Always Envision the End Result

Images © Rick Sammon. All rights reserved.

When you are composing a picture, always try to envision the end result - the image that you will create in the digital darkroom. Think about how you can control the color, contrast, sharpness and brightness of a scene. Also think about all-important cropping.

Here is a before-and-after example that illustrates this point. I took the original shot in Guizhou, China on my recent photography workshop.

Here are steps I took to create the opening image for this post:

• Opened the image in Adobe Camera Raw and made some basic enhancements.

• Changed the image to a pano in Photoshop by going to Image Size, unchecking Constrain Proportions, and then typing in a longer width.

• Converted the image to a B&W in Photoshop using the B&W adjustment.

• Used the Midnight filter in Nik Color Efex Pro.

• I did something else. Can you see?

Like the Midnight filter effect? You can get a discount on all Nik products (as well as some other plug-ins) by clicking here.

Explore the light - and explore your creativity,
Rick

P.S. All my workshops are listed here.

A Week of Storytelling: Day 7 – Take Behind-The-Scenes Shots

Photograph © Rick Sammon.

All rights reserved. Canon 5D Mark II. Canon 15mm lens.

It’s Day 7 of Storytelling Week here on my blog - the last day of this project. Each day, I shared a photography tip illustrated with one of my favorite photographs that I took this past April at the Sister’s Meal Festival in the province of Guizhou in southwest China.

The idea of this weeklong project: When you go to an event, on the other side of the world or the other side of town, try to “tell the whole story” with your pictures.

Today’s tip: Take behind-the-scenes shots.

This is not my favorite photograph from the Sister’s Meal Festival, but it sure does tell part of the story: If you go, you’ll have dozens of photographers trying to take the same shot, even if you have taken the time to set-up your own shot.

Take behind-the-scenes photographs. Not only will they help to bring back memories of the event, but they will help you share your entire experience with others.

Want more travel photo info? My current app, 24/7 Photo Buffet, offers dozens of photo tips for photographers on the go – even HDR photographers.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining my 2011 China workshops. I will have some guest pros leading some workshops, too. Email me: Rick Sammon at mac.com

A Week of Storytelling: Day 6 – Lose the Background

Photograph © Rick Sammon. All rights reserved.

Canon 5D Mark II. Canon 24-105mm lens.

It’s Day 6 of Storytelling Week here on my blog. Each day, I’ll share a photography tip illustrated with one of my favorite photographs that I took this past April at the Sister’s Meal Festival in the province of Guizhou southwest China.

The idea of this weeklong project: When you go to an event, on the other side of the world or the other side of town, try to “tell the whole story” with your pictures.

Today’s tip: Lose the background.

As illustrated in the first post in this series of posts on storytelling, events can be packed with people – subjects that can ruin a picture be creating a distracting background.

One way to lose a distracting background is to get down low and shot upward, as I did here.

When shooting upward, you may need a flash, especially if your background is the sky.

Another technique to blur the background is to use a telephoto lens set at a wide aperture.

Yet another technique is to blur the background. One method is to use Bokeh from Alien Skin. Check out this way-cool plug-in. Click here.

Want more travel photo info? My current app, 24/7 Photo Buffet, offers dozens of photo tips for photographers on the go – even HDR photographers.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining my 2011 China workshops. I will have some guest pros leading some workshops, too. Email me: Rick Sammon at mac.com

A Week of Storytelling: Day 4 – Use Daylight Fill-in Flash

Photograph © Rick Sammon. All rights reserved.

Canon 5D Mark II. Canon 24-105mm lens.

It’s Day 4 of Storytelling Week here on my blog. Each day, I’ll share a photography tip illustrated with one of my favorite photographs that I took this past April at the Sister’s Meal Festival in the province of Guizhou in southwest China.

The idea of this weeklong project: When you go to an event, on the other side of the world or the other side of town, try to “tell the whole story” with your pictures.

Today’s tip: Use daylight fill-in flash.

When the subject’s face is shaded, either by a beautiful headdress or a banged-up football helmet, you’ll need to use a flash to illuminate the subject’s face. In some cases, you can get a good exposure if you turn on your flash and set your camera to one of the automatic modes: P, Av or Tv.

However, you will have more control if you set your camera to the manual mode and use an accessory flash, as I did here for this photograph of a Miao woman.

For precise flash control, you’ll need an accessory flash with variable flash output, which let’s you add more or less light (from your flash) than when set to the automatic mode.

Click here for an in-depth article I wrote on fill flash.

Want more travel photo info? My current app, 24/7 Photo Buffet, offers dozens of photo tips for photographers on the go – even HDR photographers.

Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining my 2011 China workshops. I will have some guest pros leading some workshops, too. Email me: Rick Sammon at mac.com

Explore the Light,
Rick

Behind the Scenes at the Sister's Meal Festival: Where's Rick?

I hope you have enjoyed my Storytelling posts this week. More to come.

One of my workshop participants, Kate Faust, just sent this behind-the-scenes picture of me photographing at the Sister's Meal Festival.

Can you find me? Hints: blue shirt, black hat and holding my camera/flash above the crowd to get a shot.

I am sharing this image with you so you can see just how challenging it was to get a clean shot.

Explore the light,
Rick

A Week of Storytelling: Day 3 – Get Up-Close-And-Personal With Your Subjects

Photograph © Rick Sammon. All rights reserved.

Canon 5D Mark II. Canon 24-105mm lens.

It’s Day 3 of Storytelling Week here on my blog. Each day, I’ll share a photography tip illustrated with one of my favorite photographs that I took this past April at the Sister’s Meal Festival in the province of Guizhou in southwest China.

The idea of this weeklong project: When you go to an event, on the other side of the world or on the other side of town, try to “tell the whole story” with your pictures.

Today’s tip: Get up-close-and-personal.

I guess I could have titled this post “Don’t be shy,” because you simply can’t be shy when photographing events. You need to get up-close and personal with your subjects to tell your story.

If possible, try to frame a subject with another subject, as I did here. See yesterday’s post for info on how to get everything in the scene in focus, as illustrated here.

When shooting close, it’s especially important to know your camera settings. You simply can’t waste time fussing around with buttons and dials to get a good exposure. You need to shoot and scoot.

Want more travel photo info? My current app, 24/7 Photo Buffet, offers dozens of photo tips for photographers on the go – even HDR photographers.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining my 2011 China workshops. I will have some guest pros leading some workshops, too. Email me: Rick Sammon at mac.com

A Week of Storytelling: Day 2 – Make the Background a Part of Your Picture

Photograph © Rick Sammon. All rights reserved.
Canon 5D Mark II. Canon 24-105mm lens.

It’s Day 2 of Storytelling Week here on my blog. Each day, I’ll share a photography tip illustrated with one of my favorite photographs that I took this past April at the Sister’s Meal Festival in the province of Guizhou in southwest China.

The idea of this weeklong project: When you go to an event, on the other side of the world or on the other side of town, try to “tell the whole story” with your pictures.

Today’s tip: Make the background a part of your picture.

Those of you who have been on my workshops and who have attended my seminars know one of my favorite expressions: The name of the game is to fill the frame.

Filling the frame does not always mean that you need to fill the frame with the main subject.

In this picture, the woman working on a silver ornament is the main subject. I have a full-frame shot of her, but I prefer this that shows her co-workers in the background because it tells more of a story.

To get everything in the scene like this in focus, use a wide-angle lens, small aperture, and focus 1/3 into the scene.

Want more travel photo info? My current app, 24/7 Photo Buffet, offers a wealth of photo tips for photographers on the go – even HDR photographers.

Rick

P.S. Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining my 2011 China workshops. I will have some guest pros leading some workshops, too. Email me: Rick Sammon at mac.com