Do You See?

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Master Photographer

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Do you see how to make something complicated look simple? Do you see the hidden potential in each of your subjects? Do you see the promise of something important in everyday things, places and people? Do you relish in making the difficult look easy? Do you want to protect moments in time for future generations? Do you want the deepest, darkest secrets of the human soul to be revealed to anyone who cares to look? Do you want to find beauty where others have not? Do you want to share the special things that happen around you with others?

Are you willing to risk ridicule in return for keeping memories alive? Are you willing to face rejection when others don’t see things the way you do? Are you willing to deal with the frustration of spending months or even years making an image that everyone else seems to dismiss?

And most importantly -

Do you want to make sure that when you are gone, you did something that mattered?

Then you just might be a photographer.

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Photographers You Should Know About – Yousuf Karsh

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Master Photographer

This is the fifth in my series of “Photographers You Should Know About.” The first four appear below in no particular order – Bresson, Edward Weston, Lange and Strand.

http://photofocus.com/2012/04/01/photographers-that-you-should-know-henri-cartier-bresson/

http://photofocus.com/2012/03/12/photographers-you-should-know-about-edward-weston/

http://photofocus.com/2012/02/13/photographers-that-you-should-know-about-dorothea-lange/

http://photofocus.com/2012/02/26/photographers-that-you-should-know-about-paul-strand/

Yousuf Karsh lived from 1908 until 2002. He was the Ansel Adams of portrait photography. It’s pretty easy to spot a Karsh. Like images from Adams, they just stand out.

Karsh worked extensively in Canada running a portrait studio. But it was his 1941 portrait of Winston Churchill that made him famous. While I’ve always been somewhat put off by the fact that some photographers become famous because they photograph famous people, that’s not the case with Mr. Karsh. His work is epic. He managed to bring the real personality of his subjects out across the film plane.

He knew how to use studio lights long before there was any sort of lighting manual or Creative Live or Strobist.

He saw himself as a person’s who job it was to unwrap the real person sitting in front of him. Many consider him the most famous portrait photographer of all time. Perhaps looking at Karsh’s own words gives insight into why…

“The revelation, if it comes at all, will come in a small fraction of a second with an unconscious gesture, a gleam of the eye, a brief lifting of the mask that all humans wear to conceal their innermost selves from the world. In that fleeting interval of opportunity the photographer must act or lose his prize. – Yousuf Karsh”

“It should be the aim of every photographer to make a single exposure that shows everything about the subject. I have been told that my portrait of Churchill is an example of this. – Yousuf Karsh”

“I try to photograph people’s spirits and thoughts. As to the soul-taking by the photographer, I don’t feel I take away, but rather that the sitter and I give to each other. It becomes an act of mutual participation. – Yousuf Karsh”

Karsh went on to photograph hundreds of prominent figures. His use of black & white portraits lit by studio strobes formulated the basis of acceptable professional portrature for decades. If you want to be a great portrait artist, learn all you can about Mr. Karsh and study his work. It will change you.

My Opinion On What Constitutes A Professional Photographer

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Master Photographer

According to the dictionary, a professional is:

“A person who belongs to one of the professions, esp. one of the learned professions.”

“A person who earns a living in a sport or other occupation frequently engaged in by amateurs: a golf professional.”

“A person who is expert at his or her work: You can tell by her comments that this editor is a real professional. “

It’s the last definition that most closely fits for me. Being an “expert” or at least an ASPIRING expert, makes you professional.

Most of this conversation won’t center around the financial aspect of being a professional photographer. While making money is certainly evidence of professionalism, financial success alone isn’t enough to be “professional.”

Tony Corbell often says that being a professional is about being “proficient.” I really like that saying. Clay Blackmore says being a professional is about being able to deliver consistently good results, and knowing how you did it. I like that saying too.

They all point to one thing – caring about your craft enough to know WHY that shot worked. We’ve all had a lucky shot or two. But some people are “luckier” than others and that usually translates to preparing, studying, practicing and working hard – in order to be “lucky.”

If you aren’t sure how you got from A-Z, then you might want to consider boning up on the craft of photography before you call yourself a professional. If you can consistently deliver great results…if you are proficient, you’re already there.

But if you’re not, there’s no reason to despair. Relax. It will come, as long as you work hard. If you’re not quite there, then there’s no shame in identifying yourself as an “aspiring professional.”

Photographers: Luck is NOT a Strategy

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Master Photographer

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

When on my recent trip to Arizona, I encountered a photographer who was fully decked out in Camouflage. He was in a blind and had a Canon 1D MK IV with an 800mm lens. In other words, this guy was serious. I saw him at his truck so I walked up and introduced myself. I asked him what he was photographing. “Eagles!” he replied with enthusiasm.

Now I know a thing or two about photographing eagles so I was very surprised he was in Arizona in May trying to photograph eagles. I asked him why he was at that location and he simply said he was hoping to get lucky.

Okay – time to take a breath. There are about a dozen breeding pairs of eagles in Arizona. Unlike Alaska where there are literally thousands of eagles, Arizona has few. Moreover, the locations where these birds congregate were hundreds of miles from where I encountered my well-prepared new friend.

In other words, this guy had a better chance of seeing the space shuttle land in front of him than he did an eagle.

I tried to gently inform him that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he would have none of it. He insisted he’s been lucky his whole life.

So – knowing there’s no way I would convince him otherwise I moved on. The temptation to laugh at this poor fellow is tempered with my pity for him. He’s spent a bunch of money on top-quality gear. He’s devoted himself for the weekend to sitting in a hot blind. And he’s got no shot at all of getting an eagle picture.

But I try to find something positive in every negative. He will at least have some experience setting up and handling his gear. And I can use this encounter to hopefully teach others that luck is not a strategy.

Do your research. Whatever your subject, eagles, bears, little kids, CEOs, do your research. Right time and place have a great deal to do with success in photography. Don’t depend on luck. Depend on common sense, research, and lots of experience.

Photographers: Luck is NOT a Strategy

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Master Photographer

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

In other words, this guy had a better chance of seeing the space shuttle land in front of him than he did an eagle.

I tried to gently inform him that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he would have none of it. He insisted he’s been lucky his whole life.

Getting The Job – Five Steps in Every Successful Professional Photographic Assignment

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Master Photographer

Photo Courtesy M. Katz

Workflow – I hear that word all the time. “What is your workflow?” Almost all the time, the question relates to photography workflow or post-processing workflow. In this article, workflow is designed to convey the five steps photographers go through every time they are hired as a professional photographer. While these five steps may not apply to every genre of professional photography, the concepts are similar enough to be useful to all. Additionally, you should know there are many more steps that might be added to this workflow, but I consider these the minium steps.

So where does it start? What do you do first? Here’s my list.

1. Smile & Dial

You may be the best photographer who ever lived, but who knows that besides you and your mother? You have to learn sales and marketing if you want to be a professional photographer and there’s no way to sugar coat this. Most successful professional photographers spend time every day contacting prospective clients. Use the phone, send out promo pieces, go to meetings, network. Get the word out. Selling is part of the workflow.

2. Show Your Portfolio

Once you get yourself in front of the right buyer, your next step is to show the pictures. You get hired as a professional photographer by showing your work. You need to show the work every chance you get. It’s like LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION in the real estate business. SHOW THE WORK, SHOW THE WORK, SHOW THE WORK. It should be the thing that drives you every day to get out of bed. You NEED to show the work to somebody that day. Hopefully a photo buyer. Pick your best stuff (and only your VERY best stuff) and show it. Show it online. Show it on an iPad. Show it in a traditional photo book. But show it.

3. Offer An Estimate/Bid

Depending on what sort of photography you do, you will at some point in time need to offer a price. In commercial and editorial assignments, this often requires you to prepare an estimate. In other types of photography you may need to offer a bid, or simply quote a firm full price. Whatever the case, this part of the workflow is as much art as anything else in photography. Price yourself too high, and you’ll get passed over as too expensive. Charge too little, and nobody will take you seriously. Quoting a price means taking into account your expenses, market conditions and the value of your work. Spend some time here. You won’t get a second chance if you screw this part up.

4. Do The Work

After all the planning, all the selling and all the negotiating, you actually get to make some photographs. This is the easy and fun part. But you still have to execute. You need to know your craft. You have to focus on meeting client expectations and doing the job you promised to do. Be professional. Be on time. Stay on budget. Do the work. Everyone wants to be a rock star, but nobody wants to learn the music. Spend time getting the job done right the first time and it will lead to more work.

5. Get paid.

After the shoot, it’s time to get paid. Make sure your invoice matches your estimate or bid. If it doesn’t, be prepared to detail why you went over. Provide copies of receipts for gear rentals, props, studio time, modeling fees, etc. Make sure to include a W-9 form (available for free download from the IRS website) so that your client doesn’t use lack of it to delay payment.

Obviously this is a very brief, very big picture view of the process. But hopefully this post will get you thinking about YOUR workflow. Make sure that at a minimum, these five steps are included if you want to get paid.

10 Smart Questions to Ask Yourself before Shooting at The Beach

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Master Photographer

November, 2011, Hokitika, New Zealand
1/50th sec, f/22, ISO 100
(Post and photo by Tamara Lackey - follow Tamara on Twitter)

I have been fortunate enough to shoot a great number of portraits in a variety of beach locations, in a variety of countries, over the last decade – and, along the way, I have learned a few good things to question in advance.

After, of course, determining the very basic “right time of day to shoot” (1. early morning light! 2. just around sunset!), here are 10 smart questions to ask yourself before selecting the ideal beach location:

How crowded is it?
How wide is the actual beach area, and how much remains after the tide comes in?
Where is the sun rising and setting?
How buggy is it?
What kind of wind shelter is there?
If shade might be needed, how much is offered?
How clean is it? How much debris is washed up on shore and is it safe (jellyfish, etc.)?
What kind of natural seating elements are available?
How rough is the water and what effect might it have?
How long does it take to get to the actual shooting location, and how dark might it be when you return?

There are only another 50 questions you could use to evaluate which beach to shoot at, and I’d be interested to know the questions you ask for the type of beach shooting you prefer – but this should at least get you started when it comes to thinking about selecting a location.

From my perspective, given all those data points, the one question I consider the most, above all others, is how crowded is it? I can deal with any other problem, although lack of any sort of wind shelter is a close second – but not having enough space to move about and shoot in all sorts of directions and really feel the freedom that the beach offers to such sessions is a big miss when it comes to why beach sessions can be so compelling in the first place.

Photographing Hummingbirds in Madera Canyon Arizona – Part II

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Master Photographer

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Before I get into my setups I thought I’d mention the species I photographed in Arizona. I got lots of broad-billed hummingbirds. I happen to think they are the prettiest of the North American species. There were also lots of black-chinned hummingbirds. The most skittish, and the hardest to find and photograph were the magnificent hummingbirds. They are really shy. I also got some blue throat hummingbirds. Down low in the canyon I got costas hummingbird.

Using your hand to gauge exposure is often the best way to make sure you are holding the highlights and have an exposure that’s even with the background.

In order to photograph these birds you’ll need to set up native plants and feeders in the area. It’s best to use the kind of feeder that doesn’t offer a perch. This increases the chances of getting shots of the birds in flight. You can use native flowers to disguise the perch.

Photo Courtesy of Robert O’Toole

You’ll need an abundance of c-clamps, articulating arms, light stands and dows to hold your backgrounds. A tripod with a gimbal head works best for me. You’ll also need flashes.

Don’t laugh – this was our practice bird. We used him to set up our lights and test exposure.

In case you’re wondering, the flashes don’t usually bother the birds one bit as long as you don’t overdo it. Also, it’s best to completely avoid using flash on hummingbirds that are sitting on a nest. This can overheat the bird. They run very close to the edge at all times so any extra heat can be damaging. For most birds, as in almost every other species, flash is NEVER a problem. But with hummingbirds, it’s more troublesome if they are nesting and a few species are spooked by the flash. So don’t overdo it.

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

I made sure the flashes evenly lit the background. The camera is set to manual mode and the ISO is set according to conditions. Usually ISO 200 in sun – 400 in shade. The shutter speed should be set to the highest the camera allows when using flash. Usually 1/125 to 1/250 of a second. Consult your camera manual to find out which shutter speed your camera uses. Then stop down the aperture to somewhere between f/19 and f/22. Since I was pre-focusing on the edge of the feeder I needed lots of depth of field. After that, it’s like all other bird photography. Hurry up and wait. In Arizona you might see one bird an hour or hundreds. Unfortunately, they don’t come just because you want them to.

I have also been able to get the birds using autofocus on the 5d MK III. This is remarkable to me because I’ve never been able to get AF to work on something this small and fast.

A handheld light meter also comes in hand when setting the flash exposure.

It seems best to work with the background backlit. That way you can establish a shady place to sit and for the birds to perch. The males in particular don’t seem to like to come out into the sun since that makes them easier to spot. I used backgrounds ranging from poster board purchased at a local art store to painted backgrounds. It doesn’t really matter as long as it isn’t distracting.

Here’s a typical setup with our background and feeder.

On the second phase of the trip I switched to Quantum Q-flashes with Quantum battery packs. These worked MUCH better than the Canon flashes. They are larger light sources since they come with built in reflector cans and are therefor more forgiving. They are also more powerful, recycle faster and just seem to throw off a prettier quality of light. In most of the successful setups I only needed three flashes – occasionally I used four of the Quantums. They are more expensive than the Canon flashes but more versatile and I enjoyed them so much I’m going to use them in the future.

The overall setup…

Most of this boils down to patience. You have to be VERY patient – sometimes waiting an hour to see a bird. You have to be ready at all times and you have to be still and quiet. Most of the interns I’ve worked with can’t meet those criteria When the hummingbirds come in, you literally have a few seconds to get the shot. And you don’t get many second chances.

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

I was severely tasked during this shoot. I had no trouble getting the perched or nested birds, although this was more challenging than usual since these critters are so small. With perched and nesting birds, I used natural light. But the flight photography was really difficult and in my case, required multiple flashes. I have to try this again and again in order to get really good at it. But it was fun, and I did get some images I am proud of.

If you’re looking for a challenge, go find some hummingbirds. Bring your camera, lots of light and lots of patience and good luck.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and want to encourage you to give this a try yourself if you have any interest.

Photographing Hummingbirds in Madera Canyon Arizona – Part I

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Master Photographer

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Executive Summary: Photographing hummingbirds is incredibly hard!

The hummingbird is the only bird in the world that can fly backwards. That in and of itself makes me like them. While I’ve photographed many birds, this is my first serious attempt at hummingbird photography. So prior to this expedition to Arizona, I did what I always do. I studied. The more you know about your subject, the more likely you are to be successful at making great images.

I had a lot to learn about hummingbirds and it so far has helped me get some nice starting shots.

Here are some random hummingbird facts. Hummingbirds flap their wings in a figure-8 pattern. They can flap their wings more than 50 times per second. They can’t walk because their feet are too small. Because of their fast metabolism, hummingbirds must feed approximately every 10 minutes. They can take in nourishment thanks to a fast tongue that licks 13 times a second.

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Hummingbirds have great memories. They can remember where they fed years ago, and their movements help to pollenate flowers. (This particular fact is of great importance to photographers, because setting up feeders in advance of your shoot is key to bringing in enough birds to improve your chances.)

Their communication is almost exclusively by display, although they do make some sounds and have a number of unmusical calls. They get their name from the humming sound their fast-beating wings make.

Now did all this knowledge help me get great hummingbird shots? Not exactly. It sure got me in the game, but there’s much more to it. There’s a lot of skill (which requires practice and experience I don’t have) mixed in with a little luck – required to get great hummingbird shots. I got a few shots I am proud of but man oh man this is hard stuff.

I broke my trip down into two phases and stayed at two different lodges in the canyon. In this post, I’ll sum up what I learned in phase one of the trip. In tomorrow’s post I’ll conclude.

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Thanks to Borrowlenses.com I had seven Canon flashes to work with but my main setup required between four and five. I used a series of stands and clamps to hold the flashes and backgrounds in place. Using paper backgrounds makes it much easier to position the flash so that you get a clean shot of the bird. Natural backgrounds are almost impossible to work with unless you’re just incredibly lucky.

Hummingbirds are remarkably tame, but they do like routines and have some of the same needs as all birds, including cover, perch and food source. In order to get my shots I positioned myself so that I would be able to provide all three. I also made sure that I worked in the shade. This made me and the birds more comfortable.

The place was Madera Canyon Arizona. South of Tucson and just 80 miles or so from the Mexican border, this is known as hummingbird central. The high hills and temperate climate attract the hummingbirds to this area. I saw as many as seven different species over a week’s time. Depending on the time of year (late April, early May is best) you may see more or less. I was able to photograph four or five different species.

Using feeders containing the water/sugar solution that hummingbirds eat – (they also eat insects) it was fairly easy to draw the birds in. But it is best to take a day or two to set the feeders up before trying to photograph hummingbirds. In fact, a week would be better. That way they get used to the feeders and are more comfortable coming into the area.

On phase one of the trip I stayed at Chuparosa Inn. It’s a lovely little bed and breakfast. I’m not a B&B kind of guy but the owners were friendly and they had minimal WI-FI and lots of birds. The problem at this place was actually too many birds – and that was because there were too many feeders. I am sure that bird watchers would consider this place a paradise, but as far as photography goes, it’s tough. I had poor luck there because the birds had too many feeders to choose from.

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

So lesson one. Set up multiple feeders in the general area you want to shoot in over a few days time and gradually withdraw them one at a time so there are only one or two left. This increases your chances of getting a bird to come to YOUR feeder – you know – the one you’ve carefully lit with a bunch of flashes!

The time spent during phase one of the trip was almost all educational. Translated – that’s when I made most of my mistakes. I did figure out what I was doing wrong but I didn’t get any shots at the feeders during this phase that I love. I did get some perched shots and one shot of a hummingbird on the nest.

In tomorrow’s post I’ll go into more detail about my setup and how the images were made.

How To Copy My “Cranes In The Fire Mist” Shot

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Master Photographer

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Some of you are aware that one of my most successful photographs was made at Bosque del Apache New Mexico a few years back. It is called “Cranes in the Fire Mist.”

There is a part-time photographer (calling himself a pro) who seems obsessed with everything I do and who recently claims he got his “own version” of my shot. Well first I am flattered that he wants to copy me, but I want to point out it’s not that hard – especially the way I think he did it.

The railroad pond (the area where my shot was made) is officially off limits at Bosque. The Refuge and the railroad company have posted no trespassing and no parking signs there and the Refuge has said they will prosecute people who violate the law. Additionally the railroad company has claimed they will also take legal action against trespassers. This past November, I witnessed police citing at least two photographers who went beyond the signs to try to make the shot.

So – for someone to have made their own version of “Cranes,” they either committed a criminal act and ignored the no trespass sign, or more likely – they cheated. And I”ll show you how.

Note the photo above. It’s similar to my original shot but it’s made in an entirely different location. I made this photo too. It’s NOT the same shot though. In fact – it’s facing west not east and it’s made in the late after noon not at sunrise.

The Farm Loop Road as it’s called at Bosque turns on itself at the west side of the refuge. There’s one part of that road where – if you know what you are doing – you can position yourself so that when the birds are landing in the late afternoon sun, a golden glow and the appearance of “mist” can occur, making it possible to copy my shot. The key is using a very long lens and getting someone to drive quickly through that area while you wait for the dust to kick up. That is what creates the illusion of the mist. In my opinion, it’s cheating compared to the way I originally did it – which is wait out nature to get the result – but hey, to each his own.

But it’s important to note to my would-be imitator that anyone who wants to – can try to make the shot. I encourage it! Get yourself to Socorro, New Mexico next November and give it a try. But don’t shoot from the railroad pond unless you want to risk interaction with the cops. Additionally, the Refuge management isn’t too happy about the loads of photographers who visit Bosque each year and incidents where people ignore the signs at the railroad pond will only make the situation worse for everyone.

As a side note – If any of you are interested in learning how to make the same shots I do – just ask – I’ll gladly share my story and any tips I can to help you do so safely – no matter who you are.