Rod Deutschmann's blog

Building a 'dramatic' flash image indoors

2012-01-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's the easiest of pictures that give us the hardest of times.

Take the above photo of Robin for instance. At first glance it seems a very simple photograph ... ask Robin to sit down, dial in a decent aperture and shutter speed and fire. That would be great ... but that's not what happened, not by a long shot.

The birth of an image.

This photo's journey started in our hotel room a few nights ago. This was just 12 hours before our most recent cruise and Robin asked if I could take a picture of her. She wanted some art (a simple pic of herself) for her travel blog and thought a photo at the desk would be perfect. She smiled at me, winked and I began creating. (Yeah, it's that easy.)

Onward with the plan ... let's investigate!

As usual I examined my workspace and made a few quick mental notes. The room itself was being lit with three lamps, two at the bedside and one on the desk itself. The bulbs in each could not have been any more powerful than 40-watts (if that). I could easily take a photo of the room though using the lowest possible ISO since I brought my small travel tripod with me (for occasions such as this) ... and I did.

The image to the left illustrates the room and lighting when shot with the tripod mounted camera on a very low ISO setting, with a very (very) slow shutter speed. Specific aperture and shutter speed settings are inconsequential since 'your' hotel room (should you wish to shoot this) will undoubtedly be lit differently. I will tell you however that this was (again) shot with the lowest possible ISO in-camera so that I could get the best possible 'quality' in the final product (less noise, more color, better clarity, and intense contrast and saturation). High ISO settings (as you know) stop this from happening.

The result is nice and is usable but in no way was what Robin wanted. She was pretty specific, she wanted to be at the desk near the window and she needed to be in the shot. So, let's begin again ....

I asked Robin to sit at the desk itself and readjusted my position, camera settings and thought process. Now (of course) I had a few other obstacles in my way. The' straight' shot of the room was simple in comparison (as is any low-light photograph). Just add enough time to your exposure and you can make anything happen. But now we add the element of motion into the equation and things (and attitudes) change dramatically. You see as wonderful as Robin is she can't possibly hold as still as a nightstand or headboard. She needs to breathe for goodness sake and she will not (she can not) sit still for 25 full seconds or more ... or can she?

Here is the fun part.

As a flash photographer you can have the best of both worlds. I can still use a very slow shutter speed to take in (and use) every bit of that magical 40-watt ambient light filling the room yet still get Robin frozen and crisp in my image ... even though I know (as do you) that she'll be moving during the ambient exposure time. You see that's the amazing thing about a flash, it's a second exposure, a quick blast of light that does NOT have anything to do with the ambient light process. As long as my subject is being lit by my flash alone ... it can not be blurry. It's impossible!

Let me explain by walking you through the actual shoot ...

So I set up my tripod once again. This time moving it closer to the writing table and cropping in on Robin and the desk as you see below. As you can also see, I've chosen an exposure level that really creates a bit of mood in the room. Sadly though my white balance is way off.

A huge change of white balance was needed. I then dialed-in a much lower white balance setting (in the 2,500 degree Kelvin range). As the below photo illustrates, this solved my color problem readily yet robin is still quite dark (and quite blurry).

To fix both I'll need to add some light from my flash. In this case though I will not be adding light for the whole room, I'll be very specific and corral it all instead (using a 'snoot') and aim it directly at Robin alone. This will accomplish two things.

First it will bring Robin up from the shadows, yet still allow the room to be moody.
Secondly, it will freeze Robin during the long exposure since my flash (when set to 1/4 power) lasts only 1/40,000th of a second. (Robin is fast, but not that fast. It will not matter if she moves during the exposure, the flash will freeze her no matter what).

So I shot the image ... but made a rookie mistake! Since I had turned my white balance down to 2,500 degrees and since the flash produces light at about 5,200 degrees Kelvin then whatever the flash hit, turned very, very blue. You can see just how blue in the below photo. Luckily however the fix is an easy one.

Since I only need to adjust the color of the flash and not the room ... that's what I did. I grabbed my pack of color gel filters and picked the one (a perfect amber color) that would counter balance all that blue. So with my flash now 'gelled-up', I took the image again.

Yeah, this was what Robin wanted ... pretty cool huh?

Oh and the best part was that these images all were created with my $225 point-n-shoot camera!

To learn more about the art of Manual Photography visit our Web site.

www.iflcsandiego.com

Of two new cameras and a surprising change of attitude

2012-01-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

As many of you know Robin and I surprised each other this Christmas with new Point-n-Shoot cameras! A Nikon P7000 for me and a Canon G12 for her.

We took a few days last week to test drive the machines and while quite different on the outside, each contained something magical within. Both kept up with (and outperformed) my most wildest expectations. Surprisingly though this had very little to do with the machines themselves or the pictures produced. My joy comes from what the camera allowed me to share and (surprisingly) in the change of attitude it forced.

Robin and I love to cruise, actually we just love to be away for a bit with each other and it really doesn't matter where. A cruise ship just makes it easy. A few days ago we walked through customs though, ending an all-too-quick, mini-vacation in which we explored not just the various ports of call but also the wealth of options our new small cameras afford. About the photo: A few of the things I LOVE about manual point-n-shoot cameras is the electronic shutter and that tiny, tiny hole!!! What joy, to be able to achieve perfect focus, supreme sharpness and to use whatever shutter speed I wish with my off-camera flash. (Yes ... you heard me right, I used an off-camera flash with my point-n-shoot to create the top photo! Sure I must have looked silly with such a small camera, hand-holding a full sized flash ... but it was the only to get the image I envisioned and oh what fun we had making it!).

I have to admit that I've been worried over the past few years. I've seen photography turn from an art form into a simple record collection, where people have seriously forgotten (or have no interest) in creating something meaningful with their camera. Manual focus and 'interpretive' exposure control has been 'gone' now for nearly 25 years and the thought of depth-of-field control is so 'out there' that it's become a laughed at process. (Yes, laughed at!) The apathy and sometimes pure condemnation people show toward the art of photography can be quite disheartening but after spending some time with these two new machines, these two amazing 'boxes-with-holes' ... I'm a bit elated. It seems that camera manufacturers haven't given up on the artist, on the real photographer which means (happily) that there are a lot more people out there truly expressing themselves and living in the moment than I had thought. Score one for expressionism and I am so happy to have been wrong!

For the In Focus photographer these two machines are marvels, manual paint brushes straight to the core. Oh and I realize that there are many, many reviews out there that criticize both for being too complex. Please ... that's what we're looking for. Complexity to them simply means they have to think. For us it's essential, for them it's a pain.

Don't' give too much credence to anything you read when it comes to reviews of photography gear and such (no matter the source). The majority of that information is written for that now dwindling (it appears) 99 percent who want the world of photography handed to them on a not-so-complex, golden and fully-automatic plate. Things they are a changin' ... and these two camera's are proof.

In this image we see Robin working her Canon G12 on some pretty fast action and YES!!! It performed brilliantly!

A disclaimer

Now before we start with the 'good stuff', let me begin by saying that ... No! This isn't a technical review of the machines, the available features or a side-by-side comparison of the brands.

We decided long ago to leave that kind of expulsion to those out there who actually believe a particular sensor or lens can make their poor, uninspired, unimaginative, uncomposed, undesigned 'snapshots' somehow better. You see, we (and you) know better ... it can't. We've found (and our students have proven time-and-time-again) that a truly In Focus photographer (someone who is in full manual control of their camera and is in all reality creating images instead of just reacting to stimuli) can make amazing photos with any kind, type or brand of gear. This is not being boastful by the way, it's just the truth. Great images don't come from great cameras, they come from great people. We (all) should never forget that.

To be quite honest, we have never put much stock into anything we read (when it comes to the mound of reviews out there) ... and you shouldn't either. You can find just as many good articles as there are bad for pretty much anything sold. And I'm sorry to anyone looking for insight into which point-n-shoot camera to buy. Know though that both camera's we talk about here do offer plenty of manual options for the In Focus shooter and both can produce striking and amazing images when in the right hands. You really can't go wrong with either!

The right questions.

When it comes to a good point-and-shoot camera there are some important questions to ask (and judging from the machines we each used, we both asked the right ones ... Yeah!).

Does the camera offer true manual control? Can I adjust specific in-camera settings myself (like contrast, saturation, white balance, sharpening, tint and hue)? Does it offer the option for adding a flash (like an available hot shoe)? This is what you're really looking for if you want true control over your point-n-shoot.

And if you believe (for a second) that more mega-pixels or a 'better' lens or sensor will make your bad pictures better ... you are soooooo wrong. That's not how it works.

Fun Fact

Robin and I don't' worry about the small (and truly insignificant) stuff like sensor size (full frame or not-so-full-frame), make or mode, what 'type' of glass a lens uses or even how many mega-pixels the camera can generate. Yeah, I really just said that! We'll leave all the name-calling, the ridiculous (and very, very useless) comparisons and such to others. It just doesn't matter. You see there will always be a better machine. The camera you just bought will be 'obsolete' in the eyes of 'expert' photographers in just a few years (or sooner ... trust me it will). You seriously can't keep up with technology. The only real question is, are you good enough to make your machine listen to you now? Can you tell it (no matter what it is made of ) what to do? Can you control it, can you speak clearly with it and more importantly ... do you have something great to say to start with? If the answer is yes, if your camera does listen to you and you LOVE the pictures it produces then what in the world is wrong with it? Learn what the camera you own now affords. Fall in love with the real options it gives you when chasing that dream and be strong enough to have that dream in the first place. Stop hunting for the perfect camera and start creating the perfect picture. Think of all the time you're wasting reading, when you should be out shooting ... outside 'doing'.

Onto the fun and more about the cameras!

Oh, yeah! Are you kidding? Just how much fun can you have when you're using a small camera, a hand-held, off-camera flash and have all this exciting and (exceedingly) cute 'stuff' (like Robin) to shoot. Here I take my new point-n-shoot for a spin to test the connectivity of my cowboy studio transmitter and receiver when the gear is being moved. (It worked just fine!)

It's been a long time for both of us. These new point-n-shoot camera's are light-years ahead of our last set and surprisingly both have the most manual options we have ever seen on a point-n-shoot camera. I was quite shocked at just how many options (not just 'modes') each offer. Absolutely spectacular!

Both have full manual control (as stated), allowing us to change the aperture and shutter speed. The 'range' of holes and speeds are so similar that its silly to even compare. There are some differences however in the the number of (and type of) internal options they offer ... the Canon won out on a few and the Nikon kicked-butt on a few others ... but by the end, it was a tie. Both were awesome!

Color, focus, sharpness, amazing saturation, white balance and contrast options (and more) make both the Nikon P7000 and the Canon G12 wonderful tools for the In Focus artist!

It did, however, take some work to get both up and running with an off-camera flash. It's fairly obvious that the manufactures don't have people like us in mind when building these machines. The Canon though proved pretty academic (and simple) but the Nikon needed a few 'settings' adjusted before it would fire the way I wanted. In the end, after like 20-minutes of experimenting and 'fiddling' (that's the technical term for experimentation by the way) the Nikon was shooting just fine, setting off multiple flashes with our $20 Cowboy Studio transmitters and receivers. Again ... EXCELLENT!

A Point-n-Shoot love affair

When it comes to flash work, it's hard to beat a point-n-shoot ... no seriously, it's true! You have virutally unlimited creative potential since the point-n-shoot lacks that focal plane shutter. Electronic shutters offer you the chance to shoot unencumbered by the limitations of flash sync speed and the small apertures of the point-n-shoot mean crisp focus and amazing depth of field with nearly every shot ... (and yes, you still can achieve blurry backgrounds if you know what you're doing!)

Each camera does though force the user to think, shoot and create very differently than when using an SLR. The Canon G12 asks the shooter to take a 'what-you-see-is-what-you-get' kind of approach. Each minute change to the aperture and shutter appears in the monitor before you squeeze off the image - as does any adjustment to the contrast, saturation, tint and white balance.This does make things very quick and painless for most work.

The freedom of exploration and pure creationism proves an amazing draw when using your point-n-shoot with an off-camera flash. Check out the explosive detail and dramatic color representation the camera and flash allowed me to create here. Yeah, this stuff rocks!!!

The Nikon though doesn't work that way. With the Nikon you will still need to visualize the world first (picturing what will happen with certain aperture and shutter speeds set) and then shoot, review and correct if needed. It does show the internal adjustments beforehand like contrast, white balance and saturation ... just not the ones that deal with exposure. Yeah, it's a bit off-pudding but only when compared to the Canon. For me, it didn't make that much of a difference. I see my images in my head first anyway and know the numbers needed to make it happen.

The one thing though that does annoy me with the Nikon P7000 (and I'll let robin speak for the Canon in her own blog) is the response speed. When wanting to set any setting, its slow. It crawls actually for a shooter like me who knows what he wants and wants to get to it quickly. The question though is "would this be a reason to side to the Canon?"

For me it's an issue (that's for sure) but not a big one. It just takes some getting 'used-to' is all. I've updated the firmware (of course) trying to fix the problem and sadly, it is what it is. Honestly, I'm fine and quite happy with my 'slower-than-Rod' Nikon point-n-shoot.

The 'slowness' of the Nikon P7000 has NOTHING to do with its shutter speed or of the 'lag-time' issue most have point-n-shoot cameras. That's not the 'slowness' I'm talking about as this photo proves. You can easily capture quick moving subjects and react to action brilliantly with this camera. The sluggishness comes from changing settings, of adjusting internal settings and of picking basic exposure controls. Taking the picture once these are picked is a very fast (and wonderfully rewarding) experience.

Of results

Right off the bat, both machines 'take' great pictures ... results are sharp, colors outstanding and the white balance and tint possibilities rock the house. Keep in mind though, for us, there is something more and our demands are a bit different. The results we're looking for have very little to do with the machine or the pictures it generates (or even the 'technical quality' associated with the apparent results).

Instead, it's all about the process itself, the act of pure creationism and of being together when we do it. These are the things important to us. Does the camera offer all the unhindered options that we need to truly feel free to explore and be who we are? The answer is (quite happily in this case) yes! Both cameras do the job wonderfully.

NOTE: To share this type of thing by the way, that moment of pure joy with someone you love is simply spectacular. I can't even begin to explain the feelings or express the profound happiness that comes from the fact that I can share this passion of mine with my partner, my friend, my wife. Every moment we have lasts. For many photographers a picture may only take 1/250th of a second to create (gone before it even starts) but for us it's a dance of emotion, freedom, creativity and love. We share it and that's what's makes it special and that's why we need a camera that can allow this to happen and that's why we love these two new amazing machines. It's not because of the awesome photos they produce my friends ... it's because of the awesome feelings they let happen.

For me (and Robin) it's not about the pictures, it's about the experience, it's about joy and it's about love. Photography is not about taking pictures, it's about sharing a life together and if a camera can let that happen (no matter how big, small or inexpensive it is) ... it's a pretty decent machine.

Yeah, I love my new camera, probably a bit more than you know.

In a nutshell

For us, photography isn't just about the pictures, the gear or the places we visit ... it's about the time we have together. I know that sounds a bit over-the-top, but it's simply who we are When looking at my photos I don't just see the 'things' I shot, I'm reminded of who I was and what I felt at the moment, specifically the amazing and overwhelming feeling of love I share with Robin. This is what photography means to me and any camera that can let that happen, truly pull out the best of both of us is an amazing machine. Both the Canon G12 and the Nikon P7000 are these kind of cameras.

When I say I would feel empty without my camera my friends, it's not the pictures I would miss ... it's the people who make my life whole.

www.iflcsandiego.com

Flash Photography (the basics)

2011-12-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

It's about changing reality to match our own vision, of never settling for average and of thinking (and shooting) outside the box.

The above photo illustrates the effect that a single, well placed, off-camera flash affords.

Flash photography is fun, exciting and offers you the chance to (finally) be as creative as your imagination will allow you to be. Without a flash you are working exclusively within the confines of natural light. We've learned (as In Focus artists) that this is not such a bad thing. With the knowledge we've accumulated we can see beyond what others see, understand the need to shoot in full manual and take advantage of things hidden to most. We can use our polarizer, adjust internal camera settings, create black backgrounds, white backgrounds, control the amount of blur in our image, use filters, employ special effects, move our 'electronic paintbrush' when others won't and (most importantly) have developed the skill to recognize the true potential of what's around us. Sadly though, we are still 'stuck' to hunting for the best possible situations. No matter how you look at it (while we are still being creative and completely in charge of the camera) we still aren't in control of the light around us. We are still slaves to the sun and our pictures do show it.

With the flash though, things change a bit. If you can visualize it, you can make it happen.

Look close at the photos to the left and you'll see what I mean. The bottom photo illustrates the best possible photo if a flash were not employed, the top is what happens when we add light. It's obvious that a flash pulled our subject from the shadows but what you might not know is that there weren't any shadows to begin with!

You see flash photography is all about what could be ... not the way things actually appear. Our subject in these images is actually bathed in bright natural light. When sitting there you could see her face easily. Most would never think of adding light to the image, since her face was 'bright enough' to begin with. However, I 'saw' something different. I saw a background full of power and color and when I made the proper adjustments to give me that background (lit the way I wanted it lit), my subject's illumination level proved darker than the background ... forcing my hand. I had to pull her up from the darkness that I created. And that's the key here, I added light with a flash not because my subject was was in a shadow, I did it because I didn't want to lose my envisioned background. I could have made her appear brighter with a slower shutter speed, larger aperture or higher ISO setting but that would have changed my background and that was unacceptable.

I started (as I usually do)with my background, dialing-in the most perfect one I could imagine and then simply dealt with any 'problems' that my vision created (my darker-than-usual subject.) I had no choice but to use a flash or I would have compromised my vision and I will never do that!

This approach though is quite opposite to that most take when using a flash. New or inexperienced photographers often start with their subjects, looking for reasons to add light. They believe a flash is used to eliminate shadows. This is just not true. A flash is there to illuminate an idea. Great flash photography requires only a few things: that you have a great idea to begin with and that you know how to control your camera and the flash.

The 'Quality' of Light

You'll also notice (in the top-most photo) that the subjects face is bathed in 'soft' light. This term can be a bit confusing to those new to flash photography as light can neither be hard nor soft ... it simply illuminates. The harsh 'edge' you see in most photographs built with a flash comes from the glare the photographer is creating. The truth is that if you fail to control this glare (by either enlarging, scattering, diffusing or eliminating it completely with a polarizer) then the light you produce will appear harsh or 'hard'. Softening the light simply means you are dealing with the glare in some fashion. In the top photo it was eliminated through the proper turn of a polarizer, no 'soft-box' or other modification equipment was used.

NOTE: A polarizer can only eliminate glare when it is turned properly and is at a 90 degree angle from the light source creating the glare (my flash). Since I was hand-holding the flash, I asked my student to simply turn her head down slightly at the proper angle. This allowed me to eliminate every bit of 'harsh' or 'hard' light. If she were to look directly at the flash (as this photo illustrates), then I lose the 90 degree angle and hence you see the harshness return. Don't confuse the issue. Light can neither be hard nor soft ... you either control the glare you are producing or your images suffer the consequences.

Where to begin

Every journey begins with an idea. For a flash photographer this enthusiasm should come from passion, a need a to explore every possibility, to create the fantastic and be that true artist you know you can be ... not just a need to remove shadows. Without a flash you are a hunter, with one you create completely, your imagination set free, you now have true (and total) creative control. And it doesn't matter where (or how) this journey begins. Whether you use the pop-up flash, an external unit attached to the camera or take it off- camera you can rest assured that your creative options have multiplied exponentially. You just need to take the time and learn the equipment, practice the correct approach and start visualizing the fantastic. And yes, I know it sounds impossible right now but trust me, it's not. When using a flash you get to draw upon the most powerful tool you have ... your mind. You simply imagine how the image will appear before you shoot and make adjustments based purely on instinct. This instinct (obviously) comes from months (yes, I said months) of hard and very focused practice. (You can't possibly hope to jump in and control the light masterfully with just a few hours. It just doesn't work like that.)

Experience is the best teacher and oh my goodness (YES), she be a strict and downright brutal companion sometimes ... especially when wielding a flash but there is an end to it. You can master your equipment. I promise. Think about it, you've already proven this by shooting in manual in your camera, now it's time to take the final step, to gain full control ... to make something happen.

The best approach

To begin, you need to understand your gear fully, know the mechanics of how it works. You need to learn how to control your flash manually by adjusting both the real 'physical' output and controlling its appearance. Luckily there is only one way of controlling the real output of any flash and (happily) there are several ways of controlling its 'apparent' output. Anyone interested in using a flash (either on-camea or off) MUST take the time to learn these first, before they move onto actual creation. Flash photography is no where near as complicated as that of learning to go manual with your camera. You've already done the hard stuff!

Once the mechanics of the flash are understood, it's onto the physics of adding light and its practical application. All of which we teach in our basic flash course. (You knew I was getting to this right?)

If you're interested in gaining total control of your flash and of creating the best possible pictures of your life ... join one of our manual flash classes, workshops or lectures this month. Take care all and good shooting!

Rod

To learn more about this course, our other classes and workshops, visit our Web site.

www.iflcsandiego.com

Seeing the potential and ignoring reality

2011-12-28T12:10:00.000-08:00

The 'trick' to taking great photos is not in finding great subjects, it's in recognizing the potential for greatness in everything around you. Look close at the world, ignore reality and visualize what might be.

I love creating things with my camera.

I was taught so very long ago to see beyond what sits in front of me and to search out the true potential in any scene. I was taught to look for rhythm and balance, instead of just subjects and light. I was shown how to use my camera to isolate one simple message or design a complex one. I was given the tools truly needed; an understanding of the mechanics, a love of the physics and a desire to push the boundaries of society and see what's truly there. I was shown how to be creative with the equipment I own and to NEVER put the machine above the person. In essence, I was shown how to be an artist.

About these insights: To repay all of those amazing photographers who taught me to see a world unique, I offer these humble insights from one expressive creature to another. I hope they can help guide you through the challenges of going manual and of becoming an artist with your camera. To that end, I'd rather not just put up the usual tips and tricks or give you 'numbers and settings', as that does little for true art. Instead, I offer a road map of what I felt when I created the image you see. I want you to see the world as I did at the moment and to bear witness to the truth: Great photography has nothing to do with the gear you own, it has everything to do with why (not how) you use it.

This top photo is a great illustration of what I mean. Below is an image that depicts how the scene actually appeared that day.

As you can see there isn't much there, except for (of course) the dramatic rhythm found in the reflection and on the side of the boat itself. Everyone can see this of course, it's just that most ignore it. Instead they look for grander (more eye-popping and startling) subjects which then (sadly) forces them to miss all the truly amazing things that are all around them.

A little on the Polarizer

You have heard me talk about the polarizer non-stop, in classes, lectures and workshops. It is the most important filter a person could ever use ... however, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should always do it. Take this scene for example. The rhythm I saw wasn't real.

The reflection in the water is nothing of the sort, it's actually glare and a polarizer (sadly in this case) eliminates it.

In the first photo you can the striking power of the polarizer at play, the glare as been removed. In the second photo the glare remains even though the polarizer is still affixed to the lens. By simply NOT turning the polarizer to its working position you can keep as much glare as you like. So, even though we have the polarizer on the lens (in this case) we have simply decided not to employ it.

About the Mood

Next (of course) comes the mood (or feeling) of the image. This is as much a personal choice as anything else. To help focus the mood I felt and give my viewer a taste of the image I saw in my mind's eye, a world of changes needed to be enacted, beginning with exposure. While the above photos acurately illustrate how the scene appeared, this is hardly how I felt, so I changed it. I choose a shutter speed that would strip a good deal more ambient light from the scene ... for the mere reason that I wanted it that way.

This should (hopefully) also illustrate why an auto approach is detrimental to your progress as an artist. If you want something different, to see and shoot the amazing, then you have to stop being 'normal' and stop shooting 'average' images ... which is just what any auto setting (including AV and TV) are designed to do.

After quite a few changes to the camera's internal settings (white balance, tint, sharpness, hue, contrast and saturation) I had the scene 'feeling' as I did. Next came the most important 'setting' of all ... composition.

To pull out the rhythm and power of the scene I needed to isolate my intent, yet use what surrounded it the best I could. I immediately thought of ways to make the rhythm stand out and a change of perspective proved best. I put myself flat on the deck and moved my camera (ever-so-carefully) over the side and rested it (in my trembling hands) just an inch or so above the water, aimed directly at that amazing rhythm.

I stuck my head down into the water as well, half in the water and half out just so I could see through the viewfinder. And yes, I could have easily dropped my camera in the water and destroyed it ... yet I continued.

NOTE: Many think this is foolish, many say that the risk is too great and some have even called me an idiot for doing so (Yeah, they are this harsh). And yes, I agree to some extent that putting your camera next to something that could destroy it is foolish and, YES I do fear the possiblilty ... however the risk I'm truly afraid of is not of loosing my camera, its of not chasing my vision, of giving up on what I see and what I want. You see, I will never sacrifice an image because of gear but I will always sacrifice gear for an image. This is who I am. I will not give up on my vision because I or some silly camera will get wet. A camera can be replaced, my voice and vision can not. Now, I'm not saying that you should be like this but realize that just because I have made this choice in my life doesn't make me wrong, weird or odd. It's just my choice. Its my gear and my head that was soaking wet for goodness sake, not yours.

So there I am, half my face in the water, my body precariously balanced on a thin edge, literally facing camera destruction with the wrong flinch ... and now I start worrying about design.

The lower angle gave me the perspective needed to fill the frame with the rhythm from the boat and in the glare, yet I still needed something to hold my viewers attention, to make it very easy to read and hopefully unforgettable to boot. So I used a very simple compositional technique called stacking. It's when you create balance from a group of very definable layers of (usually) horizontal graphic information. I also kept the anchor and cap to a similar size as to quite literally frame the rhythm. I snapped the picture and reviewed the image. Oh no!! I forgot the basics. In my haste to get the perfect shot I forgot to realize that my shutter speed needed to be even faster (since the camera and I were shaking much more than I thought possible.) So very carefully I used a bit of reciprocity between the shutter and ISO to snag the needed speed and shot again. Yeah, that was it. I had it!

I slowly moved up from the water, making sure my camera was far from my soaking head. It would be terrible to lose the equipment now ... after I took the shot. I looked at the image (really scrutinized it) and smiled, half because I loved how it appeared and the other half because I knew I didn't have to bob so near the water again (which I would have gladly).

And hopefully here is where you begin to see that the picture itself didn't come from my camera, it came from my heart.

I put a bit of everything I was and knew into this shot. I remember them all by the way, every image I've ever created, every feeling I went after. When I look through my old pictures, I am so connected ...not just to the things in the picture, but to who I was at that time. Honestly, it is the most spectacular feeling you can imagine. To see something, to feel something and then to actually share that with others ... it's really quite humbling.

Thanks for listening gang ... and remember to stay In Focus.

If you want to learn more about modern composition and the In Focus approach to creating meaningful pictures, check out our In Focus II: Modern Composition course in January. Visit our Web site for registration information.

www.iflcsandiego.com

The first thing I bought for my new P&S camera

2011-12-27T13:42:00.000-08:00

Big Results From Small Packages

I love a good point-n-shoot camera.

For most In Focus photographers, the point-n-shoot camera is a second machine, a fall-back plan when all else fails or when we simply want a day off from having to worry about all the 'hard' stuff. It's design is simple and its function precise. But, did you know that the point-n-shoot camera can actually be an amazing paint brush for the artist in us as well? Did you know that in the right hands, this magnificent box-with-a-hole-in-it can produce some of the most spectacular images you have ever scene, can do it quickly, efficiently and keep its owner clandestine at the same time? Unobtrusiveness is its blessing and physics is still its master.

First Things First

Before we go any further you MUST understand that a point-n-shoot camera is a bonafide, very real tool that can be used to create spectacular images without the need to correct (or fix) anything after-the-fact.

Despite its simple and non-intimitdating demeanor, the digital point-n-shoot camera is a formidable artisitc tool for the In Focus photographer and should be seen (and practiced with) as such.

On Christmas this year I received a wonderful surprise. Robin gave me a new point-n-shoot camera (as my old one was certainly showing its age). Oddly enough she received one from me as well. A Canon G12 for her and a Nikon P7000 for me. Both machines are quite excellent, are small in stature but hugely robust in features. Most importantly, both give us the manual control we need to be truly creative and remain In Focus.

The first evening was spent reading the manuals and taking a boatload of terrible and completlly unusable (though highly informative) images. Actually, It's something that everyone with a new camera, lens or flash should do.

Think about it for a moment, even with the vast amount of experience both Robin and I have had with all types of cameras (years, upon years, upon years), we still make it a point to read every bit of information that's provided to us and (as usual) discovered a wealth of new tools and options.

Very quickly we both discovered the absolute need for a single camera accessory and it didn't matter that she had a Canon and I a Nikon. Both machines would prove useless without some sort of filter adapter. As we discovered, most point-n-shoot digitals (no matter the price) lack filter threads at the end of their lenses. It makes sense as the lens retracts fully into the camera but it's a horrible thing for those of us who know the true power of a polarizer and what we'll be missing without it. So the search for a solution was on and the answer was found ... in like 28 seconds. One visit to Amazon, a few key words entered and the press of the payment button later and (in less than 48 hours) we had the adapters we needed on both our cameras. No more glare, no more hassle, problem solved.

What you need

The lens filter adapter is a must-have accessory for any 'In Focus' point-n-shoot camera owner.

A point-n-shoot lens adapter is a simple metal (or plastic) tube that sits affixed to your camera and covers your point-n-shoots' lens like a hollow tube. Its removable and gives you the ability to add filters, adapters and other accessories to the front of your point-n-shoot lens.

NOTE: Besides polarizers, you have a plethora of other accessories that can be added to your new 'lens mount' such as wide-angle adapters, zoom adapters, close up filters, reversed SLR lenses, macro bellows attachments and more.

You will need to be specific as to the 'size' of your adapter. You will need to purchase one that is made specifically for your point-n-shoot camera as well and identify what filter size adapter you want. In my case I choose an adapter with a filter ring of 58mm in diameter as I already own many filters in this size.

The best part was (of course) the price. The adapter for my Nkon Coolpix P7000 was a whopping $7.99 brand new. Robin's adapter for her Canon G12 was $20. Both arrived in two days.

You can grab your lens filter adapter from our Web site store for both the Coolpix P7000 and the Canon G12.

www.iflcsandiego.com

The Art of Black and White Photography

2011-12-24T02:56:00.000-08:00

The Art of Black and White photography isn't dead, it's just misunderstood.

The world today believes that to achieve a great black and white image you must first shoot it in color and then 'convert/manipulate' the image later in Photoshop (or whatever program is the most popular at the time). Well, the world is wrong! Just because everyone does something one way does not make it right and it certainty (in this case) doesn't make it very artful. There is a different approach, an alternate way of thinking that challenges this accepted norm, a way of achieving the fantastic in-camera without ever having to 'fix' anything after the fact. It simply takes vision, understanding and courage.

A Bold New Attitude
Black and white photography (just like color photography) should never be constrained to an after thought. It's about expression in the moment, about summing up how something makes you feel and sharing that with others. It's about heart, emotion and clarity of intent. It's not something that can just be dialed-in days after you shoot it. After all, when do you think you are most in-tune with how something makes you feel, now, or later?

You can, through the artful use of all your in-camera options, create the magnificent without ever the need for manipulation after-the-fact. Black and white photography is about visualizing how an image could look before you take the picture. It's about mastering the equipment you already have and of creating some of the most magnificent images you have ever shot (in your entire life) without having to spend hundreds of dollars and countless hours paying for and learning a computerized editing program.

Photography can be about the art you create and not just the pictures you take. You just need to choose the best possible settings in-camera to make it happen.

NOTE: And yes, it's true ... most photographers today believe that to be the best (and to get the best) they need to shoot in RAW and then make all their 'corrections' after the fact. That's fine and they can believe whatever they like but we here at the IFLC take a drastically different approach. Our argument simply states that if our pictures aren't broken coming out of the camera (if they are exactly what we want, if they are downright gorgeous) then what's left to fix? Just because they've decided to settle for mediocre and a broken image coming from their machine, doesn't mean we all have to. As we (and our students) prove time and time again, with enough patience, practice and skill anyone can create amazing pictures right in their camera — without the need to fix anything after the fact.

The Truth
Great black and white photography revolves around employing various color filters (Yellow, Orange, Red and Green) to drastically change surrounding natural colors to specific tones. In essence, turning red, blue or green to either black, white or something in the middle, depending (of course) on what you envision.

Today, we can do this all in-camera, switching to our monochrome setting and choosing which 'electronic' filter to shoot with. It's actually quite easy. You will probably also have the choice of contrast and white balance settings as well. These (along with image tinting and possibly a 'brightness' option) can make a huge difference in how your images appear once shot. I do though understand the world's preoccupation with manipulation and fixing bad photos (especially when it comes to black and white) and I sympathize. But the real answer they are looking for has nothing to do with their bad photos, it's in their lack of vision. Most simply don't know what's possible in their camera and the sad truth is that you can't move forward if you're facing backwards to begin with.

Experience and truth will set you (and your black and white images) free ... not a computer program.

Let me give you an example.

Above is an image of a large fountain in San Diego's beautiful Balboa Park. It is as it appeared that day, bright sunny and cheerful. My Nikon D300s did a fantastic job of capturing the moment. This image (shot in auto) truly represents how the scene appeared. Bravo Nikon! The problem is though that this is not the only representation possible. You see if I never put the time into learning what my camera truly offered or how to use a polarizer well or how to visualize something other than reality ... then this is the best I could do. While nice, it truly lacks any kind of visual punch. The color isn't 'popping', the glare on the water is horrendous and it certainly doesn't make the scene appear extraordinary. Seriously, if my images looked like this all the time I would want to fix them as well. I totally understand the world's preoccupation with correcting their pictures after the fact ... even though there is not anything technically wrong with this picture.

I would also most certainly appreciate (and taut) any computer program that could help. I even understand the world's need to shoot in RAW (getting as much information from each scene as possible). Again, if this was all I got from my camera, I would want every possible chance to save it. But gang, this is NOT all that's possible.What you see here is just one of thousands of options you have with your camera and just because the world appears one way, does not mean that's how it has to show up in your picture.

Insight: You see, I know that if I simply change my contrast, saturation and white balance setting, if I strip exposure control from the machine and choose my own illumination level and then purposefully turn my polarizer, the image can look very, very different.

Now this is what I had in mind. Literally, the image above is what I envisioned, this is what I saw in mind's eye. After changing my in-camera settings (contrast, saturation, white balance, hue, tint and even sharpness) to better portray the scene (matching my vision and not just reality) and turing my polarizer to eliminate every bit of glare in my photo (a very, very important part of the process) this is what happened. And I realize that many of you want me to simply tell you what those settings were but that would do you no good. Those were chosen based on how I felt and what I visualized. And yes (to answer the obvious question) I do change these settings each and every time I shoot, manipulating each one individually. Oh, it takes some practice getting used to it, but it's not impossible. Most of us have learned to drive a care and that is way more complicated than creating a dramatic image with a camera.

On top of all of this, I love this image! This is just how the picture turned out in my camera. No need to fix a thing. You see I know what my options really are and I simply make the best possible choices while in the moment (based not on how the world looks, rather on how I feel about it). Gang, I do not have to fix my pictures after-the-fact simply because they are not broken to begin with.

So let's take this thought process a bit further and put it in the black and white world.

Let's assume for a second that I wasn't In Focus and knew nothing of the truth or of what my camera and my vision would afford. Let's say, the best I could do was that first (quite flat and boring, though technically accurate) fountain image. Now, let's say I went black and white in-camera without knowing the first thing about what my monochrome settings offered or how to use a polarizer. Below is the best I could do.

This image shows what happens when simply shooting in monochrome in-camera and in auto.

It's not a bad image, but it hardly gives off that 'Ansel Adams' feel we're all shooting for when 'going' black and white. And if this is all I could envision, if my skill level wasn't up to par ... then YES, I totally can see why someone would argue the fact that shooting in-camera black and white was foolish, and that shooting in RAW and converting it later was the only way to go. But you know what, I'm not six years old!

I have been shooting black and white images my whole life and I know what true vision means. I know what happens when you employ certain color filters, when you use your polarizer correctly and when you stop letting your camera make all the decisions for you. I know what it means to create and not just take. So instead of letting my picture look like this ... I push things a bit. I changed some settings. I adjusted and manipulated the scene in my head, visualizing what was really possible and then I simply did something about it.

Yes, now this is what I had in mind. The above photo is what I envisioned, this is what I knew was possible. I did nothing wrong by shooting it like this in-camera by the way, shooting in JPEG vice RAW. I didn't break any laws or rules. Just because I didn't have to edit my photo doesn't make me a freak. I simply approached the whole process a bit differently than most. I exploited those years of experience, those thousands of hours of practice I've had. I used what I know, I visualized something that didn't exist and made it happen in my camera. This is the true heart of creative photography by the way: skill and integrity, grit and courage. It has nothing to do with fixing bad photos. What is the draw there, where is the desire? How can shooting for anything other than perfection be okay with those who call themselves professional? You have to allow yourself the time to grow as an artist with a camera, to experiment with all those options you have in-camera, to see beyond reality.

The art of black and white photography isn't dead today, it's just misunderstood.

Visualize the fantastic and chase it, never give up and take your sight and equipment as far as it will take you. Then (and only then) make any adjustments you need later in the computer. We've got a philosophy here at the IFLC ... if you can't fix it in 30 seconds in your computer, then you shot it way wrong to begin with. Oh, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a bit of computer 'dark room' fun after-the-fact but that's not where skill and true experience are born. Don't ever think that a contrast/saturation slider will ever replace true vision.

Strive for perfection in-camera my friends. Don't shoot for average, don't' settle for 'broken'. Be more than that ... be In Focus, and be that artist you know you can be.

Good shooting all and we'll see you in the field!

Rod Deutschmann

Thanks for a Great Day everyone!

2011-12-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

A huge thanks goes out to all our workshop attendees yesterday. What an amazing day!

Thanks to your generosity, we collected nearly 80 new toys for the Toys for Tots program and kicked off our new lecture series in style. The venue was fantastic and the participation was incredible.

During our first two-hour lecture we covered the necessities of getting that perfect holiday photo. We offered up a collection of insights that would guarantee success. For those who couldn't make it (or for anyone that needs a refresher) here are the highlights:

There is a very simple, three-stop procedure that can guarantee success each time you pick up the camera (whether during the holidays or not).

Choose an aperture for a reason
Pick a shutter speed with intent
Change the ISO if you have to

These are words we live by here at the IFLC and provide the groundwork for the amazing images our students produce everyday. Of course you need to be in full manual control of your equipment for that to even make sense, but for us it provides an unshakable foundation from which every other decision in the image-making process stems.

Control the important settings!

During our lectures yesterday we talked about what each of these steps meant, what you can expect from the decision you make and what will happen if you make control a priority. If done well it will eliminate any chance of blur in your images and that's just the truth.

We offered our shutter speed safety zone concept as a way of keeping on track. It simply states that if you double the length of the focal length you are shooting at and use that number as your minimum shutter speed, then your chances of a blurry photo decrease dramatically. Of course this only works if you and your subject aren't moving ... but it does give you something to shoot for when picking that shutter speed with intent. Eliminating blur from your photos during the holidays is a good thing.

We talked about real strategies when shooting during the holidays:

Dont' just react, make a plan. If lighting in your house is an issue, then add more. Bring in an extra lamp or two into the family room. Buy higher wattage bulbs for your event. Replacing your 40 watt bulbs with 100, 150 or even 200 watt bulbs will definitely make your home much brighter, which will help tremendously when wanting to achieve certain (needed) shutter speeds.

When shooting always make focus a priority. Think about what needs to happen in order to achieve the perfect shutter speed. Don't just shoot and think things will be okay ... trust us, they won't. Think before you shoot and make the right shutter speed decisions. Always aim for that minimum shutter speed and do whatever it takes to get there.

If you can use a flash during the holidays, then do. The flash (in the hands of someone who knows how to use it) can make blurry photos a thing of the past. One flash can easily illuminate your subject and freeze them, no matter who fast they move. It can even (when used well) illuminate an entire room, especially if you can get the flash off-camera.

If you have a little experience with manual control, think about depth of field requirements and use that depth of field preview button when shooting group shots!

If using a flash, bounce the flash off the ceiling or wall. Remember, larger light sources create better light!

If using faster lenses, be wary of the shallow depth of field they produce. Line up your subjects so that their eyes are parallel to the camera. Large apertures provide for little focus depth, concentrate on getting your subjects eyes to sit within that focus plane. It's hard, but you can do it!

If lighting is an issue then stage some of the more important moments. Ask grandma to slowly place the holiday meal on the table. Ask the kids to play in the room in which you added several extra lights with high wattage bulbs.

If you're shooting with off-camera flashes, do a test run before the event. Hide the flashes behind plants or near lamps and have them aimed at the ceiling. You won't have a problem filling an entire room with light this way.

NEVER be afraid to use whatever ISO it takes to hit your needed shutter speed. Yes, you will get a little grain in your image but what's worse a grainy photo or one that's completely blurry?

If you're using your camera's pop-up flash, diffuse it somehow. A small square of toilet paper attached to your flash will most certainly make the light more agreeable.

You can always remove your polarizer to gain an extra two stops of light. Sure your image will be washed with glare, but you will be able to shoot with faster shutter speeds or lower ISO settings.

Don't forget to adjust your white balance and (if you know how) dial-in the perfect contrast, saturation, tint, hue and sharpness settings in-camera. There is no need to correct a photo after-the-fact if you shot it right to begin with!

Again, thanks to everyone who visited with us during this event or our Studio Photography Unplugged working lecture. We had a fantastic time and wish you the best holiday ever.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Rod and Robin Deutschmann

Visit the In Focus Learning Center for insights, a free basic Going Manual course and more.