This week, Michele Grenier kicked things off by showing how to do an at-home macro photography project, while Vanelli explained. how to fix portraits and enlarge a single eye.
Then, Jeremy Gray took us on a journey of early morning landscapes, while I showcased some of my favorite lenses for the micro four-thirds system. Finally, Lauri Novak taught us how to always be ready for that special moment, and Levi Sim showed how to maximize a macro setup.
Try this droplet at-home macro photography project - It's ain't always easy to stay creative while stuck at home. Here's a fun and easy macro photography project to do alone or with the whole family!
Enlarging just one eye - When retouching portraits, I often indulge in flattery. Some skin retouching, a little blemish removal, slimming the face and slightly enlarging a subject’s eyes. The goal is to apply these small changes to make the subject look their best. Here’s how I make a subject look their best when they have one eye noticeably smaller than the other. Fixing a smaller eye when taking the photo It’s best to fix a problem when first taking the photo. If a subject has one eye smaller than the other, turn the subject so the smaller eye is closest to the camera. Normally, anything closest to the camera will appear larger. This will make the smaller eye appear to match the larger eye. Problem solved. But what happens when you forget this trick or are unable to position the subject this way? This is when you can apply this simple trick in Luminar to enlarge just one eye. Using Luminar to enlarge one eye Step 1: Select the AI Portrait Enhancer tool from the Portrait tools set and enhance the image. Apply any changes you want but DO NOT enlarge the eyes. Step 2: Select Create New Stamp Layer from the Layers tool. Apply the Portrait tool and enlarge the eyes. It’s best to go to an extreme then adjust the correct size next. (Plus it’s good for a laugh … sorry Erika!) Step 3: Select the Stamp Layer and click Edit Mask. Choose the brush tool and erase the effect applied to her right eye. Step 4: Go back to the Portrait tool and make the proper adjustment to Enlarge Eye. Why a Stamped Layer? A Stamp Layer merges all the tools used on the layer and then creates a new layer. By applying a layer mask, we are erasing any adjustments made to the area we are erasing. This is how we can keep one eye larger without affecting the other eye. So the next time you photograph a subject who has one eye smaller than the other, try the camera tip — pose the subject so the smaller eye is closest to the camera. If you forget or you weren’t able to pose the subject that way, use the Luminar tip to enlarge just one eye. Be sure to check out Luminar 4. You can download the free trial from Skylum, or if you’re ready to buy, click here and get our Photofocus bundle of extras!
The top lenses you need to consider for micro four-thirds - The micro four-thirds format gets a lot of shade thrown its way. Despite that, the format is still alive and kicking, embracing its underdog status. For me personally, I switched to micro four-thirds back in 2017 and haven’t looked back since. It’s been a great format for me to use — both personally and commercially with my clients. I’ve tried a lot of lenses for micro four-thirds, from both Olympus, Panasonic and even Sigma. Not only are these lenses significantly cheaper than their full-frame cousins, but they’re also made of some killer, high-performing glass. Without further adieu, I present to you my top lenses for micro four-thirds. Prices are based at the time of publishing. Be sure to check out B&H for updated prices, as some of these lenses are pretty often being marked down. All-purpose zoom lens: Olympus 12-100mm f/4 PRO While this wasn’t my first lens I purchased, it’s certainly been one of my favorites. I regularly have this on as I’m outdoors, whether it be for event coverage or just roaming the streets. It’s pretty much always attached to one of my camera bodies. The image quality is superb, and it’s an extremely versatile lens, presenting a field of view of 24-200mm (on full-frame cameras). The fixed f/4 aperture and built-in image stabilization makes this a must-have. $1149; available via B&H. Runner-up: Panasonic Leica 12-60mm f/2.8-4 ($797.99) Cheap but still great: Olympus 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II ($499) Standard zoom lens: Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 While I haven’t used the Mark II version of this lens, I used to have the original version. There’s nothing sexy about a 24-70mm field of view, but it’s often a necessary for many photographers — especially those that document events. This lens is super light and small, and performs wonderfully, sharp at even the largest of apertures on the corners. It’s great to travel with, too, given its size. $797.99; available via B&H. Runner-up: Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO ($849) Runner-up x2: Olympus 12-45mm f/4 PRO ($599) Telephoto zoom lens: Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO This is the very first micro four-thirds lens I purchased, and it’s easy to see why. As an event photographer, having that extra reach has proved to be super beneficial (compared to Panasonic’s 35-100mm f/2.8). The lens is a great performer, and is once again weather sealed (like all of Olympus’ PRO glass). Focusing speed is super fast regardless of conditions, and it’s an absolute joy to use. $1349; available via B&H. Runner-up: Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f/4-6.3 ($1497.99) Cheap but still great: Olympus 40-150mm f/4-5.6 ($99) Landscape lens: Olympus 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO I’ve written about this lens before. It’s extremely sharp across the focal range, with very little problem with lens flare or chromatic aberration. The f/2.8 aperture gives great low light performance and reliability. When photographing cityscapes and landscapes, this lens has come through again and again for me. $1249; available via B&H. Runner-up: Panasonic Leica 10-25mm f/1.7 ($1597.99) Cheap but still great: Sigma 16mm f/1.4 ($399) Portrait lens: Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 I’m a sucker for the 85-90mm field of view when it comes to portraits, hence my choice here. But this was a close one, particularly between the 42.5mm f/1.2 and Olympus’ 45mm f/1.2 PRO lens. I’ve owned both, and ultimately, it comes down to a coin toss. While I currently own the Olympus, the Panasonic inches out because of its color delivery and the 85mm field of view. My only complaint? The screw-on metal lens hood is a bit tedious to switch on and off in a hurry. $1197.99; available via B&H. Runner-up: Olympus 45mm f/1.2 PRO ($1149) Cheap but still great: Sigma 56mm f/1.4 ($429) Street lens: Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.7 This one was extremely close, and depending on what camera system you use, you’ll be swayed one way or another. The Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.7 gets the nod here because of its sharpness and color rendition. Plus, the ability to change the aperture on the lens is a definite win when it comes to street photography. $547.99; available via B&H. Runner-up: Olympus 17mm f/1.8 ($399) Cheap but still great: Panasonic Lumix 20mm f/1.7 II ($267.99) Macro lens: Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Macro This was a lens I purchased shortly after switching to Olympus, but one that I didn’t use right away. But when I did … I was so happy I picked it up! The colors and depth of field here are amazing. The lens is super light, and performs beautifully, allowing for that ultra-close view whether you’re photographing food or flowers. It’s also a great headshot lens! $399; available via B&H. Runner-up: Panasonic Lumix 30mm f/2.8 Macro ($297.99) There are several other micro four-thirds lenses out there that I love, including the Olympus 300mm f/4 PRO and Panasonic Leica 12mm f/1.4. What are your favorite lenses? Let me know in the comments below!
Close-up liberation: How to maximize your macro setup - Photography is fun. Toys are fun. Putting them together just makes sense (and it justifies your juvenile obsessions). If you try using the following ideas to maximize your own macro and close-up photography you’ll find a whole new world that’s always available, no matter the weather. Combine this with Dave DeBaermaeker’s tips and you’ll have a whole of fun. Key tools I’m demonstrating I’ll list for you the exact tools I used to make this picture, but you can substitute any of them. Each of these tools can be used in many other facets of your photography, though, so if you buy them you won’t be getting a single-purpose item you may not use again. Platypod It’s much easier to manipulate the camera perspective than a tripod. If it’s too low, add a book. If it’s too high, put a book under your subject. I used a Max (B&H | Amazon) for my camera and an Ultra (B&H | Amazon) for the lights. Vanguard grip head You need to add a ball head to the Platypod, and I’ve had good luck with many Vanguard models. I like this grip head — until I get the new Platyball head, this is my favorite. Goosenecks Platypod’s goosenecks (B&H | Amazon) are perfect for getting your lights or even your subjects into the right place. They bend all over and have standard 1/4″-20 threaded holes and studs. Lume Cube These lights have long-lasting batteries, excellent color, and terrific modifiers. Here, I used the 2.0 version with three orange filters, a diffuser, and a grid to focus the light. Alternatively, you could use a flashlight, but in the long run, these lights are worth owning. Macro lens I’ve got the Leica 45mm f/2.8 for my Lumix G9. You don’t have to have a macro lens; extension tubes are also excellent. Close-up filters also work well. I would recommend a moderate telephoto, though. This lens is similar to a 90mm lens on a full-frame camera. Longer lenses make it easier to control the background composition. Tether Tools cables Tethering your camera to your computer is a terrific way to say your back and neck when making close-up pictures. Tether Tools (B&H | Amazon) makes all kinds of durable accessories to help. Viewsonic 27″ Monitor (VP2768) Using a monitor as the backdrop gives you unlimited background options. Just put any picture you’ve ever made anywhere on the screen and you’ve got a backdrop. I like this Viewsonic model (B&H | Amazon) because its matte finish reduces the problems of lights glaring off it, and its height is fully adjustable without tools. Also, it’s a 2K monitor, which is marvelous for editing your pictures and it’s priced nicely. Start with a subject First of all, you need to find something to photograph. Toys are fun because you can use your other photographs to enhance their environment, which we’ll discuss below. But flowers and favorite curios are also excellent to experiment with. In this case, I chose a Star Wars figurine. Choose an environment Think about where you’d like your subject to appear. Star Wars is famous for dramatic environments, and I like to photograph that kind of thing, too. This background is the sunset during a forest fire I made ten years ago. I used a telephoto lens to make the sun look larger. It seemed like a good choice as a classic Star Wars backdrop. You can choose anything you like. Maybe a picture from your trip to Paris would be great with a flower or coffee cup. Perhaps a mountain scene for a flower. You could even choose something comical to enrich your photo. Have you seen “The Mandalorian?” I got this idea from the recent Star Wars series, “The Mandalorian.” That entire show was filmed in a studio, but they didn’t use any green screens. Instead, the whole room was covered in screens and they projected the environments and scenes on the screens. That means the actors and photographers could see the world around them and interact with it. The lighting from the environment shone on the actors, too. It’s an incredible way to work. My setup with one monitor is simple in comparison, but the whole idea inspired me so much. For me, this is much simpler to accomplish than building a terrific set for my toys. Craft the light The light on your subject should match the light on the backdrop. To achieve a match here, I positioned my Lume Cube behind the figurine, which gets the light looking like it’s coming from the sun on the screen. But that sun is so orange compared to the white light from the Lume Cube. So, I used the gels for the Lume Cube and stacked up three CTO gels to make it as warm as the smoke-obscured sun in the back. I reduced the light on the front so it looked totally backlit. Position your subject so that the light on it is of a similar direction, quality, and color as the light in the background. Start clicking Now get to work making pictures. Remember that all the techniques you use to make a good photo apply here. Make sure background elements don’t merge with your subject. Move the camera for a better perspective. Turn and adjust the subject in the light for the most flattering view. Use different apertures to change the bokeh on the backdrop. Make lots of pictures. Then switch backdrops and switch subjects. Do it again. It can be a lot of fun. It’s got me thinking about making portraits with a projector for the backdrop, which isn’t a new idea, but it’d be a new experience for me. That’s the thing: Everything in photography has been done, but it hasn’t been done by you. Until you’ve experienced you really don’t know how to do it. So give it a shot! I’d love to see your results in the Photofocus Facebook group.
Is your camera within reach and ready to go? - Are you ready to capture whatever comes into view at any given moment? Most of us are not. Why? Our camera is tucked away safely in our bag, waiting for its next adventure. I’m waiting for my next adventure also, but apparently, all my adventures for this year have been canceled. So now what? You never know what might appear to take photos of Lucky for me a family of foxes has taken up residency under my neighbor’s garden shed. A few days ago the kits made their first venture out into the yard and oh my gosh, they are so incredibly adorable. When they first came out though I had to run and get my camera out of my bag, change lenses and make sure I had put the SD card back in it before I could go out and take photos of them. Whew! I almost or very easily could have missed them. I would not have been happy had that happened. Don’t miss another shot Someone commented on one of the images I posted on Facebook that they had a fox (insert any other sort of wildlife, birds, turtles, squirrels here) come through their property and they missed it because by the time they went to get their camera it was gone. Has this ever happened to you? It happens to me all the time, especially with the cardinals that hang out in our backyard. You’d think I’d be better prepared. In reality, I’m not overly worried about photographing cardinals so I just don’t. Be a good scout and be ready You know, be prepared. Since the oh-so-cute baby foxes are out every morning and evening now though, I’m ready. My camera and 100-400mm lens are sitting out right next to my back patio doors and on a chair in my kitchen, so I can grab it and even shoot through my kitchen window if I have to. I always have an extra SD card on hand and also make sure I have an extra charged battery ready to switch out if need be. They have a routine we’ve learned over the last few days so I also get up and go check around the times they seem to come out to play. If you are in an area with lots of birds or squirrels, or anywhere there may be a chance of something photographic happening, be ready. Keep your camera out, make sure your batteries are charged and your memory cards are empty and ready to fill. It doesn’t hurt anything to have your camera within reach so you don’t miss a great shot. I’ve even got my husband to make sure his camera is charged, on the counter and out ready to go.
The joy of early morning photography for landscapes - Sunrise versus sunset, which is best for landscape photography? It depends. However, in general, I prefer the early morning sunrise for numerous reasons. Beautiful morning light Something both sunrise and sunset landscape photography have going for them is the potential for excellent light. Before sunrise, and after sunset, you can get excellent blue hour light. If the conditions cooperate, sunrise can produce many excellent colors and beautiful conditions. The atmosphere is more likely to be thicker at sunset, which can result in more colors, but that is not to say that sunrise doesn’t have the potential for a colorful sky. While sunrise can certainly offer a variety of warm colors, it also frequently can offer displays of cooler light. Especially when shooting with either a polarizing filter and/or a graduated neutral density filter, you can capture deep blues in your sunrise images. Particularly in the summer months, when the air is hazier, sunrise typically offers deeper hues than sunset. Fewer people While there will always be exceptions, it has been my experience over the last decade that there are fewer people around during sunrise than sunset. This applies to non-photographers and photographers alike. Even in popular locations, it’s not unusual to arrive before sunrise and see nobody around. At sunset, this is much less likely to be the case. With fewer people around, it’s much easier to work. If you do encounter other people at sunrise, it’s likely that they’re fellow photographers who have mutual appreciation and respect for both the area and other photographers. A great example of that is these images of Bass Harbor Light in Acadia National Park. This location works well at sunrise (left) and sunset (right), although I prefer the direction of light at sunrise. The sunrise image was captured during the tourist season. Despite that, I was totally alone. Several weeks later, I revisited Bass Harbor to shoot at sunset, and there were dozens of people around. In this location and many others along the coast, it can be challenging to work when there are people constantly coming and going. Early risers have more opportunities Sometimes the conditions before and during sunrise simply don’t work out. Until there’s some foolproof forecast for great photography conditions, striking out is just a part of the process. However, a bad sunrise doesn’t always mean bad morning photography. There have been many times when a sunrise was underwhelmed but the rest of the morning presented interesting photographic opportunities. If sunset is bad, you’re out of luck unless you’re up for night photography. Some locations can work well at sunrise and sunset, so you can get a second chance at stunning shots later that same day. Another advantage of being out for sunrise is that afterward, you can scout the location in brighter light to see if there might be other opportunities for another trip. By the time it’s a couple of hours past sunrise, hopefully, you’ve already had a productive day. You get to go home with photos and useful scouting information if you’re fortunate. After a sunrise photo adventure, you have the rest of the day ahead of you. Different weather in the morning There can, of course, be very windy mornings. There can also be hazy mornings. However, compared to sunset, in my experience, wind and haze are much less likely during sunrise. If you spend a lot of time photographing scenes with water, calm conditions can produce wonderful reflections. Further, if you want a bit of atmosphere in your images, you’re more likely to witness fog in the morning. Some locations are better at sunrise With more people photographing at sunset than sunrise, sometimes great sunrise locations fly somewhat under the radar. It’s also possible that a location you like at sunset is a location you’d love at sunrise. My point is simple — some spots provide more opportunity with the light coming from the east. Sunset is great too, of course Some locations are better at sunset than sunrise. Sunset has other advantages as well. The most obvious one is that it doesn’t require waking up early. Especially in the summer months, it’s not easy getting up early to travel and get set up for sunrise photography. Even when I’m excited to capture photos, it can be extremely challenging to wake up at 2 a.m. to be at a location before the sun comes up at 5 a.m. After all, if it were easy, locations would be as busy at sunrise as they are at sunset. If you need reasons to get out in the morning I really enjoy sunrise photography for several reasons: I prefer the light and colors at sunrise. In almost every case, there are far fewer people around, which makes for much easier and more relaxed photography. If the conditions at sunrise aren’t good, I still have the entire day ahead of me to try for better images or at least scout locations for future images in daytime light. Mornings are typically less windy. Further, you’re more likely to get nice fog (although sometimes too much fog) in the mornings. If a location doesn’t work well at sunset, it’s worth considering if it might be better at sunrise. In addition to the photographic advantages I find at sunrise, there is also something to be said about being outdoors and being active early in the day. Regardless of the outcome in terms of my images, it’s relaxing and peaceful to watch the sunrise. There’s no better way to start the day.
