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The Second Most Important Thing To Know About Car Photography

Posted by scottbourne on October 28, 2011
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved

NOTE: This was cross-posted from CarLoves.com

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Assuming that you have access to the car you want to photograph is the first step to making a great car photograph, the background is the second.

A clean, uncluttered, background is very important to car photography. Additionally, a background that “makes sense” helps. For instance, photographing a car inside a swimming pool may be cool because it’s never been done before, but cars and swimming pools don’t go together. Cars and roads, cars and parking lots, cars and garages and cars and race tracks all go together.

I try to find backgrounds that match the car’s intent. A Bentley Continental looks “right” parked on a big circular driveway outside a mansion. A Yugo, not so much.

A sports car, muscle car or race car always looks good on a race track. Race tracks are almost always my preferred place to photograph cars. Even if the car doesn’t end up ON the track, there’s usually enough space around the track, or facilities like garages, that will set the scene. In the photograph I made for this article, I took my 2011 Corvette Grand Sport to the famous Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval. It made for a perfect background since it added interest to the shot without cluttering it.

The background’s job in the photo is to set the scene and then get out of the way. Spend as much time scouting backgrounds as you can.

Good hunting.
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Photographing Pooches That Are Dressed To Kill

Posted by scottbourne on October 22, 2011
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

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Post & Photo by Joe Farace – Follow Joe on Twitter

People love to take pictures of their kids and their pets. When it comes to dogs dressed up for Halloween, everybody wants to photograph other people’s dogs. If you’re wondering how I do this, here are a few tips, tools and techniques.

To start with you must like dogs. If you’re nervous and hyper, they’re more likely to freak out. They’re already dressed up in costumes, so most of them will be a little shy anyway. It’s your job to project an air of calm assertiveness that will make the dogs relax and help you get great pictures at the same time.

Keep a low-key demeanor. If you want to photograph people with their dogs it’s going to be harder than shooting dogs by themselves. Just like parents, they start primping the dog and asking him to look at the camera. This has the opposite effect and minimizes your chances of getting a good photo. Just as important to do is what not to do. I don’t use flash because it may cause red eye problems or change the look and texture of their coats plus it’s another distraction for the dog.

Wear your grungies. Don’t be afraid to get your clothes dirty. To get a great shoot you may have to get down on your knees or sit of the ground, so wear something you don’t mind getting a little grimy.

Bring lots of memory cards and lots of high capacity cards because the best shots are going to made after watching a dog for a while and making many exposures to get the right one. These shots are not just luck, they come from watching a subject that’s constantly looking around and when you’re lucky maybe at you.

Long lenses are a good idea. Don’t expect these pooches to come to you; use the right focal length to shoot them when and where they’re comfortable. This not only gives you space to photograph the dog without your presence being too distracting, but also produces less depth-of-field to soften a distracting background.

Focus on their eyes. Just like a portrait of people, keeping the dog’s eyes in focus creates a nice portrait and image stabilization lenses (or in-body stabilization) increase the odds of getting sharp photos. Unlike photographing fashion models on a runway, you never know where these pooches are going to move or what they will do!

Joe Farace is the author of “Studio Lighting Anywhere” the second book in a trilogy or glamour and portrait photography from Amherst Media. It’s available on Amazon.com.

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Two Reasons I’m Loving The Micro 4/3 Format

Posted by scottbourne on October 20, 2011
Posted in: Opinion, Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved - Olympus PEN E-P3 - Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens

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I still have too many cameras. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to make any room in my gear closet. I get rid of one camera and I swear two more take its place. So with all these cameras laying around in my studio, why do I keep grabbing the micro 4/3-based Olympus E-P3?

Before I tell you why – I’ll tell you why not. It’s not because Olympus sponsors me – they don’t, and never have. It’s not because Olympus is an advertiser on this or any other project I am involved with – they are not and never have been. It’s not because they gave me the E-P3. They didn’t. I bought it from my friend Joel at Adorama with my own hard-earned cash. So now that you know why not – here’s why.

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved - Olympus PEN E-P3 - Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens

Number One

Size…

The E-P3 is the size of an old-fashioned rangefinder. It’s small, lightweight and easy to carry. It’s NOT a compact camera. It’s larger than almost any point-and-shoot, but it’s smaller than almost any DSLR. It doesn’t weigh me down like my DLSRs. It’s also less conspicuous. When I’m using the D3s or the 1D MK IV with a 70-200 lens, I get lots of people looking at my camera. They sometimes interrupt me with questions or just want to make small talk as gear heads are inclined to do. I understand that and if I’m just hanging around, I don’t mind. But since most of the time I have a camera in my hand I am working, it can be bothersome. When I use the micro 4/3 cameras, hardly anyone seems to notice.

Weight…

If you carry a bunch of camera gear everywhere you go as I have for literally decades, then at some point in time, your tired old bones begin to creak. As I get older, I appreciate more and more anything that is light weight. It’s just plain easier to carry, transport and use a light camera than a heavy camera. The micro 4/3 cameras are quite a bit lighter than their DSLR counterparts as are the micro 4/3 lenses. While image quality is important, if you’re too tired to carry or hold or operate the big heavy cameras, what good is all that extra image quality?

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved - Olympus PEN E-P3 - Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens

There are disadvantages to using a micro 4/3 camera system over a DSLR. For instance, the micro 4/3 cameras don’t perform as well in low – light and have smaller sensors. They are also not necessarily any cheaper than DSLRs even though they are smaller. But not every photograph requires a camera with good low-light sensitivity. And while micro 4/3 cameras won’t be producing too many billboard-sized photos, they have large enough sensors and back-end processing is good enough that standard 13×19″ enlargements (and even larger) look great. I’ve made and sold several images already that came from the Olympus PEN cameras. If the clients like it – I like it.

The micro 4/3 system isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for something that offers interchangeable lenses, in a small, lightweight design, check out a micro 4/3 camera.

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My Initial Thoughts On The Canon EOS-1D X Announcement

Posted by scottbourne on October 18, 2011
Posted in: News, Opinion, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

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Canon let everyone know this week that it really does have a new camera coming. Unfortunately, it’s not actually going to be available until spring of next year.

It’s probably a good thing because most photographers will have to pinch some pennies to be able to afford this new monster. With a predicted retail price of $6,800 it’s not for everyone.

The new flagship Canon is an 18.1 megapixel, full-frame DSLR that features a 61-point autofocus system, very high ISO range, 12 frames per second RAW capture and a new set of DIGIC 5+ processors. It appears to be more revolutionary than evolutionary since the camera offers many new features and functions. It’s got a heavy movie component and offers a little something for everyone at the pro level.

Let’s talk about megapixels -

Many of the initial comments I heard from fellow photographers included concerns that Canon was still playing in the megapixel wars by including an 18.1 MP sensor. The laws of physics dictate that the more pixels you cram onto a sensor, the more noise you’ll create in your image. There are ways around this if you have the right back-end, in-camera processing. Canon says that’s where their new DIGIC processors come in. They claim a full two-stop increase in low-light performance. It should be noted this is a SMALLER megapixel count than they used on the 1DS MK III and a LARGER sensor than they used on the 1D MK V. It’s a very interesting compromise and it just may work.

The big question is simply – is it really ALL THAT? Unfortunately, we won’t know for at least six months. I plan to reserve judgment until I actually see production versions of the camera in action. I own both Canon and Nikon DSLRs. In my experience, Canon has always been a stop or two behind the Nikons when it comes to low-light performance because Nikon chooses to use bigger pixels. Their 12 MP cameras have served me well and I’m not sure I need 18 MP. We’ll find out.

Beyond the sensor, here are some of the other highlights…

* The new 61-point AF system – 41 of those being cross-type sensors
* 100% viewfinder coverage
* Newly improved RGB metering with its own DIGIC 4 processor
* New 3.2″ LCD screen
* Full HD mob quality with new auto creation of movie files once the 4GB limit has been reached – 29-minute 59 seconds movie clip length
* Timecode for HD movie recording
* Manual audio level control with live meters and adjustability during recording
* Touch sensitive controls for use during movie recording
* Dual CF card slots
* Improved internal cleaning system
* Built-in Gigabit Ethernet port
* New intelligent tracking and face recognition systems
* 400,000 cycle shutter
* New buttons and better ergonomics

I think the most important part of this announcement is the fact that Canon is replacing two cameras with this one. Canon says the new EOS-1D X replaces both the EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS-1D Mark IV models. This signals to me that Canon, and perhaps the industry sees that it’s time to merge the capabilities of the high-end sports, wedding and photo journalism cameras. They are taking a genuine multimedia approach here that is worth noting.

The other big takeaways here are that Canon sport shooters will no longer have the 1.3 crop factor to give them longer effective focal lengths with their big lenses. That will require new thinking on their part. The other thing to note is that this is JUST an announcement. It’s not shipping. A lot can happen in six months. Canon clearly is nervous about the fact that Nikon is coming out with a new high-end camera THIS YEAR. Canon doesn’t want loyal customers to get nervous and jump ship, so they are hoping (as I predicted last week) to hold them in place with this announcement. Will it work?

If Nikon announces a new high-end camera with similar capabilities, shipping before Christmas, with a lower price point, I don’t think Canon’s promise will hold 100% of their customers. If Nikon prices their camera similarly, most Canon shooters will wait. But if Canon doesn’t make good on the March 2012 ship date, they could be in real trouble. Some may be concerned that this is similar to “vaporware.” Canon claims to be building production facilities capable of churning out 7000 of these cameras a month. I think that’s optimistic. In fact, I think the whole thing is optimistic. But I am very hopeful it works out. This camera could – for professionals – be a really valuable tool, especially for those who shoot video or sports or who need large file sizes.

If the camera ships in March I will buy one – if for no other reason than to test. Oh – and yes – eventually I’ll buy one to give away!

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Soft Focus and Blur

Posted by scottbourne on October 16, 2011
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

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Post & Photo by Joe Farace – Follow Joe on Twitter

You don’t always need or want tack sharp photographs. Blur and selective blur, when applied to an otherwise ordinary photograph, can create a mood or look that fits an impression of the image more than the reality of it. Sometimes the distinction between creative blur and soft focus get confused, so let’s take a look at their differences.

When all or part of a photograph lacks sharpness, it’s blurry. Blur can be caused by camera or subject motion and can be accidentally or deliberately created by an object moving while the camera’s shutter is open or simply by the photographer moving the camera. The classical in-camera zoom blur effect is created by setting the shutter speed as slow as possible (small apertures help) and zooming the lens during exposure. Digital blurring is accomplished through software averaging of pixel values to soften edge detail and the effect can be produced digitally using Photoshop’s different blur commands, such as Radial Blur.

A lens that’s not corrected for spherical aberrations produces soft focus and creates a diffused look by bending light away from the subject so parts of the photograph are defocused while the rest remains in focus. Highlights are dispersed onto adjacent areas and the image still looks focused but some of its components are just enough out-of-focus so they’re softened. In addition, sharp lines and edges are slightly fuzzy and small details seem to disappear. It’s possible to capture soft focus effects by using dedicated soft focus lenses, such as Canon’s EF 135 f/2.8 SF, a camera lens filter or by using digital techniques.

Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 4 suite of filters, for example, contains a Classical Soft Focus filter that mimics various kinds of soft focus camera filters used in traditional film photography. This in-post filter can add diffusion to an image while preserving detail much like the Zeiss Softar camera filter. Just like a Softar, Classical Soft Focus creates a soft focus image but not a blurry one and sometimes the only way that you can tell it was used is compare it against the sharper original which is why wedding clients will love this effect that doesn’t look like an effect. The control panel’s Soft Focus Method pop-up menu lets you select the type of effect from a subtle soft focus effect to more pronounced diffusion. The Diffused Detail slider controls the amount of random detail to maintain the appearance of some sharpness and prevent banding.

Joe Farace is the author of “Studio Lighting Anywhere” the second book in a trilogy or glamour and portrait photography from Amherst Media. It’s available on Amazon.com.

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Photofocus Podcast Episode #90

Posted by scottbourne on October 15, 2011
Posted in: Audio Podcast. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

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PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.

Feed URL: http://bit.ly/ffwv9n

Direct Download: http://photofocus.podomatic.com/enclosure/2011-10-14T19_24_57-07_00.mp3

Photofocus Episode 90

Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne)

Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)

Welcome to Episode Number 90 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together.

This week we kick things off with a question about red eye:

Question One – Red Eye

I know this is a basic question but I still have trouble with it. How do I stop or remove red eye? Ann Hillenbrand, London UK

Scott: Red eye is caused when the camera flash is close to the lens. The solution is to get the flash off the camera. Try bouncing the flash or use wireless or radio triggers to get the flash off the camera. The good news is that if you do have some images with red eye, many of the photo editing applications on the market have tools that let you quickly remove red-eye.

Question Two – Photomerge

I heard someone talking about “photomerge.” What is that exactly? David Spear, New York, NY

Scott: This term is normally used to describe a process in photo editing software such as Photoshop where you are merging two or more photographs together to build a panorama.

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You May Want To Hold Off On That Next High-End DSLR Camera Purchase

Posted by scottbourne on October 13, 2011
Posted in: News, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you should know that this Fall, we’re expecting major announcements from Canon and Nikon regarding future camera releases.

I very, very rarely report on rumors here, but I have some decent sources that lead me to believe both Nikon and Canon have new, higher-end DSLRs coming relatively soon.

I think both companies know their customers are getting antsy. Both risk losing customers to other brands and formats if they don’t at least announce new cameras very soon.

I suspect that neither company will be shipping new cameras at the time of their announcement. These announcements will be what I call place holders. They will be intended to let the faithful know what is coming – and issued in an attempt to hold people in line waiting for a new camera body. It appears Nikon will actually start shipping new product before Canon does. Nikon may still even get a new camera body in our hands before Christmas. It looks less likely that Canon will be able to match that date, but time will tell. I also have reason to believe Canon is going to stagger their announcements. So don’t be surprised if you see something VERY soon from Canon and then again in November.

In any event, if you go out and buy a new high-end camera body now, you may be disappointed to learn it’s being replaced by a newer model soon. On the other hand, you may look at the new camera announcements as a signal that it’s a great time to pick up a current body at a discounted price, since the new camera announcements tend to put downward pressure on the market for used cameras and existing inventory.

So you have been warned and I advise patience – for a little while anyway – until we see what is real and what is not.

By the way – even if I knew exact shipping dates, model numbers and prices I couldn’t share them with you so please don’t ask. But do be aware of the general situation. It could help you make the right decision later.

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