Random Find: John Harvey

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Hey, I don't know John Harvey, but the dude sent me a question via email and attached this beautiful image - which he corrected in Lightroom and then moved it to Topaz Adjust and then back to Lightroom.

The image was taken of Castle Geyser in Yellowstone in 2006.

I just had to share the image with you – I think it's that good!

If you plan a trip to Yellowstone, here's a good book:

Explore the light,
Rick

Horses Running on the Beach at Sunrise Added to My January Florida Photo Caravan

Good news! A sunrise horse shoot on the beach has been arranged for Day 1 (St. Augustine) of my January  Florida Photo Caravan. The trip is full, but we have a few spots open for the St. Augustine part of the shoot. Shoot me an email if you are interested.

I didn't take this horse-and-rider shot in Florida, but I hope we can all get similar images.

My gear recos:
• tripod... but be prepared for hand-held shots, too.

Camera settings:
• AI Servo (focus tracking)
• Rapid Frame Advance
• Shutter speed of at least 1/1000 of second to freeze action. (You need to boost the ISO)
• Shutter Priority mode.

Of course, if you don't want to freeze the action, use a slow shutter speed, say 1/15th of a second, to blur the background and keep the subject relatively sharp.

If you do get an out-of-focus shot, you can sharpen it, to a degree, with InFocus from Topaz Labs. (You can save a bundle when you order a Topaz bundle.)

Other tips:
• Watch the background.
• Don't cut off the rider's head with the horizon line.
• Take lots of shots to get an image all the horse's hooves off the ground.
• Works with reflections.
• Bring a lens cleaning cloth to keep salt spray off the front element of the lens.
• Check your histogram to avoid overexposed highlights.

During the Photo Caravan, I'll be giving a free, 2-hour talk in Ft. Lauderdale for the South Florida Camera Club. Hope you can swing by.

Back to photographing horses, when photographing more than one horse, try to get some separation between the horses.

Finally, watch for lens flare, it can ruin a shot. Use a lens hood and share the lens if necessary.

Explore the light,
Rick


P.S. I took the opening shot for this blog post in Los Osos, CA during one of my Light Photographic Workshops.

Improve Your Perception and Imaging

What (or who) do you see in this photograph, which I took in Escalante National Monument several years ago.

Post your comment here so all can see.

What you perceive – visually and in your photographs and in the photographs of others – is quite interesting.

For more on the fascinating topic, check out my friend Dick Zakia's book: Perception and Imaging.

Carnival of Venice: A Cool Place for Colorful People Pictures. Dates Set for 2012 Workshop!

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The Carnival of Venice (Carnevale di Venezia) is an annual festival held in, where else, Venice, Italy. The event starts about two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.

Carnevale is a great opportunity for people pictures - and to eat great food and to buy Venetian glass.

If you plan to go, below are a few photo tips. (I am running a photo tour to Carnevale in 2012. Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining the photo fun: ricksammon@me.com)

But first, here is a short movie with some music that includes the photographs in this column. It's just for fun.

I took all this photographs with my Canon 24-105mm IS lens – my favorite lens for people pictures. For the flash shots, I used my Canon 580 EX II.

Okay, on with the photographs and the tips.

Choose a creative angle (opening image for this blog post). Break the traditional rules of composition and look for unique angles.


Make the picture – don’t just take the picture. Take the time to expertly position a subject or subjects in a scene. Remember, when you are behind the camera, you are the director of the shoot. It took me about 15 minutes to set up the above photograph . . . after which dozens of other photographers crowded around me and pushed and shoved for the same shot, making it very difficult to shoot. Be prepared - and warned.

Shoot with your shutter speed in mind. Blur or freeze the subject with the correct shutter speed. The choice is yours.
Choose your camera settings carefully. Check your ISO, white balance, aperture, shutter speed and focus to ensure the end-result you envision in your mind’s eye.


Think color. Look to see how colors can compliment each other in a scene.


Be aware of the background. Know that the background can make or break the photograph.


Look for body language. Body language greatly affects how the subject comes across in a photograph. Pay extra attention to the subject’s hands.


Fine-tune your flash pictures. Use exposure compensation to reduce the light from the flash to the point where your picture looks like a natural light shot.

Create a sense of depth. Use the different elements in a scene to add a sense of depth and dimension in your photographs.

Have fun with the experience! What more can I say!

You'll find more tips on people photography in my apps: Rick Sammon's 24/7 Photo Buffet and Light It!

Explore the light,
Rick


P.S. I will be doing a workshop during Carnival in 2012. Let me know if you are interested in joining the photo fun. I know the good places to eat, too! Email me at ricksammon@ me.com.

Be My Guest Monday 12/20/10: Rob Sheppard

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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: Rob Sheppard

Tip: Get the subject out of the middle of the frame.

The craft of photography can be intense – you need to consider lens choice, shutter speed, f-stop, focus point, light and more. The results can be worth the effort, but wouldn’t it be nice if at least once you could do something quickly and easily to get better photos? You can! There is one quick step you can take to make your photos better and it relates to composition. Get your subject out of the middle of the frame!


I know this is not new advice, yet it is something we all have to pay attention to. It is very easy for subjects to end up in the middle, especially when we are excited about what we are photographing.

So what’s the big deal about subjects in the middle anyway? Does it really make a difference? I could just say that you will not see pros putting subjects in the middle of the composition very often except for a deliberate effect, which is true, but doesn’t tell you much.

There is actually research about images and centered subjects. It turns out that viewers of an image of a centered subject look at that centered subject and not much else in the photograph. Viewers of photographs that have a subject that is out of the center will look at the subject and look at the rest of the photograph. Their eyes will go all over that photograph and they will stay with the image for a far longer time than the centered subject. That means that when a subject is centered, the viewer will look at the picture and figure that they know it all by seeing the subject in the center, then move on. They don't spend time with your beautiful photograph. They don't find it as interesting.

On the other hand, this means that when a subject is out of the center of the frame, your viewers will enjoy the experience of looking at your photograph more. They will spend more time with the image. They will look all over the photograph.

So if you want a quick, one step way of getting better pictures, simply look at your subject and compose your photograph so the subject is somewhere other than in the middle.

Rob Sheppard

Nature and Photography

Editor-at-large, Outdoor Photographer www.outdoorphotographer.com