Variations On a Theme

Inspiration

by Warren KrupsawVariations on a Theme

When you photograph a given subject and the resultant image pleases you, does that not “sensitize” you to that subject? By this I mean when and if you encounter that same subject in a different context or form, don’t you want to check it out with your camera? I know I do, so here are three examples each of a number of different subjects (themes) even including a couple landscapes to illustrate my point.

Of course in the case of Landscape, if we apply “Variations on a Theme” literally to any given (specific) location, any variations will be the result of light differences, time of year, “atmospherics,” etc.

I’ll spare you anymore Ice Patterns (see “Ice is Nice“) or Passion Flowers (see “Passiflora Portraiture“) or Moths on a Fingertip (see “Mothography 101“), but this year it was finally cold enough to produce some decent Window Frost (even got to work indoors, for a change!).

Something like Queen Anne’s Lace (or Milkweed or Dandelion) for example, can look completely different depending on the season and how you “see” it.

Spider Lilies look like entirely dissimilar kinds of flowers depending on whether they were photographed in Madagascar, Hawaii, or my own backyard (n. Va.).

The early Spring development of Crocus allows for numerous possibilities among the various species and lighting conditions.

As Bittersweet Berries ripen, they change color. (One guy travels all over the world photographing Bark and has a book by the same title; that sort of thing).

While always on the lookout for new varieties of fungi, the underside gills of even “ordinary” types can provide great pattern possibilities.

Photographing the “brittle metal” Bismuth, with it’s amazing array of colors and Escher-like crystal structure, you soon discover is best done on a cloudy day if you want maximum color (if it’s a lousy grey day, I’ll say to myself: “Great day for Bismuth!”).

Certain minerals (like Ocean or Leopardskin Jasper), when cut into spheres look like exotic planets. Interesting the differences between Ropey Lava in Hawaii, Iceland, and The Galapagos.

Freezing Rain transforms the ordinary into the extra-ordinary. Really, it’s just a matter of keeping your eyes open and having your camera ready (doesn’t hurt to have a bit of black cloth on hand, either).

More Variations

Sycamore / Fence & Field

Shenandoah Sycamore

Milkweed

Dandelion

Ferns

Vine Design

Iris

Pokeweed

Thistle

Baby Snakes

Salamander and Skinks

Skulls

Finger-tip Animals

Old House Windows

Take Care & Stay Aware, Warren.

Warren Krupsaw, a one-time student (and house guest) of Ansel Adams is a nature photographer concentrating on landscape & detail. After participating in the first year of a new graduate program in Photography at M.I.T. with Minor White, he earned his M.F.A. in Photography under Harry Callahan at the R.I.S.D. in 1968. 
Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/thekrupgallery 
Book: Portraits of Passion and Other Dalliances

How to Get Started Shooting Nighttime Landscapes

by Bill Jones

Most people only think of a nighttime landscape as one that is indistinct or includes only the silhouettes of the mountains against the starry skies. The fact is that the settings and timing used for a nighttime or extremely low-light photograph can often catch shades of color and effects that are completely indiscernible to the naked eye. This means nighttime landscapes are worth some experimentation.

It all begins, as every other photograph does, with the composition. While looking for daytime subjects, it is also important to note any areas where a nice twilight, sunset, or after dark photograph could be made too. Remember that you while you might be heading to the spot in daylight, you will probably be exiting it in the dark. This means you should select spots that offer safe and easy access both in and out, and that are not far from the car or base camp. Also aim to identify areas where man-made light will not flood the horizon for any length of time. This includes city lights or even the crest of a hill where a car’s headlights can quickly destroy the shot.

Photo by Paulo Brandão

The next thing to do is make sure the area you select has a few elements that can create a strong composition. If you intend to record cloud or star movements it is best to have a measurable amount of “ground” in the picture to give it balance and perspective. It is also significant to apply the old-fashioned rule of thirds to your evening landscapes just as much as the daytime ones to ensure they are of the same quality.

Once you have your spot and composition pulled together you are going to have to focus the scene with the remaining light and take a few test shots. Some photographers use the bulb setting for these in order to get a clear understanding of the amount of time the shot is going to require, but others use the timer on their camera shutters to indicate the length of the exposure. A good starting point is a thirty second exposure with an aperture of f/3.5.

Where exposures are concerned, it is a good idea to use the lowest ISO your camera offers because prolonged exposures add “noise” and graininess to an image. This means if you crank up the ISO and use a long exposure you are likely to get inferior and noisy images.

Photo by Ian David Blüm

To focus the scene, it is important to consider the focal point of the image and then use this to the best extent possible. For example, a flat and expansive landscape with only a ridge of hills in the distance is going to use those hills as the focus, while the landscape with a building as the focal point will target that instead.

It is important to note that some images require significant amounts of time – up to ten or fifteen minutes, but can yield some amazing results.

Where To Start – Behind My Eyes By Jim Denham

Where To Start – Behind My Eyes

By Jim Denham

   

Being so obsessed with photography, friends and family tend to think of me as an expert in the field. I’ve got the gear, they love the pictures and I live and breath the medium, so the credentials as far as they know add up. With this perceived status comes the occasional question regarding the craft from folks who are just getting into it and being that I love to geek out talking about photography, the question will be fielded with the utmost respect and interest. Let the perception become reality, even for just a moment!

Last week a friend at church asked a good one; one that tied him up with me for a good 10-20 minutes that he’ll never get back for sure. He had some experience with film in the past but had been away from photography for a while. Earlier this year he purchased his first DSLR (a Canon Rebel I believe) and along with it bought a book on composition. He liked landscapes, portraits and macro. His question: “How do I get started?”

That was a first for me. Some folks say they want to learn more about their camera or ask how to take great pictures, but this question was totally different. How do you start? Where to begin? I don’t think he expected me to ramble on like I did after asking the question, but I was really sort of feeling for the answer – it was not something you chalk up in the front brain shelves like, “get down low” or “add a strong foreground element.” It required me going back to the beginning, filtering things forward and seeing what was left. After thinking about it a few days, I thought it would make for a great topic here at Current Photographer, so here goes. 

1. Read Your Camera’s Manual. Everybody says this, but it is so important. Understand how to operate your camera and learn what each of the buttons and controls do so that you’re not spending time searching for functions instead of getting great pictures. Will this keep you from making mistakes? Nope. You’ll forget to change the ISO setting back to 100 after shooting indoors at 1600. You’ll forget to change the white balance to daylight after shooting in fluorescent – those things will happen. When they do, however, you’ll know exactly how to change them quickly without wasting too much time and missing more shots.
2. Learn about exposure, in particularly the triangle of ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. Cameras these days are pretty amazing at metering scenes and selecting settings to obtain a decent exposure, but they have no idea what your vision is for the picture you’re taking. They can’t read your mind. Understanding depth of field or how to freeze or highlight movement are creative decisions that only you can make and you can’t make them if you don’t know how these controls work together to produce the results.
3. Shoot in RAW. We’re not perfect, well, I’m not anyways, so when I load a pic up on the computer, I want the most data possible that helps me get the finished product I want. Shooting in jpeg will limit that capability.
4. Look at other people’s work. Don’t just look at it to see if you like it or not, look at it to understand why you like it. Is there something about the style or the composition that you like, for instance, do you like the use of a strong foreground element or leading lines? What are the focal points and where are they placed in the photo? Color or black and white? Contrast, saturation? Once you start identifying these things, try applying them to your photos. Compare and experiment.
5. Take pictures. Lots of pictures. Take pictures of the same subjects at different times of day, month, year. Experiment with the settings on your camera and how they effect the same image. Change your angle by getting down on the ground or standing up on something to look down at the subject. Move your feet. Keep moving your feet. Change lenses and see the differences in the focal length and angle.
6. Get connected to other photographers in the social networks. Interact. Ask questions. The photography community is one of the most open ones I have ever experienced and most togs will share whatever they know to help someone else – take advantage of it!
7. Experiment with all types of photography; landscapes, portraits, macro, etc. Learn which ones you like and which ones you don’t. Learn what settings work for each type.
8. Share your work and ask for real critiques. Don’t take the award comments in Flickr seriously – find photographers you respect and ask them to look at your work and give honest critiques. Use the comments objectively – don’t assume they’re right just because they tell you their opinion, but consider it as a possible improvement and try it out in future shoots.

More important than any of the other tips, at least in my opinion, is to shoot what you love and shoot to please you. Most all of us who have blogs or share work online get caught up in the quantity and quality of comments we get on our images. This can move us toward taking pictures to get a response rather than taking pictures that move us individually. If you love taking pictures of your kids and taking them at high noon, take them and perfect them. If you like taking pictures of flowers, take them and perfect the craft. If your passion and love for the subject type is true, it will come out in the image and people will see it.

We can’t please everybody. Trust me, we can’t. So please yourself when it comes to photography. Keep it fun and keep learning about it. When we look at a great picture, we won’t be able to tell what camera it was taken with or if it was in auto or manual mode. What we will be able to tell is the passion that went into it and the emotion it triggers within us.

That’s where I would start if I had to do it again. These tips will go a long ways for you to produce the images that sit behind your eyes.

Afte-

Family, event and fine art photographer in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. HDR is my first love, but have not found a type of photography I didn’t like. Love learning as much as I can and sharing what I learn, along with my opinions, of course. Addicted to social networking and connecting with other photographers (and other folks, too) through it.

Company: Jim Denham Photography
Phone: 651-340-1971
Email: jimmy.b.denham@gmail.com
Website: http://www.jimdenhamphotography.com
Twitter: @Jim_Denham
Facebook: http://facebook.com/jimdenhamphotoGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/?tab=mX#104121609875372820045

TOP 10 FATHER’S DAY PHOTOGRAPHY GIFT IDEAS

June 7, 2014 · Jeff Guyer  

It’s that time of year again. Time for a greeting card holiday created specifically to let Dad know how much you love him. It doesn’t matter if you are looking for something special for the photographer dad in your life, or if you’re in search of hints to drop around the house to ensure your offspring pay adequate homage and tribute to you on your special day, this year’s DIY Photography Father’s Day Gift Guide is sure to have something for everyone. We’ve searched the four corners of the globe– climbing mountains, sailing oceans, hiking trails, and fording streams– all with one goal in mind. Making sure that you or your dad have one of your best Father’s Days ever.

THE LIGHT BLASTER

The Light Blaster™ combines the power of a speedlight, the optics of a lens, and your boundless imagination to project background images and textures onto virtually any surface. By inserting your flash into one end of the blaster and attaching a lens to the other, you’ll have the power to project slide images onto virtually any element of your photo. As their website says, “What you see is no longer what you get.” With five creative slide kits currently available (the Pro Gobo Set is not pictured here), as well as the ability to make and use your own slides, taking your photography in a new creative direction has never been easier. (NOTE: Speedlight and lens are NOT included).

HOODMAN HOODLOUPE

Anybody who has ever shot outside knows how difficult it is to get an accurate view of their LCD. You’ve tried turning your back to the sun. You’ve tried cupping your hand around the screen. You’ve contorted yourself countless ways in the name of checking your last shot. Well, to borrow a lyric from AC/DC, for those about to chimp, we salute you. The HoodLoupe not only blocks out any light from spilling across your 3-inch screen, but also has adjustable magnification, making it easier than ever to accurately check your shots while shooting outside.

GOPRO

Let’s face it– GoPro has pretty much become the standard by which POV and adventure photography are judged. Regardless of whether you are jumping out of airplanes or chasing your kids around the backyard, GoPro adds new dimensions to your photography and how you capture what matters to you. Combined with Peak Design’s recently released P.O.V. Kit, mounting your GoPro to any belt or strap is easier than ever.

FILSON CAMERA BAG

Anybody who knows me knows I’m a camera bag junkie. So much so that my wife and I have an understanding. She doesn’t say anything about all of my camera bags and I don’t say anything about all of her shoes. My favorite bags are the ones that don’t proclaim to the world, “Look at me! I’m a camera bag with lots of expensive stuff inside!” I like understated. I like vintage. Function, however, can’t take a back seat to form. That’s why I got excited when i first heard about these new bags from Filson (I know…I’d never heard of them either). Working directly with Magnum photographers David Alan Harvey and Steve McCurry, Filson has created a line of durable bags, with weather-resistant fabrics, modular padded dividers, and an understated look. Pictured here: the Camera Field Bag in Tan. Check out the entire line at Filson’s website.

As a side note, check out this awesome video that followed McCurry as he shot the very last roll of Kodachrome film to come off the assembly line. It’s 30 minutes well spent.

RICOH (PENTAX) WG-4 GPS DIGITAL CAMERA

Let me be perfectly clear– I want this camera! For starters, the WG-4 GPS boasts a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, max ISO of 6400, an f/2.0 lens, a 4x optical zoom, and six LED macro lights around the circumference of the lens. Add in the GPS, digital compass, pressure/altitude/depth gauge, and top if off with its waterproof (45 feet) and shock proof (drops up to 6.5 feet) design, and you’re ready for just about any adventure life decides to throw your way.

PORTABLE POWER

The Astro3 by Anker (almost) literally changed my life. I’ve never had to charge three devices at once, but knowing that I can keep my phone and tablet juiced while on the road or on location is a huge weight off my shoulders. This unit can fully charge an iPhone six times before it has to be recharged itself. And nothing makes you more popular at a trade show, seminar, or an airport than being the guy with portable power to share.

WACOM TABLET

I think I speak for everyone who still edits their photos with a mouse when I say that this would make an awesome Father’s Day present. The Wacom Intuos Pen & Touch Tablet’s combination of a pressure-sensitive pen and multi-touch capabilities can bring a much more streamlined approach to all that time spent in front of the warm glow of a computer screen.

IPAD CF & SD CARD READERS

The single biggest iPad complaint from photographers is the lack of a card reader. Just because you’re not shooting tethered in the field doesn’t mean you don’t want to be able to check your images on a larger screen before you pack up the gear and go home. Being able to quickly and easily transfer files between devices would be a huge upgrade. Available for all versions of the iPad.

GIFT CARDS

Bottom line– you can drop all the hints you want, but you might be the type who wants to pick out his own photography-related gifts. That being the case, nothing says, “I love you, Dad” quiet like a gift card from your favorite photography retailer.

THE BIRD PHOTO BOOTH

Yes– you read that correctly. The Bird Photo Booth. For the photographer who likes taking photos of birds but doesn’t have the patience to trek quietly through the woods with a long lens, the Bird Photo Booth lets you sit comfortably on the porch– or even in front of the TV– and let the birds come to you. A combination bird feeder and “photo booth,” you insert your iPhone, GoPro, or other WiFi-enabled camera into the all-weather housing, and watch as the live feed streams to your tablet’s camera app.

WRAP-UP

So, there you have it– this year’s top 10 Father’s Day photography gift ideas from your friends here at DIY Photography. Unfortunately, we can’t call all of your loved ones for you to drop hints, so the rest is up to you. Is there anything you think we missed? Leave your ideas in the comments.

by: Do it Yourself Photography

Daily Marketing and Business Ideas on Google+

 Michael Shilling

 May  2014

Slowly I’m beginning the process of restarting this engine but what with the launch of our new dedicated Cherubs website The Baby Photographers and lots of other things like the imminent birth of my 1st child I’ve been kept quite busy.

I have a few things in the pipeline but the first is a special page I created on Google+ titled Daily Marketing and Business Ideas. It’s pretty much exactly what you would expect it to be. Ideas and articles that I find interesting shared on a daily basis. The content is mostly business and marketing focussed but there will be a slight bias to photography and creative image making…..just like this site.

When I began PhotoCreative365 in 2010 I was starting my photography business. Although I’ve been working as a full time photographer for nearly 10 years at the time I’ve always been working for other people. PhotoCreative365 was just as much about me learning and discovering things as it was about sharing ideas.

I still want this website to keep the same ethos and the daily sharing will continue just not always in the form of a blog post.

Of course I share LOTS of interesting things I find on Twitter but I find the format of Google+ far more pleasing and an easier way to consume useful information.

As a photographer, business owner, blogger, creative or whatever Google+ is an interest place to explore which is why I determined to take my own advice and explore it far more thoroughly.

Free Legal Guide for Online Publishers and Media Creators

On 05.29.14, In Business, Education, Social Networking, by Carolyn E. Wright

Tahoe Sunset-Copyright Carolyn E. Wright

In this digital age, photographers posting online need to know how to protect themselves. While the Internet provides lots of information, some of it is better than others.

One great source of information is the  the Digital Media Law Project (DMLP). Founded in 2007 as the “Citizen Media Law Project,” the DMLP, through its five core initiatives, “works to ensure that individuals and organizations involved in online journalism and digital media have access to the legal resources, education, tools, and representation that they need to thrive.” The DMLP is a project of Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society, a research center founded to explore cyberspace, share in its study, and help pioneer its development. 

The DMLP has prepared a free Legal Guide that “addresses the practical issues that you may encounter as you gather information, create new and exciting content, and publish your work online. It is intended for use by citizen media creators with or without formal legal training, as well as others with an interest in these issues.” 

You can search the Guide by subject or by state. It covers a variety of topics, including:

• Forming a Business and Getting Online
• Dealing with Legal Threats and Risks
• Newsgathering and Privacy
• Access to Government Information
• Intellectual Property
• Risks Associated With Publication
• Unique Content: Special Risks
• Guides and Resources

Educating yourself on the law and risks of posting online is another important way to protect yourself and your work. Getting the information from a reliable source is the smartest way to do it!

Carolyn E. Wright, a/k/a the Photo Attorney®, is a full-time attorney whose practice is aimed squarely at the legal needs of photographers and other copyright owners.