A Better Photograph

WE'VE MOVED

2009-05-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

Effective May 10, 2009, we have moved the blog to a new server. Please bookmark our new site, http:www.abetterphotograph.com, and visit us there.

Thanks!

Adding spontaneity to make great portraits

2009-04-08T04:05:00.000-07:00

One way to make family portraits feel more real is to keep shooting well after the posed image you set up.

I've talked about it before, but one of the reasons why shooting digitally is so great is that you don't have film and processing costs. All you have is a memory card, which can be reformatted and reused. So after you have shot the picture of your favorite people in a pretty location, keep shooting when they sit down and relax.

In this example, I sat next to my friend Paul and his son Parker, and actually held the camera down low near the ground. I used a zoom lens set at 35mm, set the auto-focus on a wide spread pattern covering all the focus points and just clicked away while they played. Because both of them were focused on enjoying their moment together, the images were much more relaxed, spontaneous and intimate.

Using color to make great portraits

2009-03-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to shoot portraits, and at the same time you want to make one that is unique. So in sizing up the opportunity, besides looking at the features of the person you are shooting, try to take other things into account to make the image special.

In this case, I certainly wanted to make an image of Tasha's warm, smiling face. But where to place her? When I looked around, I found this wonderful melon colored wall that worked well as a background. Certainly it was nice because it was a simple background and allowed the eye to focus on her face and not be distracted by other elements like texture or pattern. But the real key is that the wall is the complimentary color to the aqua dress she was wearing, so it makes the whole image pop.

So when you are shooting a portrait, look for color to help you make an image that is unique.

Control Depth of Field to Take Better Photographs

2009-02-27T03:44:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest shifts I encourage my students is to make in their growth as photographers is to take control of the camera functions. In the early stages of shooting, many people rely on the camera's automatic exposure controls capability. They set the camera on Program mode, and shoot away.

One of the first steps in taking creative control in evolving your vision is deciding what the viewer's eye will focus on. Depth of field is one of the tools in accomplishing that. Simply put, depth of field is the distance in front of, and behind the point your focus on that is in focus. A photograph shot at a wide open aperture like f2.8 will have less depth of field than an image shot at a small aperture like f16.

In this example, my interest is in having the viewer look at the texture of the wooden buggy at a historical site. In the image above, the aperture is set at f2.8, so the focus is quite shallow. The background is blurred and the eye focuses on the corner near the wagon wheel. But in the image below, notice that using a small aperture of f16 allows the rocks and winter grass in the background to compete with the main subject because they are much sharper.

So my recommendation is that when you are making an image, think about what you want the viewer to see, and use depth of field as an ally to accomplish that.

Available light photography vs on camera flash

2009-02-16T15:48:00.000-08:00

Most point and shoots have an auto flash setting so that when you are indoors, it simply guesses the best exposure. But that's not always the way to go.

For example, if your subject is near a window, you could raise the ISO setting, and shoot with the available light. The advantage is that unlike the small point source of the on-camera flash, you will have a large broad, palnterly light source.

And the second advantage is that instead of the flatness rendered by a light coming right from the camera (see the image below), you can position your subject so that you have directional lighting in the image. The result is that there is a more three dimensional quality to the photograph.

Obviously, this would not work if it were very dark inside, but when the light levels allow, try this technique for some lovely results.

Making good photographs in bad weather

2009-02-08T16:43:00.001-08:00

Shooting on location is not all blue skies and dramatic color. Sometimes, you are in a great location, but the weather is bad. But should that stop you from looking for opportunities for images?

In fact, bad weather creates a whole new set of possibilities for pictures. And here's a good example. I was in New York recently, and the weather was overcast with rain showers. Certainly I could have just kept my head down under my umbrella and scurried from one dry interior to another.

But the wet streets and the shapes of the umbrellas of the passers-by was intriguing. And because the light level was so low because of the rain, I could shoot at slow shutter speeds giving me the opportunity to create a sense of activity and movement.

Getting great winter photographs

2008-12-15T04:28:00.000-08:00

One of the challenges of getting great winter photographs is the lack of color in a snow covered scene. The world is mostly white with muted shades of browns, which can be exciting if you are shooting black and white pictures. But what if you are shooting color?

I find one of the best solutions is to shoot either at sunrise or sunset, where you get get the warm light associated with those times to add strong, dramatic accents to a colorless world. The added advantage of shooting sunrise is that there will be less footprints in the snow to break up the pristine quality of the scene.

Great fall photographs

2008-10-17T07:05:00.001-07:00

Fall is one of the most exciting times to be out shooting landscape images because of the spectacular color found in the trees dotting the hillsides. Here's one tip for getting a great photograph when you get out there.

When you are surveying the opportunities while you are hiking or driving, look for situations where the trees are backlit. That's because the added contrast of the leaves being lit from behind will make them more luminous, add more depth, and makes the color pop off the page. Just look at this example to see what I mean.

WHAT TO PACK FOR A PHOTO TRIP PART IV

2008-08-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things I've been able to shed from my pack when I head out the door to shoot with a digital camera. Color compensating filters, for example, used to adjust the color of how film sees light in different conditions is easily replaced by one of two methods. You can either use preset or custom white balance settings in shooting to affect how the sensor reads the existing light, or shift the color in post production with the color balance adjustment layer in Photoshop.

But one thing I still carry for digital photography is my polarizer filter. Yes, there are some Photoshop plug-in filters that emulate it, but I still prefer to have the real thing in my camera bag. Why? Well, a polarizer is a great tool for making a sky look darker and richer than what the scene would look like without. The effect is particularly noticeable when you are shooting a subject that is in the shade, but the sky is still visible. That's because you are opening up the exposure from the full light exposure to capture detail in the shaded areas. But along with that, you are lightening the sky. Using a polarizer compensates for that overexposure of the sky, and makes it look more natural. Just compare the image above with a filter, to this image below that does not have one.

But be aware that a polarizer works at it's best when aiming 90 degrees from the sun. Shooting into the sun, or directly opposite will have no effect. In between, the effect increases as you approach the full 90 degree differential. In this example, I am shooting with the sun in the eastern sky close to sunrise, and I am shooting straight south.

WHAT TO PACK FOR A PHOTO TRIP, PART III

2008-08-27T05:38:00.000-07:00

When it comes to lenses to carry on a trip, it's good to have a range so you can cover a variety of situations. And with today's technology, zoom lenses often come close to or match the quality of prime, fixed focal length lenses.

If you are shooting digitally, you want to keep in mind the camera sensor factor before choosing a lens. A 17-35mm lens for a full frame chip becomes a 27-56mm lens when used with a smaller chip with a 1.6X factor. That's a significant difference in coverage, and if you love to shoot wide angle, it's something to consider.

The same effect is a consideration when choosing which telephoto lens to take. A 70-200mm zoom becomes a 112-320mm lens when used with a chip with a 1.6X factor.

I always try to pack as light as possible, but insure that I have a bit more focal length range than I think I will need if I can fit the extra lens in my bag and am willing to carry the extra weight. I might think I am only going to be shooting broad landscape images that show scale and intimacy, but along the way, I might be surprised by a scene where a telephoto lens makes a more succinct statement, as the image at the top exemplifies.

WHAT TO PACK FOR A PHOTO TRIP, PART II

2008-08-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

Visiting in more detail the overview article I wrote on what to pack for a photo trip, I want to cover the specifics group by group. So in this article, I'm going to talk about the items in the camera gear group, which are:

1-Camera
2-Camera manual.
3-Wide angle zoom lens (minimum 24-70, possibly 14-35 as well)
4-Telephoto lens 70-200mm
5-Lens extender 1.4X
6-Polarizing filter
7-Graduated neutral density filter
8-Filter holder
9-Lens cleaning solutions (bulb brush, lens cleaning tissue or microfiber cloth, and fluid)
10-Tripod and cable release (optional)
11-Portable flash (some cameras have these built in)

In this brief article, I want to talk about the value of taking the camera manual on location.

These new digital cameras are computers, and they have tremendous capabilities. Even for someone who has been in the business for years, I sometimes find it a bit overwhelming when I get a new camera. So my suggestion is to be sure to take your manual along until you know the camera functions inside and out.

It's a bit like loading film onto darkroom spools, or loading 4x5 film into holders in the dark. You want to be able to do things without even thinking about them. I would suggest practicing the possible scenarios you might be faced with before you go out to shoot.

Make sure you understand how to set the camera to shutter priority mode, aperture priority mode, change the metering mode, change the auto focus points in the viewfinder, add exposure compensation, how to playback images and how to zoom in on them to check focus and composition. And bring the manual along in case you forget these things, or need access to a more obscure function.

Hesitating because you do not know how to make the camera do something will result in missed images. Avoid the frustration, and carry your manual.

WHAT TO PACK FOR A PHOTO TRIP

2008-08-25T04:12:00.000-07:00

Whether going out for a one day excursion around town, or traveling overseas for an extended photo expedition, the key is making sure you have the right gear so you can capture those great images.

Let's start with the photo equipment itself. This pertains to 35mm gear. Lens choices in larger formats would be different.

Camera
Camera manual
Wide angle zoom lens (minimum 24-70, possibly 14-35 as well)
Telephoto lens 70-200mm
Lens extender 1.4X
Polarizing filter
Graduated neutral density filter
Filter holder
Lens cleaning solutions (bulb brush, lens cleaning tissue or microfiber cloth, and fluid)
Tripod and cable release (optional)
Portable flash (some cameras have these built in)

SPECIFIC TO DIGITAL CAMERAS
Charger and an extra battery
Memory cards
Card reader
Laptop with DVD burner, back up hard drive or photo storage solution

SPECIFIC TO FILM CAMERAS
Film of various ISO ratings
Color compensation filters and filter holder
Extra batteries

GRIP EQUIPMENT AND MISCELLANEOUS
Gaffers tape
Rain protection
Chamois or soft cloth to dry off camera gear
GPS for noting locations (some cameras are coming with this built in)
Notepad or voice recorder to help with cataloging images later (some cameras have microphones built in)
Guidebooks, maps or other research material for the location
Food and water
Good shoes that can support the extra weight, and keep you comfortable

TAKE GREAT PICTURES IN CLOUDY WEATHER

2008-08-22T05:42:00.000-07:00

More often that we might like, we end up at a location where the opportunities for photographs are quite good, but the weather is not. An overcast sky that is uniformly grey can be a big damper in creating beautiful scenics, so what do you do?

One possibility, of course, is the shoot the scene and add a sky later in post production. Although this can be successful in some situations, you have to be careful that the sky you add looks believable.

The other option is to look for photographs that do not include the sky, thus eliminating the lackluster quality it brings to the image making process. The first thing I would suggest is to look for a composition that shows as much of the landscape as possible without including the sky.

This is also great time to hone your observation skills, and zoom in on details. Start looking for parts of the landscape that are interesting, things like streams, rock formations, flowers. All can be great subjects in the soft light the overcast sky provides. For example, the lower light level means you can shoot with slower shutter speeds to get motion blur in a stream. And the same soft light allows you to see patterns in rock formations without the harsh contrast (and shadows) created by a sunny sky.

Using Open Shade to Make Better Photographs

2008-08-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

Often, we have an opportunity to take a spontaneous photograph of a friend outdoors, on a bright sunny day. If the sun is high up in the sky, it's easy to end up with a picture where the person's eyes are in deep shadow, and they are squinting.

When a situation like that arises, it's time to look around for open shade. Maybe there is a tree close by that you can put the person under, or a doorway they can stand in (as in the example above).

Or maybe there is an overhang on a building. In the situation below, I put the subject just behind where the sun would have hit her face directly under the roofline of the shed. That way, the exposure was still at a high enough shutter speed that I could hand hold the camera, but I could get the benefit of the soft light provided by the overhang.

Whatever the options, look for opportunities to get your subject out of the harsh, overhead light, and into open shade. The results will certainly be worth the extra effort.

Depth of Field

2008-05-25T06:08:00.000-07:00

One of the most important concepts to understand is depth of field, which is the distance in front of, and behind the subject that will be sharp in relation to where you focus. The general rule of thumb is that the greater the ƒ-stop number, the more depth of field you will have. So, for example, at ƒ22 you will have a lot more in focus in front of, and behind your subject than you will at ƒ4.

The benefit of understanding this, is that different subjects benefit from using more or less depth of field. Landscapes, for example, benefit from greater depth of field because you can keep the foreground and background sharp. So you can keep a rock in the foreground in focus, as well as the mountains in the background.

But for portraits, the reverse is generally true. Although in environmental portraits there may be an interest in keeping the surroundings sharp, for the most part, we want to separate our subject from the background as much as possible. So shooting with a shallow depth of field is the way to go.

Just look at this portrait, taken on a basketball court. The important thing here is the personality and expression of the person, so allowing the background to go soft is a great solution.

But what if even shooting wide open (in this case, ƒ4) leaves some areas sharp because they are in the same plane of focus as the subject?

In this case, I duplicated the background layer, used guassian blur on the duplicate layer, then added a mask and protected the person’s face.

Look at the difference in this detail snapshot.

The result is that I’ve added more separation between the person, and the distracting pattern of the fence.

Add Some Romance

2008-05-24T06:21:00.001-07:00

Digital imaging can be powerful ally in many cases for rendering fine detail. But sometimes, it’s just too clinical.

I was shooting a video with a dancer, and between takes, she sat down to adjust her shoes. My eye immediately saw the wonderful play of light on her form, and I asked her to wait for a moment while I grabbed a still camera. We shot just five frames, and then we went back to shooting video.

When I brought the image I liked best into Photoshop, I felt like I had captured the light and composition the way I wanted. But it seemed to me that there was too much detail information in the floor that in the end distracted from the feeling I wanted to convey.

The quick solution was to use the Vignette Blur filter in NIK Color Efex 3.0 to soften the background and keep the focus on the dancer.

Just compare the original image below to the one above. I think you’ll agree that adding a little romance helped make a more pleasing image.

Photosynth

2008-05-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

Check out this amazing new technology http://www.flixxy.com/photosynth-digital-photography.htm.

I can see some incredible possibilities, especially for photographer's websites, cataloging, and location scouting.

Photographing sculpture

2008-05-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

With summer vacations coming up soon, lots of us will be visiting museums in far away cities. We’re bound to be surprised, impressed or possibly even amused by some the work we see, and may want to bring home photographs of the inspiring piece.

Such was the case recently, when I saw the work of sculptor Patrick Dougherty, who fashions tree branches into amazing structures. Sometimes the work is free-standing, but often he weaves his work into existing landscapes and the results are simply remarkable. Just take a look at some of the images, and videos at his website, www.stickwork.net.

This display of his work is at the Museum of Outdoor Art in Englewood Colorado. The museum is adjacent to a business office park, so there is a wonderful relationship between the primordial quality of the sculpture, and the surrounding environment. And it seemed important to show that. So although the first photograph, where the piece is centered in the frame, may be a better summation of the sculpture itself, shifting the framing so that some of the building show in the background give both contrast and context.

Next, I wanted to show the rhythm and sense of movement Patrick builds into his work. The view above has a sense of flatness to it, and really doesn’t have the kinetic quality of the work you feel when you are in its presence, so I moved to an oblique angle, and changed to a wider angle lens. I also experimented with shooting from eye level, and ground level to see if one or the other enhanced the sense of movement, scale or height.

I also wanted to show the relationship of the sculpture to the existing environment, so I moved to an even more oblique angle where you could see the way in which the work was woven into the existing trees.

Finally, I wanted to show the texture of the sculpture, so I moved in closer, and made several graphic compositions that highlighted the tactile quality of the piece.

It’s no different if you are shooting the Michelangelo “David” in Florence, or for that matter, the Parthenon in Athens. Take your time to play with camera angle and lens focal length to create an intimate representation of the art before you. That way, when you return home, you will have images that evoke the experience fully when you look at them in the weeks, months or years that follow.

Flip it

2008-05-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

It's not uncommon for a situation to present itself where there are simple graphic elements that make a wonderful composition. But at the same time, since we do not control what already exists, we can only take the creative process so far in the capture stage with what is in front of our lens.

When I am given a situation like the one here, where a late spring storm reduces the elements to just the benches and the snow, I will work with lens choice and camera angle to make the composition as good as I can. Bu when I pull the image up on screen in Photoshop, I'll keep an open mind to what could make the image even stronger.

O of the concepts I often look at is the the way the eye moves through an image. There is a natural rhythm by which the eye enters a photograph, and leaves it, much as if we are reading text. For those of us who read from left to right, we look at visuals in the same way. So a composition that guides the eye into the image with ease from the left will be more pleasing than one that blocks that entry. And an image that keeps the viewer's eye within the image will have more impact than one that allows an easy escape.

Just look at the difference with how this image looks which the full bench on the left, and on the right.

The image with the bench on the left (which is how the scene really was), brings the eye in low in the left corner, and allows the eye to exit the image through the bench at the right. But by flipping the image, the eye is guided in high on the left, and naturally comes to rest at the full bench on the right. The result is that the eye lingers within the image to examine the details rather than pass through it.

So when you are looking at the composition of an image, take the time to flip it.

Waiting for the light

2008-04-30T05:01:00.001-07:00

The expression “patience is a virtue” is clearly evident in doing landscape photography. I often find that the difference between a pleasing image and a powerful image is simply waiting for the light to add drama to the scene. It could be taking the time to allow a cloud to create interesting patterns or shadows as it passes overhead, or waiting for the sun to drop behind a rock to highlight a feature in the scene you are capturing.

Just look at the difference between the image below, and the image above. Though taken just a couple of minutes apart, a cloud passing overhead takes a picture that looks a bit flat, and creates more focus on the central part of the rocks in the image above. The result is that the eye is guided to the texture and shapes of the rocks in a better way, and this makes for a more impactful image.

Here’s another example. When I first saw this scene, and snapped the first picture, the light was flat. By waiting a few minutes for an opening in the clouds and allowing the light to travel across the land until it illuminated the rocks, I got better separation of the rock surfaces and greater depth overall.

There are times were we have to hurry, but when shooting landscapes, having patience to wait for the light is clearly worthwhile.

The Biggest Filter

2008-04-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Often, I when I am teaching a workshop and ask why people are attending, someone will say “I take pictures, but I don’t seem to get in an image what I had in my mind at the time I did the shoot.”

This person is not alone in their lament. The reality is that the brain does an amazing job of filtering what we see, and thus what we end up with may not match the vision we had when we were attracted to a situation. True, there are other things that influence the image you end up with, such as cropping, angle of view, and choice of lens, just to mention a few.
But one of the biggest factors is how our brain edits the external and forces it into the box our desires have created for the fulfillment of our photographic ideals, whatever they may be.

I’m amazed at how often I drive by a location, and see a wonderful opportunity, only to return and find out there were power lines disrupting the clean lines of a building. Or a fire hydrant marring the simple lines of a street scene.

In this situation, I was driving on a one way street that had three lanes of traffic, and I was in the far left lane. I noticed a building on the right side of the street that had several fruit trees in bloom, and the contrast of the pink flowers against the rust colored exterior wall was striking. I decided I would return the next day when I could make some time to spend shooting.

On my return, I parked my car on a side street, turned the corner and walked alongside the scene I was so enamored with. To my dismay, there were stakes holding the trees in place, so I could not shoot from the top to the bottom of the tree. There was even a utility box next to one of the trees.

This is the point at which I remind myself of the big brain filter I carry around with me, and laugh at myself. And it is also the time where I think about what it was that brought me to this place to photograph in the first place, and see if I can synthesize that into a different image that still made the same point.

True, it would have been lovely to get a whole tree framed by the rust colored wall, but how else could I frame the image to give that contrast of pink and purple, light and shadow? I started with a wide angle lens, and looked at including a number of branches and a bevy of blooms. As I continued, I moved to a telephoto lens and kept reducing the picture to the essence of color and tonal contrast. Here are some of the results.

Are they better or worse than the symmetrical composition of a full tree framed by the building I saw in my mind? I’ll leave that for the viewer to decide. But the exercise in examining the core reasons for wanting to shoot the image allowed me to get around the big brain filter and get the essence of the image I had in my mind. And that's the lesson I want to share.

Always ready

2008-04-21T08:50:00.001-07:00

I always have a camera with me. At least, a good point and shoot is in my daybag. But most of the time, I have a DSLR in the car with me. Here’s a good example of why I do it.

A late spring storm brought wet snow to our area, and beautiful coating of the white stuff on the branches of the trees. The look is completely different than that of mid winter, where the snow would not stick to the branches and just pile up below.

I was headed to a meeting, but stopped, grabbed this image, and continued on my way. It’s always good to be ready.

Texture

2008-04-10T06:49:00.000-07:00

Here’s a fun example of how to use texture to create an interesting image.

I was walking along a trail in the redrock country of Utah, surrounded on all sides by big, undulating stone shapes. By themselves, of course, they can be wonderful subjects. But when I saw this dead tree coming up from a group of rocks, the contrast in texture was stark, especially against the clouds that added yet a third texture.

Another treat was that there were three distinct values of light and dark (white in the clouds, midtones in the rocks, and near black in the tree) so there was great contrast as well. You’ll also note that I am using the rule of thirds, both horizontally in how I place the tree off to the right, and vertically by having the tree top two-thirds up the image.

The result is a nice convergence of simple elements where texture can be the hero of the image.

Photoshop’s Recovery and Fill Tool

2008-04-08T03:34:00.000-07:00

Photoshop CS3 has added two wonderful new features in Adobe Raw Converter. They are Recovery, for salvaging highlights, and Fill, for bringing out detail in the shadows.

Look at this example. The highlights are blown out, and the shadows plugged up. But by using the Fill slider, I was able to pull back information that seemed lost. And the Fill allowed me to pull a bunch of detail from the shadows.

Yes, some of this could have been handled a couple of other ways. I could have used Curves once the image was in Photoshop to help the shadows. Or, I could have done two conversions, one for highlight contro, one for shadow control, and then blended them as two layers in one file.

But with these new features, I can get a lot closer to where I want to be a lot faster, which means my workflow is improved.

Just take a look at the difference between the image above, which have the adjustments shown in this screenshot, and the image below that which is the straight conversion.

Here is the dialog box for the converter, with the settings I used.

Travels with Charlie

2008-04-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

Taking a great picture of your pet can be challenging. Here’s one tip I think is important when your friend has both dark and light features.

Getting a good exposure can be difficult if you shoot with direct sunlight (either front or side lit) on your pet. That’s because with the extreme contrast in that kind of lighting situation, either the shadows will be too dark, or the highlights will be blown out. The image below is exposed for highlight detail, and look how the shadows plug up.

The better solution is to have your subject backlit. That reduces the contrast so the film or digital sensor can handle the range of exposure from shadow to highlight. Also, it will create some nice highlights in the hair or fur at the back edges, separating your pet from the background and adding a sense of depth. The top photograph shows that approach.

Just look at the difference in this portrait of Charlie. And just think how much happier he was without having to squint!

Assembling an image to get the picture you pre-visualized

2008-03-25T04:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we just can't get the image we have pre-visualized in our mind. It could be that the elements we want are not in the same location at the same time. Or it could be that the elements are there, but circumstances are such that you cannot capture the correct lighting for each of the elements at the same point in time. Here's an example of that kind of situation, and how I still got the image I wanted.

I saw this wonderful contrast between old and new Las Vegas one afternoon, and wanted to capture it in as dramatic a way as possible. I decided that the most interesting way would be to shoot it at dawn, when the neon lights of the old Greek Isles would still be lit, but the advancing sunrise would start to illuminate the glass of the new Wynn Tower with warm light, since it faced northeast. Unfortunately, when I went there the following morning, I discovered an interesting problem. The timers on the neon lights were set to shut the lights off at 6:40 AM, but the sun did not put really great color into the glass until 7:27AM. That meant that the image could not be created in one exposure because if I exposed for the neon,the building would be nearly black, and if I shot when the sunlight was right on the building, the neon would be off, creating a flat, lifeless image.

The way I solved the problem was to make sure I got the perfect exposure for the neon in one exposure, and then continue shooting to capture the perfect reflection on the glass. Once I had those, I could merge them in two separate layers in Photoshop, and end up with the image I had in my mind when I first saw the opportunity. In the end, though, I found an exposure of the sky shot somewhere between these two key elements that I thought added more depth, and used that as the sky for the final photograph.

So ultimately, I used three separate exposures to make the image. Here's what the layers looked like in the assembled file, showing the various files, and levels and curves adjustments to make the image pop. One suggestion I would make is to label your layers so that if you have to come back, you know what each one is and what it does. Here, I've labeled the image numbers that I am using with their file number, and the fact that the levels and curves are overall adjustments.

Here is what the layer for the building looked like with a mask so that the sunlit building will come through in the final.

Here is what the layer for the sky looked like with a mask so that the sky comes through in the final.

Here's the assembled image, but without the final levels and curves tweak seen in the image at the top of the article (and repeated below for easy comparison). You can see how adding these two layer adjustments makes the image come alive.

Look behind you

2008-03-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

I was reminded on my recent shoot in Las Vegas of a simple but valuable truth. It’s good to look behind you. Of course there is the obvious safety reasons when you might endanger yourself by stepping back and either losing your footing, or backing up into a barrel cactus (yes, I’ve done that).

But in this case what I am talking about is looking for opportunities for images. Most times, we get absorbed in watching the light at sunrise as it illuminates the view to the west. Maybe it’s a snow covered mountain, or a reflective building. There’s magic going on, and we get hypnotized by the ever changing quality and color of the light as it progresses second by second.

What I want to suggest to you, though, is that when there is amazing light out in front of the lens, often times there is equally exciting light behind you. Sure, you could be looking back at a beautiful sunrise and the way it illuminates the clouds. But if you look at an oblique angle, you may find unique opportunities by isolating objects. Here is an example of the view looking East North East from the same spot where I was shooting west to the building in the image shown above. So always remember this simple idea to look behind you. It will reward you with great images you did not expect.

Photographing neon

2008-03-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to Las Vegas, I spent a lot of time photographing the neon signs downtown. There are some wonderful examples of mid century artistry all in a few block radius, and they hold great promise for beautiful images.

The key to a successful photograph here is to strike a balance between the light emitted by the signs and the ambient daylight so you can maintain a sense of the environment the signs are in. The way to do that is to shoot close to dawn or dusk when both the exposure for the lights and the ambient light for the sky and surrounding structures match. That means that you want to get to your location right around sunrise or sunset (depending on the background environment), do your scout, and find the spot you want to shoot from. I’d suggest bringing a tripod, since the exposures can be from 1second to 5 seconds long, depending on the situation, with an ISO of 100. If you don’t have a tripod with you, you could hand hold, but be sure to use a high ISO so you keep your shutter speeds up above 1/60 second. Maybe look for a surface to brace your camera against, like a wall or tree.

Because the window for when the two kinds of light are aligned to make a great exposure is small, you may have to return to the area to make images of other signs.

You have a couple of choices for setting white balance. You could go with daylight balance, and let the image take on a warm glow. Or you could set the camera to tungsten balance, which would make the sky go much bluer, or flourescent, which would make the sky go more magenta. Try playing around with the white balance settings, and see what is the most interesting to you.

Either way, if you are shooting at dawn, start 10 to 15 minutes before sunrise, and watch your histogram for when the sky or background gets too light, and the neon is no longer vibrant in color. Here are a few examples.

Notice the great saturation in the signs, the buildings and the sky.

Notice how there is a loss of saturation in all the key areas just a few minutes later.

Here's another example.

Notice the wonderful detail in the white bulbs and saturation of the sky.

Notice the loss of information in the bulbs, and the effect the ambient light is having on the neon itself as the sky gets brighter.

If you choose to shoot at the end of the day, start to shoot maybe ten minutes after sunset to see what the ambient light balance is. Look at your histogram to see how you are doing. As it gets darker, increase the pace of shooting, as the window for when the correct exposure for the lights, and the correct exposure for the ambient light will only be about ten minutes at most. You’ll know you are done when the sky is black, and the separation between it and the neon are lost.

The value of image stabilization

2008-02-24T07:09:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the greatest improvements in camera technology of late is image stabilization. Some camera companies have their system in the camera, some place it in the lens itself. Either way, the concept works really well.

In the past, the rule of thumb was that the lowest shutter speed you could handhold a camera at and not have movement was the inverse of the focal length of the lens you were working with. For example, if you were shooting with a 50 mm lens, you could shoot at 1/50 second. And if you were shooting with a 100 mm lens, you would have to shoot at 1/100 or higher. The problem with that is you might have or go to a faster film (or raise the ISO setting if shooting digitally). The sacrifice you made was increased grain with film, or noise with digital.

Well, with image stabilization a little gyro inside a lens, or mechanism inside the camera figures out how much shake you are introducing into the situation and compensates. The results are impressive, sometimes allowing you to shoot at shutter speeds four stops lower than without image stabilization.

Here are some examples I shot with a Canon 24-105 ƒ4L IS USM lens. If I were shooting this handheld without image stabilization, I would probably use 1/100 or 1/125 as my shutter speed. It’s a bit hard to see online, but when I look at the example at 1/30 there is definitely some softness from camera shake. At 1/15 and 1/8, it is quite noticeable. But with image stabilization turned on, even the exposure at 1/8 sec. is tack sharp. I’ve gained full four stops! Again, the advantage here is that you would not have to raise your ISO to capture an image where the light levels are low, or you need more depth of field. That means less noise in a digital file, or grain if you are shooting film and have to go to a faster one. And that translates into better photographs.

So if you have the option in purchasing cameras or lenses with this technology, I highly recommend looking into it.

Analysis of a shoot part II-The shoot day

2008-02-13T09:24:00.000-08:00

Having done the scout, I called the actor and asked him to meet me at the location at 7:30 AM, a little bit before the time when I think the light will be the most dramatic. When he arrives, we look at wardrobe, and we select something that feels casual, but elegant. Once he changes, we are in the window for light, and ready to go.

I start the shoot with him standing next to the edge of the building. Giving him a solid physical reference point is an easy way to get him warmed up since he has something he can lean against, and work off of.

The beginning of the session is, in my opinion, the most interesting part of the whole shoot because it’s when you establish the way you will work together. Not unlike meeting someone socially for the first time, it takes a little bit of time to get comfortable with each other, and understand how you will communicate. To get great images, it’s important to create a positive, encouraging environment where the subject is willing to relax, open up to the camera, and be creative.

I’ll generally start with things that don’t require a lot of the person, but are more about light and form. As we progress, I’ll encourage the subject, and compliment them on how they are performing. This invariably makes them more responsive, and as they soften, I’ll ask a bit more of them. “Smile. Make the expression more tender. Grit your teeth and make me feel like you are looking right through me.”

Giving good direction makes your subject feel confident that they are good hands, so even if you are not sure of what you want, make a suggestion with confidence. And if it doesn’t work, go on to the next idea. The key is to keep moving, and create a rhythm that propels you forward. All the while, look for the lighting, expressions and camera angles that will fulfill the concept you started with.

In the end, we worked for about two hours, feeling like we had explored all the possibilities the locations provided, and had a lot of fun along the way.

Analysis of a shoot part I-Concept and Scout

2008-01-26T17:47:00.000-08:00

How you approach a shoot clearly affects the images you get, so I thought it would be good to walk you through how I do a shoot from start to finish. The benefit is the same whether you are shooting a portfolio image for an actor, or intending to take a special picture of a friend or family member.

The first order of business is to come up with a concept for the image (or images) you are going to produce. What do you want to say about the person? Do you want to show their physical attributes? Their sense of humor? Their state of mind? I keep a reference file on my computer with images of paintings, sculptures and photographs that inspire me. The goal is not to copy, but rather to spur the thinking process.

Once you’ve got your idea in mind, think about the lighting and background that will serve those ideas best. Should the location be indoors or outdoors? Would hard or soft lighting be better?

Next, if I’m shooting on location, I’ll do a scout of potential sites. Sometimes you can set the shoot time based on the light at the location, but sometimes it is based on your subjects’ schedule. I take that into account in choosing the time of day to scout. I may not know a location at all, so in that case I will go there whenever it is convenient, and while shooting take good notes with compass headings and reference points. Many cameras have built in microphones, so I’ll shoot a picture, then say something like “Looking northeast from the the landing on the south side of the building, three feet from the left front edge of the first bench.” If the location is a broad landscape without a lot of obvious manmade landmarks, I’ll carry a GPS unit with me and mark the spots I shoot. In that case I would add “Shot at Waypoint 5.” New on the scene are devices that sync GPS positioning to specific images on your media card. I hope to test this technology and report on that soon.

Since I travel a lot, I also make sure I have the correct time set in my camera so I know when the scout picture was shot. All digital cameras will display the time and lens information in the EXIF files, so I can duplicate the look when I come back.

Since I did not know the actor I was going to shoot in advance, I set up a phone call in which we could talk a little bit about who he was, and how he was being positioned for roles. Based on that, I decided to shoot at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, where I could look for simple, graphic backgrounds that would give a sense of place, but make him the hero of the image. I always look for something people can relate to. That is, if I give them a wall or a tree, it gives them something to work with to create line and shape. It also makes it easier for talent to get into the session if they have a prop than if you have them just stand in open space.

Here are a few of the scout images.

Looking at the world with open eyes

2008-01-02T06:36:00.000-08:00

There are great opportunities for images all around us. So the key is to have a camera with you at all times. Jay Maisel, one of the titans of photography, is legendary for just that. And with ultra small point and shoot cameras, there’s no reason not to be prepared.

Over the holidays, we were fortunate to spend several days in a wonderful cabin high in the Colorado Rockies. One morning, just as a storm was breaking, I walked up to the kitchen window and saw this wonderful vignette.

Once captured, you could play with the image to create a mood. Here's the result of the photo filter adjustment found under Image-Image adjustment-Photo Filter in Photoshop. I used the 82 cooling filter.

Photographing Christmas Lights

2007-12-18T14:47:00.001-08:00

Photographing Christmas Light displays can be lots of fun. There are lots of creative variations on a theme in play here, so go out and explore your neighborhood. Or, plan ahead for your next year’s Holiday card by shooting your own display. Here’s what you need to know.

Generally, people wait to shoot until it is dark out, but that is too late. The lights may reproduce well in the photograph, but all the other detail in the image will be lost. The goal is to match the correct exposure for the lights with the ambient light at dusk so there is detail in the lights, and detail in the buildings and sky as well. That means that you want to get to your location right around sunset, do your scout, and find the spot you want to shoot from. I’d suggest bringing a tripod, since the exposures can be from 1second to 5 seconds long, depending on the situation, with an ISO of 100. If you don’t have a tripod with you, you could hand hold, but be sure to use a high ISO so you keep your shutter speeds up above 1/60 second. Maybe look for a surface to brace your camera against, like a wall or tree.

Frame the picture so you include some environment. A snow covered lawn creates a wonderful foreground that can reflect color, and the sky can give you a wonderful rich blue to compliment the reds and yellows of the bulbs.

You have a couple of choices for setting white balance. You could go with daylight balance, and let the image take on a warm glow.

Or you could set the camera to tungsten balance, which would make the sky go much bluer. This is a time tested approach to shooting at dusk, most notably practiced by the legendary photographer, Pete Turner. Take a look at his classic image called Road Song to see what I mean.

Either way, start to shoot maybe ten minutes after sunset to see what the ambient light balance is. Look at your histogram to see how you are doing.

As it gets darker, increase the pace of shooting, as the window for when the correct exposure for the lights, and the correct exposure for the ambient light will only be about ten minutes at most.

You’ll know you are done when the sky is black, and the separation between it and the buildings are lost.

Holiday Performances Part II

2007-12-16T16:37:00.000-08:00

O.K. You’ve shot the pre-production pictures as outlined in the last article, your talent is headed backstage, and you are back to your front row seats. Here are the important things to remember. First, double check to make sure your flash is not going to fire. It’s dangerous for the actors, and in most cases the distance from the stage is greater than the range of the flash anyway, so it won’t add to the lighting in any case. Kind of like using your flash at a football game.

Next, if you are shooting with a digital camera, set your ISO to somewhere between 800 and 1600, based on the lighting in the theatre. As always, keep in mind that the higher the ISO, the more noise you will see in the images. I find that in most cases, I can use ISO 1250 as the highest acceptable speed. But that’s my camera. Test yours in advance so you know your limit.

Now set your camera to Shutter Priority (TV), and choose a speed that will not give you camera shake. My recommendation would be 1/125 or 1/160. If you have steady hands you might be able to go to 1/100 or 1/80. Some of the newer cameras have anti-shake mechanisms built in, and that could be a big help too. Testing in advance will create a sense of ease during the show, knowing in advance what the results will be rather than worrying about what could go wrong.

Finally, if you camera has the capability to shoot in RAW format, select that, maybe in combination with a mid-sized jpg. The RAW format is like a digital negative that gives you some additional flexibility to adjust the image beyond what you can do with a jpg. So I always recommend shooting RAW.

As soon as the curtain goes up and the lighting is at production levels, shoot a picture, and check your histogram. As shown in earlier articles, the key is to make sure the shadows and highlights are not clipped. If the camera is doing a good job of metering, great. If histogram is not what it needs to be, use your exposure compensation button to make an overall adjustment. Then shoot another test image and check that histogram to see if the results are better. Continue to adjust until you have what you need.

If you are shooting film, go for a film with an ISO rating in the 800-3200 range. I would suggest a negative fim because it will have more exposure latitude than slide (transparency) film. Set your meter for matrix or evaluative metering, and off you go.

If your favorite actor is a principal player, great. There will be lots of opportunities to get close ups of them alone. But even if that is the case, I like to tell a story, and show some of the other action. So I would suggest shooting pictures that give a sense of the production itself.

Shoot some images that incorporate a group of the actors and shows the set, then move in closer by zooming in or changing to a longer lens. Now you can shoot images of just a couple of the players. And finally, do get those tight in shots that you know you’ll want to put in a frame and put on the wall or mantel.

Once you’ve covered the key elements of the story, and have your beauty shot, experiment! Try shooting with a slower shutter speed, maybe in the 1/8 to 1/30 range, to give a sense of the movement. Blurred images can have romantic, more unique look.

Holiday Performances Part I

2007-12-12T20:02:00.000-08:00

‘Tis the season for school performances, so here are a few tips for getting the best photographs of the little ones.

First, unless your kids are performing at Carnegie Hall or The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion where sears are reserved, you’ll want to get to the performance hall early to stake out a seat. The reality is that because you are not going to be allowed to use a flash (check you manual as to how to shut it off before you get to the hall), you are limited to shooting hand held. As a result, you need to shoot with as short a focal length lens as you can to minimize camera shake. The rule of thumb here is that you would set the shutter speed to the reciprocal of the lens focal length. So if you are shooting with a 200 millimeter lens, you would shoot at 1/200 of a second. All well and good if you are shooting outside. But shooting with the available light of a performance, even with a high ISO setting, it will be almost impossible to get to a 1/200 shutter speed. So that means you want to shoot with a 100-135mm maximum focal length. And that means you have to be pretty close to the stage to get close in a your favorite actor. So stake out your seat as close to the front as possible but above stage level so you can see the actor’s feet. And try to get as close to the center as you can. Volunteering to shoot another parent’s kids when they have the seat you want could be a great negotiating strategy. Have someone guard the seat for you so you can go to a great opportunity for images--make-up and wardrobe.

Assuming you’ve called in advance (or you are a major donor to the theatre department), you should be able to get access to the staging area. I recommend this highly, because there is a wonderful sense of vitality and spontaneity to this environment, and there are abundant opportunities for candid, journalistic images. Try taking close ups of makeup being applied, wardrobe going on or being adjusted, and the actors strutting their stuff.

Here are a few examples of this kind of image from a performance I shot recently.

In the next entry, I’ll talk more about shooting the actual performance.

Exposure Compensation in Snow

2007-11-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

As a more detailed explanation of the need to compensate when shooting in snow, here’s a good example.

Remember that all light meters give you an exposure that would place whatever is covered by it as 18% grey. So if the scene is mostly snow, the exposure will be underexposed significantly. The solution is to use the exposure compensation feature of your camera. On a point and shoot, it may be a little button you push on the back of the camera, and then rotate a dial. On a DSLR, like the Canon 40D the shutter button pushed half-way down, you simply rotate the dial on the back of the camera.

If you are shooting with film, you can start with a minus one stop setting and bracket a stop in each direction. If you are shooting with a digital camera, simply check your histogram to make sure the highlights don’t blow out. Experience will help guide you once your done this a bit.

Above is an example of what happened by just letting the camera decide exposure in shutter priority mode. The accompanying histogram below shows loss of detail in the shadows (whenever your histogram butts up to the left edge), and that the snow will appear grey (the highlight value is far away from the right edge).

Now here is an example increasing the exposure 2/3 of a stop. Notice in the histogram that all the shadow detail has been held, and the highlight values have increased to make the snow near white.

Winter Photography Tips

2007-11-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

Winter can be one of the best times to shoot outdoors, and the key to a successful shoot is being properly prepared. Here’s what you need to know.

Clothing

The key here is to dress in layers, wearing fabrics that will wick moisture away from the body (simply put, no cotton). The concept of layering is that you can dress on the light side when you are exerting your hiking into a location and raising your temperature, but have more layers to add once you are just standing around waiting for the perfect light.

I generally start with a polypro turtleneck, a fleece vest or jacket on top of that, then a water and windproof shell as the outer layer. Bottoms are again layered, first with polypro tights, then fleece, then a pair of waterproof pants. Venting zippers on the jacket and pants are valuable for regulating body temperature, Hats are an important defense against losing body heat, and I have a range of hats and headbands available for different weather conditions, including a down face mask for the extreme situations.

Interestingly, I’ve found the key to staying warm is to make sure my feet stay warm. Depending on the temperature and depth of snow, I would at least wear a pair of waterproof hiking shoes with wool or fleece socks. When it gets colder, I’ll move to boots that have wool or synthetic liners. And on really cold days, I’ll go to “Mickey Mouse” boots that have a layer of air between the footbed and the exterior . When the snow depth gets to be an issue, I’ll couple any of these boots with gaiters to keep the snow from getting in between the boots and pants.

Next is dealing with your hands, and again I suggest having multiple solutions. At a minimum, I’ll use a thin pair of polypro glove liners with sticky lines or dots to maintain good tactile ability. From there, I might layer a pair of fingerless fleece gloves on top of them. Next might be a waterproof shell if it is snowing. Another option would be fleece mittens with flaps that open back to fingerless gloves below.

The last two items that are critical for shooting in the snow are sunscreen and sunglasses. Snow will reflect the light back into your face, and it is easy to get sunburned in a short amount of time. But it’s not only your sking to be concerned about. Early on, I did an assignment for a ski resort, shooting most of the day facing into the sun while I skied backward capturing the action. The next day I could barely open my eyes. Now I shoot with glacier glasses, and as odd as it seems, it is well worth it for the protection they give.

Equipment

Probably the most important issue, especially now with digital cameras, is battery power. Cold weather saps the energy of batteries, so be sure to have backups with you. I generally keep these in pockets close to my body so they stay warm. Hand warmers, available at sporting goods stores, can be valuable here as well. If it is really cold, I may tuck my camera inside my coat to keep it warm as well.

Be prepared to protect your camera and accessories from weather. There are some great rain hoods and waterproof casings out there, but you can also use baggies to keep things dry. They’re also valuable in keeping condensation off your gear when you bring it inside. But keep in mind that condensation forms on the outer most layer, so if you have your equipment inside a camera bag or backpack, that would not be an issue.

A microfiber cleaning cloth or chamois is always good to have to keep things dry. And if it’s snowing, and I have the room, I’ll even carry a small umbrella so there is some distance between the lens and the first flakes of snow captured in the image.

One thought is to work with a waterproof camera in snowy situations. There are several point-and-shoot models out there, and they take the worry out of winter shooting as long as you are not planning on large blow ups from the images you create.

If you are shooting close to sunrise or sunset, you’ll probably want a tripod along with you. My recommendation would be to use one made of carbon fiber for two reasons. First, they are lighter, and equally important, do not suck the heat out of your hands when you are working with them.

. Finally, a good backpack is helpful for carrying your gear, extra clothing, water and snacks. A backpack cover gives even more protection in keeping things dry, so those are recommended as well.

So, now that we are ready, what are some of the tips for shooting in winter? Here are the three key things to remember.

Watch your exposure

All light meters give you an exposure that would place whatever is covered by it as 18% grey. If you were to shoot a white card and a black card, the exposure for each would be exactly the same--mid grey. Try it sometime. How does that affect our shooting in winter? If you shoot a scene that is a mix of sky, trees and snow, maybe not that much, since you have a combination of light and dark values. But if the scene is all snow, the exposure will be underexposed significantly. The solution is to use the exposure compensation feature of your camera. If you are shooting with film, you can start with a minus one stop setting and bracket a stop in each directon. If you are shooting with a digital camera, simply check your histogram to make sure the highlights don’t blow out. Experience will help guide you once your done this a bit.

Watch your timing

Because light bounces off snow, shadows fill in quickly. So if you are shooting mid-day, the light is going to look uninteresting. The best time to shoot a landscape would be early or late, when the light is low, and there are nice shadows to give the image contrast.

Another good time to shoot landscapes is before sunrise and after sunset, when the light wraps around objects without harsh shadows. You can even play with color to give the sense of coldness by using tungsten based film or adjusting your white balance (for digital cameras).

Watch your light

If you are shooting a landscape that includes snow, look for angles that will show the texture. Shooting so that the sun is coming in from one side of the frame or the other would help, as would shooting with backlighting.

And if you are shooting portraits, best to position them so they are backlit so that they will not have dark eye sockets.

Lecture Room Photographs

2007-11-23T18:19:00.001-08:00

OK, so you go to a conference, and the speaker has valuable information to share, but you didn't take a class in court stenography beforehand. What to do? Use your point and shoot camera to take pictures of their Powerpoint or Keynote presentation. But before you do so, here's the important tip to make sure you get good results.

Because the room is dark, your camera, in auto or program mode will most likely try to use the onboard flash. The problem, though, is that the flash actually washes out the screen so it is harder to see the material.

The solution is to change your ISO to the highest number your camera is capable of (400-1600), and turn off the flash. Now set your camera to aperture priority mode, and set the aperture to it's widest opening (ƒ4 to ƒ5.1 is common), and shoot the photograph. Because you may be shooting at a lower shutter speed, be careful to hold the camera steady. The result will be an image that is much easier to read.

Rule of Thirds

2007-08-26T22:43:00.001-07:00

One of the keys to good composition is to understand how to frame what you see. A tried and true tool is the Rule of Thirds. If you were to divide the picture area into nine equal boxes, and then use the intersecting lines as guides for placing your subject, you’ll find it often creates a stronger composition.

Just take a look at the first image where the cyclist is centered in the image.

Now look at the second image with the rider is further to the left.

If we overlay the grids from the rule of thirds, you can see that the cyclist in the first photograph is in between grid lines. The image is missing something, and that is a sense of balance.

Now look at the second image with grid superimposed, and notice how the cyclist is now close to an intersecting line. The result is that it creates a more balanced image that gives the rider more impact. What’s great is that some cameras have a grid overlay as an option in your display menu, so you can take advantage of this great tip anytime you want.

A great book on this subject is Real World Digital Photography

Look for the Light

2007-08-26T22:30:00.001-07:00

Here's another situation where we come upon a wonderful visual opportunity. But sometimes the first place you see doesn't have the kind of light quality that makes for a great image. Here, because the light is coming from behind the building, there is nothing to help define the shapes.

By walking around the building (I went from the east facing side to the northwest facing side), I was able to take advantage of the late afternoon light to capture brilliant highlights and deep shadows that made the building much more three dimensional.
In fact, if I were to think about the five most important things to look for before creating an image, one of them certainly would be to scout your location carefully and observe how light falls onto your subject.

Keep It Simple

2007-08-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

It’s normal to want to take a picture of a beautiful scene you happen upon. You hop out of the car, and shoot a picture that takes in as much as you can see with your bare eyes. But most times, including too much hurts the composition because the viewer does not know what to focus on. Rather than having an immediate response to the image, the viewer’s eyes wander all over the frame trying to take it all in. Just look at this image to see what I mean.

The best solution is to simplify the number of elements in the image as in the image seen below. By driving a bit further, literally a few hundred yards, I found a spot where the elements were reduced to just four—sky, clouds, mountains and trees. The result is an image with more punch, and a stronger ability to hold the viewer's attention.

Look for Color

2007-08-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

There are so many ways to look at color. Of course there is the obvious scene bursting with vibrant, rich color like this image of an athlete.

But you also want to be on the lookout for times when color is subtle, even close to monochromatic. Here’s an example of how a foggy day can create soft, romantic light and a dramatic high key image. In fact, one of the best suggestions I can make to be grateful for rain, snow and fog. They create marvelous opportunities to capture color in unusual ways. Just be prepared to protect your equipment, and yourself, from the elements.

Watch Your Angle of View

2007-08-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

Changing your angle of view can have a big impact on your photographs. In the first example, the picture is shot from eye level, which would probably be the first inclination you would have in taking the photograph. And the subjects were just asked to stand in the field, also the simplest and most common approach that comes to mind in that situation. The result is that your subjects seem distant, not only because you are taking in so much visually, but also emotionally, since you are looking down on them.

But by asking the subjects to sit on the ground, bringing the camera down to just below their faces and coming in closer, you can create a more intimate, warm and engaging portrait. That's because by bringing the camera to below the subjects, you not only are looking up to them literally, but pychologically as well. It's a wonderful tool for creating emotional punch, one that works in the reverse as well. Shooting from an extreme high angle creates the pyschological impression of looking down on the subject.

So the next time you shoot a portrait, resist the urge to just point and shoot. Instead, have fun playing with the angle of view, either high or low, for more impact and to make more of a statement.