Family Photo Tips All This Week. Day 2: Use Reflectors and Diffusers to Soften the Light

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 My neighbor's photogenic daughter. Left: No diffuser. Right: Diffuser.
I am have fun getting my pictures and photo tips together for my talk on family photography at the Upper West Side Apple store on February 26th in NYC. 

While I am in the family photo mood, I thought I'd post some of my favorite family photos and tips here on my blog - along with some of my travel photographs that illustrate the same basic techniques.

Today's Tip: Use Reflectors and Diffusers.

Top left: No reflector. Top right: Reflector. Bottom: Me shooting :-)
Diffuser/reflector kits come in all sizes and shapes. If you are serious about taking good pictures of your family and friends, and even strangers in strange lands, don't leave home without a diffuser/reflector kit.

Here are the two kits I recommend:
and
Westcott 1032 6-in-1 Reflector Kit 42in.
Travel portraits from my Papua New Guinea Workshop. Diffuser plus fill-in flash.
One of my PNG workshop students making a picture with the aid of a reflector.
Okay, back to family photos. Below is another example of the effectiveness of using a diffuser.
My nephew William.
Behind-the-scenes shot of my photo session with William.
You'll find more tips on photographing people in my apps.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. My favorite lens for people pictures is the Canon 24-105mm IS lens:

Your Passport to Accurate Color

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Hey Gang

I don't know about you, but I am a nut about color.

Sometimes I want and need accurate color, as when I was working with the scientists on my butterfly book, Flying Flowers - which I turned into an app called Butterfly Wonders.

At other times I want more vivid color, as when I am working on a travel photography piece that includes several sunset pictures.

Here is a link to an article I wrote on getting Knockout Color.

And here is a link to an article (much more technical than mine) on color management by my friend, the King of Color Management, Eddie Tapp.

For those times when accurate color is a must, I use the colorchecker Passport from x-rite. Here's how it works: You take a picture (RAW of course) of the 24-patch Passport, load the included camera calibration software CD on your computer, open your target image in the program, makes a few clicks of your mouse (or taps of your stylus) - and you are on your way to accurate color. Actually, you were on your way to accurate color before sitting down at your computer. :-)

Enjoy your journey and explorations into the world color. 

Explore the Light,
Rick

P.S. As long as I am talking about passports, when I travel internationally, I pack a copy of my passport in my checked bags and in my camera bag (s). That way, if I lose my passport, I have a backup I can take to an embassy. Also, if my bags are checked by airport security, the agents can ID me quickly.

Family Photo Tips All This Week. Day 1: Use Fill-Flash Outdoors

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I am have fun getting my pictures and photo tips together for my talk on family photography at the Upper West Side Apple store on February 26th in NYC. 

While I am in the family photo mood, I thought I'd post some of my favorite family photos and tips here on my blog.

Today's tip: Use fill-flash outdoors.

A flash fills in shadows. It compresses the brightness range of a scene. It can also add contrast to a scene.


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


All of these pictures, except for the dark shot, are daylight fill-in flash shots. Master your flash, and you'll get better family photos, as well as photographs of strangers.

Explore the light,
Rick
P.S. You can also use daylight fill-in flash when photographing animals. :-)

# 1 Reason to Shoot HDR

HDR Rocks.
Lots has been said about HDR (High Dynamic Range photography) on the internet. Seems some folks have a love-hate relationship with HDR: they love to hate it. :-)

Me? I love to love HDR for a very important reason – which is the #1 reason I shoot lots of HDR images: HDR lets me (and you) capture scenes as they look to our eyes.

Average Exposure.
For example, directly above is the average exposure of the scene in the Colony Hotel in Delray Beach, Florida.

Three exposures used to create HDR image.
Sure, HDR images can be overdone, or over cooked as some like to say. I have actually been accused of doing just that. See the image below. But heck, I was just having some fun and trying to be creative – which is what photography is all about. Right?
Nik Software's HDR Efex Pro Plus Topaz Adjust/Spicify
Hey, if you like HDR photography, as well as travel, flash, nature, nighttime and people photography, I'm running my Florida Photo Caravan again next January. After that, I am running short classes in Delary Beach: Digital Delary. Shoot me an email to get on the list for info: ricksammon@me.com.

Type Florida Photo Caravan in my blog's Search Window to see pictures from this year's photo caravan!

You can save some $ on the HDR programs that I use (Photomatix Pro and HDR Efex Pro) by clicking here.

Explore the light,
Rick

HDR Sunrise in South Beach and HDR The Right Way

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HDR photograph.
Here's an HDR image, some HDR photo tips, and some sunrise/sunset photo tips for today. Enjoy.

Middle exposure of three exposure set.
Title: Stars and Stripes
Location: Miami's South Beach, Florida
Exposures: 0, +2, -2 EV
Processing: Nik HDR Efex Pro  

Here are my original three images.
Tip: Shoot HDR images and non-HDR images. Walk around a subject and look for other picture opportunities. I like my HDR image of this lifeguard stand in South Beach, but I also like the way the direct light softly illuminated the structure.

Sunrise (and sunset) photo tips:
• Place the sun off center.
• Don’t place the horizon line in the center of the frame.
• Use a foreground element for scale.
• Want the sun small? Use a wide-angle lens.
• Wand the sun large? Use a telephoto lens.
• Get on site before sunrise.
• Shoot when the sun kisses the horizon line.

View of the lifeguard stand from the opposite side at sunrise.
Camera Info: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon 17-40mm lens.

The Canon 17-40mm lens is my favorite lens for HDR photography. Info:
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Like this kinda of info? You’ll find it (and all my latest HDR images) in my next iPad app: Rick Sammon’s HDR Portfolio, due out in March 2011.

You will have get some good HDR info in the upcoming (March) “Battle of the HDR Photo Tips.” It’s Ratcliff vs. Sammon for a full week. Stay tuned for info. 

I am having an HDR Photo Day here in Croton-on-Hudson on May 28th - May 29th rain day. Shoot me an email if you want to join the HDR fun. $100 for the day. Twelve students max. Includes my HDR book. Bring your camera and laptop. HDR from start to finish. Email: ricksammon@me.com

For discounts on the HDR programs and Plug-ins that I use, click here. You will need Photomatix, HDR Efex Pro and Topaz Adjust for the HDR Photo Day.

Here is a link to a post on HDR The Right Way.


Explore the light,
Rick


P.S. You'll find info on my current apps here.