With summer winding down and the kids going back to school, the team at Photofocus brought some really unique articles this week to get your creativity juices flowing!
Guest author Nate Torres presented six tips to get you going with your portrait photography and then Dennis Dunbar kicked off Photoshop World by telling us how to keep those portraits looking real in Photoshop. Bryan Esler reviewed the budget-friendly Godox V1 flash and Julie Powell told us how attending workshops can help get your photographic mojo back. Finally, Vanelli brought a special edition of the InFocus Interview Show with Abe Curland from B&H, and Lauri Novak explained why photographing on Auto mode can be good … and bad. We hope your week was great!
Beware the blur: Keeping portraits looking real - (Editor’s note: This guest article is by professional retoucher Dennis Dunbar. He has been adding the Photoshop magic to images for movie posters and ad campaigns for over 28 years. He loves working on cool images with cool creatives. Learn more and see his work on his website, Facebook and Instagram.) As humans we’re keenly aware of what looks natural and real when it comes to faces. Retouchers know how important this is to remember when working on beauty shots and portraits and that heavy handed retouching can result in something looking a bit off. If you want to craft a well done image the end result just HAS to look like a real person. And to get there you need to be careful with the techniques you use while keeping a close eye on how the image looks, to be sure you’re crafting images that help the subject look their best. This is why experienced retouchers prefer more traditional techniques like Dodging and Burning over the various shortcut tricks out there. These shortcuts combine a blurred version with a filtered one to smooth out the tones and make the shot look beautiful. The problem with the filtered shortcuts is that it is so easy to go too far, winding up with an image that moves into that ‘uncanny valley’ where we recognize something is not quite right, but we’re not sure what. Let’s take a look at the image below, before retouching, taken by photographer Kevin Kleitches. In working on the retouching of this image I first used the Healing and Cloning tools to clean up the things that obviously needed to go. Then I shifted to using a couple Dodge and Burn Adjustment Layers — basically one Curves Adjustment Layer to lighten, and one to darken — to smooth out the tones and unevenness of the skin. This work took about an hour. Below is the retouched version. Shortcuts vs. traditional retouching By way of comparison here is a version of that same image created using Frequency Separation where you combine a blurred version with a sharpened one. In working on this one the Mixer Brush was used on a copy of the blurred layer to smooth out the tones and unevenness of the skin. The work on this one took about 10 minutes. That time savings can be really tempting for someone who needs to work quickly. But if you look closely you’ll see there is an odd disconnect between the structure of the face and the texture. Yes, there is nice skin texture where there should be texture, but somehow that texture now looks out of place in areas such as under her eyes or the outer parts of her cheeks. Here is the same close up view of this image retouched with the traditional techniques. The trick is to learn how to carefully apply the appropriate techniques so you can craft a well done image that looks natural. While it is very possible to use techniques such as Frequency Separation effectively, one needs to err on the side of being light handed. Put in the time to get a great looking image over focusing on speed and those down and dirty tricks that sound cool. These wind up making the portrait look unnatural more often than not. Photos copyright Kevin Kleitches
Godox V1 offers high speed and power in round flash head - For the past couple years, I’ve utilized the Nissin line of flashes — specifically the Di700A and i60A — for my on-camera flash photography. While these can also be used off-camera, as an event photographer my primary goal with flashes is to work the room, meaning I needed my speedlight directly on my camera in most cases. During that time, I’ve also utilized the MagMod system of different modifiers and diffusers, not only for my speedlights, but for my Godox AD200 strobes as well. So when I was offered the chance to review the Godox V1, I was intrigued. I had never photographed with a round flash head. Would it provide a similar look and feel as to what I was getting with my Nissin flashes? Would it give me more options to really get creative with my lighting? Specs The Godox V1 offers a 76Ws output and zoom range up to 105mm. The head rotates 330 degrees, and tilts from -7 to 120 degrees. It also has a magnetic surface, compatible with Godox’s line of accessory light modifiers. It has an approximate 1.5-second recycle time. The V1 also supports high-speed sync up to 1/8000s. It can control up to four wireless groups in a master/slave configuration with its 2.4 wireless X-system transmitter. Other features include an AF assist lamp, a 3200K LED modeling lamp and a 2.5mm port for cable triggers. Initial impressions When I took the Godox V1 out of the box, I was immediately impressed. This was very well-made, and screamed “professional.” The round head was larger than I expected, but the 330-degree rotation was very nice. Better yet, it was virtually silent, not making any clicks at all when I rotated it — which is a big deal for event photographers photographing in quiet spaces. The hot shoe lock to put the flash on my camera was very intuitive, meaning I didn’t have to twist a dial to lock it into place. The flash comes with a rechargeable battery, which is rated for up to 480 full-power flashes. The thought of not having to pack a ton of AA batteries for each photoshoot I go to was certainly appealing. Controls and menu On the back of the V1 you’ll find a large LCD panel, which displays information like zoom, mode, flash power, exposure compensation, high-speed sync and distance. There are also a number of settings that appear when you turn the flash into master or slave mode. Below the LCD are a series of buttons, as well as a control wheel and On/Off switch. Everything is laid out very nicely, and is pretty straightforward. The menu is also very easy to understand. If you go with this, the first thing you’ll want to do is turn off the beep. One thing that was a head-scratcher, though, was the LCD light settings. You either have the option to have the light on for 12 seconds, completely on or completely off. As an event photographer, I’d love to set this to something around six seconds, to be less disturbing in low-light settings. The other thing I found somewhat cumbersome is changing the flash output. This is something I do regularly, and something I’m very easily able to do on my Nissins by just scrolling with the control wheel. With the V1, though, you have to click the left part of the control wheel (where the +/- is located) and then either use the control wheel (which changes the power by a tenth-stop increment), or click on the top or bottom part of the control wheel to change by a full stop. While this is an extra step and somewhat cumbersome, it prevents any accidental power level changes. A word about modifiers … For the longest time, I’ve used the MagMod system to diffuse and modify my light. While Godox offers its own competing modifying system specifically made for its round flash heads, I was intrigued whether I’d be able to make MagMod work with the V1. The V1 is slightly larger overall than my Nissin flashes, and has a round flash head that’s obviously larger. I knew it would be a challenge to get the MagGrip on the flash, but after some pre-stretching, I was able to secure it to the flash. To me this was a must if I want to switch permanently to the V1. Real-world usage I was able to test the V1 at an event for Project 1 by ArtPrize, as well as a few other photoshoots, and it was impressive. The recycle time was quicker than my Nissins (which have an up to 4-second recycle time), and I found myself using the tenth-stop incremental power steps from time to time. With my Nissins, I frequently found myself either overpowered or slightly underpowered, meaning I would have to adjust my exposure in post-processing. With the V1, this problem has disappeared, as I was able to control the flash output much more. The round flash head also proved for a more even and softer light. This made for a more appealing and natural look in the end photograph. As for when I put it on TTL mode, I found it to be very accurate, and very quick to recycle as well. Flash compensation also worked well here and was very easy to change. With a few exceptions due to my positioning and focus, nearly every photograph was exposed correctly, with the subject(s) being very well-lit. The verdict For me, going with the Godox V1 makes sense, especially if you’re already embedded in the Godox system. And, I don’t know about you, but I love the idea of having one battery to charge instead of having to deal with four AA batteries that constantly die (though I’d buy one or two extra). Finally, despite MagMod’s MagGrip not fitting perfectly, they still work well with the V1, meaning the V1 fits into my workflow perfectly. The Godox V1 retails for $259 and is available for Olympus/Panasonic,
InFocus Interview Show, special edition: Learn to recognize opportunities with Abe Curland - Opportunities to increase our skills and knowledge are all around us, but sometimes we may not spot them. In this special video edition, I sat down with Abe Curland from B&H while at Photoshop World. He discussed how he recognized unique opportunities, and took advantage of them to increase his photographic skills. Topics include photographing in natural light, wildlife photography and how to critique a photo. You can learn more about Abe and see his work at birdsongimages.com. Be sure to let us know if you have any thoughts or questions in the comments section. We do our best to answer all questions in a timely manner. You can be the next guest on our podcast Do you have an idea for a topic or want to hear from your favorite photographer or influencer in our industry? Send an email to Vanelli at [email protected] with the subject line of INFOCUS INTERVIEW IDEA. Then write a brief description of your topic or idea. If you are recommending someone, please include their name, contact information and state if you would like to be a guest host. Thanks for listening! This InFocus Interview Show episode is brought to you by our partners, Lume Cube and Drobo. If you like these InFocus Interviews, please consider supporting them and sharing these links with your friends!
Six portrait photography tips for beginners - If you're thinking about getting into portrait photography, then you've made a wise choice. Capturing people's portraits requires some technical skill coupled with an artistic touch.
Why attending a workshop can help get your photographic mojo back - With the weather soon changing, it might be time to get out and attend some workshops. The thing about being creative is finding inspiration and a constant stream of it. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Have you ever found that you have fallen out of love with your camera? Or ever feel like you’ve lost your photographic mojo? It happens to all of us, at some point or other. But the good news is, there are some great classes and workshops around that can jump-start your creativity and inspiration. Feel inspired Often referred to as Writer’s Block (for writers at any rate), we lose our mojo, our creativity and our inspiration. Sitting and dwelling on WHY inspiration isn’t striking doesn’t help at all either. Sometimes we need some inspiration and attending a workshop or taking a class can be just the ticket. It’s a great way to feel energized by borrowing inspiration from someone else. Borrowing someone else’s creativity, even momentarily, is often enough to spark your own inspiration again. I’m not talking about copying, just being ‘sparked’ by someone else’s ideas or way of doing things. Feel encouraged I don’t know about you, but we are usually our own worst critics, right? Sometimes working in a group environment like a workshop can be a fantastic boost to our self-esteem. You can get a real boost just by someone thinking you have a “great idea.” Or they like what they see on the back of your camera. Just being in an encouraging environment can be a boost. Learning something new or a new approach to something familiar. Also, that sense of growth and attaining a goal is a real boost. Find motivation Usually when everyone first arrives they are a little reserved. Perhaps you don’t really know anyone in the group, or maybe you’re feeling shy and vulnerable. I see it all the time. But once people start working together, bouncing ideas off each other, working as a team to create or achieve something … it can really get people excited and motivated in a class. It’s fun to try new stuff. Akin to team-building exercises, you may feel a little silly at first. But once you hang up the scepticism and embrace the experience, it can be loads of fun. It doesn’t even have to be photography, why not try your hand at pottery or painting? Realize your potential Try a workshop for a whole new genre — something you may never have done before can be an amazing and liberating experience. There are no expectations and that can give you the freedom to really dive in and explore. You may find you have a natural penchant for a genre you have not previously dabbled in. Perhaps it’s something you secretly enjoy watching others create, but have never tried yourself. A group situation is often a safe space. I mean it’s a workshop, right? That means it’s a learning experience. No one expects miracles the second you press that shutter button. You are there to learn something new — take that away to experiment and play — with the knowledge of what you have learnt. To sit with this new knowledge until you are comfortable with it. For some people that happens quicker than others. Learn from a role model Learning from someone who is a leader in their field, or perhaps even just someone you admire, can be a rewarding experience. Especially if that person is open and happily shares tips and tricks, techniques and information with you. Someone who really knows their stuff. Perhaps they can offer you access to equipment or technology you don’t normally have access to. Perhaps they have an extensive knowledge base and have access to them to answer questions on the spot, as they come up. Learning from someone who is a creative thinker, a great educator and someone who challenges you can get you thinking. Finding an educator who can spark your imagination, bring your muse out, offer constructive criticism, offer insights and help in a safe environment can be an amazing experience. You have them right there guiding you, offering insights and new ideas to try. Join a community and network Often when attending a workshop, everyone else is there for the same reason, it is often rewarding in the community it can make. I have met people in workshops that I have connected with and have remained friends with long after the workshop has finished. It is about networking and meeting new people, access to new ideas, and opening up a new world of possibilities. So next time you find your mojo waning, try looking up a workshop in your local area to get you back on the horse again, or perhaps try a horse of a different color! I certainly never started out as a conceptual portrait or still life photographer until I attended some classes and workshops several years ago. I fell in love with both genres and have never looked back. This is why attending a workshop can help get your photographic mojo back. If you live in or visit Melbourne, Australia, I run regular workshops in my home studio or on location. Feel free to visit my Workshop listing page, but be warned they sell out FAST! I also have a list of self-paced online classes, while it’s not the same as attending a workshop, I also have a Facebook group, where the community really kicks in!
Photographing on Auto: The good and the bad - We probably all do it at some point — we become lazy, we’re shooting something we don’t really care about, we’re just creating snapshots or for whatever reason, we turn the dial to Auto. It has its place I do believe that there are times and places for shooting on Auto. When we are learning the basics of composition placing our camera on auto is one of the best ways to not worry about or think about anything but the composition. We are learning and aren’t trying to create our masterpiece. It’s OK to just set it on Auto and focus on what we are seeing in our frame and how we want to present it. If you know you absolutely don’t want to miss something. Maybe you aren’t comfortable yet with shooting on Aperture, Shutter or Manual modes and you’re afraid you’ll miss a shot by trying to get your settings right. Putting the camera on Auto can reduce that anxiety a bit. You may not get exactly the image you want, or what you had in your mind, but you’ll still get a fairly decent recording of what you wanted to capture. A moment in time, a particular event or happening so that you can print it and put it in the family album. (You do print your images, don’t you?) You can learn Using the Auto function can help us learn what our camera does, how it chooses the settings that it decides are right for a situation. It can also help us learn what NOT to do. Here’s a good exercise — go out and take images with your camera set to Auto. When you import them, look at the images, and go over what worked and what didn’t. Look at the EXIF data to see what the camera chose. For those images that didn’t work, figure out why they didn’t work and what settings you would have chosen differently in the situation to get a better image. Keeping it on Auto is also a great way to just get familiar with your camera, how it feels in your hands as well as how the viewfinder, touchscreen and lenses all work. It can be overwhelming with all the buttons and dials and menus. By keeping it on Auto you can focus on learning those things until you’re comfortable with them. Step up to partially manual Using the semi-manual modes (Aperture and Shutter Priority) can be the next step for beginners who would like to gain more control over the outcome of their images. Again, test them out. Use one only then switch to the other to see how they control your camera. Using either of these can greatly help you depending on what you are shooting. There are many pros out there who use both of these modes the majority of the time. Get comfortable with what you’re doing. Learn the basics, experiment and play. When I first learned to use my Minolta XG-1 35mm film camera, I wrote everything down. Every. Thing. All my settings, the subject, the weather, the time of day, the light … all of it. I’d develop the film and compare the image with the notes. That’s how I learned how what you do with ISO, Aperture and f-stop affects the outcome of your shot. Just because it’s all digital now, should be no different. Technology is pretty amazing and getting better all the time, but it’s still not creative. Autofocus doesn’t always choose what you want it to focus on, and the camera choosing the aperture doesn’t make the background blurred out as you had in mind. You can’t always stop motion when you want because the camera doesn’t know that’s what you’re trying to do. Using auto isn’t bad, doesn’t make you less of a photographer. Just look at it as another tool to use to help you learn to do what you do. Note that none of the images in this article have been edited; they’ve just exported from Adobe Lightroom Classic as JPEGs.
