Natural Light is King

I was looking through one of my favorite photography books the other day, Steve McCurry South Southeast. He is one of my favorite photojournalists. In his career, he has survived a plane crash at sea, a beating and near drowning in India by zealous crowds at a religious festival, and was nearly killed by a rival Mujahadeen faction. He was reported killed twice. All his photographs have 3 very important qualities to them: composition, subject and light. His subject matter ranges widely but they all work powerfully to evoke something within. To me though, it is his use of light that elevates his work. A stream of light coming through a window, dramatic side lighting on a herd of camels, women in a desert windstorm in an orange dusk light, front lighting that ignites emerald in the green of an eye. Every photo is made extraordinary as a result of his use of light. In the field there is no-one around to hold a bounce reflector to fill in the shadows... you have no choice but to study it and master it... and make it your own.

These winter months have left me longing for natural light. Although studio lighting will always have it's place, natural light is king. It is magic. Bring on spring!

The photo below is from a photoshoot with Primary NY last year. We had been using studio lighting, but switched to natural light to soften the looks. Note how the hair is slightly back lit, the skin illuminated, the folds of the fabric highlighted. A perfect example of taking advantage of directional lighting (and working with a great model, thanks Lauren!).

Photography Tips | What do you see?

I have no formal training in photography, and in the past I have let that limit how I view myself as a photographer. At my very first art show, I remember confiding in my brother, "but what do I say if they ask what sort of camera I use?". He smiled and replied,"but don't you see, that's the beauty of it". At the time, I was using my dad's manual Pentax... film, of course. I felt embarrassed that it wasn't a top of the line, newer model, like most of the other photographers. It was mostly metal and quite heavy, incredibly worn from years of use, scratched and dented (sorry, dad). The most amazing thing, however, was how the weight of it, the smell of it, brought something out in me that I never experienced before. It took me to a different place, a different space, that became a sort of meditation. Mostly, I think it just slowed me down and showed me a different view of the world, one that I fell in love with instantly.

What I have come to realize is that my camera is merely a tool in helping me communicate and translate my view of the world. A piece of me is in every photo I take. It is my process... the way I draw out the truth in my subject, and ultimately capture it... or try to at least. We all see something different, and that is why no two photos will ever be the exactly the same.

The biggest challenge is to come out with a final image that is the same as what you first saw, what you first intended to capture. Our eyes see far more that our camera is capable of, and sometimes it is disappointing when the photo is missing the color gradient or depth that we experienced. For me, one of the most important things is to translate the moment in not only how it looked to me, but also how it felt. And that's where you start to develop your own personal style...

This day was cloudy and there was a softness about it I wanted to capture. To do this, I used a tilt-shift lens to blur parts of the images, and in post, I changed the images to sepia.

This photo was taken in Ubud, Indonesia. I wanted to capture the endless vines strewn through the jungle. By getting a bit lower, it gave a different perspective and made the vines look much longer. In post I changed the white balance slightly to give a warmer feeing.

This photo was taken on a blistery, wintery day outside my hometown, Grand Forks. Everything was covered in a blanket of white except for a herd of horses whose body heat was melting the new snow. I took this close-up to show the snowflakes and the ice on the nose, with the silhouette of the horse in the background adding to feeling of the photo. In post, I changed it to black and white to better portray the starkness of the horses against the white background.

I put this collage together from a series of photos I took in Todo Santos, Mexico. In post I used a filter to mimic SX-70 film. To me, this is what the small town felt like...

You most likely recognize Pisa below. It was a muggy day with big, dramatic clouds. I wanted to isolate this moodiness, so I framed it with a lot of space in the top with the buildings to help anchor the image. In post, I used a filter in lightroom to change it to the blue tones, which I felt highlighted the incredible architecture and emphasized the clouds in the background.

Travel Photography | Part III | Background & Levels of Scale

BACKGROUND

Something as simple as altering the background can greatly enhance the aesthetic of a photo. Sometimes the subject will blend in and get lost in the background. Usually, it can be as easy as crouching down or photographing at a different angle. When photographing people, repositioning them to a better background can make all the difference. Shooting away from the bright sun (as opposed to into the sun) will also increase the depth and saturation of colors, resulting in a much more pleasing photo. In addition to physically moving the subject or the camera, changing the depth of field to “blur” the background is also a good technique I use frequently with portraits and in nature. This allows you to keep the focus on the subject and not be distracted by the background. With the photos of the orchids shown below, in one I stood behind the orchids and used the sun to backlight the flowers and have a shadow as a background.

In the other, I positioned myself directly in front and I used the sun to front light the orchid, using a large aperture (f/2.8) to blur the background slightly. Each techniques creates such a different effect, it becomes a personal preference.   

LEVELS OF SCALE     

When I travel, I am aware of at least 3 levels of scale when I am taking photos. I take photos of the whole landscape, one taken closer to get a feel for the texture and color of the environment, and then one still closer, perhaps a macro shot of a detail. The point of this is to allow the viewer to really “feel” the place at all levels. I want them to experience it as if they had been there.

Travel Photography | Part II | Aperture & Shutter Speed

SHAPES, LINES & PATTERNS

In both the natural and man made worlds, I am continually looking for patterns and shapes to photograph.  Sometimes isolating one part of the subject or scene results in a more interesting image by highlighting something that gets lost in the clutter. Lines, both architectural and natural, are also important in a photograph because they can draw the viewer’s eyes into the photo. Look for the patterns and lines in the photos below.

Notice how the road draws your eyes into the image...

APERTURE/DEPTH OF FIELD

This refers to the depth of that which is in focus. A photo with a large depth of field (small aperture/large f-stop) would have many objects at different depths in focus, such as the photo of the columns at the Vatican and the Italian vineyard shown above (both photos were taken with at f/9.0). A neat effect can be achieved by using a small depth of field (a large aperture/small f-stop) to keep the foreground in focus but blur the background, as in the photo of the grass below. A camera setting that I use a lot is the aperture priority setting. I first decide if I want only a small depth or all of the image to be in focus and choose the appropriate f-stop, then let the camera decide on the corresponding shutter speed.

The image below was taken at f/4.0, 1/4000. I knew I wanted to have a soft focus on most of the grass and have just one blade be crisp, so I chose a large aperture (which is a small f-stop number) and the camera determined the corresponding shutter speed would be 1/4000 for correct exposure.

SHUTTER SPEED

It is important to understand the relationship between aperture and shutter speed. To make it really simple, the aperture is the size of the hole that lets light into the camera. Shutter speed is how fast the shutter opens and closes, thus determining the amount of light entering the camera. A large aperture means that the aperture is allowing a lot of light to come in, and therefore, the shutter speed needs to be faster so that the photo isn't over-exposed. A small aperture means that the aperture is allowing less light to come in and therefore, the shutter speed needs to be slower to allow more light to enter the camera so the photo isn't under-exposed.

There are some situations where shutter speed is especially important: when there is motion, and when there is low light. In general, if there is motion, a slow shutter speed will blur whatever is moving, whereas a fast shutter speed will freeze the subject, as in the photo of the birds and the surfer below. Both were taken at 1/1250.

The photo below was taken on a bus in Hong Kong. I left the shutter open for 4 seconds, capturing the streaking lights of cars passing and the neon signs on the buildings. There is a lot of camera movement because I was on a bus, but I think it makes for an interesting overall effect. 

In this photo, a shutter speed of 8 seconds makes the flowing river smooth and glassy, giving the overall image a dramatic effect. Had I not used a tripod, the whole image would be blurry, but here, the tripod isolates the movement of the river, not the camera.

*As a rule of thumb, photos with a shutter speed slower than 1/60 s won't be crisp unless a tripod is used.

Travel Photography | Part I | Light & Composition

In my lifetime, I have been blessed with abundant travel. My family and travel are the two biggest influences in shaping who I am today. If you have any opportunity to explore that which lies beyond... seize it with all you have... and if you let it, it will change you in the most extraordinary ways.

A while back I was asked to write some articles aimed at amateur photographers, outlining some basic tips to help improve one's travel photography. With access to higher end technology at a reasonable price, more and more people are opting for digital SLR's instead of a typical 'point and shoot'. As well, with the ability to manipulate the settings and instantly view the image, the system is not nearly as intimidating. However,  after the initial excitement and experimentation has worn off, a common trend is to keep it on the automatic setting. The problem with this is that once you stop experimenting and learning about the many factors that  influence the final image, you surrender the chance for improvement and creativity. It's important to take advantage of the features your camera has to offer and make those average photos amazing! With a few helpful tips, you can take your photography to a new level and return from your next trip with incredible photos!

LIGHT 

This is one of the most important factors that will determine whether a photo will be spectacular, average, or just terrible. Very rarely is the light “right”, however, there are always ways to make the best of a bad lighting situation. Harsh, bright sunlight can create dark shadows and bleached scenes; in this light it is best to use a fill flash when photographing people to minimize shadow (or better yet, move them into the shade), and to choose subjects such as open landscapes where you are shooting away from the light source. Cloudy days and diffused light result in deeper color and less shadow intensity, which is good for shooting in narrow streets and forests. In general, the best light is early morning and early evening when the sun’s rays are softer. Creating silhouettes, like that in the image below, finding interesting shadows, and backlighting are different ways to use the light to your advantage and create more diverse and appealing photos (this photo was taken in a volcano crater in Indonesia).

 

 This photo was taken in Rome at the Vatican at sunrise. The rich, early morning light creates warmth and interesting shadows.

COMPOSITION

Your photography will become much more interesting and visually stimulating if you use the rule of thirds when framing your subjects. Imagine your viewfinder is divided into thirds both vertically and horizontally, dividing your image into 9 equal blocks. Position your subject at one of the intersection points instead of in the center of the viewfinder. In the photo below, I positioned the boat in the right third which creates more interest and energy (photo was taken in Venice, Italy).

In addition to the rule of thirds, framing your subject can make a dramatic difference in your photos. Use foreground objects such as architectural elements (doorways, arches, windows, etc) or anything found in the environment (this could range from a flower to a bicycle to a statue). In this image, I used the scrub vegetation to frame the volcano which also helps to give the viewer more information about the environment. It is important to note that the foreground object should compliment the subject of the photo, not overshadow it (this photo was taken at sunrise at Mt. Bromo, an active volcano in Indonesia).

Another example of having something in the foreground, in this case the palms of a palapa on the beach are hanging in the top of the frame, not only giving more information, but also creating a different feel.