Monday, September 24, 2012

0 More than a Vignette: The Simple Secrets of Dodging and Burning

A Guest Post by Alex Smith

On the wonderful journey through the world of photography many of us have points where we stop to smell the roses for a bit. Maybe we change from shooting landscapes to portraits or delve into the miraculous details of the macro world. Either way, after a shoot we are inevitably left with some post-processing finesse to add to our images.

If you are like me, you can never learn too many techniques to give your images some spark or flair hoping that the final result captures the viewer’s attention, making them stop for that split second to admire the magnificence of your capture. So lets add a gourmet recipe to your photography cookbook and give you a simple, elegant way to add that extra special spice to your photos.

As you peruse the photo collections of your peers you will find that many photographers use vignettes that darken the corners or edges of their images while leaving the central area of the photo lighter.

Why do they use this technique? It is likely that most of you already know that as you look at a photo, the eye is naturally drawn to lighter areas of the photo and away form darker areas. In the days of the darkroom, negatives were dodged (lightened) and burned (darkened) for this same purpose. Thus, the vignette is one of the simplest ways to guide the viewer’s eye toward your central subject.

Let’s delve into this idea with a little more depth. If we are using vignettes to focus the eye of our viewer and we can all agree that the viewer is the one responsible for deeming whether our artistic endeavor is view worthy, then this business of lightening and darkening in an image is pretty powerful stuff. So why not use this lightening and darkening in a pre-meditated way to take the eye on a narrated, guided tour of our image?

Think about that statement for a second. It’s like having parallel park assist on a new vehicle. We can control where we want the viewer’s eye to park.

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Let’s start with seeing the simple and subtle use of this technique in an image I took while on a trip with a good friend to Portland, Oregon. This is Punchbowl Falls, one of the many gorgeous waterfalls in the Portland area. When you look at this photo, the lightness of the water automatically draws you into the majestic waterfall roaring down into the creek where the rippling torrents slowly meander out towards the bottom of the frame.

As you look further, you see the lush, green vegetation surrounding the scene in an explosion of growth, however, then the eye goes right back to that waterfall. The only thing you don’t see is me, standing barefoot, and ankle deep in the middle of the creek, balancing on a few rocks praying that I can get the shot before the hypothermia sets in. Now, let me show you an overlay of how I used this lightening and darkening technique in a subtle yet calculated way to get you to drawn into the scene and experience the full gravity of it.

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Bingo! I have selectively lightened the areas outlined in red and darkened the areas outlined in blue and all of those leading lines guide your eye right back to the middle of the photo. The key is that it is not totally obvious that this is happening when you look at the original. It is a subtle yet wonderfully effective method to help further enhance the visual impact of your photo. Now let’s get to the meat and potatoes of how this is done.

There are several ways to lighten and darken areas of an image and really any technique you prefer can work, but I like to do this in Photoshop just cause that is where I am comfortable working. Once my image is open I hold down the Alt/Option key (PC/Mac) and click on the new layer icon to bring up a new layer dialogue box. In the Dial ogue box I change the blend mode to soft light and check the box to fill the layer with 50% Gray.

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What this does is give me a layer on which everything that I paint that is darker than 50% gray gets darker and anything I paint lighter than 50% gray gets lighter. I then get a soft edge brush set to an opacity of anywhere between 4-8%. I like to keep opacity low so I can just lightly layer in the effect with each brush stroke with a lot of control as to how much I am adding.

Next, I paint anywhere I want darker in black and anywhere I want lighter in white. Remember the key is to keep in mind how you want the image to be visualized by the viewer and plan your brush strokes accordingly. I do many separate brush strokes in each area until I start seeing the effect set-in.

Now, I know some die hard Photoshop enthusiasts are saying why not do separate layers for the dark and light areas so each is independent of the other? That certainly could be done, but I try to keep my number of layers to a minimum so I don’t bog down my system and I find that if I have gone too dark somewhere then I just paint over it again with white to lighten it and vice versa.

If you over do it a bit, you can always decrease the opacity of the layer itself. Now for that little extra something just to make it all transition smoothly. I like to go to Filter->Blur->Gaussian blur and add about anywhere from a 10-30 pixel radius of Gaussian blur to the effect to get a smoother and more subtle look.

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This is my secret sauce so to speak and I find it does wonders especially when applying this effect to portraits. Portraits? Did he just say portraits? You bet! I apply this same effect to highlight cheekbones, brow lines, accentuate hair highlights, etc…

Usually with portraits I find that my end step Gaussian blur pixel radius is a lot higher than for landscapes and often keep it set at 30. Here are a couple more images where I have successfully used this technique in different ways.

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So now you are equipped with yet another pearl in your post-processing repertoire. I just hope you remember that it is not just a technique, but it is a guided visual tour through your photo. Use it to enhance drama, create mood, or simply just to de-emphasize some of those more distracting elements in your photo. Now, get out there and give it a try. Your viewers have bought their tickets and are waiting for you to guide their way!

Alex Smith is a photographer and blogger out of Denver, Colorado. His blog Shutterhogs.com is dedicated towards making better photography easier for everyone. More of his work can be viewed at alexsmith88.500px.com.

This post was written by a guest contributor to DPS. Please see their details in the post above. Become a Contributor: Check out Write for DPS page for details about how YOU can share your photography tips with the DPS community.


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0 Choosing Lenses: When to Use Which Lens and Why

A Guest Post by Rick Berk

All DSLR systems offer a dizzying selection of lenses for their cameras. These range from fisheyes that give a 180° field of view, to telephoto lenses up to 800mm or more. You’ve got zooms, primes, macro, super telephoto, and of course, tilt-shift lenses as well.

In my time as a photographer I’ve often had friends, students, or casual acquaintances ask me “What lens should I get?” There is no one right answer to this question, and it can lead to more confusion unless I ask a few questions myself.

First off, and easiest to figure out is, “What do you want to shoot?” It could be sports, wildlife, birds, landscapes, architecture, portraits, or any number of other subjects. Next is to find out what their budget is. The cost of the lens depends on several things. Less expensive lenses will generally have variable apertures, meaning as you zoom, the maximum aperture gets smaller. More expensive lenses have a fixed aperture. The good news is that all major camera and lens manufacturers offer a variety of focal lengths to satisfy most budgets.

After those two questions are answered it becomes more difficult. I try to lead them to their choice, rather than just tell them “Get this lens.” So let’s take a look at different types of lenses and how they can be used.

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We’ll start with the wide angles. In my early days as a photographer, I NEVER used wide angle lenses. I started my career as a sports photographer and rarely used anything shorter than a 70-200, often going for 400mm f2.8 or 600mm f/4 lenses. As I began shooting landscapes as more of a hobby, I began to discover the magic of wide angles. Wide angles give a wide expansive view, and when used correctly, can wrap you in the scene. My favorite lenses for landscape work tend to be in the ranges from 14mm f/2.8, 16-35 f/2.8, and 24mm f/1.4.

Wide angles should be used when prominent foreground objects are present. The primary mistake made by new photographers is to use wide angles incorrectly- by not being close enough, having no interest in the foreground, or by trying to include too much in the scene. Wide angles are also handy in tight areas, like small rooms, cars, caves, etc. They can give volume to the small area. Wide angles have the potential to drastically change your photography.

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Standard lenses tend to range from about 35mm up to around 85mm. Lenses in the standard zoom range will cover moderate wide angles- typically 24mm to 35mm, to moderate telephoto lengths- around 70mm and up to about 105mm. Standard zoom lenses are great “walk around” lenses. They are versatile, allowing both for wide angle work such as a landscape, or zooming in to the telephoto end of the lens to take a great portrait.

Standard zooms are generally included in many SLR kits that come with lenses. 18-55mm, 18-135mm, 24-105mm, 24-70mm, and others are popular standard zooms. However, there are also standard prime lenses. Prime lenses are lenses that are just one focal length. Back in the good ol’ days of film, the most popular standard lens was a 50mm. When I was a student, everyone in the class started with a 50mm lens. Whether you choose a zoom or a prime is up to you. Most people tend to feel that zooms offer more bang for the buck these days, while a prime forces you to think more about composition and point of view, simply because it can’t zoom.

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More often than not, when I speak to neophyte photographers looking to purchase their next lens, they are looking for something on the telephoto end. The most popular seems to be various flavors of 70-300mm or 70-200mm. These lenses are excellent when used properly. However, too often, telephoto zooms allow the photographer to become lazy.

“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough,” said famed war photographer Robert Capa. Telephoto zooms allow one to stand back a little when the subject isn’t quite as approachable, or when your subject might be feeling overwhelmed by the presence of the camera. This makes telephoto zooms extremely useful for portraiture, but keep in mind Capa’s words, as it is easy to get lazy and let the lens do the work for you.

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Telephoto lenses compress distance, making everything appear closer, as opposed to wide angles which distort perspective and make things look further away. This can be useful for landscapes when you want the sun or moon to appear large in comparison to other objects in the image. In this shot of Shenandoah Valley at sunset, the telephoto lens compresses the distance, making the layers of mountains and mist look almost flat.

Of course, telephoto lenses are also excellent for sports, nature, and wildlife, where it can be difficult to get close. Sports, however, presents its own set of challenges. To be able to stop action without blurring, you need to use a fast shutter speed. Typically, faster telephoto lenses are required. Faster telephoto lenses have larger maximum apertures.

A “fast” lens is usually one that has an aperture of f/4, f/2.8 or larger. If sports is one of your primary subjects, a telephoto zoom such as a 70-200 f/2.8 is an excellent choice. If you really want to shoot like the pros, you’ll want a 300mm f/4, or 300mm f/2.8 or 400mm f/2.8. These lenses are great for getting you closer to the action, but you need to be sure your shutter speed is fast enough. Too slow a shutter speed will result in motion blur. Typically, AT LEAST 1/500 to 1/1000 shutter speed is the minimum. Using these longer lenses can be challenging to track movement, so it becomes much easier if the subject is coming directly at you, rather than trying to track movement parallel to the camera.

Beyond the usual types of lenses, there are a variety of specialty lenses available. Like shooting tiny things? Try a macro lens. Architecture? A tilt-shift or perspective correction lens might be your choice. There is a lens for every purpose, it’s just a matter of putting it to good use. As always, remember that a lens is just another tool on the camera; it’s up to the photographer to make it work.

Rick Berk is based in New York and has been involved in photography for 20 years, shooting portraits, landscapes, and professional sports. His images can be viewed and purchased at www.rickberk.com.

This post was written by a guest contributor to DPS. Please see their details in the post above. Become a Contributor: Check out Write for DPS page for details about how YOU can share your photography tips with the DPS community.


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0 2 New Bags from thinkTank Photo

is the editor and founder of Digital Photography School and SnapnDeals. He lives in Melbourne Australia and is also the editor of the ProBlogger Blog Tips. Follow him on Instagram on his 'darrenrowse' account, on Twitter at @digitalPS or on Google+.


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0 New Cameras Announced by Most Manufacturers: Here are the Ones that Caught Our Eye

Over the last week we’ve seen a truckload of new cameras announced by most of the major camera manufacturers in the lead up to Photokina conference happening in Cologne this week.

Rather than create a post for each new camera we decided this time around to do a summary post of some of the cameras that caught our eye and that might interest dPS readers (note: there are certainly more than we’ve covered here but here are some highlights).

Which camera catches your eye and why?

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The much romored Canon 6D is now official. Being sold as an affordable full frame DSLR – this 20.2MP camera comes with GPS and Wi-Fi built in and has an ISO range of 100-25600 (expandable to 50-102400), 4.5 frames per second shooting, silent shutter mode, 1080p30 video, 11 point AF system and more.

Some are calling this camera the full frame version of the 60D and a competitor to the new Nikon 600.

Canon also released the new Canon Powershot S110 (pictured below) -a refresh of the popular S100 – which comes with Wi-Fi and a touch screen and updated 12MP CMOS sensor.

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Also announced by Canon is the new Powershot G15 (pictured below). This camera has a 12MP CMOS lens and refreshed lens which is still 28-140mm but has a faster aperture of F1.8-2.8 through its range.

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Speaking of full frame DSLRs aimed at the enthusiast market…. meet the new NIkon D600.

It’s being pitched as the smallest full frame DSLR on the market and features a 24MP CMOS sensor. Its size is similar to the D7000 but feature wise it is more in the league of the bigger D800.

Featuring 39 point autofocusing, 1080p HD video, optional Wi-Fi unit to allow the camera to be controlled by you mobile device, ISO of 100-6400 (expandable to 50-25600), headphone jack etc – it only weighs 760 grams (without battery or lens).

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Fujifilm have been scoring some big wins with its X series of cameras in the last year or so and so their new XF1 grabbed a lot of attention with Fujifans this week. It is a 12MP compact camera with a 25-100mm equivalent F1.8-4.9 lens. It’s sensor is a 2/3 CMOS sensor and the lens is image stabilised. The XF1 shoots in RAW and has full manual control.

This looks like being a potential replacement for the X10 (it shares the same sensor). It is small but has no viewfinder or no optical or EVF. This camera is positioned to compete in the space of the Canon S series power shots and Sony’s newish RX100 (the premium compact camera space).

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This camera sent the internet into a frenzy a few days ago when release. It is a full frame compact camera with a fixed 35mm f/2 Carl Zeiss Sonnar lens.

Everyone has been raving about the previously released RX100 from Sony (I picked one up for my wife and it’s been amazing) but to see Sony build upon the RX range with a full frame camera is just fantastic.

The sensor is a 24MP full frame CMOS sensor, ISO range is 100-25600, it features a dedicated aperture ring, five customisable buttons, hotshot, 1080p60 HD movies, focus peaking (to help with manual focusing) and bulb mode complete with cape release socket).

This camera is aimed directly at serious photographers looking for a compact option. It’s not cheap though – you’re looking at $2800 if you want to pick up one of these which is a lot considering you can’t upgrade this with other lenses.

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Also announced by Sony is the new SLR-A99 (pictured above) – a 24 MP full frame camera and the new Sony NEX-6 (pictured below) – an interchangeable lens mirror less camera that comes with Wi-Fi.

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Olympus have refreshed it’s PEN series of cameras (which has been a little overshadowed by the release of the OM-D E-M5) with two new cameras – the E-PL5 and the E-PM2 (pictured above).

Both models have 16MP sensors (same as the one in the E-M5), touch screen LCDs and 8 frames per second shooting. The E-PL5 costs an extra $100 and offers a mode dial, flip-up LCD and screw-on grip.

Olympus also announced the XZ-2 (pictured below) – a premium compact camera with 12MP CMOS sensor, 28-112mm f/1.8-2.5 iZuiko lens, customisable lens ling and buttons, hotshot and more.

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Panasonic came to the party this week by announcing a new Micro 4/3 camera – the GH3. This camera has a 16MP sensor and is being promoted as a camera for the professional videographer. It is weather sealed, has microphone and headphone sockets, shoots at 6 frames per second, in camera HDR, ISO of 200-25600, fast AF… and a load more.

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Leica today made a number of announcements but the ones that are being spoken about around the web most are the new ‘M’ cameras.

Widely tipped to be announcing an M10, Leica surprised people at its event by announcing 2 cameras – neither called the M10.

The higher spec camera of the two is simply being called the ‘M’ (pictured above). It is a 24MP full frame camera with a CMOS sensor (the M9 was a CCD), Live View, focus peaking and video. This is the first M series camera from Leica with anything resembling bells and whistles and is as a result causing some debate.

The ‘M’ also features a variety of accessories including an adapter to allow fitting of Leica R lenses (long awaited by many), an EVF and grip. It is also weather sealed and has an ISO of up to 6400.

Essentially they’ve addressed most of the complaints we’ve heard about the M9 – except the most common one – the price which is $6950 (which is actually the same price the M9 was released at so not as expensive as some were expecting).

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Also announced by Leica is the ‘M-E’ (pictured above) which is really just an update of sorts to the M9. It is being pitched as a stripped down and entry level option (although you’ll still need $5450 to get it). Really it’s very similar to the M9 except it comes without a frame line selector switch and USB port.

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Pentax also announced new DSLRs in the lead up to Photokina – they come with 16MP sensors, weather sealed and a new autofocus sensor that is said to have better low light performance.

The difference between the K-5 II and the K-5 IIs is that the ‘s’ comes without an anti-aliasing filter and as a result gives higher resolution (but potentially more moire.

Also new from Pentax is the Q10 – another small mirrorless camera addition to their Q range. Interestingly they also announced a new adapter that allows mounting K-mount lenses on Q-mount cameras.

So which new cameras announced this week have caught your eye – and why? Tell us in comments below!


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Sunday, September 23, 2012

0 How to Photograph Fire

A Guest Post by Jon Beard

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Fire is an interesting thing. Watch people around a campfire and it’s easy to see the spell it can cast on us. We have such a deep and instinctive relationship with it, there’s no wonder why including flame in a photo can have such an impact. In this write-up I hope to give you some examples, some understanding of how they’re done, and some direction toward creating your own fire shots.

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In the wise words of Frankenstein’s monster, “Fire bad!” The heat and smoke can damage your equipment, the flame can quickly get out of control and burn things you don’t want burned, and most importantly, fire can flat out kill you. Plenty of great fire info can be found at http://www.ready.gov/home-fires but here are some basic safety tips you should already know (and follow!):

Think ahead and plan your shoot from beginning to end.Have a plan for putting the fire out should it get loose.Do not work near anything that you do not want on fire as well.Work in a well-ventilated area.Be sure you’re working somewhere that if the worst happens, the worst isn’t all that bad.And if the grandmothers in the area where I grew up can be believed: Don’t play with matches or you’ll wet the bed.

Well, folks… Break out the bed liners and a grab a change of clothes because here we go!

You’ll find fire used in three main ways in a photo. It can be the primary subject, an accentuating element, or the primary light source. Typically, you’ll have a combination of the three, but understanding them individually is the best way to start.

With these shots, the main draw and focus is on the flame (or effects of it) and the detail that can be shown within it.

In most cases you’ll want to use a fast enough shutter speed to freeze motion in order to see the detail in the flame. As always, “fast enough” is relative to what you’re shooting, but a good starting point is around 1/250 or faster. As your shutter speeds increase you’ll need to use wider apertures and higher ISOs.

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Sometimes, the more interesting detail will be in what the fire emits – the path sparks take when leaving a jumping jack or a sparkler, for example. Slower shutter speeds are the key to capturing this kind of photo.

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In this type of shot the flame is one element of larger scene. It can be the most difficult kind to pull off because of the additional lighting needed to show the flame while still seeing the surroundings. The key here is to expose for the flame and then add light to the rest of the scene. If you’re not able to control the lighting situation then you’ll need to look for shooting angles where you can put the flame against a background that will let it stand out. A darker, solid background is preferable, but anything that can offer some contrast should work.

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Fire can make a wonderful light source with its soft shadows and warm color. Longer shutter speeds, wider apertures, and higher ISOs are often the right choice for campfire situations. Medium to shorter shutter speeds can be used as you get closer to the fire and have more and stronger light falling on your subject.

When working with the narrower depth of field that comes along with a wider aperture, try setting your focus on objects that have hard contrast edges (like silhouettes of stationary objects) rather than what you may consider the main subject. This can give you an overall sharper looking image since the shifting fire light will blur edges and soften shadows of the objects it illuminates.

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Take a close look at a flame and you’ll see multiple colors, gradients, and intensities so it should go without saying that the color of a flame is a complex topic. It’s dependent on temperature, fuel-type, how much oxygen there is and how well it’s mixed with the fuel, along with many other factors. With that said, when it comes to photographing fire, a few simple ideas should help you control the color of your flame.

In fire photography, the most influential factor in the color of the flame will be the fuel being burned. Wood, paper, clothing, or anything else that puts off a lot of unburned particles (smoke) will probably burn yellowish-orange. Butanes lighters, propanes torches, liquids with high alcohol content, or other fuels that can more easily mix with the available oxygen before burning will burn more on the bluish side. There are additives (pyrotechnic colorants to be precise) you can buy to add to your fire to change the color of the flame. I found some pre-packaged powders at my local camping store designed to be thrown onto a campfire and they worked pretty well. Or, if you’re into chemistry, this wiki article describes which compounds can be used to create which colors: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrotechnic_colorant

Of course, the easiest way to get control of your flame color is to add the desired color in post.

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Smoke can add an interesting element to your photo, but unless you’re taking steps to make sure it’s in there, you’ll be lucky to see it. Here are three things you can do to better show it off:

Be certain your fire is making smoke. Fuels that burn efficiently (like some gas torches and alcohols) may not emit much. Using inefficient fuels like wood or paper will maximize your smoke output.Light the smoke. A light source shining into the smoke can solidify those lines and cause them to stand out more.Use a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the smoke trails. Slower shutters will make the smoke appear like haze rather than wisps. Left: 1/8 f/8 ISO800 50mm --- Center: 4” f/8 ISO800 50mm --- Right: 1/8 f/8 ISO800 50mm + Flash

A candle is a simple and relatively safe way to learn about flame photography. As practice, see if you can accomplish the three primary types of fire shots we’ve covered – as the subject, an accent, and a light source. Try shooting a similar series to what I have above and make notes of what settings it takes to freeze the flame and what it takes to illuminate a subject sitting next to the candle. Then, use an artificial light source and take a shot where you can see both the flame in detail along with the well exposed subject next to it.

I always have a great time adding fire to my photos and I hope I’ve given you a good start on making your own. I’d love to hear from you and see some of the creative ways you’ve used fire in your own photography!

The images in this write-up and other fire related images can be seen in a Flickr set at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonbeard/sets/72157631529831299/

Jon Beard is an adventurer from the mountains of southwestern Virginia. He organizes the regional photo club, leads photography workshops and guided shoots, and has a passion for shooting in the dark. Photos, workshop dates, and more at http://JonBeard.com.

This post was written by a guest contributor to DPS. Please see their details in the post above. Become a Contributor: Check out Write for DPS page for details about how YOU can share your photography tips with the DPS community.


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0 Save 30% on Jared Polin’s Top Quality Photography Training

People often mention to me that they feel as though they’re not making the most from their dSLR cameras. They know their camera has potential for taking amazing shots but are not quite sure how get control over it.

Our Photo Nuts series of eBooks are in part designed to help change that, however I realise that eBooks are not a format everyone enjoys.  This week I came across a product that just might help you unlock the power of your dSLR – particularly if videos are more your thing.  

Many regular dPS readers will know Jared Polin (AKA FroKnowsPhoto… the guy who always wears the ‘I Shoot RAW’ tshirts) because we’ve featured his videos here on the site before. We featuring him because the comments we get from readers are that they not only learn a lot from him but that he teaches in a fun and relatable way.

Jared has just released a 3-hour video guide designed specifically to help you get out of auto mode. I’ve spent some time going through it in the last few days and it is really good.

Best of all – as a launch special Jared is currently offering a 30% discount on it.

Right now you can own this course for just $67 (regular price is $97).  The course is instantly downloadable once you order and it’s really good (both content but also the quality of the video).

Check it out here.

Jared’s put together a short video (below) to let you know more about the course. Or you can skip the video and head over to FroKnowsPhoto and grab yourself a copy.


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0 Benefit From How You See The World

A Guest Post by Ben Evans from www.EnglishPhotographer.com.

Discover The Value Of Your Own Mind For Better Composition in Photography

Can you accurately picture your own face without looking in a mirror? How about remembering a loved one? Do photographs show us the same pictures we hold dearly in our mind? Can they even do so at all?

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These questions are rhetorical; the answer is, ‘no.’ But why not?

You’ve probably had the experience of being unable to express the magnificence of a scene in a photograph no matter which camera you use or whatever techniques you try.

In many cases, learning new techniques helps us. Sunsets not looking fiery orange and red in the pictures? Set your white balance to the ‘Sunny’ preset. Unsightly shadows at midday? Move your subject to the open shade. But sometimes we need to go deeper and understand what’s going on.

I had a breakthrough a couple of days ago teaching photography to a private client in Barcelona. It’s changed the way I photograph, and I’m going to share it with you in this article.

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We get about 80% of our impressions about the world through our eyes. Since they’re open for about 18 hours a day, that’s a lot of information coming in!

So much in fact that the mind has to filter out most of what our eyes look at. This job is done by the Reticular Activating System, or RAS.

I’m going to take enormous liberties with the actual biology of the RAS. Sorry scientists; I’m claiming artistic licence

Your RAS has three three main methods to filter what your eyes see to create your uniquely subjective view of the world:

This is very common, and gets more effective with age. For example, we see many strangers every day but rarely take a moment to see them as individuals; they are just a part of the crowd. This process of generalisation is why children can stare completely entranced by something that an adult will walk past without a second (or first!) glance.

Have you ever noticed how if you’re watching a really good film you might not notice anything else in the cinema for hours? Or if you’re having a deep conversation with someone you really care about everything else apart from them seems to disappear? The mind is great at focussing our attention on something that’s important to us and making it really stand out. A pilot friend of mine compares this to the way that radio traffic that mentions his aircraft seems to stand out vibrantly from the other chatter.

Of course with so much information flooding in through the eyes and only a limited capacity to process it, a large amount of what we see is simply cut out before it reaches our conscious awareness. If you’re in the car or on a train for example, a lot of the scenery that flashes past is lost. Looking at the world, we tend to ignore a lot of the clutter that surrounds us, especially if it has no obvious value or lacks contrast.

How does the mind choose what to focus on and what to pass by? Well a lot depends on our beliefs and past experiences.

I have a friend who believes that the world is an amazing place and everyone is inherently good. His Reticular Activating System concentrates on the positives and ignores the negatives.

His perception of the world is quite different from a pessimist’s. It is almost as if he doesn’t see bad reactions; if a waitress is rude to him, he either won’t notice or just assumes she’s having a hard day.

Psychologists call this Confirmation Bias; we tend to see what agrees with our preconceptions and disregard anything that challenges them.

What can we learn from this? Two things. Firstly, beliefs and experiences change how you see the world. This is the secret to the elusive ‘artistic eye’, and is how we can effectively teach ‘Art’ with Holistic Photography.

Secondly, and what we’re focussing on here, is how the RAS changes our perception of the world in a way that we can learn from and apply to our photography.

On my courses, I teach that the most important thing in photography is to have clear idea of what you’re photographing.

This may be concrete; in which you’re trying to preserve a specific object or a scene. Or it might be more abstract, when you want to express a thought or feeling.

What you look for is what you will see. If I’m driving then signposts will stand out to me. But if I’m photographing a picturesque town, they’ll probably fade into the background.

The camera is far more objective. It provides a level of realism that previously would have been unimaginable, but it lacks an RAS to highlight our intended subject and filter out distractions.

To reach another level in our photography, we can consciously act as the camera’s RAS. This means filtering the world so that our subject stands out in the photograph.

How do we do this? By using the same three principles that the RAS uses to filter information;

Understand what you want your photograph to communicate. Use symbols. People will see a policeman, not the individual wearing the uniform. They can see warm colours and assume that it’s a warm day. Try and make the elements in your photograph stand for something. And keep it simple. Gestalt aesthetics notices several effects we can use; like objects that are close together seem to be a group, or a few objects in a row can create a line.

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One of the most common flaws I see in photographs is no clear subject. It might be somewhere in the frame, but it just doesn’t stand out in the final photograph. Fortunately, there are several tricks in aesthetics that we can use to draw attention to our intended subject.

a. The first trick takes advantage of the RAS’ tendency to notice Contrast. Colour Contrast may have helped our ancestors avoid tigers in the jungle once, but now it’s the theoretical basis for including someone wearing red in a green landscape. Or photographing yellow flowers against a blue background.

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You can also create Tonal Contrast; have your subject in the direct sunlight against a shaded background or vice versa; make sure to adjust your exposure so your subject looks good – don’t worry if the background is completely black or white.

b. Fill the frame. It’s a very common piece of advice, but why does it work? Simply, if your subject fills the frame then it will dominate the picture. It’s often better to use a wide-angle lens and get closer because the perspective will make the viewer seem more engaged with the scene.

You may have noticed that a good photograph can be completely ruined by anything that distracts from the subject. Again, contrast matters; so white vans in an otherwise dark background or areas of bright sky can distract your viewer’s attention.

a. I grew up in the English countryside and one of my earliest memories was my mother picking up litter that people had dropped. No-one wants a crisp packet in a landscape nor a plastic bottle on a monument. Sure, you can Photoshop them out, but airbrushing can take time to get right. If there is litter in your scene, put it in the bin; you’ll be doing everyone a favour.

b. Suppose that the distraction is a crowd or a car – what then? Well if the photograph is worth it, you can wait until they move or come back later. But if time is a factor, you can hide potential distractions behind something else; or just adjust your position until they’re outside the frame.

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So that’s it! Three things to practice that will improve your photography. The best way to get the most out of them is to focus on each one for a few days so that your mind becomes used to performing them. Let me know how you get on.

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Ben teaches photography classes in Barcelona with www.BarcelonaPhotographyCourses.com and keeps a photoblog of ‘fine art street’ photos of Barcelona at www.i-Barcelona.com. He photographs internationally with www.EnglishPhotographer.com. Ben is working on two photography teaching projects, Better Than 90 Percent and Holistic Photography. He shoots Nikon, Hasselblad, Apple (iPad 3) and those little throwaway waterproof film cameras with the plastic lenses.

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