Bosque Workshop Day IV: Shooin' Silhouettes

© Rick Sammon

Why do we like silhouettes? I would like to hear your suggestions here on my blog – or on Google+.

Maybe it's because silhouettes are more dramatic than photographs in which we can see details, as illustrated in the image below.

© Rick Sammon

Maybe it's because millions of years ago we looked for prey and predators at sunrise and sunset . . . when there is a changing of the guard between the nighttime and daytime animals . . . and when there is the greatest danger of being eaten. Actually, that is my theory. Subconsciously, we are always on the lookout for danger. Another theory: silhouettes can simply be pretty. :-)

Whatever the reason, silhouettes are fun to take and create. Here are a few tips:

– Slightly underexpose your image. That will darken the shadows for a more dramatic image.

– Shoot toward the sun.

– Increase the contrast and color in Lightroom or Photoshop.

– Increase the saturation in the digital darkroom.

– Look for a clean background.

© Rick Sammon

Here's another tip: Think color. If the background has little or no color, add color. In all of these images I added a touch of color with Nik Software's Color Efex Pro. To get a discount on all Nik plug-ins, as well as some of the other plug-ins I use, click here.

I am returning to Bosque with Juan Pons in December 2012 for another workshop. If you are interested, shoot me an email.

Explore the light,

Rick

P.S. You'll find more photo tips in my apps. 

Quick Digital Imaging Tip 4/101: Attend Photo Plus Expo in New York City

This is #4 of 101 digital imaging tips I plan to post here over the next few months. Stay tuned. Only 97 more tips to go :-)

Today's Tip: Attend Photo Plus Expo in NYC, October 28 - 30, 2010. Tons of seminars, dozens of exhibitors, cool portfolio reviews, and plenty of free show-floor presentations, including mine:

Thursday

11 - Noon
Expo Imaging

1 to 1:30

Lexar – Travel Photography

2 to 2:30

Nations – People Photography

3:30 to 4

Unique Photo – HDR Photography

4:15

Wiley – Book Signing

Friday

11 - Noon
Expo Imaging

1 to 1:30
Lexar – Travel Photography

2 to 2:30

Nations – People Photography

3:30 to 4

Unique Photo – HDR Photography

4:15

Wiley - Book Signing

4:30 to 5

Lexar - Travel Photography

Saturday

10-11:30

Canon - Speedlite Session

1:30 to 2

Nations – People Photography

2:30 to 3

Unique Photo – HDR Photography

3:15

Wiley – Book Signing

3:30 to 4:00

Lexar – Travel Photography

Hope to see you at the show! Start making your schedule now.

Explore the light,

Rick

NYC SoHo Photo Exhibit: Travels

What fun (and what work)! I just finished making most of the prints (on my Canon IPF 6350 printer using Canon Satin paper) for my NYC SoHo Photo exhibit, Travels, which opens on December 7th and runs for about a month. I hope you can stop by and say hello - and ask questions about printing, photography and traveling.

I'll be giving some free seminars around the exhibit, and I'll be doing a book signing on opening night. Shoot me an email at ricksammon at mac.com if you'd like to be on the list for info.

For some tips on printing, click here.

Explore the light,
Rick

Thoughts on Photography Turning Points

Recently, someone asked my why I have not scuba dived in several years – after having published five books on the underwater environment and heading up the marine conservation organization CEDAM International for 20 years.

The quick/funny answer was, "I did not need, and the world did not need, another picture of a clowfish." A few clowfish, swimming in the Red Sea among the protective tentacles of a sea anemone, are pictured below.

The real reason, I went on to explain, was that I had a turning point. While I was on a scuba diving adventure in Lombok, Indonesia, our group stopped at a school where I talked about protecting the underwater environment. After my talk, I did some magic tricks for the kids in their classroom. After the "magic show," the kids followed me out the main gate, cheering and laughing and jumping and smiling. They would not let me leave!

That was a magical moment for me. The above picture captures that magic. From that moment, I started to turn my attention more and more toward people photography, as well as learning about different culture, beliefs, and so on.

Sure, I sometimes miss scuba diving and some of the underwater close-encounters I've had, such as swimming with this school bus-size whale shark.

But photographing people at events such as the Sister's Meal Festival, where I took this shot, make up for it.

I'd like to hear from you! Did you have a turning point in your photography. Was it an event or perhaps an encounter with another photographer – or even a picture in a book or magazine? You don't have to be a pro to participate.

I know you can respond on twitter and facebook, but if you leave a comment here, everyone (including me) can see your response.

Explore the light – and be prepared for unexpected turning points.
Rick

Crop My Pictures and You Are a Dead Man

“Crop my picture and you’re a dead man.” That’s what David Page, one of the contributors to my books, Digital Photography Secrets, said to me in an email when he submitted one of his pictures for publication. After his demand was a happy face!

Basically, David, a heck of a nice guy and former fine art photographer and teacher at Duke University, was asking, in a nice way, that his image not be cropped.

David’s comment was the inspiration for a column that I wrote for Layers magazine.

I agree 100 percent with David's philosophy. To me, and to most of my photographer friends, cropping in-camera and in the digital darkroom is one of the keys to a good image – a good exposure and an interesting subject being among the other key ingredients that make a good photograph.

In fact, when I work with publishers, including my friends at Layers magazine, the only request I have is to please not crop my pictures. It’s a request that surely makes the art director’s job more difficult, and I appreciate their extra effort.

Cropping goes hand-in-hand with composition, because if you have an expertly composed photograph and then it’s cropped poorly, the composition goes down the tubes, or maybe to Davy Jones’ Locker, according the David Page.

Explore the Light,

Rick

Travel Photogrpahy How-to Week. Day 5: See the Light

Technically speaking, when we take a picture, all we are doing is recording light. Therefore, it’s of the utmost importance that we see the light when we take a picture – the contrast range in a scene, the shadows and highlights, the color of light, the quality of light and the direction of light.

It’s also important to know that our eyes see a much greater dynamic range than a digital SLR (about 13 f-stops compared to about 6 stops).

These three pictures illustrate, from top to bottom, the effect of: shooting in harsh sunlight, shooting in the partial shade, and shooting in full shade.

My point: try not to shoot in harsh sunlight – and notice those unflattering shadows when shooting in those conditions.

I hope you enjoy this week’s photos and the tips. If you want some hands-on experience, hope you can join one of my workshops.

If you are interested in joining one of my Cuba Workshops (after it opens and Americans can go legally (you need a license from the U.S Treasury Department now), keep checking my Events page.

Explore the light,
Rick