April 2, 2019

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Love, Engagement, and an Umbrella

Posted in Inspirtion, Technique

Fortune favors the prepared mind – Louis Pasteur.

Although I can’t necessarily impart all of the experience that helped prepare me for this shoot and the resulting image, I can share the philosophy behind it and some practical advice.

Preperation

There was a chance for rain on the day of one of my recent engagement shoots. I have shot in the rain many times and my Nikon D850 and Nikon Z7 are very well suited for any weather I might encounter. Knowing that the cameras are ok getting wet but the strobes not so much, I grabbed a few small wash clothes just in case I needed them.

Brief side tangent: I never use plastic to protect my gear. Plastic will either funnel the water where I don’t want it or allows a small collection of water to form that goes in the wrong direction when I remove the plastic. This is why I like something absorbent like a washcloth.

I also knew that my bride, Devyn, was bringing an umbrella just in case. Everything was ready—Que the rain!

Keep an eye out

Throughout the shoot, I constantly looked around to see what the light was doing to mentally prepare for the next image. I noticed that the clouds to the east were getting very dark and the temperature was dropping. As we finished and began walking back to the car, I took another look around and saw that the sunset had the potential to be amazing.

A little tip on sunsets

I say “potential” because it was dark and gloomy at the moment, but it’s wise to never give up on a sunset too soon.

If you leave before the sunset, you have no chance of seeing a good one. Obvious, I know, but I see people leave all the time just before or immediately after the sun has dipped below the visual horizon. The best time to capture a sunset, especially if there are clouds, is about 5-15 minutes after the actual sunset. During this time the sun itself is blocked from our view but may still illuminate the underneath side of any clouds. So be patient and keep an eye out.

If you want to take the extra step, I recommend get yourself an app like PhotoPills or Sunseeker to help keep track of the exact time and location of the sunset.

The capture

I noticed that the sunset was getting better and better and I remembered the umbrella that Devyn brought—It’s time to make an image! Without the rain, I thought it would be cute to have my couple silhouetted against the sunset with a backlight to create separation. I love silhouettes against a sunset. I imagined the scene as a couple sitting together taking in the majesty of nature happening around them. I wanted to keep it simple, as anything more for me kills the mood and feels unnatural.

I had my groom, Cameron, hold a strobe with a warming gel to give them a little “pop”. Just as I started taking images it began to softly rain—Perfect timing.

Why I chose a strobe

I could have used a LED light, but with a strobe, I had control over ambient and strobe lighting levels separately. Also, if I used a LED light, it would have been much harder to underexposed the sky just one stop to help increase separation for the silhouette and improve color saturation. I use the Nikon SB-5000 as TTL controlled lighting. Any system can do the job, of course, but what I like best is the ability to control the strobe power remotely.

Thanks to being prepared and a fantastic couple willing to stay a little longer and get a bit wet, we had a great experience and awesome images to go along with it. Ten minutes after we started the shot, the sunset was done and I had the images I hoped for. This quick turnaround was a great reminder of how important it is to “know your gear”. Master your gear so it is never in your way and you can create without the hesitation. A moment like this so much easier and more likely to be successful when I can think more about what I want and let my muscle memory take over from there.

Watch the post-process

When it comes down to it, capturing the image is only the first half of my vision, and often times, working with changing light rarely affords the “perfect” in-camera image. You can see how I tuned this moment into the image I had envisioned in the video below from my Spicyjello YouTube channel.

 

This post contains affiliate links. If you’d like to learn more, see my affiliate disclaimer here.

March 16, 2019

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Visualize the Masterpiece

Posted in Inspirtion, Software, Technique

Understanding what you can accomplish with post-processing can make all the difference in your images

Looking at the featured image of this post (above), the image on the right was straight out of camera, and obviously, the image on the left was “tuned”. A side-by-side view is a testament to the amount of information that is contained in a RAW file and is something to keep in mind while processing. In this instance, the processed image is a more accurate rendition of the scene and best represents the way I experienced it.

So why the difference? Why not get the image perfect in camera?

When looking at any RAW file, keep in mind that what you see on your computer monitor is a visual translation representing only a small amount of data available in the file for viewing. RAW files contain an enormous amount of data that, for the most part, we never see unless we move a slider.

The image on the back of your camera is much the same. An engineer worked out for you, how “Faithful,” “Normal”, “Landscape”, or other profiles are supposed to look. The amount of saturation, sharpness, contrast, and other visual elements you see are nothing more than a single, narrow interpretation of your image. Until you get that image into a RAW editor like Capture One, Lightroom, Luminar, and so on, you’ll never see the depths of what that image contains.

In practice

For the image above, I chose to set my Nikon profiles to neutral so that I could see as much information in the highlights and shadows as possible. At the end of the day, I’m not interested in a pretty image on my camera display; it’s useless for the most part. Once that image hits my computer it doesn’t look the same as my camera preview anyway. Unless you are using the camera manufacture’s RAW editing software, almost nothing about the in-camera profiles or styles set in the camera will translate to the computer. For the most part, when bringing an image into your RAW editing workflow, you lose all of the color styles and keep exposure and white balance. From there, the look of your image is up to you. If you do choose to use the manufacture’s software so that your in-camera styles match the editing software, keep in mind that there is still an enormous amount of data in the image file that goes well beyond on what can be represented visually.

Before you take the shot

Prior to creating an image, take into consideration what your camera is capable of and understand the visual range of your files.

Also, take into account how you will edit your image to tell the story best as you see it. For example, imagine standing on a bridge in Zion National Park as the scene gets darker the sky becomes more beautifully lit. Before composing your image, you’ve already decided that you want to show the sky and the shadow detail of the river below. To get that end result, it’s crucial to understand how to get your image to a place that will more faithfully tell the story as you see it, while at the same time recognizing that the camera can’t see the same as your eyes—Being aware of this can often be the difference between a snapshot or a masterpiece.

Putting in the work

Ansel Adams once spoke about a concept by which you “visualize” the image fully in the mind’s eye before pressing the shutter; a concept that is just as meaningful today as it was when Ansel was shooting large format film in Yosemite nearly 100 years ago. The same discipline applies for Ansel as it does for us regardless of the screen on backs of our cameras. Without looking at the preview on the camera, we need to visualize the image fully in our minds with consideration to the process of how we edit, print and display our image.

Visualizing the final image before capture is a skill and discipline that takes time and practice. The more you exercise your mind, the easier previsualization will become. To help with this, know your gear and what your files are capable of. Don’t trust a podcast or technical article to tell you how good your gear is. Go do some tests for yourself. Photograph in the shade and try to predict what the image will look like before looking at the back of your camera. Intentially over and underexpose a series of images and try to recover any lost data in your RAW editor of chose. See what your camera is capable of, as not all cameras are created equal; some have less overexposure latitude while others reveal more noise if the shadows are opened too much. The software you use plays a huge factor as well. Take into account the enormous variety of cameras, sensors, and software—You have an unlimited array of possibilities for any image.

The full progression of the image

Shot on the Nikon Z7 and edited with Capture One Pro 12

 

RAW out of camera

 

I cropped and Increased over all exposure, saturation and recover some highlights.

 

I darken the sky with a linear gradent. Also increased saturation and black point slightly.

 

Using the local adjustment tool. I lightned and increases the clarity of the water and The Watchman.

 

This is my final adjustment:
I used the brush tool to darken upper corners and the land next to the stream.

 

The results

For my Zion image of the Watchman above, I knew that as long as I didn’t overexpose the sky and kept even the slightest detail in the shadows, I had all of the info I needed. As I was pressed the shutter button, I knew just how I wanted to edit the image.

Like most skills in photography, the more you shoot and visualize your final image, the easier the process will become. At some point, visualizing will become second nature and you won’t think of it much anymore. You will simply shoot with a scene in mind and later, while editing, you will see the image as it should be and make it so.

Here is an interesting link with Ansel Adams speaking about the idea of visualizing.

 

 

This post contains affiliate links. If you’d like to learn more, see my affiliate disclaimer here.

January 22, 2019

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Why I Love Aperture Priority

Posted in gear, Technique

I can hear it now—Aperture Priority? Pros only shoot on manual! Nope, that’s just another thread of misinformation that gets people confused and misled.

First and foremost, there are advantages to one method over another, but all that matters is, did you get the shot?

When it comes to camera settings keep in mind that there is no “right way”. I’m not just saying this to ease your mind and make you feel better about your current method. Instead, I say this to free some of you from the belief that if your hero photographer shares their personalized settings, you are not obligated to copy them. So often when I’m teaching and mention my camera setup, others immediately feel they should be doing the same. It’s just not true. Think of how other photographers use their gear as a reference for your own system. I believe it’s better for you to shoot on program mode until you find a need for greater creative control. No need to complicate your photography by applying settings you don’t fully understand. As your skills increase, so will your ability to use different configurations that will best serve you. At that moment, seek out the skills needed to execute your vision. Once you think you have it all figured out, I would respectfully suggest you always keep an open mind for new techniques.

Learning never exhausts the mind – Leonardo da Vinci

Aperture, Shutter, or Manual Settings

Here are some technical differences between the three. Each camera manufacturer labels their settings differently, so for the sake of this article I’ll be using Nikon’s labels.

Aperture Priority

My preferred method and idea for absolute control over depth of field.

The camera works to keep the exposure correct while maintaining the aperture you manually designate.

Advantage

While shooting a wedding where the lighting can change from one shot to the next with often very little time to evaluate each image’s proper exposure, I find aperture priority to be essential. I can grab my 85 1.4 Sigma Art series lens, set the aperture to 2.0 for a shallow look, set the ISO to 400 to keep my shutter speed in a workable range, and get to shooting. The shutter speed will vary as needed while maintaining a proper exposure at the aperture I designated, keeping the “look” that I love about that lens. Aperture Priority is ideal when lighting changes quickly so I that can pay attention to my subjects instead of exposure values.

Disadvantage

If you need to maintain a shutter speed to stop motion, Aperture Priority could easily change your shutter speed outside the workable range to properly stop motion.

Shutter Priority

Perfect for absolute control over motion.

I rarely use Shutter Priority unless it’s a concert or sporting event where I need specific control of motion to capture my subject. In Shutter Priority mode, the camera works to keep the exposure correct while maintaining the shutter speed you manually designated.

Advantage

For subject matter where the motion captured needs to be specific, Shutter Priority is ideal. For example, capturing a motorcycle as they come into your corner or you’re shooting handheld in low light. Shutter Priority will make sure that the shutter speed stays at the exact setting you choose to manage motion.

Disadvantage

Since the camera is working to maintain the shutter speed, the aperture becomes the variable. In this case, you may find the aperture increasing and decreasing the depth of field outside your ideal.

Manual

I only use this for macro and some landscape.

Manual is best for any situation where you need absolute creative control over motion, depth of field, and exposure.

Advantage

Complete control. Manual is excellent when shooting scenes where the lighting confuses the camera’s metering system. Manual is also great for maintaining consistency from frame to frame. Imagine, for example, that you’re doing a product shoot in a studio. You have set up the lighting and swapped out models for products. In this case, Manual will guarantee that each and every frame is the same exposure while Aperture or Shutter Priority will often vary from subject to subject.

Disadvantage

Human error. Manual can be slower and allows for user error. While Manual definitely gives you more control and through practice, you can become very proficient at making changes quickly, there is still a considerable margin of error. Manual shoots what you set while Aperture and Shutter Priority will adjust for correct exposure. Imagine being at a wedding and shooting a ceremony in the shade, and then you set your camera manually. Without any warning, the father of the bride comes around the corner with his daughter, and they are in the sun. If you are caught up in the moment, paying attention to what’s going on around you as you should, you might forget to change your camera settings—Aperture and Shutter Priority to the rescue.

 

So why do I shoot Aperture Priority?

I rely on my camera to do its job so that I can do mine. I want to focus—pun intended—on my subject. I’m very animated while shooting, trying to keep everyone on their toes and having a good time. I don’t want to be overburdened by making too many camera adjustments.

Just to give you an idea, my shooting method starts with me grabbing a lens and setting the aperture for the next round of exposures. Once the aperture is set, I pick an ISO that is close to what I think I need. With my gear, Nikon D5, D850 & Z7, I’m not too concerned about the lowest ISO since I’m confident with any setting below 8000. At this point, I start shooting. With my aperture decided and the ISO providing a range for the camera to pick a shutter speed to maintain a proper exposure, I can shoot and pay more attention to my subject and less to my gear.

Along with aperture priority, I also set my white balance on 5500 Kelvin. All day and in any lighting condition. Because lighting changes so dramatically on a wedding day, I find my post processing much easier to have a fixed color temperature for a series of images that I can quickly correct later rather than auto white balance, giving me invariably different settings or worse, me trying to make the changes and getting distracted from my subjects. Since we’re on the topic of camera settings, I should add that I don’t use back button focus either. I want my thumb free for moving my focus bracket, aperture preview, focus locking, and exposure locking—All functions that I can access at the same time while focusing and shooting.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, do what works for you, but just like the over popularized back button focus, there is no “best” or “right” way. It only matters what works for you. Test, test, test and test some more. It’s all about what works for you to captures those photons.

 

This post contains affiliate links. If you’d like to learn more, see my affiliate disclaimer here.