The Art of Photography (Digital Photography) (Volume 2) 149952174X, 9781499521740

Citation preview

Digital Photography: Book 2

The Art of Photography By Al Judge Sedona, Arizona Copyright © 2014 by Al Judge

Unless otherwise stated, all images and illustrations in this book are copyrighted and the property of Al Judge. Photos by other artists have their copyright at the lower right corner. Photos in this book that are licensed from iStockPhoto.com and DollarPhotoClub.com will have that attribution with the name of the source after it. All the images in the Featured Artists sections are the property of the featured artists and are copyrighted by them. Throughout this series of books there are some images that have been taken from the Wikipedia Commons. These images are in the public domain and free to anyone to use in books, magazines, and brochures as long as the source is attributed and the images aren’t sold. I will place the note “Wikipedia Commons” on or under each of these images. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode

Table of Contents Featured Artists Introduction My Approach & Philosophy What to Expect From This Book

Featured Artist — Richard Larssen Chapter One: Popular Photo Genres Overview Landscape Photography Cityscapes Lightning Photography Portrait Photography Photographing Performers Photographing Public Art Nature Photography Photographing Flowers Wildlife Photography Architecture

Featured Artist — Elaine Belvin Chapter Two – Composition and Art The Rule of Thirds Focus Point Depth and Perspective Reading between the Lines Camera Angles Out-of-Focus Miniaturization Pay Attention to Your Background Less is More Lens Effects Backlighting Issues Symmetry Patterns Adding Drama Shooting to the Right

Featured Artist — Robert Albrecht Chapter Three – Inspiration and Creativity Popular Photo Shoots Additional Suggestions

Featured Artist — Darlene Jansen Chapter Four: Tips and Tricks ExpoDisk Color Checker Passport Spyder4 — Monitor Color Calibrator Tethered Capture Moveable Eyepiece HoodLoupe ND Filters Filter Wrenches GPS Tracking Memory Card Speed Vest Dirt on Sensor Lens Profiles Remote Shutter Release Extras

Featured Artist — Joel Grimes Chapter Five: Lighting Featured Artist — Michelle Ettelson Chapter Six: Summary Featured Artist — Greg Chen Chapter Seven: Parting Thoughts Featured Artist — Dana Deskiewicz Glossary from Book 1: Photography Speak

Featured Artists The chapters of this book are separated by a series of 2-page features which showcase the work of a number of very talented photographers. Each of these artists was invited to participate in this project because their work inspires me and encourages me to continuously challenge myself. They have all contributed out of the goodness of their hearts and a genuine desire to share what they know. There is no monetary compensation involved. I am forever grateful for their contributions to this project. The artists range from pure amateurs to highly accomplished professionals. The love of photography is evident in all their work. Art is a very personal and subjective endeavor. Every photographer will have a unique style and approach to this form of art. My images alone cannot even come close to conveying the scope of this subject, and so I have asked others to contribute and have used numerous stock photos to illustrate key points. I felt that variety and diversification are more important that showcasing my own work. I have however included many of my own images when they adequately illustrate the concept being discussed. I would like to tell you a little about each of these artists and why I wanted them to be a part of this project.

Robert Albrecht is a local Sedona photographer with many years of experience in commercial photography. He has worked with many well known models and his work has been published in some of the world’s top fashion magazines. A few months after we moved to Sedona, there was a weekend open-studios tour. My wife and I visited 17 of the 19 studios that were on the tour and had an amazing experience. For me, the most amazing thing was meeting Robert Albrecht. Robert’s wife Shirley is also an accomplished artist and her studio was one of the stops on the tour. As we were leaving her studio I noticed a large image in another room. I told my wife that I was certain that there was no camera in the world that could have produced that image but it didn’t look like a painting either. As I stepped into the room to have a closer look, Robert joined me from his office. Although he was not actually on the tour, he spent close to an hour with me explaining what he had done and demonstrating photo editing techniques. That visit changed my life in many ways. I had many years of experience with film photography but was indifferent to digital photography until he showed me its potential. Photography has been a joyous and fulfilling aspect of my life ever since. Robert’s willingness to freely share his love of the art inspired me to do the same through my books.

Darlene Jansen is someone that I met through my books. She read one of my books and was kind enough to send me a personal email. I thanked her for taking the time to write and told her that I would love to see some of her images. She sent a link to her site and I was totally blown away by the consistency and the high quality of her images. A few months later, I asked her permission to use a few of her images in Book 1 of this series and she graciously granted me that honor. I often visit her site for a mini-vacation when I need a break from writing. I am always inspired, humbled, and rejuvenated.

When I first joined Flickr, I had trouble dragging myself away from the computer. There were so many great images and so little time. Through the thousands of images that I reviewed, there were just a few photographers that I chose to follow. I have included three of them in this book.

Dana Deskiewicz loves patterns and architectural details. He is always finding new ways to highlight and bring attention to what most of us miss when we are in public places.

Greg Chen currently lives in China although he lived in the US for more than 10 years. His images of China are captivating and capture the essence of daily life. Some of his more artistic images of the Chinese countryside

remind me of ancient scroll paintings.

Michelle Ettelson is a professional landscape photographer currently living in New Hampshire. I had been following her photostream for some time when she added an image of mine to her favorites. The image is one of my personal favorites but she is the only person to ever comment on it. It took me hours to capture and numerous attempts. It is of new growth on a bush. The bush was on the side of a hill in shade on a windy day next to a dry creek bed. Because of its location, I couldn’t use my tripod and because of the wind I needed a very fast exposure time. Just knowing that such a talented photographer appreciated this image made my day.

Joel Grimes came to my attention about a year ago when I saw a portrait that totally captivated me. I studied it for hours trying to imagine how it was created. I thought that if I could ever find a way to meet the artist, I would learn something of great value. When I learned that he would be teaching several classes at the Photoshop World Conference 2013 in Las Vegas, I jumped at the chance. I was not disappointed. The experience was further enhanced by his humility and genuine desire to help others. He freely shares his techniques and experience and is open to discussing his ideas with anyone. I am very honored that he agreed to participate in this project.

Elaine Belvin is a very talented photographer who recently joined the professional ranks. Sedona is a city of artists and particularly photographers. It is difficult to stand out in this environment, but she does. I first saw her work at the Sedona Art Center and had a very nice conversation with her. Her husband is also an accomplished photographer and their work was on display side-by-side that weekend. Everyone that I knew who had attended the show was talking about their work.

Richard Larssen is an amateur photographer living in Norway. He exhibits his work on a number of photo sites. I saw his images on Pixoto.com. Pixoto.com is a site where you can test your images to see what others think. If you submit images for “dueling” your image will be displayed next to another image in the same category. Pixoto members review and select the better of the two. Eventually you earn points and recognition for winning duels. To date, he has posted 115 images and won 409 awards. This is no small accomplishment. Richard uses Sony Cameras. Although I usually talk about Canon and Nikon since they dominate the DSLR market, Sony has a sensor with a wider tonal range than the other brands. This expanded tonal range creates better images when there are very dark and very bright items in the same image. This is particularly noticeable in night scenes with reflections — Richard’s favorite genre.

Introduction The first book in the Digital Photography Series, Mastering Digital Cameras, was all about understanding camera equipment. Book 2, The Art of Photography, is about creativity behind the lens. Although this topic will be less technical than Book 1, it relies on a strong foundation for maximum benefit.

This book assumes that you have read Book 1 of this series or have an equivalent understanding of digital cameras and related equipment. Terms that were defined and discussed in detail in Book 1 will not be defined in this book. I have included the Glossary from Book 1 at the end of this book for quick reference if you need to refresh your memory on a particular photographic term or concept. If you are not proficient in using manual settings, you might find my book Mastering

Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO to be very helpful before diving into this book.

This series of books is quite comprehensive but also appropriate for absolute beginners because no previous knowledge of photography is required. In this book, we will be talking about the types of images you will want to capture, how lighting might affect those images, and things to consider when setting up your shot. We will also be talking about tricks and tips that will improve your results. In Chapter Two we will be talking about composition and how to make your images more impactful. In Chapter Three we will discuss where to find inspiration. Spread throughout this book, between chapters, are short articles by Featured Artists whom I admire. This will give you an idea of the diversity of opportunities that await you as well as hearing first-hand what inspires these artists. They are not all professionals but they are all very talented and dedicated to the Art of Photography.

My Approach & Philosophy For me, time is my most valuable asset. I only have so much left, I don’t know how much is left, and I really hate wasting it. With that in mind, I really appreciate it when I read a non-fiction book that is content-dense. By that I mean, very little wasted rhetoric. A certain amount of nonspecific dialog is necessary to establish rapport with readers, but then I get anxious to learn something and hate fluff and colorful banter that doesn’t enhance my learning. Because of this personal bias, I tend to write books that are content-dense, even when they involve real-life stories to illustrate key points. This book is no different. My goal is to help you move from your current level of photographic expertise to total control and confidence in the most efficient way possible. Throughout this book, I will often use initial caps, all caps, bold fonts, and italics for emphasis. With so much content, I want to be certain that key points are recognized as such. I can’t guarantee great works of art by tomorrow, but I can give you the tools to achieve that goal in the time it takes to read this series of books. That is not to say that this series alone will teach you everything that you need to know about Digital Photography. I know some very successful Master Photographers who still read about photography every day. So if they are still learning new things after 30 or 40 years in the profession, there is a limit to what I can actually cover effectively in a series of books. With that in mind, I have tried to cover the most important information in enough detail that it will accelerate your learning significantly. After writing my first draft of Book 1 of this series, I read some best sellers on the topic. I wanted to be certain that I had something to bring to the party. The thing that seemed to be most absent in other books was visualization aids. Like most people, I understand things by visualizing them. I form an image in my mind when people explain something and I use that image to follow the discussion. If my image is erroneous, I will have a difficult time following the discussion. If I am unable to modify my mental image enough to get the points being made, I go elsewhere and research the topic until I have enough information to complete the puzzle. In my own personal journey in the world of photography, I have discovered that photographic terms are commonly used without definition and that parts of the camera are often referred to as if we are all technicians who could repair a camera in our sleep. I have decided to take a slightly different approach than others have in writing these books. I believe that if you understand how a camera works, everything else about photography will make more sense. I could simply tell you that you need a large aperture setting when you make portraits of your spouse and kids. I could also tell you that you need a small aperture setting for your landscape photos. This is what most books on photography will tell you. But what if you understood why these settings work so well and had a mental image of how these settings affect the light entering the camera? With this understanding, every image that you capture will teach you something of real significance – not just give you a vague idea of what works and what doesn’t.

If you have read one of my other books, such as, Mastering Digital Cameras or Mastering Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO you are well prepared for what follows. If on the other hand, you are not familiar with manual settings, you may have difficulty benefitting from Chapter One images. With the use of numerous images, I can make the discussion less technical. This should improve communication and give you a solid base for moving forward. I promise to make it as painless as I possibly can. Until you understand a camera, you will not really understand how to use it to its fullest potential. You will be learning by trial and error and “shooting in the dark.”

What to Expect From This Book There are three skills that need to be mastered in order to produce outstanding digital images. Book 1 covered the technical aspects of photography — mastery of the equipment. Book 3 will cover Post-Processing or Photo Editing, whichever term you prefer. This book covers the second and most creative aspect of photography — Art. These three combined can produce some astonishing images. I have challenged myself to carefully review every statement to be certain that it is written clearly and in a way that does not assume any photographic experience on the part of the reader other than what was covered in Book 1 of this series. From personal experience, this is what I have found most frustrating about even the best photography books. Invariably, a term or concept that I have never heard of before is mentioned as casually as if it were universally known. I promise that I will make every effort to avoid this type of confusion. If I slip up, please let me know ([email protected]). I welcome and appreciate any constructive criticism; it helps me to improve my books. My plan is to build a solid foundation, one topic at a time, until a thorough yet understandable presentation has developed. We will start by presenting an overview of the types of photography — the reasons that people take pictures — and the special skills needed for each genre. We will then move on to topics like composition that will quickly enhance your images and help to communicate your intention. Along the way we will throw in a few real life examples to make the lessons more meaningful. In just a few hours, you should not only know the basics of photographic art but feel confident in your ability to capture some beautiful images. Book 3: Photo Editing will continue the artistic theme established in Book 2 and enhance your ability to create art rather than mere snapshots. Photo Editing is the digital equivalent of the Darkroom that was so much a part of film photography and is absolutely essential if you want to move beyond Point-and-Shoot Photography. Until you edit an image, it is just a snapshot. It becomes a work of art when you take control and modify the image to convey an emotion or share a moment of wonder.

Throughout this book, I have used numerous images from other photographers to help present relevant examples for our discussion. Every photographer will see things slightly differently and I want to present as much diversity as I possibly can.

Featured Artist — Richard Larssen Richard Larssen comes from a little town called Egersund in the southwest of Norway. He is 39 years old and enjoys golf and photography, which has been a passionate hobby for about 5 years. Richard Larssen Photographyhttps://www.facebook.com/larssenphoto Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/uberdogleg/

I first started out with the Panasonic Lumix TZ5 compact camera. Now I use Sony gear — full format and aps-c mirrorless cameras. I do mostly landscapes and seascapes. Mirror reflections are my favorite motifs. I also do long exposures with the use of Strong ND filters. I love taking photos and I also love getting home after a day out with the camera to start editing. I use Adobe Lightroom and take all my photos in RAW. I like to experiment with the camera and try out new things. I am self-taught and there is always something to learn. I use the internet for getting info and then I try it out in the real world. For me photography is an art form and a way to express myself and I don’t try to recreate what I see through the viewfinder when I take the photo but as I say it, I try to recreate the photo the way I want to see the world. I am active on many photo sharing sites and use the internet to expose my work. Below are some examples of my work.

Chapter One: Popular Photo Genres

Overview For each type of photography presented in this chapter, I will offer some thoughts and perspective followed by some examples. Hopefully this will give you a good idea of the uniqueness of each genre and a broader perspective of photography. I will also include TYPICAL camera settings for each topic. Just remember that these are typical and not carved in stone. A photographer’s creativity should always override what is typical. In Chapter Two we will address some of these artistic considerations. This is by no means a comprehensive presentation of all types of photography. I just want to present enough variety to promote an appreciation for the unique requirements of each genre. In Chapter Two we will discuss topics that go across all genres. I could have reversed the order of these two Chapters, but I think that the broader topics will have more meaning if we have something to attach them to. So let’s get started.

Most images in this chapter have camera settings listed as part of the image. Studying these settings offers another level of learning. If you see how others set their camera it will help you to set yours. So please take time to note and think about the listed settings.

Landscape Photography

Small Aperture — typically f/22 or smaller Large Depth of Field ISO 100 Aperture Priority is usually a good choice

This seemed like a good place to start, since most people with an interest in photography know who Ansel Adams was. More than any other person, he helped to make Americans aware of the beauty of unspoiled nature and helped to preserve that beauty through his work for the Department of the Interior and the Sierra Club. What most people don’t know is that he was one of the strongest advocates for viewing photography as an art form. With some of his contemporaries, he helped to establish standards and techniques that are still in use today more than 30 years after his death. He helped to create the idea that a Landscape image should be sharply focused from foreground to background. This might not seem like a big deal, but most people will ignore the details in the foreground when they shoot their first landscapes. Thanks to Adams and his associates, we have some widely accepted guidelines for landscape photography. A large depth of field. Tack-sharp focus from foreground to background. High-resolution images that can be significantly enlarged to show a great deal of detail. Contrast that accentuates details and portrays emotion. This means that you will want to: Use a small aperture setting — typically f/22 or smaller. Use a tripod since the shutter speed will have to be fairly long to compensate for the small aperture setting. This will also help to maintain the sharpness of the image. The best light will be at sunrise and sunset when the angle of the light emphasizes details and enhances colors. Contrary to popular beliefs, the best light will come from your side rather than directly behind you. A polarizing lens will also enhance details and deepen colors. There are also times when a Neutral Density Filter will lengthen the exposure and help to create a mood. So let’s talk about some of these things using some examples. I captured the image in Figure 1.1 just seconds before the light faded. I saw the unusual cloud and drove toward it for about 15 minutes. I knew that the light would soon fade, so I rushed up a remote hillside to discover this scene. I set my camera up as quickly as I could, framed the scene in my viewfinder, set my aperture to f/18, and focused on the farthest cactus in the foreground. I

took two exposures as fast as I could and the light was gone. I usually keep my camera set on Aperture Priority for just such occasions when I don’t have time to plan my shot. I would normally have used an aperture setting of f/22, but in this case with the rapidly changing sunlight I wanted to open the aperture a bit in order to get a faster exposure. I didn’t even look at the background before taking the shot because I knew that it would also be in focus as long as the foreground was sharply focused. In Chapter Two we will talk about focusing and you will then understand why I chose the far cactus as my focal point.

There is a wonderful thing about shade and cloudy days, both conditions enhance color saturation. The light is very soft and diffuse, it allows for long exposures that really bring out the details and color. I chose two images that were exposed slightly differently in order to make some subtle points. In Figure 1.2 , I was just as interested in the reflection as I was in the color and details. This particular portion of the canyon is always in the shade which is why it is one of my favorite spots. I know that with a little patience I will get a very colorful shot. The water is also usually very still in this area so it is a great spot for reflections. Everything was in shade except the upper left corner of the image. I evened out the lighting in Photoshop so that the bright corner would not become the point of focus. Our eyes naturally go to the brightest spot in the image and that was not where I wanted them in this image. In Book 3 of this series, we will be talking about photo editing. For now it is enough to know that you can manipulate the light in Photoshop and other editing programs. Also note how dark the image is on the right side. Because of this, I increased my ISO to 200. I could have exposed the image for twice as long, but that might have resulted in a ripple in the reflection.

In Figure 1.3 , the lighting was even and everything was in shade, so there was no need to worry about the shutter speed at all. I just set the ISO to 100, the aperture to f/22, and allowed the camera to decide when the image was properly exposed. Naturally, I used a tripod for both images. The image below ( Figure 1.4 ) is an exception to the rules for landscape photography. Focus wasn’t very important for this image since contrast is the main characteristic. Most photographers line up at sunset to shoot this image from the opposite side of the rock formation. In this case, the challenge was to get the formation silhouetted against the bright setting sun. Since I wasn’t concerned about a sharp focus, I used a mid-range aperture setting of f/11 for this shot. Even with the larger aperture, it took 1.6 seconds to get this image. When this image is enlarged, you can see quite a bit of detail beyond the silhouette.

Cathedral Rock in Sedona ( Figure 1.5 ) is the most photographed spot in Arizona. In Chapter Two we will be talking about composition, but this is a good example of an image that contains a reflection and therefore deserves a bit of attention now. Notice that the foreground is in shade but the background is very bright. This adds contrast to the image that is balanced by the bright reflection in the foreground. With images like this, it is best to divide the image near the center so that the top half of the image contains the main object of interest and the lower half contains the reflection. This image is unusual in that it is square. A square image tends to push our focus to the center. I further emphasized this effect by adding a dark vignette to the edges. Very few images work as a square.

Cityscapes

Large Aperture — typically f/1.8 to f/5.6 Large Depth of Field ISO varies Aperture Priority is usually a good choice

In daylight, Cityscapes such as Figure 1.6 , are very similar to landscapes — you want a sharp image from foreground to background and will generally use a very small aperture like f/22. The best time of day for Cityscapes is twilight. There is enough light to clearly see everything from foreground to background without having the lights over-power the image. The only thing that you need to do differently is use a larger aperture and sometimes a higher ISO setting.

Figures 1.7 through 1.9 are variations on this theme. Camera settings are not available for Figure 1.9.

By nightfall — Figure 1.10 — lights dominate the scene and a smaller aperture can be more effective. Long exposures produce interesting streaks of light from passing vehicles.

Lightning Photography

Medium Aperture — typically f/8 to f/11 Large Depth of Field ISO varies Long exposure 2 to 30 seconds Tripod is essential Remote shutter release is very beneficial Focus to infinity Best after dark Wide angle lens unless the strikes are in a predictable location

This is actually a subcategory of landscape photography but requires some special techniques for success. I tried many approaches before I had any success at all, so I know all the things that don’t work as well as those that do. If you hit the shutter release when you see a flash of lightning, you are already too late. The source is already gone and you are only seeing the lightning because your eyes retain the image for a few seconds. You have to have your shutter open before the lightning strikes. So how do you anticipate that moment? You play the odds, by taking numerous photos at regular intervals during a thunderstorm. I have always done this from a safe vantage point several miles from the actual storm. Please consider safety first and find a location that gives you visibility without placing you in the line of fire. You will get your best results after dark if you know how to deal with focusing in the dark. I tried focusing on far-off lights with some success, but did better by determining my camera lens infinity point of focus. In daylight, I went to one of my favorite expansive views, set my aperture to f/11, and sharply focused on the rock formations in the distance. I then placed a piece of tape across the focus ring and lens body and sliced it with a razor blade so that the ring could turn without moving the tape on the body of the lens. I can now focus to infinity even when I am in total darkness by lining up the two pieces of tape. If you set your aperture to f/11 and your shutter speed to 30 seconds and open the shutter and no lightning strikes, your image will be badly underexposed if it is a dark night and only dimly lit under a full moon. If lightning does strike while the shutter is open, it will dominate the image and light up the sky which will also be clearly displayed in your image. If you have multiple strikes in that time frame you might even be over exposed. The key is to set a shutter speed that is appropriate for the frequency and intensity of the lightning strikes.

Then just sit back with your remote shutter release in hand and snap a picture at regular intervals while you enjoy nature’s fireworks. A day or two before I finished writing this book, I discovered an image on the internet that stopped me in my tracks. It is a National Geographic Photo Contest winning image of lightning in the Grand Canyon. It was taken by Scott Stulberg who has kindly given me permission to use it in this book.

© Scott Stulberg

To learn more about Scott’s techniques for success with photographing lightning go to Scott’s Blog at: http://asa100.com/blog/ and read his wonderful and extensive article about photographing lightning. I learned a lot and I’m sure that you will too! Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Scott!

Portrait Photography

Large Aperture — typically f/1.8 to f/5.6 Shallow Depth of Field ISO varies Aperture Priority is usually a good choice

With portraits the Aperture setting is just the opposite of landscapes. In this case, you want all the attention on the subject and you want to blur the background so that it does not distract from the subject. This is also a huge category since most people will at some time in their lives take photos of their kids, pets, friends and family. In Chapter Two, we will discuss composition in greater detail, but for now here are a few noteworthy examples from my friend and fellow photographer Darlene Jansen.

Portraits are always more interesting when the subject is viewed from the side or an unusual angle. The most important characteristic is to sharply focus on the eyes and position them at an interesting location in the frame. Whatever your subject, it is also beneficial to get your camera down to their level.

Notice the position of the eyes in the last four images. This is good composition and obeys the Rule of Thirds which we will address in detail in the next chapter. The first image also follows the Rule of Thirds but from a different perspective. We will refer back to these images in Chapter Two.

Photographing Performers

Large to Medium Aperture — typically f/4 to f/8 Moderate Depth of Field ISO varies Shutter Speed is the primary consideration Continuous Fire Mode — Several Images per Second

Photographing Performers has its own challenges. In many cases it is the lighting. At concerts, the backlighting is often a big problem. We will address many of these lighting challenges later in the book, but for now I just want to cover a situation where the lighting is not the main concern. Figure 1.16 is the original photo and Figure 1.17 is how I used Photoshop to place more clarity and emphasis on the subject. Let’s talk about the original photo. In this case, the performer is moving quickly at times, and we are following his movement with the camera hand-held so we want a fast shutter speed to stop action and prevent blurring. I started with a shutter speed of 1/500 second since this is the most important setting. I wanted to blur the background as much as possible but I needed an aperture that would provide enough depth of field to keep the entire costume in sharp focus. I chose f/4 for the aperture. Even with a relatively large aperture, I needed to boost the exposure so I raised the ISO to 500. Also note that I was mostly behind the dancer and only slightly to the side. This also helps to reduce blurring of the image. When someone or something is moving toward or away from you there is very little change in the size of the image within the frame for the short duration of capturing the image. On the other hand, if the subject is moving across the frame, the change in image location can be dramatic. When this image is enlarged to 28 inches by 38 inches, you can see the reflection of people in the bells on the dancer’s feet. Photographing sporting events is very similar to this situation. You need a fast shutter speed and moderate depth of field. Capturing several frames a second will improve your odds of capturing a stop-action image at the optimum moment.

Photographing Public Art

Large Aperture — typically f/1.8 to f/5.6 Shallow Depth of Field ISO varies Aperture Priority is usually a good choice

This is one of my personal favorites. It is a lot like Portrait Photography but you don’t have to pose you subject and you can experiment with different angles and lighting without tiring your model. Sedona is filled with wonderful art everywhere and I have done numerous photo shoots on some of my favorite statues. A few examples: Figure 1.18 is the original image and I chose an aperture of f/11 because I wanted to capture the entire setting for this statue. Figure 1.19 was created by cropping the image and blurring the background. I was most concerned about capturing variations in patina just as I would be concerned about skin color and tones in a human portrait.

Eagle Catcher — Figure 1.20 — has long been one of my favorite sculptures around town. It is located in Tlaquepaque Marketplace which resembles a small Mexican village. The architecture is so beautiful that it competes with the art at times. That is why I have placed it against a background that blends with the statue. My camera settings would be appropriate for a human portrait.

Even though this statue — Figure 1.21 — is in a partially shaded area, it was challenging to photograph because of the high reflectivity of the white surface. When you photograph public art you will encounter numerous challenging situations that will force you to become a better photographer. Figure 1.22 was mostly in bright sunlight so a small aperture was appropriate. Figure 1.23 was totally in the shade so a large aperture worked nicely.

Nature Photography

Medium to Small Aperture — typically f/11 to f/22 Shallow Depth of Field ISO varies Aperture Priority is usually a good choice A Macro Lens Helps

When photographing small birds and insects, there are two approaches that work well and you should try each one to see what works best for you. For many people, the lens will actually be the determining factor. If you have a macro lens, it will allow you to get very close to your subject. This works extremely well with subjects that are not likely to run away as you approach. For more skittish subjects like hummingbirds, it is usually easier to use a telephoto lens and capture the action from a distance. Figures 1.24 and 1.26 were taken with macro lenses and Figure 1.25 was taken with a telephoto zoom lens.

Photographing Flowers

Medium Aperture — typically f/8 to f/16 Moderate Depth of Field ISO varies Aperture Priority is usually a good choice

This cactus ( Figure 1.27 ) lives in my back yard. The background was so distracting that I decided to isolate the cactus and place it on a solid black background. When enlarged and printed on canvas, people often comment that it has a 3D effect. It has sold well for me. So don’t think that you have to go to some exotic place to get really good images. Most flowers look good against a black background. They are also generally easy to isolate in Photoshop. This one ( Figure 1.26 ) took less than a minute. It is also a very popular image. I usually print this one on aluminum, which results in a very glossy image with very deep colors. Aluminum prints often look backlit. People sometimes look behind them for a light source.

Wildlife Photography

Aperture — Varies Depth of Field Varies ISO 100 if possible Fast Shutter Speed is often critical Continuous Fire Mode to Stop Action Telephoto Lens — 400 mm or more

I’m sorry that I can’t get more specific in what is typical for this category. This is mostly because there is no typical wildlife image. Sometimes you can only capture the image from far off and other times they come to you. If you are serious about this category you will need to invest in a high quality telephoto lens. A zoom lens is often a good idea so that you can fill the frame with your subject.

A telephoto lens will allow you to capture images of wildlife in their natural setting without intruding upon their space. You will often want to stop action with a fast shutter speed and continuous shooting mode — Figure 1.29 . At other times — Figure 1.30 — you will be able to choose your aperture and not worry so much about the shutter speed.

Architecture

Medium to Small Aperture — typically f/8 to f/22 Large Depth of Field ISO 100 if possible Best to Use a Tripod

Arches like those in Figure 1.31 are a very popular subject. They are normally shot down the middle to create a sense of depth and perspective. We will talk more about that subject in Chapter Two.

Even though this shot ( Figure 1.32 ) was taken at 7:00 AM, the Arizona sunlight was already quite intense so I was able to use a small aperture to capture this image. Figure 1.33 was taken by my wife and enhanced by me through a number of Photo Editing programs. This stairway is in a fairly small courtyard, so a wide angle lens was needed to capture the entire stairway. It is also in a shady area so the ISO needed to be increased. The large aperture allowed for a faster shutter speed.

There are many other photographic genres that we could discuss, but hopefully this overview has given you a good feel for the categories covered in this chapter. Having examples with camera settings is always helpful, so if you want to know more about a specific type of photography, you might want to consider buying some stock photos. That has always been an expensive proposition until recently. I used a lot of images from DollarPhotoClub.com in this book. If you join the club, the fee is $99 and you get 100 downloads. Every image after that is $1 to download. You can use the images in advertising literature, instructional materials, and personal cards, etc. but you cannot sell the images or make t-Shirts, coffee mugs, etc. I did not have any photos of insects taken with a macro lens, so I searched the DollarPhotoClub.com site for “Insects.” There were hundreds to choose from. I chose the images in Figures 1.24 and 1.26 because they looked like they were taken with macro lenses. After I downloaded them, I checked for embedded camera data and was pleased to find the settings and verification that they were in fact taken with a macro lens. The camera data was available for about 90% of the images that I downloaded. My point here is that if you are struggling with a particular genre or artistic technique, you can download a few images that are close to what you have in mind and learn what settings were used to create those images. It might be worth a few dollars to save yourself a lot of frustration.

Moving On Now that we have a pretty good overview of “typical” camera settings for a number of situations let’s move on to composition and artistic treatments.

Featured Artist — Elaine Belvin Elaine Belvin’s interest in photography was sparked by the beautiful landscapes she and her husband saw while hiking in the American Southwest. After a long career in Information Technology, photography is now her focus and hiking gives her access to remarkable sites. She is a graduate of Columbia University School of Engineering with an M.S.in Operations Research and Smith College with a B.A. in Mathematics. Elaine’s portfolio includes nature, wildlife and vintage images from the American Southwest, Africa, and other travel destinations. She brings a combination of artistic and technological skills to her images. Her photographic work has consistently been recognized for its excellence since she began, winning the top awards in the Manhasset Great Neck Camera Club, the Sedona Camera Club and Photographic Federation of Long Island. Elaine’s work has been displayed in a number of exhibitions sponsored by the Camera Clubs, the Sedona Arts Center and the Sedona Library. She moved to Sedona late in 2012 from Great Neck, NY, with her husband, Bill, who is also an accomplished photographer.

www.elainebelvin.com I use the camera as a tool to create works of art that capture an expression, a mood, a natural geometry, an exceptional quality of light, or a striking color palette. Computer technology helps me transform what the camera captured into what I saw in my mind’s eye. It is this combination of artistic and computer skills that shapes the final product.

Through photography, I have discovered a way of expressing and representing the things that touch me and hopefully, touch others. I love the recognition that someone else shares my vision and my connection to the subject. Organized, geometric patterns from nature have an amazing sense of natural balance. Once I am drawn to a subject I ‘shop’ through the viewfinder. I’ll look at an entire scene and be inspired by its beauty. Then I slowly look up and down, back and forth, and at the smallest of details, searching for the patterns and composition that make my photographs unique and memorable. Photographing wildlife is a different experience for me. It requires incredible patience to wait for that special composition or interaction, and quick reflexes to capture it when it happens. The camera is my first tool, and then my computer skills work in tandem to bring together the most brilliant final product. Throughout, it is an iterative process, always thinking about composition and balance. I am very detailoriented and have an innate need to bring my photos to a point of perfection. It is that trait, I believe, that makes them distinctive and uniquely beautiful to the eye. In the end, it has to be about the ability to recognize an extraordinary photograph.

Chapter Two: Composition and Artistic Considerations

Overview In this chapter we will be discussing things that will improve your results regardless of the photographic genre that you prefer. Many of these concepts have a long history and others are as new as the technology that they use.

Rule of Thirds The Rule of Thirds predates photography and was first presented in 1797 in a discussion of paintings. The general principle is that images have more impact when the main subject has a specific relationship to the overall image. To use the rule, start by dividing the image into 9 equal segments by drawing two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines as shown in Figure 2.1 . Important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or near their intersections.

It also works to place important elements along the diagonals created by the intersection points. Let’s take another look at a few images from Chapter One.

Note that the subject in Figure 2.2 is roughly aligned with a diagonal line going through two of the intersecting points. In this case, the eyes are in the center of the image and straddle the diagonal.

In Figure 2.3 the eyes straddle the left vertical line, and the body follows the diagonal.

The tiger’s back is parallel to the diagonal and his eyes are near an intersection point in Figure 2.4 .

In Figure 2.5 both horses are along vertical lines and their eyes are near the top horizontal line.

The movement in Figure 2.6 is along the diagonal.

Focus Point When capturing an image with a large depth of field, it is common practice to pick a point that is approximately one-third of the distance into the scene when focusing. If this point is sharply focused and a small aperture is used, the entire image will be sharply focused. This technique applies to any subject that needs to be sharply focused across the entire image. That would include close-up images of small items. I learned this technique many years ago when I was working as a test engineer. I used photography as a way to record wear on gears, shafts, and pistons. Before I understood the importance of setting the aperture and picking a focus point I had to take numerous images to capture every detail. After some practice, I could usually capture everything in a single image.

In Chapter One I talked about the image in Figure 2.7 and the fact that I focused on the cactus at the back of the foreground. As you can see from the line on the image above, that object is about a third of the distance into the scene. Note that we are talking about the image and not the physical distance. The mountains in the background are 10 to 15 miles away but the point of focus is only about 30 feet from the camera.

Depth & Perspective There are many ways to convey size and distance in a photo. The following images are just a few examples. In Figure 2.8 the tree lined road is a typical example of depth and distance in an image. Although we are looking straight down the center of the road, the sides of the road stretch to the lower edges of the image in the foreground and are very close to each other in the background. This is a great example of Converging Lines as a way to portray distance.

This image also demonstrates the principle of Overlapping Objects as a way to portray size and distance. In this image each tree overlaps the tree behind it, thus giving us some sense of distance. Figure 2.9 uses Converging Lines to give a sense of distance but we really don’t have a good idea of size except what we know about bricks. We have no idea of the actual size of the wall.

The Overlapping Objects — the hiker and mound in the foreground — in Figure 2.10 give us an idea of size but not a lot of information about distance.

Reading between the Lines Lines in an image tell us a lot on a subconscious level. They can actually affect our emotions and feelings about an image. In general: Horizontal Lines communicate stability and a sense of calmness — even boredom. Vertical Lines give a sense of power and strength to the image. Diagonal Lines create a sense of action and movement. They are dynamic. Curved Lines accentuate grace and beauty. The ramp in Figure 2.11 leads to the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona. The Chapel was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and is a big tourist attraction as well as a place of worship. It blends with the Red Rocks of Sedona so well that it is sometimes difficult to see from a distance. There is a lot of subtle information in this image. The Red Rocks are massive and generally vertical thus giving a sense of power and stability. The ramp on the other hand is curved and graceful. Its converging lines also give us a sense of size and distance. The diagonal flow of the ramp emphasizes movement which in this case includes the function of getting from point A to point B. The diagonal to the right starts about one third into the image and the diagonal to the left starts about two thirds into the image. In an imaginary Rule of Thirds overlay, the rocks dominate the left vertical and the ramp dominates the right vertical. The ramp wraps around the rock formation thus giving a greater sense of perspective. The significant difference in color also helps the ramp to stand out against the red rocks.

Balance and Contrast can also have a compelling effect on an image. Although the ramp is impressive in its own right, it pales in comparison to the massive red rock formation that it surrounds. The ramp occupies enough of the image that it is in balance with the rock formation in spite of the fact that it is much smaller and less massive. Imagine the Rule of Thirds grid on Figure 2.12 . The tree on the left straddles the left vertical line while the large rock formation on the right straddles the right vertical line. The foreground occupies the bottom third of the image and the top of the rocks extend up to the top horizontal line. The tree is balanced with the rock formation even though it is much smaller and we have a sense of size and distance because it overlays the background. The diagonal tree branches also add a dynamic element against the stable, powerful, and rigid rock formations.

In landscape photography, the horizon should be aligned with one of the two horizontal lines of the Rule of Thirds grid.

Camera Angles Most people shoot their images from a standing position. This gives a very familiar point of perspective, but it is sometimes better to place the camera in a different position. The camera was about a foot above the ground and level for this image of an old motorcycle — Figure 2.13 .

In Figure 2.14 , the mules were shot from a low angle looking up and the business woman in Figure 2.15 was shot from overhead looking down. Figure 2.15 also used a wide angle lens to distort perspective and add impact to the image.

Out-of-focus Miniaturization

If we blur some of the foreground and background in an image we can create the illusion of a toy miniaturized town as illustrated in Figure 2.16 . Sometimes you want this effect, but if that is not your intention keep you focus sharp across the entire image for a landscape. Figure 2.17 has slight blurring in the foreground and background. There was no intent to create a miniaturization effect but it is possible to view it that way.

Pay attention to your background Don’t let yourself get “photo bombed” by TVs, animals, and inanimate objects. A misplaced tree branch, drain pipe, or fence rail can take the attention off of your main subject. Pets often steal the show if you are not paying attention to them. A reflection in a mirror or window can be quite distracting. Take the time to inspect the entire frame before you take a photo. You might be surprised by what you see.

Less is More Let’s take another look at Figure 1.2 . Figure 2.18 is the original photo. There are too many things in the image vying for our attention. By cropping the image and creating Figure 1.2, our attention moves to the color of the rocks and their reflection in the water.

Lens Effects

Lens effects can be used for artistic purposes. A wide-angle zoom lens set to 5.9mm was used to capture the image in Figure 2.19. It emphasizes the trees in the foreground and shrinks the rock formation in the background.

A telephoto lens will shrink distance. In Figure 2.20 Mt Fuji is a good distance from Tokyo but looks very close. A telephoto zoom lens set to 273mm was used. Figure 2.21 demonstrates another advantage of using a telephoto lens. The camera was set to f/2.8 with a focal length of 200mm. The result is a sharp portrait with a nicely blurred background.

Backlighting Issues When a scene has strong backlighting as in Figure 2.22 , the camera’s natural tendency is to create a silhouette of anything in the foreground. This is because the built-in exposure meter assumes that the average tonal value of the entire image is 18% gray and limits the light striking the sensor, based on that value. This assumption results in a properly exposed sky in this case but is not nearly enough light to capture any details of the meditator. In the case of Figure 2.22 , this is clearly the intent. The silhouette of the meditator grabs our attention because of its strong contrast to the setting sun.

In the case of Figure 2.23 , the faces of the bride and groom are very important and need enough light to be clearly visible. By slightly overexposing the image, the background gets washed out in white light but this is ok since it has been blurred by using a shallow depth of field. We then need to use a reflector or flash fill on the bride and groom to get an appealing image.

In Figures 2.24 and 2.25 the strong backlighting is the only source of light and is used to bring out enough detail in the foreground and midground to create interesting images. In these images there is no concern about the intensity of the brightest light since it is used to draw our eyes to the subject matter. In Book 3 of this series, we will be talking about HDR images. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and is an attempt to more closely present an image as our eyes would see it with respect to a full range of tonal values. It is often used to create surrealistic images that are immediately evident as HDR to the educated eye, but can be used more subtlety to create very realistic images. In brief, 3 to 7 exposures of the exact same image are combined in such a way that the details of all parts of the image are clearly visible. If we were to stand in the tunnel of Figure 2.24 for a few minutes, our eyes would adjust to the light and we could see the detail inside the tunnel as well as outside the tunnel. Camera sensors in general can only adjust to the bright or dark — not both. That is rapidly changing as the technology improves but at this time most digital cameras use sensors which cannot capture the entire range of tones that the human eye sees in a single image.

Symmetry Symmetry is a popular technique for adding interest to an image. Figures 2.26 and 2.27 are examples of symmetry in two different genres of photography.

Patterns In architectural photography, repetitive patterns are always captivating. Figures 2.28, 2.29, and 2.30 provide a few examples.

Adding Drama to Your Images A popular and quite effective way to add drama and impact to images is make them predominantly white or black. Images that are mostly white are called High Key Images and images that are mostly black are called Low Key Images. High Key images are often used in advertising to present a cheerful or uplifting emotional reaction. Low key images often have a sense of foreboding, although they can also be used to emphasize the natural beauty of the subject or to narrow our focus to the most important aspect of the subject matter. In most cases, High Key and Low Key Images elicit an emotional response. That is why they are so popular in advertising. I have included three examples of each approach.

Shooting to the Right Figure 2.37 is a close-up photo of the rock wall of the canyon in Figure 2.18. This part of the canyon is always in the shade, which is an ideal condition for creating images with extensive color saturation. The small image in the lower right corner is the histogram for this image. As you can see, it bunches up on the right side but is not actually touching the extreme right vertical line. This is the optimum condition for maximum detail. The image, as shot, appears to be over-exposed but it can be enhanced through photo editing software to bring out details. If the histogram bunched up along the right vertical edge, we would see an even brighter image but the image data would be totally lost in the white light. Areas where there is no image data to retrieve is called Blow Out. In this case I stopped just short of a blowout condition.

In less than 2 minutes of photo editing, I had the image in Figure 2.38 . The color variations are beginning to stand out but it does not accurately display the texture of the rock wall, which was my primary objective. After extensive editing, I had the image in Figure 2.39 which shows both texture and color. Note the change in the histogram for each image.

Featured Artist — Robert Albrecht Sedona, AZ resident Robert Albrecht is a Master Photographer and Digital Artist. He has a passion for creating the beautiful, the creative, and the memorable. That is what an artist does-takes a vision and transforms it into an exceptional work of art. Graduating with a BFA degree from Southern Methodist University in Texas; Robert entered the photographic marketplace creating imagery for commercial, fashion and advertising clientele. His client base has included Anheuser-Bush Companies, Ford Motor USA, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, Revlon and others. His work has been exhibited in many varied venues. His Fine Art photography, portraits, Western and mixed-media paintings grace the interior spaces of many homes and offices and he has been published worldwide in magazines and corporate publications. As a respected Portrait and Fine Art photographer since the mid-70's, Robert turned his attention several years ago to adding another level to his work and that is when he ventured into the world of “Digitally-Mastered Fine Art Photographic Imagery”. www.ralbrechtphoto.com (928)284-4330

I look for the beauty in people, places and things. My discriminating clients and collectors demand that degree of excellence when they come to me, and I have to deliver that...after all they could have gone to someone else.

As artists we should always strive to push ourselves beyond that “comfort zone”. Several years ago, I happened upon a new process (medium if you will) that incorporates the blending together of learned artistic and photographic rules with the new technology of today (Digital Art). This opened up a wide new universe of possibilities since it allows for a combination of techniques learned in photography, in darkroom processing (wet darkroom), in art illustration and a broad swipe (no pun intended) at fundamental painterly applications. This option allows for the creation of works of art that could not have easily, if at all, been accomplished by the use of one medium alone. I set my goals high as I believe that the learning curve is endless. This is “my drive”; what has me constantly challenging my work. My greatest reward is when someone "connects" with my vision. After all, that is the goal of most artists...to pass the emotion and story that inspired the artist over to the new owner. When this happens, I am a happy person — and they look great on your wall or given as a gift.

Chapter Three: Inspiration and Creativity Before I was a photographer, I was a corporate innovator. My primary responsibility was to present new product concepts to management. An aspect of my job was facilitating strategic planning sessions and leading brainstorming sessions. I was often surprised to hear people lament about their basic lack of creativity. Creativity is a basic human function that we do so often and effortlessly that we are not even aware of it. What many people think of as creative is actually uniqueness. It is something that stands out because it is unusual. In many cases, it isn’t even all that creative. It is merely something that is beyond “Common Knowledge” or custom. Although we are creative by nature, in groups we prefer the status quo. Anything new and different threatens the unspoken rules of being part of the group. You can’t influence a group or organization unless you share their values. Those values develop over time and are not easily changed. Art always threatens the established order. So don’t let your spouse, friends, and neighbors determine the direction of your artistic inclinations. You need to develop confidence in your ability and take joy in the process of creating something unique. One of the greatest challenges that every professional photographer faces is coming to grips with the distinction between what sells and what inspires. They are not always the same. Often, your favorite images don’t sell but your cliché images do. When Ansel Adams died he had about 40,000 images that had never been developed because a handful of popular images were wildly successful. He also personally printed every image sold, so he had serious time constraints. The point is that those 40,000 images fed his soul and helped develop his artistic nature even though they were never seen. He was still trying new things and experimenting with new techniques until the day that he died. His love for photography was so great that he couldn’t keep his attention on anything else. He became more focused and singleminded as he grew older and more experienced. Photography has been a source of great joy for me. Some of my images give me great joy even though most people don’t even find them interesting. Every now and then a person will come along who appreciates and understands why I love that image. It is validation but it does not change the fact that how I feel about it is more important than how others feel about it. If you are having fun with your photography and are willing to try new things, your art will take a direction that you never anticipated. Your greatest joy will come from the process rather than the product. If you work at developing your technical skills, creativity and uniqueness will naturally follow. So just get out there and start shooting. Create assignments for yourself that challenge you and require you to think about what you are doing. Technology has advanced to the point that most people can get a few great images by just pointing the camera and pressing the button. The odds are in their favor. What they lack is the ability to capture great images by conscious planning. The more you practice, the better your results will be. When I first learned to play tennis, I constantly over-ran the ball. My timing was terrible and I

was never in position to make a really good return. I decided that for a month I would not return the ball unless I could walk to it. I was amazed at how often I got to the ball in time. As my confidence grew, I walked faster and returned even more shots. Eventually, I moved less but my game improved dramatically. That experience carried over to other activities. When I was transitioning from film to digital photography many things were new to me so I decided to approach photography as if I had never taken a picture in my life. I wanted to experience it without any preconceived notions. For a month, I used only a 50 mm fixed lens for everything. It was not the ideal lens for many of my subjects but I learned to work within its limitations. For another month, I only shot wildflowers. Next, architecture for several weeks, and so on. In this chapter, I have gathered some ideas that might lead you in new directions so that your natural creative ability will have a place to play.

Popular Photo Assignments There are a number of popular subjects that will give you plenty of opportunity to develop your skills. Let’s start with nature. Flower Close-ups Even if you are not a flower child, this can provide a great learning experience. You will learn a great deal about natural lighting and contrast. Since the wind blows quite a bit in some places, you will also learn to deal with that problem. You may use a wind break of some sort or merely crank up the ISO and use a faster shutter speed. If you have a macro lens this is a great way to use it. If you don’t have a macro lens, the learning will be different for whichever type of lens you use. I have used a macro lens, a 50 mm fixed lens, and a telephoto zoom lens with good results. The limitations of each will become apparent very quickly. Bugs and Flying Insects This category is even more challenging than Flowers in that your subject isn’t likely to stay in one place for very long. You may find yourself running all over the place to get a good shot. You are also more likely to hand-hold the camera than use a tripod even though tripods often work very well. Urban and Suburban Wildlife Rabbits, squirrels, and birds can be a lot of fun to photograph and will teach you a few things before you set out for the wilderness. In the southwest, deer, antelope, and javelina are also prevalent. Farm Animals Horses are particularly difficult to capture in motion and may provide some great learning experiences. Cows, bulls, pigs, and donkeys are also great subjects. Zoo Animals A visit to your local Zoo might be a whole different experience with camera in hand. The possibilities are endless. Amusement Parks You can practice with fast moving subjects like people on a roller coaster or other ride. After dark, the lights on some of the attractions will offer additional opportunities. Try a long exposure that shows the lights as colored streaks and then see if you can stop-action and get a portrait lit by the lights of the ride. Auto and Motorcycle Races A great way to learn about stop-action photography and using blurred lines to emphasize movement and speed. You can practice panning as well as head-on shots with a telephoto lens. If you are in the right spot, you might even get some great images from a camera on the ground and remotely activated. Antique Auto and Aircraft Rallies These are usually very colorful and provide opportunities to learn more about natural lighting. A great place to experiment with unusual angles and closeups. It will help you to see that less is sometimes more with regard to what to include or exclude from your image. Ethnic Festivals Both colorful and animated, these festivals are a great place to shoot in continuous mode, capturing several frames a second. You will soon learn how fast your camera can process those images and how to position yourself for capturing great images. Sports Events Whether a professional sports team in a stadium or backyard touch football, there are plenty of great shots to be harvested.

Reflections Any reflective surface offers an opportunity for an unusual shot and memorable image. Pay attention to water, glass, polished metal, and smooth stone surfaces. Imagine straight lines projecting from your lens skimming off the surface. If you can set your camera low with a very shallow angle to the surface, you will get a more expansive reflection. Sunrise and Sunset The best lighting of the day and a way to make even the mundane look great. A little bit of mist will only make the image more memorable. You will also learn to recognize and appreciate great light. For several weeks, I went out every morning before sunrise to a different location around town. I watched the shadows develop and noted the position of the sun and how it affected things around me. This was the first time that I really got what people meant by “great lighting.” You really need to experience it to recognize the difference. By 10 AM the light was usually harsh enough that I would pack up and go home. Public Art This is one of my personal favorites. Your lighting will be largely determined by the sun and surrounding objects. You will also have to work around other people going about their daily lives. You can’t just rope off the area while you do your shoot. All of these things force you to be creative in how you approach your subject. Most importantly, you are challenged with trying to present another person’s art in a unique way that shows something that might be missed by others. We all walk past these works of art with little or no thought to the details and craftsmanship. A great photo can cause us to reflect in a way that we never imagined. Public Buildings Public buildings almost always have something of interest to capture. It can be how they blend and contrast with their surroundings or simply their shape and details. Reflections in their windows or the details of pillars are often compelling. Architectural Details One of my favorite Christmas Movies is Silver Bells with Anne Heche. The story revolves around a teenage photographer who sees the beauty of the architectural details of New York City. The movie makes the point that there is beauty all around that we fail to see because of the hectic and focused lives that we live. Scenic Landscapes Barns and old buildings of all types make great subject matter. A tractor in a field or an old farm truck in front of a farm house, conjure up artistic masterpieces. A house in the middle of nowhere with scenic mountains in the background is always inviting. Architecture In Sedona, we have a marketplace called Tlaquepaque (Ta-La-Kih-Pa-Key). It resembles a small Mexican village with fountains and cobble stone streets as well as a chapel and bell tower. It is one of my favorite spots. I often go there and soak up every detail of the architecture. It also challenges me to create an image that accurately portrays the experience. Some of the most interesting courtyards are very small and it is difficult to get back far enough to capture the details. Rather than use a wide-angle lens, I usually take a series of photos with my 50 mm fixed lens and stitch them together in Photoshop. That way I can capture the details without lens distortions. Rock Formations This is the first thing that comes to mind when people think about Sedona. The Red Rocks here are beautiful and abundant. There is always something in sight that inspires and makes for great art. Creek Beds Even dry creek beds can have their allure. The rocks are often colorful and vary in size and shape. The banks often have interesting foliage that casts interesting shadows.

Occasionally you will discover an old tree growing out of the side of the bank with exposed roots. Clouds In Arizona, cloudless days are not uncommon and so we come to notice and appreciate clouds when we see them. Usually they enhance the landscape, but there are times when the clouds themselves are sufficient for a great image. This will also give you a chance to work on exposure settings. You want to maximize your exposure without creating “White-Out” areas. When you edit images like this you will be amazed at the details in the clouds. Waves I grew up along the Atlantic coast and lived there most of my life. I was around water all those years and it is the only thing that I miss about living in the Southwest. When I see images of waves along the seashore, I can almost smell the salt air and hear the gentle pounding of the surf. Images that elicit memories and feelings like this are always worth having. Seasonal Changes This is always a great subject. Snow in the mountains and the changing of leaves as well as new growth in spring. City Scapes During the day, traffic patterns in the street and on sidewalks can be captivating. At night the city lights are often beautiful even in rundown areas of town. Churches Houses of worship often have some very interesting architectural details. Stainedglass windows, arches, and steeples are just a few noteworthy details. In older and larger churches and cathedrals there are usually statues and columns on the interior as well as exterior. Doors and Windows In old historic towns like Santa Fe, this is a major object for local art. Doors and windows are often brightly colored and have a lot of character. They stand out against the stucco exteriors of the buildings. Steps and Ramps It is amazing how many variations we have on this theme. In a welldesigned building the steps and ramps are an important detail of the architecture. They can be massive and regal or graceful and flowing. Pets Pets are always a great source of subject matter. Try to get down to their level as often as possible. They also don’t always stay where you want them. Children Probably the most popular category of photography. If you want to get past snapshots, try to get down to their level and catch them in natural activities where their personalities shine through. Parties Wedding Photography is the easiest road to becoming a professional photographer, not because it is easy but because of the demand. Besides the planned shots for the album, you will also be taking a lot of candid shots at the reception. There is a skill to getting great shots without people even noticing your presence. Learn to shoot indoors without a flash and you are well on your way to stealth photography. Parties provide a great training ground for those candid images. You will probably attend more parties than weddings so you will have plenty of opportunity to practice your art. Junk Yards This is not an obvious place to go, but it will offer a lot of opportunity. Rust can be very colorful and even a rusty wrench can be interesting if properly framed and processed. Abandoned Buildings The interior of abandoned buildings can present challenges and

opportunities. Often there are holes in the walls and ceiling that result in interesting lighting and shadows. You will need to think through your shots if you hope to capture the details while avoiding areas that are excessively well lit. Broken windows and other signs of deterioration can add a sense of nostalgia. You also never know what kind of abandoned treasure or artifact you might discover. Country Stores Old country stores — the kind that could have been there since the great depression — can provide great character studies. It takes time to wear depressions in floor planks and gaps in siding. If your find one with some incongruity, it makes a great story as well as a great image. Bars Bars often have a great deal of character. Over 100 years ago Whiskey Row in Prescott, Arizona was destroyed by fire with one exception. The local regulars saved the bar of the Palace Saloon by carrying it out of the building and onto the courthouse lawn in the town square. That bar is still in use at the Palace Saloon today. It is massive and hand carved — a work of art in its own right. Traffic Whether you live in a small town or a big city, there is probably something noteworthy about traffic in some location around town. Even when there is very little happening, long exposures can create interesting images with streaks of light from the car headlights and tail lights. Food Restaurants often need photos of their fare for their menu or ads. This is a skill that you can practice at home. Small Art Objects Art in the form of gourdes, bowls, weaving, wood carvings, jewelry and glass objects are more difficult to photograph than most people might think. Backgrounds and artificial lighting are usually involved and require a creative touch to bring out the beauty of the art. Glass items are particularly difficult because of reflections. Still Life Grab a bowl, some fruit, and a candle or two and you have the ingredients for a classic still life image. Lighting will be the determining factor in how well the arrangement works. Texture The angle of the light makes an enormous difference in your ability to capture the texture of rocks, fabric, and wood. Having your camera almost parallel to the surface being photographed will often give amazing results. Before setting up your camera, move around the surface and get your eye close to it. See if some specific position makes the texture pop. Then set your camera up in the same relative position as your eye. Monuments Monuments like the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC are always inspirational. The challenge is to do something unique to get a memorable image that is not a cliché image. Concerts Lighting and movement make concert images a challenge. Your odds of getting a great image increase if you have the right equipment. A telephoto zoom lens would dramatically improve your results. A tripod is not practical in this situation, but a monopod would add significant stability to your camera. If you have a lens with image stabilization, you will do even better. Shoot in continuous mode to capture the action.

Additional Suggestions Go somewhere new. The newness of the experience will help you to look at everything with innocent perception. You may notice something of interest that others have overlooked. Look behind you. I was taking a sunset photo during the beginning of a storm. When I turned around and looked behind me, the storm clouds were forming, there were patches of blue sky, lots of wind, and incredible lighting and shadows. It was a very dramatic and dynamic scene, while the scene in front of me was tranquil and almost stagnant. Create a travel log. Assemble your images of a place that you have visited in such a way that they tell a story. The next time you travel, you will be more aware of what makes a great story. In time you might sell your work to travel magazines. Observe Details Antique cars and planes are a great place to practice this skill. Zoom in on hood ornaments, chrome details, grills, propellers, cables, and flaps.

Featured Artist — Darlene Jansen Darlene Jansen and her husband reside in Wisconsin, where she had a very fulfilling career in healthcare as a provider and business owner. Her life-long interest in photography led to the purchase of her first Digital SLR camera in 2006. By 2009, she was entering juried competitions and winning awards. Several of her images have since been published.

www.DarleneJansen.SmugMug.com

I’ve always been attracted to the work of great photographers since I was a child while paging through magazines, books at the library and newspapers; I was the one who looked at the photos to tell the story. I shoot with a digital Nikon slr and currently my lenses consist of a Nikkor micro 105mm with VR and then a versatile Nikkor 18-200mm VR zoom. I shoot all my images in RAW and convert them in Photoshop Elements 9. I will always use a tripod for architectural, landscape and for macro images of flowers or other stationary subjects. Depending on my mood for the image I’m working on, I will sometimes use various filters from Nik software plugins that have since been acquired by Google. I love using Silver Efex Pro for converting my images to black & white.

I will use both lenses for portrait work, but will admit that the prime Nikkor 105mm is a superior piece of glass and this lens will pick up tiny fine lines & other imperfections so using a shallow depth of field is desired for that type of work. On the other hand when using this same Nikkor 105mm for macro work it is fantastic for picking up every tiny detail that you want in a macro image. My favorite portraits are candid, trying to capture the fleeting moments of their personality coming through with different expressions. Working with portraits, a sharp focus on your subject’s eyes is critical as I feel the viewer’s eyes are always drawn into the eyes of our subjects and I believe it is then when we make a connection. I like to do portrait work outdoors and finding the right light is key. Take an early morning or late in the afternoon, with the sun coming in at a low angle, it not only compliments your subject without casting harsh shadows but the light itself has a beautiful warm glow. Midday light can be washed out, your subject often squinting in the bright light; you can also look for open shade.

Before I start, I will check my camera settings, the ISO, white balance, and my f stop. If I want a soft blurred background, then I will need a shallow depth of field like a f2.8 If I’m doing a landscape and I want everything to be in focus, then I want a f stop of say f18 or greater. Next my first thoughts are in regards to my composition; with macro work at capturing a flying insect such as a butterfly, you will have only split seconds to decide on your composition. When composing a landscape you may take 10 minutes to work with it or longer, trying different angles, moving closer or farther away. Do what makes you happy, it’s what you the photographer have envisioned. As a photographer, I find myself constantly thinking of photography. I’m inspired by walking out in nature itself be it a county or state park, even my own backyard; it’s easy to find some hidden treasure with my macro lens. Seems most times when I have a preconceived image for that day, I will more than likely turn to some completely different subject that attracted my eye along the way.

Chapter Four: Tips and Tricks In this chapter, I will share my experience with selected tools and techniques that can enhance your photographic experience — they have mine. The product images in this chapter are from the Amazon.com website unless otherwise stated.

Expodisk – White Balance and Exposure Settings I am color blind and for a long time had to rely on others to tell me if my images were believable with respect to color. My first problem was that my camera produced a blue color cast that I could not see. I solved that problem with my Color Passport — our next topic in this chapter — but I still had problems when I did my post-processing. Any variation from the correct White Balance became magnified when I edited my images in Photoshop and Lightroom. The more editing I did, the worse the color problem.

When I discovered the ExpoDisk, that problem was mostly eliminated. The ExpoDisk is a filter that you place over your lens to evaluate the Incident Light. It serves the same function as a Light Meter but also gives you a way to set the White Balance. There are several ways to set your camera for using this device, but I usually set the camera to Aperture Priority and snap a quick photo of the subject. Then I set it to manual focus and set the focus distance to infinity. Next, place the ExpoDisk over your lens and stand as close to your subject as you can, pointing the camera toward the spot where you will be standing when you take the photo. By doing this, the ExpoDisk will be exposed to the same lighting conditions as the subject to be photographed. Snap a picture without changing any settings. This will produce an image that can be used to set a Custom White Balance in your camera or for post-processing. The exact procedure will depend on the camera being used. If your exposure is correct, you will see a single vertical line in the center of the histogram for the White Balance image. I placed a dot of White Out on the LCD display of my camera so that it is in the center of my histogram when I review my image. If the line produced by the ExpoDisk is not in the exact center, I adjust the exposure and take additional shots until I get the histogram lined up with the dot. This way, I am sure of my Exposure as well as my White balance. ExpoDisk.com has some great training videos to help you through the learning curve.

ColorChecker Passport by X-rite This device provided my first successful step toward better color management. I tried a wide variety of products before I found this device. It is far superior to any of the others. As shown in the images that follow, by taking an additional shot with the passport in the image you can then use the passport for White Balance and Color Correction.

An additional benefit is to create a custom color profile for your camera. The device comes with software that will use an image of the color chart to determine any color discrepancies that are related to your camera sensor. It will then create a PROFILE that can be stored in Photo Editing Software like Photoshop and Lightroom. When you edit photos, you simply select your camera from a menu and the software will apply your custom profile. This is how I eliminated the blue cast that my camera was creating.

Spyder4 — Monitor Color Calibration This is one of several devices that are used to calibrate monitors. The software walks you through the process step-by-step. The Spyder is draped over the top of the monitor and held in position by a counter-balance on the cord. When you start the program, a page will display the location for the Spyder during calibration. When you start the calibration cycle, a series of color swatches will appear on the screen under the Spyder. For each swatch, the Spyder will record what it sees and compare it to the correct color of the swatch. When the process is complete, the software will create and store a file on your computer that will automatically correct any future color errors on your screen.

Tethered Capture Photo editing software programs like Lightroom will allow you to connect a Laptop, Tablet, or even a desktop computer to your camera so that you can see results immediately on a larger screen than your camera’s LCD screen. If you have Lightroom, you can edit your image and decide if you need additional shots. TetherTools.com is one resource for devices that make it easy to use tethered laptops and tablets. They also make a wide variety of related products. The image below shows how an iPad might be used.

Moveable Eyepiece

Seagull 1X-2X Right Angle Eyepiece Finder My eyesight is such that the diopter adjustment on my camera doesn’t quite do the job. With or without glasses the image through the viewfinder is still blurry for me over the entire range of adjustment. This device solved that problem and gave me some additional capability that I wasn’t looking for but can’t do without now that I have it. To use this device, you remove the eyecup from your camera and snap this device on in its place. It comes with a number of adaptors so that it will fit most popular brands and models. As you can see, you can select 1X or 2X. 1X has no magnification and 2X doubles the size of the image in the viewfinder. The 2X setting is very helpful with fine tuning your focus once you have framed your shot. The barrel of the device — where it says SEAGULL — is the diopter adjustment and it is more than adequate for my needs. It does not lock in place, so I have to adjust it from time to time. I use the Live View mode on my camera to finely focus a scene and then adjust the diopter for that same scene until it is sharp in the viewfinder. Because the barrel and eyepiece rotate around the mount, I can view my scene from the top, sides, or bottom of the camera. This feature has really come in handy for me many times. It is particularly valuable when the camera is very close to the ground.

HoodLoupe If you have ever tried to look at your LCD screen in bright daylight, you know how difficult that can be. Depending on the direction of the sun, it can be anywhere from annoying to impossible. At one time, I carried a towel with me so that I could throw it over my head and camera, but even that didn’t work all that well. There is a well-known solution, but at $100 it is not for everyone. The device is a Hoodman and it is held on the camera by industrial rubber bands. The device is $80 and the bands are another $20. That is the price on Amazon.com. If you want to magnify your view, that attachment will cost an additional $40. I’m sure that some people have paid even more.

There are now a number of alternatives. There are several brands of hood loupes in the $20 to $40 range. Some even have magnifying capability. This group of products uses a magnetic mounting plate that is glued to the back of the camera with a self-adhesive material. The small projection on one corner is to hold the plate while the hood is removed. This approach eliminates the need for the rubber bands. Negative reviews are mostly about the mounting plate pulling free.

There is a $15 alternative that uses a mounting plate that is connected to the camera through the tripod mount. The drawback with this item is that the lens is fixed and the image is blurry for many people. A reviewer on Amazon.com came up with a nice way to fix the problem for about $7 and created a YouTube video to show others how. Thanks for your generosity Craig Booth. http://youtu.be/G0g3jcemhPk

Another reviewer on Amazon.com came up with a $7 HoodLoupe solution. Unfortunately I didn’t write down his name when I first discovered it.

The solution is a modified Slide Viewer. Just cut off the bottom and use the remaining part to inspect your LCD Screen. It doesn’t cover the entire screen like the other hoods but might just be enough to solve your problem. It also fits nicely into a pocket.

ND Filters The purpose of ND (Neutral Density) Filters is to reduce the amount of light coming through the lens without affecting the color. They affect all frequencies of light the same amount. The following chart is a variation of a Wikipedia Chart.

As you can see there are three different scales or ways to designate the strength of an ND Filter. I usually use the third column when I talk about these lenses but you should be aware that some suppliers will use the other designations. As the fourth column indicates, adding an ND filter is equivalent to changing your f-stop. There are three popular options when it comes to ND filters and your choice will ultimately be based on personal preference. I own and use all three. Each has its advantages and shortcomings.

The first and sometimes easiest option is the Variable ND Filter. Prices range from $5 to several hundred dollars. I have used both and would recommend a more expensive product. Remember that this is a lens and it will affect your end result. Adding a cheap filter to an expensive lens is like using a cheap lens. Mine cost about $150 and varies from 2 to 8 stops.

This lens is great because you only have to carry one filter with you. It also saves setup time since you just screw on one filter. The drawback is that it can be very hard to see through your viewfinder once you have added the filter. It also makes it difficult to focus. I usually focus manually. If I then adjust the filter after focusing, it sometimes has enough resistance to rotate the focus ring and change my focus. To overcome this problem, I add the filter and set it to the minimum value so that I can still see through the lens. After manually focusing, I switch to auto focus to lock it in place and then rotate the filter to the proper position. I then switch back to manual focus and take the shot. The reason for switching back is that I sometimes focus on an object that is not detected by the auto focus points. If I leave the camera in auto focus it will select a different focus point. So, to be safe, I always follow the same steps. A second option is to buy a set of filters like the ones shown below. The set below contains ND2, ND4, and ND8 filters. You can use them individually or stack them. In this way you can cover a range of 1 to 6 f-stops. The problem of changing your focus is even greater with these filters since you will often use more than one and it is difficult to focus after the filter is in place. For this reason I use the same process as for the variable filter, except that I focus before adding any filters.

A third option is more versatile but also more cumbersome. It requires you to add a filter holder to your camera and slide in one or more filters. The kit will contain a variety of filters as well as numerous lens adaptors so that it will fit most cameras.

There are two significant advantages to this approach. You are not as likely to alter your focus and it is easy to change filters without disturbing anything else. An additional advantage is that it is easy to use Graduated Filters. These are filters that have a gradient effect. A typical use is to darken the sky and leave the foreground unaffected.

Filter Wrenches

These small, light, and inexpensive wrenches can save you a lot of time and effort if you have a lens filter to remove. The wrenches come in all sizes and cost $5 to $10. They are made from flat plastic and are about 1/4 inch thick. You probably won’t need them very often, but if you do, you will be very happy to have them with you.

GPS Tracking Have you ever taken an almost great photo and wanted to find that spot again to give it another try. I am still searching for some locations of photos that I took several years ago. I thought I knew exactly where I took those photos, but I was clearly wrong. If I could find a particular spot, I could return and wait for the ideal lighting or weather conditions. If you have a GPS receiver, you will never have that problem again.

The product to the left is just one of many options in this category. This particular unit attaches to the camera through the flash hotshoe. In the on position it will embed GPS data directly to your digital photo files as you take them. With the log position. The unit creates a log that can then be downloaded to programs like Lightroom and it will then add data based on the time that the photo was taken. Other options include GPS loggers like the one on the right that can be used for applications other than photography. These units are often used by runners to accurately calculate distance, time , and speed. As long as you can export a log, you can import that log to Lightroom and it will add the GPS data to images based upon where you were at a given time.

Memory Card Speed

It is always a good idea to carry at least one extra memory card, so I have several. Initially, I just looked for 32 GB cards. I then began to wonder why some cards were so much more expensive than others. I eventually realized that not all cards are created equal and that speed is also important. The card to the left can transfer data at a speed of 45 MB/second. It also has a Class 10 rating which means that it can be used for full HD videos as well as consecutive HD still shots. Your camera might be able to capture 5 frames a second, but it won’t do you much good for long if your data card can’t keep up with the action. When I shoot festivals and street performers, I often set my camera on continuous mode so that I have a better chance of capturing the optimum moment. I have often had to stop shooting to let the camera catch up. Since getting this card, that happens less frequently.

Vest I often carry a 35 pound backpack with me when I do landscape photography. I have found that a vest can be lighter, more comfortable, and more efficient. The most difficult aspect of using a vest is remembering which pocket or pouch has which piece of equipment. For this reason, some photographers never change what they carry in their vest. Personally, I like to only take what I can reasonably expect to need. This has led to times of searching every pocket to find an item. My vest has 18 pockets so I can really get organized if I use it often enough to remember locations. I rarely use my backpack since I bought the vest.

Dirt on Sensor If you change lenses a lot, you will eventually get dirt on your sensor. It will manifest itself as spots on your images and will be most noticeable in expansive areas like the sky or a body of water. The more consistent the tone of an area the more likely the dirt will show. The image below shows a few of the supplies that you might need. Before buying any Swabs, be sure to check the source for the correct size for your camera.

Sensors are easily damaged so many photographers won’t even attempt this process. I was unwilling to send my camera away and wait weeks to get it back, so I decided to take the risk and do it myself. I am now very comfortable with the process and do it as part of routine maintenance. Please proceed with extreme caution. I am not recommending this, just helping you to learn how, if you choose to do it yourself. Rather than try and explain the procedure I recommend that you watch a few YouTube videos that are on my website. http://aj-foto.com/General%20Topics/Select%20Videos.html#Sensor Cleaning part 1

Lens Profiles All lenses have some aberrations. Fortunately, you can add a lens profile to Photoshop and Lightroom to compensate for these minor imperfections. Most people download standard profiles for their lenses from sources such as Adobe.com. These profiles are for a particular brand and model of lens. They are a generic correction. If you are a perfectionist and want to create a profile for your actual lens, Adobe offers a free program called Lens Profile Creator. It comes with instructions. The basic process is to take photos of a number of images and then use the software to correct any minor imperfections. The software then creates a profile that can be loaded into Photoshop and Lightroom. Once the profile is created, you merely select the lens from a menu and the program will automatically make the necessary corrections. I have downloaded the software but have not actually created a profile since the process is quite involved and time consuming. I just wanted to let you know that it does exist. http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/thankyou.jsp?ftpID=5490&fileID=5486

Remote Shutter Release

I shoot the vast majority of my images on a tripod. This little device is used constantly and it is still on the first battery. I never have to touch the camera to take a shot and can even activate the shutter from some distance. It is great for selfies. Prices for this and similar devices range from $10 to about $25.

Extras If you are shooting with your camera hand-held, a good rule-of-thumb is that the longest time that you can hold your camera steady is 1/focal length. So if you are shooting with a 300mm lens, you will only be steady up to 1/300 second. Lenses with image stabilization can extend this by 4 stops. In this case, that would be 1/20 second. Polarizer Filters vary in price from about $5 to several hundred dollars. My experience suggests that a Polarizer of adequate quality will cost about $150.

Featured Artist — Joel Grimes In 1984 Joel graduated from the University of Arizona with a BFA in Photography and soon established a commercial studio working out of Denver Colorado. For over 28 years Joel has worked primarily in the advertising and corporate markets. His assignments have taken him to every state across the USA and to over fifty countries around the globe. In 1990 Joel produced his first coffee table book, ‘Navajo, Portrait of a Nation’ which received a number of photographic and design awards and produced an eighteen-month solo exhibit at the Smithsonian American History museum. Driven by the creative process, Joel views himself as an illusionist, creating portraits larger than life. Joel is also an ambassador for this process by teaching workshops and lectures across the country.

www.joelgrimes.com

I like to think about creating a photograph that reveals something that represents both the natural world around us, but also crosses into the world of fantasy. A simple example of that would be as follows: I could capture a waterfall with a fast shutter and freeze the water, representing something that is closer to what my eye would see. Or I could use a longer exposure and capturing the water so that it blurs giving a perspective that would be impossible to see in the natural world.

When I capture a portrait, I often try and capture it in a way that the end result would be something that in the natural world, would be difficult or if not impossible for our eye to see. Actually, a Black and White image does exactly that. But I try and push it a bit further by manipulating the skin tones in such a way that it gives the viewer something new or fresh. Our human nature often wants to escape the normal everyday world and transforms us out of the mundane. This is why we go on vacations, watch movies, play video games, etc....

When I am about to create an image, I often ask myself the question, “Am I creating something that fits the traditional narrative that defines a photograph, or am I heading in the direction that shatters what we expect a photograph to be”? I want the later, I want to fulfill my vision as an artist even if it means breaking the so called traditional rules that govern the so called establishment. This is not always easy, but I believe in the end I am much happier and end up with something that is much more interesting.

Chapter Five: Lighting Lighting is such a big topic that I am only going to scratch the surface with some observations and tips. I plan to address it at a later time with a dedicated book but for now a few brief comments should be helpful for most people. Light is what separates great images from good ones. That goes for paintings as well as photographs. As your expertise with photography increases, you will become acutely aware of light in all its forms. You will notice where the sun is at different times of the day and how its position changes from day to day and season to season. You will understand the difference and meaning of harsh light and soft light and the effects of both. You will also know how the position of the sun will affect your results. For me, lighting started to make sense after I experienced photography in the early morning light. Morning light is always soft and even. It has a quality about it that brings out details, texture, and color. It is often easy to find something of interest that is still in the shade, but even objects in full daylight look better in the early morning light. It is because of the angle of the rays of light. When the angle to the earth is relatively shallow it casts soft shadows that emphasize details without overpowering the image. Noonday sun is the least pleasing, and many photographers don’t even bother with mid-day images. The light is noticeably harsh and in places like Arizona where I live it is annoyingly bright. It casts dark shadows that create narrow outlines on rocks, buildings, trees and other objects. The results are rarely pleasing. Contrary to popular belief, the best position for the sun is off to your side. A polarizing lens can significantly enhance the color saturation and clarity of an image but it has no effect when the sun is directly in front of you or behind you. If the sun is in front of you and it is any time of day except sunset, try to diffuse its light by placing some object between yourself and the sun such as a tree branch, a post, leaves, or a rock. Having the sun directly behind your subject can make a great sunset portrait. If you use some artificial flash fill light or reflect the sunlight back on your subject it can produce a very warm and pleasing effect. The light is soft and the angle of the light makes everything look better. That is why the hour or two around sunset are referred to as the golden hours. If you are going out to capture the setting sun, don’t pack up too early. Most people think that the last rays of direct sunlight are the best but the most dramatic skies often occur about a half hour after sunset. You will eventually develop some expertise in judging the odds of a great sunset by observing cloud coverage. It takes quite a bit of experience to make a good call. Clouds are essential to a beautiful sunset but they need to have a certain quality and density. If they are too thick, you will only see a few stray rays of light or a bright edge around the clouds or even nothing at all. If they are too thin they won’t dissipate the light enough to create anything memorable. Setting the proper White Balance before taking your photos can be a big time saver in post-

processing. In Chapter Four we talked about using the ExpoDisk to set your White Balance. It can also be set by including a Neutral Gray card in one of the images of a shoot and then using that image to set the White balance for all the images in post processing. The old standby is to use your camera’s presets, but these will only get you in the ballpark. With low light conditions, it is sometimes very beneficial to increase ISO. The only drawback to increased ISO is the possibility of a grainy effect in your images. You should take a few lowlight images with your camera to see how it responds to increased ISO settings. Every camera will be different. Generally, images with ISO of 800 or less will show very little graininess. With strong backlighting, a little Fill Flash can be very helpful. This is another area where a little practice can make a big difference. You want enough light to bring out detail in the foreground, but not so much that the use of a flash is evident. You want to try to simulate what your eyes see rather than just accepting what the camera is capable of recording. Turn around at sunrise and sunset. The sky behind you will often be more interesting that the one in front of you. Twilight is the best time for night photos. There is still enough light to see a lot of detail and the sky is often of interest itself. When there are street lights in the picture, they do not overwhelm the scene but rather blend with it.

Featured Artist — Michelle Ettelson Michelle (Hanson) Ettelson is a professional photographer living in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire with her husband and numerous rescue animals. She worked in the field of Computer Mfg in MA. for many years as a Buyer and then later became a Sales Rep. She volunteered at a local animal shelter, which eventually became a full time job, caring for and nurturing many sick animals back to health. In 2006, she and her husband left the daily working grind and moved to a farm in TN. This is where she had the time to develop her skills and pursue her passion for photography. They returned to NH in 2010 where she continues to explore and capture the dramatic and inspiring character of New England. Her photo was used by the city of Nashville, TN to promote the tourist industry. Her images were displayed on the NH local news TV broadcast. Her photos were included in the book Four Seasons – Life in New Hampshire published by WMUR TV of NH.

www.shellette.net

http://shelle-ettelson.artistwebsites.com

I developed interest in photography because of my love for animals. I wanted to capture memorable moments of my many rescue animals and the wildlife that surrounded me. After learning the technical details of the camera and seeing how changing the settings gave me a different type of photograph, is when I became enamored with the art of photography. While waiting for the animal to offer me that special moment, I found my eye being drawn to other subjects in nature. A spider web sparkling in the morning dew, grass buds dancing in the setting sunshine and the rays of light passing through the trees. This is when I discovered my passion. Having only lived in suburban and rural areas, my interest turned to landscapes, waterscapes, and the tiny world of macro. I find macro photography to be hours of fun, although hard on the knees. It can be full of surprises, and sometimes I don’t know what I have captured until after I download the images.

My life has changed since becoming a photographer. I rise very early in the morning, plan my days around the weather, walk in circles scoping the perfect spot and spend a lot of time waiting. It involves study, planning, and scouting, with lots of persistence and patience. Even with extensive planning, nature is full of surprises, it is always changing therefore every opportunity is different, and a challenge. I feel photography is about capturing a moment, in a way that moves me and allows me to capture and illustrate the beauty and wonderment that surrounds me. It is a never ending quest to create a piece of art; someone will want to view over and over. Hopefully I succeed in moving you and can make you feel like you are there.

Chapter Six: Summary When you set out on a photo shoot, plan your shots and locations before you leave. Visualize where you are going and what you expect to need. When I do a landscape shoot, I take my backpack and vest. When I do an indoor shoot I usually just take my camera bag. This often involves moving equipment and accessories from one place to another. Take a few minutes to reflect on what you will need so that you don’t waste your trip. When you arrive at your selected location, set up your camera and tripod (if needed) and start planning your shots. Walk around the area and evaluate the lighting. Look at your subject from many different angles and positions before making a decision. If it is an outdoor shot, look at the sky and the position of the sun. Note if the lighting is changing rapidly or staying consistent. Sometimes it is worth waiting for the optimal lighting. Check your current camera settings. We all have settings that we use more often than others and we sometimes forget that we changed those settings at the end of the last shoot. Or we might forget to remove a filter from the lens, or have the lens set on auto focus. I rarely change my ISO and therefore usually forget to check it. On one particular outing, I spent a great deal of time trying to figure out what was wrong with my camera only to discover that the ISO was set to 1600. I forgot that I had done some night shots a few days before. Ansel Adams tells a similar story in his autobiography. He hiked for a day to get to the selected site and wasted 4 of the 5 plates that he brought with him because of a similar oversight. Compose your shot. Decide what to include and exclude from the shot. If you are using a zoom lens, zoom in and out to determine the image with the most impact. Often less is more. Keep it simple. Extra details will only distract from the main object. Focus I rarely use auto focus, so I spend some time checking the sharpness of my focus. If it is a landscape, I want to be sure that everything is in focus from foreground to background. If it is a portrait, I want to be sure that the background is nicely blurred. Pick an object that is roughly along the lower horizontal line of the Rule of Thirds. Make sure that this object or spot is sharply focused. Evaluate your lighting. This is where I usually use my ExpoDisk to set my white balance and exposure. Also make sure that there isn’t a bright light or some other bright object in the scene that will distract from the main subject. Our eyes naturally go to the brightest point of the image first. Make sure that that point coincides with your subject. Check your background. This is rarely a problem with landscape photography, but can be a distraction in other situations. Be sure that there isn’t a line or pipe going through someone’s head or a passerby stealing the show. Apply the Rule of Thirds. Position your subject according to the Rule of Thirds. Try several

variations using different points as a guide. Change Camera Height, try getting down low or getting up higher. Position the Horizon in the frame. It should be along one of the horizontal lines related to the Rule of Thirds. Include a foreground object to add interest and depth to the image. Turn your camera. Change from landscape to portrait framing or something in between. An angled frame can add interest and life to an otherwise stagnant image. Reframe your subject. Get even closer. Fill the frame with a portion of the subject. Move to the side of the subject. Tell a story. Look at a Norman Rockwell painting and study his technique. His images always told a story. What most people don’t know is that he took photos of live models in the exact position that he wanted them before painting. They weren’t the entire scene but each individual character. Sharpen your focus. As you gain experience, you will become acutely aware of even the slightest blur in an image. The sharper the original image, the less work you will have to do in post-editing. I always use a tripod unless it prevents me from getting the image that I want. After I have framed my shot and made my settings, I manually focus as well as I can while looking through the viewfinder. I then switch to “Live View” to finish the job. Live View has a small moveable viewing frame as well as a Rule of Thirds grid superimposed on the screen. The small viewing frame can be moved anywhere in the frame. If I press a certain control on my camera the image within the viewing frame will be magnified by a factor of 5. If I press it again, the magnification increases to 10. By placing the frame along the lower horizontal line of the Rule of Thirds, I know that the entire image will be sharp if everything in this frame is sharp. I magnify to 5X, manually focus, magnify to 10X and focus again.

The sharpness of my images has improved dramatically since I started using this technique.

Here are a few things to remember for sharper images. Hold Still Use a good tripod Use a timer – Remote / self-timer Hold camera steady Use a shutter speed that is no slower than 1/focal length. Shoot in Continuous mode Use Image Stabilization for sharper hand-held images

Featured Artist — Greg Chen Greg Chen grew up in Guangzhou (aka. Canton) — a metropolitan area in southern China. He went to college in Shanghai, and attended graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh. He then pursued his career in Information Technology in a large financial services company in Richmond, Virginia. After living in the US for more than a decade, he moved back to Shanghai in 2008 and has been living there. Photography is one of his interests besides music and fishing.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunfishandbluecrabs/

An engineer by trade, I guess I have an artist’s mind and enjoy working with my eyes and hands. I did not take up photography as a hobby until 2009. I used to love gardening, fishing, and woodworking when living in Virginia, but after moving to Shanghai it seems tough to continue with those activities because of the lack of a yard, a clean and peaceful countryside, and a garage. So I bought an SLR camera and some books and started exploring. I snapped tons of pictures for more than 20 years, but not until 2009 did I take a little moment to feel and think before pushing the shutter button, and that’s really making a difference for me. When I photograph I pay attention to lighting and composition, but more often I just point my camera to whatever catches my eyes. Sometimes I am able to analyze and distill on the scene what really interests me and adjust my picture to promote it, other times I just shoot and take it home to digest. Maybe because I have been immersed in different cultures and been to many places, from the East to the West, and back to the East, or maybe because I like to observe, the subjects of my photography vary a lot. I photograph nature, landscape as well as city life. What usually catches my attention are lighting conditions, colors, patterns, a sense of consistency or contrast in the subjects, and a touch of Chinese culture.

While I shoot only digital, I have not invested too much time or effort in photo editing. For one I have not yet learned how to use the software programs; and secondly I simply don’t have the time yet. I usually crop and tweak the curves, saturation, and contrast a little bit before uploading online. I hope to learn the tools when my work schedule allows me more time in the future. But for now, seeing the beauty of the world and taking a good picture of it are the two most important steps in my photography.

Chapter Seven: Parting Thoughts and Recommendations

About this Series of Books When I started this series of books, I had planned to write a single book that would cover everything that any serious photographer might need to know. As I got into putting my thoughts on paper, I realized that the book would be much longer than I had imagined. I made a decision to split it into a series rather than eliminate material or illustrations. If you are reading this before the series is complete, I apologize for the delay. I will publish Book 3 as quickly as I can without compromising quality of content. If you would like to know when the other books are available, send an email to [email protected] with New Books in the subject line. I will send you an email as soon as I finish each book. Also if you just want to share your opinions or suggest improvements, I greatly value feedback. I will not use your email address for any other purpose. To learn about my other books, please visit my Author Page on Amazon.com amazon.com/author/al.judge

Why Reviews Help Everybody If you found this book of value, please help others to find it by writing a review. Reviews don’t have to be long – Amazon only requires 20 words. There are over a Million eBooks and over 20 million Printed Books on Amazon.com. For an author like me, it is very difficult to be noticed. Amazon places a great deal of value on reviews, but statistically there is only one review written for every thousand books sold on Amazon. Some people stack the deck in their favor by having their friends write 4- and 5-star reviews before their book is even published. This practice crowds out the rest of us since their books immediately go to the top of the list and stay there because others buy their books based on the reviews. Legitimate reviews help everybody. They help others to find the best books and avoid the bad ones. They also help authors to learn what they are doing right and what they need to improve. I honestly want to write the best books that I possibly can, but without feedback I have no idea if I am accomplishing my mission. I love to share what I have learned and save others from the many hours of effort that it took me to learn those things. Clear communication has always been my goal but only you can tell me if I am succeeding. So, if you found value here, please help others to find these books by writing a review.

Featured Artist — Dana Deskiewicz Dana Deskiewicz has resided in New York City for the last 18 years and currently calls the bustling borough of Brooklyn home. He runs his own creative agency, specializing in Digital projects from websites to mobile apps and social media. He is also a creative strategist and consultant for the tech startup community. Ever involved in creative endeavors, Dana started in photography at a young age and has continued to develop his style over the years. Beginning with traditional film cameras to point-and-shoot digital and more recently experimenting with the iPhone, he is continually exploring and sharing the world through a viewfinder. Photography has been primarily a hobby for Dana. More often than not, he can be found traveling throughout the world enjoying the various cultures of great locales and documenting his journeys through his photography. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mediafury Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/mediafury

Design http://www.mediafury.com

I’ve always had a passion for photography. Working in the design and creative industry, I am surrounded by great photos and photographers. Over the years, I have become more and more interested in not only photography, but the subtleties of it as well. From composition, color, and lighting, looking at the world takes on a different tone when I am out taking pictures. Sometimes I find a great photo and sometimes it finds me. I love the way a place or moment in time can be captured. I have a few cameras that I use. A wonderful 1963 Miranda GT film camera, a Cannon EOS Rebel X film camera, a Cannon PowerShot SD900 Digital Elph, and my iPhone. As the cameras in mobile phones have become better and better, I’ve been experimenting more and more with it. I sometimes use an Olloclip, which is a 4-in-1 attachment lens for the iPhone that allows wide-angle, fisheye, 10x and 15x macro photos to be taken. More often than not, though, I just use the standard phone lens.

More recently my photography has been focused around square format composition. It’s an interesting challenge to see what works and what doesn’t in a square space. I shoot an original in either portrait or landscape and edit the photo into the square format. I usually find that something I think will work doesn’t necessarily fit well into a square and vice versa. The experimentation is part of the intrigue and excitement for me with photography. As I’ve experimented within the square format, my style has grown into finding beautiful symmetries and patterns in both architecture and nature. I’m fascinated by what appears in the world around me when I frame it into the square space. I have a few apps that I use to edit and filter my photos, but often I don’t make many adjustments beyond framing. With the advent of social photo sharing communities, I am constantly inspired to take photos that I not only love and am inspired by, but to share them with friends and fans alike.

Glossary from Book 1: Photography Speak Aberration

A deviation from the norm, or a defect in the characteristics of a lens.

Aperture The opening in the Diaphragm of a Compound Lens through which the image must pass. A means of blocking unwanted light from reaching the Sensor. APS (Advanced Photo System) An obsolete 1996 Standard for higher quality camera film. It never caught on for a variety of reasons including the success of digital cameras. APS-C A Digital Sensor roughly the size of a frame of APS Classic film. APS-H A Digital Sensor roughly the size of a frame of APS High-Definition film Auto-Exposure The camera automatically sets Aperture and Shutter Speed based on image details and exposure measurements from the camera’s built-in exposure meter. Auto-Focus Camera automatically adjusts the focus based on the closest object that coincides with an activated focus point in the camera’s viewer. The more focus points that the camera uses, the better the chances of proper focus. Auto Lighting Optimizer Adds contrast and definition to dark and flat images. Bridge Camera cameras.

A camera that “bridges the gap” between Point-and-Shoot and DSLR

CCD (Charge Coupled Device) Sensors commonly used in precision digital imaging applications for science and medicine. Less common in digital cameras. Center-Weighted Metering AE the center of the frame.

An exposure metering method that places more attention on

CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) the Digital camera market.

The type of Sensor that dominates

Color Space A range of possible colors captured by digital cameras and displayed by monitors. Also a range of colors that can be printed. Color Temperature A temperature scale related to the warmth or coldness of a lighting source. Common lighting sources have specific value ranges on this scale. Compact System Camera

A Compact Camera with interchangeable Lenses.

Compound Lens A collection of simple lenses that share a common axis in order to improve and focus the image passing through the Lens and onto the film or Sensor. The type of

Lens assembly implied when a Photographer refers to his or her Lens. Contact Prints A process by which glass photographic negatives are placed in contact with light-sensitive photo paper and exposed to a burst of light. The photo paper is then treated in trays of chemicals in order to develop the image. Cropping Factor The ratio of the Diagonal Measurement of a given Sensor to the Diagonal Measurement of a Full-Frame Sensor. Curtain Shutter The type of Shutter used in SLR cameras – both film and digital. Two horizontal blades (curtains) that move vertically to expose the sensor or film. Custom White Balance A camera setting based on a Neutral (18%) Gray Card or its equivalent, used to establish the proper White balance or Color Temperature for a given lighting condition. Darkroom A dedicated light-proof room in which film negatives and prints are processed in trays of chemical solutions. During the process, the only light in the room is a dim red bulb. Diaphragm A device made up of a number of moveable blades that move in tandem to form and size the Aperture. It functions very much like the Iris of the human eye. It is usually sandwiched between two of the simple lenses that form a compound lens. DIGIC (DIGital Imaging Core) computer’s CPU.

Canon’s Imaging Core Processor. Analogous to a

Digital Camera SENSOR.

A camera in which the image is recorded by a photosensitive electronic

Digital SLR / DSLR

An SLR Camera in which the image is recorded by an electronic Sensor.

Effective Focal Length

Focal Length X Cropping Factor of Sensor being used.

Evaluative Metering AE (Auto-Exposure) An exposure meter setting that divides the frame into a number of zones. Those zones are then used to calculate an average tonal value that can be related to an exposure setting. EXPEED

Nikon’s Imaging Core Processor.

Exposure Compensation An adjustment on Digital cameras used to compensate for shortcomings of the camera’s built-in exposure meter. Exposure Triangle Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO settings. These factors determine the amount of light that the Sensor requires to produce a properly exposed image.

File Compression Film Camera

A process of reducing the file size while maintaining critical data.

A camera in which the image is recorded on photographic film.

Focal Length The distance from the midplane of a lens to the focal point of the same lens. Usually measured in millimeters (mm). Focal Plane A Plane parallel to the midplane of a lens, also containing the Focal Point. Photographic film and Sensors are located in this plane. Focal Point

A point at which the light passing through a lens converges.

Frame (noun) A portion of a roll of film that contains one image. Frame (verb) To limit the amount of the scene that will be captured by the camera. A step in composing an image. Front Standard A moveable frame in Large-Format Cameras that holds the Lens. It can be tilted in several directions relative to the Rear Standard. It can also be moved vertically relative to the Rear Standard. Highlight Tone Priority shadow areas. Imaging Core

Preserves details in the bright areas of an image at the expense of the

The Digital Camera equivalent of a computer’s CPU.

Jpeg (Joint Photographic Experts Group) A file format for photographic images that creates compressed files for easy and rapid transmission over the Internet and on Webpages. Kit Lens The Interchangeable Lens that is offered at the time of purchase with the camera body for DSLR cameras. There is often a choice of Kit Lenses at different price points. Purchasing a Lens with the camera body often represents a savings of several hundred dollars. Large-Format Camera larger than 4 in. X 5 in.

A camera that captures an image on film or digital sensor that is

LCD (liquid Crystal Display) Screen A small electronic display panel on the back of digital cameras used to display camera settings and review images. Leaf Shutter A type of shutter used in digital Point-and-Shoot cameras as well as Mediumand Large-Format cameras. It operates very much like the Diaphragm, but is either wide open or totally closed. Lens Extender Tube A cylindrical tube that is mounted between a Lens and the Camera Body. Its purpose is to change the focal length of the Lens by a specified factor, for example, 1.4X.

Macro Lens A Lens that is specifically designed for close-up photography of small subjects, such as flowers and bugs. Medium-Format Camera A camera that captures an image on film or digital sensor that is larger than 2.25 in. X 2.25 in. but less than 4in X 5 in Mirror A mirror which is normally in a 45° position in order to deflect the image coming through the camera lens to the Viewfinder. It snaps to a horizontal position just before the shutter opens and returns to its normal position just after the shutter closes. It can also be manually moved to the horizontal position for cleaning the Sensor and very fast exposures. Mirrorless Camera A Compact camera design, with interchangeable Lenses, that has no Mirror or Optical Viewfinder. Also known as an EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lenses) camera. This is somewhat misleading, since most of these cameras have no Viewfinder at all – only an LCD Screen. Negative A photographic master print from which Positive (Normal) Prints are made. The tonal values are the exact opposite of the Positive or Print. In other words, white appears as black on the negative and black appears as white. Negatives can be glass plates, photographic film, or digital files. Neutral Density Filters A type of filter that screws onto the front of camera lenses. These filters are gray glass that has no effect on color but reduces the amount of light entering the lens. They are rated in stops so that they can easily be used to change exposure. They are often used in bright sunlight to allow for longer Shutter Speeds or larger Aperture Settings. Neutral Gray Card An 18% gray card that is sometimes used to set White Balance. It is difficult to define pure black or white, but easy to establish a shade of gray. Partial Metering AE frame.

Exposure based on 9% of the frame and located in the center of the

Pentaprism A special type of lens that is unique to SLR Cameras, and whose only purpose is to flip the image coming through the lens so that it can be observed right-side-up through the Viewfinder. Photosite A specific location on a photographic sensor where photons of a particular color of light are collected, counted, and recorded. Pixel A PIcture ELement or point of measureable color intensity and tone that is one element of a Mosaic-like image composed of many such elements – often in the millions. Prime Lens RAW

A Lens that has a fixed Focal Length. It has no Zoom capability.

A file format for photographic images that saves ALL the image data that the camera is

capable of recording. Rear Standard A moveable frame in Large-Format Cameras that holds the photographic media – glass plate, film or digital Sensor. Remote Shutter Release A device that allows the photographer to activate the shutter release without actually touching the camera. This is one way to reduce camera shake. Sensor An electronic device which captures and records photons of light and translates color and quantity of light data to Pixels that then form an image. Shutter A device whose purpose is to block light from the photographic recording medium except when an image is being captured. It opens and closes like the blink of an eye. Simple Lens A single piece of glass or plastic that refracts (bends) light in such a way that it converges to a point or diverges in a diffuse manner. SLR (Single Lens Reflex) Camera A particular style of camera that allows the photographer to look through the lens in order to compose his image. It contains a moveable mirror to deflect the image to the viewfinder and a Pentaprism to flip it right-side-up. SLRs also use interchangeable lenses. Spot Metering AE An exposure setting based on a small circle at the center of the frame – approximately 3.5% of the total area of the frame. Often used to properly expose a person’s face when there is a bright background. System Camera

A camera that can be modified by changing its components.

Tilt-Shift Lens A Lens that can be Tilted or Shifted relative to the Sensor so that it changes normal perspective. Used to eliminate normal perspective distortions that are common in regular lenses. Performs the same function as the adjustments for the Front-Standard in a Large-Format View Camera. View Angle The angular expanse of the area visible through the viewfinder for a particular lens. It can be measured horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Viewfinder

A device that allows the photographer to view and compose his image.

White Balance Color calibration for digital cameras based on light source. Standard settings include Daylight, Shade, Fluorescent, and other typical light sources. Most accurately set using an 18% neutral gray card. The Following Definitions are LENS-Manufacturer Specific and therefore, no additional terms will be defined.

Canon Lenses DO (Diffractive Optics) Compacts glass elements while keeping chromatic aberration at a minimum. An example is Canon’s EF 70-300 mm DO lens which is relatively small and light when compared to lenses with a similar zoom range. DW-R (Dust and Water Resistant) Most L-series lenses have this construction which allows for shooting in rainy and snowy weather as well as other harsh conditions, such as sandy beaches or humid jungles.

FP (Focus Preset)

Focus distance is preset and instantly returned to.

FT-M (Full Time Manual focus) Autofocus is engaged.

Manual Focus adjustments can be made even when

IS – (Image Stabilizer) Employs a series of sensors and a high-speed microcomputer to measure the vibrations and apply corrections with a specialized lens group. Most useful when shooting hand-held at low light. Should be turned off when using a tripod. IS on/off switch is located on the body of a lens. I/R (Inner and Rear Focusing) Focusing is accomplished with the movement of internal lens groups, eradicating extension and rotation of the front lens element. This creates improved compactness and eases filter use. L-series (Luxury) Canon’s top-of-the-line lenses. Identified by a red line around the front element of the lens. Image quality is second to none. Typically heavy and expensive. Macro Lenses

Can focus at extremely close distances.

STM – (Stepper Motor) Used for focusing during video recording. Better than USM at producing smooth, precise, incremental movements needed for video capture, but slower at focusing during photo capture. TS-E (Tilt-Shift with an electromagnetic diaphragm) perspective and Depth-of-Field. Manual focus only.

Moves Focal Plane to control

USM – (Ultrasonic motor ) Autofocus faster and quieter than AF lenses. Also draws less power from the camera than AF lenses .

Nikon (Nikkor) Lenses AF Autofocus. AF-I (Auto Focus-Internal)

Found in older Nikkor lenses and is inferior to AF-S system.

AF-S (Auto Focus – Silent) Uses “Silent Wave Motor” which focuses faster and quieter than typical AF lenses. Equivalent to Canon’s USM system. CRC (Close-Range Correction)

Lens elements can move independently resulting in better

focusing ability at close distances. D (Distance/Dimension) Conveys focus distance information to camera’s computer which then calculates correct exposure. Not supported by all Nikon Cameras. DX Mount For use on cameras with APS-C sized sensors. Is typically cheaper, smaller and lighter than FX Lenses. Fits Cropped-Frame Cameras only. ED (Extra-low Dispersion) Minimizes chromatic aberration while effectively improving color correction and sharpness. FX (F-mount)

For use on Full-Frame Cameras. Will fit any Canon SLR.

G Must be used with Nikon DSLR body that can adjust lens aperture via the camera’s command dial. IF (Internal Focusing) Similar to Canon’s I/R system. Found in most modern Nikon’s telephoto and zoom lenses. Micro

For macro photography.

N (Nano Crystal Coat) Internal elements coated with a nano crystal solution which eliminates reflections created by most wavelengths. This produces better quality images. PC-E (Perspective Control with an electromagnetic diaphragm) Similar to Canon’s TS-E lenses. Creates improved compactness.

RF (Rear Focusing)

SIC (Super Integrated Coating) SWM (Silent Wave Motor) VR (Vibration Reduction)

Multilayer coating minimizes lens flare and ghosting.

Uses ultrasonic traveling waves during lens autofocus process. Similar to Canon’s Image Stabilization (IS) system.

Sigma Lenses: APO (Apochromatic) APS (Aspherical)

Similar to Nikon’s ED technology.

Similar to Canon’s DO.

DC For cameras with APS-C sized sensors. Similar to Canon’s EF-S and Nikon’s DX mounts. DG Similar to Canon’s EF and Nikon’s FX mounts. DN For use with mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras and will not fit typical SLRs. EX (Excellence)

Similar to Canon’s L lenses.

Keeps front element of a lens from rotating. Especially useful when

HF (Helical Focusing) using filters.

HSM (HyperSonic Motor)

Similar to Canon’s USM and Nikon’s AF-S systems.

OS (Optical Stabilization)

Similar to Canon’s IS and Nikon’s VR functions.

RF and IF Comparable to Canon’s I/R and Nikon’s IF technologies.

Tamron lenses: Similar to Sigma DG

Di (Digitally Integrated) Similar to Sigma DC

Di II Di III

Similar to Sigma DN

IF Internal Focusing. LD Low Dispersion elements. PZD (Piezo Drive)

Similar to Sigma HSM

SP (Super Performance)

Similar to Canon’s L lenses.

USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)

Like Canon’s USM and Nikon’s AF-S technologies.

VC (Vibration Compensation)

Comparable to Canon’s IS and Nikon’s VR.

Tokina Lenses: AS (Aspherical Optics) distortion.

Corrects for aspherical aberration as well as light quality and

AT-FX Similar to Canon’s EF and Nikon’s FX mounts. AT-X Pro

A line of lenses created with extra attention to quality for professionals.

DX Similar to Canon’s EF-S and Nikon’s DX mounts. FC (Focus Clutch) modes.

Allows for switching the lens between auto focus and manual focus

FE (Floating Element)

Corrects astigmatism from minimum-focus distance to infinity.

F&R (Advanced Aspherical Optics) Provides even illumination in the corners and correction of spherical aberration throughout the entire image. HLD (High-Refraction and Low-Dispersion) Helps to eliminate chromatic aberration in wide-angle lenses. IF

Internal Focusing system.

MC (Multi-Coating) quality.

Helps to eliminate lens elements’ surface reflections improving image

SD (Super-low Dispersion) X

Eliminates chromatic aberration.

Lenses for typical consumers. Usually lighter and cheaper.

Zeiss Lenses: T* Indicates anti-reflective coating which improves image quality in numerous lighting conditions. ZA Compatible with Sony’s Alpha mounts. ZE Compatible with Canon’s EF mounts. ZF.2

Compatible with Nikon’s F mounts.