2011

Optimal Use of Normal Angle Lenses

Sara Frances | 04/08- 09:26 PM

Tell your story like it is: real life proportions with the lowly angle lens. Part 1 of 4 lens use refresher tutorials.

Visually true to life, the 48-55MM lens is so right for so many situations, particularly if you’re a documentarian like myself. In short, normal angle lenses give you the same perspective, proportion and relative size of objects as the human eye sees. I can’t imagine being without one in my kit; it’s the old stand by.

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Make Meaning with Subject Placement

Sara Frances | 04/06- 09:20 PM

Subtle changes in orientation and size can make a world of difference in the meaning of an image.

The arrangement of elements and their physical relationship to each other in an image is critical to visually putting across the meaning you want to convey without words. Ask yourself first, what is my story?

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Environmental Portraiture Workshop in Sedona, Arizona

Bruce Dorn | 04/06- 07:33 AM

What’s better than springtime in one of the most beautiful places on earth? Well, the same location with professional models to photograph, plenty of nifty Canon gear to play with, and a generous instructor to lean on…

Friday, April 01, 2011

Let There be Light…

Sara Frances | 04/01- 11:05 AM

Joe McNally talks about light - the be all and end all of imaging

In the video interview I’m talking with Joe about how you pay your dues. Study and experiment every day. Gather tips, tricks and ideas from every expert you can find. It’s a real treasure to be able to listen to Joe and to read and analyze his books. Every inspirational step brings you closer to defining your own vision of light.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

A Developed Instinct

Matt Brandon | 03/31- 03:44 PM

A rule can feel binding but can bring liberty when it has to do with composition.

Henri Cartier-Bresson said “In photography, visual organization can stem only from a developed instinct.”  I think what he meant here by visual organization is basic design principles and composition. These are things that can definitely be developed over time and yet he still uses that word “instinct”.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Canon T3i - Video Digital Zoom Function

Dan Carr | 03/31- 09:43 AM

Interesting “hidden” feature sign of things to come ?

I didn’t cover the launch of the Canon T3i last month as our focus is more on the professional products in the marketplace.  Occasionally though, consumer level products offer a sneak peek at something which may filter up to pro gear in a more refined manner.  The T3i, or 600D depending on where you live has one such interesting feature.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Figures in a Landscape

Tom Bol | 03/30- 01:31 PM

Use people in your images to add perspective and interest.

I recently returned from two weeks in Patagonia, one of my favorite shooting destinations anywhere.  Each year I go down I try to mix up my coverage from tango dancing, landscapes, wildlife and ice climbing.  This year we had some marginal weather at some key locations, but luckily the day we went onto the Viedma Glacier near Chalten the weather was overcast and slightly drizzling.  Yes, that’s right, I’d rather be shooting on glacier in overcast than bright sun.  Why?  Because you get less contrast and better color, especially the deep blue ice, when the sun isn’t out.  We hiked out to a great crevasse to photograph, but shooting the crevasse alone wasn’t that compelling.  I needed to add something for reference, and that is where a nearby ice climber came in handy.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mini Quasar New Aid to Sensor Cleaning

Sara Frances | 03/29- 02:44 PM

New magnifying instrument from VisibleDust makes precise cleaning easier - and easier to verify.

The mini Quasar is a loupe with battery powered LED lights that aids three ways in camera sensor inspection. First to identify the tiniest of errant particles before cleaning, to make sure you didn’t leave a smear, and then to save time and trouble by confirming that further cleaning is unnecessary. This little gem should make it possible for even me to see junk on the sensor.

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