May 22, 2012

Rick's List: Nighttime Photography Gear

May 21, 2012 in Painting with Light

Want to have some fun tonight? Take a nighttime shot.

Above (New Croton Dam) and below (Niagara Falls) are two of my favorite scenic nighttime photographs.

I also like to photograph city scenes at night.

And even people are fun to photograph after the sun goes down. Below is an HDR shot.

Here's a list of the gear that I recommend for serious nighttime shooter, and why I recommend it.

Powerful spotlight - for painting with light, as in Croton Dam shot.

Headband flashlight - so you can see what you are doing in the dark without holding a flashlight.

Variable density filter - for extra long shutter speeds, as in Niagara Falls shot.

Sturdy tripod - for steady shots in at long shutter speeds, as in all shots.

Ballhead for tripod - for easy composition.

Wide-angle lens - to capture wide scenes.

Cable release - so you don't shake the camera during exposure.

And if you are very serious:

Lightning trigger - to capture lightning strikes.

Tips:

Think safety first. Wear white at night, as you mother advised.

Use in-camera noise reduction when using long shutter speeds. It's the most effective way of reducing noise.

Experiment with long shutter speeds - five to 30 seconds . . . and even longer.

Try to photograph when there is still a bit of light in the sky.

We shoot at night on most of my workshops. Good fun!

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Here's another Rick's List: Nature and Landscape Photography Gear.

Composition - the strongest way of seeing

May 21, 2012 in Photographic composition

When in comes to the making of a photograph, several elements are important:

1) Subject

2) Composition

3) Exposure

4) Motion or lack of it

5) Depth of field

6) Color
7) Lighting
8) Lens Choice
9) Shooting angle
10) Focus
11) And most important, the mood or feeling of the photograph.

All of these elements are subjective, of course. There are, however, certain guidelines that are helpful to consider before you take a shot.

For me, composition is one of the key factors, maybe one of the most important factors, in the making of a good picture. It is one factor that can be easily learned - and improved upon.

After all, you decided what you want and don't want in the frame, just like a painter who decides what and what not to paint on a canvass.

One way to learn about composition it to look at the work of other photographers. So . . . . here are a few examples of some composition techniques.

The two pictures above illustrate these composition tips:

- Place the subject off center.

- Compose following the rule of thirds (tic-tac-toe grid over the frame)

- The name of the game is to fill the frame.

- Shoot for a balanced photograph.

- The shooting angle matters.
- Isolating each of the main subjects makes them stand out in the scene.

The two pictures below illustrate the important composition technique of using a foreground element to frame your subject - as well as the importance of watching the all-important background.

For lots more on composition, see my class on Kelby Training: Composition - the strongest way of seeing.

Explore the light,

Rick

Digital Photographer's European Vacation

May 20, 2012 in Barcelona workshop, Provence photography workshop, digital photo workshops.

Photograph the old and new in Barcelona.

Want to join my Digital Photographer's European Vacation in June 2013? Actually, it will be a digital photography workshop starting in Barcelona and then moving to Provence . . . but what a cool way to spend your vacation!

In Barcelona, I'll be working with Fstop Training. In Provence, I'll be working with The Photographer's Lounge.

You can join one or both workshops.

Shoot me an email to get on the info list.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Paella with be on the menu on Barcelona.

iStuff Sunday #6: It's All In the Pocket

May 20, 2012

iStuff Sunday is a regular feature that I link to here on my blog. It's written by my friend David "The iMan" Leveen, who shot all the videos for our Light It! iPad and iPhone apps.

Click here to see all my apps.

Each week David will cover some cool techniques and fun stuff for your iPad and iPhone - and maybe even for iLife and iWork users.

If you want to suggest a topic, let us know in the Comments section here.

Also let us know if you'd be interested in an iPhone workshop by the iMan in NYC or up here in Croton on Hudson, NY.

This week: It's All In the Pocket.