Monthly Archives: November 2011

Consider a splash…

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…of colour for visual interest?

Take this off-camera flash picture, for example (taken with speedlites, of course):

Good, because it is using off-camera flash. But you might try to add some colour by using gels. I use the excellent HonlPhoto gels, part of the Honl Photo small flash modifier systems.

No, not like that.

But perhaps like this:

Much better, I think. And all that is needed is a simple gel on the background flash (ask me about the Honl Photo discount, by the way, if like me you are considering those flash modifiers).

 

TTL magic

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When you use an automatic, TTL (“Through The Lens”) metered flash, how does your flash know how much power to emit?

I.e. when I set my camera to , say, 1/200th second, f/5.6, and 400 ISO, now the camera needs a certain amount of power to come from the flash to match that. If the flash emits too little power, you would get this too-dark picture:

If on the other hand it emits too much power, you would get this instead:

And yet, when you click, time and time again, you get something more like this:

So how does the camera magically know the power should be at that level for this shot? After all, for each shot it is different. Get closer to the subject, and you would need less power. Farther away, and you would need more.

OK – here is how the camera knows.

When you click, the following happens:

  1. The camera tells the flash to emit a little pre-flash.
  2. The camera measures the light returned from that pre-flash.
  3. It uses that amount of returned light to calculate the power needed for the shot.
  4. Only now does it raise its mirror and open the shutter.
  5. Then, it tells the flash to fire at that calculated power level.
  6. The flash does as it is told.
  7. Afterward, the camera closes the shutter and drops the mirror.
  8. Done.

A whole lot of stuff here to ensure you get correct flash exposures.

So yes – every time you see a flash, you are actually seeing two flashes, This also explains why you appear to see theflash through your viewfinder – you are seeing your preflash.

 

Delete?

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A reader asked me this:

I am now using Lightroom to manage my images (used to use Picasa because its quick, cheap, free).  I have searched the Lightroom help about clearing the CF card once the images are imported but it doesn’t seem to have that function.  It does talk about in camera formatting.  What do you suggest?

That is very simple.

  1. Do not delete images from your card after importing;
  2. Do format in the camera (but only after backing up your images).

If you delete images upon import, you are deleting them before you have secured them; What if your computer crashes? Also, by not formatting, you are open to file errors formatting errors, and differences between one manufacturer’s idea of good formatting and another.

So import images, back up, and then (and only then) put the card back in the camera and format using the camera’s menu.

 

Tick tock

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And here, from “Time”, Pink Floyd:

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Which reminds me to show you the way… in a small way. Have you set all your cameras’ time to winter time yet?

If not, go adjust them now. The date and time setting is in your camera’s menu. Go ensure that time is correct, on every camera you own. I’m doing the same!

 

Cannot.

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You cannot shoot a portrait handheld at 1/15th second. And you cannot shoot a portrait at f/1.4.

Right?

Portrait at f/1.4 (Photo: Michael Willems)

So that was shot as follows:

  • Canon 1D Mk4
  • 35mm prime lens (equivalent, therefore, to around 45mm)
  • TTL Flash (580EX) bounced 45 degrees up, behind me
  • Flash equipped with a half CTO gel; white balance set to “Tungsten”
  • 1/15th second at f/1.4, ISO 400

Wonderful background bokeh, no? And don’t you love the vignetting that this lens gives me wide open?

Of course, if you shoot at f/1.4, be careful that what you need in focus is in one plain (the camera and the face, here). And at 1/15th, handhold carefully and use fl;ash (1/1000th) to light your subjext.

So yes you can do it, and it’s probably best to sometimes push boundaries a little, and let go of rules of thumb, useful as they may generally be.

 

Machine gun vs rifle

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I watched Penn and Teller yesterday on TV. One item was on a machine gun versus a rifle – which is better when faced with five zombies?

Surprisingly perhaps,  the machine gun lost. 50 rounds killed only one zombie, while the rifle killed them all in 10 shots.

That is not surprising to photographers. “Spray and shoot” is often how new photographers start –  and it is as successful as the machine gun.

So try the following: Shoot less, Before you click:

  • Do you need this picture?
  • OK, then what is the background like?
  • And the (maybe off-centre) composition?
  • What is the subject meant to be?
  • How are you calling attention to that subject?
  • Have you simplified your picture? Really? Or can you do better?
  • Have you considered your viewpoint?
  • Have you considered what lens or zoom setting to use?
  • Have you focused accurately?
  • Is this indeed the right moment?

Only when you can say “yes” to all those, shoot. And be amazed at how much more rewarding your shoots become!

 

Today…

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… courtesy of Ricoh, I made portraits at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, with Paolo Cescato. Here:

As I shall be doing for the next nine days, the entire fair except Monday, every afternoon/evening. Here I am (courtesy of my friend and student Ray Williams):

And these portraits look somewhat like this:

Or like this:

And the lesson in this?

  • Commit events like this, being together with friends and family, to photos. They only happen once. That baby above will be in university soon enough.
  • Light simply, if you are doing many portraits. We used two umbrellas. It is more about the moment and the people than about the artistic lighting.
  • Posing is fine, but turn people a little.
  • Perhaps put them into suitable groups.
  • Triangles are good.
  • Watch out for shadows.
  • Glasses and hats, especially: take care.
  • Yes, you know: 1/125th second, f/8, at 200 ISO; and the strobes do the rest.

I have precious few pictures of myself as a child (roughly zero). If you can do better with your loved ones or with anyone at all, you are doing great. Do it if you can!

Those of you in the Toronto area: the picture is free with the price of admission to The Royal. Come meet me (again), and come meet some cows, chickens and such, see great country stuff, and generally, have a good time.

 

Fun with flashes

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Off-camera flash rocks. And all your camera have the ability to take the flash off camera. On a Nikon, or a Cano 60D or 7D, you can use the pop-up fl;ash to drive the external flash. On other Canon cameras you need to use a 580EX flash or an IR controller on the camera.

And here, to motivate you, I shall show you another example or two, all take on Halloween night during a class at Sheridan College:

First, lit from below with a dual-color gelled flash:

Halloween (photo: Michael Willems)

Lit from below, suitable from Halloween:

Halloween (photo: Michael Willems)

The following photo actually uses one flash on camera, but aimed behind me. Note how I made the image B/W and added grain to give this photo a stark feeling:

Halloween (photo: Michael Willems)

Now a direct flash from our left:

Halloween (photo: Michael Willems)

Yes, even direct hard flash is usable, as long as the flash is not in line with the lens!

And here the same but with a grid on the flash, in case you want to avoid hitting the wall with light. (as a side effect, the grid also serves to slightly soften the light):

Halloween (photo: Michael Willems)

As you see, you can do a lot with a simple flash off camera.