BetterPhoto Instructor Insights

Getting a Buzz On (Simply Speaking)

Iowa Barn Copyright 2005 Jeff Wignall

One of the first things that most folks do the minute they have successfully loaded Photoshop (or any other image-editing program) into their computers is - you guessed it - to start playing with filters. Let's face it, until you know what you're doing with most programs, filters are a fun and simple way to create some cool-looking effects. The fun of filters is hard to resist.

The problem is that the glamour wears off pretty quickly because, unless you're very talented at using them (and some photographers are), you can see the effects a mile away. And, of course, if you're relying on filters to make a bad photo a better photo, well, it usually doesn't work. Usually.

Filters can infuse a session at the computer with a bit of creative juice at times, though. The important thing is not to simply sneer at filters and walk away but to use them when the need or the mood calls for them.

Speaking of which, I recently started playing with a new filter (new to me, it's been on the market for quite a while) from Fo2PIX.com (www.fo2pix.com) called BuZZ.X (that's the Mac version, the PC version is called buZZ.Pro 3) that I'm having a blast getting to know. And I make no excuses: This filter is an easy-to-use quick creative fix that I think has the potential to have some awesome creative and technical applications.

Canada's Most Photographed Lighthouse!

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Well, as you've probably surmised, we're still on the road, just finishing up our last workshop for a few months in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. I'm sure that you've all seen Peggy's Cove lighthouse somewhere at sometime. It's a Canadian icon. The Cove is very small and extremely picturesque, despite the fact that it's been photographed by almost everyone who owns a camera and travels to Peggy's Cove. The lighthouse, in particular, is very photogenic and is easy to photograph, as one can walk right up to it. Anyone can make good pictures of Peggy's Cove lighthouse. It's a challenge, after seeing buses of tourists arrive throughout the day, to find a way to make it your own and somewhat unique. A couple of elements came together to make this a different image of the famous lighthouse. The clouds were dark all day and the quality of light was not good to say the least. It was also verrrry windy. So, realizing that in this business, all that we need is a fraction of a second of good quality light to get the job done, I and a stout student ventured out on the rocks "to see what happens." Well, after finding a different composition I wanted and shooting a few in poor light, we noticed the clouds quickly clearing towards the lighthouse, but the clouds were dark behind the lighthouse. I always look for a front lit subject with dramatic clouds in the background. Well, it was appearing to happen. It was all coming together. So, I called the student down from the rocks above me to shoot in this location. He came down and we were both enjoying the approaching situation. The brightness of the sky added the touch of direct light to the lighthouse while the background clouds were quickly clearing. The image here is a unique wide angle (18mm) perspective of Peggy's Cove Light, using a large foreground rock pattern for a visual anchor and graphic accent. It can really pay to get out there and wait for things to break. It doesn't always happen....actually, it seldom will happen on bleak days. But, once in a while...every so often....your efforts will be rewarded!

A Common Bond

I just finished up teaching a mini-workshop for PPofA in Oakland, California. When I was invited to teach, I thought it was a stretch - since PPofA members are typically wedding and portrait photographers. What would I be teaching them and how would we attract them to attend my seminar? Much to my delight, we filled the class and everyone there was eager to learn what I had to teach about creative outdoor photography! The reason many attended was to learn how to improve their landscape and scenic images that they make in their spare time or on their travels. But there were also a few that wanted to utilize some of the techniques they'd learn in the class for their outdoor portraits and wedding images. Since I strongly believe that all types of photography can benefit from utilizing visual design concepts, and creating dynamic compositions, this turned out to be a perfect balance of what I had to share and what they wanted to learn. In the process I realized that the two types of photography were not that different; weddings are often about capturing the moment, the gesture; wildlife and nature photography is also about that at times. Outdoor portraits are about striking a balance between the person and the environment; same as I do with magazine environmental portraits; and also about creating a composition that was visually strong and that led you to the person or people. Even light was a common factor, especially with the natural light used by many wedding photographers in the class. Yet while it was familiar information, none of them had successfully created images outside of the wedding or portrait realm that they were satisfied with, before the class. In the end, they all learned something new because they stepped outside their comfort zone to try some different techniques and to see in fresh ways. And I affirmed that there is always some common ground to share no matter what type of photographer you might be.

Courage in Shooting

Jim Zuckerman

This photo was taken during an Indian pow wow performance, and spectators sat in bleachers while the Apache dancers performed on a large area in a dirt arena. The only way to get good pictures with flash was to walk into the arena in front of the crowd. This shot was taken many years ago, and I was shooting with a friend, a much older man. He had no inhibitions in walking out into the arena and taking pictures – without asking anyone permission. My personality is such that I don’t feel comfortable intruding or getting in the way of others, but as I watched him getting great shots and no one interfered, I eventually did the same.

I learned an important lesson from this. If you want the best images, sometimes you have to go beyond the comfort level and do what is necessary to get the shots.

Have Tripod & Monopod, Will Travel

Longwood Umbrellas Copyright 2005 Jeff Wignall

Anyone who has ever taken a photo class with me, either in person on online knows that I have a major pet peeve, bordering on an obsession: If you want to improve your photography, you must use a tripod for every photograph you take. No single thing I have done has improved my photography--and my attitude about photography--as much as devoting myself to using a tripod whenever I shoot.

The funny thing is, from a teacher's perspective, getting students to use a tripod is like getting kids to eat green vegetables: the minute you mention the idea you get a lot of disgusted looks and an instant atmosphere of rebellion. Yes, tripods are heavy, they are a pain to carry and pack, they slow you down (which is a great thing, by the way) and they can be expensive. But there are many more compelling reasons for using a tripod than excuses for not using one. (Wow, this is starting to sound like one of my classroom lectures!)

The Shot on the Way to "the Shot"

We're in Acadia National Park this week for our last location workshop until the fall. The second half of this workshop will be Nova Scotia next week. We're really looking forward to getting some R&R at home before the fall workshop series. Of course, I have a quick trip to Vancouver for a PPA class beginning July 17 - 23.....THEN a couple of months home to visit with our great cat, who has probably forgotten us by now (I hope not!). But, here in Acadia, one of the great shots to get is at Boulder beach at sunrise. If we're lucky enough to get a "hard" warm sunrise, which occurs when the sun comes over a small hill with no haze at the horizon, a warm glow occurs and the granite rocks turn pink for a few seconds, as in this image. But we're always in such a hurry to get there, leaving at 0450, that we travel with blinders on and don't see anything until we get to "the location."

Luckily, on this day, there was very low tide at Frenchman's Bay at Hulls Cove, and the shot at the end of the driveway out of the motel was and "eye popper" would not be denied. We shot there for about 20 minutes until the red glow dissappated. And we still made it in plenty of time (driving the national park speed limit of 35mph) to get the shot we planned at Boulder beach.

I guess the moral here is to always keep your eyes open and your mind clear for the "shot on the way to the shot!"

THE BACKYARD GOLDMINE

I've just returned from a successful photo tour in Ireland, and I'm looking at a pile of digital images to process now! Coming back to the Bay Area of California is always great. As I begin to teach a short course today in outdoor photography, I'm reminded of a how image-rich this area is.

As a pro, I travel a lot, creating stock photography around the USA and in various parts of the world. But it continues to amaze me how many of my images from my own home area sell and re-sell for stock uses! I guess it helps to have the Presidio, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, Pt. Reyes National Seashore, and the wine country within a short drive of my home. And it helps that I was paid to make photographs of those areas when working on projects for the Presidio Trust and the National Park Association. Many of those images were used for books, posters, annual reports, magazines, greeting cards and travel guide books. I recently had an image of the Golden Gate Bridge licensed for the cover of Alaska Airlines’ inflight magazine. Yes, there are a zillion plus images of the Golden Gate bridge, so why was mine chosen over others? As the art director said, “because it was different, both in point of view and light.” I’m always looking for new pictures in my greater backyard, yet the key was to look with fresh eyes at familiar icons. That’s what’s great about photography. It challenges us to look into our own backyards and to see in new ways. I think this is true no matter where you live - if you open your eyes to look at the world around you differently than before, you'll find new images are right there in front of you!

Fun with Shadows:Photography Composition Elements

Self-Portrait & Truck ... © Kerry Drager

I love the striking interplay of brights and darks, since a strong shadow makes such a dynamic visual statement. But when the sun gets low in the sky, I also like to play with "self-portraits" - an ongoing personal project that I pursue whenever spare time and good light coincide.

The image shown here, taken a year or so ago, is one of my favorites ... captured on the side of my old 1942 Ford Dump Truck in Northern California. (Photos of this wonderful truck, by the way, is another self-assignment, but that's another story!)

In particular, shadows produce a quick and powerful impact, since they emphasize form over detail ... this is what makes them such excellent photography composition elements. When shooting shadows, the key is to choose subjects that has a strong, simple, and readily identifiable form. Also, the usual "rules" of photography apply. For example, my shadow not only appears off-center in the frame, it also faces into - rather than out of - the main part of the scene.

Contrasts in lighting can fool your camera meter. To ensure that a shadow becomes very dark or black, and the sunlit areas show good color and details, try the following: Temporarily fill your viewfinder with a middle or average tone that's in the sunlight (i.e., a mid-blue sky, or an object that's mid-brown, mid-gray, or middle-whatever). Take a meter reading, lock in those settings, re-compose, and fire away.

For great examples of all sorts of shadow images, check out BetterPhoto's gallery:
Shadow Shots: Photography Composition Elements

That's it for now ... have a great week!
Kerry Drager

Roaring Lions Photos

Jim Zuckerman

A roaring lion can be heard nine miles away. It’s a remarkable experience to hear them in the daytime, but at night it’s even more dramatic – and chilling.

On my last trip to Botswana, I spent time in Savute Game Park pursuing lions, and on the day this picture was taken I had been in the bush from dawn until sunset. I was expecting to go back to the lodge for the evening, but we had found a pride of lions and decided to stay with them until past dark. My problem was that I didn’t have a flash in my photo bag. It was in my room in the lodge because I hadn’t expected to go on a night drive. I was traveling with a friend, and he had a flash for his Nikon (I was shooting my Mamiya RZ 67II at the time). It was too far to go back to get my flash, so I explained to my friend how we both could use his flash.

When our driver positioned the land rover within 10 feet of the pride, I set my camera’s shutter speed to one full second. The African night was pitch black, and we could focus the camera by using a large flashlight. I checked on the guide number of the Nikon flash, and I calculated my f/stop with this formula:

GN = distance x f/stop. (GN is guide number, distance means the distance from the flash to the subject) Plugging in the numbers, I had --

184 = 10ft x f/stop, or f/stop = 184/10. The f/stop calculation was 18.4; I therefore used f/16.

When my friend asked if I was ready, I opened my shutter, he took his own picture
and simultaneously fired the flash, and my camera recorded the image during the one second exposure.

Even Stone Faces Disappear

The Old Stone Face Copyright 2005 Jeff Wignall

In one of the lessons for my online course "The Joy of Digital Photography," I was trying to come up with a convincing anecdote about the value of photographing things when you see them--because you may never see them again. It's a lesson most photographers have learned many times: If something of value places itself in front of your lens, you don't have the luxury of being lazy: you must take the photograph.

The example I gave was of the "Old Stone Face" in New Hampshire and I think it's a story worth sharing with everyone:

Sometimes a good photo opportunity has to almost whack you in the head to get your attention - and even then we think, "Oh, I'll shoot that next time I see it." But when it comes to taking pictures (like a lot of other things in life), sometimes we don't get another chance, so it's important to shoot it when you see it.

Several years ago, I was camping in New Hampshire and I stopped at the overlook to view the Old Man of the Mountain - a natural stone profile hundreds of feet high that is the symbol of New Hampshire http://www.mountwashington.org/oldman/ . He's even on the state license plate.