SLR Snapshots to Great Shots Week: Last Day - Avoiding Flats

This week's blog was devoted to SLR tips - in honor of the Wiley DVD (available this fall) that I was shooting on the new Canon Rebel T1i . All the photos were taken with that camera. It's a also to celebrate my new SLR classes on Kelbytraining.com (available now).

Today is the last day of T1i posts... for a while, at least.

The title of today's post, Avoiding Flats, refers to avoiding flat pictures - in other words, pictures that don't show the full brightness range of a scene . . . pictures that lack contrast.

Pictured here is our entire DVD crew: David Leveen (creative director), Jen Maihack ("student") and yours truly. The top row of pictures was shot with the camera set to the Monochrome Picture Style. The pictures are okay - but they were taken in the shade and lack contrast, as indicated by the histogram (spaces at the left and right of the "mountain range").

By simply moving the shadow and highlight triangles inside the "mountain range," the contrast was improved. See the bottom row of pictures. Yes, it's a subtle change, but enough to make a difference - in my books anyway. Adjusting Curves (making an "S") can also improve a photo's "looks."

So when you do a get a flat photo, fix it in the digital darkroom.

And, please check your histogram on your camera's LCD monitor after you take a shot. It's the best way to determine a whether or not you have a good exposure.

Happy 4th,
Rick

Topaz is Too Cool

Hey All

I created the effect in today's earlier post with Topaz Adjust > Spicify.

Here is another example of the fun you can have with Topaz Adjust (Clockwise from top left): original, Clarity, Exposure Stretch and Spicify.

More example of Topaz Adjust and other plug-ins at: www.pluginexperience.com. Discounts on select plug-ins, too!

Get plug-in and get experienced.

Play with thelight,
Rick

SLR Shapshots to Great Shots Week: Day 5 - Goodbye Jen & When You Plan, Pray!

This week's blog is devoted to SLR tips - in honor of the Wiley DVD (available this fall) that I am currently shooting on the new Canon Rebel T1i . All the photos were and will be taken with that camera. It's a also to celebrate my new SLR classes on Kelbytraining.com (available now).

Well, my “student,” Jen Maihack, on the DVD has flown the coup – back to Florida! She did an great job, playing the part of the student very well, especially because she is a pro photographer herself.

Thanks Jen. Great work!

Speaking of great work, our creative director, David Leveen, actually shot a few HD video segments with the T1i. We'll post some soon.

So what’s the tip for this installment of SLR Snapshots to Great Shots? Here goes:

When You Plan on Taking Outdoors Portraits,
Pray for an Overcast Sky

During a shoot at Bear Mountain State Park, one segment was devoted to shooting portraits. Thankfully, the sky was overcast, as you can see in the top right of the frame in my vertical picture on the right.

An overcast sky produces soft, pleasing flattering light – unlike the harsh light we get on sunny days.

If it is sunny, try to shoot in the shade or use a diffuser to soften the light. Shooting before sunrise and after sunset works, too.

Explore the Light,
Rick
P.S. If you like the image on the left better than the picture on the right, let me know here. I’ll share the technique.

Happy 4th of July - Quick Fireworks Photo Tips

Fireworks photographs are not easy to take, mostly because the light level changes, sometimes by a few f-stops, from burst to burst. What’s more, each burst is in a different place in the sky. Another challenge is to capture the burst right at its peak.

Here are my tips for photographing fireworks. Even though I followed them, the three pictures you see here are the best out of about 100 that I took at two different fireworks displays. So the first tip is to be prepared to take lots and lots of pictures.

Okay, here are my other tips.

Bring a small flashlight so you can see what you are doing!

Choose a location. This is very important. For two of the pictures here, I had a good location. For the Brooklyn Bridge fireworks shots, I did not have the best location, and I was locked into that position (due to the large crowds).

Mount your camera with a wide-angle lens or wide-angle zoom on tripod. You want the tripod to steady your camera (use the self-timer to release the shutter) and the wide-angle lens to capture the fireworks in the sky.

Set the ISO to 200, the exposure mode to Manual, and begin by setting the exposure at f/11 @ 2 seconds. You’ll have to change this setting from time to time, but I find that it’s a good starting point.

Activate the long-exposure noise reduction feature in your camera if it has one. Noise shows up in dark areas, and you’ll have plenty of dark areas in the scene. If you camera does not have that feature, plan on reducing the noise in the digital darkroom.

As I suggested, plan on taking lots of pictures.

Finally, have fun! Fireworks displays are a blast – literally!

This tip is from my book: Digital Photography Secrets.

Happy 4th!

See the light,
Rick

SLR Snapshots to Great Shots Week: Day 4 - Move In or Zoom in Closer

This week's blog is devoted to SLR tips - in honor of the Wiley DVD that I am currently shooting on the new Canon Rebel T1i (available this fall). All the photos were and will be taken with that camera. It's a also to celebrate my new SLR classes on Kelbytraining.com (available now).

Move In or Zoom In Closer

Here's an important photo expression: When you think you are close, move in or zoom in closer.

I could go on to explain, but the two pictures here illustrate the important of following that advice.

Keep that thought in mind, and you'll get pictures with more impact.

Speaking of zooming, if I could only take one lens with me on a shoot, it would be my 24-105mm IS zoom. Nice for landscapes, portraits and environmental portraits.

Gotta zoom outta here for the last day of our T1i shoot..... HD video!

See the light,
Rick