Good light is everything

You'll see it many times as I add to this blog.  Photography is all about light.  The word "photography", comes from two Greek words which essentially translate into drawing with light.

Light has qualities that are clearly definable and easy to understand when we pay attention.  Light can be flat, dull and boring, like on a cloudy/  rainy day, or it can be bright and harsh in direct sun on a beach (neither of these extremes usually result in the creation of satisfactory images).  There are literally thousands of variations in between.  Light varies with the time of day, the weather, the season of the year and our location on the planet.  We live on a globe and our light source comes in from different angles depending on where and when we happen to be at the time we are taking pictures.  Light can be diffused, reflected, refracted, intensified or decreased in any number of ways for any number of reasons.  Summer light is soft.  Winter light is harsh.  The main thing is to be aware of the light and use it to your advantage when making a photograph.  You might even decide to come back at another time when the light might be more favorable as it will completely change direction from early morning to late afternoon.  The photo above of the library entrance is a good example.  This is an afternoon photo as the light is coming in strong from the west.  Morning light here is not nearly as dramatic.  The light in this image is diffused, reflected and refracted.  There is some tint on the windows so it has been softened as well.  This kind of lighting is not accidental but well thought out by the architect.

Lighting in an old house is quite different than what you will find in a new one.  Light in a cathedral is enhanced by stained glass windows and high, vaulted, ceilings.  Think about the light and you will become a better photographer.

Explore the possibilities

A photograph can often be made more interesting when it is taken from a different angle.  This one, taken from the second floor landing in the University of Memphis library is a good example. The "Compass Rose" graphic is a strong design element and the two people add human interest.  The curve along the top part of the image is repeated with a pattern of reflections from the lights in the ceiling, reinforcing the pattern.  If this image was taken from eye level, it would have been just a photo of two people standing on a fancy terrazzo floor.  Another advantage of shooting from a high angle is that it simplifies the background by eliminating clutter.  You should always look high and low as well as walk around any subject, if that is a possibility, paying attention to foreground and background.  Make pictures as you move around the subject.  When shooting digital, there's no additional cost involved making multiple exposures, and you can always discard the ones you don't like.  I'm constantly amazed at my students who will often shoot a single photo of something and walk away.  In this instance I probably made 30 or 40 exposures from different points of view, including some from the third floor.  Also, as I stood there, people came and went across the floor below and the scene was constantly changing.  When you decide to shoot photos of something, you'll do better if you're not in a hurry.

I like this one as the two figures fit neatly at the intersection of the upper right rectangle.  I don't go by the "rule of thirds" all of the time (a subject for later discussion) but there's no question that it often makes a photo stronger.

One additional point about this particular photo is the cropping.  One of my favorite formats is 16 X 9 and when a subject fits, I will often crop it that way.  (16 X 9 is the format of HD video)

Stay-at-home photos and High Dynamic Range

Try being a tourist in your own home town.  It's a fact that most of us will drive hundreds of miles to a strange location and photograph everything in sight.  Tourists come to Memphis every year in droves and do just that.  The people who live in a given location, however, tend to ignore the familiar world around them.  Admittedly, there are some problems making an image like this, that have little to do with photography, like finding a place to park and walking a couple of blocks in the hot sun.  There are no people in the photo as it was taken on a weekday afternoon when most people are working.  The biggest problem however is a failure to even recognize the possibilities and then making the effort required for it to happen.  Cartier Bresson, the well-known French street photographer once said, "pictures are everywhere, all you have to do is take them".

This is a high-dynamic range photo.  It is composed of three separate exposures taken two f stops apart.  Basically this means one exposure is under exposed (this is to capture highlight detail or bright areas).  A second exposure is made to capture the normal exposure range of the scene (this is the one we always shoot).  And, a third exposure is made that is over exposed (to capture detail in the dark, or shadow, areas).  The three exposures are combined in software.  In this case I used a program called Photomatix, which blends the three after conversion through a process called tone mapping and gives a correct exposure throughout the image.

If you want to try making high dynamic range photos, you should use the aperture control method.  This prevents a shift in focus or variations in depth of field.  Only the shutter speed changes.  Many cameras allow for a rapid fire sequence of multiple exposures.  HDR images can be created with more than three separate exposures—five to seven is common where lighting conditions are extreme.  Three exposure shots like this one can be made hand held if you have enough light and your camera will fire fast enough.  Anything more than three or even three may require a tripod if lighting conditions are such that the over exposed image requires a long enough exposure to cause possible camera movement.  Photomatix is available in trial form from their website as a free 30-day download.  www.hdrsoft.com

The 30-story pyramid pictured here has been a Memphis landmark for many years and was used as a venue for special exhibitions, rock concerts, basketball games and University graduations.  It is currently for sale or lease and negotiations are under way with Bass Pro shops to turn it into a mega-store.  We may be replacing Ramesses the Great with a large-mouth bass.

Auxiliary/ Zoom lenses

Years back (not too many years really), 35 mm cameras came standard with a "normal" lens.  This was a 50 mm as a rule, described as normal as the angle of view of the 50 came closest to human vision.  Because the majority of digital cameras come with sensors smaller than the 36 X 24 mm size of the image on a 35 mm film frame, the word normal doesn't mean much any more when it comes to describing the lens.  The exception to this are the high-end, full-frame, cameras now made by Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc.  High-end also means high price as a rule as the cost of the large imaging chip (the size of a 35 mm frame) increases manufacturing costs a great deal.  Also many cameras that have interchangeable lenses are now sold with what is called a "kit" lens.  This is often a zoom in the 18 - 55 mm range.  While the kit lens produces acceptable images, it is not in the same league with pro lenses that are manufactured for those same cameras.

Lenses are manufactured with focal lengths that go all the way from "fish eye" with a 180° angle of view (often in the 8 to 12 mm range) to 1200 mm telephoto varieties which will cost you close to the price of a new car.  If you have a 1200 mm lens,  you'll probably also have to hire someone to carry it.  In addition to single focal length lenses, also called prime lenses, there are the zoom variety.  There was a time when the zoom lens was not considered to be in the same league as the prime, however that has changed and the quality is very high on all lenses currently being manufactured—especially those that are designed for pro level shooting.  Pro lenses for the Canon and others are not only built with special glass elements to reduce aberrations of various kinds and provide increased sharpness, they are built to withstand more punishment as well, with additional shock proofing, water proofing and dust proofing.  Canon pro lenses are easy to recognize as they have a red stripe around the barrel.

The image above of the hardware store plant sale was shot with a 7-14 mm zoom lens on a Panasonic GF1 camera.  The photo was taken at the short end (7 mm) but since the imaging chip is smaller than 35 mm there is a magnification factor (about double in this case) which means that at 7 mm it actually covers an area that is  the equivalent of 14 mm on a 35 mm frame.  The GF1 is a micro 4/3rds camera.  Even though the 7 converts to an approximate 14, it is still extremely wide and the linear distortion is apparent in the image.  As you can see, it is also a very sharp lens.

The previous posting of the dragonfly was shot with a 100 to 400 mm lens on a Canon 7D.  That camera has a slightly larger chip than the Panasonic and has a magnification factor of 1.6.  As it was taken at the 400 mm end of the range, the 35 mm equivalent would be 640 mm.  These equivalent numbers aren't particularly meaningful but it is worth remembering that cameras with chip sizes smaller than 35 mm will have a magnification factor and a telephoto lens will have a coverage area smaller than what would be normally found on that lens (meaning that it has a reach that is equivalent to a longer lens) and a wide-angle lens has a coverage area that is not quite as wide as what you would normally expect to have with that lens on a 35 mm camera.

It is also worth noting that with the wide-angle lens shot of the hardware store, the depth of field or area of sharp focus, is extreme and the picture is completely sharp, front to back.  On the other hand, the telephoto lens shot of the dragonfly has a depth of field that is so narrow, the insect itself is not completely in focus.

Seeing the unseen

Close up we can see things not normally visible to the naked eye.  We can't see the spiky little hairs on the legs of a dragonfly, or the intricate web pattern of the wings.  Usually this is because the insect won't allow you to get close enough, or our eyes just don't have the resolving power at his minimum flight distance (how close you can actually get before the insect, bird, etc. decides that you represent some kind of probable danger to it's well being).  All creatures have a flight distance, even people.

There are a lot of photographers who, with great care and interminable patience, set up their equipment with macro (close-up) lenses on their tripod-mounted cameras to carefully stage these kinds of shots.  It takes both skill and a certain amount of luck, and many are quite good at it.

This image was made with a 400 mm lens mounted on a Canon 7D, DSLR, shot at whatever the minimum focal length allowable is on this particular lens—probably somewhere around ten or twelve feet.  This lens also has image stabilization, so it can be held without too much difficulty for brief periods without showing the effects of motion.  I personally find the telephoto lens to be a much better choice in non-magnification closeup situations as it less intrusive.

Dragonflies are fairly easy to shoot, because, if you stand still and pay attention, you will see that they return to almost exactly the same spot repeatedly.  They have a territory which they guard and, as a rule, will rest in two or more places at the extreme edges.  This brings up another interesting point about photographing anything.  A photographer needs to have some idea of what is going on with the subject being shot.  Can you imagine trying to shoot photos at a football game without knowing what is going on or ever having seen one?  It would be quite difficult.

After an image is made, I frequently research it further.  This dragonfly, fairly common, is called a "Blue Dasher".  You can even tell something about the weather here.  The hotter it is, the more the tail will be pointed upwards.  This is their method of cooling—reduce the surface area exposed to the sun.

Your photos are bound to improve if you know something about your subject.  Knowledge will increase your confidence.

That Elusive 3rd Dimension

Texture adds  a bit of reality and interest to any photograph.  A photo is, after all, a flat, two-dimensional surface.  It has height and width but the depth part of it is an illusion that can be created in a number of ways.  The area of sharp focus, or depth of field, can be manipulated with camera controls.  Linear distortion occurs where foreground objects appear larger than those in the background, just as they do with human vision, and this is enhanced or decreased with the use of wide-angle or telephoto lenses.  Human vision occurs with two eyes and each eye sees from a slightly different point of view.  Parallax, as it is called (the distance between your eyes), allows us to see in depth.  3-D movies are made with two lenses set slightly apart.  Unfortunately you need to have special glasses to view the finished film.  Manufacturers are currently working feverishly, if you believe the industry hype, on 3-D television.  Personally, I don't think it will fly—not at my house anyway.

A simple way to give some dimensionality to a photo as in the image above of the Virginia Creeper is to reveal texture.  This was done in this case by using the success formula of all good photographs, the quality of light.

Additionally, the photo above is helped by the use of the natural contrast between the red leaves and the rock and the fact that the leaves are casting a slight shadow.  Where texture exists, it is always an important aspect of the photograph.  When you have interesting light you will more often than not have a successful photograph.

Just a reminder here:  While viewing this blog you may click on any image and see it full screen.  These images have been reduced from their original size for posting but they still stand up fairly well in quality in the larger size.

Photo Manipulation

The manipulation of digital images has been praised and condemned on all sides of the issue.  I'm a journalist but not necessarily a purist and I believe that a manipulated photograph is perfectly acceptable as long as it is labeled as such.  The problem arises when there is an attempt to deceive in some fashion.  If I were to run this image in a newspaper for example, I would label it a photo illustration.  As such, it is understood that the image has been altered.

In fact, a number of things are going here that will receive further discussion.  First, this is an  HDR, or High Dynamic Range image.  It is actually a composite of four separate images taken at different exposures and then combined in software designed for the purpose—more on HDR later.  Secondly, this is a color image that has had a third-party filter applied.  I will discuss filter options as well in other posts.

The particular filter used here, for those interested, is called "Charcoal Sketch", and is part of a set from Topaz/ Adjust.

Photographic Style

The creation of a good photograph is about vision and perception.  We don't all see the same things, nor do we see them in the same way.  Photography is about light and working with light.  Good photographs come from a thorough understanding of the tools at your disposal, both before and after the picture is taken.  Subject empathy, a sense of humor as well as a sense of irony also play an important part.  Finally, it's about style.  Every photographer develops a style.  For the most part, mine (what you will see posted here) is simple, direct and uncluttered.

Choices/ Approaches

It is my intention to add material to this blog on a fairly regular basis.  It will probably be useful to some and, at times, a bit presumptuous or even obvious to others.  One of the things I have learned after thirty five years in the classroom however is not to assume anything.  We all view the world selectively, and therein lies a good part of the problem.  Our eyes have been trained to see, and or frequently ignore much of what goes on around us.  The old saying is that, "familiarity breeds contempt".  That translates into something quite simple.  Once we have seen it, categorized it and put it in a little box in our mind we tend to not really see it again.  I would like to use this forum to talk a bit about vision and what I call "visual literacy"—to look and look again perhaps with fresh eyes and explore the possibilities.  The first thing that we need to reckon with is that the camera and the eye see differently.  The eye sees to a series of fixed points and tends to "weed out", if you will, non-essential information.  The camera sees to a flat field and records everything that falls within that rectangle.  The first challenge, therefore, is to learn to see what the camera sees.

The photo pictured here is a portion of a sculpture which sits outside the Cannon Center in downtown Memphis.  It's been there for a number of years and of the thousands of people who have undoubtedly seen it, very few have probably ever looked closely or given it a second thought.

Digital for Dummies

For the do-it-yourselfers, pros and semi pros, digital photography has eliminated much of the hassle associated with film, like storage and disposal problems, related to wet chemistry and sensitized materials—to say nothing of the need for a darkroom. The down side of course is the expense of those high-end cameras, computers, printers and software programs that seem to need continual updating.  It has also created thousands of competitors for the pros in the guise of friends and neighbors who can afford those high-priced toys and get reasonably good images that are sharp and colorful.  Unfortunately, to the uninitiated they all look the same.  Uncle Bob may be able to get a decent exposure, but that's a long way from actually being a photographer.

The Memphis Zoo

I've spent a lot of time at the Memphis Zoo over the past seven or eight years.  One of the ways you get good photographs of anything of course is to go back and shoot it again and again.  As my camera technology and personal skill level have improved over time, I have done just that.  I don't get good photographs every time I go, but every once in a while something new will present itself with an old familiar subject and it clicks.  There are many places that I have visited in my life that I would like to go back and visit again with a pair of high-end Canon cameras over my shoulders.  None are in my backyard however (like the zoo) and it's not likely to happen.

There are a couple of Bald Eagles at the zoo and I have photographed them many times.  On this occasion she happened to be turned towards me with the light falling just right and a pleasant, simple, background.  These birds are rescues.  They are in the zoo because they are unable to fend for themselves in the wild.  This one had the misfortune of flying into some high-tension wires and injured one wing.  If she can't fly then she can't eat, and she would surely die.

Blogging should have a purpose

Half the world is doing this it seems—"blogging". I'm a little late, but that's beside the point. For the past five years I've been sending out a daily photo (five days a week really). It's time consuming and on a number of occasions has caused me to send out images that really didn't meet my standards. These "daily" images have gone out to 120 or so people in about forty or so states and a couple to foreign email addresses. While most feedback has been positive, there really hasn't been an overwhelming response. Some have told me in person how much they enjoy the photos though I've never heard from them by return email. Perhaps that's all as it should be.

I think it's time for a change. Posting fewer or perhaps less frequent images will allow for better editing and a bit more flexibility in the process, so that I might send one a week or three at a time every other day if that seems appropriate.

My blog will be about photography (digital is often incidental as the photos appearing here will have all been made with a digital camera).  I mention this, as sometimes the camera/ process is important.  More often than not, it is not.  It is personal vision that makes a photograph.  Cameras just allow light to enter a box and create photons on a silicon chip or rearrange clumps of silver halide when exposed to light.  A camera is just a tool.

Having said that I must add that digital technology today is nothing short of incredible.  Technology breakthroughs are an almost daily occurrence and it's hard to keep up.  I try to do just that incidentally, keep up.