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Show notes will appear here soon…
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PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.
Photofocus Episode 100
Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne)
Special Guest: Frederick Van Johnson (www.frederickvan.com or www.fvj.me/plus)
Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)
Welcome to Episode Number 100 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne and special guest Frederick Van Johnson. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together. This week, Scott and Frederick talk about Kodak filing for bankruptcy, new cameras from Canon and Nikon, and they answer some listener questions.
Sponsor – Borrowlenses
Borrowlenses.com rents just about any piece of camera gear you need. Contact them today to rent the gear you need for your next shoot.
Discussion – Kodak Files for Bankruptcy
The big news this week was that Kodak has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Scott and Frederick reminisce about the days of film and all that Kodak did for the photography industry. Scott remembers his Kodak rep Mike and the great relationship he had with him. Scott and Frederick both had one of the first digital cameras – the DCS 420 and they discuss how the advent of digital changed the photography industry and affected Kodak. In the 90′s, the big bosses at Kodak down played the importance of digital and in 1999 they decided not to make their own digital camera body which resulted in them being left in the dust. Scott thinks they could have taken that existing relationship they had with photographers and used it to sell and promote Kodak digital cameras. Scott thinks that the only thing they have left is their name and their patent portfolio but doesn’t think that will be enough for them to survive and that their name and patents will be sold off to someone else. Both Frederick and Scott are saddened by this news since Kodak played a large role in their photography careers.
Sponsor – Animoto
Animoto will replace what you think of as a slide show. Upload your photographs and Animoto will make an amazing slide show for you. You can try it for free and create short slide shows. Head on over to Animoto.com and try it today. They now offer 720p videos.
Discussion – Nikon D4 and the Canon 1DX
Scott doesn’t think these new cameras are revolutionary but are both evolutionary. The price on both the D4 and the 1DX are significantly more expensive than their predecessors. Scott thinks Canon is still ahead when it comes to video but Nikon is still leading the way when it comes to low-light performance.
Sponsor – Viewbug
Viewbug is a great place to find out about and enter great photo contests. Visit http://www.viewbug.com/photo-contests to learn more.
Sponsor – SumgMug
SmugMug is a great place to host and sell your photos and your videos.
Listener Questions
This week we kick things off with a question about the Canon 100-400 Push-pull telephoto lens:
Question One – Canon 100-400 Push-Pull Lens
Terryl Woods from Malibu California wrote to us about the Canon 100-400mm push-pull lens and wonders why it’s so controversial and what the problems are with it?
Scott: It’s a fairly old lens and was one of the first big zooms Canon sold. Instead of twisting it, you push and pull it. One of the biggest problems is that the push pull mechanism would bring dust into the camera. Since it’s older technology it’s also not one of the sharper lenses in the zoom range.
Question Two – Figuring Out the Focal Length
John Harginhand is trying to figure out the focal length of his zoom lenses but is having a hard time figuring the effective focal length from the EXIF data.
Frederick: He should be able to get that in the EXIF data. In Lightroom, when he clicks on the image, it should tell him in the inspector exactly which focal length he was at. He’ll find it in the Library mode under meta-data. The camera will record it when you press the shutter.
Scott: The data is there. You just have to figure out where it is using the program you are running for your photo editing.
Question Three – Editing Photos
Ryan Corum in Washington DC writes: I’ve always been taught to take as many photos as you can to ensure you’re getting the best shot and even then you can make it better in post but I’ve read that professional photographers don’t edit 99% of their shots. I find this hard to believe. How often do you edit your shots?
Scott: If it’s photojournalists, then they don’t edit their shots. If it’s for me, I don’t let anything reach a client that has been edited. I try to get it as close in camera so we never spend more than 2 minutes editing a photo. Spend time editing if you have the time and you enjoy it.
Frederick: Editing will be different for everyone. The metric is time and how much time you want to spend on an image. Most professionals will try to turn images over more quickly since time is money whereas a hobbyist might have more time to spend editing a single photograph. You can even outsource your editing to companies.
Wrap Up
We want themes and questions from you. Be sure to visit the blog at PhotoFocus.com for articles, how-to’s, videos and more. E-mail us at photofocus@me.comfollow us on Twitter. Don’t just take pictures – make pictures.
Scott Bourne is at www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne or www.3exposure.com or www.carloves.com
Frederick Van Johnson is at www.frederickvan.com or www.fvj.me/plus or www.thisweekinphoto.com or www.mediabytes.com orwww.twitter.com/frederickvan
Show notes by Edmonton Wedding Photographers Bruce Clarke at www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke
Make sure you don’t miss a single Photofocus post – point your feed reader to the free Photofocus RSS Feed here and subscribe.
PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.
Show notes will appear here soon.
_______
This Post Sponsored by:
Viewbug - Fun Photo Contests - Animoto – Great animated slide shows from your photos / BorrowLenses.com – Renting Canon, Nikon, Olympus & Sony, bodies, lenses, etc. / SmugMug – Professional Photo Sharing / Digital SLR Store - Cameras, lenses, accessories and everything else.
Make sure you don’t miss a single Photofocus post – point your feed reader to the free Photofocus RSS Feed here and subscribe.
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Photofocus Episode 99
Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne)
Special Guest: Rich Harrington (www.richardharringtonblog.com or www.twitter.com/rhedpixel)
Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)
Welcome to Episode Number 99 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne and special guest Richard Harrington. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together. This week, Scott and Rich talk tech and answer some listener questions.
Discussion – Talking Tech for 2012
There have been several big announcements from some of the major camera manufacturers and there are some new software updates on the way. At CES there were several announcements and new products revealed. While CES was going on, Scott had a chance to try out the Lytro camera and feels that it’s very misunderstood. You can read more about it in Scott’s post here. Scott thinks that this camera will require you to be a better photographer than you already are. Scott saw them create a time lapse where the focus shifted during the time lapse. Scott thinks that by Version 3, we will see this technology in the cameras that we use and sees it being particularly useful when shooting video. Scott thinks that this is the foothold into holography and you really need to think differently when shooting with a camera like this. This stuff will really take off when real artists come up with ways to use this stuff that even they haven’t thought of. Rich can’t wait until this comes out and hopes there will be an open API that will open up this device.
Lightroom 4 Beta is now also available with a much larger emphasis on video. Rich thinks it’s nice to see them embracing video and that photographers will be able to work with video they way they want. Scott thinks that we’ll begin to re-define the space where we exhibit imagery. Rich thinks we are moving beyond the world of prints and digital signage is becoming king for public display of photography.
Sponsor – Animoto
Animoto will replace what you think of as a slide show. Upload your photographs and Animoto will make an amazing slide show for you. You can try it for free and create short slide shows. Head on over to Animoto.com and try it today. They now offer 720p videos.
Sponsor – Borrowlenses
Borrowlenses.com rents just about any piece of camera gear you need. Contact them today to rent the gear you need for your next shoot.
Listener Questions
This week we kick things off with a question about Eye View Multimedia:
Question One – Eye View Multimedia
Layfayette Hicks asks what is Eye View and why do people love it so much?
Scott: Eye View is the pre-cursor to Aperture. I don’t believe that is currently still being developed.
Rich: I’ve always heard good things about it and there are certain products that once somebody gets used to using it they will continue to use it until they no longer can. It was a solid program but Rich doesn’t think it’s for sale anymore/
Question Two – Vertical Panoramas
Rob Palumbo asks: I’m interested in shooting vertical panoramas. Does the camera need to pivot on the focal plane or the lens’s nodal point? And can you recommend a good tripod for this purpose?
Rich: We cover this extensively at Triple Exposure. Officially all of those things matter but software is so good that they don’t matter. I’m a big fan of shooting vertical because you get more resolution. Beyond that, the idea is that for a true panorama, people go through great lengths to ensure that they are working around the nodal point. The only special equipment I use is an L bracket to make it easier to lock the camera in either a vertical or horizontal position. I like having degree markers on my panoramic head. I do about a 3rd of my panos hand-held. Shoot two pictures for each plate if you’re dealing with a busy scene and Photoshop is really good at eliminating the differences.
Scott: I think nodal points are important if you’re doing 3D or high-end work for movie houses, but Photoshop is just so good at merging images you can achieve pretty good results just making a hand-held panorama.
Sponsor – SumgMug
SmugMug is a great place to host and sell your photos and your videos.
Sponsor – Viewbug
Viewbug is a great place to find out about and enter great photo contests. Visit http://www.viewbug.com/photo-contests to learn more.
Question Three – Neutral Density Filters
Roderick Henry asks: What’s a neutral density filter and why would someone use one?
Rich: It’s basically sunglasses for your camera. A lot of times when shooting video, you want that shallow depth of field which means your aperture is open very wide which lets a lot of light into the sensor. You put an ND filter on and it acts like sunglasses and cuts down the amount of light.
Scott: It’s great if you want to do those creamy, soft water shoots in the daytime. An ND filter allows you control exposure, particularly when shooting video. The Singh Ray Vari ND is a great ND filter when shooting video.
Question Four – Stress on Lens Mounts
Dean Mislawski from Michigan writes: He has a Canon 7D with a 70-200mm lens on a monopod and thinks that sometimes the junction between the camera lens and the body is stressed and wonders if there are any guidelines for moving around with a large lens without a tripod.
Scott: If it’s the brand new 70-200mm, I could see it putting some stress on the lens mount but likely not enough to break it but it might be enough to require tightening or adjustment. Once you start getting into the 300 – 500mm lenses, they are definitely big and heavy enough that if you started swinging it around you could actually break that mount. When you’re using a long lens, get in the habit of grabbing the camera by the lens or the lens collar and not by the body. That will put a lot less stress on the camera body and where they connect.
Rich: When I shoot video, I find that a monopod is a great thing to have in those situations. It takes the weight out of your hands and will give you smoother shots.
Wrap Up
We want themes and questions from you. Be sure to visit the blog at PhotoFocus.com for articles, how-to’s, videos and more. E-mail us at photofocus@me.comfollow us on Twitter. Don’t just take pictures – make pictures.
Scott Bourne is at www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne or www.3exposure.com or www.carloves.com
Rich Harrington is at www.richardharringtonblog.com or www.twitter.com/rhedpixel
Show notes by Edmonton Wedding Photographers Bruce Clarke at www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke
_______
This Post Sponsored by:
Viewbug - Fun Photo Contests - Animoto – Great animated slide shows from your photos / BorrowLenses.com – Renting Canon, Nikon, Olympus & Sony, bodies, lenses, etc. / SmugMug – Professional Photo Sharing / Digital SLR Store - Cameras, lenses, accessories and everything else.
Make sure you don’t miss a single Photofocus post – point your feed reader to the free Photofocus RSS Feed here and subscribe.
PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.
Show notes will appear here soon.
_______
This Post Sponsored by:
Viewbug - Fun Photo Contests - Animoto – Great animated slide shows from your photos / BorrowLenses.com – Renting Canon, Nikon, Olympus & Sony, bodies, lenses, etc. / SmugMug – Professional Photo Sharing / Digital SLR Store - Cameras, lenses, accessories and everything else.
Make sure you don’t miss a single Photofocus post – point your feed reader to the free Photofocus RSS Feed here and subscribe.
PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.
Show notes will appear here soon.
(Sorry we had a misfire. Today’s show was an experiment with BlogTalk Radio that didn’t work as well as we’d hoped. But on the positive side we’ve already figured out how to make it better the next time. We appreciate your patience.)
_______
This Post Sponsored by:
Adorama – More than a Camera Store - Animoto – Great animated slide shows from your photos / BorrowLenses.com – Renting Canon, Nikon, Olympus & Sony, bodies, lenses and more / SmugMug – Professional Photo Sharing / Tenba – Photo Messenger Bags
Make sure you don’t miss a single Photofocus post – point your feed reader to the free Photofocus RSS Feed here and subscribe.
PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.
Photofocus Episode 96
Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne)
Special Guest: Kevin Kubota (www.kubotaimagetools.com or www.twitter.com/kevinkubota)
Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)
Sponsor – Adorama
Adorama is much more than a camera store. Visit Adorama.com.
Welcome to Episode Number 96 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne and special guest Kevin Kubota. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together.
This week we kick things off with a question about reflectors:
Question One – Reflectors
What’s the difference between a gold, silver and white reflector? Peter Williams Toronto, Ontario CA
Kevin: It will be the color and intensity that it reflect. If you’re looking for that that warm California sun kissed look then the gold works really well. If you want that same crisp light without the gold cast then silver works really well. White is a bit softer and more neutral. Personally I tend to go with white reflectors.
Scott: There are times when you want specularity and that’s when you’ll use the silver reflector.
Question Two – dSLR or Dedicated Video Camera
I know you shoot a lot of video. Is it better to use a DSLR or a dedicated video camera? Herman Goldman New York
Kevin: Personally I use a dSLR because I like being able to use all the lenses I have.
Scott: dSLRs are a lot of fun but can be hard to focus with. I’ve moved to dedicated video cameras for big shoots because you don’t have to gear them up like you do with dSLRs. I like the Canon XF series but I do have the C300 on order. If you’re going to shoot with a dSLR, I recommend getting something like a Zacuto Z-Finder.
Question Three – Protecting Gear from Condensation
When people say to put your camera and lens in a Ziploc bag so the condensation forms on the bag not the lens do I need to put just the body and lens that is not in my camera bag in the Ziploc bag or all the lenses that I will be using on that shoot? Dean Blowers Stoke, England
Scott: If you’re carrying stuff into extreme environments, you may want to put everything into Ziploc bags. This will keep the condensation on the bag and not on the gear. If you’re buying any used gear and it has mold on it – steer clear.
Sponsor – SumgMug
SmugMug is a great place to host and sell your photos and your videos.
Question Four – Using the Distance Scale
How does one use the distance scale on a lens for photography and video? I have the EF-S 15-85mm Canon lens. Soujanna Sarkar
Kevin: You’ll see lines on the lens that used to correspond to an f-stop and that would tell you the range of what would be in focus. As far as using it, most people don’t use them anymore because they rely upon their auto focus and through the lens.
Scott: For me, the distance scale has mostly been to determine the hyperfocal distance but with most of the modern lenses you can’t do that anymore. In the video world we use it for focus. These days though it’s really just an approximation.
Question Five – Things to Look For When Buying Used Gear
I’d love to know what you look out for when buying used gear and that sort of thing. I see great prices on eBay occasionally, but I’m a little leery of that, considering how little recourse you have. Jim Hoffman
Kevin: I have bought stuff on eBay before and haven’t run into any issues but I do know people who have. If you’re going to buy used, buy from a dealer who will give you a warranty. Some of the cameras will keep track of shutter actuations which you might be able to check out.
Scott: I think you’re always going to be safe if you buy from a well-known National store like KEH or Adorama. If you buy in eBay, look for their selling history and their reputation. Things to look for – excessive wear and tear, dust or mold inside the lens, worn out connectors, zooms that are loose, etc. Take some test pictures if you can.
Question Six – Exposure Problem Shooting Egrets
I love to take photos of the Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets we have in new England during the warm weather. They are so white that I have real problems getting any detail in the feathers. By the time i reduce the exposure enough to get detail in the feathers the rest of the photo is way too dark. What do you suggest? Marty Grassie
Kevin: Whenever you have extreme contrast in the scene and you want to hold important detail there are a couple of ways to handle it. One is to take an incident reading and not reflective reading. Try using a spot meter on the dress or the egret and then over expose by a stop. Then you can open up the shadows in post, especially if you’re shooting in RAW.
Scott: I know this problem well. They key is shooting RAW and holding the detail in the highlights.
Sponsor – Animoto
Animoto will replace what you think of as a slide show. Upload your photographs and Animoto will make an amazing slide show for you. You can try it for free and create short slide shows. Head on over toAnimoto.com and try it today. They now offer 720p videos. Sign up for Animoto Plus before December 31st, 2012 using the code PHOTODEC and get three months free.
Question Seven – Focus Area on a Fisheye Lens
On a fisheye lens, is the depth of field parallel to the camera or parallel to the curvature of the front lens element? (i.e. is the focus “area” curved?) JC from Rockland, Ontario, Canada
Kevin: I’m going to take a wild guess that the plane of focus will still be parallel to film plane or sensor even though the lens element is curved. I find that they are designed to give you a flat plane of focus.
Scott: If you shoot a fisheye lens at wide open, then everything is still in focus so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Even at f4 everything will be in focus.
Question Eight – Camera Level vs. Bubble Level
I had an occasion to shoot something that needed to be exactly level. I was using a Canon 7D on a Manfrotto tripod that had a bubble level. When I went into the camera’s level function I found that it didn’t agree with the bubble level. So, which one should you trust? ( I went with the bubble.) Kevin Grishkot
Scott: I think this is a trick question. The tripod might be level at the height that the tripod is sitting but the camera is going to be higher than the tripod. Just because the tripod is level, doesn’t necessarily mean the camera is level. Ultimately I would trust the cameras levels the least because they are electronic.
Kevin: Go with whichever bubble is closest to the film plane.
Question Nine – Street Photography and Model Releases
I would like to grab some shots of people begging on the street. Occasionally, I do drop some money in their buckets and I would like to take their photo for A) my blog and B) to insert in one of the print articles I write for publication. I’m hesitant to ask them because I feel anything verbal would be useless…or would it? I realize you’re not a lawyer (thank God!) but the other day you talked about shooting people on a public street and if one didn’t use it in an advertisement, it would be okay. Certainly, personal use would be okay, but what if I’d like to post on my blog or use in a print article in a commercial publication (NOT sold to an agency as an ad)? Is this okay without any written or even verbal permission because it’s on a “public street?” Larry Gauper Fargo, North Dakota
Scott: I would take the picture and if it’s supposed to be photojournalistic I wouldn’t ask. I would throw a dollar in the bucket and then wouldn’t use that photo for anything other than art or editorial use. No agency will buy it without a release.
Kevin: A verbal release is useless, no matter how much they say it will be okay.
Question Ten – Memory Card Went Through the Wash
I inadvertently left my 32GB Sandisk CF card in my pants when they went through the wash. I have heard 3 different views on this: 1. The card should be fine, people say they reuse them with no problem. 2. The card should be fine, but if you’re doing paid work, you might think twice about using it. 3. The card is toast, and should be thrown out. After over a week of sitting on my kitchen table to dry, I put it in my 5D Mark II today, and the card formatted fine, and I took about 15 or so test shots, and all was ok. Being it was a fairly expensive card, should I trust it, or take a few minutes and cry about the loss and throw it away? Ken Jancef
Kevin: From my experience, I haven’t had any problems after running a card through the wash. If you’re shooting paid work, then you might want to play it safe and use it for less critical jobs. It’s also a good idea to label your cards with the date or some other way of indicating that it got wet so you’ll remember which card it was if you do have issues.
Scott: I’ve done it too and used the cards for years with no problems. Most Pro dSLRs now come with two cards slots and you can configure them shoot to both cards simultaneously so I like to configure them that way on big jobs where I can’t afford to lose anything.
Sponsor – Tenba Bag
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Question Eleven – Getting Started in Wedding Photography
I’d like to break into wedding photography as a business. Do you have any tips on how to go about 1. Getting experience 2. Getting gigs. William Johnson Los Angeles, CA
Kevin: I started by offering my services to other photographers and friends as a sideline shooter. Then start by offering services to friends or family who otherwise weren’t going to hire a photographer so you can get some images for your portfolio.
Scott: Getting gigs is all about networking. Try to connect with all the other wedding vendors. Make sure you do some second shooting before you try to do a wedding on your own.
Question Twelve – Holding Detail in the Shadows or the Highlights
If you have to choose between holding detail in the highlights or the shadows, how do you decide? Mary Ellis Philly, PA
Kevin: I would hold the hi lite detail in most cases but that is presuming that is the most important part of your subject.
Scott: Decide what the most important thing is in the photograph. If it’s bright, hold the hi lites. If it’s dark, hold the shadows.
Question Thirteen – Workflow for Image Backup and Archiving
Can you briefly describe your image backup/archive workflow? I want to make sure I don’t lose any valuable images to a blown hard drive. Mark Thomas Vancouver, BC
Scott: I don’t think an image is real until it’s in at least three places. I shoot dual format cameras with two cards taking the same picture. When I get back to the office, I immediately off load them to Aperture which is stored on a large RAID array. After I do that, I have a separate copy of the Aperture vault that I copy to a drive that put in a plastic static free box that I take home. That way I have a copy away from my office. Then at night we have an automated system that backs it up into the cloud in another location. Then I will erase the CF cards.
Kevin: I have a similar workflow. I will shoot two cards in the camera. I then throw them onto a RAID drive and back up to a 2nd RAID drive. We used to burn a DVD for weddings of the original files and we store that off site at my home. Once I’ve verified that it’s in at least 2 places, then we clear the cards.
Sponsor – Borrowlenses
Borrowlenses.com rents just about any piece of camera gear you need. Contact them today to rent the gear you need for your next shoot.
Question Fourteen – Cropping Images
Is it okay to crop an image to something other than a standard size? All the frames I see in stores are 5×7 or 8×10 but sometimes I like to shoot odd dimensions? Sally Sorlee Paris, France
Scott: I shoot whatever I want and let them build a frame for it. I will also buy a standard frame and then get a custom mat cut for it. That will be much cheaper than a custom frame.
Kevin: I love to play with all kinds of different crops. You don’t have to buy the frames from the stores. Many of the labs will do custom canvas wraps in just about any size you need. If you see it in a certain way then I say show it that way. You can also get custom frames done.
Question Fifteen – Sorting and Selecting Images
How do you sort out your keepers when you come back from a photo shoot? Are there images you just discard out of hand or do you rate each image and then continually cull them until you find the ones you like? Luke Hanson London, UK
Kevin: I do a combination of both. I go through and use star ratings to tag everything I like. I will then hide the other ones and start rating images up and compare similar images to pick the best. I have a system that tells me what each star means.
Scott: I use Aperture and I hit the 9 key for anything I know I’m not going to want. Then I hit 3, 4 or 5 stars to narrow down my choices and then I’ll go back and 9 the 3s and 4s until all I’m left with are 5 star images. I don’t normally delete images unless they are a pure black or white frame or completely out of focus and not usable because you never know what they might be worth later on.
Wrap Up
We want themes and questions from you. Be sure to visit the blog at PhotoFocus.com for articles, how-to’s, videos and more. E-mail us at photofocus@me.com follow us on Twitter. Don’t just take pictures – make pictures.
Scott Bourne is at www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne or www.3exposure.com or www.carloves.com
Kevin Kubota is at www.kubotaimagetools.com or www.twitter.com/kevinkubota
Show notes by Edmonton Wedding Photographers Bruce Clarke at www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke
Make sure you don’t miss a single Photofocus post – point your feed reader to the free Photofocus RSS Feed here and subscribe.
PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.
Photofocus Episode 95
Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne)
Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)
Welcome to Episode Number 95 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together.
This week we kick things off with a question about achieving a certain look with group shots:
Question One – Group Shots
I need help with group shots. I look at posed band shots in rock magazines, and often wonder what the photographer said to the band to make them give a certain look. I’m sure it was a little more than ‘Look Moody’. So as a photographer what would you say to a get them to look a certain way. Chris from Portsmouth in the UK.
Scott: I’m not a big fan of the thuggish look that many bands are going for these days. That being said, what you need to do is experiment with getting different reactions out of people to get the look you want. For example, if you want them to look relaxed and happy – tell a joke. If you want them to look stunned – have a prop or show them something. Personally I would encourage them to be themselves.
Question Two – Lens Suggestion for the Olympus E-P3
Like you I bought an Olympus E-P3. In your opinion what is the best lens for architecture in cities and old towns? The 45mm is great, for sure, but it is too long. 17mm pancake is not quite faster than the kit zoom, but it is sharper? Roland Bley
Scott: For architecture, I would use the E-P3 12mm lens. It’s not the perfect architectural camera because it doesn’t have a tilt-shift or swings and tilts.
Question Three – Posing & Lighting Suggestions for a Portrait
I have the pleasure of making the photos of an older couple in their mid seventies. I would love any suggestions on posing and lighting for a couple this age. I have one all-manual (no TTL) flash and an umbrella I can use off camera if suggested and will be doing this in their home. Esteban Valverde Gilbert, AZ
Scott: I would spend some time with them before the shot. Get to know them and get them relaxed. Find out what they are about and let them do most of the talking. Then as that happens, start to work on making the shot. Get them to be as close as you can and have them wrap their arms around each other. Look at some portrait books to get some poses that you’ll like. Shoot in a way that is going to be pleasing. In terms of the light, try to shoot fairly flat to lose some of the wrinkles. Focus on expression over perfection.
Question Four – Teleconverters and Sharpness
I have a Canon 70-200 f4L (Non-IS) lens that I recently discovered was sharpest at around f8. Since then, I have been wondering how a 2x Teleconverter would change things. I understand that when using a teleconverter that my aperture will be multiplied by 2, but since my lens is sharpest at f8 anyway, it seems like this may be a viable option to gain some extra distance. I expect there will be a slight change in the sharpness when adding extra glass, but I would like to hear your thoughts on the subject and any other possible negative effects the 2x teleconverter may have. Robin Horn
Scott: A 2x converter is a challenge to use. If you are using an older model or an off-brand teleconverter, they just plain suck. The new models are good but I would shoot them at around f11 just to be safe if you’re going for maximum sharpness. It can introduce the possibility of flare and may reduce contrast. You’ll also have to get used to working at 400mm at the furthest distance and you’ll magnify all of the imperfections that are already there. Test it out by photographing a newspaper and see what aperture provides the sharpest results.
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Question Five – Telephoto
I hate to sound like a newbie but I AM a newbie. What the heck does telephoto mean, as in telephoto lens? Helen Small, Orlando, FL
Scott: Telephoto just means that it’s a long focus lens. There is a lot of science and technology behind it but basically you’ll be narrowing the field of view. The longer the telephoto lens, the narrower the field of view. It makes it looks like you got closer to something.
Question Six – Shooting to the Right
I use a Canon 400D and shoot mainly jpegs when shooting wildlife, motorsports etc for faster buffer recovery, I also shoot RAW when it is more suited to the subject. I am always hearing about “Shooting to the right” on the histogram, is this method applicable to jpeg as well as RAW. Keith Killigrew Worcestershire England
Scott: No, it’s not. If you’re shooting jpeg, you want to be shoot spot on. Shooting to the right when you shoot in RAW is done to give you the most data when capturing your image. If you have too much data then it’s not good either so you want to find a happy medium.
Question Seven – Bean Bags
I’ve heard you talk about using a bean bag when you photograph birds. A bean bag? Like you buy at the store? How does that work. Sorry if this sounds stupid. Elliot M. Bay Boston, MA
Scott: It’s basically a cloth bag with a zipper that you will fill with some type of bean. This makes it easier to transport and you can fill it when you reach your destination. Then you place it over your car door or any place you want to steady your camera lens. I will often use a bean bag when I shoot in Bosque Del Apache and shoot from my car. I do this because the birds aren’t generally afraid of the car but if you get out of the car you’ll flush the birds out and they’ll fly away. The bean bag steadies the lens and makes it easy to work.
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Question Eight – Naming Images
Seems like regardless of how special the image is to me a name/title NEVER jumps out at me. How critical is naming a shot for art sales/portfolio use? Any suggestions for naming generation? Colonel Duke Anaheim, CA
Scott: I have trouble with this too. The name does matter when you’re dealing with the fine art types. I tend to name things in a very literal way. Some of the most famous photographs of all time have been given simple names so don’t worry about it too much.
Question Nine – Improving Sharpness in Dark Environments
I take a lot of photos of Swing and Ballroom dancers in a dark night club environment. Dancers move around a lot. I use a Canon 1D Mark III, 24-105mm f4 L lens, and a 580ex flash. I set the camera to manual mode, ISO to 500, Aperture to f7.1, to help with focusing errors. Shutter to 1/40th for a little ambient light. Have tried higher shutter speeds up to 1/125th. Focus is set to Ai-Servo with focus point set to auto. Have tried moving a single focus point around but auto seems easier. The flash is set to TTL. I’m relying on the flash to freeze movement. My short and pithy question is: What recommendations can you give to improve my sharp focus keeper ratio? Currently about 40-50%. Gary Jones Orange Park FL
Scott: You need more speed in that environment. Start to think about a faster lens. The f4 likely isn’t fast enough so try to rent or buy the 70-200mm f2.8. Also try setting up a couple of additional flashes. You need more speed and more light. You could cheat down on the aperture.
Question Ten – Using Sliders for Video
Why are you always talking about Sliders when you talk about shooting video with your DSLR? Sam James Los Angeles, CA
Scott: A slider is a device that allows your camera to move side to side on a dolly. Video is about motion pictures and movement is key to good video.
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Question Eleven – Shooting Hand Held with Long Lenses
Is it possible to shoot with a 600 or even 800mm lens hand held? Willam Evans Chicago, IL
Scott: It is possible if you are godzilla. I can’t shoot handheld with a 600 or an 800mm personally. I know people who do but I can’t. I will use a tripod and a gimbal head.
Question Twelve – Mac or Windows
Sorry if you’ve had this question before but do you use Mac or Windows and as a photographer should it matter? Dave Davenport, Pittsburgh, PA
Scott: I’m a diehard Mac guy and have used Macs forever. Windows has really cleaned itself up and all the photographers I know who use Windows don’t seem to have any issues with it. If you want to use Aperture you have to get a Mac. If everyone around you uses Windows, then buy a Windows PC. If everyone around you uses a Mac, then get a Mac.
Question Thirteen – Camera Straps on Tripods
When you mount your camera and long lens to a tripod do you remove the camera strap? I am worried about it flapping around in the wind. Heath Williams London, UK
Scott: If I’m not lazy then I will remove it. It can be a distraction. It can whip around and get in the way. The only reason to leave it on would be for safety if you were worried about it coming off the tripod.
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Question Fourteen – Shadows in Portraits
I am new to portraiture and have heard it’s not good to have the subject’s shadow on your background. How do you avoid that problem? In my first few test shots the shadows are very strong. Alex Penn Toronto, Ont, CA
Scott: It’s a general best practice to not have the shadow on the background. The way to avoid it is to put distance between your subject and the background.
Question Fifteen – Acid Free Papers
Why do Epson and other companies tout their “acid-free” papers for photo printing? Is this something I should be concerned with? Scott Howe St Louis, MO
Scott: Acid free means that it’s archival in nature. There are no harmful brighteners or acids in the papers and those papers without acids in them will last longer.
Wrap Up
We want themes and questions from you. Be sure to visit the blog at PhotoFocus.com for articles, how-to’s, videos and more. E-mail us at photofocus@me.com follow us on Twitter. Don’t just take pictures – make pictures.
Scott Bourne is at www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne or www.3exposure.com or www.carloves.com
Show notes by Edmonton Wedding Photographers Bruce Clarke at www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke
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Photofocus Episode 94
Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne)
Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)
Welcome to Episode Number 94 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together.
This week we kick things off with a question about converting from Aperture to Lightroom:
Question One – Switching Between Aperture & Lightroom
If I switch from Aperture 3 to the most recent version of Lightroom, will I lose the adjustments, keywords, and edits I did in A3? If I later want to move back from LR to A3, will I then lose my adjustments, etc. that were created in LR? Scott Wu from Alhambra, California.
Scott: Depends on how you do it but generally yes. The changes you make in Aperture and Lightroom are basically a text file with a set of instructions that get applied on export. The best way to do it would be to export a high quality version of the file with the changes you made in Aperture along with the original master file and that way you’ll have both images and won’t lose your changes.
Question Two – Zoom Creep
I’ve major problem with zoom creep. My Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM and Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS BOTH extend by themselves whilst pointing downwards, even at a slight angle. While this isn’t a major issue handheld, it’s a pain when using a tripod as just when you think you’ve framed the shot, the lens moves and the shot/focal length and focus all go out of whack. What I want to know is: is this normal?! What can I do to stop it? The problem has gotten worse the more I use these lenses. Jake Williamson, Brisbane, Australia
Scott: Many of the less expensive lenses suffer from zoom creep. All lenses can suffer from it if they are used a lot and may need to be sent in for repair. There is also a product called the Lens Band which is designed to stop zoom creep.
Question Three – Red Eye with Ring Flashes
I always have a red-eye problem when I’m using ring flash for portraits. I know how to remove red-eye with Lightroom or Photoshop, but I would prefer to prevent the red-eye problem to begin with. Do you have an idea of how to make a photo with a ring flash without red-eye ? Ernest
Scott: Depends on the ring flash but that is a standard issue with them and the way they work. Try to change to the angle of the ring flash and that might be enough to avoid the red eye. You can also turn on the pre-flash which will cause the pupil to react before the shot.
Question Four – Traveling with the Sigma 300-800
I know you have the Sigma 300-800. I have one as well and I’m wondering how you travel on a plane with it. I’ve been putting the lens in the case it comes with and then putting that all in a duffel type bag and packing stuff around it and then checking it with the airlines. So far that’s worked, but I’m sure there’s a better, safer way, perhaps a Pelican case. Any ideas? Gary Meyer
Scott: I don’t ship the lens with the airlines. I will send them ahead with Fed Ex or UPS. Another potential solution is to rent gear from somewhere like BorrowLenses. You can also look at cases like the Pelican case but remember that the TSA can and will open all luggage and it putting it in a Pelican case doesn’t guarantee that they won’t knock it around. Always get it insured if you do ship it ahead.
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Question Five – Model Releases for Street Photography
I live in Los Angeles so I have access to celebrities on the street all the time, my question is. If I take a picture of a celebrity say at the Zoo, coming out of a restaurant or just walking on the street, can I post these images on my blog, Youtube channel, Facebook, website, etc. Basically I would not have model release forms for these but would I need it? Jorge Araujo
Scott: If I took the photos and I wanted to use them on my own website I would. However if you wanted to use it for advertising purposes then you’ll need a model release and 100% of celebrities aren’t going to sign one for you.
Question Six – Avoiding Camera Shake
I’ve heard that to avoid camera shake, you should shoot with a shutter speed of 1/focal length. Is this a good rule of thumb? Also, how would you factor in any Image Stabilization on the lens, the crop-factor of the camera and the ISO – do those even make a difference? Nick, Manchester, UK
Scott: Yes this has been the rule forever. The ISO makes no difference. The crop factor is a factor. If you have a 100mm lens on a camera with a crop factor of 1.5x then you need to try and stick with a shutter speed of around 1/150. When in doubt, speed it up.
Question Seven – Eliminating Glare on Glasses
I’ve got a family session coming up in a couple of weeks and 3 out of the 4 of them wear glasses. Shooting without them is not an option, and I don’t trust myself to take the lenses out. Maybe I’m getting a little “cute” with this, but would using a Polarizer work for eliminating the glare off their glasses? Any negative things I need to look out for? Scott Segraves
Scott: Polarizer could work but it depends on the angle and you’re going to lose a lot of light. You might have to deal with it in retouching or you can try cheating the glasses down the nose a bit.
Question Eight – Suggestions for a Photo Scanner
I am looking for a photo scanner. The main use will be to scan old photos but I also I have some slides that I would like to scan. I want to keep the cost low. Models I have been looking at are Epson Perfection v300, v330, v600 and Canon CanoScan 5600F, 9000F. Are these adequate? Is digital ICE technology worth looking at? Lou in Phoenix
Scott: All the Epson perfection scanners I have used have all been good. I don’t have any experience with the CanoScan scanners. Digital ICE technology does work although it’s easy to overdo it so use it at it’s lowest settings. It’s can also be easier to send it out to a company that specializes in scanning depending upon how often you will be doing it. You might also look into renting a scanner.
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Question Nine – Camera Clubs
I often hear you make comments about camera clubs that are a bit snarky. I have been part of my local camera club for three years, and greatly enjoy it. But I definitely agree with some of your comments. While we have begun to be more progressive (i.e. using HDR, Topaz, and just Photoshop in general), I would be interested in hearing what you think would improve the camera club experience. Shane Abbitt Ankeny, IA
Scott: Try to have as many interactions in person as you can. Set some ground rules about being helpful rather than attacking folks. There are camera clubs that are valuable but they tend to be small. Try bringing in guests to bring in different perspectives.
Question Ten – Photographs with Santa
I have to photograph some children indoors with Santa and the only gear I have is a D7000 & 18-105mm lens. What gear should I rent and do you have any advice about how to photograph? I don’t want the typical “mall shots”. Jacob Janzen from Belle River, Ontario, Canada
Scott: The only gear you might need would be some lighting like a stand alone strobe, a speedlite, etc. If you don’t want them to look like typical mall shots, don’t shoot them in the mall. If you have a bit more control, slowing things down helps a lot. Kids are usually pretty high strung at events like this so I would try to meet them in advance and come down to their level. This helps them relax and they find it fun. Get close and focus on the expression.
Question Eleven – Altitude Damage to Sensors
I read that you should never take your digital camera on a airplane! Reason being that at high altitude will start to do damage to your sensor. Now I can understand that if you put in your check in baggage. I understand that the cargo area is not pressurized and the pressure difference is what causes the damage. Now if you take it as carry on and in a pressurized area, I would think it would be very safe. What is your thinking on this subject? Jim Salt Lake City, Ut
Scott: I’ve taken digital cameras on airplanes since there were digital cameras and airplanes and I’ve never seen an issue. This sounds like one of those crazy internet memes. Take your camera on the plane and don’t worry about it.
Question Twelve – Photos Coming out Too Bright
I’m using an EOS 550d/T2i with the kit 18-55 lens and a 430ex ii but all my pictures are too bright. I dialed the flash comp two stops down and exposure also down by one stop – this seems to work now but what could be the reason that everything is too bright? Doesn’t make a difference if I use the flash direct or indirect! Mainly I shoot in Aperture mode with the lens wide open. CVS from Vienna, Austria
Scott: The problem is that your exposure is wrong so you’re not getting the right combination of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. When you’re using flash and you’re not getting the right exposure, my first thought is that you might want to consider switching to TTL mode or ETTL mode. Try to take the flash off the camera and see if you can make a good exposure then you’ll know it’s a flash issue. If you still get a bad exposure with the flash off, it could be a problem with the meter.
Question Thirteen – Shooting Auto Racing in JPEG
I’ve heard you say that when you shoot auto racing you sometimes switch from RAW to JPG. Can you talk a little about that and why you do it? Dave Sanders, San Francisco, CA
Scott: In auto racing we are shooting fast moving cars so the buffer fills very quickly. You want to capture the action so when you shoot in jpeg you can shoot at a higher speed. If I’m shooting portraits or cars then I’ll switch back to RAW.
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Question Fourteen – Best Lens for Shooting Old Buildings
I want to take pictures of historic buildings in Dallas for the historical value of the images. What is the best lens to use when doing so? I have a 24-70 but it is not working as well as I would like for some of the shots of the entire front of the building. Anything else I should look for when shooting older buildings? James Gates, Dallas
Scott: When shooting buildings, one of the problems is that they are often tall and you have to tilt your camera back to fit it in. Consider renting a tilt-shift lens. Most professional architectural photographs will use a view camera with swings and tilts to keep everything straight. If you’re not shooting up, then try to get your hands on a 14-16 mm lens. Canon makes a great 14mm rectilinear corrected lens but they are very expensive.
Question Fifteen – Getting the Flash Off the Camera
What is the difference between European and US versions of cameras? Jean Davis
Scott: The US versions and the European versions are usually different because they are usually different arms of manufacturers. For example, Olympus has a US marketing arm and an Australian marketing arm and they are completely separate with different goals. Some models don’t make it to certain countries because of trade restrictions. Generally speaking, the US has tougher quality controls and the warranties are definitely a bit different.
Wrap Up
We want themes and questions from you. Be sure to visit the blog at PhotoFocus.com for articles, how-to’s, videos and more. E-mail us at photofocus@me.com follow us on Twitter. Don’t just take pictures – make pictures.
Scott Bourne is at www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne or www.3exposure.com or www.carloves.com
Show notes by Edmonton Wedding Photographers Bruce Clarke at www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke
