Compositing...easier than your think

Lately I've been doing a lot of compositing.  I've seen it done for years and I've played with it in the past and I wasn't very happy with the end results much of the time.  Like anything else, it's a 'season to taste' thing and someone's style may or may not be interesting to you.  I'm starting to like my own work and that's all anyone can expect...liking ones own work. It's not as hard as it seems.  There are plenty of tutorials on how to select a person out of a picture and then paste them into another with a background.  I found what I like to do it differently and for me it looks more natural.

Masking is important.  You need to know how to do that for sure, and it's way simpler than you'd think.  By the way, when you learn masking you usually use black to paint in and white to reverse it.  Consider that a gray in the middle can also paint in with built in opacity.  It's that kind of playing that gives you options and options are good.

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Here's an example.

Above: The fog was in the original shot...much easier that way.  Obviously the contrast and saturation was bumped and a little liquify was used to add motion to her hair and coat.  I masked the background from a layer but I didn't select her and place her in as is usually done.  I actually did a simple brush in so that her hair wasn't choppy.  I find this is often a preferred way for me because I can let a little of the color of a background fad into the skin or clothes around the edges.  For example, if there is fire in the background, having a little bleed into an arm on the edge shows a bit of light reflection and adds a LOT to the look.  You can also not blend in where there should be a shadow and it works well.  Main thing is to play and have fun.

Mermaid

If you look close at Katrina's left arm and some of her belly you'll see that I intentionally blushed some background ocean in and it looks like a fade.  This is because mermaids aren't really real...or so they say.  So I wanted to add some subliminal wistfulness to the shot.

I simply use a brush and carefully run around the subject and with a fuzzy edge on the brush I've found I can get close to the skin and it looks fine.  Sometimes you might see a slight dark edge were I didn't get that close but unless you are looking for it it's not that noticeable to the casual viewer.  The story should keep their minds eye on the pictures as a whole and not the details.

I don't use a lot of layers.  When I have the composition pretty much like I want it I might use a layer adjustment to make the brightness match like I want.  There is a neat way to make an adjustment layer only affect the single layer under it.  When it's good I flatten it and then start playing with filters.  Usually the NIK Color Effects Pro.

Once done I save it back to Lightroom where I hit the Basics one more time adjusting contrast, shadows, and whites and blacks to get the look I like.

Enjoy.  Play.  And you know where I am if you have questions.

The three C's of a great shoot

At first it was a bit annoying when I went into a shoot with a preconceived idea of what I wanted and others would make suggestions.  Of course, there is a time you need to have a focus on a specific look and idea for a client.  But if you are shooting for the fun of seeing what you can do and honing your skills, this is what I've found makes a great deal of difference in the outcome.

Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity

A photo shoot isn't a good place to be shy.  If you have an idea, speak up.  And no, not all of your or anyones ideas will be used, but often even a lacking idea sparks a thread of thought that creates better ideas.  I often let the makeup artist and hair stylist chat with the model and see what they have always wanted to try.  If they come up with an idea everyone is happy with we head in that direction.

For example, this mermaid shoot wasn't something I would have actually considered.  I'd shot for 4 years and avoided the seemingly required 'mermaid' shoot but they wanted to do it and I figured it was a good place to get creative.  So sure.  It became a lighting challenge where I had to envision the final scene.  My creativity contribution.  This, for me, was a LOT of fun even though the model had to take my word for it.  Trust is good.

Mermaid

So, with some communications the ideas flowed.  Everyone was creative in their own way.  The makeup artist, Erika, brought bras with shells and pearls glued to them and did some neat little scale type patterns on Katrina, the model. While they were doing makeup I started digging around in the prop room looking for things we could use and found a net hammock that worked just fine.  And, of course, Katrina did some wonderful under water type poses with my explanations of how she will be in the water with light from above.

All three Cs were using full steam in this shoot.

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In the pirate example above Rebecca and Raygan, her mother, collaborated with Rubii, the makeup artist/hair stylist and came up with the idea of a ship in her hair.  I had the ship!  So, we made it happen and it came out wonderful.  Another very creative day indeed.

Looking over any very creative shoot I've done it was full of communication between all involved and that lead to energetic collaboration in every aspect.  Everything from hair and makeup to lighting to props to what music we listen to while we create.

Then again, it's those three Cs that set the mood and it becomes fun and creates the energy in the shoot.  And the energy is very important.

What's the point to a point and shoot?

I visited a wonderful photographer in California a few months ago. Gregory Moore. We had a nice dinner and as we walked along the evening streets chatting about photography (imagine that) he kept pulling out his little point and shoot and clicked off shots of walls, town streets, store fronts, and anything that caught his eye. I've loved his work because of his subdued lighting.  Especially when it's obviously a location shot.  Well, not really a location shot.  I think he often does a shot in the studio and lights it impeccably.  Then in post he adds one or more backgrounds in and then uses yet another set of amazing skills to blend them so perfectly that I can't really tell that it might not be on location.  Then again, I've been with him on a location shoot where he used even more of the same background to add more flavor and emotion to a shot.

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So, there is still a good reason to have a good P&S in your pocket at all times when wondering around.  Just the other day I was walking the mall and there was a wall between stores that was seemingly out of place.  Beautiful wood or different colors.  Now I have it as a possible backdrop in a future shot.  And it's mine, I don't have to pay anyone for the right to use it.

Speaking of rights, I always make sure there isn't any 'prior art' in a shot.  There was a photographer that took a picture that was published and in the background, blurred out by the DOF, was some graffitti.  Now, the graffitti wasn't legal but the tagger who created it sued the photographer for $10,000 and won.

The first thought is, why not just use my cell phone?  And I have before.  But, having a camera that has enough lens to capture some good light, has a nice ISO range, and in the case of the camera I'm looking at, the Canon S120, the low fStop of f1.8 will make evening pictures rock.  But, most important, is to get one with at least 12mp and RAW so the image can be manipulated a LOT after the fact.  This is also the difference between the $100 camera and the $450 camera.  But, worth it.  Pick whatever you like but so some serious research to make sure you find what you like and it has good reviews.  Sony seems to lead the pack but it's a close call these days.  Canon is hot on their heels and I didn't see anyone talking about Nikon at all.  Which is odd because Nikon was hyping their P&S cameras in ads not long ago claiming that if you had their P&S you didn't need a photographer.  Yeah, that impressed me too...really?

So, work on those masking skills in Photoshop and start building up that background library.

Vanishing acts...

Okay, so, you have chatted with a model and you set a date and time for a shoot.  Now you are sitting there, camera ready, maybe a studio rented, and even a makeup artist standing by.  And....

nothing...

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The model doesn't show.  She doesn't answer the phone.  She unfriends you on Facebook and blocks you.  No excuse, no reason, just what we call a no show.

The photographer sits and wonders what happened.  He doubts his work for a bit wondering why this model wouldn't do everything possible to get a chance to shoot with him or her.  Then the anger at the lack of professionalism sets in.  Just common curtesy of a simple phone call or text would be all it took.  But no.  Nothing.

What probably happened here?

Well, there is no definitive answer because we are diverse human beings.  But here are some guesses and suggestions.

Realize, it will happen again.  That's a given.  Reducing that is what we need to talk about.

Part of it is youth.  Many youngsters (18-30) have time management issues.  They look into their future as far as the expiration date on the milk carton.  Well, actually, milk lasts way longer these days.  So, forgetfulness, better offers like a trip to the mall, or they find $20 in the laundry and it's party time.  It's hard to tell.

I tend to work with people I've worked with before who I have found are reliable.  Getting to that point was a rocky road.  There are still speed bumps.  Talk with other photographers and see how their experience was with a perspective model.  A good model is checking your references so why not.

When talking with the model an actual phone call the day before would be good.  If you don't have his or her phone number shame on you!!  Your fault!!  Last minute questions, answers, outfits needed, etc. is a good reason to chat.  And a human voice on the other end of the phone isn't the same as a text.  Texting and social networking is actually very de-humanifying.  It's easier to be a no show to a string of text messages than someone you have actually talked with and heard their voice.  Telling someone with your voice that you will 'be there' and then not show is a lie.  Saying it in a text and then not isn't a lie.  Well, it is, but hey, they were just talking to someone with their thumbs on their phone...that's not the same, right?

We are talking about trade shoots here.  When the model is going to make $50 per hour they tend to show up.  95% of the trade is for fun and not really a portfolio, so it's not as important to them as the photographer in most cases.  And they don't really understand the work involved in prepping for a shoot.

If, as some point in the conversation about shooting, the model starts talking about money issues, like bills, affording gas, etc., you are being asked to pay them something.  This is where you either explain that you can pay for gas, or pay them $50, or politly cancel the shoot.  They need to spend their time making ends meet by being productive.  Move along and find someone else.  Otherwise, you are asking for a 'no show' or cancel  because any other opportunity that would make them money would over ride your shoot.

If a model communicates with "yes", "sure", "perfect", "super", and other one word responses you can expect a no show.  Lack of communications is a bad sign.

Understand they have a life and life happens.  Emergencies, illness, cars that don't run all the time, job schedule changes.  Don't hold those against someone and try to reschedule.  The second time that happens I tend to move along.  Your call.

Here's hoping for no flakes...but know they will continue to happen until everything you do is a paid shoot with agency models.

Go to your dark place...

If you've picked up on the idea that good photography is all about lighting then you got it. You don't need a studio full of lights or modifiers to make it work either.  I do believe that the popup flash on any camera should be ripped out or duct taped down.  The light has to come from somewhere other than the direction of the photographer to make it look like a natural photo.  Heck, even crime scenes are shot with a ring flash and that's probably the only example of good light coming from the camera.  Not my favorite, but in their case functional, and in any other case it's a nice fashion statement.

To learn lighting so that it comes natural to you it might be best to find a dark place and use one light and play.  Playing is very important to become comfortable with anything.  Consider that we would sit and play with blocks, and puzzles, and colored in books, and ran around on a playground to learn basic physics and textures and shapes.  We never stop learning.

So, with just you and a light and a subject you can see just how one light will bounce around and how the shadows appear.  We all knew how it would react but now YOU are the one placing the light to make it react and that's the difference.

Reflection

Some people use hot lights...that's a light that's always on and usually bright...because they can very easily see how it's going to look.  I prefer flash because it's more portable and the subject never has a bright light in their eyes.  And with a pocket full of AA batteries I'm good to light all day.  Yes, flash is way harder because you don't really see the light until you've taken the shot.  Hence the need to know your light and how it's going to look at different power levels and different situations.

A hint here would be to have a small pocket flashlight you can put next to the flash to see how it is generally going to look.  It'll be harsh, but telling.

I never do an important shoot with a brand new light.  I will play with it at times during the shoot to get comfortable with it, learn it, but not rely on it until I have 5-10 hours of playing with it.  You'll find it amazing how you eventually show up at a location, plop the subject down, stand back and look at the sun angle, trees, background, and with plenty of confidence plant your light where you know will make a picture you have in your head and find it did just what you expected.

So, go to your dark place and find your light!

A little touched?

There has been and always will be different opinions on how much retouching to do, if any, a good photographer should do. Some claim all shots are perfect out of their camera. Some retouch every shot and would never allow anything to leave their hands without adding their touch, their style. I do both. Sometimes I get way to artzy with a shot making it gritty, B&W, flip it, blow out the whites, whatever I feel to make it art that I enjoy. I always try to keep it beautiful and interesting.

But I think just about any image can use a little help only because to make it interesting it should look slightly better than real life. Real life is raw and unforgiving and a bit harsh. Adjusting the light after the fact to put more focus on the subject isn't a bad thing. My opinion.

Kim in the stream

Here is an example of a shot that seemed just fine...the original is on the left.  I'll admit, although a bit biased, that this shot rocks.  It was worth wading out in the stream and putting $5K worth of camera and lens within inches of a cold fast running creek.  Spooky but you do what you have to to get the shot.

When I looked at the shot in Lightroom 4 I thought it looked just fine.  Then I thought about what i could do to it to make it more powerful.  Draw the person into the shot.  One thing that always works and I like to do is to bring the light up on the subject and down surrounding them.  It's a good way to focus the viewer where you want them to look.  Lightroom 5 comes with that feature actually.  I used NIK Color Effects Pro 4 and the filter is called Darken/Lighten Center.

When I'm not getting 'artzy' with a shot I rarely retouch it beyond what it MIGHT have looked like from the camera.  I could have an even lighter hand sometimes but that comes with practice and constantly learning the tools I have.

So, if you are one of the folks who feels all of their shots are 'dead on perfect' good for you.  Ask yourself if there is anything that could make them just a touch better.  Or ask yourself if you don't retouch because you don't want to spend the time to learn what it takes to do it well.  It would be a shame if that were the case considering how much time a photographer and model(s) spend to get the shot.

Copy Cat?!?

This was a posting I did on Facebook on April 1, 2013.  I rather enjoyed putting it together so I wanted to keep it here for future reference. *****

I'm SO tired of all you photographers out there copying my work. So, from today on here are a few rules you all need to follow. Pay attention.

1. Do not shoot with any models I've ever shot with or may shoot with for the next couple decades.

2. I shoot with studio lighting so no shooting with studio lighting…it might look like my work. Oh, and no natural sun light either…I do location work and I'm sure your work will be the same basic light temperature as mine and that's not acceptable. You may use infrared or exactly 5423 kelvin…I don't plan to use those.

3. I have a full frame and a crop camera. So, obviously, those are out of the question. Use your cell phone but only 5mp or below.

4. If you post a picture on Facebook (given rules 1-3 that would be of your dog or cat in the dark with your cell phone) and you get even one 'like' you must pull it immediately. After all, that's a like that should be on one of my masterpieces.

5. I will assume any picture you take as a copy of one of mine. After all, imitation is the sincerest for of flattery and we all know how important flattering me is, so I'm sure it's a copy! There you go!! Proof!

Above all else - have a wonderful April, starting with, naturally, April fools day.

Magic words - "What's your rate?"

The beginning - where we all start This installment is about the ladder we all climb in this business of fashion, photography, makeup, and modeling.  There are ways to skip some rungs and move quicker but for the most part this is how it works.

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In anything we do when we first start, we are clumsy, we haven’t found our style yet.  We are hard handed on things that we will eventually have a light experienced touch.  And we haven’t worked with many people yet to learn those ropes that only come from doing it.  Photographers struggle with lighting, post production, and communicating with the models.  Models are unsure how to pose or take direction.

In every way the first year of our work is the hardest yet monetarily worthless.  But it has to happen to gain the seemingly endless skills we need to actually be worth compensation.

For everyone, to start with, it’s all about building a good portfolio.  Yes, your first pictures are going to be far less than perfect.  No matter what end of the camera you’ll be on, the first year will not look good.  Those that get into it and in a couple months get all depressed that they aren’t a world class model or photographer are amazing only in their confidence.  It takes an enormous amount of work and continued growth to get to a professional level.

An intern once asked the long time photographer how to have a beautiful portfolio.  His response was, “Take pictures of beautiful people.”  This is true.

What you’ll find starting out is that the beautiful people who are experienced know their worth and will give you their rates if you ask to shoot with them.  If your a model the same holds true with pro photographers.  They will give you rates.

So, how do you know when you are getting there?  Getting to pro level?  Ready to quote your rate?

Well, I shot for 2 years learning, practicing, shooting everyone and anyone who would shoot with me.  I was never satisfied with my results and kept trying new things and improving and developing my style.  Then one day the magic words came to me.  Someone wanted to shoot and they said....

”What are your rates?”

There you go.  Of course this isn’t a signal to stop growing, learning, tweaking your style, and improving.  But, it’s an indicator that your work now has monitory value to others and you should start charging.

You never will get to the top of the ladder though.  There will always be people who are more successful who will quote you rates to work with you.  So it gets a little more confusing but you just have to weigh the advantages.

Skipping some rungs...

If you are a model and want to jump at least to the middle here’s a quicker way to the ‘pro’ point.  You simply have to have a better portfolio than the new ‘trade’ photographers can give you.  You need a pro to take your pictures.  And yes, that means you need to invest in yourself by paying a few great photographers for their images in your portfolio.  That, in turn, will get you to a time much faster where you will also hear those magic words...”What are your rates.”

If you are a photographer the same is true.  If you want a beautiful portfolio you need to shoot those beautiful people.  Those models that know what they are doing, know how to strike a pose that rocks your shot.  You’ll need to pay those people because they are there, they are real, they are pros.  Your portfolio will shine and in a much shorter time you’ll hear the magic words asking your rate.

I’d still suggest you train with at least a few trade shoots before hitting up the pros to help your portfolio.  You still need to know how to drive before jumping behind the wheel of that race car.

Of course, if you are going on location tomorrow with a crew of 50 support people to do a million dollar shoot please disregard the above advice.  You’re there.

Acting or modeling...

Yeah, that's a trick title.  They should be one in the same.

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We see a lot of actors that would not make for interesting models because it's their presentation, their passion, their character presented 'in motion' that makes them stellar in their art.

Models have a slight advantage...or disadvantage depending on how you look at it.  One frame.  One walk down the runway.  Just a moment to express that emotion, that glare, that slight smile, the tiny tilt of the head.  As small a time frame that emotion or look has to be, it's still very important that it happens.

I'm not saying that every shot has to look like a Shakespeare tragedy.

It can be as simple as taking a lot of deep breaths, shaking your body like a wet dog to relax, run around the block once if it's fitness, something other than the OMG the camera is pointed at me look.

Models I love to work with know their jobs.  And yes, we all have jobs in a shoot.  Mine is easy...light it, compose it, and know what I want.  If I tell them what I'm looking for I can go back to my job and they just flat out make it happen!

Tips for modeling...

• When asked to move something like your head or hand, do it ever so slightly.  Then the photographer can say a little more, a little more, until it's where they want it.  If you make sweeping changes it's VERY hard to get together on where we want you.
• While you are posed you have two things to be working on.  Think about everything from the expression on your face, the tilt of you head to were your hands are to how your toes are poised.  And, you have to think about what you plan to do after the flash.  The next pose should be just slightly different.  Again, no Kung Fu sweeps.
• Always know where the light is coming from.  It's not always obvious and don't be afraid to ask.  There is nothing wrong with asking to see a test shot so you can do your job better.

Have fun!!  Make art!

first 30 minutes

Have you ever noticed that the first 30 minutes of a shoot is a waste of time? Everyone involved is getting comfortable with the location, the sound of your voice, a feel for the directing and actually, in a subconscious way, the mood is being set for the rest of the shoot.

If it's a model it's a good idea to find out how long they have been modeling. And what they plan on getting out of the shoot. For example, if they want pictures to submit to an agency, don't ask them to pose in lingerie the whole time. Those are self esteem shots only. Unless it's a male model and I don't EVEN want to hear about that.

In a trade shoot the communications has to be there to make sure everyone walks away with something to show for the effort. As important, if someone is new at modeling, give them all the advice you can about posing. In a positive manner talk with them about angles, which ones are best for them, how to think through poses between flashes, how to hold their chin out, and how it's not personal when we point out that wrinkle on their side and have them stretch to take it out. (grin) If they walk away with some great pictures AND some advice and tips to consider to make their modeling just a little bit more focused and refined, it was a great shoot.

Planning a shoot..or not

So, how much planning goes into a shoot?  Well, if it's for a client there is plenty of planning.  After all, there's a goal in mind and someone is paying to get it.

How about a basic one-on-one model and photographer shoot?  How much planning is to much and how much is not enough?

Here's how I do it.

First, I consider who I'm shooting.  Hair color and style, eye color, skin, freckles, dimples, just about everything about the persons face goes into the first pass in my mind.  What can I do to make those best features stand out and make it a shoot about them?  People should look at the pictures and either see that I brought something out in the person that they know, or sometimes even better is to show someone in a way no one has ever seen them.  Both are wonderful fun!

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So, there are several models I've worked with for over a year now and have over a dozen shoots with.  Often we just plan a day and time and get together to shoot.  Very little planning other than some different wardrobe discussed.  We know each other and know the looks and styles we have to bring to the shoot.  We'll just use the energy and imagination of the moment to come up with something on the fly.  It never fails to be fun, exciting, and far more creative than we expected.  Always.

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These two shots are a good example.  Dawn and I have plenty of shoots together.  Probably more than anyone else.  Yet we get together and the ideas start to flow and we knock out a fine memorable shoot.  These two pictures are from one such shoot and there were many other looks in just that one shoot.

That, to me, is a key.  In about 3 hours we did 13 different looks...or what I call sets.  495 images total.  Mixing it up and moving from one look to another can be fun and it keeps the energy flowing in a shoot.  Then, when the shooting is done, I have a full bag of different looks to work with to create my art.

So, bottom line and advice that people might try....don't plan so much.

Do you want to play in a sand box or a beach?

Slightly surreal...

Those who follow my work...err...play, know that I get all grungy and dirty in some of my shots.  Well, not me, the finished shot.  I love that look in some cases.  As always, it's season to taste and it doesn't work for everything, but when it does, it rocks a very thought provoking look. I've had a few people ask how I do this look so I thought I'd share here.

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This particular shot was done totally using Lightroom Basic settings all contorted beyond typical and reasonable settings.  Many people never go off the edge to see just how far it can go and that's to bad.  It's fun to go to the extremes and find how each changes a shot...and then how they change a shot in combination.  I never teach 'step by step' because that doesn't work with something like Lightroom or Photoshop.  It's like painting with brushes and tubes of paint on a blank canvass.  Knowing how to 'feel' the painting in your mind and then applying the tools to make it happen are the way to do it.  Step 1, step 2, step 3, etc. just doesn't work.

So, here you go.  How THIS particular shot was made and the settings used.  Try it on a few shots...some will work and some just won't.  It's not a magic setting that I use all the time.

Enjoy...good luck...and let me know how it works for you.

Green Jelly Bean

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Here's the deal.  If you shoot models, and you are serious about your work, you will get jealous from time to time for many reasons.  It's human nature. You might get jealous when you see a model you've shot with work with another photographer who just totally nails a wonderful look.  Everyone would like their work to be the best the model has.  It's human nature.

Sometimes models get jealous when a photographer they shoot with regularly knocks out some great ideas with another model.  Even knowing that they have also shot unique killer sets with that same photographer.  It's human nature.

I've struggled with this and from my conversations with other photographers and models I'm not alone.  Whew!  We all seem to be human...

Here's the deal.  We are all growing and expanding what we know, who we know, how we do things, how to improve on what we've done, and not one of us has done it alone.  We all work together to help in each other's growth.  This is how it should be.  It's human nature.

What about that green jelly bean?  Well, personally, I acknowledge it because that's always the first step in fixing anything.  And, at least in my case, I'm more upset about being jealous than actually being jealous.  But that helps too.  I know it's dumb and selfish.

I actively encourage the people I work with, models, photographers, support, to work with as many good or great people as they can.  That's the only way they can grow.  This is how portfolios are built and careers lauched.  And that's what it's all about.  I often tell myself that what I'm doing, maybe just one shot I take, will be the one that opens the door to something amazing for that other person.  That's why we do it.  That's why I do it.

Will we still be jealous, even knowing it's silly and wrong?  Oh yeah.

It's human nature.

Tight depth of field in the studio

After getting the Canon 85mm f1.2 lens for my 6D I found it hard to use in the studio.  Of course, outdoors I have more control over the camera because I can increase the speed enough to cut the light back and use the beautiful narrow depth of field that the lens affords me.  But in the studio the modeling lights were not bright enough and the flash was ALMOST to much light with the flashes set at their lowest settings.

To get that same beautiful DOF in the studio I needed to cut the light back.  So, I added a Tiffen 72mm Variable Neutral Density filter in front of the lens.  This is a 2-8 fStop filter so I can adjust it for just about anything in the studio.  At f2 it gave me the example shot below.  Notice how fast the DOF dropped off because I was at f1.2 on the lens but blocked the light by 2 fStops balancing it all out well with a flash.  The flash was still low but not at the lowest setting.  This allows me the options to have multipal flashes at different levels to create the moods I want yet still go to f1.2 if I so desire.

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Of course, the first 30 shots were pretty much out of focus because I was getting a feel for it.  I've found that I can't use the center focus point on the eyes and then re-frame each shot like I normally do.  I actually have to move the focus point in the camera to be about where the eyes are in whatever frame I want to have.  One at the far end for a full body shot for example and then i can still focus on the eyes.  This, of course, is only important under f2 or so.

If I needed to do autofocus but wanted to crank the filter to a much darker setting I would hold the filter ring and turn it to wide open so I could focus and then just before taking the shot I'd rotate the filter to the darker setting.  The results were a very warm and creamy set of shots.  These examples came from a 2 hour shoot with Michelle were I never changed the camera from f1.2 the whole night and we caught some wonderful shots.

Here is a second example of the beauty of using lower fStops in the studio.

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I doubt I'm the first photographer to come to the conclusion that the ND filter can be handy this way...heck, I may be the last one to figure it out.  But, I'd never seen anyone talk about using one in studio so I wanted to share my experiance.  I'm not sure my ND filter will be coming off my 85mm f1.2 anytime soon.

Shutter lust...

Sometimes someone new to photography asks me for advice.  It's a lot like walking into a grocery store and asking, what tastes good here.  Not an easy question since it's really self exploration that will help someone find what they love and as a result usually get good at that. To learn what tastes good (to you) in the store you have to try it...all.  So, I usually suggest this.

Go to a place where you've been many times before and sit down and just start looking at it...really look. Developing the eye for interesting backgrounds, views, seeing how the light is playing through the trees on the side of a building, or how a path in a park is shaded by trees. All of these things we have seen and just take for granted in a literal sense and not in the artistic sense. The artistic lines in an old man's face, or the colorful and delicate pattern of the iris of a young girl's blue eye...

Washington DC

Just walk and look with your heart and not your head and you'll see a whole different world to shoot.

Don't look at the back of your camera either.  Just shoot and keep your head up and eye looking for something interesting.  While you might be looking at your pictures you are probably missing a moment in time, an elusive shot, that is lost forever.  Shoot bracketed and you'll be fine.

Leave your technical self behind and just look at the world through your creative eye.  Through your childish eye.  And discover what's been there all along.

Soul shooting

When I see a photo that I love it's not my mind that's loving it.  No, it's my heart. My mind would check for rule of thirds, exposure, see the wrinkle in the dress, and analyze any post production to figure out how it was done and how it was lit up.  My mind would run the logic and statistics if I let it.

1/160 f5 85mm 1.8

This photo of Jay was the last one for the day.  We'd done some fashion and some boxing shots and pulled a lot of great emotion out for those.  Jay worked on his end and I made sure the lighting helped reflect the emotion as much as I could.  At the end of several hours we knew we were done but I had this one last vision that came to me.  There was Jay, buff as they get, and the lights and mood at my disposal.

So I sat Jay down, told him to lean forward and place his hands on the top of his head.   I placed a couple lights on him.  One on the backdrop and on almost right down on his head and shoulders from the front.  And I took this shot.

I didn't measure anything.  I didn't think about anything technical at all.  I had a vision and just created it with my eye and heart.  And I like it better than anything else we shot.  And it's kinda' fun knowing it wasn't planed, worked out, fretted over, or metered to be perfect.

Light meters, color charts, white balance, tape measures, and rules make for perfect 'ho hum' photos in my opinion.  It's not because I don't understand those rules and tools, I actually do.  I have just found they make the pictures boring and lifeless when followed to the letter.

I guess what I'm trying to express here is that we often over think a shot.  Sometimes to a point where it becomes impossible to do.  Or it doesn't come out like the 'book' said it should.  I like to shoot with the creative side of my brain, the emotional side, the one where creativity comes from.  If you shoot from that side you'll create pictures that inspire that side of other people's brains.

When another photographer tells me what's technically wrong with one of my shots I smile and nod.  I don't care however.  I'm OCD about creating things I love but not OCD about how to create them.  Does that make sense?

Paint with light...

A photographer (from Greekφωτός (photos), meaning "light", and γράφω (graphos), meaning "written") is a person who takes photographs So, according to that, we are supposed to tell a story and do it with light.  Sounds easy enough I suppose.  So why are there so many bad photographs out there?  I'm thinking it's because anyone can pick up a camera, and some even read the manual and know how to set the dials on something other than automatic.

Red, white, and blue?

The difference between a wonderful photo and a lack luster photo is almost always the difference between light and dark.  Contrast.  Sometimes a LOT of contrast and sometimes a little.  This depends on the story you are wanting to tell...the feeling you want to leave people with when they look at the photo.

Have you ever wondered why everyone seems to love black and white photos?  It's simple really.  There are a couple main things I can think of, at least for me.  First, I tend to focus on what the photo is about and not so much about the colors.  Colors can distract from the emotion of the subject.  It can be easier to tell a story.  Second, and more to my point, is that with Black and White you have to have contrast.  You can't have a flat photo...it doesn't work in B&W.

I'm not saying you can't do the same thing with a color photo.  But make sure you are doing your job as an artist and make sure you are, indeed, writing a story with light. (and dark)

B&A

Stand back and put the camera down

We love to shoot. It's a passion and we certainly don't do it often enough.  We tend to want to just start shooting away as soon as we have someone playing and posing in front of our camera.  It's a natural instinct.

Then we get back to the computer and upload the images.  We go through them and often think...if we'd payed attention to all those needles in the snow we might have cleaned them up before laying her in the middle of them to shoot.  Or if the light had been just a little more to the left and down her eyes would have really popped.  It's to late.  Sure, some of the shots are going to be fine.

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This is when you have to ask yourself...is FINE what I was after?  I hope not.  I doubt you are reading this is average is what you are after.

I have a habit of stopping often and just standing there and looking at the model, the lighting, and the overall setting.  Yeah, it's a little odd and I usually tell the model to relax while I think this through.  After all, I don't want them to think I'm just staring at them and they are awaiting direction from me at this point.

So, stop.  Set the camera down.  Look at the light, where it's coming from, how it will hit the model, and envision what the end shot will look like.

Envisioning the end shot is the hard part, at least at first.  Once you have experience you can look at something you take right on the back of the camera and have a fairly good idea of what you can do with it.  I've found more and more I look at a picture and get excited about the possibilities of the shot when everyone else looks and doesn't see what I see.  Often my finished shots don't look very close to the original so in my case it's even more important to look and imagine what I can do with it.  So, it's slightly more important to get it right...to take my time.  Unless the sun is going down there's time.

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Don't get into the 'spray and pray' mode of shooting.  If you have a model that poses well from shot to shot, get everything working right and then let him or her go through 6-12 of their expressions and then stop.  I do often show them the first test shots to let them know what the lighting is like and how to angle their heads the best to take advantage of the lighting.  Then let them play as you shoot.  Those will be great shots.

So, take your time.  Enjoy being creative.  Train your eye to look at the shot in the view finder for a while before hitting that shutter button.

One thing I've done, even in the studio, is to wear the R strap with my camera.  Then, when I want to think, talk with the model, whatever, the camera is at my side.  And it's not far away in those rare and fun moments in time when a perfect shot hits you in the face and you need to get it quickly.

To pose or not to pose...let's pose that question

The hard part about photographing a person is getting a great shot of a pose that doesn't look like a pose.  It's not easy to do.  Actually, it's damned hard to do and very often overlooked.  And it makes the difference between a great shot and a snap shot.

Now we know the first 30 minutes of a shoot is often a warm up period and little good comes out of it as far as a good shot.  So, use this time to chat with the subject as you are testing gear and getting some lighting ideas.  See how they change when the camera is pointed at them.  If their eyes get bigger, or they put on a pout, or flip their hair back every time...well, that's a good sign you have some work to do.  Subjects who actively change when the camera is pointed at them are not going to look natural.  And it's that natural look that makes a shot interesting.

Dimity

I think the problem is that some think a picture isn't supposed to echo life.  It's supposed to have the subject looking different somehow.  What makes a great shot isn't an unnatural pose, or a big smile, or some out of place prop.  It's the look in the eyes, the definition of the light coming across their body, and that sense of voyeurism of being able to stare at someone without anyone feeling uncomfortable.

The natural pose should simply say 'you can look at me' and not 'HEY, look at me!" 

So, when I point my camera at my subject I watch close to see how they react.  That's my job to get something special, catch them in candid moments, any split seconds that would be moving enough to stare at for a bit.

I don't shoot smiles often.  When I do they are natural...I never ask a model to smile.  There is a difference.

Like everything else in this or anyone's blog, it's an opinion.  It's the way someone else sees some topic and you can agree or disagree.  Everything can be a learning experience if you have an open mind.

Focus your mind and camera

Dimity

I'm sure you all run into this when shooting. Between poses the subject smiles a certain way, tilts their head into the light just so, looks down, up, or flips some hair that fell...and yeah, THAT was, or would have been, an amazing shot.

I've learned to simply glance at the back of the camera once after a lighting change to make sure it's what I want. After that, it's keeping my mind and eye (and camera) focused on the subject ready to catch that impossible to plan shot. The one candid shot that really gives the viewer a glimpse at the real person. I use the words 'freeze' and 'stay' a lot. And I usually just give the subject some painfully general instructions on the pose. If the lighting is super critical I'll share on the back of the camera what the shots are going to look like so they can plan their looks to the lights. Other than that, as long as I'm not battling the DITH look (deer in the headlights) it usually goes very well.

I now average 400-700 shots in a 2-4 hour shoot. Some would still look at that as 'Spray and Pray' but it's not. I did that a lot when I was new so I know what that is. No control and you have no idea what you have when you upload. When I look at my uploads there are very distinct sets and multiple shots were trying to catch that smirk, wink, hair falling in the face, that shot that makes it real and interesting, or just fun. It gives the subject the freedom to play a bit in that set.

So, next time you notice you are spending a lot of time looking into the back of your camera, or sharing those shots with the subject, remember that you are loosing focus.