Lighting Your Outdoor Portraits

Let There Be Light

I know there are a quite a few photographers who believe using natural light is the only way to shoot.  And while I agree that stunning portraits can be had using natural light alone, a little fill light from flash or a reflector can control where shadows fall and can enhance rather then detract from your outdoor portraits.

The basis of the medium of photography is light.  With that in mind the more light you can bring to your portraits, and the more you can control that light, the better your portraits will be.  The main benefit of using additional light (flashes, reflectors) is to control the shadows and stray light that can cause distracting hot spots and shadows to fall on your subject.  The benefit of shooting with additional light is to highlight the subjects eyes and hair.  There is a vibrancy that is lost if additional light is not added to the portrait.  The hair goes flat and the eyes look dark and without life.  How many times have you heard someone comment on a photo by saying "There eyes are so bright"  especially when commenting on a photo of a child.  It's not the eyes that are bright but rather the reflection of light in the eyes.  The added light makes them come alive.

The kind of light you use, reflected, strobe, or flash gun is not as important as it is to just simply use the additional light to your advantage and to the advantage of your subject.

The above photos are an example of using flash outdoors.  On the right the models eyes are dark and her hair looks muddy and without texture.  On the left her eyes are alive and her hair shows all the wonderful texture of each curl and wave.  Both photos were taken at the same location, time of day and in sequence.  I exaggerated the amount of light to show the difference in detail.  A softer broader light would still give the feel of natural light and can be achieved by using a diffuser.

So pack your flash, invest in a reflector (the bigger the better) and pray for open shade (the best time to shoot outdoors is an overcast day which gives broad even light, or under the umbrella of a large tree).  And never forget that light is the currency of success for your outdoor portraits.

George's Website 

Macro Photography

1 to 1

Macro photography is a great way to show your creative eye and to see things up close and personal.  "Macro" by definition means large scale, and in photography when employing "Macro" photography we are often photographing small subjects (bugs, small portions of flowers or leaves).  We are then showing the images at 5 times their actual size to emphasize the texture, color and overall detail of our subject.

There are specialized lenses for this type of photography, however even compact digital cameras can render outstanding results by using the cameras built in "Macro" mode.  When you look at lenses, often they will claim to be "Macro" lenses. But true "Macro" lenses give a 1 to 1 ratio and are often used to photograph stamps, coins and bugs.  These lenses are always prime lenses.  Although many zooms will claim to be "Macro" lenses they do not give the 1 to 1 ratio that a prime macro lens will.  What they will do is allow you to focus at a closer distance then a standard lens will.  As an example the closest a lens will auto focus may be 3 feet.  A "Macro" lens will allow auto focusing as close as 6 to 8 inches and almost always, at least the very least 1 foot.

Now lets talk about taking a "Macro" photograph.  You should always pay close attention to your background.  Try to ensure that there is nothing distracting in the background.  Be sure you are not casting a shadow on your subject, and set your camera flash to "Fill" which will help show your subject in greater detail and eliminate any shadows being cast by elements around your subject that cannot be avoided.  If you do not want to use flash you may have to employ a tripod for longer shutter speeds to eliminate camera shake.  Also when shooting a subject like a flower, shoot it at different angles and positions.  Be sure to crop in the camera rather then in the post process. This will allow you to print larger and with more detail which will otherwise be lost if you crop deeply into the photo after.

Now that you are armed with the information you need go out and shoot.  One of the best things about this type of photography is that you don't have to go far.  Your backyard, the fruit bowl on your counter top, or the flower arrangement in your living room, are all possible subjects for your "Macro" photography.  Good luck and happy shooting.

The above photos were taken with a non macro 28mm 2.8 lens. 

George's website

Home Portrait Studio

 Setting up a home photography studio

Do you own a DSLR?  Do your friends love your photography?  If you can answer yes then maybe a home portrait studio is just what you need.  It's easier then you think.  For about 500.00 dollars (not including camera, lenses and light meter) you can set up a studio in your home.

First lets talk about 2 types of lighting you can consider.  "Continuous light" is the most affordable option.  These light are constantly on.  The benefit of this setup is that you don't need a light meter.  Your camera will read the amount of light and use the built in meter to set the correct shutter and aperture for you.  You will also see where the light is falling on your subject and gives you great control over shadows.  Typically you would want 3 lights at a minimum.  1 main, 1 fill and 1 back light.  However if you intend to use a black background with dark hair subjects you will need to add a 4th light or hair light to your studio configuration.  This light puts light on the hair which helps to aid in adding dimension to your portraits  This type of light now comes in two types "Tungsten" and "CFL".   The tungsten lights can get very hot and burn out frequently.  The CFL's are a better option since they last longer (10,000 hours) and are cool.  This type of light has its draw backs also.  As the wattage gets larger so does the physical size of the bulb so you need a larger diffuser.  They also don't give off the same amount of light so more bulbs are required to produce the same brightness as using the hotter shorter lived tungsten bulbs.

Now lets talk about the second option "Strobe Lighting".  This type of lighting is a bit more expensive and more difficult to use.  It requires a light meter to ensure the correct settings on your camera, and replacing light tubes can be expensive and need to be ordered.  A modeling lamp is provided by these lights and allows a preview of where the shadows are falling.  With that said however care needs to be taken so you don't get shadows on the backdrop.  Strobes are used most frequently by pro's, but I am currently using continuous lights in my studio and am very pleased with the cost of running them and bulb replacement.  Another consideration when using this type of light is that not all DSLR's have a socket built into the camera to fire them.  So in many cases a hot shoe adapter needs to be added to the cost of this setup.

Now that you have decided which system works best for you go ahead and setup your home studio and start on your way to making your camera pay for itself.

For more information about lighting check out my previous blog on color temperature

Come into Lakeside Camera Photoworks to see our array of studio lighting currently on clearance!

 

George's Website 

Cell Phone Cameras vs. Compact digital camera

Does my Camera Phone have enough horse power?

( I posted this on my Facebook page in June 2011, and I thought I should share it with those of you who follow my blog.)

I recently read a blog where the author was basically writing the obituary of the compact digital camera.  His claim was that the cameras built into cell phones are so good now that there is no need for anyone to purchase a compact digital camera. Well maybe he is right.  If you choose to only view the images on your phone, or perhaps upload to your laptop or ipad,  then for sure you have enough resolution.  But wait, you need to take a photo of your daughters dance recital, or your son's game. Not enough zoom, not enough light means no Kodak moment of that precious event.

Ok here it is.  The basis of the medium of photography is light.  Take out your phone and look at the size of the lens on it.  Small enough?  Don't be fooled by how many megapixels your camera has, without enough light you have no chance to capture what you want.  Granted on a nice sunny day outdoors you can have success but take your phone indoors and its another story.  Adding to the problem of the cell phone camera is its inability to consistently focus well in low light or any light for that matter.  How many out of focus photos have you seen from a cell phones camera? And oh yea how could I forget?  Want to print one of those images?  If exposed well maybe you can get a nice 4x6, but if you want something larger, good luck. The image sensors even in the largest of cell phones are no match for the senors in a good compact digital camera.

Let me end with this.  Compact digital cameras are made for one purpose and one purpose only to take photos and HD video.  They do it better and faster then your cell phone.  So when shopping for a cell phone you can just move past all the talk about how good the camera in it is and be sure that the network you choose doesn't drop your calls.  Then go to the camera counter and drop about 150.00 for a decent compact digital camera and your photographic future will be filled with a million dollars worth of memories.

Recommendation

Fujifilm

Finepix JZ250

• 16.0Mp Resolution
• 3.0" LCD Monitor
• 25-200mm Fujinon 8x Optical Zoom Lens
• SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card Storage
• 100-3200 ISO Sensitivity
• 1280 x 720 HD Video Capture
• Lens Shift Image Stabilization
• 6 Scene SR AUTO Settings
• Built-In Flash
• Easy Upload and Searching

George's Website 

Posing like Pro

I wanted to talk about posing.  I get invited to look at a lot of photos.  I always try to be kind when looking and critiquing them.  Sometimes I will admit my facial expressions give me away!

So lets get started.  The first rule of thumb when posing subjects is to keep in mind their sex.  With men you want to be sure to have your subject tilt their head towards the back shoulder or away from the camera.  With a woman you should tilt her head towards the front shoulder or towards the camera.  With either men or woman you can also use a neutral head position (not tilted to the front or back shoulder).  Always try to keep your subjects at a 45 degree angle to the camera.  This helps to keep things in the proper scale. With woman you can have a more severe shoulder turn, but you should only use this method with a smaller framed subject.  If you remember those school photos you hate, you will notice that most times you were square to the camera with your shoulders going from one end of the frame to the other making your head look smaller then it should. 

Next remember to keep the camera vertical when shooting one to two people.  Its easier to fill the frame this way and you can even use this technique with a family that has small children.  Anything over 3 people should be shot horizontally.  You can add some interest to your posing when shooting horizontally by moving your subjects to one side of the frame.  How ever you should keep in mind the rule of thirds when doing this.

For those times you have more then 3 people in a group to photograph don't panic!  First get anyone who is unusually tall to sit down and put them in front.  Begin building in groups of three like stair steps. Also it's very important that you try to keep a half head height of distance between all subjects posed next to each other.  This is another rule that can be broken however be sure to be very careful when doing it or you may wind up showing one persons entire body and only the head of another. If this technique is used properly you will have approximately the same portion of each persons body visible in the photo.

Now one of the most important things to remember in posing "If you don't see the origin of the extremity, leave it out".  I have seen countless images where hands or feet showed no point of origin and it looked as if they didn't belong to any one in the photo.  Stay away from hands on shoulders or around the waist.

I have provided some sample photos that show some of these techniques.  I hope this helps, and happy shooting!

1. Basic female pose head tilted to front shoulder
2. Basic male pose head tilted to back shoulder
3. Half head height technique and diamond pose
4. Lrg. group stair step & diamond poses in combo
5. We broke all the rules and got a beautiful result.

George's Website

The rule of thirds explained - By Darren Rowse

Buying Online

Buyer Beware

I can remember working at an upscale camera store in Metairie, LA (suburb of New Orleans).  A woman came in and wanted to purchase a camera and proceeded to tell me how much less she could purchase it for less online.  Let me start here.  Here is how pricing works from the retail end.  Most cameras have an 8 to 12 % margin.  I can tell you that is not enough to keep a store open for any length of time.  Stores make money on accessories such as memory cards, batteries, bags, etc.  With that said, why would an otherwise intelligent person think they had more buying power then a store when purchasing a camera online?  Truth is the don't.  So keep in mind if it seems too good to be true it probably isn't true.

Another woman came in and recounted how she thought she had found a deal on a camera that would save her hundreds of dollars online.  When she received the camera it was clearly broken to the point where the body was physically cracked.  When she called the place she purchased the camera from they told her that they never said it was a working camera in their ad.  She had no recourse.

I think purchasing from a local merchant is the way to go.  It establishes a relationship in the event you need help of any type you can go to them and handle your issue face to face.  The prices may bit a little higher but should be inline with legitimate online sites.  And you help your local economy.  However if you want to purchase online do so with care.  Read reviews, and go to larger sites such as Amazon.com.  But you must keep in mind that there will probably not be any one to talk to should you have a problem.  The good thing about dealing with a site like Amazon is that returns are usually hassle free.

Below are several links to sites and stores I have dealt with over the years and found them to be professional and priced well.  Many also offer services beyond just camera sales.  Prices for accessories will vary widely.  But Camera and lens prices should be similar across the board.  As an added bonus if you buy online if you are not located in the same state as the retailer in most cases you will not be charged tax, which can save hundreds on a large purchase.  Good luck and happy shopping.

1. http://lakesidecamera.com/
2. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
3. http://www.adorama.com/
4. http://www.milfordphoto.com/
5. http://www.calumetphoto.com/

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Accessories, Accessories, Accessories.

Polarizer, tripod, camera bag etc.

All too often the purchase of a new DSLR is where the consumer stops.  This usually happens because the purchaser thinks the camera will make the difference and nothing else in needed, or the budget doesn't allow for anything else.  Well if the later is true you need to save up for the essentials usually found in a Pro's bag.

First lets talk about the "Polarizer".  It can make or brake a photograph.  Most of these filters sold today are circular.  They increase the contrast in a scene and will cut down glare over water and reflections in glass.  Have you ever taken a photo on day with a high pale blue sky?  Then uploaded it to your computer and find that the sky is white in your photo?   Had you used a polarizer you would have been able to increase the contrast and color saturation so that the sky would look more interesting.  With the filter on your camera as you point your lens to the sky and turn it you will actually see the color and contrast change.  When you are satisfied with what you see, shoot and see improved results in your landscape photos.

Another filter to consider, especially when you own a fast lens, and like shooting wide open outdoors is a "Neutral Density Filter".  This technology is like a pair of sunglasses for your lens.  They come in different densities and allow for shooting at F2.8 and greater while still achieving a correct exposure where in the past you were getting blown out images.
 
These filters vary in price depending on the quality of the glass and the size needed.  As a rule of thumb if you have several lenses you should purchase the filter to fit the largest lens then purchase step rings to save money on buying filters for every lens you own.

Below are two photos.  The top photo taken without a polarizer the bottom photo with.  You can the difference is quite dramatic.

Next lets talk about a tripod.  If you enjoy shooting landscapes or the night sky you will need one.  Many people do purchase one but often choose price over quality.  Basically you should only have to buy a tripod once.  However if you allow price to be the deciding factor you may find yourself purchasing one every few years.  Plan on spending about 100.00 at a minimum.  And if you are a nature shooter who likes to have a tripod with you all the time, a good light weight one can cost 150.00 or more.  It may sound like a lot to pay at the time, but 15 years from now when you grab it to go out on a shoot you will realize it was worth every penny.  Tripods come in different formats.  Some are specific for video.  While others have different type heads (ball, 3 way pan).  They also are rated as to the weight they can support.  You need to consider all these factors when making your purchase.

Lastly the camera bag.  Oh how many error here.  I hear so many people say "I have an old one I can use".  That may be true, however the bag that held and protected your old film camera does not have the fit and finish needed to house and protect your new DSLR.  The inside of the old bag didn't need to protect large LCD screens, or house large batteries, and memory cards.  There are numerous companies making quality bags and now many specifically design for women shooters.  Also many are undetectable as camera bags, keeping thieves from eyeing your precious equipment.  A good bag that can house a DSLR with a lens mounted, a second lens and a flash, along with extra batteries and memory cards will start at just under 50.00 dollars.  But you can spend much much more depending on taste, size and purpose (waterproof etc.).  The bags specifically designed for women are a bit more expensive.

Also please remember to purchase extra batteries and high speed memory cards.  You purchased the new camera because you wanted a faster processor so you could shoot faster.  Well truth be told your old cards can't keep up with the new camera.  Using an old card is like buying a new Corvette and asking the sales person to put the tires from the Chevy Vega you just traded in on it.  

I realize this all means more money to spend in these rough economic times, but these are needed items to ensure your photographic success.  So if you can't afford these accessories at the time of your DSLR purchase, get that letter off to Santa as quick as you can.  He has been known to run out of parts!

Oben

AC-1400 4-Section Aluminum  w/ BA-00 Ball Head 99.99

General Brand   58mm Circular Polarizing Filter 29.99

Tamrac   3445 Rally 5 Camera/Netbook/iPad Bag 69.95

Jill-E Designs   Small Camera Bag 129.99

www.wix.com/georgecordero/best 

The 50

An inexpensive solution to gathering light, and shooting portraits like a pro.

There was a time when the purchase of an SLR camera included a 50mm lens.  Before the advent of zoom lenses these lenses were a staple in any camera bag.  Usually very affordable, the 50mm lens is an inexpensive way to get a large aperture lens which can help you capture stunning portraits and good exposures in very low light. I will address the latter first.  We first need to understand what the aperture is so we can understand the benefit of this lens.  The smaller the "F stop" number (1.4) the larger the opening in the rear of the lens allowing it to gather more light.  These lenses are referred to as fast lenses.  The fastest lenses in the bunch are fixed focal length lenses.  The reason for this is that larger the opening at the rear of the lens the larger the lense needs to be.  So making zooms with very large apertures would create a lens that would be far to heavy and bulky to handle.  But if we use our feet as our zoom these lenses combined with using a higher ISO makes for stunning low light images, and often without the use of flash.  In portrait photography the perfect focal length used by pros was between 70mm and  90mm at an aperture of 1.4 to 1.8.  These lenses are often expensive.  However when we take the 50mm 1.8 and put it on the cropped sensor of a DSLR we have the 35mm equivalent of a 75mm lens.  So now we are shooting portraits like a pro for 150.00 dollars instead of 800.00 dollars.

In the sample photo of the guitar player we used a 50mm 1.7 Minolta lens.  With the camera set to 1600 ISO we were able to capture this shot without flash.

In this portrait sample below we also used the 50mm 1.7 Minolta lens. This time at ISO 80 we were able to blur the buildings behind the subject and give the photo a 3 dimensional feel making the model really pop from the back ground.

Lastly put this lens on your camera and you will find yourself moving your feet where you never did before.  Normally with your zoom lens your feet stay planted in one spot and you spend your time zooming in and out of shots.  The 50mm makes you think through your shot more which in the end will make you a better photographer.  All of the DSLR manufacturers make two versions of these lenses.  Usually a 1.4 version and a 1.8 version.  The latter being the most affordable and usually less then half the cost of the 1.4.  Canon also has a 50mm F1.2.

Get one, try one, and you may find yourself with it on your camera more often then not.

Canon - 50mm 1.8 II - 139.99
Nikon - 50mm 1.8 D - 134.99
Sony - 50mm 1.8 - 175.00

Click here for my website

Less is More

Fill the Frame

All to often I see photographs of a single child taken horizontally and capturing the child completely head to toe.  Then the person taking that photo goes to a kiosk and crops the photo vertically.  Lets start by turning the camera.  A basic rule of thumb in photography is "Fill the Frame".  The best way to explain this is for you to think about your favorite movie.  I like to use "A Few Good Men" as an example.  The last courtroom scene with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson has them both being cropped to a point where you do not even see their hairline.  Why would you crop off the top of someones head?  To see their eyes.  We have all heard that the eyes are the window to the soul.  This is especially true in photography.  When the eyes are not only in sharp focus but also the focal point of the photo, the person viewing the photo gets a sense of knowing the person in the image.  It makes for a more intimate portrait.  In the sample above you can see that the focus is on the eyes of the model and the wall behind her, her hand and arm are both gently out of focus which puts more emphasis on the face and eyes.  On this shoot a full length shot was also taken of that pose because we wanted to showcase the dress and shoes also, but we always get several shots like this one because they always add impact to the shoot.

Getting back to filling the frame.  Using that rule we get much better results in our photography.  It's so much easier to accomplish this by turning the camera vertically.  Also unless you designed the shoes and pants your subject is wearing you should make the photo about the person being photographed.  So get more of their upper torso, skew the photo a little off center, use a shallow depth of field and you have a professional looking portrait.  I use this everyday in my portrait work.  There are times that a full length shot is warranted.  A bride requires several full length shots to capture the beauty of her dress, and very often fashion shoots require shooting that way also.

So remember "Less is More".  By focusing on the eyes you will always come away with a wonderful shot and one that will bring your subject into sharp focus.

www.wix.com/georgecordero/best

Who is Kelvin?

Light has temperature;  (www.wix.com/georgecordero/best)

Have you ever wondered why some photos shot indoors show a green cast?  It's because of Kelvins.  No not Kevin...Kelvins.  Light actually has a color temperature and it is measured in something called Kelvins.

Color Temperature                                  Light Source


  1000-2000 K                                                     Candlelight
  2500-3500 K                                                   Tungsten Bulb 
  3000-4000 K                                                   Sunrise/Sunset
  4000-5000 K                                                Fluorescent Lamps
  5000-5500 K                                                   Electronic Flash
  5000-6500 K                                             Daylight with Clear Sky 
  6500-8000 K                                            Moderately Overcast Sky
  9000-10000 K                                Shade or Heavily Overcast Sky

The above chart shows in Kelvins the output you get in more commonly known terms.  Some of the color that results from various light sources can be pleasing.  As an example "candle light", or "Tungsten" which is the color cast in most homes from light bulbs.  However take a photo under fluorescent lights and you get a green cast, and unless you are photographing a green bean it's not an attractive color for skin tones on people or pets.  The way you keep things neutral is to keep on your flash.  Flash will white balance your light source so that you get a result similar to being out doors on a clear day.  What you need to keep in mind is that a small compact camera or camera phones flash is limited in power and cannot balance the light in an entire room.  So you need to get close to your subject so that the skins tones of the people in your shot will benefit from the flashes white balance capabilities.

Some compact digital cameras and even cell phone cameras have the capability to have their white balance adjusted.  If your does you should take advantage of this and make your adjustments based on your shooting conditions. You will always get a better result from starting with the correct setting rather than trying to correct the color temperature after.  For those of you with a DSLR you have a much better chance of getting the right color in your cameras "Auto White Balance" mode, however helping the camera whenever you can by setting the "White Balance" to the correct setting based on your shooting situation will always improve your results.

A photographers view: Professional or Amateur?

How do I pick a photographer?

I often read Craigslist and other similar forums where people look for photography services for various types of events, everything from weddings to portraits.  In many of these ad's people claim to be willing to take on an armateur, novice or student for their event looking at saving money.  I understand the wanting to save money and wanting to get the best possible price, however let me ask you this.  Do you look for a novice doctor, lawyer, mechanic?  I would think you don't.  The reason is that over time you have come to realize that experience means an expertise and knowledge far and above someone that is a novice.  I realize that photography is not rocket science or brain surgery.  It is however a medium that takes years to perfect as one moves towards becoming a professional.  Then there are the tools of the trade which often cost thousands of dollars and you have to multiply that times 2 for a pro since they require backup equipment to ensure the job gets done.  

If you are prepared to spend thousands on a wedding day you should budget for a professional.  You can expect to pay between 100.00 and 250.00 dollars per hour for a professional wedding photographer.  However often a package which includes a set number of hours and various types of included services will be packaged at a specific price.   An hourly sum usually only comes into play if you go over the hours contracted for.  A professional head shot session can cost as little as 200.00 dollars for about 1 hour with a couple of wardrobe changes and a CD with copy right release and touch ups.  Having a stylist or make up artist is done at an additional cost to the client.   Portrait sessions run about 150.00 which will include a sitting fee and package of prints.  These are just some basic guidelines and prices vary depending on geographic location and reputation of the photographer. Keep in mind your big box stores and department stores do not have Professionals working in them, but rather an employee working a camera.  This is why their prices are lower then the cost of a Pro.  Additionally the equipment and supplies used are inferior to those that a professional would use.

You should also know that any photos taken by a photographer of any type (Pro or Non Pro) are the property of the photographer.  They do not need your permission to reproduce them or to showcase them on their website.  They are however not allowed to profit commercially from the photo unless a release has been signed by the model or client.  Remember this, you are usually contracting a photographer for what is a once in a lifetime event, as such do you want to trust your special day to one who is just learning their craft?  I hope the answer is no, but if you are willing to risk the outcome of your event on a novice you must also be willing to be somewhat disappointed in the result.  What is it they say?   "You get what you pay for".

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