Month: January 2015

A week of photographic communications class in Kailua-Kona Hawaii

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
 
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 400, ƒ/2.8, 30 sec

Today I wrap up a week-long training of young photographers from nine different nations who were part of the School of Photographic Communication at the University of Nations here in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The photo above is on The Big Island.

I started the week by taking some tourist photos around The Big Island. I had never been to the top of Mauna Kea. Above the clouds, the night skies are often clear and bright, rivaling any other stargazing location in the world!

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/50

This photo is of most of the students and staff at the school. We spent much time at the computers this week rather than behind our cameras because I taught them how to use Adobe Lightroom.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/140

The purpose of this school was to teach not just photographic skills but leadership skills. Paul Childers is one of the school’s founders and leads her to the class on some of the skills for teams.

This class will teach photography, some lighting, a little video, design, and leadership skills so these students can lead communication teams overseas to help document things like human trafficking, orphanages, and other social justice issues.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.6, 1/210

I chose to break up some of the Lightroom with what I call sidebar topics on photography. I showed them how to use off-camera flash, and I Skyped in three-time Pulitzer prize-winning photographer Anacleto Rapping.

The class is going to the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference in Fort Worth, TX, next month to participate in the student workshop and the rest of the conference.

I offered to meet with each student one-on-one and discuss whatever they wanted to ask me. Here are some of the students who took me up on that offer.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 1000, ƒ/2.8, 1/500

Nadia Otake is from Brazil.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 640, ƒ/3.6, 1/500

Ana Cláudia D’ Carlos who is also from Brazil.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, ƒ/4, 1/500

Joyce Schoonenberg is from Netherlands.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 5000, ƒ/3.6, 1/500

Lisa Peter from Germany also showed me some of her photos.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.6, 1/20

It has been a fantastic week to get to know the students, see their work, and see their passion for using photography to tell stories of people around the globe.

Teaching helps me grow so much. The students’ questions are intentional and make you think about why you do the things you do. Is this the industry standard, or is this my preference? I don’t want to mislead them and think this is how you have to do something when other photographers do it another way and are thriving.

There is a synergy when you get this many people together studying photography. They are not just learning from the instructor; they know from one another. As this school is doing here, I cannot recommend the value a class with working professionals can make in your life.

They have already had Gary Chapman teach. They also have Robin Nelson, Greg Schneider, and Esther Havens coming later to teach them. Every one of the speakers has already said they wanted to be in the class and hear the other speakers as well.

If you are interested in this type of class, then click here to learn more.

Check back to see how my last day went with the students.

Photography isn’t all about sunshine

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
 
Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon 18-55mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/6.4, 1/500

I love sunrises and sunsets as much as anyone else. To me, they signify new beginnings and bring a sense of hope and peace.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon 18-55mm, ISO 400, ƒ/6.4, 1/1800

While teaching here on The Big Island of Hawaii, I took a trip or two after class. Here I drove to Waipi’o Valley and was experiencing the socked-in fog weather. By the way, “Waipiʻo” means “curved water” in the Hawaiian language.

Just as sunrises and sunsets evoke emotion within us, so too do other types of weather. This means that if you only take your camera and shoot on those sunny days, you are missing so many other great opportunities to capture moments that can be peaceful or even catch the turbulence of our lives.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon 18-55mm, ISO 640, ƒ/6.4, 1/500

You may need to dress for the occasion and be prepared to protect your camera from the elements.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon 18-55mm, ISO 3200, ƒ/8, 1/500

I believe that photos like this of the lady on the bench at sunrise are photos that invite the audience to soak up the moment and want to be there themselves.

I like to think of these as invitation photos–travel photos that invite you to come and experience the place’s grandeur. So take a seat and relax.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 110, ƒ/14, 1/250

Some photos can communicate to the audience to stop and smell the roses.

Great photos are about a visual pause

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/14, 1/320

Enjoying a picnic overlooking a scenic vista is the same reason I am stopping to take a photo. The picnickers are enjoying the moment.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 180, ƒ/14, 1/250

Here my friends Lily and her husband Philip enjoy looking for whales migrating off the coast of The Big Island.

Now driving down the road and just looking out the window might be closer to the video, but stopping and pausing is how a still image allows people to savor the moment visually.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 720, ƒ/22, 1/250

Driving north from Kailua-Kona, we stopped at Hawi Renewable Development Wind Farm. Lily’s hair is getting the wind treatment just like the windmills.

I am making notes in my head about locations like this one. I am noticing how the light affects the scene for this time of day. What if I could come back at sunrise or even sunset? Would that improve the stage to have more visual impact?

In other words, is there a better time of day to hit the visual pause button to stop and enjoy the scene more than this moment?

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 110, ƒ/6.3, 1/250

Every morning here, I wake up to this scene. I walk past it on my way to breakfast. It is so peaceful; this is why I wanted to capture this and hold this memory forever.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 250, ƒ/8, 1/250

I enjoy watching tourists as they experience new locations.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 560, ƒ/8, 1/250

I encourage you to be like a tourist sometimes in your hometown. Those things you walk by every day can be things that, just as you pause to enjoy, will make others appreciate it just as much.

Is the photo better when I show the people on the stairs better to give a perspective, or is this closer shot better?

Sometimes we need to spend more time absorbing our surroundings to pause our bodies to allow us time to feel peace and examine why this brings so much joy to our lives.

We cannot expect a photo from a moving car to compare to the one where you stopped. But, acting like the friends having a picnic stays long enough to allow the scene to permeate you. It takes time to decide the best lens, angle, and composition to capture something that genuinely moves not just you but others.

Making tourist shots around The Big Island of Hawaii more interesting

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
 
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 30 sec

I just drove up tonight to Mauna Kea and took a few photos. Here is one where I used my cell phone’s LED light to paint the branch in front of me.

Here it is without light painting.

 

There were four of us driving around the Island, and I wanted a memento photo of the group. So I decided to pull out my Neewer TT850 and the Neewer 433MHz Wireless 16 Channel to light the group.

I used the MagMod system to hold a CTO +1 gel in front of the flash.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/8, 1/4–Neewer TT850 & Neewer 433MHz Wireless 16 Channel
I hope to share some more photos from The Big Island of Hawaii during the week.

In a photography crisis– Who ya gonna call?

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 

Every once in a while, I injured my lower back. Years ago, I bought an inversion table similar to the one you see here.

Five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening hanging about like this angle you see here the lady doing is as far as I need to go.

You adjust the strap you see there, which would be tight to stop you from going perpendicular.

I went to a client’s office the other day with this lighting kit, plus a few other bags, and had to carry it upstairs and back down. In the process, my back went out slightly enough to be in pain.

After getting home, I went to the basement and got on the inversion table.

SURPRISE!!

Suddenly, the strap broke, and I went perpendicular with a jolt. Not a fun thing when you like to ease into this with a sore lower back.

Without that strap and being completely upside down with a sore back, it was impossible for me to write me. But, lucky for me, I had my phone on me.

The first call is to my wife, who is upstairs–NO ANSWER. She had her phone on vibrate and in her purse, so she didn’t hear my calls for help.

The second call was from my daughter, and I got her. She came down as my wife followed, and they pulled on their feet, and I could get out.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

Every photographer will have a time when their safety straps [metaphor] will break. You will catch yourself upside down and unable to do it alone.

Who will you call? I didn’t get married and have a daughter, so one day when my strap gave way on my inversion table, I could call them and needed saving. I got married because I fell in love with my best friend. We had a daughter and love raising her. Sometimes I think she is growing us.

I joined NPPA, ASMP, CIP, Sports Shooter, and other organizations through the years for the same reason I started dating–I enjoyed the community and getting to know people with similar interests, and we could do life together.

I go to The Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar and Southwestern Photojournalism Conference each year for similar reasons. I enjoy learning from my colleagues. I enjoy making new friends and the give and take we have with each other.

Through the years, my strap broke in some way in photography. So I reach out to my friends and get their advice and help.

Who’s your backup? Like I called my number one go-to in life–my wife, she wasn’t available. So I had to call my daughter. Time was the essence in the situation, with me being upside down.

If something were to happen to you, do you have a community to reach out to that is nearby and can help?

By the way, the best thing I have participated in through the years has been the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference, which is just a month away. So go and check it out and come if you can. Here is that link again for you http://www.swpjc.org.

Photographers what are you doing when you don’t have an assignment?

by Stanley LearyNikon D3s
 
Nikon D3s, 28-300mm, ISO 400, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

“It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”

— Paul “Bear” Bryant
 

The Army’s Airborne School has training before you jump out of the plane with a parachute.

Photographers would do well to learn a few things from the military in how they approach their jobs.

Nikon D3s, 28-300mm, ISO 400, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

When you come out of the plane, many things can go wrong. On one of my son’s jumps, the carabiner came loose from the parachute; he quickly grabbed the parachute and held on tight. He knew the alternative is a smaller backup parachute where you come in much faster and more prone to injury during landing.

Training had alerted him to the process and what to be aware of when he jumped.

Nikon D3s, 28-300mm, ISO 400, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

To have the parachute open properly and be prepared to land on almost any type of terrain below requires preparation.

It amazes me how much training is involved before our armed forces go off to perform their duty in a “combat” situation.

Nikon D3s, 28-300mm, ISO 200, ƒ/5.6, 1/800

When they are not actively training, a lot of waiting is involved.

Tips from the military for the photographer

  • Spend a lot of time getting to know your gear
  • Practice shooting assignments that are similar to those you will do for “real” later
  • Stay fit by eating right and exercising. Of course, it would help if you had physical stamina for those long day assignments.
  • Expand your skills. Like military personnel will go for more specialized training, you must also continue to add more skills to make you valuable.
  • Military Camaraderie – Nothing in the civilian workforce can approximate the bonding that occurs in the wardroom, ready room, or foxhole. Military personnel in those environments endure much hardship – long hours, stressful working conditions, danger to personal safety, separation from loved ones, and more. However, they get through it because they are all in it together. This mutual self-sacrifice, teamwork, and covering each other’s six contribute to individual bonding, unit cohesion, and, ultimately, the camaraderie in question. See your competition more as your colleagues rather than just competition. 
  • Military personnel understands how lack of preparation can cost their lives and those around them. Likewise, the lack of preparation for the photographer will cost them their careers.
My son is a 1st Lt in the Army, and he goes off for Special Forces School for three weeks next month. If he makes it through this, then he will spend the next two years training before he can call himself “Special Forces.” 
 
Because of his investment, the military will also invest in him and give him a job for even more years. If you stagnate in the military, your days will be limited. 
 
If you are not growing in skills as a photographer and offering more to your clients, someone else will replace you with your clients.
 
Have you been training and preparing for the following jobs that you don’t even have assigned? If not, then don’t be disappointed when you have to find another career to pay your bills. 

Thinking and Shooting Cinematically with Fujifilm X-E2

by Stanley Learyfill-flash

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/8, 1/125

Learning to think “Cinematically” when framing your images means thinking about the end user. Today, more than ever, most of my audience will experience my images online through the internet.

Computer displays with aspect ratios wider than 4:3 are also called widescreens. Widescreen computer displays are typical of the 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio. In 2008, the computer industry moved from 4:3 and 16:10 to 16:9.

Most of today’s audience working on a computer newer than 2008 use widescreen, with a 16:9 ratio.

Now, when shooting for print, I am considering magazine covers.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/8, 1/125

This vertical photo would work much better for the cover of a typical magazine than the horizontal one.

How it would look on a computer screen

Could you fill the frame horizontally? Horizontal is even more true with video. Turn your smartphone horizontally when making movies. If you don’t, the phone will shrink the image to fit the horizontal limits of the screen.

So, here are two things you are doing to make an inferior photo/video. First, traditional computer screens display the images even more minor than if someone shot them horizontally; second, you give up visual impact.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 1000, ƒ/8, 1/125

Learn to see three-dimensional. Look around the frame edge to edge and then look front to back for layering.

How would this look on a computer screen without cropping

Composition Tip

When photographing like a tourist where you want to capture your friends and family at the different locations you are visiting, here are some quick tips to compose a more compelling photo.

  • Start with the background. Compose first what your subjects will stand in front of for the photo. Then, fill the frame to the edges as I have done here.
  • Have subjects closer to the camera and not close to the background.
  • Move the subjects around to find the best place to see them and the site. Be careful that they don’t block so much of the background that you no longer know where they are for the photo.
Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.5, 1/20, -1EV, flash 0 EV Slow Sync

Here is another tip when shooting at dusk or night. Underexpose the background by -1 EV. That is one stop under. I do this by dialing the EV dial and keeping the camera in Aperture priority and Auto ISO. Then add flash. I didn’t compensate with the flash here, but you may need to experiment with it. The flash pulls the subject out from the background using the light value. However, because the flash is on Slow Sync, the camera will figure out the best exposure without the flash, and then the flash will just be added enough using the flash’s TTL function. Cropping I recommend filling the frame if you put your photos into a typical video. Therefore, you may end up with a little crop top and bottom of the standard 4:3 ratio camera to the specific 16:9 ratio for video. If you start cropping photos to dimensions other than 16:9 or 4:3 to something more like a square, you will be giving up space on the screen, which will, for the most part, diminish the photo’s impact. 

I suggest learning how to fill the frame of your camera and not rely on post-production.

“God gave you two eyes side by side, not top and bottom, so learn to compose for the eyes.” Robin Nelson.

Fujifilm X-E2’s Six Inches Behind The Viewfinder

by Stanley LearyPhotography

Fujifilm X-E2. Fujinon XF 55-200mm, ISO 400, ƒ/4.8, 1/750

Our family has been waiting to be able to come to Orlando, Florida, to take in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter–Diagon Alley at Universal Studios.

J. K. Rowling is the writer of the Harry Potter literary series, which the books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, and sold more than 400 million copies. They have become the best-selling book series in history.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/8, 1/500

While being the most prolific writer ever, her books were transformed into a series of films that became the highest-grossing film series in history.

One of her virtual gifts is her ability to create an entirely visual fantasy world. The movies captured much of those elements, and Universal Studios Theme Park allowed her fans to enter her world through the Harry Potter World.

Rowling consulted on the details for the theme park. There are many details that those who have read the books will appreciate because some of those elements were not in the movies.

Seeing Visually

It is a photographer’s paradise for seeing visual cues that cross over cultures and currently unite more than 65 languages.

Tips while visiting Universal Studios

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/2.8, 1/500

Take photos no matter the time of day, but remember that you might want to redo some of these as I did here of my wife and daughter on Diagon Alley. I just used the on-camera flash to reveal their faces on the street, which otherwise would have been silhouetted. Now you can see the road behind them better than during the daytime.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/40–Fill Flash -1EV

Here is another example for you

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 500, ƒ/3.2, 1/500

We visited the Nite Bus a couple of times. During the daytime, it is harder to see the shrunken head hanging. However, this is a significant part of this attraction. The director talks to you and even turns its head towards you.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/60

Notice how much more the Nite-Bus looks like you would expect in the book or movie when shot at night. What a concept, but you have to think about this to be sure you don’t miss a better mood shot. Also, notice how the light on the shrunken head helps it be easily seen at night.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.6, 1/55

Incorporate Available Light

I also chose to stay with available light and not use the pop-up flash. The light behind me from the street lamp was lighting the scene just fine.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 400, ƒ/5, 1/600– -1.7EV

My daughter has fair skin and wanted to be photographed with the theater production cases. To keep detail on her face, I dialed the EV to -1.7EV

Same as above but unretouched

Here are the Lightroom setting I used to take the untouched RAW file and turn it into the JPEG:

However, the more straightforward and pleasing photo moved my daughter out of the direct sunlight to the other side.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 800, ƒ/5, 1/500

This, too, has been retouched in Adobe Lightroom with these settings:

Also, I dodged her face just a little +0.61:

Street Photography Style Using Minimal Gear

I am trying to do all this like a street photographer and not carrying extra off-camera strobes through the theme park on our family vacation.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/5.6, 1/10

One thing I love about the Fujifilm X-E2 is taking photos at slow shutter speeds. The image stabilization works well.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.2, 1/200

I think capturing photos of the family at the different attractions is essential. It will be a memory jogger as we age, look at these photos, and remember the fun times we had as a family.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/340

Second Lens Gives More Variety

Honestly, I think the Fujinon 18-55mm kit lens will suffice most of the time, but here I wanted to capture the puppeteer, so I needed more than the 55mm. I used the Fujinon XF 55-200mm, which I had in a coat pocket, to take this photo and the first photo of the sunset.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.2, 1/13–Shot at -1.7EV

I could have just shot details around the park. I loved how they created a dark part of Diagon Alley. I felt like I was in the book walking with Harry Potter.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/10

I just hung outside the shop Borgin Burkes while my wife and daughter shopped. I then captured the moment my daughter came out to look for me. This is better than all the posed photos, but I still take those and compliment them with pictures like this one.

Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 1600, ƒ/4.5, 1/500
Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 3200, ƒ/4.5, 1/500

My Fujifilm X-E2 settings for while at Universal Studios

  • ISO–AUTO 
    • 200–6400
    • 1/500 shutter-speed
  • Auto Focus
    • Single
    • AF MODE [AREA]
    • Face Detection ON
  • WB-AUTO
  • RAW+N – This was so that I could link to my phone using the Camera Remote APP and upload photos as I shot them to Facebook for my friends. It would help if you had a JPEG to do this.
  • NR -2
  • Color STD
  • H–Tone -1
  • S–Tone 0
  • Color 0
  • Sharp -2
  • Flash-SLOW
  • Flash Compensation -1
Fujifilm X-E2, Fujinon XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/70, -1.3EV

Six Inches Behind The Viewfinder

I hope you figured it out by now, but more than the camera, it is your brain that will determine the success of your photos. There is a lot of thinking going on to get these photos. If you randomly point your camera and expect it to do all the work, you could have bought the cheapest camera and obtained similar results.

The high-end cameras will let you do more, but the key ingredient to their success is your knowledge of how to use the camera.

“The most important thing in photography is the six inches behind the viewfinder.”

Stanley Leary

Sometimes I can’t give my work away. Guess what? That is a good thing.

by Stanley LearyNikon D3 / Nikon D4
 
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 5000, ƒ/2.8, 1/100

A couple of my close friends have just gotten engaged. While I do not promote myself as a wedding photographer, I will do them for close friends.

I offered to both of them to shoot their weddings as a gift.

Anytime I have done this in the past, most people think about it and get back to me. But, of course, one of the first decisions the couple makes together is our wedding plans.

Great News!

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 200, ƒ/8, 1/200

My first friend wrote back and said:

Stanley,  

This is beyond kind and generous of you to offer your services to us!! We have already been so blessed through this process by so much outpouring of peoples love and generosity.  

We want to find the perfect fit with the perfect style to capture the most important day of our lives. Currently we are looking at all our planning options and haven’t gotten that far in the process. We will get back to you in a few weeks once we decide. 

Thank you again for this wonderful and generous offer of your talent and time!

I was pleased that they didn’t say yes right away. The client was not rushing, which means they are not trusting the most significant event in their lives to anyone.

How can I get all my clients to be more concerned about photography for their business, as this couple is about their wedding?

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 2500, ƒ/5.6, 1/60

My second friend wrote and communicated a little more about their concerns:

Stanley, 

We are very grateful with the offer. We have just a question.  Have you ever shot a wedding?   My fiance has only seen you as a sports photographer, but I thought I’d ask. 

Maybe you can send us examples for her. 

Many photographers might get upset thinking they cannot even give away their services, but what I was pleased about is my friends as the ones that do know the difference between just having anyone document their big day. They are willing to pay versus free if they think someone is a better fit.

Nikon D3, 24-120mm, ISO 200, ƒ/14, 1/80

The key is ensuring you talk with your client’s projects like they are as important as a wedding. In some ways, they are more critical because business photos need to help give a Return On Investment [ROI]. Of course, you don’t need wedding photos to get married. But they are nice to have.

When people do not jump at free, you know they care, and you are not just a commodity. They will appreciate your talent more when they say yes than those friends who even ask you to do it for free.

Same Nikkor 85mm ƒ/1.8G Lens on Nikon D750 and Fuji X-E2 Test

by Stanley LearyNikon D750
 

The other day, I compared the Fujifilm X-E2 with the FUJINON XF 18-55mm lens, shooting the same test chart as the Nikon D750 with the Nikkor 85mm ƒ/1.8G.

Some thought that this wasn’t such a good test. However, I was comparing mirrorless to DSLR and the sensors as well.

The second complaint was I shot at too high of aperture, introducing diffraction. So this is shot at ƒ/5.6 rather than ƒ/16.

Nikon D750

Nikon D750, Nikkor 85mm ƒ/1.8, ISO 200, ƒ/5.6, 1/200 under studio strobes.
1:1 of the above photo

Fujifilm X-E2

Fujifilm X-E2, Nikkor 85mm ƒ/1.8, ISO 200, ƒ/5.6, 1/180 under studio strobes.
1:1 of the above photo

Conclusion

IMHO the antialiasing filter on the sensor of the Nikon D750 affects the performance, and the Fujifilm X-E2 is sharper. By the way, the crop difference is due to the sensor size difference.

When running the images full-frame, I think the extra megapixels of the 24 MP Nikon may give it a hair advantage.

I predict there is a good chance in the future, with the higher MP chips, that the need for the antialiasing filter is not as needed for my work most of the time. So I think more people will want their chips without that filter.

Just for fun, this last photo

This photo is the Fuji cropped more excellent than 1:1 but gave you the same part of the chart that the D750 was at 1:1

The Holy Grail Camera

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 

“If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it’s already a lot. The instrument is not the camera but the photographer.” — Eve Arnold

There are many comments by many pro photographers throughout history reminding us that it is the six inches behind the eye that is more important than the six inches in front of it when taking photos.

I wanted to be sure everyone understands that I not only believe this but spend most of my time thinking about what I have done, will do, and am doing compared to the time I think about my camera gear.

If you want to make better pictures, for the most part, you will do better investing in a class to learn something than spending that money on more camera gear.

To take photos, you must have a camera. When you buy your first camera, the odds are excellent that if you pursue this later as a profession, this will not be the last one you buy.

Things to consider when buying a camera

Subject – Audience

These two things drive almost every decision regarding the best camera. You can find the perfect camera to own as long as these stay singular. However, the problem that typically happens is when you have:

Subject(s) – Audience(s)

The Holy Grail Camera that does it all is usually a compromise camera that will let a photographer get the images, but if they had the funds would most likely buy specialty cameras for some subjects or audiences.

Audience(s)

When we think of an audience, there are two things we should focus on that impacts what gear we purchase. First, the people and the channel will see those visuals.

If your client sells high-end vehicles like a Lamborghini, they will be more interested in the finer details than the community seeing a photo of the fire in their local paper or online. Therefore, you will be more likely to see vast prints of your images in dealerships on their walls where the customer could walk up to the print to examine it closely. People can walk up to large photographs when an extreme megapixel camera would be the best choice.

If you are shooting photos that you plan to put in a show in a museum or gallery, then the size of those prints will also demand a higher pixel and will be appreciated.

The need for super size prints is why there are 80 MP camera backs for medium format cameras. You can go even higher with the view cameras.

On the other hand, many bloggers shoot all their photos with their smartphones. Using a smartphone is because the pictures are good enough for their audience, who might absorb most of the content on their smartphone.

Subject(s)

When shooting sports like soccer, you must have a long glass due to the distance between the photographer and the action on the field. A camera like the Nikon 4s shoots 11 frames a second, and lenses like the Nikkor 600mm ƒ/4 is pretty much the standard for a sports action shooter.

Wedding photographers often need to shoot in low light and need a camera with ISO higher than ISO 1600. They also will shoot with a fast glass of ƒ/1.4 to ƒ/2.8 many times during ceremonies. Most wedding photographers must cover 28mm – 200mm for most of their work. However, they occasionally have a few photos using specialty glass to offer something different.

Portrait photographers often shoot with cameras with high megapixels for the same reason the photographer shooting a Lamborghini needs it–large prints.

Street shooters tend to want a small camera that will make them look more like a tourist than professional photographers to be able to blend in and not draw attention to themselves.

Conclusion

If you are one of those people trying to tell everyone why you own the “BEST” camera ever–please know you only show your ignorance when you open your mouth. I see these people on almost every camera forum trying to argue why they know it all, and everyone should listen to them and their wisdom.

If you are shooting one type of subject, then you can easily find out what most photographers covering this subject are using and why they choose those cameras and lenses.

If you are shooting a wide variety of images for many different outlets, you most likely will find a camera that does a pretty good covering the bases. However, many will find they need to rent or buy gear for some of their niches.

Most of all, we need to go back to where I started this blog that the photographer’s knowledge will let them do more with a simple box camera than a $45,000 camera in a novice’s hands.

You may hear that many people say invest in the excellent glass more than the camera–I say invest in yourself more than the gear, and you will be the better for it.

IMHO–most cameras today are so good that almost any camera could work in the right hands.

What I own and use

NPPA Annual Meeting at their new location the Grady College of Journalism

by Stanley Learyphotojournalism
 
Mark E. Johnson is on the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication faculty at the University of Georgia, teaching photojournalism and multimedia journalism courses. He talks to the board about some of the expenses associated with the offices now being in the school. [Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.6 1/80]

This photo is of the annual board meeting for the National Press Photographers Association at Grady College of Journalism with the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.

This month, the NPPA moved the organization’s headquarters to the Grady College of Journalism. The move will cut their overhead costs due to the school giving them office space with minimal expenses like phone and internet connections.

NPPA, like all photography associations, has been losing members due to the industry staff jobs going away in so many places around the globe.

Mickey H. Osterreicher, NPPA’s general counsel, tells the board how last year they helped a member in a lawsuit where his rights were violated and allowed with a $200,000 settlement. The person donated $3,000 to NPPA legal fund. [Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4 1/250]

Community coordination has shaped and advanced America since its birth and has historically set America apart from many other nations. NGOs and other associations have formed many places worldwide, but it has been a foundation in American society.

Associations organize for all types of purposes, but there are some recurring benefits they typically provide their members, including:

  • Education/professional development
  • Information, research, statistics
  • Standards, codes of ethics, certification
  • A forum to discuss common problems and solutions
  • Opportunities to further a specific mission, including volunteering and community service
  • Providing a community of interest.
Mark E. Johnson helps answer the board’s questions on the expenses NPPA will still be responsible for at the Grady School of Journalism. [Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/9 1/15]
With publications like newspapers and magazines going out of business in record numbers over the past five to ten years, the community has shrunk for working staff photographers.
 
I am sure I shocked many on the board when I decided to attend their open board meeting and sit and observe. It is like watching a sausage processing plant. Just as families around America had had conversations around their kitchen tables about cutting back when a spouse lost a job, the NPPA board was evaluating all items line by line on the budget.
 
The board voted on parts of the 2015 Annual Budget. [Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.2 1/110]
As I drove to Athens, I admit I have been quite ambivalent about what I get for my membership. However, after sitting and listening to the board focus on the budget and then on my drive home, I realized that one of the core reasons those in the industry should support an association in these times is the same reason we started them years ago. One thing that continues to stand out as one of the most important reasons is “a forum to discuss common problems and solutions.”
 
Look through the bullet list and see if it makes sense to let an association like NPPA die or join and support the organization. What would fill the vacuum for the association’s role in our profession?
 
The industry’s biggest struggle is a lack of clear understanding of the direction we should be taking. So what specific mission do we now move towards?

I don’t think anyone has yet to find a crystal ball that gives insight into what we will be doing five or ten years from now. However, I think we are starting to realize the core things we do that aren’t related to gear for the first time in a very long time. We have defined so much of our industry by equipment, and now, with the daily changes, we are looking for the core skills we still have from the beginning of the profession that we will most likely continue.

Time for putting our heads together, I think, rather than doing this alone. Have you joined NPPA?

If not, go here to join https://nppa.org/join-nppa

Then get involved and be part of the discussion.