BetterPhoto Instructor Insights

Get Creative with Photoshop CS4 Plugins and HDR

By Deborah Sandidge

photo copyright by Deborah Sandidge

I recently had the opportunity to photograph exotic cars at the Tour d'Elegance in Winter Park, Florida. What a treat - the most beautiful cars I've ever seen in one place. The engine detail above is from "Tuff Enuff" - based on a 1950 Mercury creatively handcrafted by Gary "Chopit" Fioto. It's entirely amazing!

Tinkering with this engine was great fun! To start with, it was photographed in HDR, three exposures to capture the dynamic range in the composition. It was processed using the Photomatix Tone Mapping filter working more with micro-smoothing, and less with micro-contrast. The colors were wonderful for a car engine, purple and green, who would have thought?

To accentuate the abstract and painterly feel to this image, I used several Photoshop CS4 plug-ins. Try Topaz Labs Simplify, Adjust, and Detail, a trio of my favorites!

Note: Learn the fundamentals of Photoshop or master the creative techniques of Photoshop CS4 in BetterPhoto.com's online Photoshop courses. In particular, Deborah Sandidge teaches Photoshop: Enhancing Images and Creating Works of Art.

Camera Flash Techniques: Rear Curtain Sync

By Doug Steakley

Flash units have several menu choices and there is one that is particularly important to understand and become familiar with - the rear curtain sync. The rear curtain sync choice appears on flash units that are a part of the camera or on flash units that are attached to the hot shoe on the top of the camera.

As you scroll through the flash menu you will see the normal flash mode, which is indicated by a lightning bolt. Then there is red eye, slow flash and finally Rear. The key difference between the regular flash setting and the Rear Curtain Sync setting is the timing or when the flash fires. With the regular flash setting the flash goes off as soon as the shutter button is pressed and the shutter opens. With the rear curtain sync selection the flash goes off when the shutter closes - at the end of the exposure. This timing difference creates very different images in some situations.

Generally the regular flash setting is used for anything that is moving or might move, such as wildlife or people - times when you want to freeze the action or where you are not worried about illuminating the background beyond the reach of the flash--usually 6-12 feet.

Rear curtain sync should be used when you are shooting a scene where you want to gather the ambient light and incorporate the flash to illuminate the foreground. Use rear curtain sync for dark interior shots where the exposure is slower due to a high aperture (f/14-f/16) and a low ISO setting.

When you use rear curtain sync the shutter opens and while it remains open the images sensor collects ambient light and then, as the shutter closes, the flash fires and illuminates the foreground.

Example 1: Carmel Mission, California...

The top image above was taken using the regular flash and the bottom using rear curtain sync. In the second image the exposure time was 1.5 seconds, which means that during the second and a half that the shutter was open, the image sensor was processing the image without a flash. Then, as the shutter closed, the flash fired and illuminated the foreground. The important difference is how the information behind the doorway comes to life in the second image, whereas it is just dark in the first image. This is the benefit of using the Rear Curtain Sync setting on the flash unit.

I see that the blue behind the santos is more saturated in the first image, but that is because the sun came out and was shining through a window to the left. You can see the sunlight creating shadows and washing out some of the color.

Now look at two more images that were taken in the same manner:

Example 2: Copper Font at Carmel Mission...

In these photographs (above) of the copper font, the one at top was taken using a regular flash and the one on the bottom was taken using rear curtain sync. Shooting in regular flash mode uses a much faster shutter speed - in this case, 1/15 second. Shooting in rear curtain sync slows the shutter speed and allows the ambient light to be collected, which gives the background detail. The image sensor is collecting all the background information and then the flash goes off at the end of the exposure, lighting up the foreground.

When using rear curtain sync it is a good idea to shoot in the aperture priority mode at an aperture of f/11-f/16 to ensure that the information in the background is also in focus. Shooting at a narrow aperture will also create a slower shutter speed, allowing more time for the background to register on the image sensor.

Rear curtain sync works well in static images where there is background information that is important to the image.

Note: Learn all about flash photography basics and creative flash techniques in an online photography course at BetterPhoto.com's school of photography. See the class listings for light, exposure, and camera flash techniques. Boost your camera skills and your creative photography in Doug Steakley's excellent Internet photo class: Photographing Motion.

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Best Christmas Gifts for Photographers

Treat yourself to an easy gift-buying experience, while also giving your favorite photographer something really special! At BetterPhoto.com, we have online photography courses and photo books that make for the best Christmas gifts for photographers. These are just the thing to help the photographer in your life to push his or her skills to the next level.

A BetterPhoto Gift Card makes a great gift for any occasion, including Christmas.

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BetterPhoto's online photography school offers both four-week classes and eight-week courses.

Visit the BetterPhoto Store for a gift card and to check out the photo books.

Approaching Strangers: Street Photography

By Ibarionex Perello

photo copyright by Ibarionex Perello

One of the things that I encouraged my students to do at the recent BetterPhoto Summit photography conference in New York was to approach strangers about making their photograph. It's my belief that at a public cultural event like the New York City Marathon, people are more willing to be photographed than they might be if you just walked up to them on the street. There is a festive and open energy in the air which makes such street photography so much easier, especially for those inexperienced with doing this.

I know that there is a lot of fear and anxiety about approaching people, but it's been my experience that the worst thing is not that they say "no". The worst thing is actually the anxiety and tension we feel at the thought of approaching someone, not the actual rejection when it does happen. And since people say yes more often than they say no, it's a worthwhile thing to do.

There is no easy way to get past the fear. You just have to make the choice to do it, but the more you do, the easier it becomes. It still comes up for me. The anxiety never completely goes away, but for the images I get and the even the occasional "no" is far, far better than the regret I feel for not taking the risk.

The students who took on the challenge produced some wonderful images of people. These are images they might have likely never had made had they not be pushed to do so. The workshops are great as they can help push you to take on such challenges. When it comes down to it, as a photographer you really need to rely on yourself to push you into unfamiliar territory. Otherwise, you're condemning yourself to only make the same images over and over again.

What's the fun in that.

Note: BetterPhoto.com's school of photography offer many excellent online photography classes, including these two by Ibarionex Perello: Portrait Photography Using Available Light and The Pursuit of Light. In addition, Susan and Neil Silverman teach the online digital camera class: Street Photography.

Reflections Photography

By Deborah Sandidge

photo copyright by Deborah Sandidge

Colmar, France, is one of the most picturesque places on earth with its historic villages and quaint architecture. It's an excellent location to photograph, put it on your list! But you don't have to go to France for reflection photography. You can find water reflections everywhere.

Water reflections are wonderful - they add another dimension to a subject. A long exposure enhances a reflection with a soft painterly look. On a windless day, a watery reflection can be mirror perfect. A slight breeze results in brushstrokes of color and patterns, creating a magical composition. Make great pictures!

Note: Deborah Sandidge teaches a couple of excellent Internet photo courses - "Photoshop - Enhancing Images and Creating Works of Art" and "Digital Infrared Photography" - at the BetterPhoto online digital photography school

Full Frame Digital Camera: Sharper Images?

By Rob Sheppard

I was reminded about photographic sharpness from a question I got from a student who wanted to know if a full frame DSLR camera would give sharper results than a smaller format. This is an interesting question and relates to a lot of misperceptions about sensor size, too.

Full-35mm-frame (I like to use that term because “full-frame” is very misleading - if the 35mm size cameras are full-frame, then what are larger format cameras?) has no effect on sharpness. I shoot mostly with Olympus gear which is a four-thirds size sensor, smaller than most digital SLRs, plus some with Canon APS-C cameras, and even a small, compact digital camera often called a “point-and-shoot”, and I have no problems with sharpness due to sensor size from any of those cameras. That said, it is important to note that megapixels will affect ultimate image size, and that small sensors with high-megapixel counts can have “mushy” looking small details because of the processing the camera does to handle noise from the sensor.

From many years of classes and also from judging a lot of photo contests over the years, I can definitely say that the biggest impact on sharpness is from camera movement during exposure. This can be a big issue with less-expensive lenses, not because they are bad lenses, but because they are “slow” lenses (referring to aperture) and often mean shooting at slower shutter speeds that increase the possibility of unsharpness due to camera movement.

The only way to see how much this affects your work with your camera and lenses is to do some tests. Shoot a scene handheld at a variety of shutter speeds, then shoot that same scene with the camera on a tripod. Compare the shots. Most photographers are surprised at how quickly sharpness degrades with slower shutter speeds that aren’t necessarily that slow. Telephotos and close-ups increase the problem with camera movement during exposure.

Some photographers are capable of shooting at very slow shutter speeds - and I am jealous of them because I am not. It is really good to know what shutter speeds start causing you problems with sharpness.

A solid tripod can make more of a difference in sharpness than anything else. I will take on anyone who shoots with the most expensive lenses and camera possible, with me taking the least expensive camera with its kit lenses, but I will shoot on a solid tripod and they will shoot handheld. I will guarantee most of my photos will be as sharp or sharper than theirs.

There is one other thing to consider about sharpness and sensor size that affects how you deal with what is sharp or not sharp in the image. Full-35mm-frame does affect how a sensor sees what a lens sees. I have a new Internet class at BetterPhoto.com about aperture - The Magic of F-stops - that looks a bit at how selective focus affects images.

Selective focus is definitely affected by sensor size as it relates to focal length. Larger sensors will show less apparent depth of field with a given angle of view because they require a longer focal length to get it compared to a smaller sensor (e.g., a 100mm lens on a Four Thirds camera acts like a 200mm lens on a full-35mm-frame camera in angle of view, but gives more apparent depth of field than the 200mm).

Note: For interactive online courses on photography basics, creative photography and Photoshop, as well as DSLR camera tutorials, check out the online digital photography school at BetterPhoto.com.

My upcoming ABC television segment

Thursday, December 3rd, I'll be on The View From The Bay (my third time this year) doing a Photoguru segment on cool fun affordable gifts for your photo enthusiasts- perfect timing for the holiday season.

Come to the taping and watch it live, check it out on your boob tube, DVR it, Tivo it, VCR it (if you live in the 80s), or look for it on their website after Dec 3rd (if you don't live in the area).

To check out the other two segments I did this year, go to: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/consumer_finance&id=6914730

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/everything_else&id=6674127

IF YOU WANT FREE TICKETS to the taping, go on their site or review the info below: 

The View From The Bay | ABC KGO-TV, Channel 7 900 Front Street, San Francisco Thursday, December 3rd, 2009, 3-4pm

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/channel?section=view_from_the_bay&id=5755208

Here's the info from ABC KGO-TV:

I would like to extend a special invitation to Sean Arbabi's friends, family and colleagues to be in our studio audience the day that he will be appearing on “The View From The Bay” Thursday Dec. 3rd, 2009. Meet Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang and get a chance to see the behind the scenes of a live television broadcast. Tickets for the show must be reserved in advance. Audience doors open at 2:15pm with a cut-off time of 2:30pm, the show is live from 3-4pm. 

To reserve your seats please call the ticket request line at (415)954-7733 or visit www.viewfromthebay.com and click on “be in our audience” and fill out a ticket request form. Or click on the link below to go to our online ticket request form. Simply fill out your information and press submit. 

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/feature?section=view_from_the_bay&id=6337461 

Please be sure to note under “comments” if you are requesting a specific date to support someone scheduled to be on the show. We strongly encourage you to post this invitation and its contents on any blog or webpage that you host or participate in. Please pass this email on to any friends, family or colleagues who may be interested in being in our studio audience. You can also post an announcement on your webpage! *Please note that all seats must be reserved in advance. Tickets that have been requested will be sent via an email confirmation with detailed instruction on where and when to arrive at the ABC studio. Also note that audience members come in a separate entrance and time than guests appearing on the show. If you are a guest on the show and you will be bringing your guests with you they will need to check in with me (Rachel Wyatt) by 2:30pm to be seated in the audience. 

Rachel Wyatt/ Audience Coordinator: Rachel.Wyatt@abc.com

Hope to see you all there- thanks!

Street Photography in New York City

By Ibarionex Perello

photo copyright by Ibarionex Perello

There are few things that hold the allure for me photographically than a walking city. Simply walking out the door provides an unlimited palette for street photography. In New York City, for example, it all involves just shoe leather.

There is something about the physicality of walking for hours while seeing intently that provides an almost meditative space. That's especially the case when I put aside expectations of making "great" photographs and rather focus on the moment that I am in the midst of in terms of light, color and gesture. It's always a bit of a struggle to get into that place when I first arrive, but after a short while I'm able to put the ego aside and just move through the life and world around me. And when I'm lucky and prepared, I can make an image that not only works, but captures my sense of discovery.

Sometimes, the moment is waking up the subtlety of light, the gradation from bright white to gray to black, accented by the presence of a figure leaning back in a chair. In and of themselves, they wouldn't be particularly interesting, but their juxtaposition makes for something wonderful to my eye.

Such moments are everywhere, all the time. But the challenge becomes putting whatever agenda aside that I have in my head and becoming open enough to recognize a momentary and beautiful convergence and to raise the camera at just the right moment to capture them.

Note: Pro photographer Ibarionex Perello teaches a number of excellent online photo courses, including The Pursuit of Light. Also at BetterPhoto's online photography school, Susan and Neil Silverman teach the online digital camera class: Street Photography.

Camera Tripods: An Essential Photo Accessory

By Rob Sheppard

Many photographers skimp on tripods and I think that is a mistake. I see this when traveling all the time, and sometimes in my classes. You see an expensive digital SLR camera and lens on a low-priced tripod. Many photographers think nothing of spending hundreds of dollars for a lens, but complain about spending the same for a tripod.

Yet a good tripod can make or break the sharpness of any lens. In my Olympus gear, I have lenses that cost anywhere from $500 to $2000. To me, the cost of my tripod and head, about $1000, was a very important investment and worth every dollar. You can get good tripods for less, but the really low priced tripods are not worth the price. A cheap tripod that does not do its job well is too expensive.

I recommend a carbon fiber tripod for its light weight and a lightweight magnesium alloy head. In addition, carbon fiber is not as hard on the fingers when it is cold — metal tripods will sap the warmth and energy from your fingers. A quick release head helps make using a tripod easier.

Manfrotto and Gitzo are always good brands, both imported by Bogen. Manfrotto tripods are solid units that are a good value for their money. Gitzo tripods are expensive, but their fine construction is a pleasure to work with. Both manufacturers also make good tripod heads.

I use a Gitzo Mountaineer GT1540 tripod plus a BH-40 Really Right Stuff head. What is more important than the specific models are the reasons that I use this combination. I think you should look carefully at your needs for a tripod as this will affect which ones you use. I got this tripod for its compact size and light weight for travel - it easily collapses to suitcase size. Plus, the Really Right Stuff head is quite light, too. So in the field, I am not carrying more than a very few pounds of tripod and head. I also like the Really Right Stuff tripod mounting plates which allow for secure, quick-release of camera/lens.

That said, there are some new heads from Manfrotto and Gitzo that have come out in the past couple of years that I quite like and would easily consider them a challenge to the Really Right Stuff head. The Gitzo heads are very finely manufactured and a true pleasure to work with, while the Manfrotto heads offer a solid, great value for the budget-limited photographer.

If I did less travel, I would probably opt for a three-section leg tripod (mine is four), as they are just slightly sturdier and faster to set up (though my four-section legs are very sturdy) and a slightly heavier head. One thing that is quite nice for carbon-fiber tripods now is that you can tighten and loosen the knurled locking rings all at once and open and close legs, which is not possible with older styles (and some tripods on the market now - this is not a quality issue, but a convenience feature).

Bottom line for my tripod and head is that it is lightweight, compact and easily taken anywhere. You can have the sturdiest, most wonderful tripod in the world, but if you hate taking it with you, it is worthless. I have no problem making sure my tripod is always with me.

The photo seen here was taken in the Ancient Bristlecone National Forest near Big Pine, California, nearly 20 minutes after sunset, which meant a long exposure of many seconds. A tripod was a necessity.

Note: Rob Sheppard is a columnist for Outdoor Photographer magazine, an author of many photography books, and an instructor for BetterPhoto.com's photography school online. Rob's online photo courses include Impact in Your Photographs: The Wow Factor, The Magic of F-Stops: How to Choose the Right Aperture, and Successful Publication Photography.