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August 31, 2010
photography questions & answers
Continuing with the monthly theme where I look at search engine queries,
and answer a selection of 10 questions more directly…
01) why two flashes with rear curtain sync?
TTL flash exposure is calculated with a pre-flash signal that the flashgun emits before the main burst of light. The main burst of light is what gives you (hopefully) correct exposure. But the camera needs some way of determining what that correct exposure should be. In order to do that, the camera measures the amount of light returned from that pre-flash. Looking at this diagram of the sequence of events when your shutter opens and your flash fires, you will see the pre-flash there:
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August 30, 2010
wedding photography – looking for the less obvious image
While waiting with the bride and her bridesmaids before the ceremony, their excitement made for good candid photos. But, as ever, I was on the look-out for the less obvious photo. Trying to find something unexpected …
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August 29, 2010
Flash Dedicado – Técnicas para fotografia de casamento e retrato
Estou muito feliz em anunciar que meu livro sobre técnicas de fotografia de flash flashes da câmera foi traduzido para Português e foi publicado no Brasil.
O livro é baseado nos artigos publicados neste site, mas o material foi clarificado, para uma abordagem coerente e completo para pegar o melhor de seu flash na câmera. Houve um cuidado especial para apresentar tudo isso com um fluxo lógico, com a intenção de que tudo vai progressivamente ajudar o leitor a alcançar uma melhor compreensão da fotografia com flash.
O livro pode ser encomendado a partir deste site.
Para todos os leitores Português do meu site, peço desculpas se a tradução do Google é involuntariamente engraçado.
Neil
Filed under: news — Neil vN @ 10:42 pm
August 26, 2010
on-location portraits – the progression of an idea
I had the pleasure of photographing musician Anne Drummond for her promotional portfolio. (I also happen to be photographing her upcoming wedding.) The photo above is one in a progressive sequence of images, moving towards a final few photographs that will work in this setting here …
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August 24, 2010
Photoshop Tips – retouching for portraits
When retouching portrait photographs, I have a certain look that I (currently) like – a slightly ‘polished’ look, but still natural. Definitely not ‘plastic’. With a few steps in Photoshop, and a few steps that I may or may not add, I can easily get to the styling in post-processing that I want. Some of the steps are specific, but others are added depending on taste or ‘feel’. Some of the steps involve Photoshop plug-ins which are essential for me …
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August 22, 2010
progression of an idea during a photo-session
This post was going to be something entirely different – a mini-review of an Elinchrom Ranger Quadra Set that I got hold of to try out. But a key part was missing. Without the Skyport that allows you to control the output of the unit from the camera itself, a review would be less useful. Having booked Priscilla as our model already, and my friend Richard along to assist, we decided to just go ahead and have fun with a photo-shoot anyway …
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August 21, 2010
positioning your subject – direction of light & choice of background
Taking cover from the rain under this awning, we ended up in the same spot where I took this available light portrait posted here previously. Looking along the wall at the same angle, the black paint of the wall reflected the light from behind, completely changing the character of the background. Since the available light was low level, and not flattering, we added some light from an off-camera flash in a softbox …
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August 20, 2010
posing your subject – direction of light & choice of background
Reinforcing the ideas from a few previous posts,
we’re going to look at that intersect where everything comes together:
- direction of light,
- choice of background,
- posing your subject,
- positioning yourself.
When we work with our subject – whether a family member or a model or anyone we’re photographing – then we have the opportunity to control at least a few aspects to make the final photograph more successful …
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August 18, 2010
wedding photography – best lenses
With this recent review of the Nikon 24mm f1.4 the question came up about which lenses I use when photographing a wedding, and how I use them.
How do you juggle the various lenses you have for weddings and decide which ones to bring to a wedding and when to use them? Do you carry them all and just use them when you feel, or do only take specific lenses knowing what the wedding/venue will be like and know in advance that you will certain lenses at various times during the day?
Choosing which lens to use while photographing a wedding, is obviously an extension of your own style. It affects how you want to portray your subject, or the scene, through choice of depth-of-field, perspective and angle of view … or even through some special effect, such as a fish-eye lens or tilt-shift lens.
While the specific lens you use for any shot might be motivated by stylistic choice, there are also practical matters that come into play. Sometimes the lens I choose will simply be the one already on my camera.
I also like having a wide arsenal of lenses available to me to use. There is a reassurance in this idea, that I have the best and fastest that is available. I want any limitations that exist, to be my own as a photographer, not because of my equipment.
So here’s how I juggle lenses and cameras …
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August 16, 2010
review: Nikon 24mm f/1.4 G AF-S
For a long time the only wide-angle auto-focus prime lens that Nikon had available, was the remarkable 28mm f1.4D … which caused the lens to reach astronomical prices eventually on the used market when it was discontinued. I sold my copy of the 18mm f1.4 a few years ago – a move I still regret – but I couldn’t pull the trigger on a $4000.00 wide-angle prime lens when Nikon’s wide-angle zooms were so incredible. The Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 AF-S (B&H), for example, set a new standard for how good a wide-angle zoom can be, surpassing pretty much ever other lens, including primes. But still there was a gap in Nikon’s line-up with a fast aperture wide-angle prime lens. Until now … enter the Nikon 24mm f1.4 G (B&H) which I was happily able to use at a wedding this past weekend.
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