Explore the world around you

When people talk about shooting in East Tennessee, The Smokey Mountains always come to mind.  Rich with wild life and lush topography it is a no brainier for those of us that tote our cameras everywhere. 

However, if we take the time to look beyond the obvious we can find gems often neglected by shutter bugs.  One such place, or better said "Drive" is that from Newport to Pigeon Forge in Tennessee.  The train yard in Newport often has wonderful old trains parked awaiting their next shipment.  The graffiti and steel are wonderful photographic subjects.  Then as you venture down Route 411 you are met by old barns that seem to defy age and gravity as they still stand after numerous hurricanes and years of neglect.  They display a beauty that can only have been provided by the very neglect that brought them to this point.  I imagine there are thousands of places like this that people drive past every day not giving them a second thought.  But for those of us who always have our cameras at the ready, this is what we live for.  The chance to capture the beauty that surrounds us.

Newport TN Train Yard

Newport TN Engine

Along the road to Pigeon Forge

East Tennessee Coffee Company

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Creating the perfect outdoor portrait

I have read so many times how people will describe themselves as a "Natural Light Photographer"..... And many of them look down on those using flash or any kind of fill other than reflected sun light.

So I thought I would show all of you this setup from famed Portrait Photographer Annie Leibovitz......taking the perfect outdoor shot takes more then a DSLR......there is no magic in a camera simply because you can remove and exchange lenses.....the magic comes with years of experience, education, and a knack for making your subject comfortable....lots of time, and years of patience make for a great photographer.  I am far from that at the moment but I still travel the road hoping to one day get there.

So embrace light.....any kind of light.....the true photographer will never limit themselves to one type of light....they learn to manage and control light in a way that expresses what see in their minds eye.

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"Photography" A Flat Medium

Photography is a flat medium.  The paper itself or the screen you preview your images on are flat.  So why then do so many photographers these days make their images even flatter by over exposing them and reducing the contrast to a point where detail is lost?  I can't say I have the answer.  I asked a photographer recently about a series of photos they had taken and asked why they were so flat.  Their response was "That is my unique style".  I walked away thinking it did not seem so unique since the majority of what I see on Facebook is presented this same way.  I also read a photographer describing themselves as a "Natural Light" photographer.  I found this statement to be somewhat limiting in a medium that is based on light.

Here is my view.  I believe a photographer should strive to control their depth of field.  In doing so you create depth either by limiting your depth of field or by how you compose your image in the landscape.  When contrast is reduced and highlights are blown out detail disappears.  In a brides dress for example we might wash out fine lace detail or beading.  With a blond subject, detail in their hair will all but disappear.  Neither of which in my opinion is an attractive way to present any image.

As to using only "Natural Light", well I beg to differ.  I think when shooting a portrait especially outdoors you need a little fill flash or some other form of reflected light.  Without it you will lose detail in your subjects eyes and in their hair.  How many have heard the expression "Their eyes light up when they smile"?  Well guess what.....it is not the smile that lights up their eyes....its reflected light.  The introduction of any light when managed well can never be a bad thing in a medium that is based on light.

I will end my little rant with this....while I understand the need  for self expression in ones photography,  let us not lose sight of the fact that we need to learn, and  be able to produce as close to a perfect exposure as we can.  We should also be able to do it over and over and over again in every and any situation.  One needs to have lived inside of the box before venturing out of it.

Which do you like best?

 

George Cordero Photography

Traditional DSLRs vs Mirrorless

The results will surprise you

 

DSLRs have long been the choice of professional photographers. But now due to smaller size, price, and performance, Mirrorless cameras are making a big statement in a smaller package.

 

So many photographers get hung up on Full Frame DSLRs. While they are very capable, and produce amazing results, the new crop of high end Mirrorless cameras are truly making their mark in the realm of digital photography. The lack of a mirror makes these cameras faster then most DSLRs.  And while the ergonomics do not lend themselves to shooting sports, the cameras are very capable of being used in the studio with stunning results.

They are smaller in most cases and can produce images that entry level DSLRs simply cannot come close to. I myself have worked with the Fuji XPro 1 and found it to be as good a machine for capturing digital images as any camera I have tested including the Nikon D800, D4 and the Canon 5D III.  Smaller versions of the Fuji are the X100 and the new Fuji x-e1 which when paired with the 35mm F1.4 is an amazing little machine. Olympus has the OM-D which is a little Mighty Mouse with a Magnesium Alloy Body and when purchased in a kit with the 12-50 lens the entire system is splash proof. While I understand the benefits of the traditional DSLR these little mirrorless cameras are making their mark in a big way because of size price and portability. So don't close your mind to the idea that only a DSLR will do....for studio photographers many of these Mirrorless cameras will out perform most if not all entry level DSLRs such as the Canon Rebel line and the Nikon D3100, D3200, D5100 and in many cases even the Canon 7D and Nikon D7000 when matched against each other in the studio. Think outside of the box! The link below is to an article that tested the Fuji XPro 1

Fuji XPro 1 review

Lighting for different looks

Rembrandt?  But I am not a painter!

There are many different ways to light your studio portraits.  I want to cover some of the more popular ones, as well as how to employ them in your photography.

Rembrandt Lighting - Rembrandt lighting when properly employed will result in a triangle forming under the eye of the subject, on the shadow side of the face.  Depending on how much contrast you want in the shot you can use a reflector on the shadow side or nothing at all.

Typically you would set your main light at a 45% angle to your subject and if you are using a reflector you would set that up opposite of the main light to fill the shadows.  Adjust the lights as you need to in order to get the desired look.

Butterfly Lighting - Butterfly lighting creates the shape of butterfly shadow directly beneath the nose.  To create this type of light the nose should point in the direction of the light.  The light should be elevated high enough to cast a downward shadow.  I typically use only the hair light and set it above the head pointing at the subjects face and adjust the intensity based on how heavy I want the shadow.

Flat Lighting - This type of lighting is when there are no shadows on the faces of the subject.  It is commonly used by studios for standard portraits.  To achieve this type of lighting you set two lights at a 45% angle to your subject.  I usually also add a hair and a back light to this type of shot in increase the depth of the portrait.

Low Key - This type of lighting accentuates the contours of the subjects face by creating shadows which are controlled by how much fill is used to open those shadows and control the amount of contrast.  Rembrandt lighting is a type of low key lighting.

High Key - This method uses unnaturally bright lighting to blow out most or all harsh shadows in an image.

It is very effective in highlighting your subject, and is also a good way to highlight and showcase various types of  products.

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What's the difference?

Head Shots, Portraits, Etc.

I browse websites and look at photos friends and colleagues ask me to review.  Often they use terms for photos and poses incorrectly.  It may not seem important at first, however there is a method to the madness.

Head Shots

These are probably the most miscategorized.   A head shot is exactly that.  They are usually required by the acting industry.  They should be cropped tightly (from the collarbone or just below).  The mistake often made when shooting this type of shot is the cropping.  Although it is not an absolute rule you should try to show both ears in the photo.  Head shots are used for a variety of media, (auditions, resumes, annual reports).  With this in mind you should pose your subject with an expression that will best reflect its intended use.

Portraits

Portraits have a broader spec and give the photographer more freedom in cropping and posing.  Typically the crop drops down to just below the breast.  For woman you may drop down a little farther.  Keeping the shoulders at a 45% angle works best to keep your subject in proportion, however you have much more freedom to express your creativity when shooting portraits.  As such your goal should be to create an image that enhances your subject in the best possible light (pun intended).

A subcategory here is a hand pose.  You can bring the hands up to the face, or in a longer shot have the subject hook their thumb in their pants pocket which is a good male pose.  It usually means having more of the subjects body in the crop.  This is a nice addition to any session and adds a different look and dimension to your portrait.

Full Length

I seldom take full length standing photos of any one except a bride.  In fashion standing poses are used more often to showcase clothes, shoes and accessories.  But keep in mind that Full Length does not mean standing. It means the entire subjects body is showing in the image.  I often have the subject on a table or sitting on the floor.  Then I crop so that their entire body is in the shot.  Doing this allows for more creative ways to pose someone.

You can get more information on posing techniques in my previous blog Posing like a Pro

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Portrait Photography Tips

I get asked all the for tips on taking portraits.  So I thought I would dedicate this blog for the purpose of sharing a few of the more important ones.

First,  more important than being sure to get the exposure right is to make your subject comfortable.  I have often said that many of my photography colleagues have forgotten things I never learned. But what makes me good at what I do is that I can connect with my client and get them relaxed.  I believe that it is impossible to take bad photograph of a relaxed subject. So how do we get there?  First of all you as the photographer need to be relaxed.  Although I still get butterflies before a wedding or big event the one thing I am confident of is that I will be able to get a good exposure and deliver something the client will like.  In order to get your client to relax be sure the prep them before the shoot.  Detail for them what you will be doing.  Advise them on what will work well in terms of clothes, makeup etc.  Remember you are the expert and your client will look to you for advice on how to be at the best for the shoot.

Have a sequence of shots in mind.  Each portrait session should have a Head Shot, a Portrait Pose (from the midriff up) and a hand pose.  Once you have gotten a few good shots of this type your subject should be relaxed enough to move onto more creative shots.

Introduce a prop.  It should be in scale.  I have often seen babies being photographed at the mall with a bunny for Easter that looks 7 feet tall and you literally have to search the photo for where the child is.  I have a few basic items I use.  One is a 40" column.  I use it for hand posing and if I need more height I just place it on a box.  Something as simple as a hat works well also.  However you should remember to do this shot last so the subjects hair does not become an issue during the shoot.  In your prep for the shoot when talking to the client ask them to bring something along that defines them.

Change your angle of view.  Move around the subject and get different angles especially with subject who's hair lays heavily to one side.  Have them look at the camera then away for different looks.

Focus on different aspects of them and crop tight with a wide open aperture to create a depth.

If you are comfortable play around with the lighting once you have gotten several good exposures.  Turn off your fill light, just shoot with the hair light, place colored gels on your back light.  Take a shot using the Rembrandt lighting technique or Butterfly lighting.

Break the rules of composition.  Move your subject around in the view finder.  Place them to one side of the crop.  Get creative.  Just be sure that the eyes are always in sharp focus as you move around creating different looks.

Keep shooting even as your client is prepping for the next shot.  Some of the best shots I have gotten where unplanned but I would never tell the client that especially if it turns out to be a great shot!

Here is an example of using some of the tips mentioned in this blog.

From Matt Fox's CD Cover Shoot

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