Monthly Archives: July 2012

Water flow tip

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Shooting a river, waterfall, or as in this case, fountain?

In that case consider not shooting it as above – if it is a moment in time (waves hitting rocks) you can. but when it is a flow, show it like a flow:

To do that:

  1. Use manual or Tv/S mode (shutter priority)
  2. Use a shutter speed of 1/4 to 3 seconds.
  3. Use a tripod – this is a must.
  4. If the light is too bright even with low ISO and high f-number, then use a simple dark filter (a “neutral density filter”).

Tip: if you do not have an ND filter, a polarizer will also darken the light by a couple of stops.

And now a secret: I shot that handheld, at 1/4 second, with no tripod. The secret? Experience; a steady hand; holding the long lens at the end; sitting down steady; and especially, a stabilized lens. Got the shot in one try!

 

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Today I shot soccer kids in Malton. Using a simple flash on camera. Pictures looked like this – although this is not a soccer player but my model recently, the technique is the same:

To do this, you

  • Underexpose the background by 1-2 stops
  • With the camera in manual mode
  • Try to get aperture around f/5.6 with the shutter between 1/100th and 1/200th second
  • And then use your flash to light up the subject.
  • If the background is too dark you will see shadows.

Note to Sheridan students: Tomorrow, I am going to walk my Sheridan students around Oakville at 11AM – yes, students, we are on, unless it is pouring with rain in which case I will post here before 10AM. Towne square and Lakeshore Rd, Oakville, under the big clock, 11AM.

 

What to bring on a trip?

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Reader George asks:

For leisure traveling which gear would you take with you Michael? I’m off to China for 3 weeks in September and still can’t decide what to take with me having 6 lenses /3 primes;28,50,85 and 3 zooms 16-35, 24-120, 70-300/ and one body d300. Looking to buy a used second body either d700 or d7000 since I believe I need a back up just in case. As for packing I have already few Think Tank bags to chose from.

Well. Here’s what I will bring to Europe when I travel to the Netherlands late August:

  1. A camera – Canon 1Ds Mk3 or 1D Mk4 (if I had an 1Dx I would bring that).
  2. A backup camera (quite so, George): a Canon 7D in my case.
  3. Two speedlights
  4. 16-35mm lens
  5. Probably also the 24-70mm lens, but this is not strictly necessary – after all, the 16-35, when used on the 7D crop body, is like a 24-50 lens.
  6. If I have space, the 70-200mm lens: but unless I travel to Africa to shoot lions, this will be my least used lens.
  7. A prime lens: probably the 35mm f/1.4.
  8. A light meter.
  9. Batteries, chargers, plug converters
  10. Memory cards
  11. Flash modifiers
  12. Ziplock bags, dental floss, pen, business cards, and so on.
  13. Laptop.

And indeed, a Think Tank air travel bag that everything fits into. so I can bring it on board rather than checking it. Packing this bag is an art and will take me many hours: the restrictions of airline policy is the greatest factor in limiting what one can bring on a trip.

 

Three Years!

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It was three years ago to the day, on 13 July 2009,  that I posted my first post here on www.speedlighter.ca: A-softbox-to-the-rescue/. Three years of, with a few exceptions, daily teaching posts. I surprise myself! And much more to come, I assure you. (Enjoying this blog, and feel like buying me a cup of coffee? Go here to do it!)

Tip of the day: replace your camera strap with a Domke camera strap: under $20 at B&H, and you get a better grip, less advertising of brand, and especially, a rotating swivel quick release at each end, so the eternal twisting-to-straighten-your-strap is a thing of the past.

 

Equipment Mania

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Continuing on the theme of “why a pro delivers (and shy he/she charges real money for shoots)”, let me share this snap, taken last night as I was re-arranging my photo bag:

As you can see, there’s a lot of gear there. Including:

  • Six speedlights,
  • Five Pocketwizards,
  • A light meter,
  • Many modifiers,
  • Many small items to power and connect it all,
  • Many gizmos to mount it all together.

Total value, probably around $$7,000 for that alone. Add the cameras (maybe $20,000), the lenses (maybe $16,000), and the big lighting and miscellaneous gear (maybe $5,000) and you get some idea as to why pro shooting costs money.

But do you need all that? I have two answers!

YES – if you want to shoot important events commissions and professionally. You should not shoot a wedding without gear, spares, possibilities: you do the  client a disservice.

NO – if you are shooting for yourself. A camera, one or two speedlights and a stand with umbrella is all you need for great art – look at George’s great image of me the other day (scroll down).

So, if you are a learner here: take some of my classes (scroll down too), and do NOT be discouraged by all the gear you could possibly buy. Add but by bit, but you can create art from the get-go, with basic equipment, Stay tuned here to find out how.

 

Wedding Season!

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An exciting new initiative: Kristof Borkowski and I are now shooting weddings, engagements, etc as a team. We shoot locally in Ontario, but also do destination weddings all over the world: our all-new web site, www.tolivetolove.com, explains more.

Lucy and Matt at their recent wedding (photo by www.tolovetolive.com)

One exciting part is that since this initiative is new, unlike older businesses, we have openings even this summer.  Give us a call or drop us a line if you are interested in great photography of your special day or event.

And now what you are here for… a few Wedding Photo Tips:

  • When shooting a wedding, get a detailed list of required shots well in advance from the bride and groom.
  • Go over this list in detail until it is complete. That way, there will be no surprises!
  • Print the list!
  • Make sure you have the name and cell number etc of someone who can help you get all the people in the required shots together on the day. They know who Uncle Frank is; you don’t!
  • Use a camera with two memory cards, and write e4ach image to both. Cards fail, and precious moments never appear again – they happen once, and that is it.
  • Use fast lenses. A minimum of f/2.8 is required (even then you will shoot at 1600 ISO often!); prime f/1.4 lenses can often be even better.
  • Carry twice the number of flashes and cameras that you need. Things break!
  • Carry twice the batteries that you need – and then double this number again.
  • Change batteries for every segment of the shoot.

Use those and you’re set to go. (But… one piece of advice: do not shoot a wedding as the only shooter if you have no prior experience: shoot with a pro as an assistant, and then as a second shooter, a few times until you know the drill!)

 

Come Learn With Me….

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Here’s another opportunity to learn from me. If the five-day workshop at The Niagara School of Imaging at Brock University in August is too long for you, or if you want to learn basics or need a refreshes on both simpler and more advanced subjects, then attend my series of three hour seminars at Pro store Vistek in Mississauga!

To give you an idea of the kind of skills you can gain, here is an image taken of me yesterday by my Sheridan College student George Kartken – great job.

Want to learn how to do this type of thing? Join me in my courses. Starting within a couple of weeks, these are a great opportunity to learn a lot in a very short time. Space is limited: see the list, and sign up, here.

 

Reader Question

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A reader asks:

A lens – say a Canon L lens that are f/2.8 – is the amount of light the same when it is wide open on an an APS-C sensor vs Full frame sensor? Does it get stopped down on APS-C ?

Great question. No – the light is the same. Area is smaller, but an f/2.8 lens lets in the same light on a smaller sensor that it does on a large sensor. f/2.8 is f/2.8!

Follow up:

Then how does the 2x or 1.4x extender get stopped down when added to 70-200 for example? is it because the barrel gets longer?

Exactly.  f/2.8 means the lens’s focal length divided by that is the circle’s diameter, so that does make a difference.

New exhibit

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Shooting anything artistic is very rewarding, and I am once again sharing some of my work with the world: 26 uly-26 August in Toronto’s Distillery District, at the Kodiak Gallery. Curated by Gregory Talas, this exhibit will show (and sell) a number of my Art Nudes. Come see it!

I will even, for regular readers, throw in some hints and tips and short teachings. As always – you can’t stop me teaching!

All works are framed and for sale, and if you want one on your wall: if you quote this site you will get a discount. 🙂

A snap dissected

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I thought perhaps I would show you a photo taken last weekend.. a snap, at first sight, but in fact a lot of thought goes into a photo.

Here are Justin and Pam, who have been together for two years:

So what kind of thought goes into a shot like this?

  • The lens is a wide lens (24mm on a full-frame 1Ds Mk3), so we get depth in the image.
  • I shot late afternoon, so the light is good (nice and warm) and if I shoot at 1/25oth second, I can use f/4.5, so get a blurred background.
  • Nevertheless, this is not all available light – I aided the light by using an umbrella on our right with two TTL 430EX’s (yes, two, to overpower the sun). Hence the 1/250th second maximum (the synch speed).
  • I composed using the Rule of Thirds – Justin top left, Pam bottom right
  • I cropped to make the image suitable for distribution to their parents etc.
  • Since this is an environmental portrait, I kept the environment in – enough to see it is a dock on a lake, and they are skinny dipping.
  • The wave emanating from her feet produces a nice pattern and adds liveliness.
  • I avoid them looking at the camera in this shot.
  • And hence, very importantly, I make the viewer think; guess; wonder what they are looking at.  Each viewer wil have their own questions. Why is he not looking at her? Why are they apparently nude? What is the expression on his face telling us? What is she thinking?

As you see, if you apply basic rules – rules of composition, storytelling, light – your snaps can be more than just snaps. That’s what portrait photographers do, and with some training, you can, too.

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Stand by for exciting news: the Never Not Naked: Natural Nudes solo art exhibition is coming to Toronto’s historic Distilery District, July 26 – August 26 at The Kodiak Gallery.