Tamron just announced a trio of featherweight full-frame lenses for
Sony E-mount, each of which weighs less than eight ounces and offers a
1:2 macro capability. The new Di III OSD M1:2 range of F2.8 primes are
highly portable options for Sony shooters, which sacrifice lens
brightness for impressive compactness and light weight.
We're still waiting to see results from these new lenses, but we had
the chance to check them out in person at last week's Photo Plus Expo in
New York.
Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2
The 20mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 will be coming in the new year, and a
working sample wasn't available to use at the show but it's physically
and cosmetically extremely similar to the 24mm, shown here. The 24mm
F2.8 Di OSD M1:2 weighs in at 7.6 oz (215g) and measures 2.5in in
length. That's compared to 7.8 oz for the 20mm, and in fact all three of
these new lenses are essentially the same size, not including their
hoods.
Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2
All three of the new primes feature 'front element focusing' which
basically means that when the lenses rack from their nearest to furthest
points, the front element moves within the lens, and the size of the
lens does not change.
The 'OSD' (Optimized Motor Smart Drive) focus motors provide silent
automatic focus, although on the a7III which we used, there is some
noticeable 'wobble' as the lens finds its mark. This could be a
pre-production issue (and it could be related to the horrible tradeshow
light) but we'll reserve judgement until we receive final shipping
samples.
This photo shows off the shallow petal-style hood of the 24mm F2.8,
and the 67mm filter thread, which is common to all three lenses.
Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2
If you didn't get the message yet, these are tiny lenses, and so
light that when mounted onto an a7R II, they feel like they're hardly
even there. Some photographers will always lust after brighter, more
'professional' options but for everyday shooting, assuming the image
quality holds up, we anticipate these primes being very appealing to
casual Sony a7-series shooters.
Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2
The 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 looks almost identical to the 24mm, and
in fact shares a similar optical design, of nine elements in eight
groups (compared to ten elements in nine groups, for the 20mm and 24mm).
These contain LD (Low Dispersion) and GM (glass-molded aspherical) lens
elements and BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection) Coating, to reduce flare
and ghosting.
Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2
The 35mm doesn't need such a wide hood, and ships with a rather
attractive 'snoot' style hood which serves to protect the front element
not only from stray light, but also from accidental scratches and
scuffs.
Hands-on with Tamron's 24 / 35mm Di III OSD M1:2
The hood is removable, at which point the 35mm F2.8 is
near-impossible to distinguish from the 20mm and 24mm. The fact that all
three lenses weigh almost the same, measure almost the same in length,
and use the same 67mm filter thread could lead to confusion when groping
around in a dark camera bag, but we suspect that their combined weight
of less than 1.5 lb (about 680g) will more than make up for the
inconvenience, for a lot of photographers.
All three of Tamron's new Di III OSD M1:2 lenses will ship for $349,
with the 24mm and 35mm (featured in this article) shipping next month,
and the 20mm coming in early 2020.
Join us as we explore some of the latest news and photographs being
produced and shared online by the global photography community with this
weeks list of links from Toad Hollow Photography. In this post, we
find a hand-selected list of tutorials, special features and great
photography with features and images here for enthusiasts of all genres.
We really hope you enjoy checking out these links as much as the Toad
did in bringing them to you.
Tutorials
5 Tips That Will Take Your Fall Photography To A New Level
– fall is definitely upon us here in the northern hemisphere, so this
article that talks about how to get the most out of the time-of-year
with photography is quite timely. Each of the points covered in this
great article is accompanied by great examples, showing you how to take
full advantage of the season in the short time it presents itself.
Shooting Professional Ink-in-Water Product Photos on a Budget
– compositing watches and ink that naturally flows in a water
environment can create stunning product photos that are totally unique.
This tutorial takes you through every step of the process, and once you
realize how simple the setup, shoot and post-production is, you’ll be
heading out to collect the required items to try this yourself. 5 Tips for Composing Landscape Photos with Depth, Scale & Unity for More Powerful Images
– the team at Shutterbug delivers a great article and video tutorial
that shows us how to apply 5 easy to follow tips that help to create
stunning landscape shots. Sample shots are included to wonderfully
illustrate the points discussed, making for a must-read article for
those who love to shoot this genre. Janko FerlicHigh Key Photography: What Is It and How to Get Started
– the concept of high or low key photography is a broad topic that
actually covers quite a bit of ground from an image perspective. This
terrific article talks about high key photography and its origins and
goes into great depth on how to achieve this specific look through
careful planning and execution. Photography Cheat Sheet: The Right Shutter Speed for Every Situation
– the exposure triangle is something key all photographers really need
to understand to ensure that you are getting great exposures every time.
This brief article shares a pictograph that gives you some basic
insight into how to control shutter speed to achieve a desired
photographic outcome. Small sample shots are included to help you
visualize the concept. Celine MartinThe Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Wacom Tablet for Photo Editing
– many photographers are embracing tablets as a powerful tool for
post-processing photos. This video takes you through the entire process
of setting up and configuring the Wacom tablet for maximum benefit and
reveals a few tips and tricks from the video host that are sure to help
you get the most from this gear. 6 Effective Tips for Gorgeous Flower Photography
– many of us love to shoot close-up and macro, focusing on some of the
finer things that can be found in nature. This post covers flowers
specifically and includes some beautiful sample shots. LHC CoutinhoA 10-Minute Guide to Getting Started in Astrophotography
– the entire spectrum of night photography of stars is covered in this
brief 10-minute video tutorial from one of the leaders in the field
today. This video is full of tips that go far beyond the typical gear
list, taking you deep into the night skies as you capture stunning
images of the universe we find ourselves in. Photography Cheat Sheet: Shooting Long Exposures of Night City Scenes
– this great article includes a sheet that you can print and bring with
you as you are out in the city shooting long exposure shots. The
various tips included in this post are all sure-fire methods that will
always deliver the very best long exposure shots in a thriving city
possible.
Special Features
Seven Photographers Who Are Rewriting Street Photography's Rigid Rules
– there are countless ways to express yourself as a street
photographer, and in many ways, this particular genre has been one of
the types of photography that has lived under stringent rules. Check
out this article that highlights the work of several photographers who
are breaking the typical boundaries, with terrific work to show for it. Alain AudetNikon Small World contest reveals unseen microscopic world all around us
– sometimes a deeper understanding of how our world works can be found
by taking a very close look at the microscopic building blocks of
everything around us. Photography is a fantastic medium for this,
allowing anyone with an interest to see things that are usually only
witnessed by scientists and technicians working actively in a specific
field. This post features a stunning collection of microscopic
creatures and elements in terrific detail. 9 Ways You Can Create Better Black and White Photography–
the very best black-and-white shots are not typically color shots that
have been converted with a filter in post-production, rather they are
preconceived outcomes of careful planning and consideration. This video
tutorial takes us through some key steps that you can utilize in your
work to start seeing in this particular medium, allowing you to take
full control of what is captured and exhibited.
Photographer Turns Symphony Hall into the World’s Largest Darkroom
– talk about creative! Check out this story that covers how a
photographer turned an entire hall into a huge darkroom where he
developed a terrific tintype portrait in front of a live audience. The
resulting image is great and well worth the time to read this short
article. IET photo competition winners show the diversity of the engineering and tech industries
– this is a very interesting collection of photographs coming from all
corners of the world and expressing all sorts of types and themes of
photography. Some of the shots included in this set are absolutely
stunning, making it well worth the time to spend a few moments perusing
the featured images here.
Great Photography
Bannack State Park Montana ~ A Real Wild West Story
– this is really a great photo-story that depicts a ghost town in the
United States that holds a very interesting history. A.D.Wheeler
Photography brings us this feature story and accompanies it with
wonderful shots of the wooden buildings and some vignettes of the
location, showcasing rich textures and years of weather and wear that
bring out a deep sense of questioning and artistic tension. Enrique Lopez GarreCoastline sunset
– David Dai delivers a picture-perfect shot of the Portland Lighthouse
as dusk approaches with incredible colors in the sky highlighting the
overall romance of the location. The red colors found in the lighthouse
itself find great harmony with the widely captured landscape around it
and the dynamic sky that lingers overhead. Coquille Point – Bandon, Oregon
– Len Saltiel shares a great shot of the Oregon coast that includes a
wood viewing structure that looks out over the grasses that line the
shore out to the ocean where incredible natural rock formations stand
for countless centuries as silent sentinels. A thin mist from the
rolling ocean covers the landscape, adding a terrific ethereal feel to
this amazing spot. congerdesignSunset above the lake
– it really is hard to beat the joy a great sunburst can add to a
strong landscape composition. Peter Zajfrid shares a great rendition of
this classic by sharing a vista that overlooks a beautiful lake and
rolling hills in the distance. Old Town Malaga
– Edith Levy takes us into the heart of what is described as one of the
oldest city on earth where she shares a stunning night shot that
features the city’s architecture along with people milling about and
enjoying the evening. Edith finishes off this great shot by
highlighting incredible clarity in the details which does a great job of
drawing your eye into the frame. Capri23autoA dream come true
– the incredible vantages offered by drones is truly second to none as
we see here in this stunning elevated shot of Le Mont-Saint-Michel in
France. Luca Micheli captures this scene as the tides are out,
revealing the amazing structure and it’s scale against a backdrop that
has incredible depth. Southern Elephant Seal
– Ron Niebrugge delivers a pair of terrific portraits of the Southern
Elephant Seal in their natural habitat. The first shot is a great one
that showcases the hilarious personality of this creature who really
appears to be hamming it up for the camera, and the second shot is a
great portrait. Alexas FotosStaircase…
– perfect lines frame an amazing architectural design that is full of
ornate details and beautiful finishing touches in this photograph by
Herbert A. Franke. A slightly cinematic approach was used to process
this shot, giving a bit of a vintage look that is highly sympathetic to
the subject. La Última Estancia
– this shot comes to us from O. R.G. who captures this picture in a
crypt with incredible natural light streaming in through architecturally
fascinating window openings into a cold, lifeless place. The
photographer includes some prolific prose with this shot that adds
texture to the image with a strong sense of the darkness the image
portrays. Peggy ChoucairSilhouette
– Necdet Yasar shares a powerful shot from Turkey that is processed as a
black-and-white to bring out the silhouettes and industrial details of
the scene. The sharp contrasts explored in this shot shows us how
engaging silhouettes can be in terms of creating an emotional response
when viewing great images. i’m fine, how are you?
– I love how Diane Schuller intertwines some rather poignant thoughts
with her terrific photography. This post makes us all think a little
about how we respond to the question posed in the article’s title,
peppered with some really terrific knitting-themed vignette shots that
are great in their expression through a shallow depth-of-focus.
~Dubai Moments ~
– David Gomes captures this cityscape shot in the wee hours of the
morning, just as the sky is emerging from the night adding great color
to the overall scene. The shot is processed to bring out the neon
colors of the contemporary architecture of the city, and the lines
created by the bridge in the right part of the frame add a strong
leading line. Downy Woodpecker –
Wayne Beauregard shares a delightful close-up portrait of this
woodpecker as it sits on the side of its tree awaiting another turn at
the seed feeder. Wayne’s shot features some great details in the bird's
plumage, creating a well-defined portrait of these rather beautiful
little birds. Thomas BCruise Ship in front of Iceberg in Antarctica
– the incredible icebergs found in Antarctica are juxtaposed by a
cruise ship that sits in front of them, adding a perfect element of
scale to the shot. This shot from Jason Row was shot and processed with
perfect exposure, ensuring all the texture and detail in this largely
white environment is visible. Double Orange on Orange, Minnesota
– a pair of beautiful butterflies play with a vibrant orange colored
flower in this great shot from Mark Paulson. Mark uses a very shallow
depth-of-focus with this shot to really help these tiny insects pop
right out of the frame and come to life on our screens. Enrique Lopez GarreKiso valley
– Daniel Kordan takes our eye down a cobblestone path in Japan that is
flanked by the beautiful homes and buildings that are distinctly
architected for the region. In the distance we see a valley lead out,
with layers of rolling hills that create a great sense of depth to the
landscape beyond the inhabited area.
Share this article.
Monday, October 28, 2019
What Is Contrast in Photography and How to Use It Correctly
Contrast in photography is one of the most
important components of your image. Our article will show you how to
make the most of contrast, whether by enhancing it or decreasing it.
A defining moment on your photography journey is when you really
understand how contrast affects the images you take. Knowing how to
manipulate contrast will change your photos for the better.
What Is Contrast in Photography
Contrast means difference. In the case of photography, the most
common differences are achieved by changes in the tones (light) or
colors that compose the image.
Contrast has been a key element from the beginning of photography. It is
the degree of difference between the elements that forms an image.
Higher contrast will give your image a different feel than lower
contrast, for example. But the type of contrast can also influence your
images.
Here’s how.
Tonal Contrast
The best known type of contrast is tonal. It refers to the difference
in brightness (light intensity) between the elements of the image.
Although it is important in all types of photos, tonal contrast is
especially relevant in B&W images. These lack other types of
contrast such as the color one.
If the image has both very dark and very bright tones, it has a high tonal contrast.
If the photo has a wide range of tones widely distributed from pure
white to pure black, it is considered a medium contrast image.
And if it has a range of middle tones but it lacks the pure whites and blacks, the photo is a low contrast image.
Although tonal contrast is the best known, there are other types that are quite interesting too.
Color Contrast
Creating images with an interesting color contrast requires some
color theory knowledge. But don’t worry! You only need the basics to
start experimenting.
This is where Colour Schemes and the Colour Wheel come in.
The Colour Wheel is a chart widely used in arts. It simply represents the relationship between various colors.
Using Colour Schemes, you can figure out which combinations have the
most contrast. The most contrasting combination is usually that of complementary colors.
It is really easy to recognise complementary colors since they are located opposite one another.
One common example is the juxtaposition of green and red.
If you don’t want to think about the color wheel, you can just classify the colors in two groups: warm and cold.
Combining a cold color with a warm one will result in color contrast.
Use Analogous Colours for Lower Contrast
There are other color combination that will result in less contrast.
This is because they are harmonious, such analogous colors (colors that
are next to each other on the color wheel).
The colors still have some contrast between them so they can be differentiated from one another by the viewer.
Another way to add contrast to a photo with similar colours is to include an element with a different tint/shade.
It won’t be a strong contrast but it will allow your subject to stand out.
One last thing about color contrast. Keep it simple.
Having less colors in your image will create a strong contrast effect because it looks more dramatic.
Contrast Through Textures
Differences between textures in photography are also a great way to add contrast.
You can combine rough with soft elements to give your image that extra punch.
An easy way to do so is by using the background.
If you are taking a photo of an element with a lot of texture, place it
in front of a soft background. It can be a clear sky or a flat wall.
If you don’t have a clear background, you can use the depth of field to soften it up. Using a wide aperture (f 3.5 or lower) and placing your subject farther from the background will create a shallow depth of field.
The background will appear blurry and soft and it will stand in contrast to the sharpness and texture of your subject.
On the other hand, if you have a soft element, it will pop out in a textured background.
Conceptual Contrast
Conceptual contrast is abstract and much more subjective than the previous ones because it is based on ideas.
Images with this type of contrast have a strong story telling component that usually surprises the viewers.
It consists of putting together things that you don’t expect to see in the same image.
You can use conceptual contrast to highlight differences between
elements that you find surprising, fun or that you want people to think
about.
Some examples of conceptual contrast that are quite universal are old-new, big-small or artificial-natural.
Use Contrast to Convey a Particular Mood
Contrast is a key element to convey certain moods through your images.
High contrast images pop out, show textures in the subject and give a feeling of edginess, high energy and strength.
These are used a lot in street photography and nature photography.
Low contrast images tend to have a dreamy feeling. It is for that reason that low contrast works really well in outdoors portraits, especially if you are looking for a vintage look.
Before you take any photo, think about what mood you want to convey. And then look for the contrast that will make it stand out.
How to Practice With Contrast in the Field
For tonal contrast, something that really helps is to set the camera to black and white. This is a trick I learnt from Gala Martinez, a portrait photographer from Barcelona, and I really like it!
Taking out the color helps you focus on light intensity and how it affects the image. You can also try looking for strong light-shadow contrasts.
You can also start training with contrast by “building” your own
scenarios. You can go to your arts and crafts store and get a couple of
cardboards: white and black are great for tonal contrast.
You can then use them as backgrounds for objects of different colors
that you already have at home and see how the different combinations
affect the contrast of the final image.
You can also get coloured cardboards and combine them with objects with
of complementary colors or the same color but different tint/shade.
How to Adjust Contrast in Lightroom
You can also adjust the contrast of the whole photo (global contrast) by using the Contrast slide in the Develop module of Lightroom.
You can add contrast by sliding it to the right. To the left you can decrease the contrast of the image.
If you want to have more control over the whites and blacks, you can use
the White and Black sliders instead of the contrast one.
By making the whites whiter and the blacks blacker, you can increase the contrast of the image.
If you prefer to adjust just certain areas of the image, you can use the
brush tool. This will give you a bit more control than the global
adjustments.
Paint the area where you want to adjust the contrast and then move the
contrast slider until you get the effect you are looking for.
You can easily visualize which area you have painted by checking “Show Selected Mark Overlay”.
As photographers, contrast is a crucial element to consider in all
our shots because it helps us to convey a mood or a message to the
viewer. Although tonal contrast is the best known one, there are types
such as color and conceptual contrasts.
You can train yourself to see contrasts around you and you can even arrange the scenarios a bit to achieve the result you want. Lightroom and other post processing software are great tools to give that final touch to your image!
Lightroom is a powerful editing tool. The many different tools and techniques can be intimidating. But, there are easy ways to add that wow factor to your image. One simple editing method is creating a matte photo effect.
With Instagram filters and apps like VSCO, there is a huge trend to add a matte effect to images. This process is simple with Instagram or VSCO, but many people struggle to create a matte photo in editing software.
Adding a matte effect in Lightroom is quite easy. Here’s how.
There are many different ways to create a matte photo effect in
Lightroom. We will look at the easiest and most common method. But
before we get there, you might be wondering what exactly is a matte
effect.
What Is a Matte Effect?
A matte effect in images used to occur in the old film days. If an old film image became underexposed, it would have a faded or as I like to say ‘grungy‘ effect. You can create this matte effect by rendering the blacks in an image grey instead of pure black. Most of us don’t shoot in film anymore, but sometimes having that film emulation is a great way to experiment. You can get the look of film without having to invest in a film camera, or pay for processing and scanning. The
image on the left is from a film camera. The image on the right is from
the Lightroom matte effect. The image on the right has a pronounced
matte effect for this tutorial.
Using Tone Curve to Create a Matte Effect in Lightroom
You can achieve the matte effect in Lightroom by using the Tone Curve in the Develop module. This powerful tool can impact the brightness and contrast of an image. The original image we are going to edit for a matte effect.Before you start adjusting the Tone
Curve, I recommend that you do some basic editing. I like to adjust the
brightness, contrast, and temperature/white balance for my images. This
way, I have a clean image to work with, and the matte effect can be the
final step in the editing process. This process also helps if you are an advanced Lightroom user and have presets applied upon import. Basic edits performed on the image.
Simple Steps to Create the Matte Effect
Select
the Tone Curve tool in the Develop module of your Lightroom catalog.
The Tone Curve sits below the Basic panel. To avoid confusion, close the
Basic panel. You can close this panel by clicking on the arrow button
right next to the word ‘Basic’.
Click on the bottom right-hand side of the Tone Curve and change the
curve from a linear to a point. The Highlights, Lights, Dark, and
Shadows sliders under the word ‘Region’ will disappear. This gives you a
cleaner less-confusing tone curve to work with.
Imagine the Tone Curve as having four quadrants with the middle of
the curve as the center. Once you convert it to a Point Curve, you need
to mark your first control point.
Place a point on the curve close to the bottom left quadrant. It can be anywhere in that area. This quadrant controls the black tones in the image – muting them and adding haze as you pull the curve up.
Select the point that is at the intersection of the X-axis and the
Y-axis and pull the curve up. You will notice the blacks becoming grey
and the image taking on a matte effect.
For a hazier matte, you can lift this point on the curve above the
diagonal dotted line of the actual curve. The actual curve is the dot
you placed in the bottom quadrant in the earlier step. The higher you
lift this point, the hazier and lighter the matte effect becomes, as you
can see in the image below.
For a darker or richer matte photo, you can pull the point below the
diagonal dotted line. The further you pull this point, the deeper and
more contrasted the matte effect will be.
You can pull down the point on the top right-hand side of the image
to bring down the whites and give those a matte look too. This dulls
down the whitest areas.
Keep tweaking until you get a
pleasing result. A little tweaking of the Tone Curve goes a long way.
Find a happy medium and select a look that works well with the image.
The matte look, as with any editing, is a matter of personal preference.
There is always a market for any photography type, so find one that works with your style aesthetics.
Some people prefer the blacks
toned down, and the whites toned down as an S-curve. The Tone Curve in
such cases resembles a side-ways S and hence the name ‘S-curve’ matte
look.
Images That Work With a Matte Effect
The matte effect works well for black and white photos. It does not
always work well for photos that have a lot of color and saturation.
These images tend to look too washed out and faded to my liking. But
again, this is personal preference.
The matte effect also tends to work well with images photographed in
full sun – a super bright image. You can tone down the whites or bright
parts of the photo by using a matte effect.
If your image is already dark, a matte effect might make the image
too moody. But this is my opinion. If that is your photography style,
then rock that look. Black and white before the matte effect on the Tone CurveBlack and white image after the matte effect on the Tone CurveA colorful image without the Tone Curve matte effect.After the matte effect on the Tone Curve. I don’t like how the colors are so toned down.
Creating a Preset for Faster Editing
A lot of us prefer to be out there taking photos over editing images all day. That is why batch editing and creating systems are a photographer’s best friend. Once you find a matte effect that
you like, you can create a preset to make matte editing easier. Doing a
basic edit on your images before applying the matte preset comes in
handy.
Select the ‘Save’ option from the Point Curve drop-down box in the Tone Curve
Name your Tone Curve presets to something intuitive. You can then
access the presets within the Tone Curve section. You can even export
your preset and share it with your friends.
Applying the matte effect on the Tone Curve is as simple as selecting
the curve from the Point Curve drop-down box. You can always edit it
further by playing with the sliders.
To see the effect before and after, you can use the X|Y (before and after) option in Lightroom.
Things to Note When Dealing With Tone Curves
If you don’t place an anchor point for the Tone Curve before moving it, the entire curve will shift. This can cause an undesired effect. As you can see in the image below, the whole curve moved upward, and the picture looks washed out.
You can also create matte effects
for individual channels of the RGB Tone Curve. When you drop down the
Point Curve, you can select individual channels of red, green, and blue.
The default is RGB
(a combined channel of all three colors). You can select each color and
add a matte effect for only that specific color in the image. This step
might not be something you will use for editing all your photos, but it can be interesting to try.
A matte effect for the Green tone curve only.
As you can see, adding the matte
effect with the Tone Curve is an easy way to add a little character and
fun to your images. You may not use this effect often, but I like to
include some matte effect photos in my client gallery. My photography style
is light bright and airy, but a little deviation keeps me on my toes.
It also helps me learn new editing tricks that I might use in the
future.
