My most challenging assignments are the most personal ones to cover for our family. So while I want to sit back and enjoy myself, I also want to record these milestones in our family life.
When I arrive to cover an event, I often set up strobes to ensure I get good light on the people’s faces. For this event, I set up two strobes off to the sides to be sure the speakers had a good morning.
I took this photo without the flashes going off, so I have circled where they are in the room. The flash on the left is the Nikon SB-800, and the one on the right is my Nikon SB-900.
They are both on the Pocketwizard TT5. I useManfrotto 5001B Nano Black Light Stand – 6.2′ (1.9m). I chose this light stand because of how small it folds up [19.3″ (49cm)] for easy travel through airports. To connect the Pocketwizard TT5 to the light stand, I am usingInterfit Metal Umbrella Bracket with an Adjustable Flash Shoe. To trigger the flashes, I am using the Pocketwizard TT1 with the AC3 to control the flash output on the TTL setting. This way, the camera sensor helps determine the flash output of the flashes. I guess this involves pulling out the camera and shooting some available light photos or even using an on-camera flash. I want the images to look great, not just usable. I am documenting the most critical events in our family history. My family will cherish these photos much more than if I had great pictures of the President of the United States.
What is the biggest mistake made by photographers? Photographers often put more effort into covering events for clients and not enough into their own families. What is the most important?
While your clients will pay the bills, your friends and family events are the ones that help in making them rememberable.
Do you know what happens when you do this consistently? Your clients also get your best coverage—you are treating them as family. Every business should do the same thing for their families, treating them with your best efforts.
If, after four or more years of high school or college, this is the photo you pull the camera out for and then put it away, you will be sorely disappointed.
We often put too much emphasis on the event and not enough on the story. For example, the level of college graduation starts long ago many times. There are many ways to tell the story, but the celebration story can be a series of images that at least capture more than one moment.
Most of the caps stay on the floor when all the hats are thrown in the air at a military school at the end of graduation. But caps are everywhere because those students are tired of wearing their covers.
My daughter wanted to have her brother’s hat from The Citadel. But, unfortunately, we couldn’t find the cap at all. We looked and looked. What we thought might be two or three minutes turned into a lot more time.
When my stepson asked his younger sister what she was doing, he just walked across the floor, found his hat, and gave it to his sister in less than a minute.
The search for the cap was one of the many stories we had throughout the weekend.
We took family photos to show we were all there for the big day. We were all excited that our son had graduated.
Here he is with one of his best friends in school. We remember him coming home and asking what it is with New Jersey. Well, his mother is from there, and I also went to junior and high school there.
As you can see, there is another story of another relationship I was capturing that weekend. So hopefully, you see that sometimes you need some words with the pictures to complete the level.
The Long Gray Line—Pat Conroy wrote about his experiences at The Citadel and being part of the Long Gray Line. The Long Gray Line refers to the men and women who have graduated from the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Seniors march single file across Summerall Field in their final parade as cadets.
While not a story, I did put the photos together in a slide show for us to remember the weekend events.
http://www.stanleylearystoryteller.com/citadel2011grad/_files/iframe.html I believe a series of images will do better than one photo to capture the event more completely. Maybe you can interview your graduate on video and combine this with pictures of their time at college, and if you catch why they came to this college and what they learned from the experience, you will have a story.
You could also put this together in a book. We did this with our son when he graduated from high school.
You can take a photo or try to capture the story through a series of images. I hope you see that the picture of the back of the head of a graduate pales as compared to the complete package.
Stanley was invited into the subject’s home to get this intimate photo of her sewing.
The Creepy Photographer
There are two types of “Creepy Photographers”: Intentional and unintentional.
Intentional Creepy Photographer
• The photos they take are for their personal use rather than public consumption
• They objectify their subject
• Use photography as way to use people for personal benefit
• Often lack empathy for their subjects
• Hypersensitive to criticism
• Impulsive
• Envious and competitive
• Amoral/Conscienceless
• Feel entitled
Unintentional Creepy Photographer
• Take photos for their personal use rather than public consumption
• Lacking social-skills
• Fail to connect with subject
• Shoot without ever getting permission
• Failure to pick up on cues from people
• Cannot bring themselves to introduce themselves to subjects
• Take photos without a purpose
Photo of Stanley talking with a subject before he photographs them. Photo by Ken Touchton
How not to be that Creepy Photographer
I really can’t help the genuinely creepy photographer. They tend to be true narcissists. If you’re like me, you get into disputes with narcissists over their casual dishonesty and cruelty to others. Trying to reform narcissists by reasoning with them or appealing to their better nature is about as effective as spitting in the ocean. What you see is what you get: they have no better character. The fundamental problem here is that narcissists lack empathy.
Here is a list of tips for the unintentionally creepy photographer that I think will help you be likable or even a loveable photographer.
• Introduce yourself as much as possible. A small conversation introducing you is the best but even using body language to ask permission to photograph someone will get better results.
• Photograph with the purpose and intention to share your photos with others. If this is a hobby then create an online gallery where you can share this with the subjects and those that you are targeting as your audience.
• Become a blogger. Share your photos and thoughts with the world. You may end up with a theme or subject that is the dominant overtime.
• Carry business cards. Even as an amateur photographer having a card with your name and contact information will help you open up doors. I recommend having a website, blog, email and phone number to share with the subjects.
• Eye contact is very important. Be sure you look people in the eye and hold that eye contact not just when you talk but when you listen.
• Smile a lot. A genuine smile and not a fake smile. Show the people you are excited to meet them and enjoy what you do.
• Speak enthusiastically with people. Tell them why you think they make a great subject and how much you enjoy meeting them.
• Share your photos with them. If you give them your business card they can contact you and you can easily send them a photo or two that they could enjoy. Emailing a photo is one of the best ways to celebrate and thank them.
While many people will give you tips on how to shoot “street photography” without ever having to ask permission or introduce yourself to a subject, I can tell you from personal experience those photos often pale to the pictures where the photographer has taken the time to introduce themselves and tried to get to know the subject.
I was behind the scenes of a fashion show where the models were able to meet “Pip,” season 2 of the hit TV Show The Voice finalist.
Invitation Only
The best parties I like to attend are where there is some exclusivity. These are usually invitation-only parties where the hostess takes care of you. Weddings are a great example of where the family invites their closest friends to celebrate with them.
One of the best parts of the wedding is sharing stories and friends and remembering the growth of a relationship. I enjoy seeing the coming together of two sets of friends and family from the groom’s side and the bride’s side getting to know each other.
Stanley is inside the stretch limo photographing the bride and bridesmaids in a toast on the way to the wedding.
“Real permission is different from presumed or legalistic permission. Permission is like dating. You don’t start by asking for the sale at first impression. You earn the right, over time, bit by bit.”
While Godin is talking about marketing, this applies to photographing people just as much.
Over time people if you stop showing up, people complain, and they ask where you went. When you know you are not a creepy photographer, people want you back in their lives.
Our teaching team for our International Missions Photography Workshop in Lisbon, Portugal, started prioritizing the subjects we are teaching. Poor sound is the number one technical mistake we see most often made in multimedia projects.
Your audience will tolerate poor-quality images more than poor audio in a multimedia presentation.
Before you can teach people how to make better audio for their projects, you need to address having a good microphone.
Simple Solution
It would help if you got the microphone as close as possible to the source for the best recording. Recording with a DSLR or video camera’s built-in microphone requires you to be on top of someone to get a sound recording of them during an interview.
Clipping a lavalier microphone on their clothing as close to their mouth will give you the best consistent results. Having a wireless system, so you don’t have cables all over, and having to pack a lot of extension cables is the best way to go.
Today you can easily sync an audio recording with your video recording in post-production with today’s software. Be sure to clap when all the recording devices are rolling, and then you can quickly line up the spikes in the software. I would go even so far as to say clapping 2 or 3 times will make it even easier.
Align the two tracks using the spikes
So what do your record with? My number one recommendation is based on the assumption that most of those taking our workshop will have a smartphone. The second assumption is there is no need to spend a lot of money on recording gear; instead, buy those things that will complement yours already in your bag.
You can buy the RØDE smartLav microphone designed to work with a smartphone. If you look at the link, you will notice the 1/8 plug has four connections rather than the typical 2 or 3 connections. This design makes the microphone work with your smartphone.
You can use the microphone with any recording App you have on your phone, and for those with an iPhone, there is the RØDE Rec App. There are many Apps to choose from for Android and iPhones. You want to use a recorder that controls the gain setting. Auto Gain setting is what you want to avoid.
Practice, Practice, Practice
After buying the gear, you need to test it repeatedly. You need to practice recording with your video and the audio. It would help if you got used to starting and stopping the sound and camera together. It would help if you practiced always having claps.
The reason the standard for movies has been the clapboard. You show this in the video so you can match the sound spike of the clap to the visual. But, of course, clapping your hands together in the camera’s frame will also work.
Practice putting those clips together in the software. Next, you must practice getting the sound file from your smartphone to your computer. Finally, you can email it or use Evernote or dropbox to transfer the file.
Put those files in software like iMovie, Final Cut Pro X, or Adobe Premier and practice lining up the two files. You may find out that the auto-sync will not always work because the sound is so faint on the camera compared to your smartphone recording.
Practice any recording scenario that you might want to use. For example, you may want to do interviews where people are sitting still, or maybe they are walking toward you. Always practice before you do this on the job when you must have the sound for the project.
Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/8, 1/180, flash is set for -1 EV
If you look closely, you will notice another family on the opposite side taking photos. The location for them is because they get direct sunlight. By standing on this side of the cross, we were not staring into the sun, and our faces were in the shade. So all I did was add fill-flash with the pop-up camera flash on the camera. While not my preferred placement of a flash did work OK for this family photo after church.
We were taking the photo at 12:34 p—one of the worst times to take a portrait of people outside.
Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 5000, ƒ/5, 1/500
Last Thursday, our family went to the Alive After Five event that we have from April till next fall every Thursday in downtown Roswell. After we ate at Mac McGee’s, I strolled around and found these two Union Soldiers. I took this photo without a flash. The main difference is the time of day I took the picture. I took this photo at 7:17 pm and the sunset at 8:10 pm. Due to the sun being below the buildings, there was no direct sunlight—just a tent light effect. The whole sky is lighting the subject with equal light from all directions. Even under the hat, the guy’s face is OK without a flash.
With off-camera flash
Without flash
Remember that when taking pictures outside, especially during the midday sunlight, be sure and use a flash. However, don’t think of flash inside as much as outside.
Don Rutledge took this in 1967 inside the Arctic Circle. People are so comfortable with Don that he can be a part of the woodwork.
The Eskimo family is my favorite photo that Don Rutledge took. I have enjoyed seeing the world’s approximately 150+ countries and all of the United States without ever leaving my home. Don was traveling primarily with The Commission Magazine and Missions USA. Both magazines have won some of the highest awards in the country. The Commission Magazine placed third in the “Pictures of The Year” contest sponsored by the National Press Photographers Association in 1989 and 1990. CommissionStories, a newer version of the magazine, just won as a Finalist for the Magazine division of the Pictures of the Year contest behind National Geographic Magazine for 2014. Missions USA has earned similar awards. These Southern Baptist magazines are in league with National Geographic and Life Magazine for their photography and design.
Don Rutledge’s influence was the reason for their success. Before working for these religious magazines, Don was one of the staff photographers for the elite photography agency Black Star. From the 1950s until the 1980s, if you were to look for the photographers’ credits in the major magazines, you would find Black Star, the agency that handled publishing their work.
The shoeshine man had to be told by Don that John Howard Griffin was white and not black. He could hardly believe that this man was white. [by Don Rutledge]
One of the biggest news stories Don covered was following and documenting John Howard Griffin, who transformed himself with drugs and makeup from a white man into a black man. In the book Black Like Me, he would later write about his experience as a black man.
“Don discovered these two youngsters who proudly displayed the results of their morning hunt. In that section of Cincinnati, rats were not particularly difficult to locate.” [Walker Knight, See How Love Works]
Don’s story is a series of stories. Using the storytelling model I introduced in the last blog, here is a short story about Don.
Don Rutledge knew he loved to take photos and looked and noticed the Black Star agency in all the magazines. He wanted to learn more and work for them. So he contacted Howard Chapnick, the president of Black Star.
Howard asked for a portfolio, but Don didn’t have one. So Don pitched story ideas that Howard liked. Howard pitched these to his clients and told Don one was interested. Unfortunately, before Howard had a deal, Don had already shot the story and sent it to Howard.
Howard wrote back and told Don his mistake and also told him what was wrong or missing from that coverage. So Don went ahead and went back and filled in those holes in the story and sent it to Black Star.
The client loved the package and requested Don for more coverage.
Volunteer Mike Edens taught these two pastors, Mikhail Shehata Ghaly and Anwar Dakdouk, MasterLife Discipleship training in Cyprus in 1984. [photo by Don Rutledge]
When I got to work with Don, I jumped at it. Working with Don was the Luke Skywalker and Yoda opportunity for me.
Within the Frame
One of the lessons I learned from Don was to scan the edges of the frame. Then, make the most of the entire structure from edge to trim and front to back.
If you look at the photos I have posted so far of Don’s, pay attention to two things: First, how the edges include details and do not make sloppy by cutting off legs or other items in the frame. Second, see how much layering is from front to back in all these photos.
Do you see all six people in the first photo of the Eskimo family? Notice how these are all over, and Don has introduced the family, the social status, and where they live in that one photo. He also captured the excitement and happiness that they experienced.
Take each photo and notice the edges and how people anchor the images. He pointed out, including their feet, but not too much. I was learning how to place people in context with the environment. The environment tells you a little about the people. Their expressions of them show how much they love life.
Notice that had Don cropped in tighter to the shoeshine man and Howard Griffin, you would not know he was a shoeshine man. It would help if you had the shoe polish and the footrest to help tell the story.
In all these photos, there is also just a little tension. Each image has the reader asking some questions. The pictures make you want to know more about each situation.
In the Philippines, families cluster together for meals. [photo by Don Rutledge]
One trick Don often used was just including a sliver of light to see beyond the initial scene. With the Eskimo family, it is the tundra to the right. With the family in the Philippines, the door and the floor give you a sense that there is stuff beyond them. In the photo of the men walking in Cyprus, you can see the man walking away beyond them.
Notice in all these photos, you have a sense of a problem facing the characters. The boy holding the rat is probably the most obvious, but you can feel the tension each time. However, you can also sense a victory over their situations.
Surgeon Tim Pennell got five of his colleagues from Bowman Gray School of Medicine to commit weeks of vacation time and thousands of dollars to meet their Chinese counterparts. [photo by Don Rutledge]
Editors and presidents of organizations sought out Don to help tell their stories. They saw in Don’s photos more than just a good photo—they saw that Don was capturing the inner souls of people in ways others just didn’t.
Don captured moments. President of the Foreign Mission Board Keith Parks said,
Although Don took hundreds of pictures, I hardly noticed because he did it in such an unobtrusive way. When he put it all together he had really caught the highlights of the meeting and the impact that he wanted. I just think that he is a first rate fellow from every measurement professional. Of course, he can and does meet the highest standards of the secular world, and yet his deep spiritual commitment has caused him to give himself to the spiritual cause he believes rather than selling his skills to the highest bidder. I just think that quality and character come through in his pictures.
Dan Beatty, the design editor of The Commission Magazine, commented,
Don is the one person who has completely influenced the direction of the magazine. Before Don came we knew that there was a certain way we wanted to present the missions material in the magazine. None of us had a firm grasp on what direction we should go to achieve our goals. Don really provided the direction for us to go. Don never expressed any strong feelings about—in a critique type way—on the magazine. Just Don’s presence and constant example of someone who always strives for the best is what guided us along. He was constantly putting us into contact with different individuals in the field of photojournalism and layout and design. He felt these would be good influences on the magazine or influences that would help us along the road where we wanted to be with the publication.
I would not be doing what I am doing, at the level I am doing it if it hadn’t been for Don. He is an example of consistency and integrity in a field where that is not always a constant with the different people that I’ve met. He represented something that I wanted to achieve myself. He has been the biggest influence that I can think of on me personally and the different photographers that I have worked with along with Don. The thing that impressed me most with Don is his sensitivity and his regard for human beings. I think that is what made him the asset that Dr. Parks was looking for in communicating about Foreign Missions to Southern Baptist and other people as well. The dignity of the human being no matter what the situation is so very important to Don. To me that is the real strength of Don’s work.
Note
Don Rutledge spent his career photographing more than 150 countries and all 50 states. He was published almost every single month of his career in magazines. Few photojournalists were more published regularly in magazines than Don. He died on February 19, 2013, at the age of 82.
To be the subject of a compelling story requires calling the issue to a task outside their comfort zone. Yet, it is necessary for the subject’s survival and the benefit of others.
Donald Miller is a best-selling American author and public speaker based in Portland, Oregon. He writes a great deal about storylines on his blog here http://storylineblog.com/. Miller says that a story is a sense-making device. A good story brings about clarity, whereas our everyday lives seem disjointed.
Miller uses the parallel of music and how it parallels the story. Sounds are just noise until putting they into a form. That form transforms the noise into a piece. A storyline is no different for Miller. The author has put together a series of events to be told through a set form.
Here is the basic formula that Miller uses to tell many stories and movies like the Hunger Games and Star Wars.
The first thing that takes place for a character in a story is a conflict must happen, or you will lose the audience.
Not starting quickly with a conflict is a sure sign of a boring story when you are just enjoying your life and doing everything to keep some normalcy in your life.
Here in this sports photo of a quarterback being pursued by what looks like most of the defense and no one between them, you have all the makings of the story, minus the ending. The character has a problem with getting tackled. He has trained in practice and with the coaching staff to prepare for this moment. All are implying this with the school team uniform. The task is simple to move the ball forward to keep the ball for your team or make a touchdown. The outcome is either a comedy or tragedy.
Here is John Howard Griffin transformed into a black man while he was doing the research for his book Black Like Me. Sitting beside Griffin is the photographer Don Rutledge who followed him, documenting his trials as a black man in the south. Don and John traveled in 1956 at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
John Howard Griffin is walking down the street in New Orleans.
The two of them traveling together through the deep south for the book was extremely dangerous. Paul Guihard was a French journalist covering the Civil Rights Movement in the United States in the 1960s. He was murdered in rioting at the University of Mississippi in Oxford campus after James Meredith attempted to enroll at the all-white school. He was shot in the back at almost point-blank range by an unknown assailant near the Lyceum building. Guihard’s case was closed without success and never re-investigated. In his last dispatch made the very same day, he wrote, “The Civil War has never ended.”
Just taking on this project was a story in itself. Not only was Griffin a character in the story, but Don Rutledge was also transforming through the coverage.
I remember Don trying out new camera systems that would stretch him to learn the new system, which extended his photography. He was always putting himself in new situations to capture unique stories. By the end of his career, he had traveled to more than 150+ countries.
Clarity
Some of the best stories are not the ones that are the big hit in New York Times best books or the blockbusters in Hollywood. Instead, the best stories are the ones that one tells clearly.
You see, our lives are like run-on sentences. What we do throughout our days is often not an excellent sequence for a story. It is pretty disjointed.
A great story starts by establishing the story’s hero and the problem they face in the future.
The best way to grow is to get out of your comfort zone.
I am not qualified
Too often, you will turn down great opportunities because you feel ill-equipped. Hey, that is the problem facing Luke Skywalker. He will go off and meet Yoda to train and have him help him with a game plan.
I bought this Dodge Viper model for $12 and then spent time lighting an all-black car to make it enjoyable. This was my way of challenging myself for a day in the studio.
Find a problem
Step One—The first thing to grow as a photographer is to find a problem. Maybe it is a complex story or getting a photo of something from an angle no one has done before. Whatever it is, you need to have a problem you need to tackle.
Step Two—Find a guide to help you find resources through reading, videos, or maybe find someone who can teach you. Most likely, the direction you look to will be someone who has been there and done that.
Step Three—Make an action plan on how you will go forward to deal with your problem.
Step Four—Take action. Don’t procrastinate. Go and get your feet wet.
Step Five—Evaluate yourself. Was this a comedy or tragedy? It is a good story either way, and you will learn something from it that will equip you to go forward.
The two primary purposes of a lighthouse are to serve as a navigational aid and to warn boats of dangerous areas. It is like a traffic sign on the sea.
When you are at sea and trying to find your port, having a lighthouse to help guide you will improve the success of locating your destination.
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 3200, ƒ/5.6, 1/8000
What can a photographer use as a lighthouse to help them navigate their career?
First, you must know what you want to do with your photography. Who has the job that you want to do? That is the best question to start with on your journey.
You may be like millions of photographers who want to work for National Geographic Magazine. The good thing about picking somewhere like this is you can meet those photographers. Most of them teach classes and workshops where you can pay to pick their brain.
I know this because I did just that in the 1980s. Then, I studied with Steve McCurry at the Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport, Maine. Steve looked at everyone’s work in our class and would answer any of our questions during our week with him.
The best part was he told us about his career path. I quickly learned that one couldn’t just duplicate those paths taken by previous photographers. For example, he crossed over illegally into Afghanistan to get the lady’s photo on the cover of National Geographic Magazine. He sent his Kodachrome film to his sister, a school teacher, to send on to the magazine. Before this, he worked at a small newspaper for a few years.
During my time with Steve McCurry and other photographers like Don Rutledge, I soon learned there were things I needed to master to move my career along a path to success.
List of things one must master
Master your Camera
Master digital workflow
Master Visual Composition
Master Lighting
Become an “EXPERT” in your subject
Know your audience
Create “UNIQUE” images
Master your Camera—This takes a while to be indeed able to pick up your camera and make it do what you want it to do for you. Mastering is the same as one who will be able to sit down at a concert piano and play whatever music there is to play. I found with most photographers; this will take around five years.
Master Digital Workflow—This is everything that comes after capturing the image for the client. We often refer to this as post-processing. During post-processing, you understand the color space you are working in and what color space you are delivering your images for usage. Post is where you can take the well-exposed pictures you captured and then maximize the dynamic range for the outlet.
Master Visual Composition—This is where you can capture moments that communicate the mood and message you intended to capture.
Master Lighting—First, you must recognize good light and be able to capture it. Mastering light is where you are putting yourself in the position to capture the best images of a subject. For example, you are planning your shoot to take advantage of the natural daylight that will show off the issue in the best possible way to capture the mood and message you wanted. Second, you know how to use artificial light to enhance the scene to create those moods and messaging the way you intended, not just how it looks.
Become an “EXPERT” on the Subject—This is the most crucial aspect on the list that can help set you apart from any other photographer. I went on to seminary to get an advanced degree in my subject matter to help me separate my knowledge of religion from that of many of my other photographer friends who enjoyed covering religion. In addition, after following and working at Georgia Tech for more than ten years, I knew the campus better than anyone. My experience helped me for covering sports, the classroom, and research.
Know Your Audience—In business, we talk about SUPPLY and DEMAND. While you may have a lot of great images, the thing that will determine you are putting food on the table and a roof over your head is DEMAND. What is your audience interested in about the subject? Just like a good writer knows their audience’s reading level, so their writing for that audience, a photographer must understand enough about the audience to know how to engage them. Going off to war and photographing the grotesque can be a significant mistake. You may need to filter how you cover the battle to prevent your audience from viewing the images.
Create “UNIQUE” images—If the people you are going to approach to buy your work could have shot the same idea, what good are you to them? You need to surprise them in some way with images that they would not have taken themselves. Maybe the only difference is how you light something, and sometimes it may be a pretty elaborate remote camera that lets you get a photo that is impossible without the special gear. Remember to supply images that not everyone could easily do if they were there.
The reality is that it takes quite a bit more than talent alone. Talent is only a tiny part of the equation. Tenacity, the ability to handle severe rejection, perseverance, and a good team get you to the next level.
It would help if you had others look at your work and help give you honest feedback.
When it comes to a successful career, other things for consideration: are your look, attitude, personality, style of photography, fan base, tear sheets, that specific intangible X factor, and most importantly, that undeniable outstanding portfolio.
People say that “practice makes perfect,” but in reality, that statement is incorrect — it should state that “perfect practice makes perfect.” Perfect practice is a form of rehearsal during which you remain cognizant and analyze what you are doing. For instance, are you delving into bad habits?
The more intentional you are in acquiring the skills necessary to capture the subject you are becoming an expert in will help set you up to have a lifelong career as a professional photographer possibly. Of course, it would help if you committed to pouring your life into this career.
This past weekend I was photographing Bottles and Cans performing at North Beach Bar & Grill on Tybee Island. There were no lights on the band; therefore, they performed as a silhouette as the night went on.
[X-E2, XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 6400, 1/30, ƒ/5.6, (35mm = 27)]
This photo of my wife and daughter shows no lights on the band. I added a flash later. I put it on the table where they were sitting and pointed directly at the band.
This photo is from the back of the venue, where I shot with an off-camera strobe that if you look at the table just in front of the band, you will see a bright patch where the flash went off. The flash is our table while we were eating and enjoying their music.
As you can see by the flash being on the table, it allowed me to have the light hit the singer under his hat and the other guys in the band wearing hats. This light position is what foot lights will also do at Broadway musicals.
Do your photos look like this sometimes? It is good exposure, and correcting the image by opening up a stop or two for the faces will wash out the color for the rest of the photograph.
Photography is writing with light. Therefore, adding light to a photograph is pretty standard to emphasize where you want the audience to look.
By just putting a flash off the camera to the left, I could not change the exposure but put light on what was a silhouette of the subject. Then, using an off-camera flash, I could “reveal” the subject with the light.
To capture the clouds and all their glory in this photo makes those subjects close to the camera silhouetted.
By adding light to the subject in the foreground, I can retain the clouds and rich colors in the photograph, but now the subject is the person in the picture, not the background.
I see photos like this all the time in recruiting guides for colleges. The photographer is just capturing what anyone can do with even their smartphone.
Take the time and carry a light stand with a flash. It is more equipment, but look at the difference it makes in the photo.
You will not balance a projected image and the speaker that often without using the off-camera flash. Here I used the flash on the speaker to help me show they had a large enough crowd that they needed to project him on the big screen.
If you don’t have a way to do off-camera flash, you need to invest in something, or you will always have what everyone else can get with their smartphone or point-and-shoot camera. Remember, photography is writing with light. So take control and be the author of your photos.
Nikon has two WiFi solutions for the Nikon D4. One costs $1,000 and the other $877. Also, I have not had the best of luck with Nikon’s WiFi solutions in the past, especially with the Nikon D2Xs. I bought the Nikon system for $600, which dropped out so often and was almost impossible to sync.
When I was at PhotoShop World in Atlanta this week, I ran into my friend Gary S Chapman, and he asked if I had seen the CamRanger booth. I had not, and after he walked me over there, I decided to buy one after their demonstration. Gary said he would wait on my review before buying one. So the next gizmo we find, he goes first.
The system cost was $299.98, and they had a special going for that price to toss in an extra battery and charger.
It has a USB cable to connect to your camera [pick your camera when ordering the correct cord] and a CAD5 cable for updates. It also comes with a small bag that hangs on your camera strap.
The charger looks identical, just minus the WiFi part.
CamRanger currently supports a large number of both Canon and Nikon cameras. To see the complete list and all the features for each camera, go to this link, and you will find your camera and what features will work with your particular model.
The CamRanger supports iOS devices, Android devices, Mac and Windows computers, and the Kindle. All the following apps are free and will work universally with the CamRanger unit! In addition, the CamRanger can be registered with multiple devices and used with one device or computer at a time.
I have an Android phone, an iPad, and a Macbook Pro that I would use with the CamRanger. All work just fine.
My Settings
From shooting with the Nikon WiFi and using the EyeFi SD card, I learned a few things that made me want to get the best performance out of the CamRanger. If EyeFi made a card that would work in the Nikon D4, I would have never looked at the CamRanger, but they don’t, so here I am using the CamRanger system.
Shoot RAW+JPEG—You are sending files over from one device to another. The bigger the file, the slower it will take. You could shoot just JPEGs, but I prefer speed and, therefore, would like the smallest JPEG I can use to preview on the iPad, for example. But when I need the higher resolution image, I now create that from the RAW file.
Small JPEG—Go to the menu and pick the image size under the camera icon. Select Small, and this will help give you the smallest file size.
I would also use essential rather than refined. I want creative directors and art directors to use my iPad and see the images as I shoot sometimes. This way, they are not over my shoulder but can see the results.
If I am tweaking the settings, I can turn off the WiFi, and when I am ready for them to start seeing images turn the system on.
It connects right away to the iPad once you set it up. The setup lets you enter your device’s WiFi settings and select the CamRanger. Then you put in your serial # as the password. Once connected, you use the CamRanger App you downloaded for free to join.
Two Main Ways I Use It—When I want someone to see the images, I shoot, and the images pop up as thumbnails and big ideas.
You can set up the controls in the App to client mode, where they see the image and can star rate it if they like. I changed the default setting to have Auto View on so the print displays big when shooting. The thumbnails let you go back and see previous images.
If I were shooting a lot, I might turn off the Auto View and let someone just click on those thumbnails they want to see big without my latest image popping up while trying to see another image.
The second way I like to use the system is in Live Mode. You select Live Mode from the App and not from the camera.
You can see the camera settings in both modes and change them unless you have Client View turned on.
I think the CamRanger from my tests performs as well, if not better than anything I have used for the WiFi connection to my camera.
Why use WiFi?
I first need to tell you how I shot tethered for years when doing portraits. The images popped up, and they were all on the computer where the subject could pick their pictures. Once I had the camera on a table, and my foot caught the cable. Well, that was a $600+ repair for a shattered lens.
So I started using WiFi because I prefer radios for triggering flashes—No Cords.
When I am doing portraits, I control the lighting, making the step of processing a RAW image a waste of my time. So here I can shoot the Large/Fine setting JPEG and be done with it. Yes, it takes a few seconds longer, but all the images load on the computer, and I can give the client all the photos at the end of the shoot.
Another great reason to use WiFi is when I teach. I like to show everyone as I am doing setups, with lights, for example, what I am doing. With a large screen TV or projector, I can shoot, and they immediately see the results and the settings on my camera—a great way to learn studio lighting or location lighting.
Do your horizons look like this? Mine do when I am shooting from a moving boat. But look at this second photo here.
Does this look better to you? I thought so. Can you believe it is the same photo?
I fixed it in Adobe Lightroom.
Here is how you do it in just a second or two.
While in the Develop Module, click on the letter “R” for the crop mode.
Next, hold the “Command” key, and you will see a level pop-up.
Just place this to the left or right along the horizon and hold down the mouse key until you go to the far right putting a line across the horizon, and let go. Now the software straightens the horizon.
You can also go vertical and get the same results.
I had a lot of photos of a lighthouse near Tybee Island to correct today. The tool made it so easy and quick to fix the images.
By the way, I was out photographing a lighthouse from a boat to see the Dolphins, and we did.
Don’t make these common mistakes when traveling for vacation this year. They are in no particular order, but here to ensure you are ready for travel abroad.
1. Forget you need a Passport—When traveling abroad, you need a current and up-to-date passport. It takes 4 to 6 weeks to get a passport by standard processing, and you need to allow the six weeks, so you have plenty of time.
2. Travel without a Visa—According to the “Henley Visa Restrictions Index 2013,” holders of a United States passport can visit 172 countries and territories visa-free or with a visa on arrival, and the United States is currently ranked 2nd (tied with Germany, Denmark, and Luxembourg) in terms of travel freedom. However, there are 196 countries, so you need to check to see if you need a visa to travel.
3. Forget an AC Plug converter—There are many variations of plug and socket types around the world. If you fail to plan, you might have difficulty charging your devices. Check the voltage requirements for the desired country and bring a power converter, if necessary.
4. No Phone Plan—Your phone may work fine overseas, but you will be surprised at your bill when you get back. Check with your provider to get the best rate for phone and data while traveling abroad. Type frequently used the telephone, emergency contact, hotel, and transportation numbers on the phone and saved them in the phone’s address book. Make sure to enter the telephone numbers using the international dialing format. For example, when calling the US, use the prefix “+011” followed by the area code and telephone number because calls made abroad will initiate from the local phone carrier.
5. Delay buying airfare and other transportation—I often see this as a mistake by many travelers. Waiting is apparent at car rental counters. You can save by preplanning, booking, and sometimes paying for the rental car early. Let go of brand names when looking. For example, Sixt’s, a German rental, was renting a Mercedes C-class for $38.81 a day in late May at Sixt’s Orlando airport. Compare this to Hertz, for the exact dates were $50.57 daily for a Kia Rio or similar economy car. Often you can find deals way out on international travel. You can also set up alerts on some travel websites to tell when prices drop. Register those places you want to go far in advance and then get an email alert when a special comes along.
6. No Travel Insurance—You need to consider medical, Emergency Evacuation, Travel [flights, hotels, etc.], and baggage. If you get seriously hurt and need to evacuate due to a fall, car wreck, and so on, this could cost $25,000 or more. Check with your health insurance also about travel out of the country. One of my friends was in a hurricane in southern Mexico, and they feared not making it out.
7. Failure to do research on your destination—I see so often that the consequences can be all over the map from the lack of planning. If you are going to Hungary, for example, you will be arrested if you take photos of anyone in public without first getting their permission. This law just went into effect. Knowing this upfront may make you decide to travel to another location.
Convertible wick away pants
8. Failure to plan for the weather—While I had packed a coat when I went to Kona, Hawaii, I left it in my main hotel room in Kona when I drove around the Island to Volcano National Park. As a result, I had to go and buy some long sleeve shirts to wear in the cold, wet rain. Finding a coat in Hawaii isn’t easy on Sundays when all the shops are closed.
9. Inadequate clothing—When traveling, you don’t always have the luxury of time to wash clothes. You can also find yourself in torrential rain and soaked. Getting those items dry before your next day of travel can be a problem. I highly recommend clothing made of wicking, which will pull moisture away from the skin, keeping you more relaxed, but also some synthetic wicking clothing dries very fast. In addition, I recommend layering clothing when traveling. Two thin layers can be warmer yet lighter than one thick layer because the air trapped between layers serves as thermal insulation.
10. Poor footwear—I am surprised at how many times I see people in flip-flops in places where hiking gear is necessary. Looking fashionable is not as important as feeling comfortable when you are on your feet all day for many days on vacation. I recommend Clark’s Wave Walker Shoes. They make a variety of styles for men and women.
Photography Mistakes
11. Under shoot—I hear way too many people thinking that they took a lot of photos when they just took a picture of each place they saw. You spent all this money to get somewhere; there is no additional expense with digital to make a few thousand photos versus a couple hundred—except maybe a $30 to $50 memory card. Your trip may cost you more than a few thousand dollars, and when you return, your photos are the only thing you have to remember about the journey into your retirement. Most people will experience a memory that diminishes as we get older—so take pictures to help preserve those memories.
12. Don’t bring extra batteries or memory cards—You planned for years, and then you are where you dreamed of being, and your camera is dead because your battery died. Also, you will use your camera more than usual when you travel. So while you have never experienced your camera dying on you, it can and will die on a vacation of a lifetime. Also, buy a few extra memory cards. Rather than bringing a computer, it is much easier to carry a few memory cards rather than getting a laptop.
13. Carry too much or too little gear—I have done both in my travels. Gear problem is where your lack of research on your destination will impact your shooting. A great example is thinking you need to go and buy an 800mm ƒ/5.6 lens for your African Animal Safari trip. Once you get there, the tour guides take you out on open vehicles where for the most part, you are so close you could use your 50mm lens to get the shot. You can also go on a bird-watching tour, and your iPhone will not let you see the photo clearly and close enough in a tree. What about flash, or will you go somewhere where flash isn’t allowed? You may need a camera with a high ISO to get those photos.
14. Too big of the camera—Even if you are a teenager carrying your gear all day for a week or more, sightseeing can injure your back. Be sure that the equipment you bring will be something you don’t mind carrying around with you all the time.
15. Not ready for special situations—If you go to Charleston, SC, and get up early to cover The Citadel Summerall Guards performing on a Saturday morning in the late spring or early fall, you will be dealing with condensation on your lens. I carry a Fog Eliminator cloth for my camera lenses. Leaving a hotel or car with air conditioning and stepping out in Charleston’s high humidity will take 10 to 15 minutes for your camera to stop fogging up. Maybe you are going to a rainforest for a few days. Moisture can destroy your electronics. Make plans to keep your gear dry.
16. Cultural and location mistakes—Too many people do not take the time to read about where they are going. They may find that in their research, they want to be sure to go to a specific location and find out how to avoid security issues. Too many people have stolen things because they are identifiable as tourists and become a target. Those who do their research will be better prepared to avoid these mistakes. Also, even simple things like hand gestures in one culture can mean something different in another, so you must do your best to prepare.
It isn’t accessible to over-prepare, but it is straightforward to under-prepare for your travel. Is it going somewhere soon for a vacation? I hope this inspires you to take the necessary steps to make your trip a lifetime trip.
