Articles in the Category: Teaching Articles

I have to admit something to all of you. I don’t have a flash. I haven’t owned one in three years. I haven’t missed one in five years. I don’t expect I will ever own one or miss one again. Why? Because I find the combination of high ISO photography and the tricks and power of Lightroom have made flash unnecessary. It also helps to be wise and clever enough to find situations to photograph that don’t need flash. Let me explain.

Most of my photography these days has been confined to an old dairy farm. (My book on the farm will be coming out in June) This means that I have been photographing inside a lot in pretty dark places. My results have been spectacular and I have never, ever used a flash. The trick is to use the highest viable ISO (the highest without too much noise) and find a situation with nice light. And then just fire away!

This is a photo of Hugh, the 93 year old farmer. Notice the nice light on his face and the lack of shadows. This is because I waited to take his picture in a location where there was light bouncing off the floor of the barn on to his face. This is why there are no shadows under his hat. There is no flash that I know of that will be able to take this shot as easily as I did without flash.

The little calf was lying in the darkest part of the barn. I didn’t have the option of using flash because I didn’t want to disturb the calf or the cows immediately to my side. So I waited for just a touch of light coming from a side window and with my ISO set at 1600 took this picture. I was also hand-holding my camera. How is that for breaking all the rules and still getting a nice shot?

With Lightroom flash has become unnecessary because the program allows very precise selective lightening of areas. This effect is the same as using the flash in fill mode. Think about it- isn’t fill flash the same as throwing light into a dark area? So if you can selective lighten an area of your photograph in Lightroom why use fill flash? Got me!

Here is a quick way to tell a former film shooter from an only digital shooter. It doesn’t work all the time but it works much of the time and when it does work it opens a wonderful teachable moment. What is this identifier? It’s the ISO. Lots of former film shooters never change their ISO when they shoot digital and if they do they never go higher than what they were comfortable with in film.

This behavior falls under the old dog/new tricks rubric. It is perfectly understandable. In the good old film days a photographer could change the f-stop and the shutter speed to get the desired result. In order to change the ISO one had to change the roll of film. Film shooters either carried an extra camera body with a different ISO film or learned how to roll the film back into the camera and then reload it back to the correct spot. And we all knew never to use film with an ISO higher than 200. Anything higher was grainy and basically unusable.

Then along comes digital photography and along with the ability to change the f-stop and aperture on every shot it was now possible to change the ISO as well. Shooting in low light and can’t get enough shutter speed to stop that animal or child you are photographing in the fading light? Just increase your ISO a few stops to 640 or 800 or 1250 and shoot away! Or are you shooting in nice light but want to use a longer shutter speed to slow down the water in the stream to blur it or you want to soften waves as they break against the shore? Just lower your ISO to 200 or 160 or 100 and shoot away.

Being possible and actually doing it are two different things. Many former film shooters still have in their celluloid brains the prohibition of shooting at ISOs higher than 200 no matter what the circumstances. I have learned through my workshops that when I suggest shooting at a higher ISO many digital shooters balk. Part of the problem is also that these shooters have heard that the highest quality ISO is the lowest ISO so they are reluctant to shoot any ISO that is much higher than 200. While this is true, it is also true that higher ISOs are plenty good enough. I shoot at 640 regularly and have no problem shooting at ISOs of 800, 1250 or 1600. All of these images are high quality, good enough to be published in calendars, books, magazines and to be used for prints and in my presentations.

Now you have to know how high you can go with your ISO before the image begins to break down. When I got my D300 I tested the quality of the images at various ISOs. I learned that up to ISO 1250 the images were fine, at ISO 1600 there was some noise (colored graininess) but not bad and easily cleaned up in the computer but at ISO 2000 the images broke down and they looked awful.

Every digital photographer should know where the ISO line in the sand is for his or her camera. Do a test and see at what ISO you get a little noise and at what ISO the noise is unacceptable. And then feel free to use any ISO below this threshold.

ISO is a new third tool in the basic digital photographer’s bag. Use it with f-stop and shutter speed and you will extend your photographic possibilities. And that is a good thing.

Summer is in full swing, and one seasonal event we all look forward to is our hometown’s July 4th fireworks display. Here are some tips to help you capture and create amazing fireworks images:

• Check the online sites of local newspapers for recommendations regarding the best places to view annual fireworks displays in a given city. If you find nothing online, contact the local tourist board or visitor center. Ask where the staging area will be. Then scout around the staging area well ahead of time. Look for a strong compositional element over which the fireworks will explode. For example, in Washington, DC you would look for a view that includes the Washington Monument and in New York you might try for a view of the Statue of Liberty.

The following two images illustrate the benefit of including a strong compositional element. The inclusion of the Domino Sugars sign in the image below clearly identifies it as an image of fireworks over Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

Now take a close look at the image below. I had scouted the area and located an unobstructed view across Baltimore’s harbor of historic Fort McHenry. I knew the fireworks would reflect nicely across the water and planned to include in my composition the large flag that flies over Fort McHenry. Shortly before the fireworks began I learned the National Park Service planned to keep off the lights that normally illuminate this large flag. Without the illuminated flag as a compositional element, my preconceived image of fireworks over historic Fort McHenry turned into an image of fireworks over a generic harbor.

• Next, search for an unobstructed view between you, the staging area and your strong compositional element. Some distance is necessary to capture the full height and expanse of the fireworks as well as your location-specific compositional element. Scouting and locating a good vantage point ahead of time will not only give you the proper distance to avoid shooting straight up at the fireworks but also give you the opportunity to find a spot that’s less crowded so you can avoid being jostled by onlookers. Factor into your site selection the fact that fireworks displays draw a crowd. Once the show begins, you will have little opportunity to change your physical location.
• Arrive early to stake out this unobstructed view.
• Use a sturdy tripod and a cable or remote release.
• Generally, a zoom lens in the range 28-70mm will give you the capability and flexibility to capture the action and your specific compositional element. For full-frame, action-freezing images of the bombs bursting in air, a lens in the range of 100-200mm should suffice.
• Set your white balance to daylight.
• I generally set my ISO at 100-200, but you can certainly experiment with your ISO setting. My concern with a higher ISO is that the rest of the scene will be too dark or that I will run into trouble with subsequent bursts interfering with the full capture of the first burst.
• Set your aperture to f/16 or f/11. This may sound counter-intuitive at first given that the fireworks are going to be at infinity focus. Setting your aperture at f/16 or f/11 will guarantee that the streaks of the full explosive burst will be in sharp focus. When you use an aperture wider than f/11, the streaks have a fuzzy, non-defined look.
• Set your camera to manual exposure and your shutter speed to bulb. You have to experiment a bit with the actual shutter speed. Use a cable or remote release to open the shutter right before the rocket first begins to explode and hold it open until that burst is finished. This will be a few seconds. Do not hold the shutter open too long or you run the risk of overexposing your image.

The next two images illustrate what I meant when I said timing your exposures can be tricky. In the first image I was holding the shutter open to capture the large green burst when the second rocket began to explode. I thought it would erupt into a large blue-white burst that would overwhelm the larger green burst, so I closed the shutter. As it turned out, the second burst remained small and did not grow any brighter. Closing the shutter when I did caused me to miss a spectacular image of a large glittering green-gold burst spreading wide and sending sparkling fronds down toward the water. Do not worry about such missed shots because this happens during each fireworks display. Concentrate on capturing the next such burst.

Each fireworks show features a variety of colors, shapes and sizes of bursts. In the image below I expected this burst to grow much larger in size. The exposure is okay, but the image lacks spark because of the small size of the burst within the frame. Time your exposures to capture the larger explosions.

• The fireworks will be all over the sky. Since the bursts vary in shape and size as well as explode at varying heights, one would have to have bionic eyes to manually focus each burst. The rapid action seems to challenge autofocus. Thus, before the show begins, I recommend you set and lock focus on the strong compositional element you found during your earlier scouting mission. Not only will this insure proper depth of field and sharp focus, it will permit you to concentrate upon composition and timing the bursts.
• You may be wondering whether to keep your camera on one composition or to move it around. When I have an unobstructed view across water my compositions remain fairly static. I will zoom in/out and pan right/left to accommodate the anticipated blast, the compositional element, and the reflection. Depending upon how the pattern of the show develops and my compositional element, I tend to vary little between horizontal and vertical. In other words, I rely upon the color, shape and size of the bursts, and the resulting reflection to give each image a new look. When I photograph the fireworks here in Baltimore from a rooftop deck, a wider variety of compositions generally presents itself.
• Firework shows last only 15-20 minutes so you have to work quickly and efficiently. Resist the temptation to check each exposure. Rather, check your results after the first large explosion and make any necessary adjustments to your composition. You may need to zoom in or out so you are not chopping off the top or side of the glittering explosion. Check again after several more large bursts and again make any necessary adjustments.
• How many multiple bursts can one successfully capture in one exposure? I wish there were a hard-fast rule. Not only does it vary from one show to the next, it also varies during an evening’s performance. Thus, I strongly recommend you concentrate on capturing single-burst images and then experiment capturing multiple bursts. Try this technique to capture multiple bursts in one exposure. Place a piece of thick dark cardboard (or a dark-colored hat) in front of the lens. Use a cable release to lock the shutter open in the bulb setting. Each time a rocket is about to burst, remove the cardboard (or hat) from in front of the lens, and then re-cover the lens once the burst is finished. You will have to experiment to see how many exposures you can effectively capture and compose on one exposure. The danger of overexposing is high, especially if the bursts overlap, but give it a try.
• Watch and enjoy the fireworks finale because the risk of overexposure is pretty much guaranteed.

Several final recommendations that will enhance your fireworks images:

• Look for reflections … especially across water or in the windows of skyscrapers.
• Generally, you can capture great images of round bursts from just about any unobstructed viewpoint. However, you may find it challenging to capture fireworks that feature multiple bursts and spinning parts, as illustrated below. These seem to have a distinct photogenic side. If you are not situated at the proper angle to capture that photogenic side, then the shapes of these bursts appear fractured and lopsided.



• For anyone too close to the staging area and directly downwind of it, there is a chance the smoke will cause eye irritation and possible breathing difficulty. For the photographer, smoke is more likely to cause a problem when it hangs in the air and obscures the crisp, clean lines of the cascading fireworks, when it drifts to the “wrong” side of one’s composition or when it gives the sky a dull, flat hue. If possible, shoot upwind of the fireworks. If conditions conspire against you (clouding smoke, jostling crowds, etc.) despite your careful preparations, pack your gear away and simply enjoy watching the rest of the show.

Baltimore has at least four large fireworks displays each year near the Harbor, plus several in surrounding counties. Washington, DC puts on a spectacular event along the National Mall each July 4th. Check the events calendar in your area, and you too may find multiple fireworks shows within easy commute.

Here’s hoping you have a blast!

In the last post I discussed some of the finer points of using your camera's auto focusing features to help compose an image and get what's important (the eyes!) in focus. Let's look at some additional factors that go into making sharp images.

Lenses - The higher quality the lens, the better images it can produce. And unfortunately, higher quality almost always translates to higher cost. Most camera and lens manufacturers make a line of "professional" lenses. In addition to the higher price for the "professional" quality, the lenses can produce tack-sharp, well saturated images. Spend enough time on Internet camera forums and you'll come across a bevy of people constantly chasing the latest and greatest body. There are even some individuals who flip-flop back and forth between brands constantly chasing the newest camera body with the best perceived specifications. I've always advocated investing in the glass and then purchasing the best camera body you can afford. And I don't know if I'll ever understand people who switch back-and-forth between brands. I sincerely doubt it makes them better photographers and I know I couldn't afford to take the hit on selling all my gear every couple of years only to stock up on gear for another brand.

Squeeze, don't stab - One aspect that is often missed in the analysis of why an image isn't sharp is how the photographer releases the shutter.

• I suggest that photographers learn how to gently squeeze the shutter button to create an image as opposed to stabbing at it.
• When using telephoto lenses, just the act of stabbing or jabbing at the shutter button can induce enough vibration to make an image soft.
• Photographing with large telephoto lenses is a lot like being a sniper with a high-powered rifle. Get into a routine of calming your breathing and slowing your heartbeat. Press the camera's viewfinder tight against your eye. Drape your free arm over top of the lens to further dampen any vibrations. Ideally you'll shoot between breaths and when you're ready slowly squeeze the shutter button.

Vibration Reduction - Image Stabilization - SteadyShot - Nikon and Canon have a system built into many of their lenses for helping reduce vibration and make sharper images. Sony and Olympus build this ability right into their camera bodies. There's some disagreement about which approach is better (lens versus body), but regardless, I recommend either buying lenses with this system built in or using a body with the built in system. And if you've got it, use it.

On my Canon lenses, I use the image stabilization whether I'm hand-holding or have the lens mounted on a tripod. Again, this is an area of some controversy and you'll hear all sorts of advice about whether or not to use the image stabilization system while a lens is mounted on a tripod. I never have the lens locked down hard when I'm photographing wildlife. I always have the tension on the tripod head set so that I can move the lens to adjust for an animal's changing position and I have the lens collar loose so that I can quickly switch to a portrait orientation to make vertical images. My rationale is that as long as the lens isn't locked down rock-solid, it won't confuse the lenses image stabilization system. And that even holds true on my 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS lens that features Canon's first generation of their lens stabilization system. You'll have to do your own experiments to find out what works for you, but for me, the lens stabilization system on my Canon lenses is always on.

In the next article, we’ll conclude the discussion on making sharper images with some information on supporting your lenses and cameras.