Square has just announced a new service, which allows businesses to get product photos for cheap – just $10 USD for a set of three product photos.
The only caveat?
The product photos are all taken by a robot.
Yes, you read that correctly. Square, a company known for its credit-card transaction tools, built a $20,000 USD robot that takes simple product photos with a white background.
Here’s how it works:
You send your products to Brooklyn, where the robot lives. Staff arranges the products on a table surrounded by lights and a white background.
Then an arm moves around your products while holding a Nikon DSLR, snapping away with a single robotic finger.
Square staff then select the best three product photos. They do a bit of post-processing before sending them along to you, the owner.
If you’re a small business owner who doesn’t have product photography skills and can’t afford to spend on a photographer, this may be just what you need.
But if you’re a product photographer who relies on basic product setups for your income, this news doesn’t bode well. If the Square Photo Studio robot is successful, it’s likely that the idea will spread, fast, edging professional photographers out of the more basic product photography markets.
And news of a robot photographer isn’t only relevant to product photographers. It matters to shooters of all stripes.
Automated photography may start with product images, but where will it stop? Will robot photographers expand? What could be the next target for automation?
For instance, might we see robots enter studio portrait photography? How about automobile photography? Sports photography?
They may seem like silly questions, but they’re worth asking.
That’s why this story is so important. It gets at a question that many of us have ignored thus far:
Ten years from now, will most photography be done by humans? Or by robots? What do you think about robot photographers? Do you think that a product photography robot will catch on? Let me know in the comments!
Share this article.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
How to Photograph Wedding Receptions with Great Success
Wedding receptions are often referred to as the most boring part of the day since the most exciting part are the bride and groom portraits. However, it would be wrong to treat receptions as such since receptions hold many of the meaningful details of an actual wedding celebration. So here are some tips on how to photograph wedding receptions with great success.
1. Schedule the reception with a time buffer
Weddings are high paced and often begin on time, but as the day progresses, it can be easy to fall behind schedule. When you’re creating the wedding day itinerary for your clients, add in an extra 15-minute buffer to any travel or transition time before the reception.
The reason for this is because you’ll want to grab a snack and hydrate before getting into the last leg of the wedding day. You’ll also want to test out your gear, change batteries, or memory cards. Some photographers take this time to do the same-day slideshow.
This extra buffer means no rushing to the reception but instead preparing your gear and yourself for the last few hours of the day so that you’re not running on empty.
It also will allow you to get to the reception early, which is my next point.
2. Photograph the reception alone
Getting to the reception area those extra few minutes early also allows you to photograph all the details without any guests in the background. This makes for really nice wide shots and closeup shots of the entire set up.
You can then create real depth to your photos and zone in on particular details like the seating chart, place cards, centerpieces, and the sweetheart table. You can capture them without drinks, purses, or other guest items.
If at all possible, have the bride and groom enter the reception area and photograph them alone in the middle of the set up as part of their wedding portraits. It can add a little more emotion and tie the narrative of the event together.
3. Make a list of all the must-have photos
Most wedding receptions are much the same in terms of what you should photograph for the bride and groom. While they can vary in time of day, location, or style, these are the main details that you should be sure to photograph:
Entrance details: Do they have a sign? Are there photos from their engagement session? Is there a sign-in guest book, meaningful mementos like wood blocks to sign and write notes on? All of these are important to photograph as a whole and each detail individually or a group of details.
Wide photo of the space as a whole. Photographing the entire space gives the reception and final wedding photos a nice transition in the narrative or album. Take a few photos from different perspectives so that you can choose the best one for the final gallery of images.
Centerpieces: If there is only one style, photograph it both horizontally and vertically as well as taking a close up detail photo of it. If there are different styles on each table, take photos of each style. If, for example, they have placed a different photograph on each table, you don’t have to photograph each table. Instead, find one or two that you like and photograph two or three different tables.
Table seating/ seating cards: Table seating and table cards are how guests know where to sit during receptions. These may present in various and creative ways. You should photograph a wide shot of the setup and then a detailed photo of the seating. Choose a name that sounds familiar to you (perhaps a family member or member of the bridal party) to focus on for the detail photo.
Dinnerware set up: If you notice that the dinnerware and stemware have been chosen with a little more intention, photograph the setup. Get different perspectives and angles.
Florals: This is most likely to be found as part of the centerpiece; however, some weddings have beautiful florals decorating different parts of the space.
Desert table/candy bar
Cake
Lounge or seating area
Any other detail that you feel the couple put lots of effort, time, or money into.
3. Staging
A big mistake that many new wedding photographers make is failing to stage photos. Staging the photos will help you get the perfect photo of the detail while still keeping the main aesthetic that the bride and groom have chosen.
Staging and moving things around can help the final photo.
This means, moving salt and pepper shakers out of the way, lighting the votive candles if necessary, turning a table number to face the camera, or even moving a chair so you can get the whole table in one photo.
After getting your shots, make sure to place everything back to where it belongs. That way, when the guests arrive, they see the complete look and aren’t missing their water glass or chairs.
4. Lighting
If you are photographing a reception in a salon or closed venue, the lighting may not be ideal for photos. If the ceiling is white, you can use it to bounce light from your flash back down onto the table and reception details. This will give you more even lighting and a pretty straightforward light in your photos.
At left the flash is pointed to the side. At right, the flash is bouncing from the ceiling. You can see the difference in both.
In addition, using an external flash attached to your camera, point the flash to the side so that you can get more side lit photos. These add more depth to your detail photos and adds shadow. For example, this type of lighting makes for great depth to cake photos and also centerpieces.
You can also use an external LED video light or small light to help you light the reception details. This also gives you a lot more flexibility in getting different lighting that is immediately obvious. As for flash, you have to take test shots first to see how the light looks.
Having an external flash can help you get really nicely lit photos. Use the flash in manual mode to control the output.
If you don’t have any external lighting then you can use the ambient light for the details. Just make sure that your camera is stable enough to photograph by using a tripod. Having a fast lens can also help you capture ambient light.
Be aware of the color temperature of the ambient light as well. This can change the color of florals, table linens, seating cards, etc. if you’re photographing with ambient light.
As a good resource, you can also use your cell phone flashlight to help light or fill in light on the details that you’re photographing.
5. Events of the reception
During the reception there will most likely be some, if not all, of the following events:
Grand entrance
First dance
Mother/Son and Father/ Daughter dance
Toasts
Cake cutting
Bouquet toss/Garter toss
Money or Honeymoon dance
DJ-led games or trivia
Dancing
All of these usually get coordinated by the wedding planner, bride, or DJ himself. Look to them to know what is next after dinner has begun. Never leave your camera and always be ready to photograph anything and everything that you feel is important or fun. Dancing is always fun. If you can make sure to photograph the key players, like the mother of the bride, bridal party, children dancing, or the best man, these all make for meaningful and fun photos later.
It’s really important to photograph the bride and groom dancing with their guests as well.
Don’t be afraid to get creative when you feel like you have photographed all of the most important events. Slow your shutter to get interesting lighting effects. Use multiple flashes to light the dance floor evenly. Even get a different perspective of the party.
The main thing is to enjoy yourself while taking photos!
6. Before you leave the wedding
Before you leave the wedding reception, make sure to thank your clients and ask this one important question: Is there anything you’d like for me to capture before I leave?
This allows them to get last-minute photos that they may have forgotten to ask for earlier in the day. They may want a quick one with their grandmother or a photograph of them with their best friends from college.
Do this about 10 minutes before you are set to leave. That way, you can have time to photograph all of those last-minute requests before you pack it up and head out.
It’s also a great way to say goodbye to the couple for the night.
Photographing wedding receptions can be really fun even though they usually happen at the end of a really long day.
Give yourself some time to get into the mindset and get creative during the reception.
Do you have any great tips on how to photograph wedding receptions? Feel free to share with us in the comments below.
Share this article.
The 7 Best Camera Functions You’re Probably Not Using But Should Be
Do you sometimes look at the menu system of your camera in awe? In awe at the sheer number of incredible functions your camera has. Back in the days of film, it used to be so simple, you set ISO and colour balance by choosing a particular film type, set exposure with aperture and shutter speed, half-pressed the shutter to lock your one focus point then fired.
These days, however, there is an incredible array of functions built into our cameras, all are designed to improve our images but many often get overlooked. Today we are going to look at the 7 best camera functions you’re not using, but really should be.
1. Back Button Focus
Back button focus is one of the most underused yet immensely powerful functions that our cameras have. If you have ever been frustrated that your shutter button locks both exposure and focus, it’s time to shift the autofocus to the back button.
We like it so much at Light Stalking that we have written plenty of articles about it. There are many advantages to back button focusing, these include:
Separating exposure from focus
Holding focus after the shot
Fast switching between continuous and single-shot modes.
Manual focus override.
Once you have started using back button focus, you will wonder how you ever got on without it. Back button focus is the tool you never realised you needed. By Md Iftekhar Uddin Emon
2. Auto Bracketing
Auto bracketing is another very underused function. Despite their amazing abilities, modern cameras still struggle both with tricky lighting and with scenes with high contrast. Bracketing can help alleviate those issues by giving the photographer a choice of exposure or a sequence of exposures that can be merged into a High Dynamic Range shot (HDR).
However, perhaps the most underused feature of auto bracketing is the ability to program it. Most cameras allow you to define whether the bracket takes place with 1/3, 1/2 or full stops. They also allow you to define how many shots to take in the bracket, ranging from 3 up to 9 on some cameras.
Auto bracket is highly useful for HDR photography. By Chris Marquardt
3. Custom Function Buttons
There is a good chance that your camera is packed full of custom function buttons scattered around its body. There is also a pretty good chance that many of you use at least some of them. What is less likely, however, is the knowledge that these buttons can be programmed to your own style of photography.
This will be done through the camera’s menu system and can be an extremely useful function to use. For example, one button may be set to change the ISO but if that’s something you rarely do, you can reprogram it to change the camera’s white balance.
Because we all use our cameras in different ways and with different workflows, reassigning your function buttons can be a great way to become more efficient with your camera. Customise those back buttons for a better workflow. By Adi Goldstein
4. Focus Peaking
Focus peaking is a tool borrowed from video and film making. It is a very precise way to confirm your focus, especially when shooting manual focus. It works by overlaying a coloured pattern on areas of the image that are in sharp focus.
By default, most cameras do not have focus peaking switched on, so you will have to dabble with the menu to get it set up. It works in your camera’s live view and in real-time. As you rack your focus, you will see the pattern change through the image. It’s also a great way to determine how deep our depth of field is in an image.
On most cameras, the focus peaking is customizable, you can change the colour of the overlay and the thickness of the lines in that overlay. Focus peaking will help you nail even the most tricky focus situations. By Mark Doda
5. RGB Histogram
I am sure many of you use the histogram, it’s an extremely powerful tool for nailing exposure. But how many of you use the RGB histogram? The basic default histogram on cameras is a luminance graph, a combination of the red, green and blue channels. This is fine for much of the time, however, it can be inaccurate when there is a significant block of one colour.
For that reason, using the RGB version of the histogram is preferable. You will probably need to delve into your menu to change it from luminance but by doing so, you can determine whether your camera is under or overexposing in any of the RGB channels and correct for it. This is very useful to help avoid oversaturated reds, a common issue with modern camera sensors. Why use a luminance histogram when the RGB version gives so much more By Maxim Medvedev
6. Intervalometer
Intervala…what? You might ask. And you would be right, its an odd-sounding term but for a very useful function. Intervalometers allow you to automatically take shots at specific time intervals over a specific time period. Think time-lapse or hyper-lapse and you will get the idea.
Many cameras these days have an intervalometer built-in. They will allow you to program the time interval from a fraction of a second up to minutes and the number of shots, usually up to 999. If you need to go beyond that just set the number to unlimited.
7. Manual White Balance
Colour meters on cameras are pretty amazing but sometimes you might want to set a manual white balance. A particular case would be when shooting video. Unlike RAW stills you cannot set white balance for video in post-production. Also, video files tend to have a lot less tolerance to correction than even JPEG stills.
Because of this, setting a manual white balance is a very useful function to have. You can scroll through the levels of Kelvin to get the right look or even set your own white balance using a white card. This will give you a very accurate rendition of the light at the time of shooting.
Shooting a manual white balance can help overcome complex colour scenes. By Ali Hegazy There are so many functions and tools buried within the menus of our cameras. Many of them can be extremely useful but because of the sheer amount of them, they can often get overlooked. The above are just a few examples of underused functions. Can you think of any more? If so add them to the comments below.
We all get it – the dreaded photographer’s block – our very own version of creative block. It’s a common malady across the creative world. And it hurts. Dare I say, it hurts even a little more for us, being that the cost of entry for photographers is often so much higher than other artists to their crafts. Photo: Matt HardyYou sit on your couch, you look at your beautiful gear, and you just don’t feel it. You wrack your brain and search for that emotional excitement that comes from a new idea. Yet, you can’t think of anything worth shooting. Nothing takes you.
It’s frustrating as hell. An empty feeling. Nothing.
Hell, I have even picked up my camera and gone out and STILL not taken any shots.
And the only people who really get it are other photographers and creatives. It seems for a certain type of person, one who is creative, well, we just kind of have more of a predisposition for suffering from photographers’ block.
So I am not going to pretend I have a magic bullet for this one. But there are a few things I have found somewhat help me. Hopefully, they might help you too.
Shoot What’s Available
One thing I usually do when I feel a bout of photographers’ block coming on is to figure out what is closest to me that I could get a decent shot of and then force myself to do it – for me, that’s usually either flowers or macro bugs (in my backyard).
The images are potentially exciting. The results can sometimes motivate me to do more.
The key is that the effort is low because the subject is close. The other key is that it’s available to shoot right then and there. If I can power through the feeling and “just do it” then I can sometimes smash through to the other side.
But I won’t pretend that it isn’t a struggle.
Keep Lots of Photography Books On Hand
Another thing I often do is to search through books and magazines for inspiration. I have a lot of photography books and magazines lying around so it’s usually not too tough to find something that I think is awesome. Federico published a post on the photography books that he loves if you’re not sure what to get. Dahlia’s post on photography magazines is also worth a read if you want to find the most relevant ones for your set of interests.
But to be honest, it doesn’t even have to be about photography. The only stipulation is that there are photographs in it that might inspire you to get up and pick up your gear.
Now, let’s be clear here – I am not talking about taking inspiration for your own ideas with this little exercise. I am talking about simply finding images that you like and trying to emulate the style and subject.
Honestly, with this, I think action is key. The inspiration part comes a bit later (usually from the action part). The key is actually doing it (for me anyway).
Again, the trick here is actually getting up off the couch and shooting something (and trying to maximise the potential of that action in producing an exciting image, even given that you’re in a bit of a funk).
Check What's Happening on Photo Blogs
This one is pretty simple. I do a quick scan of the big photography blogs and see if they have a tutorial or set of tips that are published recently that I can riff off. Basically, just follow it to the letter and let them do the hard mental work of coming up with and explaining the idea.
My favourite photoblogs to scan for quick ideas are:
Sure, they're all competitors to Light Stalking, but they are all awesome too, so credit where it's due. They also often have a quick idea to get out of a photo funk published in the last few days.
Basically what I am trying to do with that is to minimise (or eliminate) the mental work of coming up with an idea. I just want to get out and shoot.
More Formal Exercises
Another thing that can sometimes get me up off the couch is redoing learning – literally the stuff that I learned years ago while I was really getting into photography – going back out and doing exactly the same thing again. Sometimes I can recapture the magic – the emotion of shooting something new that I was proud of.
For you, that might mean ploughing through an old blog post that you learned something from. Maybe an old photography lessons guide or book.
One advantage I have these days is that I have the Photzy Snap Cards on hand and printed out in a special folder.
They are small, printable exercises. I just grab a random one and do what it says. It’s a good way to get out of your funk and back in the swing of creativity. They are worth keeping around for just such occasions.
But again, the key is action. I am not pretending it’s easy. I am certainly not pretending that it’s fun (it often isn’t). But it is possible to get through it with a bit of thought and a lot of action. Hopefully, that works for you too.
The exciting world of photography never seems to rest, and here we find that Toad Hollow Photography has been looking in all known corners of the internet for links to tutorials, special features and great photography to share with everyone. This weeks list is composed of a wide diversity of subjects and features, from some of the best writers and artists working in the field today. We really hope you enjoy checking out all these links as much as the Toad did himself in bringing this weeks list to you.
Tutorials
How to Master Low Light Landscape Photography – this is the best guide on low light landscape photography I have read during my career. This article, posted right here on Light Stalking, covers all the key points to help you get the most out of your shots under some pretty challenging conditions. The post covers technique and gear and also includes some awesome shots to inspire you.
moremiluTips on Travel Photography from National Geographic Photographer Bob Holmes – Bob Holmes shares a great set of tips from a seasoned pro for those who love to capture great shots while travelling. This video feature is just over 6 minutes long and is full of great insights that can only be shared by someone who has been actively working in the field over the course of a storied career. Get to grips with lighting for stunning portraits – for many of us getting started with artificial light begins with the first daunting step. With so many options, and resulting finished looks, the entire artificial light landscape can be overwhelming. This article sheds some light on this topic by covering the various types of lights available and their applications. schwarzwaldhaseA Beginner's Guide to Controlling Light With Grids – when it comes to large light sources, controlling the direction and spill of light can be a key factor in getting great shots. This short video presentation shows us how a grid can change the directionality of light and allow you to take full control. How To Photograph Airplanes – many of us love moving machines, and love to photograph them. This in-depth article talks about airplane photography specifically, with some awesome tips and tricks on how to get the most out of this genre. The shots included illustrating the article are well worth the time on their own. MatteoBergamoStreet Photography – this article leads to a series of articles that cover many different key aspects of street photography. Sample shots are included along the way to show us how to apply the tips in a way that helps you express your own vision and style.
How Emotions Mold the Art We Create – art is always a personal expression of many different factors and facets of our own experiences over the course of our lives, and this can have a powerful effect on how we see the world and how we engage with it. This article takes a profound look at how mood and emotion can impact our work. Ultimately the article as a whole serves as an inspiration for us all to get out there and make the art we honestly feel.
Special Features
10 Amazing Examples of Black & White Cameraphone Photography – our ever-present smartphones are becoming increasingly common in the field of photography as a great tool that can be used to capture stunning shots. This collection of black-and-white images showcases how these simple cameras can create compelling images that are every bit as good as ones taken with a DSLR setup. marcianofabRare footage of eagles bathing captured by Vancouver photographer – nature is truly amazing and sometimes photographers are lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time to capture amazing things, like this video taken on the west coast of Canada that features a large gathering of eagles bathing in a shallow pool of water. Being able to see such a large group close-up like this is rare as these private and elusive birds are not always easily seen. Andreas Urscheler: Minimalist Mountain Scenes in Monochrome – the use of monochrome in photography is a perfect way of capturing minimalistic, and frequently abstract, images that shine with artistic tension. This series of shots were captured in the snow-covered mountains and their surroundings and shows us a great example of this style. Capri23autoJoe McNally's Tips for Learning Lighting & Facing Failure – as I travel an endless path of obsession towards learning how to take control of light to create engaging images I always return to the inspirational words of one of our generations leading photographers, Joe McNally. This short video discusses the power of seeing and shaping light and is well worth the time invested to watch it. Obscura: Beautifully Puzzling Imagery of Surrealist Simon Hjortek – prepare to embrace the utterly sublime in this photo series of a commonly themed collection of images carefully staged and created to tell a story. One of the best parts of a surreal study like this is when the artist includes no contextual information around the collection, as we see here, allowing us to interpret the presentation on our own. HansThis Photographer Put a Full Wet Plate Photography Darkroom on a Tricycle – one of the best parts of the art form of photography is the limitless ways photographers can create and present their work. This article shares a mobile wet plate setup that is transported on a tricycle adding a whole new fresh dimension to a portable studio. The Streets Are Ours – it is often said that truth is far stranger than fiction, and this article gives us a great example of this idiom. This post features the work of a photographer who captures the community of deer that live in the streets of a Japanese city during the day, only to retreat to the surrounding forests at night. Tama66Vintage Photos Show Rare Look at New York City When It’s Empty and Quiet – shot in the mid-‘60’s this series of black-and-white photographs depicts the city in a far different state than we find it today. This collection of vintage photographs reveals empty buildings and streets, providing a stark contrast to contemporary times. Interview: One Photographer’s Love Letter to the Land and People of Kyrgyzstan – this post features a great interview and catalogue of photos, reminiscent of a National Geographic spread, featuring sights and observations from Kyrgyzstan. The varied subjects covered in the images paint a picture of this region that most of us would not have the opportunity to see.
Great Photography
either way – the light is dramatic and exquisite in this black-and-white shot from Benny bulke featuring a wide-angle perspective taken inside an ancient corridor. The architectural features create strong leading lines and the deep contrasts in the shadows deliver a lot of drama. Alexas_FotosBrown Bear Reflections – Ron Niebrugge is well known for his work in Alaska shooting the beautiful landscapes and wildlife that inhabits the area. With this shot we find a large brown bear searching for nibblies amongst the mudflats and a thin covering of water creates a terrific reflection of this awesome animal. Photo – this long exposure piece from Richard Beresford Harris was taken in Norway during what looks to be the blue hour. Red houses on piers create great colorful anchors and context in the shot as the silky waters that they sit on add a touch of the surreal. CouleurBanff Hoodoos – Town of Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta – the thing about the Canadian Rockies is that their natural beauty is only surpassed by the sheer size of the park. This great shot from Len Saltiel reveals a landscape that is peppered by majestic mountains and lush green trees that carpet the entire park. Autumn at Bow Bridge, Central Park, New York – a cast-iron bridge crossing a pond serves as both a great leading line into the frame, as well as a touch of juxtaposition against the vibrant colors of the leaves from the autumn season. The pond itself casts a muted reflection back into the picture, and in the distance, a dramatic building rises above the treeline for added interest. rottonaraBlue Boxing Ring, USA – I can never really reconcile the scenes that we find in many urbex themed shoots as they focus on buildings and places that were once bustling with activity and yet today they are slowly decaying back into the ground they stand on. This great set of shots focuses on a storied and historic location that has a once-famous boxing ring in it. Today the match bell is quiet and according to the article that accompanies the shots the location is under consideration for razing with a parking lot in the plans to take over the space. Autumn symphony… – here we find another autumn themed shot, with this one taken in Slovenia overlooking the rolling hills that are covered in falls vibrant colors. If you spend some time carefully going over the photograph, you will also find that Krzysztof Browko has included some wonderful character buildings in the composition. pen_ashGloucester County Courthouse – a classic colonial courthouse is the main focus of Mark Summerfield’s post. This old brick building is in incredible condition and is an important part of the region's history. Fog Wave – this is a brilliant example of how still photography can capture unusual natural phenomenon as Kilian Schönberger finds a scene that features a moving fog that looks like a river flowing over the landscape. Beautiful colors in the sky create the perfect finishing touch for this almost abstract looking landscape picture. analogicusMalaga Sunset – on a visit to Spain with an eye towards photography Edith Levy captures this great sunset shot from a rooftop overlooking the town below. The old architecture of the ancient town is perfectly accented here by the rich colors from the sunset’s palette. Pebble Beach – once again we find that the famous Slot Canyons in the United States can create ethereal scenes that are almost too good to be true. This shot comes to us from Danilo Faria and features light play off the stone walls, great textures in the silky waters from the long exposure and a ladder that leads down to the shallow pool of water for an anchor. AdinaVoicuCreepy Lee – the effects of years of decay and neglect are seen in every corner of this dramatic frame from Michael Criswell taken inside a long-abandoned building in Detroit. This building has gone through several iterations of use before it was finally abandoned in the 1990s, and what remains now is a reminder of a bygone time in this famous city. Dresden at Sunset – this tack-sharp image of the city of Dresden taken looking over the river is punctuated by a vibrant sunset adding a great color palette to the composition. Claudio de Sat finds the perfect time and conditions to capture this breathtaking image, sharing a perspective of the city that features its heritage architecture. Alexas_FotosDoe and Fawn Evening Drink, Minnesota – Mark Paulson shares a heartwarming shot of a mother doe and her fawn as they take a drink from a water source late in the day. This photograph gives the strong impression of the pair enjoying a moment together in their natural setting as the day draws to a close. Niedzica Castle – a majestic castle built around 700 years ago sits perched on a hilltop overlooking a winding river in Poland. The dramatic sky overhead adds great texture to the shot that showcases a look at an ancient building in this historic region.
I’ve written previously about the importance of getting down to eye level when photographing wildlife. When eye-level means ground level, it can be awkward to support your camera whilst also supporting yourself and trying to keep your gear clean.
Most tripods allow you to get quite low by opening the legs out as wide as possible, many actually opening out fully so that the tripod sits flush to the ground. Whilst this is very functional, it can be pretty awkward to handle, especially if trying to pan with your subject or if you have to move to follow your subject around.
One option to overcome this is what is known as a ground pod. It is a plate/tray with upturned edges, that you attach your camera to, or for more flexibility, screw your tripod head to. It supports your camera just a few inches from the ground, thus offering some protection from water splashes or sand/mud, whilst allowing easy movement in all directions.
Completed ground pod. You can see I'm using a ball head to mound my camera to the frying pan.
The commercially available options are pretty expensive (approx £80/$100 US) so I decided to try and make my own. I in no way claim to be the first person to do this, but thought I would share how it is done to illustrate how easy it is to make your own low-level camera support.
You will need:
A cheap frying pan – approx 10-12” diameter. You can chose whatever diameter frying pan suits you, but a wider pan will offer more support, especially for bulky telephoto lenses. It is a good idea for the pan to be approx 1-1.5” deep – any deeper makes adjusting your tripod head more awkward, any shallower offers less protection from water splashes, mud or sand.
A 3/8” socket head bolt, approx ½” in length. A ‘round’ headed or ‘truss’ headed bolt is preferable. If the pan is thick enough, a counter sunk head would be ideal, however cheap pans are normally too thin to make this practical. Imperial sized bolts are difficult to come by in UK hardware stores, so this might involve some internet searching.
A tripod head. This is technically optional, but preferable and I am writing this post with the use of a tripod head in mind. A cheap ball head can be found on eBay, and will be a good compromise between size and flexibility. You don’t want anything too tall (defeats the point of trying to get so low) or anything with levers that are too wide (may be an awkward fit inside the pan). If you don’t have a tripod head to use, you could try using a couple of blocks of wood to act as a riser to ensure the lens clears the edge of the pan)
A power drill to make a hole large enough for the 3/8” bolt.
A hex key/Allen key of the same size as the socket in the hex bolt.
A wing nut to screw onto the bolt when the pan is not in use so you do not lost the bolt. Any kind of nut would work, but a wind nut is large enough to be difficult to lose, and easy to use with cold hands!
Left: Frying pan with handle removed, showing the riveted bracket. Left: A 3/8" hex bolt.
The construction of the ground pod is very simple:
First of all, remove the handle from the frying pan. It should be easily unscrewed from the pan, and removing it will make the pan a less awkward shape to store. You may well be left with a small, riveted bracket that the handle was screwed to, however this makes a convenient little place to hook the frying pan onto your camera bag using a carabiner, to save you having to carry it by hand.
Turn the pan upside down, and use the power drill to make a hole in the centre of the pan. Don’t apply too much downward force when drilling; otherwise you will end up deforming the centre of the pan, meaning your tripod head will not fit flush to the pan base.
Once the hole is drilled, turn the pan back around, and use the hex key to screw the bolt through the pan and into your tripod head.
And that is it! Simple.
You will want to ensure that the pan actually supports your camera and lens without toppling over before putting it to use. If you chose a wide enough pan, this should not be a problem.
When out on a beach or in a field you will find that using a ground pod for support makes getting down low a lot easier whilst having some confidence that your camera gear will remain free from sand, mud and water. The pan is a good deal lighter than most tripods too, meaning you can carry less weight when out on your next wildlife shoot.
If you already own a suitable tripod head, this project shouldn’t cost much more than the price of a cheap frying pan and is a great way of supporting your camera at ground level for those powerful and intimate wildlife portraits.
(Thanks to Rob Cain for taking the picture of my gear on the completed ground pod, above)
The B-Grip (short for “belt grip”) is a way to carry your camera on a belt, rather than around your neck. The camera is carried around in the holster with a quick release plate that’s easily accessed when you’re ready to shoot. It’s best paired with the hand strap also available, and it is this pair which I was sent for review by a local reseller. I tested this grip out on the busy weekend of an anime convention which I attend every year and usually take about 1000 photos a day for each of the two days. For Saturday I used the B-Grip. For Sunday I switched back to my preferred strap, a Sun Sniper strap. This way I was able to get a good comparison of the two.
Pros
It looks damn sexy! I posted the product photo to my facebook page when I got the holster for review and the most common comment was how cool/badass/sexy it looked. For a photographer who needs to look cool, this will not harm your image one bit.
This will save your neck and shoulders, as the weight of the camera and lens is moved to your hips, which can carry that weight far more easily. The advertising says “carry your camera comfortably”, and it is comfortable!
When holstered, the camera is very secure. I was concerned at first but after putting it all together I could see there was no way the camera would come loose. It’s probably more secure than a standard strap, since it doesn’t swing about.
The experience of going hands-free without worrying where a dangling camera might go if you bend over or turn around is a liberating one.
Cons
The major problem I faced with the holster is the necessity for a strap you slip your hand into before you can remove it from the holster. The alternative is no strap which means your own hand’s grip is the only thing stopping the camera from hitting the ground. I think that’s too risky, especially when trying to holster/unholster your camera.
The strap is a thick, flexible, slightly grippy rubber. It’s a little tricky to adjust to the right size, and can be quite difficult to put your hand into when you’re even a little bit sweaty.
The event I was shooting had me stopping to take photos every couple of minutes, so I was constantly holstering/unholstering my camera. I started leaving my hand in the grip all the time, and then I just stopped holstering it altogether, so I ended up always holding the camera in my hand and as a result my arm became tired.
Not only did this make my arm tired, but it also meant my hand wasn’t free. It took a few seconds to lift my shirt (which naturally fell over the holster), holster the camera and take my hand out of the grip in order to get my hand free. Long enough to be awkward when offered a hand to shake.
There’s an optional extra attachment for the grip on the camera that allows you to mate the plate for the holster onto a tripod mount. This is a solution for photographers who want to swap between handheld and tripod, but the adapter is plastic and I prefer metal for tripod plates.
Also, the grip is not compatible with my panorama head. This may not be a problem for many photographers (although stills/video shooters may have a similar issue), but the attachment is slow and fiddly enough – with some small plastic nuts used which could easily be dropped and lost – that I’d rather never have to remove the B-Grip from my camera.
Every time I wanted to sit down I had to slide the camera and belt around to my side, which then got in the way a bit.
Thoughts
I really like the concept of the holster mount, and the benefits are very nice indeed, however for the types of photography I do and the relatively burdensome process of adding and removing the B-Grip from the camera, I don’t think it’s suited to me.
I can imagine this being a great tool for a street photographer for example. You could walk around for hours, the camera securely stashed out of the way and not swinging about, then slip your hand in the grip when you come across a photo opportunity. Once you’re done, holster the camera again and go on your way.
It’s very true that you need the right tool for the right job, and there are many jobs which demand many different tools. The B-Grip is not a tool for the jobs I do however.
I find it hard to do a fair review of this holster, as I feel that it simply wasn’t a tool that benefited me, yet for another photographer it could be exactly what they need.
There are some annoyances, such as the finicky wrist strap and a slower process to add/remove the camera attachment than I’d rather.
The parts that did work for me – the weight of the camera being supported on my hips, being completely hands free and not worrying about a camera swinging around on a strap – were truly a liberating feeling.
For the right photographer, this could be a dream come true. But not for me. I’ll be sticking with my Sun Sniper.
To keep all of my reviews consistent I’ll still give the B-Grip a score, but please interpret it in the context of what I said above: 6/10
If you regularly find yourself in a situation where you carry your camera with you and stop for occasional shots, or have to have your camera secure without the possibility of it swinging around, the B-grip is a great solution. You can pick one up at Protog.
If you’d like to see early impressions and photos from other camera gear that I’m reviewing, pop over to Facebook and like my page. I post that kind of thing regularly!
Share this article.
The 5 Most Overused Photography Techniques [video]
James points out that photographers who always use long exposures whenever there is water around could be missing out on telling the true story of the scene. They could be missing out on the ripples, textures, etc. that are available in the true scene.
He also states how he likes to imagine himself within a scene, and finds that some of these long exposures all feel too unreal. He knows he could never experience that in real life.
What are your thoughts on that?
2. Panoramas
James loves panoramas and has done many of them himself. The problem he has with them is that he thinks some people who shoot them can’t decide on what their focus point should be so they just try and capture it all.
Do you agree with that?
He believes good photos are all about subtraction and taking things out of the shot to make the message stronger. So to shoot a good panorama, everything you are capturing needs to be of interest. Or else, you need to change perspective and your composition to get a better photo.
Also, they aren’t great for viewing on digital media.
3. Adding foreground interest
James states that always trying to have a point of interest in the foreground isn’t necessary and that sometimes it can dilute what is already an interesting photograph.
4. Golden hour
Jaymes isn’t a fan of shooting during Golden Hour as he believes the color overpowers the subject matter. The light becomes the story rather than the place. The light steals the show. Photos can also become quite similar because it becomes about light and not composition or story.
Shooting at other times of the day improves your composition skills.
5. Sky replacements
Jaymes isn’t a fan of sky replacements. They are becoming too obvious, and they look fake. He thinks it is outdated and disingenuous. What do you think? Are there other techniques you think are overused in photography? Share with us in the comments below.
