Speedlite Session at N4C Convention in Des Moines

Emily Weber was our talented model for the session.

A big thank you to the folks at the N4C convention and Des Moines Camera Club for inviting me to present two sessions at their annual event yesterday. Great folks, great fun.

After my presentation, Exploring the Light, I gave a speedlite session, using two Canon 600EX-RT speedlites and my Canon ST-E3 RT radio transmitter.

Photograph by Shane Abbitt

My goal was to demonstrate that even in a hotel meeting room, creative speedlite photographs are possible . . . if you "take the darn flash off the camera," which is my #1 flash photography tip.

I also demonstrated how easy it is to control the flash output of the new Canon speedlites with the new ST-E3 RT wireless transmitter.

I took the opening image for this post while my new friend and assistant (and scientist in real life) Jerry Ranch held a Westcott 28-inch Apollo softbox above the model, who was positioned against a black background. I added the Diffuse Glow filter in Photoshop CS4 to add an additional glow to the glow of our model, Emily Weber.

During my demos, I like to get the attendees involved. Left: voice-activated light stand Shane Abbitt, another new friend, helps out. Right: Jerry Ranch adds some fun and light to the session.

Here are a few quick lighting tips: light illuminates, shadows define; the larger the light the softer the light; the closer the light the softer the light. Want a dramatic portrait? Don't light the entire subject.

Above: Another hotel meeting room shot. I used one speedlite (grid added to focus the light) positioned to camera right to illuminate the model, and another speedite (blue gel added) fired through a cardboard cutout to illuminate the white background.

Jerry "Huevos" Ranch and Rick "The Godfather" jam after the session. Shane Abbitt photo.

One of the many reasons I enjoy traveling and giving seminars is that I get to meet interesting people, many of whom become my friends. Des Moines was no exception. I hope to be back soon for another photo session – and another jam session with photographer/scientist/musician Jerry Ranch.  

My next speedlite session and seminar is in Canada later this month.

Click here for all my events.

You'll find more lighting tips in my apps, Rick Sammon's 24/7 Photo Buffet and Light It! See my apps page.

Explore the light,

Rick

Here's another post I did on the new Canon speedlite system.

Mini-Mantis and Maxi-Mantis Macro Sessions

Photograph by Rick Sammon

June 17 - I photographed the above mini-mantis in my backyard this morning. It's one of two mini-mantises that are on the exact same bush where I photographed three adult praying mantises last summer. Looks like the eggs survived the winter. Nature sure is amazing.

You can't tell the size of these tiny creatures in a picture until a finger is included in the frame. Come August, these mantises be as long as my index finger.

Photograph by Rick Sammon

September 1 - As you can see from the shot below, the mini-mantis has grown to a maxi-mantis. Sure is fun watching wildlife!

If you like close-up photography, here are a few tips:
- Use a true macro lens. I used my 100mm Canon macro lens.
- Use a ring light for virtually shadowless (or ratio lighting). I use my Canon MR 14-EX ringlite.
- Shoot at a small aperture for good depth of field. With a macro lens, depth of field is very shallow even at f/22.
- Shoot at a wide aperture to isolate just a part of the subject, as in the photograph below of an adult praying mantis.
- Use a tripod with a ballhead for natural light portraits. My tripods are listed on my gear page.

Photograph by Rick Sammon

For more example of close-up photography, and for close-up photography tips, see my Flying Flowers (pretty pictures) and Butterfly Wonders (photo info) apps on my app page.

Photograph by Rick Sammon

Speaking of a mantis, here's a photograph of mantis shrimp. I took this shot while scuba diving in Papua New Guinea. Another way-cool animal.

Explore the light,
Rick

Composition: The Strongest Way of Seeing, or Crop My Pictures and You Are a Dead Man!

Edward Weston said: Composition is the strongest way of seeing.

I love that quote . . . and it's the title of my latest Kelby Training Class.

The photographs here, taken in Iceland two weeks ago, illustrate some important composition techniques.

Above: use a foreground element to place the viewer in the scene.

Above: The name of the game is to fill the frame.

Above: Crop my pictures and you are a dead man! Actually, that's my own quote . . . one that I used to use (lovingly) with my book publishers.

I am a nut about cropping. I shot this picture knowing that I'd crop off the boring top and bottom in Photoshop.

Be a nut about cropping, and you will get pictures with impact.

Again, for more info in composition, check out my Composition class. My Composition class goes hand-in-hand with my class on lighting: Light - the main element in every photograph.

To learn more about composition, join one of my workshops. We work hard, but we also have a ton of fun.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. All images: Canon 5D Mark III, in-camera HDR and Canon 17-40mm lens. All my gear is listed on my Gear page.

Good Exposure vs. Creative Exposure

With today's digital cameras, getting a good exposure is much easier than it was with film cameras. But getting a creative exposure still offers the same challenges - and rewards. That's one of the things I talk about in my brand new Kelby Training class, Light - the main element in every photograph.

Here are a few slides from the class that illustrate that concept.

Above: The picture on the top right is correctly exposed. The lighting, however, is not that creative. The picture on the bottom right is more creative, because the entire subject is not lit. Tip: for creative portraits, don't light the entire subject.

Above: the natural light picture on the right is correctly exposed, but you can't see the subject's eyes. The picture on the left is a daylight fill-in flash shot; we can see the subject's eyes. Adding some light made for a more creative exposure. Also, balancing the light from the flash to the ambient light created a natural-looking picture - one that does not look like a flash picture.

Above: The picture on the left is an HDR image. The mood of the scene is ruined, although as far as HDR images go, the entire dynamic range of the scene is recorded. The picture on the bottom right is more creative. It's a combination of natural light and added light . . . the light from our guide's Jeep. It's a more creative exposure. The point: HDR is not always the answer.

Above: These two pictures from South Beach also illustrate the difference between a good exposure and a creative exposure. Using a long shutter speed turned a snapshot (good exposure) into a cool shot (creative exposure).

Wherever you shoot, think about how you can turn a good exposure into a more creative exposure. I talk about shooting in a variety of locations in the class.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. If you like my Light class, I think you'll also enjoy my composition class, Composition - the strongest way of seeing.

Compose and Expose Carefully

What do the above and below photographs have in common?

Both photographs were composed and exposed carefully.

When you think about it, photography is all about getting a well-composed and creatively exposed image. Master those techniques, and you are on your way to mastering photography.

I know, I know! A good subject is important, too. :-)

Actually, those two elements - lighting and composition - are important in painting, too - as illustrated my Vermeer's "Girl with the Pearl Earring" painting (left), and my humble rendition of the masterpiece on the right.

In my workshops, I focus on those topics. If you can't make a workshop, I have two classes on Kelby Training that I think you will enjoy:

Composition - the strongest way of seeing.

Light - the main element in every photograph.

Quick composition tip: stick out your neck and break the so-called rules.

Quick lighting tip: Shadows are the soul of the photograph.

As always . . . .

Explore the light,
Rick