BetterPhoto Instructor Insights

Raw Capture: What Camera Features Are Necessary?

By Peter K. Burian

Most of the digital cameras targeting serious shooters provide a Raw capture mode. This is a useful alternative to JPEG since the camera records but does not lock-in the settings that are used to make an image. Open a Raw photo in converter software and you can modify numerous aspects with non- destructive processing. When we discuss this topic in my BP digital photography course, at least one astute student usually raises an interesting question, such as this one.

"My digital SLR has many Picture Styles plus features for modifying the colour saturation, contrast, sharpness, dynamic range, Noise Reduction, etc. of images that I will shoot. But is there any need to use these when shooting in the Raw mode?"

Raw vs. JPEG: Those features are certainly very useful in JPEG capture and they're valuable for the JPEG file that's generated in Raw+JPEG mode. Make the appropriate settings for any type of subject and you'll need to do less work on the JPEG photo in your imaging software. By minimizing the amount of image modification, there's also less risk of degrading the quality of the image.

Digital cameras that offer a Raw capture mode ship with software that allows for opening and modifying the Raw data before converting the file to a JPEG or TIF. Nikon, for example, provides View NX2 free of charge but also offers the more versatile Capture NX2 as an option for serious photographers and pros. (c) Peter K. Burian

In Raw capture mode, the settings you made are recorded in the Metadata (EXIF) file and attached to the photo, but the Raw data is not processed in the camera. Open a Raw photo in the converter software developed by the camera manufacturer, and preview will be accurate. It will reflect the picture style and the overrides that you had set. If the preview looks fine, simply go ahead an convert it to JPEG or (preferably) to TIF. If you had made suitable in- camera settings, you won't need to spend much time modifying a Raw photo.

A camera maker's Raw converter, such as Nikon View NX and the optional Capture NX2 (shown here) can identify the in-camera features you had used and apply them to the photo. If your settings were ideal for the scene, there's no need to spend time making modifications before converting the photo. (c) Peter K. Burian

Other Raw Software: Some shooters prefer to use aftermarket software to modify and convert their Raw photos. That's fine and it also allows for modifying any aspect using the available tools. However, the software will not be able to determine all of the in-camera settings you had made, such as picture style, levels for Saturation, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, dynamic range expansion and so on. Hence the preview that's displayed may look entirely different than the Raw photo you had viewed in your camera's LCD screen display.

Adobe Camera Raw in Elements, Photoshop and Lightroom has some benefits over some of the camera makers' programs but it cannot identify or apply many of the in-camera settings. Hence, you will need to spend more time in setting the colour saturation, sharpness, contrast, noise reduction level, etc., than you would with the camera-maker's Raw converter. (c) Peter K. Burian

Note: There is one exception to the rule however. If you are using the latest version of Adobe Camera Raw in Photoshop or Lightroom, the Camera Calibration utility allows you to select a picture style to be applied to a Raw capture. While this is an extra step, it does minimize the amount of time you will need to spend with other tools to achieve a pleasing effect for any type of subject. The results are excellent, closely matching the effects you'll see in JPEGs made with the same in-camera picture style.

Recommendation: So the bottom line is this. I do recommend using in-camera picture styles and overrides in Raw capture mode if you plan to use the camera-maker's converter program. If you prefer another brand of converter software, only the settings for more common aspects - such as exposure and white balance - will be important. The more sophisticated camera features you had used will be ignored. This is one reason why I always use programs such as Nikon Capture NX 2, Canon DPP, Sony Image Data Converter, or Pentax Digital Camera Utility when testing various DSLR cameras.

Editor's Note: Peter Burian teaches two terrific photography courses online - Mastering the Digital Camera and Photography and Mastering the Canon EOS Digital Rebels - at BetterPhoto's digital photography school online. Also see Peter's Pro BetterPholio website: www.peterkburian.com.

DSLR Overexposure: Blowing the Highlights

By Jim Zuckerman

(c) Jim Zuckerman

If you have problems with digital camera overexposure, and specifically with blowing the highlights (which means a complete loss of detail and texture in the highlights), there are three reasons for this:

1. You are shooting in JPEG mode as opposed to Raw mode. The latter is our first line of defense in retaining detail in the highlights.

2. You are shooting in very contrasty situations such that the digital sensor doesn’t have the dynamic range to expose correctly for all parts of the picture. The solution? For outdoor work, shoot at sunrise, sunset, or when the sky is overcast.

3. You are expecting detail from brilliant subjects like the sun, the sun’s reflection on water, street lamps at night, etc. You will never see detail in these subjects.

Note: Jim Zuckerman is a top stock photographer who teaches many excellent photo courses online at BetterPhoto.com, including
Perfect Digital Exposure and Developing Your Creative Artistic Vision.

Huge Course Sale - $50 OFF!!!

At BetterPhoto this holiday season, we are so inspired with gratitude. That's why BetterPhoto founder Jim Miotke decided to give thanks with a whopping $50 off a course!

Simply enter Thanks50 into the Gift Card field when you order a class. Following is our school schedule:

• 4-week online photography classes

• 8-week online photo courses

Don't delay. This special 3-day holiday offer ends Thursday at 3pm Pacific time.

But that's not all! The 500th edition of our Snapshot photography newsletter - yes, the 500th!!! - will be published tomorrow. Check out our photography newsletter subscription page here...

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!

Kerry

Your Subject Needs You To See The Light!

By Rob Sheppard

(c) Rob Sheppard

A big challenge we all have as nature photographers is that our subjects can be really interesting. Or at least they are to us!

That doesn't actually seem so bad. Wouldn't we want our subjects to be interesting? Why else would we photograph them?

Well, the problem is that when a subject is really interesting, we often put our focus on the subject. We see things in the subject that other people don't see. You know how that can go -- you are the first person to spot a bird or a flower because your eyes and mind are attuned to it. That immediately gives the subject a greater presence in our mind than it might have in real life ... or in a photograph.

In addition, combine our keen attention on subjects we care about with our innate ability to see detail, tones and color in a wide range of light. We usually see the subject just fine no matter what the conditions are, including bright light and shadows covering the subject. Problem: the camera cannot do that. In fact, the camera sees a fraction of the range of tones and colors that the human eye can discern. And, unfortunately, the camera, being a rather stupid entity, emphasizes the light rather than the subject that we see so clearly. So the resulting photograph doesn't show off the subject the way it should.

However, we tend to bring our experience to our view of the photograph, too. The photograph shows the subject, we see it just fine because that is what we saw in the field. Unfortunately, no viewer of the photograph has that same experience. They must try to figure out what the photograph is about based purely on what is in the image. And if the subject has been photographed without attention to the light, that image might be a confused jumble of light and shadow rather than a solid look at the subject.

A way around this is to look for the light first. I know this goes contrary to what we nature photographers typically do. What I mean is that we need to become as aware of the light as we are of subjects. The way to do this is to start looking for the light as soon as you arrive at a location.

What are the light conditions? Harsh sun and shadows? Soft sun and soft shadows? Light clouds? Heavy clouds? Each of those conditions does something very different to the scene and your subject. Change your approach to photography that day based on what the light is giving you and don't try to force images that don't work for the conditions, or in other words, don't force a photo of a subject that is not going to work for the light and shadow.

(c) Rob Sheppard

Look for what the light is doing to everything around you. Harsh sun and dark shadows? Look for spots of light that highlight a subject in a composition of shadow (expose for the bright light). Avoid any photos that place random light and shadow on your subject. Try backlight for drama, too.

Soft sun and soft shadows? This can be a gentle light that is very flattering to a subject if the light has some dimension to it. Look for side light and backlight. Be sure the light is on the important parts of the subject and the shadows only on complementary areas.

(c) Rob Sheppard

Light clouds? This can be a terrific light for subject matter with strong tonal or brightness patterns or with interesting color patterns. It can also be a boring light if not used with discrimination. You often need to define a composition very carefully with strong foreground/background relationships, including using a wide-angle up close, or with selective focus using a telephoto and a wide aperture.

Heavy clouds? This can make even wonderful subjects look dull if you aren't careful. Try working with strong color and tonal contrasts if you can find them. Or turn on your flash to create some light contrast and give some life to the colors of your subject.

The important thing to remember is that light is key. Your camera sees and emphasizes the light, while we have a tendency to see and emphasize subjects in our minds, regardless of the light.

A challenge all photographers face is in working to create photographs based on the way the camera sees the world, not the way we do.

Note: Rob Sheppard teaches Impact in Your Photographs: The Wow Factor, The Magic of F-stops: Choosing the Right Aperture, and Creating Storytelling Photos at BetterPhoto's online digital photography school.

Join me on a nature shoot- December in the Sierras

For anyone interested, I'm planning to capture winter scenes in Yosemite National Park, the Alabama Hills (outside of Lone Pine) and in Death Valley sometime in December - creating new images and research for a few upcoming books and workshops.

If you are interested in joining me for three days of shooting, sunrises and sunsets, for a small fee ($250/person - 10 person limit) contact me via email.

This isn't a planned event or workshop with a specific agenda. I'll simply share my thoughts on photographing the outdoors while we shoot, talk about equipment tips, and so on. We'll capture images together, you can watch how I work if you wish, see the gear I carry, and talk all about photography. I'll also sign my Exposure book (if you bought one of my books, bring it along & I'll sign it- and I'll have copies with me).

We'll have a great time in some beautiful locations.

This is something I did last January. I invited a group to join me in Yosemite to photograph for a day while I captured images for my new book on nature photography. They paid a $100 fee to join me that day, I had eight people, and they all loved the experience (thankfully)- said it was well worth it. I shared a ton on photography, but it's a bit different since I'm shooting images (instead of a workshop where I would focus more on students and their equipment and needs).

So here's the plan this time around. I envisioned a 3-day road trip photo shoot - first in Yosemite, then off to Lone Pine (Alabama Hills), then finally in Death Valley - one day in each (and some travel of course between locations). We could all shoot together and learn from me, just as long as the group knows I'll be shooting as well most of the time (I reiterate this only because some think I'm solely there for them). It's actually a great way to learn, and a way preferred by many, but again different from my normal workshops.

SCHEDULE (somewhat flexible depending on weather & how tired we all might be)

Day 1: We'd meet in Yosemite on the first day at sunrise, shoot all day 'til sunset, have dinner together & spend the night, then head off to Lone Pine (probably the next morning).

Day 2: Shoot sunrise again, drive to Lone Pine/ Alabama Hills, shoot sunset in Lone Pine/ Alabama Hills, spend the night.

Day 3: Shoot sunrise in Lone Pine/ Alabama Hills, then head off to Death Valley, shoot sunset

Day 4: Shoot sunrise, drive home

COST:

$250 per person (not including travel/ gas/ food/ car, etc) and I'd need a group of at least eight, ideally ten.

DATES:

 Haven't decided on specific dates yet, but thinking sometime around December 15th. I'm flexible - if dates worked for the majority of the group, then I'd try to work around that.

If you're interested, contact me at:

workshops@seanarbabi.com

Thank you and Happy early Thanksgiving!

A veteran I met in my travels

A few years ago while on assignment in Southwest Florida, I wandered around Sanibel Island and J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge one morning, in search of some images, and met an older gentlemen fishing. I thought he might make a nice subject fishing in the mangrove-lined refuge, and approached him.

Lee McMichen was in his early eighties, open to chat since he had been fishing for three days, casting his net without a catch. We talked a bit as I tried to figure out how I could capture a decent image in the harsh mid-day light. My first thoughts were all about creating an image, but as we spoke more, he shared a few stories of his life, and it became more about our personal interaction instead of producing a photograph.

Sometimes, even when I'm on assignment, you have to stop, put down the camera, and listen. Although I might not capture images at those moments, and maybe miss memorable scenes, I believe it brings me closer to the area I'm documenting, and in an indirect way helps me produce better overall images.

Then he began to tell me about his experiences in war, and his time stationed in Pearl Harbor. You see he was on one of the four battleships that was bombed that morning, deep in the hull when the explosions crippled the ships and the alarms to abandon ship sounded. He described his rush to escape from down below only to have the only hatch be closed off in front of him and three others. Panic ensued as all four seamen realized the fate had been sealed, yet only seconds after the hatch closed, it reopened, and they were able to escape.

After sharing this information, he didn't talk of the joy he had at that moment, his life saved. He only spoke of all the others who weren't able to get out. Yet because of the few seconds in his life where one sailor saved four others, he was given over sixty more years on this earth.

As we stood along Wildlife Drive, me fumbling through my camera bag, I heard him yell out - he had caught a large mullet, the first of his trip. "Looks like you are my good luck charm young man", he said to me. I smiled yet could only think of who his real good luck charm had been years before. You see, it's not always the locations you dream of visiting, the adventures you hope to take, or even the images you capture as a travel photographer - it's really about the people you meet.

Here's to the men and women who served our country in all of our wars on Veteran's Day. Although I prefer to follow the non-war beliefs of many leaders such as the Daila Lama or Mahatma Gandhi, and will always honor and support our troops who do a job where so many lives are lost. Rest in peace, and thank you for your ultimate sacrifice.

Create Cool Tilt-Shift Look - with Alien Skin Bokeh 2

By Deborah Sandidge

I would love an ultra wide-angle 24mm perspective control tilt shift lens. It's on my Christmas list! Until Santa finds out, I'll be creating a toy model tilt shift look with Alien Skin Bokeh 2. This is such a creative tool for Photoshop, very easy to work with and a favorite of students in my Enhancing Images course at BetterPhoto's online school of photography

(c) Deborah Sandidge

This scene was photographed from the window of my hotel during PhotoPlus in New York City. You can create the same effect with any image that was taken from up high or far away.

The trick (and technique) is to fool the eye by creating selective focus from an all in focus image, which Bokeh 2 does easily. You can also simulate creative aperture shapes for interest and texture (try stars for the holidays). For a "realistic faux" finishing touch, add saturation and contrast.

Make great pictures!

Dare to Photograph Dramatic Close-Ups

By Rob Sheppard

I am going to give you a secret to photographing up close that will immediately give you dramatic, unusual shots. Use a wide-angle lens as close as you can to your subject.

That goes against all sorts of advice you have probably heard, and that is exactly why doing this will give you unexpected shots that few other photographers have. Wide-angles are supposed to distort things too much, they are supposed to make perspective look unnatural, they are supposed to be used at a moderate distance so everything looks "normal."

Well, forget normal. Nature photography has gotten way too staid and complacent. The natural world is threatened by many things, but probably the most dangerous thing is indifference by so many people.

I find that nature photography today is so pervasive that it becomes simply decoration. That isn't necessarily a bad thing - nature shots can be beautiful and well worth putting on the wall or using as wallpaper on your computer. We cannot get out and see everything in nature, so nature photography (yours, mine, every nature photographer's work) is how we really do get to see large areas of nature that would be unknown to us otherwise. The danger is that standard, traditional, conservative nature photography starts to all look the same and begins to blend in with the general background "noise" of images that bombard us every day.

A wide-angle close-up is one way to immediately break through that clutter of compositions with something unique and unexpected.

(c) Rob Sheppard

Set your wide-angle lens to its closest focusing point, then move in until the subject is sharp. Try shooting with the lens wide-open (at perhaps f/4) for an unusual limited depth of field effect (it definitely looks very different with a wide-angle) and then with the lens stopped way down (say, f/16). Get down low so that more of the background opens up in interesting ways. Even if your camera does not have a swivel LCD, you can still put the camera on the ground and just try this without even looking through the viewfinder. Take the picture, then check your LCD - if the shot isn't quite right, try it again.

I think it is important to check your shot in the LCD using this way of shooting just because it is not the usual way of shooting close-ups. Looking at the LCD review of the shot helps you see what the photograph is looking like, not just if you got the shot. Since wide-angles do some unique things with perspective and focus up close, it really helps to look at the image and check things like the look of the background. Sometimes moving the camera barely inches left or right can make a big difference to the success or failure of a shot because of the way the subject interacts with the background. This really can be tricky because often the wide-angle will make details in the background show up so strongly that they fight with the subject. Yet, the wide-angle perspective can also help you change that background relationship to the subject if you are willing to experiment a bit.

(c) Rob Sheppard

If you can't get close enough, you can try something I like to do - use an achromatic close-up lens, such as the Canon 500D. That highly-corrected lens actually attaches to the filter threads of any lens, wide to telephoto, with the right filter size, regardless of manufacturer. I use it with zooms, telephotos and wide-angles. I will warn you that with really wide-angle lenses, that lens may pick up a little distortion along the edges because of the extreme angle light is going through the lens, but if you stop your wide-angle down, this will be minimized -- then again, it can be seen as a dramatic effect! You may also find you get vignetting at the corners with really wide-angle lenses unless you buy a close-up lens that is actually too big for the wide-angle (use a filter adapter ring to attach the close-up lens to the wide-angle - that's what I do).

Finally, if you really want to have some fun, try a full-frame fisheye up close (a full-frame fisheye refers to the way the lens fills the full frame of the image area, not to the use of a full-35mm-frame sensor size). Many of these focus as close as 5 inches and the effect is extremely dramatic and eye-catching. Tokina makes a neat little zoom fisheye wide-angle lens that does focus to 5 inches and really gives great results. I find using a full-frame fisheye up close to be exciting and invigorating to all of my photography simply because it can be so striking.

Editor's Note: Outdoor Photographer editor at large Rob Sheppard teaches many excellent online photo courses at BetterPhoto.com, including Creating Storytelling Photos, Composition Boot Camp and The Magic of F-stops: Choosing the Right Aperture.

Compact Digital Cameras: What's the Best?

By Peter K. Burian

Most photo enthusiasts use a digital SLR system, but a smaller, more portable digital camera is also worth owning. It's great to have when you're not going out specifically to shoot but want to be prepared in case of a quick photo opportunity. The inexpensive family-oriented point-and-shoot models are fine for some purposes, but a more serious compact digital camera provides greater versatility and superior image quality.

If you're in the market for one - or if you want to add one to your holiday Wish List - which camera should you consider? Well, here's one hint. During a photo seminar in Dubai a few years ago, most of the other nine instructors - all professional photographers - carried either a 10-megapixel Canon Powershot G10 or a Nikon Coolpix P6000 when we went out for dinner and a walk around the city.

Both have since been replaced with newer models but the current cameras are just as rugged and full-featured. They're equipped with premium-grade lenses, optical viewfinders plus Live View as well as DSLR style controls and functions. Since my Duabi trip, Panasonic has also released a worthwhile contender in their Lumix series. Let's take a quick look at all three of these 10 megapixel cameras.

Canon Powershot G12

The Powershot G12 equipped with an articulated LCD screen. Like the others, it's a 10 megapixel camera. Higher resolution might sound more impressive, but cramming millions of extra pixels onto the sensor would have adversely affected image quality at ISO 400 and above. Photo Courtesy of Canon

Canon's new Powershot G12 (about $500) features a 28-140mm equivalent f/2.8-4.5 lens and a flip-out rotating 2.8-inch LCD screen with 461,000 dot resolution. The articulated screen makes it very convenient to frame photos from ground level or when held high above the heads in a crowd for example.

Nikon Coolpix P7000

The Coolpix P7000 employs a built-in 28-200mm equivalent lens. All three of the cameras discussed are equipped with built-in flash but they also accept the larger, more powerful accessory flash units. Photo Courtesy of Nikon

The latest Nikon model, the Coolpix P7000 (a bargain at around $430), features a fixed 3" LCD. The screen does not rotate but boasts incredibly high 921,000 dot resolution and the Nikon 28-200mm equivalent f/2.8-5.6 lens is unusually versatile. Neither camera is tiny/lightweight but fits nicely into a jacket pocket or a medium-size purse.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

The Lumix DMC-LX5 is the most "pocketable" of the three cameras unless the optional electronic viewfinder is attached. It's built-in flash is hidden but pops up at a touch of a button. Photo Courtesy of Panasonic

Panasonic's latest entry in the "premium-grade camera with built-in zoom" category, the Lumix DMC-LX5 (good value at $425), is equipped with a very fast Leica DC 24-90mm equivalent f/2-3.3 lens that you might prefer if you love wide angle photography. Its 3" LCD screen, with 460,000 dot resolution does not rotate. The LX-5 is actually shirt-pocket size, though it's a bit heavy too because it also features a metal body. This one is not equipped with an optical viewfinder, but accepts a tilting electronic viewfinder EVF-1. ($200 but shop around to find one for under $150).

Camera Wrap-up
I'm quite sure that most serious photographers would classify these three cameras as among the "best" of the digicams with built-in zoom lenses. They're all equipped with a vast range of amenities, such as 720p movie mode, image stabilizer, built-in flash plus hot shoe for external flash, many modes and overrides, a Raw capture mode, and some unique functions.

If your budget allows for $425 to $500, check the specs for all three and select the one with the feature set that will best meet your own personal needs.

NOTE: Peter K. Burian teaches two excellent online photo courses - Mastering the Digital Camera and Photography and Mastering the Canon EOS Digital Rebels - at BetterPhoto's digital photography school online. Also, don't miss Peter's Pro BetterPholio website: www.peterkburian.com.

African Photo Safari: How to Capture the Prize!

By Jim Zuckerman

To me, leopards are the real prize on any African photo safari, and to get a leopard in action — hunting, snarling, mating, eating at a kill, climbing down a tree — is the greatest. This leopard was snarling at a rival male, and I was able to capture this dynamic moment with backlighting from a sun that was minutes away from setting.

(c) Jim Zuckerman

Notice how low my shooting angle is. You can’t do this in East Africa or on any normal game run. The reason is because you must sit too high in a vehicle, and getting out of the vehicle is obviously not an option for safety reasons.

In Namibia, I take my photo tour groups to a special facility that offers both protection for photographers as well as an unparalleled wildlife photo experience. They animals are captive in their natural bush environment which is why the pictures look entirely wild. Each animal has many acres to roam, and the electric fences are "photographer friendly", meaning the openings in the wire mess is large enough to accommodate big lenses.

It’s an incredible experience to be this close to the animals and still be able to take such amazing pictures. These are not tame or trained animals in any way. They are wild, but they are either orphans or they have become problems for local farmers.

Instead of killing the animals, they are protected in this reserve, and the fee I pay helps perpetuate their protection.

Editor notes: Jim Zuckerman teaches online photo courses for BetterPhoto's digital photography school and certification for photographers program.