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Profiled Photographers – Anna Serrano

Professional photographer Anna Serrano tries to find the light in every photo. She says that “light has been boosting her upstream and against the winds”. Half Catalan and half Italian, she used to live in Walnut Creek, California and subsequently in Istanbul. So it was natural that her journey started by taking photos in San Francisco and Yosemite in her teens. For her, the photography exhibitions at that time in San Francisco were like a window into another galaxy. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her friend who was a photographer.

Anna’s journey has included influences from some masters of visual and spoken arts. She says “my master is Velázquez because he is a man of order and genius, efficiency, risk, tradition and rupture. My second master is Goya because he saw what others couldn’t. My third is Brueghel because he was a storyteller and my fourth is Chekhov. He was able to say things that I can’t.” Anna’s philosophical view is certainly apparent in her photos. She says “beauty saves the world. It shoves people towards higher irradiation of the spirit. I work for that, for only when the spirit goes high does our passage through this planet makes some sense.”

Anna says that she has got to where she is today by “working a lot and falling but always standing up again.” Over the years she has constantly been learning, correcting, critiquing her work and listening to those voices that matter and not listening to those that don’t.

Speaking Catalan, Italian, Spanish, French, English and Turkish she has been working for 20 years as a travel photographer. Her work has been published worldwide in magazines and books.

So Anna, where are you from?

I am from Barcelona and Rome

Where do you currently live?

I currently live in Barcelona, but I also split my time between Rome and Istanbul.

What genre of photography do you specialize in?

I devote myself to travel photography, interiors, architecture and portraits. I have been published by major international magazines and I have published a guidebook on Barcelona for National Geographic Germany. I’m currently working on fine art prints.

Describe your style of photography?

Photography is an inner journey for me. The creative process feeds my soul and my soul feeds the creative process. The more I take care of myself, the more I am able to look at others, to listen to them, and to be able to tell more about them and about our world. My photos always have an intimate touch and a twist of wonder. I use photoshop as a dark room or as a painter’s palette.

What are you working on at the moment?

I am currently working on work for two new museums which have just opened in Istanbul. One of them is on experimental art and the other one an old Byzantine building in the Golden Horn which has been beautifully restored.

I have just published a reportage series on Turkish singers for a Spanish magazine (Luzes). I have also created a reportage series for a French magazine (Madame Figaro) on the art panorama in Budapest to be published soon. Photos on Galicia will be published in an Italian magazine (Touring) and photos of Rome’s Appia Antica will be published there as well as in another Italian magazine (In Viaggio).

What is your next project or assignment?

I am preparing two different stories on Rome for two Italian magazines and I keep on working on my stock archive as well. My new project which I am excited about is a new set of fine art prints that will be soon available for sale.

Are there any photographers whose work/style you admire?

I am inspired not only by photographers but by painters, writers and musicians…

I enjoy spending hours looking at photographers with completely different backgrounds from mine, so I can learn more and more. The more different they are to me, the more I have the feeling of navigating on an intense journey.

What is your favourite memory of your experiences?

Watching the sunrise from the sky on a small balloon in Cappadocia. There was only 5 of us and all of us were silent. The emotion that filled me when darkness turned to light will stay with me forever.

I also remember the day I was alone in Hagia Sophia with a special permit to take photos. It was a Monday and the museum was closed. Leaving just me and Hagia Sophia alone.

What’s the biggest photographic challenge you overcame?

I remember taking photos on an assignment for an Italian magazine in Mallorca when I was suffering from a very high fever. I remember having difficulty just standing up inside the cathedral of Mallorca. It was a nightmare.

What’s in your camera bag?

In general, I carry a Canon 5D Mark IV, 16-24mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm lenses, and a tripod.

As a rule, though, whenever possible less is more. Cartier Bresson used to go around with a very small camera. But this depends upon the project of course. Less means that you can move around freely and be fresher and more agile. But sometimes you need softboxes, drones and other lenses.

For instance, in certain occasions, it’s better to be anonymous whilst taking photos. At other times, it’s better to have an accreditation pass hanging around your neck which will allow you to move easily.

What photographic equipment would you never leave home without?

As said before, it depends upon the project, but if I had to choose it would be my Canon camera and 24-70mm lens.

What advice you would give anyone who is starting out?

Be patient, with others but mostly with yourself. Have hours of silence. Keep going back to a chosen spot in order to redo the same photo a thousand times until you get the best shot that you can. Train yourself in the same way as athletes and other professionals do. Constant training is key. Be humble enough to keep on learning and have faith in yourself.

Remember that whenever you are working on any project, treat it as the most important thing you will do. But also take it easy so you don’t get nervous and mess things up.

Finally, travelling alone is the best way to learn about photography. You won’t have people distracting you.

Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Out of 10 projects, one or two will work out perfectly. Don’t get attached to the things you believed in so dearly that you can’t move on when they don’t work out.

Lastly… if you weren’t a photographer what would you be doing?

Swimming in the Aegean.

To see more of Anna’s work visit her website and be sure to follow her on Instagram

Interview by Kav Dadfar.

Profiled Photographers – Jassi Oberai

Indian born photographer Jassi Oberai has been a professional photographer for 10 years. But it was almost as if he “bumped into photography” by accident. But when he did, it caught hold of him and never left. He says “during one of my corporate tours, I bumped into a gentleman doing wildlife photography. I just walked up to him, asked some silly questions and that 5-minute session inspired me enough to come back and buy my first DSLR. Strange but true”.

From that point, Jassi was hooked and he started photographing daily. Gradually he started making inroads in the already crowded field of photography and started getting exposure and recognition for his work. At some point in between all of this, he started taking assignments as well. But his first major step in his photography journey was when he decided to go full time into photography education and became a Photography Mentor. Nowadays, as well as his own photography, Jassi now also leads photo workshops and tours for photographers of all levels through his company Xploring Light.

From capturing brilliant landscapes, shooting portraiture and various other genres Jassi does it all effortlessly with his great use of colors in everything that he shoots. In his own words, “colors can give a whole new look to something rather mundane or something we are used to. To me, that’s what I like the most about photography- looking at the world in new ways”.

Jassi, where are you from?

I am from Delhi, India.

Where do you currently live?

I currently live in Delhi.

What genre of photography do you specialise in?

I specialise in landscape, travel, culture, portraits and fashion photography.

Describe your style of photography?

I aim to shoot simple and easy shots. I do not understand complicated compositions and that is how I am trying to create my own niche.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working towards living my passion which is to reach out to as many students of photography as possible and helping them realize their own photography dream.

What is your next project or assignment?

I am headed to Ladakh with a bunch of passionate photographers to explore and photograph the stunning terrain together.

Are there any photographers whose work/style you admire?

I seek inspiration from everyone including beginners. I believe there is something new to learn all the time and you should seek inspiration from everyone.

What is your favourite memory of your experiences?

It was while I was in my initial days of learning that I met a very senior photographer and showed him my best images (the ones that I thought were best at that point of time). All he had to say me was that I would not become a good photographer. That really hurt me but it was also the day I decided to up my resolve to prove him wrong. It’s my favourite memory in my journey because had he not ridiculed my work, I might not have pushed harder.

What’s the biggest photographic challenge you overcame?

My inhibitions of holding the camera in public places whilst doing travel photography.

What’s in your camera bag?

Lumix S1, 16-35mm lens, 70-200mm lens, NiSi ND Filter Kit, Intervelometer, Sirui Tripod.

What photographic equipment would you never leave home without?

I always have my camera with me.

What advice you would give anyone who is starting out?

Give yourself enough time for photography and do not be in a hurry. There is no such thing as instant gratification. Also, understand the difference between a social media influencer and a good photographer.

Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Getting into the social media rut. It is an extremely powerful tool and the key word here is a “tool”. Do not make it rule your life.

Lastly… if you weren’t a photographer what would you be doing?

I was already working in a corporate sector and probably would have continued in that boring job reporting to some uninspiring person people call a “boss”.

To see more of Jassi’s work visit his website.

Interview by Kav Dadfar.

Profiled Photographers – Maren Klemp

For professional photographer, Maren Klemp, creativity has always been a huge part of her life. As a teenager, she wrote poetry and short stories. But she was also searching for a way to express herself visually. She says “I have no talent for either painting or drawing, so when my father bought me my first camera at the age of seventeen I immediately knew that I wanted to become a photographer”.

She quit high school and got an internship as a photographer in a local newspaper. When the internship ended she continued her education by attending art school and studied fine art photography. A few years later after her son was born, she realized she had to get a “normal job” in order to have a steady income. So she studied administration and economy and worked in that field for a few years. Finally, in 2013 she decided to return to photography and since then she has been working full time on several long-term projects.

She now exhibits her work in galleries and sells them to collectors.

So Maren, where are you from?

I’m from a town outside of Oslo called Harestua.

Where do you currently live?

I now live in Oslo, Norway.

What genre of photography do you specialize in?

I specialize in fine art, self-portraiture and conceptual photography. During the first few years of my career, I worked exclusively in black and white. but in recent years I have been mostly into colors.

Describe your style of photography?

I would describe my style as honest, dark and dreamy with a hint of mystery.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I’m working on a mixed media project called “Kingdom Plantae”. I have combined photography with gouache paint, and I have really been enjoying the process. I have studied the use of flowers through the history of art, and the symbolism of each individual flower. The project is inspired by the old masters when it comes to the use of light and colour.

I haven’t published any of the work yet, and since this is a new direction in my photography I am both terrified and curious about how it will be received by my audience.

What is your next project or assignment?

I have already planned out my next project. I experienced a medical trauma with my daughter a few years back. It was a major shock and I still haven’t fully recovered from it. She is fine today, but the whole experience made me aware of how fast our life can change and it even made it difficult for me to trust my body. I started to fear disease which is totally unlike me. I want to explore this topic further with this project. Who knows, maybe it can help me get some closure from the trauma I experienced.

Are there any photographers whose work/style you admire?

I have been admiring the work of Sally Mann since I was a teenager. I also admire the work of Gregory Crewdson, Francesca Woodman, Julia Fullerton-Batten and Laura Makabresku. My work is also influenced by paintings. Some of my favourite painters are Henrik Uldalen, Arthit (Gank) Pansuay, Odd Nerdrum and Mitch Griffiths.

What is your favourite memory of your experiences?

I have so many great memories, so it is hard to pick only one. I often use my children as models in my work, and creating art with them is awesome. I created a project called “Utopia” with my daughter. The project is about gender equality. We talked about how women have been, and are still treated differently than men. We brainstormed ideas together and it was a very educational experience for her, which is really great.

What’s the biggest photographic challenge you overcame?

The biggest challenge has actually been to work with self-portraiture out in public. Often people start filming me with their cell phones, which I find extremely uncomfortable. I have learned to block it out and focus on the work, but it still stresses me out when I see people reach for their phone.

What’s in your camera bag?

I have Canon 5D mark iii and a Canon 5D mark ii. My favourite lenses are my 85 mm f/2.2 Petzval brass lens and my Tamron 24 – 70 mm f/2.8.

What photographic equipment would you never leave home without?

I always bring my Canon remote control, a tripod and extra batteries.

What advice you would give anyone who is starting out?

My advice is to be committed. You have to invest time and money into your projects. Also, stay true to your own style, be patient and get your work out there!

Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Vanity galleries! I have made a few mistakes and paid a gallery up front to get my work shown. Later on, I have learned that you should avoid those kinds of galleries. Not only do they look bad on your CV, but it can also be a huge waste of money. The gallerist has already been paid, so why should he or she put an effort into selling your work?

Lastly… if you weren’t a photographer what would you be doing?

When I was younger I wanted to be a paramedic. The only problem is that I faint when I see blood, so I think I’ll stick to photography.

Note from Maren Klemp:

The images in this article are from my “Northern Gothic” collection. A collection of self-portraits in addition to a portrait of my daughter. The connection between the human mind and nature is a reoccurring theme in my work. I grew up surrounded by the harsh but hauntingly beautiful Norwegian nature and with this body of work I wanted to explore how my surroundings have affected me.

The contrast between the long, cold and dark winters and the midnight sun of the Norwegian summer is strong. There is hardly anything in the middle. The struggles with deep depressions during the winters because of lack of light and insomnia during the bright summer nights are parts of my upbringing.

The colour red is a common thread that binds several of the images together. It represents my bloodline, flesh and roots that interacts with the bleak Nordic landscape.

To see more of Maren’s work visit her website

You can follow her of her Facebook page

Interview by Kav Dadfar.

Profiled Photographers – Bree-Lynn Mistol

Professional portrait photographer, Bree-Lynn Mistol was always a creative person. She recalls how she always had a little camera on her and would constantly be taking photos. She would then upload them to her computer and edit them in Picnik (and old editing software). She says “I’ve always been drawing, painting, dancing…”. But her journey into photography wasn’t straightforward.

After she graduated from high school, she went straight to college where she got into a denturist program. She lasted about 3 days before deciding to dropped out. She decided to go to her aunt’s house for a week to do some soul searching where she came to the conclusion that she was going to try to become a makeup artist. She says “I had some money put away for me for school; therefore, I needed to take a credited course to use it. We started looking into things but couldn’t really find anything that interested me until I came across the Photographic Technology program at NAIT”. As she had always been interested in photography and photo editing she thought it would make a good match with being a makeup artist. After applying to the program, she waited for a response. In the meantime, she started taking photos of her friends and family and fell in love with it. A month later she received her acceptance letter! After finishing the 2-year program she graduated in 2016 and has been running her own business since then!

Bree-Lynn, where are you from?

I grew up in a small town in Alberta, Canada called St. Paul.

Where do you currently live?

I moved to Edmonton, Alberta 4 years ago.

What genre of photography do you specialise in?

I specialise in portrait photography.

Describe your style of photography?

I would describe my style as vibrant, glowing and unique. My favourite thing about my style is that when people see one of my photos they know it’s mine before seeing my name!

What are you working on at the moment?

I don’t have any current projects going on. Most of my shoots aren’t planned out, I just go with the flow!

What is your next project or assignment?

I do have a color project in mind that I’ll hopefully start soon!

Are there any photographers whose work/style you admire?

Agata Serge and Alessio Albi have always been my favourite photographers. I love their style and draw a lot of inspiration from their work.

What is your favourite memory of your experiences?

When I was younger my friend’s auntie was having a baby girl. All of her kids’ names started with Bri. She had asked my friend if she had any name suggestions for her newborn. My friend had mentioned my name and they ended up naming her Brilynne.

While I was in photography school we needed to do a 12 photo thesis. I did mine on kids looking older than they are. I posted a model call and got a response from Brilynne’s mom. She fit my criteria so it was super cool being able to photograph someone named after me!

What’s the biggest photographic challenge you overcame?

For the past five and a half years, I’ve struggled with hating photography quite a bit. I’d advise doing everything you can to not hate it. There were a few months where I almost fully quit, but I found ways to take a break and learn to love it again!

What’s in your camera bag?

I use a Canon 5D mark iii. As for lenses, I have a Sigma 35mm 1.4, Sigma 50mm 1.4, Canon 85mm 1.2 and a Canon 135mm 2.0.

What photographic equipment would you never leave home without?

My camera, my 35mm and 135mm lenses. I’d also my highlighter makeup with me too!

What advice you would give anyone who is starting out?

Watch a lot of YouTube videos! Before I was in photography school I learnt a lot online. You can find almost everything online these days.

Any pitfalls they should avoid?

DON’T LET PEOPLE USE YOU! Always know your worth and don’t do free shoots unless it will help and further your career.

Lastly… if you weren’t a photographer what would you be doing?

I would probably be a denturist! I had gotten into the program but I had to drop out due to me jumping into it too fast. I’m glad that it all happened though because I wouldn’t be where I am now!

To see more of Bree’s work or book a shoot visit her website

You can follow her of her Facebook page

Interview by Kav Dadfar.

Profiled Photographers – Jack Tompkins

Jack Tompkins’ photography journey began during his childhood. His father was a professional photographer for the early part of his career and growing up there were always cameras around the house that he would play around with. But it wasn’t until his 16th birthday when he was given a very simple digital camera. He says “I took it along on my first ski trip a few years later, during that trip I really fell in love with photography”.

After that first ski trip, Jack spent two summer seasons and one winter season working abroad in Greece and Canada respectively. In the summer he would take photos of his friends windsurfing and skiing in the the winter.

He gained a place at the famous Loughborough University, world-renowned for its sporting brilliance so in his own words “there were infinite opportunities to photograph sports teams and athletes”. He spent three years taking every opportunity to take photos and after graduating went on to work in-house for a London sports agency headed up by former Olympic gold medallist Lord Sebastian Coe.

Fast forward several years and Jack is now freelancing not only as a photographer but also a filmmaker. He says “I’m now very lucky to be working closely with incredible filmmaker Ben Marlow on several projects. One of which is our sports content company Southpaw Sport. We also run a free videography and photography YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/sixtysecondfilmschool) sharing our experience and opinions in sixty-second videos”.

Jack, where are you from?

I’m from Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.

Where do you currently live?

I now spend the majority of my time in the UK. In the past, I’ve based myself in Austria for the winter season.

What genre of photography do you specialise in?

Sports and action photography are my main disciplines.

Describe your style of photography?

Simple and striking, I love photos where the subject is large in frame and the photo can be quickly understood. Being a sports photographer you’re always looking to capture that one frame that communicates the real drama or emotion of the activity being performed and any big key moments in the competition.

What are you working on at the moment?

Although winter is just coming to a close I still do a lot of snow-sports work, either in the UK or out on the glaciers in Europe. Spring is always a very busy time in sports. I also regularly shoot tennis and netball events as well.

What is your next project or assignment?

I’m currently working with a competitive paddle boarder trying to capture some really cool imagery as she trains and competes at inland locations around the UK.

Are there any photographers whose work/style you admire?

I’m very lucky to have the pleasure of regularly working alongside a whole range of incredibly hard-working and talented photographers. They are definitely the people who’s work I admire most and aspire to shoot like. People such as Ed Pereira, Jordan Banks, Raj Dhesi, Jay Rowden and Kate Addison, all have a real diverse mix of photography styles. But there’s so much I love about each of their work individually.

What is your favourite memory of your experiences?

In 2017 I volunteered to go along and take photos on a Charity Ski Week for wounded servicemen and women designed to kick start their rehabilitation into civilian life. The work the charity did was phenomenal and seeing the impact it had on the veterans was the best part of the week. But being able to give them photos to remember the experience with and to enable them to share these photos with their friends and family was a special feeling.

What’s the biggest photographic challenge you overcame?

A lot of the time the biggest challenge is the environment, particularly in ski photography. There’s the cold for the camera to cope with and anytime it’s snowing it brings a whole load of equipment challenges. Often coordinating with the skiers to be in the right place at the right time can be the main challenge in getting a good photo.

What’s in your camera bag?

I like to keep all my equipment in a camera rucksack so I can carry everything on my back as I often need to be moving (and usually skiing) around when taking photos. I try and stay as light as possible whilst taking everything I need.

I always have my trusty 5D Mark III, Canon 24-105mm f/4.0 and 70-200mm f/2.8. zoom lenses which are essential for sports photography. Those two focal ranges pretty much cover everything you need.

I’ll always take a Canon 85mm f/1.8 to use for specific shots of people and a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 for super wide or landscape shots.

What photographic equipment would you never leave home without?

It’s really not that exciting but lots of batteries! When you are on the slopes, the cold weather means you go through them far quicker than usual. Due to the nature of places that you are shooting at, it means most of the time you’ll be far away from somewhere you can plug in and charge up. So it’s essential to have plenty with me.

What advice you would give anyone who is starting out?

Find a subject matter you love. Work hard, take every opportunity in front of you and be nice to everyone. If you are polite, diligent and deliver great photos you’ll be surprised who will be emailing and asking to work with you.

Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Getting an ego, complaining or expecting to get anything. Also never forget how lucky you are to be doing this job.

Lastly… if you weren’t a photographer what would you be doing?

I would probably be working in sports marketing, so I would be the one hiring the photographers rather than taking the photos.

To see more of Jack’s work visit www.jacktompkins.co

Interview by Kav Dadfar.

A Simple Explanation of Aperture

If there’s one thing about photography that confuses newcomers(and often the rest of us) it’s the idea of aperture. What is it? Why is it so complicated? How does it affect your photos? Well, aperture isn’t complicated or impossible to understand, it’s just unfamiliar. And like most unfamiliar things the more you learn to about it the less intimidating aperture will be.

In this article I’m going to show you just how not complicated aperture can be. You’re going to learn the basics of aperture and how it relates to the focus and shutter speed of your photographs.

Aperture and the Dreaded F-Number

Let’s start off by explaining what aperture is and how it is measured. The idea of aperture in reality is astoundingly simple and there’s honestly only a few things you truly need to know to conquer the subject.

What is Aperture?

OK, let’s just get this out of the way right off the bat…aperture by its very definition is simply a hole. As it pertains to photography, aperture is the hole in the lens where light passes into our cameras. That’s it.

See, not so scary! However, the way aperture is measured is the cause for anxiety in some because, there again, it’s measured in a fashion that most of us don’t readily understand. But don’t worry, much like everything it becomes easy once you understand one fundamental thing….

F-Numbers

Trust me. You are neither the first nor the last person to be completely perplexed when it comes to understanding the way aperture is measured. The notion of ‘F-Numbers”(sometimes called f-stops) has been the source of a lot of confusion because they simply don’t make much sense in terms of how we normally think about our physical world. In short, the F-Number is nothing more than a ratio between the focal length of the lens and the diameter of the aperture being used. So an aperture of F4 means that the focal length is four times larger than the selected aperture. An aperture of F8 means that the focal length is eight times larger and so on and so forth. Now this is where things get a little weird….The larger the F-Number, the smaller the actual opening. The smaller the F-Number the smaller the actually opening. Look at this quick example:

It’s going to be OK…take a deep breath and realize that it actually makes sense mathematically but you’re not going to have to understand anything more in depth than that for most practical purposes. Just know that it the larger the physical opening of the aperture the smaller the F-Number will be.

Aperture and Depth of Field

There are a surprisingly large amount of factors that determine the final depth of field or your image and aperture size is one of them. Generally speaking, the wider the aperture(smaller F-Number) the more shallow depth of field will become. This means that smaller apertures(larger F-Numbers) will bring more of the scene into the range of focus than will larger apertures. Take a look at these Chess pieces and see what I mean.

Not only does aperture play a key role in focusing but it also spills over into your shutter speed. Speaking of shutter speed….

Aperture and Shutter Speed

The relationship between aperture and shutter speed is extremely simple and yet extremely important. Simply put, larger apertures allow more light to enter through the lens. More light means faster shutter speeds can be used. This is where the phrase “fast lenses” comes from because lenses with larger aperture allow for faster shutter speeds.

So, faster lenses with wider maximum apertures are capable of shooting more effectively in low light conditions because they allow more light to pass through them. A lens with a maximum aperture of F2.8 is considered to be “faster” than a lens with a maximum aperture of F4.

Final Thoughts on Aperture

In a way all this might sound like an oversimplification but it’s essentially all you really need to know about aperture. The manner in which aperture selection relates to depth of field and shutter speed will take you a long way in photography. Aperture isn’t scary! Having this simple knowledge will help you better understand exposure, make smarter lens choices and generally control your images much more effectively.

Bare Bones Photography: What Gear Do You Really Need?

What is the end game of photography? To make a photo, right? Not always a print but nonetheless an image of some kind is the final goal of most photographers. The tools needed to complete what can sometimes be a world altering task are simple. At their minimum, you’ll require some type of otherwise light-proof box which has a relatively small opening-i.e. a camera, and some way of recording the incident light which enters-i.e. film or digital sensor. You don’t even truly need a lens(pinhole cameras) to make a photograph but of course that helps immensely.

Now, that list of gear might sound incredibly lacking but when you think about it everything else that we throw into the mix simply expounds on or enhances those basic pieces. There are multitudes of cameras, both film and digital, with equally vast selections of lens and filters for each. Everything else aside, this article will help you if you’re just starting out on your photographic journey in that you will learn what basic photo gear you will actually need…not just what someone might want to sell you.

What You’ll Need

Below is a list of the bare-bones gear that you will need to get rolling in making photographs. Of course there are not real absolutes as you will soon find out but in order to reach the end result, a picture, you will need these few things:

The Most Important Item

The single most important tool you can possess isn’t actually a piece of gear at all but rather the correct mindset. I’m listing this first because everything else is secondary to your ability and to adapt and make the most of whatever camera or lens you have available. When I first started out in photography, eighteen year old me saved $265 and bought a 35mm SLR kit that included one 18-55mm F3.5-5.6. I shot on that one lens for about five years and managed to make some wonderful photographs despite it being a “kit” setup. After I switched to digital photography(I still shoot film as well) the progression evolved much the same way with me beginning with a kit lens and later branching out as I learned more about the craft.

Don’t think that you need incredibly expensive cameras or lenses to get started doing photowork. Granted, there are some things that even the most determined effort can’t make happen without the necessary equipment but you might be surprised how much you can get out of “low end” gear when you approach the problem with creative solutions.

A Camera

The importance of a camera can’t be overstated but that doesn’t mean that it has to be the latest and greatest piece of tech to roll off the line. In fact, if I could back in time I would have spent much less on my first digital camera and much more on the lens. More on lenses in a minute but ironically the camera you use usually plays much less of a role in the final image quality(sharpness/color/contrast) than you might think.

Whether it be film or digital, find a camera that is well built and feels good to you. If you can’t readily handle the camera before you buy then become a review hound and learn everything you can about other users experiences. Luckily, most digital cameras today are so good in terms of ISO performance and build that you won’t really go wrong in most cases. Again, if I can offer a little advice in hindsight, invest more in your glass instead of your camera.

A Lens

The lens is the eye through which your camera sees and there are apparently hundreds of different eyes out there. Like I mentioned earlier, the quality of your lens is a huge factor in the final quality of your photos. If you put a poorly made, blurry and sluggish lens on the most expensive camera in the world you will still get poorly made, blurry and sluggish photos in turn

In short, if you aren’t sure yet which genre of photography you’ll gravitate towards, what’s called a “normal” focal length lens will be the best bang for your buck. The term “normal” refers to a lens approximately equal to the field of view of the human eye which is arguable in the 30-50mm range. Most kit lenses included with cameras hover in the normal range. In any case, find the fastest lens(small F-number/large aperture) that will fit the most situations be it landscape, portraiture or street photography. Fortunately, a fast 50mm lens remains of the cheapest lenses you can currently buy.

Finishing Up

Yes, that really is all you need. While there are a few accessories like film or memory cards that you’ll require the overall basic gear to start making images really is as simply as that.

As you progress you will learn what makes you tick photographically and you can adjust your tools accordingly. Find a camera, find a lens, and start shooting.

The Case for Black and White Photography

Brace yourself because here it comes…it’s another discussion about black and white photography. Don’t worry, it’s not going to be the same old “which is better?” or even worse, another “how to convert your photos to black and white” type of articles. Admittedly, I have written on both of those subjects extensively before but this time will be a little different.

Today, we’re going to strip down the idea of black and white photography and attempt to locate how this tried and true area of photography has managed to maintain its status in an arguably over saturated(pun intended) world of photographic modernism.

Monochrome and the Film Difference

It’s not secret that the black and white side of photo work is deeply rooted in film. Still, even though it makes for a solid title for this section, the term “monochrome” has been somehow mismanaged to the point where it is widely considered synonymous with black and white. This is wrong. Monochrome means “one color” or essentially an image made of shades of only one color. This color could be anything from black, yellow, red or pink. Grayscale might actually be a more appropriate term for true black and white. Even then the lines become somewhat blurred because it’s incredibly difficult to completely abolish all color toning from a black and white film negative. Take a look at these images of a 4×5 black and white negative(complete with film borders)and I’ll show you what I mean.

The first photo is a color rendition of the negative. You’ll notice that is is toned quite blue based on the development. This is due to a few factors but the point is virtually all black and white photographs aren’t exactly black and white. Rather, they are toned based on the type of film emulsion and the development techniques used. Now, look at that same piece of film after I have digitally converted it to black and white in Lightroom.

See the difference? I say all of that to say this: modern digital photography often paints a one dimensional representation of black and white images. True black and white photographs aren’t usually black and white at all or not even monochromatic. Instead, they are a carefully mapped presentation of tonal ranges. Remember this the next time you click a button to make your photo black and white. Sure, it might remove the color but the work shouldn’t stop there.

Speaking of color…

Is Color Necessary?

Yes, color is needed. Is it always needed? Absolutely not. There are times when a photo is suited to black and white and times when it is not. Well, who decides? That question is also deceptively simple to answer. It’s you, you’re the one who decides. Does the color play a role in the emotion or feeling you mean to convey or does it get in the way? These are most certainly murky waters to wade.

Today, we don’t even have to approach color or black and white photography the same way as we did thirty or even twenty years ago. Take the very site you’re reading this article on right now. LifePixel specializes in infrared converted cameras that brings the world of color into a new realm of creative exchange. Infrared cameras see light differently than our own eyes. As a result, completely familiar colors become foreign and black and white pictures take on a completely new feel. When you think about color and how it relates to photography you must understand that even the things we see are wholly subjective to our own perception.

Some Closing Thoughts…

If you haven’t been able to tell by now the purpose of this article isn’t to promote the merits of one type of photo over another. There’s plenty of room even now for both color and black and white photography. In fact, a lot of it comes down to personal taste and how we perceive the world around us. At the same time, remember to look deeper into your work and find what gives it meaning to you. Does color play a part? Does it make more of a connection in black and white? Whatever direction you choose just make sure that the original intent of the photo shines through.

Speed Up Your Processing with Lightroom Import Presets

We all know about presets in Lightroom and all the great things they can do your post processing. Presets help make your editing easier and make achieving a constant styling much more efficient. The biggest benefit of using presets is that they speed up your post processing so you can get back to making photographs, baking muffins, building model airplanes, or whatever it is you might rather be doing instead of sitting in front of your computer screen. But did you know you can use presets jumpstart your post processing efforts before you even import your photos into Lightroom?

In this article I’m going to show you how easy it is to apply presets to your photos as they import into Lightroom. These presets aren’t even limited to develop presets…oh no. You can even add in metadata presets like copyright information and keywording along with camera and lens profile information. This is the kind of thing that the pros use and you should as well. If you find yourself editing large batches(weddings, portraits, events) of similar photos then you’re going to love using import presets in Lightroom. Let’s get started.

Applying Presets on Import

It all starts here in the Import screen of Adobe Lightroom.

If you look to the right you’ll notice an ‘Apply During Import’ panel.

This is where all the magic will happen. Click on that tab to open up your options. From here we’ll have a few choices.

Develop Presets and Camera Calibration

Applying develop and camera calibration* presets as you import your photos into Lightroom couldn’t be easier. The process is essentially the same as it is while editing your images in the Develop Module. To begin, make sure you have the photos you wish to import with the preset. Next, click the ‘Develop Settings’ drop down. This will bring up a list of all the develop presets you have currently installed in Lightroom.

From here it’s simply a matter of selecting the preset you want to apply to the images you’re importing. After you’ve made you’ve made your choice click ‘Import’ and your photos will be brought into Lightroom with the chosen develop preset freshly applied.

**To apply camera calibration settings to your photos on import simply save them in a develop preset and then use the same steps as above.

Copyright and Metadata

Import presets aren’t limited to develop settings. We can also apply keywording and metadata(copyright information/location/creator) to each and every image we import. This helps to better organize or photos and perhaps more importantly, it allows us to protect them from unwanted use. Adding in keywords is super easy as you can type them right into the keyword box. Alternatively, you can add in keywords alongside your other metadata.

Assigning metadata to images is just as easy as applying develop presets. To start, click the ‘Metadata’ drop down arrow.

Select your preset or to add a new one click ‘New’. This launches the new metadata preset dialog box.

It’s here where you can add in virtually any information imaginable. When you’re finished be sure to name your new metadata preset. In the example above I’ve left the title as ‘Untitled Preset’ (I’m lazy) but it’s always a good idea to title any preset you make in such a way that you can immediately know what it contains. Once you’ve created the new preset it will then become selectable from the metadata preset drop down menu. After you’ve applied it, click ‘Import’. Your new metadata information will automatically be applied to each image you selected to import just as the develop settings were in the previous example.

Some Final Thoughts….

Import presets are a great way to easily jump start your processing workflow. By applying certain develop and metadata presets on import you can yourself a lot of time by having the settings you use the most already applied before any work actually begins. This becomes especially useful when you find yourself editing a large number of photos at once. Not only can import presets making editing a breeze but they can also play a big part in protecting your photos by attaching important copyright information to your photos. If you haven’t already give import presets a try and see just how much they can help you and your photography.

Smarter Sharpening with the High Pass Filter in Photoshop

What if I told you that sharpening as we know it in photography isn’t real? That might be a little hard to believe but the truth is that it is actually impossible to make an image physically sharper after it has already been made. Sharpening a photo is simply an illusion. We can make a photograph appear to be sharper. Our digital images can be made to look sharper by adjusting the contrast of the pixels around the edges of shapes within the photo and this is what we are going to talk about today. We will look at how you can easily make your photos more sharp quickly using the high pass filter in Photoshop.

What is the High Pass Filter?

The high pass filter is just a method of creating a sharpening effect to your photo based on the pixels surrounding the contrasted edges of the elements within the image. While Photoshop has some dedicated sharpening tools(unsharp mask, smart sharpening) the high pass filter is the method I tend to use the most because I love the total control it gives me over my sharpening.

Using the High Pass Filter

To get started with sharpening using the high pass filter it is highly recommended that you complete ALL of your edits prior to performing the sharpening. This means that if you’re like me and do most of your processing in Lightroom and then export to Photoshop for finishing you will leave your high pass sharpening for the very last step. When you’re ready to sharpen, open your image in Photoshop.

Next, duplicate the layer by using keyboard shortcut Ctrl+J(Cmd+J for Mac). This is the layer where the high pass filter will be applied. I’ve renamed it “High Pass Layer” so it’s easier to see.

Make sure the new high pass layer is selected and then click on the ‘Filter’ tab and then ‘Other’ and lastly select ‘High Pass’.

You’ll notice an abrupt change to your image. It will essentially go completely grey. Don’t panic because this is exactly what we want to happen. But we have a choice to make and that is what radius we set for the high pass filter.

The radius controls the amount of pixels which are targeted around the edges where the sharpening will be applied. There’s a lot of wiggle room here and it generally is based on the resolution of your camera. The higher megapixel your camera the higher you can set the radius without causing unsightly effects such as halos and glowing edges. Let me show you what I mean. Here is the high pass filter with a radius of ‘1’…

And now here it is with a radius of ‘36’.

The higher the radius the more of the image will be affected. This particular photo was made with a 36.4 megapixel camera and I find a radius of ‘4’ to be the proverbial sweet spot. Adjust your radius accordingly.

Click ‘OK’ to apply the high pass.

But wait, this still looks horrible and gray and not at all what we want.

The next step is key. We have to change the blend mode of our sharpening layer. There are multiple choices here but the ‘Overlay’ option tends to work best with virtually all images and is the blend mode I use. After the overlay blend mode is selected we have what is essentially our final sharpened image.

Have a look at the difference the high pass filter has made in terms of sharpness. Here is the unsharpened photo….

And now the freshly sharpened version….

Closing Thoughts on Sharpening with the High Pass Filter

Don’t forget, not only can the high pass filter be applied easily but like any other layer adjustment in Photoshop the opacity can be adjusted until you reach the exact level of desired sharpness. Furthermore, adding in a layer mask to the sharpening layer can allow you to take complete control over the sharpening effect and only apply it to the areas of the photo you choose.

The best bit of advice when it comes to sharpening an image using any method is that less is usually more. Always remember that an over sharpened image is often less appealing than one that is slightly soft. Enjoy using the high pass filter in Photoshop!

Remembering Why You Shoot

There are times when the most simple of explanations eludes us. When it comes to photography, or more specifically to the point of making strong photographs, we must be fully aware. Not just aware of our settings and camera placement but also our intent. Oddly enough, it’s frightfully easy to lose this awareness during the very process of doing the thing which we love. What I’m so gently hinting at here is this: do you know why you make photographs? Are you aware on an internal level why you you shoot what you shoot?

In this article we’re going to take a look at why we can so easily lose sight of our purpose while making photos. This artistic straying can happen gradually or on a picture by picture basis. Perhaps more importantly we will also examine how you can regain your a creative awareness and become a more deliberate, purposeful photographer.

Obsessing with the Technical

When you think about it there are arguably very few absolutes when it comes to photography. So, why does the pursuit of technical perfection occupy such a large corner of our creative minds? Never place more emphasis on the technical aspects of photography than you do on expressing the feeling of a scene.

How many incredible photographs have you seen that are underexposed? Over exposed? Maybe they are slightly out of focus. The worth of those photographs or any other image doesn’t lie in the balance of a histogram or tack focus. They move us because they were made with intent and show the truth and beauty of a moment. Don’t put so much attention into the way you capture a photograph that forget why you wanted to shoot it in the first place.

Burnout

If you make photographs long enough there will come a dark and wretched day when you simply become tired of it all. It might happen sooner than later or it might take years but to some degree or another you will have to face burnout. When you become tired of shooting there just doesn’t seem to be anything out there to make pictures of that interests you. You just don’t get the joy from the process as you once did.

Don’t worry…this literally happens to us all and it isn’t limited to one event. There are highs and lows throughout a photographer’s journey. The key remedy is somewhat paradoxical, however. To beat burnout you take a break but not altogether stop shooting. Try to take a rest from your camera(and it from you) and breathe for a while without making photographs. When you begin to say “Man, I wish I had my camera with me” you will know you are cured. Do this as needed or as directed by a photo writer….

Self-Doubt

The best way to forget why you make photographs is by trying to make them them exactly the way someone else does. Be mindful that there is an incredibly fine line between inspiration and emulation. Never allow yourself to sacrifice how you want to capture a photograph based on the idea that it’s not the “right way” or just because it might not look like someone else’s version.

There could be an entire book written on this point but I’ll do you the favor of brevity. It’s perfectly alright to absolutely love the way other photographers images might look; that’s great, learn how to make yours in a similar way. But only do this if it fits with your own vision. Don’t do it for ‘likes’, shares, or any other reason that would otherwise cause you to shoot with anything but your own photograph in mind.

Final Thoughts….

Today, it’s easier than ever to allow yourself to forget why you make your photographs. We are constantly bombarded by new and better equipment that make us lose sight of what makes a good photo. Sometimes we simply become tired of shooting and this causes us to forget why we love making images at all. And what maybe be the most common danger, sometimes we doubt our own instincts as photographers. All these reason, and no doubt others, can make us forget our own intent. Luckily, they can all be overcome and if you find yourself in any of the circumstances I’ve mentioned then I hope this article gives you a helping hand. Have fun with what you do and always remember why you do it!

Review: K&F Concept TM2534T Professional Tripod

Often times I open my photo gear reviews by talking about what a great time it is to be a photographer. Really, I should specify that it’s an excellent time to be a buyer of photography products. There’s just simply so many choices out there these days than there was even ten years ago for the budget conscious shooter to obtain high quality tools to help them and their work. This is especially true when it comes to choosing a tripod.

Enter the K&F Concept TM2534T tripod, which is a recent entry to the budget line, but not necessarily budget quality, world of advanced hobbyist to professional grade tripods. I’ve spent the last few weeks working with the TM2534T. I’m going to show you what I liked and didn’t like about this unique tripod offering from K&F.

Out of the Box

I pleased to immediately see that the tripod comes with it’s own padded transport bag which has an included shoulder strap. The tripod itself looks great with a classy red/black color scheme and discrete logo placement, which I like. For a tripod with an extended height of 72 inches it is quite compact when folded.

It’s feels solid in hand without being overly heavy. All the paint and finishes on the tripod look very well done. The official specifications from K&F are as follows:

Folded height: 14.76in/37.49cm
Extended height: 72.24in/183.48cm
Weight: 3.48lbs/1.58 kg
Load rating: 17.64lbs/8kg

Also included is a short center column conversion attachment with bolt and a nifty storage bag for the ball head.

Build

The TM2534T is hefty and it feels quite sturdy with it’s all aluminum construction. The adjustment knobs are solid and lock the ball head in place securely.

Leg locks are the twist variety and feature rubber seals to protect against sand or dirt entering the locking mechanisms. The locks secure the four section legs securely. There are three angle options for the legs at 25, 50, and 80 degrees. These locks also lock crisply and allow for great versatility for low angle work.

One of the legs is padded and this leg is also the removable monopod. This is a great feature which essentially makes this tripod a two for one deal.

The entire center column assembly can also be attached to the convertible monopod which gives a total height of 77.56in(197cm) if you choose to carry it in this configuration.

Speaking of the center column assembly, it is somewhat puzzling. It’s not that the concept of the two piece center column isn’t a good idea, in fact, it adds an extreme amount of articulation especially for top-down product photography. The entire ball head and center column gives the user the ability to cover virtually in angle imaginable.

However, from a practicality standpoint the added stress points in the assembly don’t seem to be a worth while feature when you take into account the added weight and possibly stability issues. That being said, the ball head itself works smoothly and offers great fluid motion for panning.

The feet of the tripod legs give a great compromise between stability and variable surface suitability. They are rubber boots that terminate in a point that can dig into soft ground while protecting fragile floor finishes.

Also worth mentioning is the base plate that included with the tripod. It has rubber cushioning at the attachment surface as well as a “D” ring screw head which makes attaching/removing the plate MUCH easier especially when a coin or screwdriver isn’t readily available.

Real World Performance

This tripod worked as a tripod should during all my uses. The legs locked securely and remained so during shooting. There was no drift in the ball head during long exposures and all the movements worked smoothly. Something I want to again address is the center column assembly and just how much practical use it adds. The overall height the additional length of the column adds isn’t something most photographers of average height will likely need. Even with the added articulations it allows isn’t enough to justify the added chunkiness and bulk it adds to the total package.

In the time I’ve used this tripod it has held up to indoor and outdoor shooting well, with only a small amount of wear being noticed at the angle adjustment locks which is largely superficial.

I feel that the TM2534T should have no problem in terms of durability during heavy outdoor or studio use.

Final Opinion

For all practical purposed the TM2534T tripod from K&F Concept is solid option for those needed a well made platform for a wide range of shooting situations. It offers great looks, incredible articulation and versatility, all wrapped up in a package that’s great to look at and won’t break the bank. The overly bulky center column isn’t something that I feel is exactly worth it’s added weight and ungainliness but that is something the user will need to decide. Check it out for yourself and see if it fits your particular needs. It’s going for under $150US at Amazon* or the K&F Concept website.

*Note* The Amazon description lists the tripod(TM2534T) height incorrectly as 66in.

How to Use the Clarity Slider in Adobe Lightroom Classic CC

If you reach way back to Adobe’s Lightroom 1.1 build you will find the clarity slider. After its introduction wayyyy back then the clarity slider has been a favorite weapon of most landscape and even portrait photographers. This slider is a personal favorite of mine just as it is the professed secret love of many Lightroom users. It adds a little “punch” to your photographs and can work wonders with portraits, landscapes, and virtually any other image that appears to be a little visually flat. And now in Lightroom Classic CC, the clarity slider is still going strong.

But what does the clarity slider do specifically? In this article we’re going to talk about how the clarity slider works and how you can use it more effectively to bring out the full potential of your images.

How Does the Clarity Slider Work?

When we adjust clarity, we are essentially adjusting the contrast of our photo.The difference is that instead of the entire tonal range being adjusted, the clarity slider targets the midtones only. This give the overall illusion of the image become more clear. Look at this histogram of the image above before the clarity was increased by+60…

Now, look at that same histogram after the boost in clarity

The blacks and highlights haven’t been affected very much but the midtones certainly have. And that’s the great thing about the clarity slider: it is far less likely to wash out detail in the areas which are already bright or already dark. This makes it a great tool when working with textures(insert link to texture article) with scenes which need a good bit more contrast without going into overkill in the shadows and highlights. Speaking of overkill…or rather over’clear’(haha)…the next section will talk about some things to watch out for when using the clarity slider.

How NOT to Apply Clarity

Granted, every photo is going to be different, so there are no real “rules” when it comes to using the clarity slider(or anything else in photography) to adjust your images. That being said, a general guideline that will help you immensely is the good ol’ fashioned “less is more” approach. While there clarity slider works great to add some extra power in your photograph it can also cause some unsightly side effects if abused.

Here’s a photo where the clarity has been cranked to +100. Notice anything?

On top of the entire scene now looking a little unnatural, when we zoom in we can see the real problem with using the clarity slider too liberally.

Zoomed to 3:1

Those dreaded halos. I hate them, and honestly, you probably should as well. They are caused by the pixels around high contrast areas becoming too separated from the pixels surrounding them which adds up to the bright banding around those areas. To remedy this, try adjusting clarity locally using the radial or graduated filter or the adjustment brush. If all else falls, simply back off the clarity a bit. In almost all cases less contrast will be more preferable than that dastardly halo effect.While Adobe has drastically refined the performance of the clarity slider in recent years the over clearing a photo can still be problematic. Also note the halo effect is worsened when coupling too much clarity along with too much sharpening as happened with the image above..

Final thoughts on Clarity

The clarity slider is a great tool. It helps us to increase contrast in the midtone luminosity range while avoiding blown out highlights and burnt out shadows. I use it to some extent in virtually every photograph I process. That being said, as awesome as the clarity slider can be, it can also work against you if you push it too far. Always remember to keep things in the scope of the reality you wish to present to the viewer and don’t over clarify your images. On the flip side of that you should also not be afraid to actually lessen the clarity in some of your images. It can actually smooth out skin tones and impart a nice soft contrast to a landscape. With a little bit of knowledge the clarity slider can open up entirely new post processing opportunities that you might not have considered!

How to Add Instant Contrast in Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a beautiful thing. It allows an incredibly wide range of artists, designers, creatives, and especially us photographers to inject a little bit of creative juice into their work and see it come to life. And while Photoshop can be enormously complex there are so many simple, straightforward edits you can use to instantly transform your photographs.

One of these goes back to the basics of photo editing: exposure and contrast. There is a great way to quickly add contrast to your images by using PS blend modes, more specifically the “soft light” blend mode. You may be thinking “But why not just add contrast with the contrast adjustment?” Well, you can for sure…but it’s not exactly the same. And why not expand your photographic editing horizons to try something new?

Soft Light Blend Mode

The soft light blend mode is one of seven PS blends that make up the “contrast” group. These modes all use varying mathematical wizardry to accomplish a similar effect which is to make darks darker and lights lighter in relation to one another. While that is an incredible over-simplification it’s not entirely inaccurate.

The soft light blend mode bases itself on whether pixels are lighter or darker than 50% gray. If a pixel in your image is darker than 50% gray it will be darkened further. If a pixel is whiter than 50% gray it will be lightened. The result? More contrast. Not only that, but this contrast is wholly dependent on image and it’s tonal makeup.

Adding Contrast with Soft Light Blend Mode

First, duplicate your base photo layer by using the keyboard shortcut ‘Ctrl+J’(Cmd+J for Mac).

Next, select the soft light blend mode from the blend mode drop down list. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut ‘Ctrl+F’ to do the same thing a little faster. You will instantly notice a fairly drastic change to your photo. Namely the increased amount of contrast.

To really control the amount of contrast I highly recommend adjusting your layer opacity until you reach the overall level of contrast for your particular image. In the case of soft light the opacity and fill accomplish the same outcome so it is your choice which to use.

The real fun begins when you decide to add a layer mask. Don’t worry! Masks aren’t something to be afraid of(in most cases) and they allow you to completely take charge of how an edit is applied in PS. You’re about to see how easy it is right now.

Adding a Layer Mask

To add a layer mask to your soft light blend layer simply click on the “add a mask” icon at the bottom of the layer panel.

Guess what? You’ve just added a layer mask! It’s that simple. Now, you’re free to paint in or out the soft light contrast to virtually any degree and location you choose. Just adjust the size and opacity of your brush to achieve the desired effect.

Add in some a quick increase in exposure and we’re left with the finished product. All done within a matter of minutes.

Some Final Thoughts….

One of the fun and interesting aspects of post processing is discovering all the different methods of achieving certain editing effects. Adding contrast to a photograph is one of the most basic edits a photographer can make to instantly add power to a photo. There are many ways to do this and you’ve just learned one. Try using the soft light blend mode technique to add contrast in a smarter, more controlled way. The soft light blend mode in PS makes it easy to quickly and effectively add punch to your images and it is something I use to some extent on virtually every photograph I process.

Working with Texture in Photography

As a word, “texture” carries quite a few meanings. For photographers, texture is a concept that is often difficult to explain. It’s almost as if it has to be shown instead of merely described. Texture is simply the pronounced visualization of the surface feel of an object which is photographed. Now, you may be thinking “well, everything has texture…”. While this is true, the way in which that tactile nature of whatever you’re shooting can play a huge role in the overall mood and expressiveness your final image. Understanding texture in photography means learning how to recognize the importance(or lack of) the portrayal of the physical surface of a substance will impact the viewer.

I know I know…how boring can you get, right? Just hang in there and read on. You might be surprised just how much incorporating and focusing on textures can strike increased interest in a photo. We’ll talk about how the directional properties of light morph the textural feel of a scene and how you can put that to work for you. Let’s get started!

Communicating Texture

How do you transmit a physical sense into a two dimensional photograph? It all comes down to the type of thing you happen to be shooting and how you position your focus and your camera. Generally, there must be some degree of angle involved between the subject and the camera. This essentially places the surface of whatever your shooting into profile and thereby better displays whatever the irregularities might be into sharper relief. Here, have a look at this. It was shot with the camera directly overhead and perpendicular to the cloth.

This is a rather mundane example but it does a good job at displaying the relationship between camera angle and texture. Notice how with the straight on camera position all the texture within the cloth is muted and visually flat. This next image is made after moving the camera to approximately a 45 degree angle to the subject.

This places all the nonuniform attributes of the cloth at an angle and makes its texture more pronounced. If you want to amplify the texture of a scene, try different shooting positions and avoid photographing the subject from 90 degree angles.

The Effects of Light

Extremely closely related to camera position is the directionality of the light falling on your subject. Shadows are key when showcasing texture. The textures of an image will be enhanced by the addition of contrast which is, afterall, the differences between lights and darks in a photo. The direction of the light will determine how and by how much the contrast of the texture will be determined. The more contrast, the more obvious the texture will become. If you’re ready for another effective yet basic example, you’re in luck. These next two images are of the same floor tile. The first was shot under very diffused natural light from above.

The next photo was shot with the window blinds open which produced a much harsher directional light. And the camera angle was lowered to enhance the lighting effect even more.

All the textures within the tile are brought out due to the shadows produced by the side lighting and camera angle. These were not at all evident with the previous lighting conditions.

Using Depth of Field

Photographs that center around textural elements work well when shot in abstraction and/or with shallow depth of field. The small plane of focus adds contrast to the texture by framing it with foreground and background blur. Here’s an image shot using an aperture of F8.

The entire subject is in focus. And while the texture is evident it’s not readily defined. Next have the the same little pine cone but this time shot at a much wider aperture of F2.8.

The softening around the edges help to focus the attention on the textures of the cone and seperate it from the rest of the frame. While not a rule(what are those?) wider apertures generally work well to isolate and draw focus to the evident textures present in a subject.

Final Thoughts on Texture…

Let’s face it, talking about texture in photography isn’t the most exciting thing in the world. Still, ignoring it completely means ignoring one of the most powerful techniques for adding interest to your photographs. Texture is all around us and can be made the centerpiece of your images if you understand how to put it at the forefront. Using textures effectively will open up so many more shooting opportunities that you might not have considered before now.

The Great Minor White and Infrared Photography

Born in 1908, Minor White was something different in terms of how and why he photographed. He incorporated as much of his own beliefs and philosophies into his work as he did photographic technique. His work is a mix of his mentality and the emotion he felt towards a scene or subject. He injected a part of himself into all the photographs he made. Bestowed by him are such words as “The photographer projects himself into everything he sees, identifying himself with everything in order to know it and to feel it better.” and one of my personal favorite quotes about us photographer’s mentality “…all photographs are self-portraits”.

Minor White-By Imogene Cunningham

It was with the existential mindset that White approached his photographs and perhaps there was none of his work as idealistically surreal as his adventures into the world of infrared. Not only was he a prolific photographer in the artistic and technical sense but he was one of the early practitioners of infrared photography who brought it’s incredible appeal to the masses. The IR images he made, just like his other works, projected a world blended with both the physical landscape and his own personal creativity.

By Minor White, 1958

By Minor White, 1955

By Minor White, 1955

Minor White and Infrared

How did Minor White make his IR photographs? With magic…. Well no, not exactly magic, but it certainly looked that way. Minor White used black and white infrared film, usually large format 4×5, to capture his dreamlike scenes. The infrared or more accurately “near-infrared” light spectrum falls around the 700-1200nm range and infrared film is manufactured to be sensitive to these wavelengths. However, seeing as IR film is also still sensitive to other wavelengths of light, IR filters must also be attached to the camera lens in order to filter out other types of unwanted light that falls in the more visible spectral range. It’s this filtration of the normally visible light and the inclusion of the near IR spectrum which we generally don’t see which gives IR photography their ghost-like quality. Development of the IR is surprising the same as many other conventional black and white films and requires basic darkroom techniques and chemicals.

IR Lens Filters

IR 35mm film

You may be wondering, “So why can’t I just use an IR filter on my digital camera to make IR photos?” And that’s good question. The answer lies in the very construction of most modern digital cameras themselves. IR wavelengths are generally unwanted and in conventional photography and therefore modern digital cameras have a built in IR filter that is placed in front of the image sensor to block out IR light. Even if an IR filter was placed on the lens the resulting transmitted IR light would in turn be filtered out by the camera’s own internal filter. So, how can you enable your digital camera to make IR photographs? Read on….

IR Photography in the Digital Age

As I mentioned earlier, the largest obstacle that stands in the way of making IR images with your currently digital camera is the built in IR sensor filter inside your camera. So if you want to venture into the world of IR photography this filter must be modified through an infrared camera conversion process.

New IR translucent filter being installed

This means that your camera’s sensor is now sensitive to incoming IR light. There are also many other possibilities to expand your infrared horizons with today’s digital camera bodies. Full spectrum, color IR, and a host of other tailored IR imaging effects can be produced depending on the type of conversion and IR lens filter combinations you happen to choose. The benefits to Find out more about infrared conversion possibilities here.

A Final Word About Minor White and Infrared Photography

The work of Minor White was profound, beautiful, innovative, provocative, and at times quite sad. His ventures into the world of IR photography showed us a the wonderment that is all around us, yet invisible all the same. His images speak volumes to the life he lived and to the way he approached the art of photography.

Today, we have so many ways to practice IR photowork whether it is with film and filters or with our digital cameras through a dedicated IR conversion. If you are considering the latter route, be sure to learn as much as possible about the possibilities and limits of digital IR conversions. Make sure whoever you trust your beloved camera to has the reputation for quality that you and your gear deserve. Read more about IR digital camera conversion here at LifePixel and be sure to check out what people just like you have to say about the level of service offered by the LifePixel team!

Previsualziation: Knowing Before the Shot

Previsualization, or simply “visualization”, is one of the most simply yet alarmingly difficult aspect of making your own photograph become more than just the some of their parts. When we “previsualize” our images it means that the appearance of the final outcome before we ever click the shutter button. The method of previsualization was championed by the photographically indomitable Ansel Adams who believed the best way to convey wholeness within a photograph was to strive to see it in your minds eye from the get go. Everything else would then be a matter of what needs to be done in order to reach your personally desired outcome.

But how is it done? Or more importantly, how can you learn to do it yourself? Ansel gave us a lot to go on and we can learn a lot from his legacy. At the same time, we can mesh together with modern digital techniques and expound into something I like to call dynamic visualization. We’ll get more into that in just a minute. But first, let’s talk about how you can begin to visualize the finished photograph before you actually make it manifest itself from your camera.

Learning to “See”

Teaching yourself to see the finished product on the front end of the process isn’t an easy thing to accomplish, especially not right out of the gate. The ability to visualize a finished photograph is somewhat paradoxical due to the fact that a large component of the skill involves shooting a lot of photographs. This means that visualization is a product of repetition. Each time you make a photograph, you see the effect of shooting at the technical factors you have selected. Pay close attention to what settings you use!

Once you begin to mentally catalog the cause and effect relationship between your techniques and their respective outcomes you will then gradually learn to approximate the particular look of a finished image before it is actually shot.

Be Patient

The largest detriment in learning how to visualize your finished photos is that confidence-killing frustration that often sneaks in from perceived failure. Will you be able to anticipate the exact outcome of your photographs each and every time? Of course not. Failure is an incredible teacher and this is especially true when it comes to learning the skill of photographic visualization.

So, don’t allow yourself to be discouraged by the tedium. Shoot as often as you can, practice seeing the finished photo in your mind, observe the results, and then apply those outcomes to future photographs. I assure you that being able to see a finished photo(or close approximation) will slowly begin to happen on its own.

Dynamic Visualization in the Digital Age

I want to speak briefly on the progression of the visualization process as it pertains to today’s digitally integrated world of photography. The technique is one I have coined as “Dynamic Visualization” and is a direct evolution of the visualization idea of Ansel Adams. It involves the instant feedback we now are capable of achieving with our digital photographs. As we no longer have to wait for development of our film to be completed before we see the results of our efforts, the process of visualization changes. We can now allow the readily displayed outcome of our photos to directly impact the mechanism of visualization in a much quicker and more dynamic fashion.

What I mean here is that we immediately view the image we have just captured and that quick feedback can organically spur our creativity in real-time. This can lead to alternative compositions and exposure combinations that we might not have otherwise considered, thusly changing the final visualized image in our minds. This dynamic visualization could in fact be the continuation of Ansels visualization method. We first visualize the finished photo we want to make, receive real-time feedback from our digital displays, and then use that information to mold alternate(possible better) visualizations.

Final Thoughts on Visualization

The hard truth about learning visualization is that it takes time, effort, and patience. There are no real shortcuts when it comes to teaching yourself to “see” a photograph before it’s made. Shoot as much as you can and observe the results carefully. See the results of your work and study your own work. Visualization happens as much by physical labor as it does by mental flexibility. The key is to keep trying until that visualization “aha” moment makes its way to you. Just keep shooting!

Review: K&F Concept 58mm Variable Neutral Density Filter

Neutral density filters(ND) are one of the staple components of virtually every serious landscape photographers gear bag(read some outdoor photography tips). The great thing ND filters allow us to do is shoot longer exposures in bright light without overexposure. A good analogy I always like to use is that ND filters are light sunglasses for your lens. Neutral density filters are a great way to remain flexible with your shooting even when conditions aren’t ideal.

Like most photographic equipment, you often get what you pay for…. That doesn’t mean that every piece of budget gear isn’t capable of yielding great results. The K&F Concept 58mm ND Fader Variable Neutral Density Adjustable ND Filter is quite a mouthful to say, but essentially it is a neutral density filter that is capable of shooting at various shades of darkening. This particular filter ranges from ND2-ND400. If we’re speaking in terms of f-stops, then it equates to 1-8 ⅔ stops of light reduction. The version I tested was the 58mm size and I used it with my trusty Canon EF 50mm F1.4.

Build Quality

The filter arrived well packaged and included a nice micro-fiber cloth along with a standard padded plastic filter case.

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the build of this ND filter from K&F. The material of the two elements is listed by the manufacturer as “optical quality glass” with the body of the filter likely being aluminum. Originally I had thought the housing was made from some type of resin but after a scratch test it turned out to indeed be metallic.

I was also pleased to note that both the stock lens cap and lens hood still worked perfectly while the filter was attached.

The filter itself functions by turning the outer ring to the desired darkening setting is reached. This ND filter functioned extremely smoothly with no binding or sticking points.

Optical Performance

As I mentioned earlier, there is most often an unavoidable compromise between cost and quality(with a few exceptions) when it comes to camera gear. The K&F Concept variable ND is a budget ND filter currently retailing for around $20US from both Amazon and Kentfaith.com. The performance of the filter was a mix of great to, well, not so great. When used at it’s lowest optical darkening setting, the results were wonderful for a filter at this price point.

1/100 second

Moving a little darker to approximately 3 stops of light reduction, the results were still great and allowed me to shoot long exposures with no real color tinting or vignetting to speak of from a practical standpoint.

1.3 seconds

Now, moving onto the darkest setting of ND400, or approximately 8 ⅔ stops, we see some extreme problems arise in terms of color tinting and image degradation.

25 seconds

For a $20 ND filter, I was honestly surprised at how well the filter performed up till now. And from a real world point of view, the filtration offered between ND2 and ND400(1-8 ⅔ stops) was outstanding. This lends me to believe that he overall results from this filter are perfectly workable from approximately 1 to 3-4 stops of darkening. Here are three more images showing the progression of image quality across the range of filtration. It’s interesting to note that while the last image shows significant quality reduction, the massively apparent purple tinting observed in the previous example is virtually nonexistent. This is possibly due to the lengthy exposure of 25 seconds used for the image above. The white balance of my camera was set to ‘Auto’.

1/200 second

1.6 seconds

4 seconds

Final Thoughts….

Given the low cost of this variable ND filter from K&F Concept, I have no problem with the limited performance results achieved from my tests.

Pros:

Low lost
Sturdy build
Looks great on the camera
Smooth operation

Cons:

Extreme color tint at dark settings

The fitler itself is well made, looks great, and lends itself to relatively respectable performance for a filter costing around $20US. Beginners will love it for its quality to cost ratio and even experienced photogs could find a place for it in their kit. The K&F Concept 58mm ND Fader Variable Neutral Density Adjustable ND Filter is a low cost option for those looking for a variable ND filter with good performance in the 1-4 stop range of light reduction. The diminished performance at the far end of the filters capabilities are indicative of the cost of the product and expectations should be tempered with that information in mind!

Editing Secrets Revealed!: Five Lightroom Tricks

Adobe Lightroom is one of the most widely used software programs out there. When it comes to editing your digital photos it’s extremely difficult to beat Lightroom when it comes to ease of use, versatility, and powerful post processing tools. It’s safe to say that most of you reading this likely have had some experience using Lightroom but do you know about some of the hidden capabilities of the software? Well, maybe I shouldn’t say hidden. Perhaps “lesser known” is a better way for my point to be phrased.

In this article, we’re going to show you five lesser known tricks to be found in Adobe Lightroom. You might even wonder how you’ve managed without them for so long!

#1: Direct Histogram Adjustments

You know how to adjust exposure using the adjustment sliders in Lightroom but did you know that you can make exposure adjustments directly to the histogram?

Yeah, really! Not only that, but you can work with the blacks, shadows, and highlights independently. To do it, simply hover over different areas of the histogram and pay attention to the bottom left corner of the histogram. This tells you which area of the histogram you will be adjustment. At the far left is the blacks region…

And to the far right will be the whites region.

To adjust an area, click on it and hold as you drag left or right on the histogram.

In the middle areas you will have shadows highlights and overall exposure. All independently adjustable in the exact same way.

#2 Visualizing Spots in Clone/Heal Mode

The clone and healing tools are a great way to remove unsightly dust and dirt specks that show up on your finished digital photo. It’s easy to just make some of those things go away with a click or two.

Did you know that there’s a super easy way to make removing those spots a lot more precise? It’s aptly called the “visualize spots” mode and to access it click…you guessed it, the visualize spots box at the bottom of the view window when in clone/heal mode. You can also use keyboard shortcut (A).

Your image is instantly converted to a black and white relief. Spots show up in white.

You can control the sensitivity of the spot revelation by using the slider.

#3 Sharpening Mask

Don’t introduce unwanted noise by sharpening your entire photo! There’s a smarter way and it’s by using the masking slider when sharpening your images in Lightroom.

Holding down the ‘Alt’ key(Option key on Mac) while adjusting the masking slider sensitivity will convert the image to a black and white relief similar to the visualize spots mode from earlier.

Now it’s just a matter of healing or cloning out the spots!

#4 Developing Video

For some, the downside of Lightroom is that it doesn’t work well with video editing. Video isn’t supported in the Develop Module so you have to rely on quick develop settings and presets to process any of your video files. Or do you? There is in fact a work around to help you edit your videos more precisely in Lightroom. First, make an image capture from your video.

Then make any adjustments to that image capture just as you would a normal photo. When finished, go back to the Library module. Then hold down the ‘Ctrl’ key(Command on Mac) and be sure both your edited image capture AND the video thumbnail are selected.

Now, click on ‘Sync Settings’

A dialog box will appear showing the available settings which can be synced. Make your selections and click ‘OK’. And boom! You’ve just developed your video.

#5 Custom Name Plate

This last trick is possibly the easiest…and the most arbitrary. You can customize the “name plate” in Lightroom along with a couple other things. The name plate is that little bit of text in the upper left hand corner of the view window.

Here’s how to change it. Simply right click on the name plate and choose ‘Edit identity plate’ from the drop down.

This will open the identity plate edit dialog box.

Select ‘Personalize’ from the dropdown at the top left.

Now change the font color, style, and size to whatever you want! You can even upload a custom logo image form here as well!

Final Thoughts…

Lightroom, as powerful as it is, offers some hidden gems if you just know where and how to find them. The secrets of Lightroom aren’t limited to just the ones we’ve shown here! Have your own tricks that you’d like to share with the class? Post them in the comments below!

Four Ways to Rekindle Your Photographic Spark

As you progress more and more on your photographic journey you will encounter problems and challenges. Some of those challenge you expect while some can take you fairly by surprise. You will go through ups and downs, strikes and gutters. This cycle of peaks and valleys can affect you creatively, financially, even physically. Most common of these is the fact that sometimes we lose a little bit of our enthusiasm for the craft. This is normal and most definitely a problem you can overcome through all kinds of ways. In this article, we’re going to talk about a few ways that can help you rekindle your photographic spark.

Understand that it Happens to Us All

The first step to overcoming any problem is to understand that you have one and that it’s a natural part of growing as a photographer. Simply realizing that your loss of photo making zeal isn’t the end of the world can actually snap you out of your slump.

An important thing to remember is that whatever the reason you’ve lost your spark, you can get it back. The opposite is also true. If you continually find yourself dreading a shoot or not getting excited to get home to edit an awesome sunset image, ignoring the problem will only make it worse. Take a breath and work to identify what’s happening.

Learn about Great Photographers

We all have reasons why we got into photography. And the majority of us have certain “icons” whose work speaks to us especially loudly. The giants of the photography not only produced legendary photos but they also left behind lessons that we can learn from in order to strengthen our own craft. Take the time to learn the methods of the established masters.

Find books they’ve written and invest as much in your learning as you do in your gear…well, maybe not that much. When I get a little less that spritely to get out and make images, I open up a book of Ansel Adams photos. After seeing a few images of Half Dome and Taos Pueblo and I’m ready for action!

Shoot Something Different

If you find that you’ve grown tired of shooting, maybe you’re just tired of shooting the same things over and and over again. Sometimes it helps enormously to take a refreshing dip into another end of the creative pool.

Break the monotony and give yourself a fresh pair of eyes. If you shoot a lot of landscapes, then try some portraits. Shoot a lot of portraits? Try some landscapes. Changing things up a bit can open up entirely new creative outlets for your work.

Leave the Camera

Completely ceasing your shooting might sound counter intuitive but at times we can can photographic burnout. If this is happening to you try leaving your camera at home. Just focus yourself on the events, people, and environment around you without viewing everything through a viewfinder.

Live and breathe without making photos for a few days or even a few weeks. Much like switching up your shooting material, walking away from the camera for a while can hit your reset button and jump start your enthusiasm for making photographic once more.

Final Thoughts….

Whether most of us will admit it or not, we aren’t always super excited about making photographs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have highs and lows of creativity and artistic energy levels. At some point you will experience this reduction in your photographic spark to some extent. Just remember that when it happens, and it will, that there are ways to combat the lack of motivation. While it all depends on your situation, some type of healthy change is usually the best remedy. This change can be taking a break from shooting or reading an autobiography about your favorite photographer’s life. Recognize that things just don’t feel right and take steps to bring yourself back into the photographic fold.

I love helping people overcome their hurdles so check out a couple more of my articles here at LifePixel, How To Be Successful in Photography and Real Talk: Reasons Your Photography Isn’t Improving. They deal with similar situations and can give you that lift that you need to get back into the game.

Aperture and the Dreaded F-Number

What is Aperture?

F-Numbers

Aperture and Depth of Field

Aperture and Shutter Speed

Final Thoughts on Aperture

What You’ll Need

The Most Important Item

A Camera

A Lens

Finishing Up

Monochrome and the Film Difference

Is Color Necessary?

Some Closing Thoughts…

Applying Presets on Import

Develop Presets and Camera Calibration

Copyright and Metadata

Some Final Thoughts….

What is the High Pass Filter?

Using the High Pass Filter

Closing Thoughts on Sharpening with the High Pass Filter

Obsessing with the Technical

Burnout

Self-Doubt

Final Thoughts….

Out of the Box

Folded height: 14.76in/37.49cm

Extended height: 72.24in/183.48cm

Weight: 3.48lbs/1.58 kg

Load rating: 17.64lbs/8kg

Build

Real World Performance

Final Opinion

How Does the Clarity Slider Work?

How NOT to Apply Clarity

Final thoughts on Clarity

Soft Light Blend Mode

Adding Contrast with Soft Light Blend Mode

Adding a Layer Mask

Some Final Thoughts….

Communicating Texture

The Effects of Light

Using Depth of Field

Final Thoughts on Texture…

Minor White and Infrared

IR Photography in the Digital Age

A Final Word About Minor White and Infrared Photography

Learning to “See”

Be Patient

Dynamic Visualization in the Digital Age

Final Thoughts on Visualization

Build Quality

Optical Performance

Final Thoughts….

Pros:

Cons:

#1: Direct Histogram Adjustments

#2 Visualizing Spots in Clone/Heal Mode

#3 Sharpening Mask

#4 Developing Video

#5 Custom Name Plate

Final Thoughts…

Understand that it Happens to Us All

Learn about Great Photographers

Shoot Something Different

Leave the Camera

Final Thoughts….

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