Creativity: Accident Or Skill?

by Kyle Miller from Photography Tips.

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Clients today are in love with creative and candid portraits. The day where you would take the same posed shots with every client is far out the window. To advance in a highly competitive market place you have to have images that pop above the rest. With that said my question to you is creativity an accident or skill? If you are shooting the same portraits with every client are you being creative?
With all of my clients:

• I first take time to build a relationship with them
• Feed off them during the portrait session
• Work off their personality and add my artistic twist
• Use photography rules and techniques to enhance images

Taking creative portraits is much more challenging. I believe if you follow a few pointers or incorporate a few of my ideas into your shoots, your pictures will improve while you and your clients will have a blast.

Interact with your clients

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I am, like most photographers out there, a wedding and portrait photographer. Being a wedding and portrait photographer I spend most of my time working with subjects that are not models. Since my subjects they will usually feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. They don’t know how to act, where to put their hands, or where to look. Do I look at you? If that is not challenging enough your subject doesn’t really know who you are, because you may have met them only once or twice before the shoot. I don’t know about you but I would find it difficult opening up to a camera when I don’t know the photographer.
You need to spend time building a relationship with your clients. When you meet with your clients don’t only talk business, spend time sharing stories, because the more you share the more they will open up to you. My photography company shot 71 wedding this year, and as you can imagine you can’t always find time to meet with every couple multiple times before the wedding day. That’s OK, before you start your portrait session spend time just talking with you clients even if its for just a little while. It will make you seem more personable. As a side note I should mention that I believe for a client to be photogenic its not based on how somebody looks its based on their emotions and interactions with the camera. Remember it’s hard to open up to a camera and photographer if you don’t know or trust them.

Feed off your client

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The hard part is over, because once you have laid the groundwork and your clients feel comfortable around you they are much more likely to play during their photo session. As a good photographer you will need to take that positive energy and feed off it. I encourage my couples to continue talking with each other and often I have a close friend of theirs poke fun at them to spice things up. By creating this fun positive environment your couples will enjoy the portrait session which is a good thing but they will be more likely to flirt with the camera. If you are constantly just posing people your pictures will become boring, and you will actually start to kill the mood you work so hard to create. I am not saying you can’t pose, just set the pose up loosely so the background and light look nice then build from their.

Work their idea then add your creativity

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When the couple opens up the camera, and the groom give his bride a kiss on the cheek, try to encourage them. Play with the couple and have him dip her back, as it creates shape and is a great way to show off a vial. This is all great as you will get a good picture out of it, but the magical shot is just after that as they will giggle. If my couple is a very shy I could ask the groom to kiss her again, but to close his eyes. Its just a simple change but the message in the picture is so much different and stronger.
I tell photographers to treat your portrait sessions like it was an improv act. If you don’t follow theater let me help you out. Improv is unscripted theater, where actors feed off each other. The actors may or may not know where their skit is going but its the journey or how they get there that is a surprise. With portraits watch how your subjects behave around each other and just add your twist. When you add to the picture your subjects will start to work back and forth with you. Please keep in mind when you are working back and forth with a client you can’t pass on an idea. If your bride floats an idea and you crush it you will destroy everything. You have to take her idea and build on it even if you don’t like the idea at first, as its just a building block. Remember all creative candid pictures have to start somewhere.

Good technical background

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If you handle your portrait sessions in a cookie cutter approach where you use the same wall or background every time, technically speaking, things will become very easy. You know if you use this magical wall, that every time you should put your key light to camera left, and it should be at 1/16th power. When working with your subject(s) you need to have a strong technical background as you will never know what situation you will get your self into. I think a great example of my point is a groom I had earlier in this summer.
After our portrait session with the bride, groom and full bridal party my groom tells me he has a concealed weapon permit which he is proud of and wanted to know if I would be OK taking picture with him and his gun. I personally was against the idea but just like I mentioned earlier, you have to take the idea and build on it. So building on this idea I said we can make the photos have a Godfather feel to them. I knew if I shot with a shallow depth of field I could create a strong image with him looking down gun. I also remembered an amphitheater just down the road that would create a great monochromatic image with amazing lines. You have to take the idea and apply standard photography techniques: exposure, framing, composition etc… I say this because if you are only thinking about the idea your images could look boring. You are a great photographer use your knowledge and make the pictures amazing!

Canon 5d Mark II ISO:400 Shutter:1/500th Aperture:f2.8
With all of my clients I flow the same system every time:

• I first take time to build a relationship with them
• Feed off them during the portrait session
• Work off their personality and add my artistic twist
• Use photography rules and techniques to enhance images

It takes a lot of energy becoming emotional involved with all of my clients, but the pictures show the hard work. Your pictures will have so much emotion and life to them, and your clients will enjoy the experience so much more. I hope this helps
Happy Shooting
Kyle Miller has been a professional wedding and portrait photographer for several years. He shares his knowledge on his blog Photography Tips where you can also download his eBook 7 Essential Photography Tips for free.

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How to Tell a Story with Portraits by Using Creative Composition

By: Oded Wagenstein

In this article, we will explore new ways of using composition and creative framing to tell a story in your portraits. We’ll do so by understanding the marvellous ways our brain (as viewers) construct a sense of story.
The common principle of the techniques I will describe here, is that they are all based on our mind’s ability to fill in missing gaps of information. A skill that helps us survive in a world of uncertainty.

Two things to note about creativity before we start

Skill, is not just a talent: Just like working on the flexibility of a muscle, I believe we can work on our creativity, with the “muscle” being our vision.
Being creative for the purpose of being creative: Creative compositions should be a vehicle for a purpose – an emotion or a story you want to evoke in the image. If you choose to add creativity to your images, just to be more creative, it will be an empty gimmick.

Half close up portrait – a full story

By showing only half of a close-up portrait, you stimulate the viewer’s mind and almost force it to delve into the image. We do so by activating their mind’s need to fill in gaps of missing information. This ability is rooted in us since ancient times, from which we evolved to understand that the two blurry spots between the trees, could be the hidden face of a tiger.

Good to know:

For best results, you can practice framing this kind of composition by using the crop tool in your editing software. Once you become comfortable with this technique (and framing); it will be easier to achieve a “half close-up portrait” in the field, without the need to crop it in the post-processing stage.
This kind of framing is like an exclamation mark, which one cannot ignore. Therefore, use it only on the most interesting faces, and not on every portrait.

Environmental portrait – a person in context

For me, this the most challenging and rewarding portrait framing style, the environmental portrait. This shows not only the person, which is the hero of your image, but also his or her environment: home, work place, country, etc. By doing so, you use the mind’s ability to conclude and understand a situation by connecting pieces of information.

Good to know:

The biggest challenge in this type of composition is the balance between the main figure (hero) and environment. Keep in mind that the main figure must be dominant, and not overtaken by the background. Use light, color, and sharpness to make your subject significant.
Using a wide lens (below 50mm) is recommended for the environmental portrait framing, as it will allow you to capture the environment of your hero, even in small spaces.

Detail portrait – telling the story with small details

Like with the half portrait technique, in the detail framing we use the brain’s ability to fill in the gaps, by showing only a small fraction of the entire story. For a good detail shot, choose some with a connection to your subject. It can be a connection of similarity or difference. For example: take a close-up shot of his or her hands, shoes, the reading books on the shelf, the subject’s regular chair or smoking pipe, you name it! As long as this object, represent something which is bigger than the object itself.

Good to know:

A good place to start is by examining your subject from head To toe. Looking for anything that other people might miss in that person. Did you spot anything special? Like a unique piece jewelry, a tattoo, or just a hole in their shoe.
Some of my best ideas came from my subjects. Ask your subject to show you an object to which he or she feel a strong connection. You do not even need to have any human presence in the detail shot, as long as the object represents or tell us something about its owner.

Kuleshov effect – creating a meaning by interaction

In this technique, based on the groundbreaking experiment by the Soviet filmmaker Lev Kuleshov, we will use the brain’s ability to derive meaning from the interaction. Kuleshov demonstrated that the audience constructs the story not only by the content, but also by the order in which the images appear, and the connection between them.
In the experiment, Kuleshov used two different shots, which he put in sequence one after the other. The first shot, a close-up shot of the face of silent film actor Ivan Ilyich Mozzhukhin, remained the same throughout the experiment, while the second shot was replaced with every round of projection; a plate of soup, a dead young girl, a woman on a divan (sofa).
The audience praised the actor’s ability to express different feelings such as sadness and even hunger, using only his facial expressions, without knowing that they watched the same shot over and over, and the only thing that was changed was the second image.

To use this effect in your work, just place two images side by side and try to evoke a connection between them. In the example, I combined between the portrait of Net, which I did with the half close-up composition, with an image of a swirling sea. Where does it take you?

Good to know:

You will be amazed by the power of creative composition. Challenge your audience. Don’t be afraid to create a connection which is too complicated to understand.
A good creative exercise which you can do is by collaborating with a different photographer. You will provide the first image, he or she will provide the second. In there you will have a connection, not only between the two side-by-side images but by two different points of view.
The author would like to thank Nicholas Orloff for his assistant in writing this article.

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Why You May be Failing to Reach Your Potential as a Photographer

A Post By: John Davenport

There are a number of reasons why someone might not succeed at reaching their full potential, more than I can cover in this article, so please feel free to add to this list by telling us what obstacles get in your way. If you have solutions to someone else’s problem, feel free to offer up some advice, and help out a fellow photographer.

What does it mean to reach one’s potential?

Reaching your potential can be a bit arbitrary as everyone has different ideas of what success means. In order to simplify this article a little, let’s make a couple of assumptions to define the photographer we are talking about.
Assumption #1 – The photographer in question is someone who wants to improve their work through the long haul. This photographer may or may not want to become a professional, but they do want to look back on their portfolio and be proud of what they have accomplished.
Assumption #2 – For the sake of this article things out of the control of our make believe photographer – i.e. financial situation, health, and social/family aspects of life – are not the cause of their failure to reach their potential.

What then, are the obstacles that may be holding you back?

Lack of confidence

Think about learning a new skill. At the beginning you’ll most likely have a low level of confidence, but this is off-set by a high level of excitement to try something new. As time goes on though, that newness wears off and you’re left feeling like you’ve gotten yourself in over your head – does that sound familiar?

With photography there is so much information available on the web, so many people to compare yourself to, so many clubs to join, and so many things to buy, that it can become overwhelming for you to figure out the right path to take forward.
This frustration can lead to confusion, or even doubt over the decisions you’ve made, making this a common question, “Did I buy the right lens/tripod/software?”.
The simplest advice that can be given in this situation is to try to block out the distractions around you. Try to focus on your own improvement, and benchmark your current photography against what you did last month, or last year. This will help showcase your personal triumphs, allowing you to stay confident in your progress.

Lack of Motivation

If there’s one thing that will stop you from reaching your potential, it’s lack of motivation. Photography requires a lot of time and energy. You have to plan shoots, find subjects, work with models or nature, often travel to a location – a lot goes into photography.

To compound this, motivation will often peak when something is new, but as you visit the same location a few times, use the new lens repeatedly, or master the new technique you read about, the level of motivation you get from these things starts to wane.
In order to avoid stalling out due to lack of motivation, one thing you can do is to keep trying new things. One of the best ways to do this is to participate in themed challenges, like those here on dPS weekly. Another option would be to join a local photography club, or even an online community, to allow you to meet other photographers and share ideas.

Not investing in the right gear

You probably know that gear alone can’t make you a better photographer, but the wrong gear can certainly hold you back.

Trying to cut corners on cheap tripods, poor quality bags, or inferior lens filters, will do more harm than good. One could argue that poor quality gear will actually hurt your photography, more than high quality gear will improve it. So invest wisely, but be careful not to fall into the next hurdle.

Relying on gear to carry you

As mentioned above, some investment is necessary in order to set yourself up for success. However, too much reliance on the gear you buy will only hold you back. Thinking that upgrading to full frame will improve your photography is not the right reason to buy a new $2,000 dollar camera.
When it comes to investing in new gear there are two questions you should ask yourself:

1. What is the driving force behind your desire to upgrade?
2. How will the desired upgrade fill a need in a way that your current gear cannot?

Hopefully by answering these questions you’ll be able to find out whether or not the gear that you’re inquiring about is a want or a need, and how big of an impact it will have on the photographs you produce.

What else stops you from achieving your potential?

Let us know in the comments what hurdles you face as a photographer. What stops you from achieving your potential, and maybe we as a community can help you find ways to tackle that challenge.

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Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of articles this week that are Open for Discussion. We want to get the conversation going, hear your voice and opinions, and talk about some possibly controversial topics in photography.
Let’s get it started here – do you agree or disagree with the points in the article above? Do you have any others to add? Give us your thoughts below, and watch for more discussion topics each day this week.
See all the recent discussion topics here:

• 7 Commonly Accepted Photography Beliefs Debunked
• Is HDR dead? Some dPS Writer’s Thoughts on this Controversial Topic
• How to Find your Personal Photographic Style

John Davenport is the creator of PhoGro an online community that aims to help you grow your photography through engagement with other photographers. Join today!
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Your Guide to the Fujifilm JPG Film Simulations (with Sample Images)

By: Matt Murray

When I first bought a Fujifilm Finepix X100 in 2012, I was absolutely stunned by the quality of the images it produced. As the first iteration in Fujifilm’s lineup of excellent fixed-lens compact cameras, it paved the way for the rest of the X-series lineup with its excellent optics and fantastic usability.
What impressed me the most, perhaps, was the quality of the JPGs that the camera produced – they were lightyears ahead of anything I’d seen with other camera systems.
In this article, I will introduce you to the commonly available Fujifilm JPG film simulations, including the characteristics of each one and when you might like to use them.

I still have an X100 – but this is the latest iteration in the series, the X100F.

Fujifilm history of film

Fujifilm has been a leader in the photographic industry for decades. Not only are they world leaders in optics, but they are also the biggest producer of instant film and cameras left in the market.
In the heyday of film, they were also one of the leading brands for the production of 35mm and 120 films, making film emulsions loved by photographers everywhere. Some of these famous film stocks (Acros and Fuji Pro 400 H) still exist.
Fujifilm took their color science know-how from the film days and created a range of film simulations for their digital cameras that feature a very high level of color accuracy and reproduction.

You can easily choose the Fujifilm film simulations via a button on the back of X-Series camera bodies.

Do all cameras have all Fujifilm JPG film simulations?

No, the Fujifilm JPG film simulations available to your X-Series camera depend on the model and the firmware updates you have applied. Although the number of film simulations has grown over the years with the release of new generations of cameras and sensors, new film simulations don’t always roll out to older model cameras.
For example, it is rumored that the newest film simulation launched with the X-Pro 3 – Classic Negative – will be rolled out to cameras, including the X-T3 and X-T30, very soon via a firmware update.
This is part of Fujifilm’s ongoing improvements they make to their cameras and lenses.

How can I shoot with Fujifilm JPG film simulations?

First of all, you’ll need an X-Series camera body. Next, you need to set it up to shoot JPGs.
When you do this, the default setting to shoot with is the Provia film simulation. This setting will be applied to all the JPGs produced until you change it. You can easily do that via a button on the back of your camera body, where you can cycle through all available options.
It’s fun to change the film simulations to see what different effects they give you. Another reason why I love mirrorless cameras is that you can even see the effect each film simulation will have through the viewfinder and on the LCD screen – very helpful.
Can I change the film simulation after I’ve shot a JPG?
No, once you shoot the JPG with that film simulation, you can’t change it. So if you’re only shooting JPGs, make sure you’ve selected one that will complement your subject, or shoot JPG+RAW.

You can even convert RAW images to JPG with Fujifilm JPG film simulations in-camera, but that’s 

a topic for another day.

Can I apply a Fujifilm JPG film simulation if I shoot RAW?

Yes, there are a couple of different ways you can do this after you have taken an image. The first is using software such as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. The second is by applying the simulation to a RAW file in the camera after you’ve taken it. This is something that often surprises X-Series users. Yes, you can actually process your RAW files as different film simulations in-camera.

Introduction to the Fujifilm JPG film simulations

Provia

Provia was the name of Fujifilm’s most popular color transparency (slide) film. With its medium contrast and saturation, this is the most neutral film simulation and is suited to most genres of photography. It’s the default film simulation on X-Series cameras and is also labeled as “standard” in the menu.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Provia JPG. There are some noticeable differences over the 

RAW file, such as higher contrast and more saturation.

Top: Kids in a filed RAW file. Bottom: Provia JPG.

Velvia

Velvia was the nature photographer’s go-to film back in the film heyday. It’s bold colors brought to life the natural world. Velvia’s high contrast and high saturation make it a winning formula for wildlife and landscapes, though it’s one to avoid for portraits.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Velvia JPG. Velvia is showing its rich colors here, with both 

the greens and the blues highly saturated.

Top: Kids in a filed RAW file. Bottom: Velvia JPG. Skin tones look too saturated and unnatural, 

so this is best avoided for portraits.

Astia

This is another simulation named after a slide film, in this case, the film that was very popular among portrait and fashion photographers. Astia is known for its softer colors and contrast, giving a more subdued look overall with beautiful tones. I quite often use this simulation for shooting portraits.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Astia JPG. Great tones and colors, though slightly subdued.

Top: Kids in a filed RAW file. Bottom: Asita JPG. Lovely colors and tones, though they are not 

over the top.

Classic Chrome

This Fujifilm JPG film simulation is not based on a classic film emulsion. Instead, Fujifilm developed it to emulate the look of classic documentary-style photography.
Classic Chrome has lower color saturation and full-bodied tones, giving it a distinctive look. Skies look different with this simulation, as it removes magenta. Reds and greens also appear quite unique.
Many street photographers seem to use this film simulation if they are shooting color for a raw, edgier look.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Classic Chrome JPG. Look at the difference between the sky 

and the grass in these shots.

Top: Kids in a filed RAW file. Bottom: Classic Chrome JPG.

Pro Neg Hi

Pro Neg Hi is ideal for portraits with slightly enhanced contrast, especially when contrasted against Pro Neg Standard. Modeled after Fujifilm’s most popular print film for portraits, Fuji Pro 400H, it’s the film simulation I most use for portraits (alongside Astia).

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Pro Neg High JPG.

Top: Kids in a filed RAW file. Bottom: Pro Neg Hi JPG. I love the colors, contrast, and tones of this 

film simulation.

Pro Neg Std

This is another of the Fujifilm JPG film simulations that is ideal for portraits. It simulates NS160, a professional color negative film for studio portraiture. It has softer graduations and skin tones, especially when compared to Pro Neg High.
For best results, use it with creative lighting choices, or you may end up with a flat, boring-looking image.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Pro Neg Standard JPG. The tonality of this image is quite soft 

compared to others.

Top: Kids in a filed RAW file. Bottom: Pro Neg Std JPG. Out of the box, it produces a flatter file 

with softer colors and tonality.

Acros

Fujifilm’s classic black and white emulsion brought to life digitally with rich details and excellent sharpness. Fujifilm claims that this film simulation matches the tonal range and even the film grain of its analog offering, which is quite impressive.
You even have the ability with the Acros film simulation to apply yellow, red, and green filters in-camera.
The red filter gives more contrast and a dramatic feel. The yellow filter seems more subtle. The green filters seem to work best when photographing people.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Acros JPG.

Top: Kids in a filed RAW file. Bottom: Acros JPG.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Acros JPG with the red filter. Red filters have long been used in 

black and white photography to increase contrast and make images look more dramatic.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Acros JPG with the green filter.

Monochrome

This was the original black and white Fujifilm JPG film simulation on X-Series cameras until Acros came along. Many people bypass it completely, choosing to create black and white images in post.
As with Acros, there are three variants for this mode; you can add a red, yellow, or green filter.

Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Monochrome JPG.

Sepia

Sepia gives your image a reddish-brown look to mimic the feel of a vintage photo. I’m not sure why anyone would use this filter, but each to their own.

Left: Isle of Wight RAW file. Right: Sepia JPG.

I hope you have enjoyed this introduction to the world of Fujifilm JPG film simulations. Fujifilm produces the best straight-out-of-camera JPGs from any camera manufacturer. The ability to choose a Fujifilm JPG film simulation, many based on classic film emulsions, is the icing on the cake.
I’ve loved playing around with different looks to my images over the years. The ability to see through the viewfinder or LCD is incredible.
Which is your favorite of the Fujifilm JPG film simulations? Share with us in the comments.

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5 Easy Studio Setups With One Light

By: John McIntire

Studio lighting is one of the most versatile tool sets available to you as a photographer. Apart from 24 hour access to a quality light source, there is a vast quantity of modifiers, accessories, and techniques that allow you to design and shape the light exactly as you need to fulfil your creative vision. However, all of this choice that is available to you can often result in confusion and indecision. The sheer amount of stuff available can also lead you to believe you need more than you already have.
Fortunately, in the case of lighting, less is often really more. In this tutorial I am going demonstrate five ways to use a single light source to good effect, with a variety of subjects. Even though each of these images was created with a specific modifier, each setup will work with most any modifier of your choice. For example, you could swap a softbox for a beauty dish. This will alter the shape and softness of the light but you will still get good results. Some of the techniques also use a silver reflector.
If you don’t have a reflector, you can get a large piece of cardboard and glue a sheet of aluminium foil to it. Another option is to use a mirror. You don’t even need a strobe or flash to make these techniques work; window light, with a bit of extra effort can produce the same effects.
Here are five easy studio setups with one light you can try yourself.

Setup #1

Simplicity in technique is the aim of this first image. The light source is a strobe fitted with a medium sized softbox. It is positioned about five feet away from the subject, elevated about four feet above, and pointed down at a 45 degree angle. The camera is directly under the softbox (this is called Butterfly lighting).

Lighting diagram for light placement

The centre of the softbox is pointed to the left of the model (camera right) with only the edge of the light source directly falling on her. This technique is called feathering. It is useful for controlling and fine-tuning the light in a scene, and helps to soften light from a harder modifier such as an 110 degree reflector.
If you don’t think you’re ready to try feathering just yet, try to aim your light source at your subject’s nose instead.

Setup #2

To create dramatic lighting in your photos, try lighting your subject from behind. This image of my dog is lit by a softbox placed at a 45 degree angle behind her at camera left. The softbox is just out of the left-hand side of the frame and is very close to the subject. Because she is black and white, there is a huge amount of contrast in the scene. This left the shadow areas closest to the camera very dark. To fix this, you would introduce a reflector. The reflector is also only just out of the frame on the right-hand side. Bringing it in close allows you to increase the amount of reflected light filling in the dark shadows.

Setup #3

For added versatility, you can combine the previous two techniques. This image is again lit by a softbox six feet behind the pastry and elevated about five feet above. Instead of pointing the light source at the pastry, it is aimed straight ahead so that the softbox is not directly illuminating the subject. This is a more extreme version of feathering that creates beautifully soft light.

When you feather the light in this way, be aware that you are lighting the scene with a only a tiny fraction of your flash’s output. You will need to compensate by altering your ISO, increasing the flashes power output or altering your aperture.
To fill in the shadows created by the backlighting, use your silver reflector.

Setup #4

If you want to create images with more contrast in your light than a softbox provides, try using a silver beauty dish. The light source in this photo is slightly to the right of the camera and is three feet away from the subject. The bottom edge of the beauty dish is lined up with the top of the model’s head, again creating the feathering effect. To fill in the shadows, ask your model to hold the reflector pointed towards her chin and just out of the frame.

Setup #5

If you prefer really soft light, you need to increase the size of your light source in relation to your subject. The obvious ways to do this are to move your light source closer to your subject, or to use a bigger modifier.
Alternatively, you can bounce your light into a wall or a ceiling, converting that surface into your light source.
To imitate the lighting in this image, fit your light source with a bare reflector and point it into the corner of a room. Be wary of off-coloured walls though; the slightest deviation from white can cause colour casts in your images that take a lot of time to correct. If you’re shooting black and white, then colour casts are irrelevant and you can bounce your light from just about any surface you can imagine.

As you can see, you don’t need piles of equipment to get the most out of the studio. A single strobe, a modifier or two, and a reflector will provide you limitless creative opportunities for your photography. Go ahead and alter these suggestions to suit your needs and style and don’t be afraid to experiment, there really are an infinite number ways to use this modest amount of equipment. 

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