Category Archives: Learning

Speedlighter

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I call this column speedlighter for a reason. Many, many of my shots are made with small flashes, “speedlights”.

Like this one, of the model by a door at an abandoned house;

To get the moody look, I used

  1. The Canon 1Dx with a 24-70 f/2.8 lens
  2. The camera set to manual, 200 ISO, f/5.6, 1/200th second.
  3. A 600EX speedlight on the Camera, used only as a master (flash disabled other than that)
  4. A 580EX speedlight on a lightstand, fired into an umbrella; used as slave
  5. Simple automatic TTL flash metering!

A pre-shoot setup test shot shows the light dropoff, and you can just about see the flash/stand on the right:

This was daylight, but the flash allows me to make the daylight basically disappear.

That’s the power of light, the power of added light, the power of flash: I do not like to think of what life was like before this. And a single speedlight, light stand, mounting bracket, and umbrella is all you need – and this is really speedy. They are called speedlights for a reason!

 

Why fast wide?

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A wide-angle lens is simple to use, as you have amply read here. Easy to focus (“zero to infinity at f/5.6”), and easy to shoot at slow shutter speeds.

So why splash out on an f/2.8 lens instead of, say, a 3.5-5.6 lens, or an f/4 lens?

Precisely because it is so easy to get “sharpness all over”. What if I want blurred backgrounds? Like in this shot?

For that shot I held the iPhone as close at the 16-35mm f/2.8 lens would focus (namely, at 28cm from the camera). I used f/2.8, wide open, and that plus the close proximity to the phone gives me acceptable blur in the background. f/4 or f/5.6 would be a whole lot sharper in the background; in this case, that would be undesirable.

 

Interacting….

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And now…. these important messages from… me.

Since this is a free teaching blog, I feel justified in occasionally pointing out how you can hire me. That’s the price you pay (that, and tell all your friends to follow this blog too).

So. If you want to interact with me to learn in person, or to hire me to shoot, here’s how you can do it.

Learning:

  • Do private coaching with me. September and October dates available.
  • If you are in the Toronto area, come join me at The Distillery, where I am doing my exhibit. This week only: two hours coaching right there in The Distillery  for a reduced price of $150 (normally $190).
  • If you are in The Netherlands, come see me at my seminar there on September 1st – sign up now, there is space!
  • Come to the Niagara School of Imaging starting Sunday – there is still space.
  • Join me at my series of Seminars at Vistek Mississauga: Sep/Oct/Nov dates about to be published soon.
  • Sign up at Sheridan College for one of my 12-week courses there.

Book:

  • Buy my book – “Camera Cookbook” eBook will be out very soon, final edit is now being done. It will be for sale right here.

Shooting:

  • Hire me to shoot your engagement, family shoots, or wedding – see www.tolivetolove.com. Because Kristof B and I just set up this endeavour, we have dates available even in the next few months!
  • Hire me to do headshots, events, or corporate photography: see www.mvwphoto.com
  • You can buy my artwork. At my current exhibit until early September – see www.michaelsmuse.com – or direct from me, see here.

Now copy all that, and continue reading the blog. You have read older posts as well, yes? It’s all very useful!

And now, back to regular programming!

Michael


Special Learning Opportunity!

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Gang…. those of you who take private photography training from me, or have wanted to: I have a special opportunity for you. Since I am at the Kodiak Gallery in Toronto’s historic Distillery District, I can do some two-hour courses for you here!

So here’s the special: any time noon-8pm this coming week, Sunday to 12 Aug to Saturday 18 Aug, a two-hour course/coaching session is $150 (instead of the usual $190), and you get the lesson in an art gallery in Toronto’s great Distillery district. Contact me soon if you are interested.

Back to scheduled programming! Here’s a shot I just took, outside the door here at The Distillery District:

Distillery Rain (Photo: Michael Willems)

(45mm lens, manual focus, manual exposure: a decisive moment.)

 

A note for my Dutch Readers!

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News for my readers in The Netherlands: I’ll be teaching my Advanced Flash workshop there! One day only, Saturday, Sep 1, 2012.  In or near Rotterdam: exact location to be determined.

See the details here: www.cameratraining.ca/Flash-NL.html.

Sign up now if you want to learn the latest flash techniques, learn about modifiers, learn some cool creative techniques. (NB the price may go up, but signups at the current price will be honoured.)

I am looking forward to teaching some of my Dutch readers the same techniques I have taught across North America. I’ll even teach the workshop in Dutch!

 

Wide Lens Caution

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I am a big fan of wide lenses – 16-35mm on my full-frame camera, or 10-20mm on your crop camera.

But there is one thing to watch out for: do not get too close to people. Especially, do not put them into the corner: here is volunteer student James on Sunday:

Avoid the corners!

And avoid getting too close in general. As in this one, which is much is better, but the extreme proximity to my subject still distorts his face:

Wide lenses rock, as long as you avoid this gotcha. What they do do is give you diagonals. depth, perspective, and a few technical advantages also: the ability to shoot at slow shutter speeds, and almost infinite depth of field. so if you do not yet have a 10-20, go buy one, and shoot this kind of image:

QED.

 

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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.

 

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.

 

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.