Quick Digital Imaging Tip 40/101: Respect The Subject

This is tip #40 of 101 digital imaging tips that I plan to post here over the next few months. Stay tuned.

Today's tip: Respect the subject.

Having good equipment will help you get good people pictures. But another factor is to follow the advice that I was given early on in my career by National Geographic photographer Sarah Leen: "Respect your subjects – and they will respect you.

I have followed Sarah's advice over the years, and I encourage you to do the same. If you do, your subjects will sense that feeling of respect – and you'll have a better chance of getting the kind of photographs you seek.

Of course, the opposite is true.

For more on people photography, see my book, Face to Face.


Explore the light - and respect your subject,
Rick


The Making of An App - Behind the Scenes with Light It!

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Just a quick (and big) "thank you" to all those who attended yesterday's "The Making of An App" preso at B&H in NYC. The two-hour preso focused on how my Light It! app was conceived, shot, edited and finally ended up on the iTunes store and on the iPad and iPhone.

I talked about different lighting techniques, as well as some of my personal philosophies for photographing people.

Emmy-award winner David Leveen, who shot all the videos for the info-packed and interactive app, talked about shooting and editing the HD videos, as well as what's needed to create a cool app.

Our app developer, Craig Ellis of Great Oak Software, could not make the event. He was at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, CA. In his absence, David gave Craig's insightful preso.

So here is a question: Would you be interested in seeing an app on the making of an app? Hey, if the coffee-table book on coffee tables worked for Kramer, we figure this idea just may fly. Let us know by posting a comment here on my blog so we can track.

To learn more about the app, click here to see our intro movie.

Our next app - which will also be available as a DVD? Fashion, Beauty and Glamour - Light it, shoot it, process it. Interested?


Click here to see all my apps.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Here is a quick lighting tip: Watch for reflections - on shiny surfaces and on glasses. They may add to or detract from a photograph. Photographs by Vered Koshlano.

Be My Guest Monday 12/13/10: Vered Koshlano

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It's "Be My Guest Monday," the day of the week that's turned over to a talented guest blogger for a quick tip.

Today's guest: Vered Koshlano

It's all yours, Vered.

I recently posted a photo challenge on my blog. I posted the above photograph and asked the reader: "What was the background material I used for the photograph?"

Now, before you read further, look at the photograph and take a few guesses.

My readers came up with the most wonderful and surprising ideas.

If you haven't guessed, it is a piece of inexpensive fabric - the kind with many small shiny discs sewn into it.

When you angle a piece of fabric like this toward the camera (meaning not directly parallel to camera's sensor plane). and have the light skim past it, rather than light it directly, you get a nice effect of beautifully-illuminated little discs. Then, all you have to do is put the background out of focus (use a telephoto lens and wide aperture) and you get that beautiful bokeh effect.

The photo was taken with my Canon 1Ds ll and a three light setup - one large Westscott soft box with a Dynalite head on camera left. That light illuminated the model's face from above eye-level (look in her eyes, you can see it).

I used a second light with a 20-degree honey comb grid on camera right, lighting the model's hair. I placed a third light with barn doors (to control spill) behind her head. That light is skimming across the fabric in the background.

I have discovered a treasure in the form of fabric stores. Look for what's on sale and imaging the fabric illuminated with colored gels. Get large pieces for a full backgrounds, or just remnants as props (art supply stores are another great resource).

My website has many examples of creative and simple "inexpensive" accessories that are readily available.

Enjoy!

Vered Koshlano

Thoughts On Painterly-Type Images

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I had an interesting, but not unexpected, experience today. I was giving an HDR presentation, and several folks in the audience kinda complained that some of my photographs looked more like paintings than photographs. They wanted to see straight shots - many of which I have in other presentations, in my books and on this blog.

Hey, as my dad used to say, "To each his own," which stems from the 1946 drama of the same name starring Olivia de Havilland.

Above is one such HDR image, below is the photograph.

To create the painterly-like image, I first used Photomatix (to created the HDR image) and then used Topaz Adjust (first selecting the Spicify filter, and then greatly reducing the noise).

Click here for info on Photomatix and Topaz - and a discount on Photomatix.

I'd like you to weigh in: Do you think photographs should look like pictures - or painting - or both? Post your thoughts here - so all can see.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. If you like HDR photography (realistic or artistic) you may like my HDR book. I gotta warn ya, however. Some of the pictures look more like paintings. :-)

Here is a realist HDR image from my book. One could argue, however, that it's not really that realist – because the color has been removed from the scene.