I’m constantly taking notes here of suggestions as to what I could write about and should explain further. I also add to this list any other ideas I have come up for future posts.
Here are some upcoming posts or scribbles of ideas that will be expanded on:
- cleaning your camera’s sensor
- setting new RAW defaults
- macro lens’ change in maximum aperture
- post-production workflow
- fluorescent light and flash
- using a speedlight (or two) as a studio lighting set-up
- extreme WB problems with bounce flash
- why flash range changes with a change in flash exp compensation
- examples of manual exposure mode vs program mode
- how to meter in manual
- how to use your camera’s built-in meter
- coping with hard sun overhead
- sun behind your subject
- a very basic series of articles on flash aimed at the complete novice
So I’d like to hear more suggestions from readers of this blog as to what they’d like to read about. Drop me a note here.
Topics that have been covered since listing them here:
These would be FANTASTIC:
how to meter in manual
how to use your camera’s built-in meter
coping with hard sun overhead
sun behind your subject
And I’d also like to see more about using SPOT METERING. Perhaps some additional information on your metering choices during weddings (ceremony, formals, etc).
Comment by Tony R — July 12, 2009 @ 3:53 pm
A couple of ideas:
Since you are a wedding photographer, many aspiring to that, may read your blog and may be interested in techniques such as different ways to shoot the formals, or location shots etc. and why or how you chose your equipment for that specific situation. Additionally, expanding how to adapt situations when you have limited equipment on location or unexpected situations.
Although, I think a lot of photographers may be hesitant to do this, and maybe a better idea as a book instead of on the blog, would be using the same idea as many of the how to shoot a wedding book. I believe anyone that has read any of those out there, even if they have learned something from them has ended up a bit disappointed by nearly every wedding photography book, not to mention most of the other books for different styles of photography. I suggest this because I usually get more enjoyment from a single blog entry of yours than I have from most any photography book I have purchased as your information is to the point, clear, and interesting to read. Nah, what publisher would want to put out a book that was actually good.
You have mentioned some of the photoshop plugins and actions you have used, perhaps a walkthrough of a few and your end results decribing their benefit and why you use them the way you have.
Maybe lastly, for light reading some articles on yourself.
Your first real or paid photoshoot or about how you learned something long ago, how you care for your equipment or your process of managing a client from first contact to final delivery and follow up, etc.
Keep up the great work!
Comment by Jeff — July 12, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
Living in Southern Spain, sun is a major issue. Many weddings take place early afternoon when the sun is high and strong. Often outside on the beach or in gazebos with partial shade obstructions etc.
It would be of value to know how you tackle such shoots when you don’t have an army of assistents with scrims, reflectors and the like.
Thanks, Peter
Comment by Peter — July 13, 2009 @ 3:57 am
Neil
Thanks again. The weddings I fear most are generally those in the midday with Sydney Harbour and the opera house in the background. Very harsh light, a large reflective body of water in the background and a blown out sky. I love to read some posts on how you work in that type of scenario.
As a wedding photographer I find all of your posts incredibly valuable.
Comment by Jason Smith — July 13, 2009 @ 4:59 am
I’d love to read about how you work with subjects when photographing with a telephoto lens. Shooting full-length portraits with a 70–200 requires quite a bit of stand-off distance, which makes communication challenging.
Cheers,
Andreas
Comment by Andreas Yankopolus — July 13, 2009 @ 9:46 am
Hi Neil,
I myself am beginning to get an idea of what works but perhaps others can use the information………….. and well maybe I need to confirm or stand corrected :) on the shutter speeds fast enough to ‘freeze’ a bride and groom walking down the aisle, particularly with flash. I know common logic would say at least 1/500th without flash but it does seem that flash can assist in ‘freezing’ action as well which is especially important considering most flash max sync speeds of our cameras top out at 1/200 or 1/250th and more importantly we may not want to use an unneccessarily fast shutter so that we may register some of the ambient light. I’ve noticed recently that 1/125th with flash was enough to freeze the action of my 3 year old son jumping up and down on the couch…but of course that wasn’t action where the subject was moving towards or away from the frame.
would love to get your thoughts/tips/advise of your approach when indoors and using flash to capture these moments?
Comment by brett — July 13, 2009 @ 12:36 pm
oh geez………..please ignore my post above…
i just noticed your latest blog that answered pretty much my exact question. wow, that’s actually kinda creepy! are you reading my mind Neil?! :)
Comment by brett — July 13, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
Neil,
I would love to see some expansion on your “Photoshop fairy dust” and what/how you apply it.
Comment by Derrick — July 13, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
Please, more on your post-production workflow…
Comment by Brian Daly — July 13, 2009 @ 6:49 pm
I second that. I would be interested in more of the post-production, and maybe a discussion on how to get nice skin tones, and the relative importance of the initial exposure vs. post-production in getting those great skin tones I see in most of your pictures.
I’m currently using DxO, which is great for landscapes and general scenery, but with which I find a challenge in getting pleasing skin tones. I typically have to turn down the contrast and saturation my pictures with people in them and still the results are note as good as I’d like.
Thanks, Bertrand
Comment by Bertrand — July 13, 2009 @ 11:03 pm
Hi Neil,
Wow! I’m so excited to hear of more articles. Your blog is my favorite spot for clear, easy to understand information. I’ve learned so much. I like the pages/catagories, it’s so easy to find what I need. (Books get outdated so fast, your blog always has something new for me.)
Lens filters- When and were, why or why not…
Simple lighting for great studio portraits…
Church and Reception- How to tackle the big challenges and get the shot anyway…
The above are just some of my thoughts. Thanks again!!!
Laura
Comment by Laura Kamler — July 13, 2009 @ 11:39 pm
Oh….and getting white balance right indoors and out to get nice skin tones that dont need any real work in post production.
cheers
Comment by Jason Smith — July 14, 2009 @ 9:12 am
1. Post production. We notice you avoid this (smile)
2. Posing men, women and couples, and how to communicate posing to your subjects.
3. Metering though light meter, and camara to get the effect you want.
Comment by Ron — July 14, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
These would be interesting to look at, in order of importance to me.
1) how to meter in manual
Is this camera manual mode or manual flash?
2) fluorescent light and flash
Many places use fluorescent lighting. In past blog posts, you generally overpower the fluorescent with your own flash, because of the wide fluorescent spectrum. There was one entry where you did something different (used a gel?), but I can’t find it on your blog.
3) how to use your camera’s built-in meter
You generally use matrix metering, but is there a use for spot and center metering? Also, what does it really mean when the exposure needle is on 0?
4) extreme WB problems with bounce flash
5) post-production workflow
Since you starting using some “Photoshop fairy dust,” more people want to know some of these techniques to add more punch to an already decent photo.
6) using a speedlight (or two) as a studio lighting set-up
7) why flash range changes with a change in flash exp compensation
8) coping with hard sun overhead
9) sun behind your subject
Comment by Stephen — July 14, 2009 @ 2:12 pm
Comment by Neil vN — July 14, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
I’d really like a round up of DIY light modifiers that are 1. Useful, 2. possible for the everyman, and 3. genius.
Kind of a cream of the DIY crop for bounce cards, diffusers, softboxes, ringlights, beauty dishes, reflectors, stands, swivels, etc.
That would rock.
Thx.
Comment by Christian — July 14, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
I put it on the other blog, but worth posting here b/c it seems fit.
Very much looking forward to a blog on wireless manual Speedlite without TTL, using a PC Sync cord and a Pocketwizard (or Elinchrome Skyport).
Thanks!
Comment by Amanda Tang — July 14, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
Neil,
I’ll ditto what Derrick mentioned. I am fascinated by your “Fairy Dust” post processing, however I understand each photographer has their own style which shouldn’t be copied. I guess you could equate it to a five star chef not wanting to give away their recipies….
Perhaps you could touch on basic post processing techniques and possible websites and/or seminars that might help us better our images through software..
Thanks as always,
Brian
Comment by Brian — July 14, 2009 @ 9:12 pm
Would really like to see more discussion on bright backlite strategies. I really struggle with this situation. Try to read your blog a couple of times a week! Thanks.
Comment by Steven Seelig — July 18, 2009 @ 9:57 am
Another vote for hard sun overhead. Say, midday ceremony out in the open under the blazing sun… I am still having nightmares.
Thanks!
Comment by eve — July 25, 2009 @ 5:30 pm
Neil…I am always amazed at the beautiful colors of your photographs….Do you do any in camera adjustments i.e. color, sharpening etc.?
Comment by cappy — July 26, 2009 @ 9:03 pm
Hi Neil.
Came to your blog by “accident” and now I am stuck here :) Great job and will follow you further on. I like your tutorials and really looking forward to next articles.
I’d like to ask you or suggest you to write a few words about starting a photoshoot. Like, how do you get idea, where to shoot, or how you get idea how to make models to stand, etc.. (hope you know what I mean)
For example, when I get a model or someone for session, I get blank of ideas what kind of photos to make.
Looking forward to your answer.
Sash
Comment by Sash — August 7, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
awaiting some of your good future posts:
1) neutral density filter for shallower DoF while using flash ….but in a comments”straight ahead” you just say high speed sync better than ND filters….but experiments from you could be interesting and open the horizon.
2) how and “where” to meter in manual and how to use your camera’s built-in meter
3) more articles on bokeh
4) fluorescent light and flash
5) why flash range changes with a change in flash exp compensation
6) extreme WB problems with bounce flash
7) any tries with olympus system?*grin*…i think there is no chance on that…if somebody use the D3x and use the “big beast”*g*
8) any chance of workshop in austria?…is not so far from england
9) things on “On location and how do you work”……meaning as main weight….just a bit of post productions, software and all the magic stuff in the computer*g*
but for all you give us a very big THANK YOU very MUCH!!!
[_]> [_]> [_]> [_]>
best regards
peter
Comment by olympus_fotograph — August 9, 2009 @ 9:12 am
Wow! It’s been a while since I visited the site. It was a pretty busy summer so far with not much time to read blogs, but I’m going to try to catch up. Starting today! :p
To comment on this post though. I’d like to ad one more to the pile of really interesting ideas that are gathered thus far…
Would you mind teaching us how you remove clutter from your pictures with photoshop? I saw you remove stuff like people passing by in a shot or lighting-poles and that kinds of things in earlier posts and I really like to be able to do that too. If you’re not going to write about it could you point out some interesting tutorials on that matter? The things that you learned it with?
Oh and by the way, nice make-over for the site I like it!
Keep up the great work!
Greets
Jonas
Comment by Jonas — August 28, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
Comment by Neil vN — November 30, 2009 @ 6:08 am
Comment by Neil vN — December 22, 2009 @ 10:11 pm
I would like to see an article on the subject of photographing with the decisive moment in mind.
Topic detail may include hunting for that moment, off line practicing for better timing, how you saw before vs. how you see now.
Comment by Derrick Lafayette Hicks — January 25, 2010 @ 12:59 am
Hi, Neil
I would really like to hear about your use of
AF on Nikon (I have Nikon D300).
I’ve tried for a period of time to use Automatic ,
but frequently miss focus on eyes for portraits.
Also when you start Continuous mode while shooting
wedding ?
Thanks, for your site.
Alex.
Comment by Alex Kess — January 25, 2010 @ 3:33 am
You might want to add something on color management. As someone who’s fairly well color blind (my red n green cones don’t fire right!) I’ve just ordered an x-rite colorchecker passport to assist and will be looking closely at a spectrophotometer system (Colormunki or Spyder3Elite are the ones I’m looking at).
Comment by Steve Combs — January 25, 2010 @ 12:02 pm
Hi Neil
Maybe you’d suggest an article about the choice of lenses while shooting weddings with a Nikon D300 or other DX camera’s ?
I’m sure there are more DX starters and users around here who can’t afford a couple of D3′s right now ;)
Thanks,
Jan
Comment by Jan — February 2, 2010 @ 10:06 am
Topic: Obtaining the perfect exposure (if something like that even exists).
Comment by Derryl — July 15, 2010 @ 9:03 pm
Some other posts have touched on this but my problem isn’t so much getting the “correct” white balance, but one that looks good. I feel like I’m always adding yellow. I use a D300 and I guess I’m not a huge fan of the preset WB settings. Are the 700 and D3 improvements on that? They must be if you use them (or have used them in the case of the 700).
In any case, I would love more information on adjusting images for pleasing WB (and not just the “correct” one).
Thanks!
Debra
Comment by Debra Wallace — July 15, 2010 @ 10:16 pm
Comment by Neil vN — July 15, 2010 @ 10:22 pm
Hi Neal,
I’d like to hear what you have to say about posing your subjects. I love the range of looks you capture. Is it just a case of working with professional models or do you have quite a bit of input into the different poses?
Very informative site BTW. Keep it up.
Thanks.
Greg
Comment by Greg — July 15, 2010 @ 11:22 pm
Comment by Neil vN — July 15, 2010 @ 11:36 pm
Hi Neil
Definitely lots in your list to look forward to.
While this is principally a technically informative blog (and I love it for that), would it be possible to learn more of your portrait style of shooting, as in how you build a rapport with clients as you work? How much is posed as opposed to shot just as it happens spontaneously, or how much is giving a certain situation for to client to ‘act out’ as you shoot.
Thanks as always
Nigel
Comment by Nigel — July 16, 2010 @ 5:45 am
Please ignore the above. Just realized this topic has been already covered. Sorry.
Comment by Nigel — July 16, 2010 @ 5:46 am
Hi Neil,
What about a topic on outdoor flash when shooting people with glasses?
I always have these ugly flash reflections on the subject’s glasses.
Thanks !!
Stijn
Comment by Stijn — July 16, 2010 @ 7:17 am
Hi Neil
I’d be very interested in an article about how you set up your cameras. Talking from a purely Nikon perspective, what Picture Control you’re using most of the time and have you made any personal adjustments?
Whilst I shoot RAW you could argue that a Picture Control, and whatever Canon call theirs, is irrelevant being able to alter in post, I try to shoot as I need and process in ViewNX and NX2 which do honour Nikon Picture Controls. It’s like having your RAW (NEF) behave like a jpeg but with all the post benefits that jpegs don’t offer. Process in Lightroom or other raw engine software and most of that in-camera data is thrown away.
Thanks in advance.
Paul
Comment by Paul Hodgson — July 16, 2010 @ 9:00 am
Lots of good suggestions above. I would be interested to understand how you go about achieving such sharp focus in your images. What techniques do you find work best, especially when shooting quickly?
Anthony
Comment by Anthony — July 16, 2010 @ 9:03 am
Neil very often I find myself under a tree to find shade. Sometimes my image has a green colour cast. Is there any chance that you could do a post on how to avoid this and how to correct for it, and any other general advice. I am sure that many photographers would benefit from this one. You often say “this is an easy fix in Camera Raw” or “corrected as part of my normal work flow”. For me this one is hard and I would benefit from your advice.
The blog is excellent as is your book, keep up the good work.
Best Wishes John
http://www.johnlewisphotography.co.uk
Comment by John — July 16, 2010 @ 9:33 am
I have a question about using ETTL with radio trigger. Basically I want to underexpose the ambient a bit and bring back the subject with off camera flash to fill in. Do I set the Flash Exposure Compensation to + by the amount that I set the main exposure bias to – ? Can I go higher than 1/200 sync on a 5D MkII using the radio triggers in ETTL?
Allan
I have been carrying your book around so much in waiting rooms that I lost it …
Comment by Allan — July 16, 2010 @ 11:22 am
I asked about a pleasing WB article and you said, “Debra .. you missed out on this recent post about white balance? Or did you mean a more technical specific article?”
I did catch that one which is what inspired my question. I would love a more technical, specific article on it. There are so many things written about correct WB, but I don’t care about that so much as getting pleasing skin tones. It’s something I struggle with. Even just a video of you setting WB with an image to see what exactly you do would be informative. It seems like a lot of the other questions people have also are related to good WB.
On a different note, I also thought it might answer a lot of questions people had to have a full length video of a photo shoot – kind of like the one you posted a while back but maybe with more live footage and you miked so we can hear what you’re saying (not to mention your very cool accent). I imagine that would answer some questions about how you set up your equipment and how you interact with models.
Thank you so much. You do a phenomenal job and I love this site.
Debra
Comment by Debra Wallace — July 31, 2010 @ 4:09 am
Hi Neil,
May I just say how over the last year your tangents and book on flash photography has really helped me to improve my photography no end. Thank you, and if you are ever in the UK I don’t live far from Heathrow so could always return the favour and give you a lift to where your going.
Anyway…
I have been searching your blog and websites to see if you have actually written about the in-camera settings you use to speed up your editing. I.e. do you use the camera’s cpu to sharpen, increase saturation, do you play around with the colour profile settings or does it all come out of the can au naturale and you tweak once? Can’t seem to find anything, could be wrong, and I thought this is the best post to ask the question.
Nathan
Comment by Nathan Targett — August 18, 2010 @ 5:29 pm
Comment by Neil vN — August 20, 2010 @ 3:47 pm
Glad to see your topics. I’ll especially welcome the manual metering, and second tony R’s request for some examples of various metering modes — for instance, discussion and samples comparing the results of them for a couple common camera models. I’ve gotten used to center-weighted but am thinking spot is more useful if one’s eye is trained to spot and use a good 18% gray regardless of its color.
Comment by Leif — August 25, 2010 @ 2:26 am
[...] future Tangents topics [...]
Pingback by shutter speed, aperture and ISO « Neil vN – tangents — October 18, 2010 @ 6:12 am
Hi Neil,
I follow your blog for quite some time already. One topic I didn´t come across until now – the role of the light-bar, when you have to shoot quickly (for example inside a church at a wedding ceremony).
Do you have a certain “starting point” (lets say an underexposure of 2 f-stops), when the available light is low and the flash is your main light source?
Kind regards from Austria,
Georg
Comment by Georg Formanek — October 19, 2010 @ 7:13 am
[...] future Tangents topics [...]
Pingback by tips on posing people / working with a model « Neil vN – tangents — November 11, 2010 @ 1:10 am
I would benefit from learning some of the Photoshop add-ons you use. Do you have an add-on for skin? The skin in most of your images has a soft appearance.
Todd
Comment by Todd Cary — December 21, 2010 @ 6:59 pm
Comment by Neil vN — December 22, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
one of the topics
how to use neutral density filters to underexpose the background and use the flash to lighten the subject in day light outdoors..thanks
Comment by Sam Bahri — May 8, 2011 @ 5:46 am
Hi Neil!
Some difficult topics:
1) Creativity – be it in framing, posing, new POV, etc….. I feel I get mentally stuck and everything (portraiture & weddings) looks more ‘traditional’. They’re all ‘fine’ but nothing stands out as ‘wow’ or different.
2) Creating images with Emotion. This relates to #1, but is more basic… there needs to be a difference between documenting the day’s events with nice lighting – to capturing the spirit and feeling of the events… something I really struggle with.
Perhaps a few easier topics:
3) Shooting with an ultra-wide at weddings when/where/how!
4) the preparration & progression of the reception – its so fast, it seems you barely have time to change memory cards – let alone set up an off cam flash for the cake-cutting
5) Family Formals… yuck. how do you prep and pose and get thru them fast enough so you still have a happy couple excited about their couple photos?
sorry so many topics – but you are THE man!
Comment by Russ — August 11, 2011 @ 5:16 pm
I woud appreciate a good article or two on setting White Balance for Flash Photos outdoors and indoors, also best ideas on getting rid of colour casts in Photoshop. When you are setting exposure off of the brides dress, do you also set a custom white balance or do you leave it on auto white balance.
I notice that you often shoot in conditions where ambient light includes a multitude of different colours of background ambient lights which must be polluting the subjects natural tonalities. Do you let this go as artistic licence or how do you get rid of it either before or after in Photoshop. Thanks for your terrific blog. I love your style and have learned lots from your blog and your books. Please keep it up, you are my inspitation.
Comment by Gene — November 24, 2011 @ 4:09 pm
Can’t wait for the how to meter in manual! Exciting! Thank you!
Comment by Amy J — February 29, 2012 @ 7:28 pm
Just ordered Lightroom 3 when it went on sale.
Would like some good basic lessons/tutorials on using LR for post production on RAW files.
Simple and basic stuff for those of us who mainly shoot JPG and want to start using RAWs power but not be afraid of post prod workflow and amt of time you can spend in post
Comment by Stephen — March 4, 2012 @ 8:59 am
I don’t if you’ve covered this before – but how to handle groups of people with a single flash unit? I’d be quite interested to see if your approach is a variation on what you normally do or if there are other factors that come into play. That’s if it can be done at all.
Also I came across somebody that does lighting on the cheap, just for a bit of fun. I thought it could intriguing see what could be done with say a $100. For example a couple of halogen workmen lights, plus translucent shower curtain to drape in front of the lights (softbox) then an old sheet/quilt to form a back drop.
Comment by Pete (Barnet, uk) — June 27, 2012 @ 6:18 pm
Hi Neil
I’d like to see article on how you light speeches using on-camera flash. I’m usually zoomed to 200mm with on-camera flash providing front lighting. Not great, but to light from a distance I don’t think it would be possible to bounce into a corner/backward to cover that far. Also when taking candids at a distance, is it possible to light with bouncing using on-camera flash at a distance.
Thanks
Comment by Tim — September 25, 2012 @ 1:11 pm