Category: Nikon D4

When you travel with Super Stars you need off camera flash to make them look good

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Off Camera Flash
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 1/250—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800.  The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the flash.

I am traveling with the famous Chick-fil-A Cow Mascots this week. They are traveling around promoting Cow Appreciation Day this Friday.

Click here to learn more

Dress head to hoof as they like to say at Chick-fil-A and get a free meal. Wear some Cow Attire and get a free entree.

Now let me tell you how I made the top photo. I had two VALS holding the two hot shoe flashes on either side of me. [VALS stands for Voice Activated Light Stand]

Without the flashes the cows would have been somewhat silhouetted and by adding the off camera flash I was able to keep the color temperature on them daylight and then also keep them bright enough to keep the rich colors in the background.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/6.3, 1/4—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800.  The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the flash.

Very similar lighting setup, just I am have a subject close to me blocking the light to the left. I dragged the shutter to 1/4 to be sure you saw the photo he was making on his phone.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/6.3, 1/4—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800.  The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the flash.

Here you can see one of my VALS holding the hot shoe flash. The other VALS is behind me pointing at the cow. If you look at the Cows eyes you can see the reflections of the two flashes. Notice the shadows on the concrete. This tells you they were all backlighted and the flashes made a huge difference.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/6.3, 1/4—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800.  The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the flash.

Here I am behind the flashes and you can see the other VALS here in the foreground. The other VALS is further to the left in the photo.

I don’t generally use these last two photos where you can see the flashes, but kept them to show to you so you can see how simple this is to do.

How using portrait in a photo story

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / storytelling / visual storytelling
 
Nikon D4, 85mm, ISO 125, ƒ/1.4, 1/100

I made three quick photos of a student yesterday in class to help the students see two things they can do very quickly to introduce a character into the story.

We preferred not to have a posed portrait but rather something of her in action. Therefore, I did not take a photo to illustrate that point but did want to explain lens choice and aperture.

The first photo has a shallow depth-of-field of ƒ/1.4. Again, the emphasis is all on the lady.

Nikon D4, 85mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/14, 1/100

I then just stopped down the aperture to create a greater depth of field so that the map was much sharper.

Now I told the class that my purpose was to show the student in a class with photo students, and they would then leave the course and do stories around the world.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 9000, ƒ/14, 1/100

For the last shot, I changed the lens to a wide-angle and then had the class behind her. We talked about how we can then introduce her in our story this way as well.

All three are good photos in their own right, but the question was which one does the best job of helping tell the story.

Today I will show them another technique, so stay tuned for that example.

Advice to photography students

by Stanley LearyNikon D2X / Nikon D4
 
Downtown Lisbon, Portugal [Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 25600, ƒ/2.8, 1/160]

To get work, you need a portfolio, not a degree. So yes, you could have saved much money without earning a degree from a great school. But unfortunately, based on some of the work I continue to see by students graduating from photo schools worldwide, many have wasted a lot of money.

How do you start if you are not in a photo school? Well, that is the catch. You see, you need someone to help introduce you to the tools you need to master and to teach you some of the standards. However, almost every school does teach you how to operate your camera to get good exposure, and they teach you how to use the latest software as well. In addition, most schools do a great job of exposing you to the work of the masters in the profession.

‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.’

I think this is what a good education will do for those who want to learn how to be a photographer. First, they show you what you need to do. Then, they give you assignments that teach you how to create those elements that will help you make a portfolio.

Passion not Assignments

Your portfolio must communicate to those you wish will hire you that your work will grab their attention. So no matter the subject, you need to SURPRISE the audience with your photos.

The First 100 attendees at the Chicago Chick-fil-A grand opening played Face the Cookie, where they used the muscles in their faces to move the cookie to their mouth. [Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 9000, ƒ/10, 1/100]

Too many students are just shooting the assignments they are given and then pulling the best from their jobs and putting them into their portfolios. Why is this such a big mistake?

First of all, the assignment work given to you is seldom something that speaks to your passions. You then work hard at finding out the standards for the grading and then shoot to get a good grade. This process is enough for a few people to create an excellent portfolio image. However, the vast majority of the students are just going through the motions to complete the assignment. Often they waited till the last moment to shoot.

If you were not doing photography, what would be the one thing you would want to do? Maybe you would like to be going to soccer games and watch them. Perhaps you are a foodie. You like going to farmers’ markets and finding the local food and going to restaurants that buy local as well. Maybe you would be spending time working with a nonprofit and building wells worldwide.

Follow your passion and build your portfolio around it.

[Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/160

If your passion is music, then do more than go to concerts. Could you pick up an instrument and master it? Learn music theory, so you understand music at a much deeper level.

[Nikon D2X, Sigma 120-300mm with 1.4 converters, ƒ/6.3, 1/2500]

If you like sports, then play in a league. I used to play basketball three times a week in pickup games for more than 20 years.

Those that will hire you are experts already in their subjects. They will not respect you unless you show a similar passion for the subject as they do.

They are most likely aware of most of the best photography in their industry. To SURPRISE the experts will be hard to do. But, you have to, or they will continue to use who they have shooting for them now.

Show Me!

“Show me the money,” Tom Cruise, playing Jerry Maguire, said in the 1996 movie Jerry Maguire movie. The point was that talk is cheap to a football player who hired Jerry Maguire as his agent. He needed a good contract.

Please show me your portfolio is the same request your potential clients are asking you to deliver to them. Your work better SURPRISE them because they already have photographers shooting for them. You have to impress them to want to use you.

Passion NOT Assignments

The easiest thing to do is to give me your best effort for all your assignments. But, unfortunately, that kind of work seldom competes against a photographer who is passionate about their subjects.

School vs. Real Word

If your photo school ran all their classes like the real world, then every type would pass/fail. Everyone would hand in their assignments, and only one person in the class passed. The best photos for that assignment, as perceived by the teacher, would get a passing grade. Everyone else would fail.

My friend Dr. Bob Carey, department chair for the Department of Communications at Gardner-Webb University, said he toyed with the idea of doing just that for an assignment on creating an estimate. He said he did tell the students about his idea but wanted them to understand that is the way it will be once they graduate.

Mark Johnson, Senior Lecturer of Photojournalism at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, has created identical camera kits for each student. This way, everyone in the class is on equal footing when they have given an assignment.

Pat Davison, Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill creates workshops overseas to give real-world experiences to his students.

Dennis Fahringer, who runs the photo schools for the University of Nations, brings in working professionals to teach segments and takes his advanced photo school overseas for a month on assignments.

All my teaching friends work at taking those horses [students] to the water to drink. The assignments they give are typical. The problem for the student is seldom will they be as passionate about those assignments. So they need to provide a self-assignment on something they care about.

Please take what you learned in photo school and now go and apply it to your passions. Then you will have an outstanding portfolio.

Lisbon, Portugal Scene Setters

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / photojournalism / storyline / storytelling
 
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 800, ƒ/9, 1.3 sec

Who, What, WHERE, Why, When & How

We teach in Journalism 101 the five Ws and H as the questions whose answers are considered essential in information-gathering. Importantly, none of these questions can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”

Last week while teaching Multi-Media Storytelling Workshop in Lisbon, Portugal, we covered getting images that help give context to their stories.

You can visually capture the Five Ws and Hs. Conveying a complex idea by a photojournalist with just a single still image is what the adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” is all about. It also aptly characterizes one of the visualization’s main goals, allowing it to absorb large amounts of data quickly.

The power of a single image is why visual storytelling can be compelling. You can convey a lot of information to the audience in a short time.

While one image can capture “Where,” a series of photos in multimedia can do even more; depending on the sequence, some music and the human voice can pull you deeper into the story’s context.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/13, 1/180

Here is a photo of Nazaré, Portugal, where I am at Sítio (an old village on top of a cliff) overlooking Praia (along the beach). This photo is an example of how you, as a tourist, give context. Shoot too tight, and you could be anywhere in the world. But don’t make that mistake; you could have stayed home and taken photos in your backyard.

Depth-of-Field

Context photos are difficult when you use a shallow depth-of-field. Compare these two photos by changing the aperture to give a greater depth of field.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 200, ƒ/3.7, 1/1000
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 640, ƒ/10, 1/500

Wide Angle Lens

I prefer to get close with a wide angle versus using a longer telephoto lens, but here in these photos, it does work.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 1/500

Remember when you travel, and you want to take establishing shots that capture where you were, not just photos you could have taken anywhere.

When you travel, give yourself a little time to acclimate

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
 
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 1/500

I am teaching a class with two of my friends Jeff Raymond, from ABWE, and James Dockery, ESPN, this week in Lisbon, Portugal. Our first day of class is Monday, which is today.

Yesterday we let the students shoot around the area just to get acclimated to the time zone change. These photos are while we were going around Lisbon and nearby to see some sights.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 1/500

I shot this one of the palaces while we drove by it. Keeping my shutter speed pretty high helped me not worry about the camera movement due to the van we were in at the time.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 100, ƒ/4.5, 1/800

I suggest a little time to acclimate to the location before diving into the story. One of the reasons is if you have never been to that part of the world, you are getting to feel the location and not just react immediately to the subject without context as you would be doing while telling the story.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 7200, ƒ/8, 1/100

Here is James Dockey, an ESPN TV editor, enjoying conversing with the lady at the coffee shop and some of the students in the class we are teaching. But, of course, one of the best ways to acclimate is to eat the food and enjoy their coffee.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 4500, ƒ/8, 1/100

James is with the ladies who served us the espresso and some pastries. While this was James’ food, I got the same. WOW, that was delicious.

We are now all rested, adjusted to the time zone, and ready to dive into our storytelling on Lisbon for the rest of the week. So stay tuned for some more from Lisbon.

Sigma 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 great lens for party pics

by Stanley LearyDepth-of-Field / Nikon D4
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/3.2, 1/80 optical stabilization on

I love to watch people and especially across the room. The lens that captures these moments the best for me is the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM for Nikon. Up to 4 Stops of Optical Stabilization makes hand-holding the lens possible in low light, which I was shooting in tonight.

Nikon D4, 85mm ƒ/1.4 , ISO 450, ƒ/1.4, 1/100

I tried to work the room with the Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.4, but I felt like the lens was too loose most of the time, and since I was further away, the depth-of-field was as silky smooth to me as with the Sigma 20-200mm because I was able to shoot at 200mm and therefore compressed the background.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/3.2, 1/50 optical stabilization on

The cool thing is shooting at 200mm, and a wide aperture gives the shallow depth of field, making the subject pop out from the room.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/2.8, 1/60 optical stabilization on

While technically, there is a separation of the subject from their environment, you now must wait for a moment where you capture the person’s personality. A technically great photo isn’t what makes the photo, but it just merely helps. It still comes down to capturing the moment.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm, ISO 10000, ƒ/2.8, 1/100 optical stabilization on

While shooting all these photos, the people know me, but I have been working in the room for a while. I started with 14-24mm and introduced myself to people getting them to know I was here and taking photos.

Nikon D4, Nikkor 14-24mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/3.2, 1/100

I am shooting a full-framed image like the one above, with the 14-24mm putting me less than a foot away from the subjects. After shooting these, I start shooting the tighter shots with the longer lens. So I am now further away and picking moments.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm, ISO 9000, ƒ/3.2, 1/100 optical stabilization on

Now people are more relaxed at the party. They are now into conversations and enjoying one another. When people are conversing is when I get excellent expressions.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/2.8, 1/100 optical stabilization on

I also love creating a layering effect by having something in the foreground and background. I think this helps give more depth to the photo, even with the foreground and background out of focus.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm, ISO 11400, ƒ/3.2, 1/100 optical stabilization on

I love these expressions. They make you want to know what they are talking about.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/3.2, 1/100 optical stabilization on

I love shooting tight and isolating subjects but remember, when I write a blog like this, I teach something. The 70-200mm photos are just part of the coverage; I have plenty of wide-angle lens shots to help capture the context.

I think every photographer would benefit from a 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 lens in their bag. I love my Sigma 70-200mm.

WiFi Solution for Nikon D4

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / tethering

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.

Photographers: Three ways to direct the audience

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Off Camera Flash
 
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 1100, ƒ/3.2, 1/100 Custom White Balance with ExpoDisc

Composition/Graphics

You can use compositional elements like leading lines in the photo above to help direct your audience through a scene to where you want them to look. For example, I have the lines from the shirt directing me back into the photograph to the guy talking.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 2000, ƒ/6.3, 1/100 with off camera flash with Nikon SB-900 with MagMod 1/4 CTO Gel syncing by PocketWizard TT1 and Flex TT5 with AC-3 zone controller

Light

Now with this photo of the kids watching down the incline, the balls racing each other, I am using the pitch to lead your eye, but I am also using another element to help direct your attention—Light.

Using an off-camera flash, I can put more light on the man at the top of the incline and also light the kids. As the light drops off to the background, it is slightly darker, so your eye doesn’t go there first.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 2000, ƒ/6.3, 1/100 with off camera flash with Nikon SB-900 with MagMod 1/4 CTO Gel and 20º Grid triggering by PocketWizard TT1 and Flex TT5 with AC-3 zone controller

I knew that if I didn’t use a light on the subject holding the weight, you might drift to anyone of the people in the background.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 2000, ƒ/6.3, 1/100 with off camera flash with Nikon SB-900 with MagMod 1/4 CTO Gel triggering by PocketWizard TT1 and Flex TT5 with AC-3 zone controller

In this photo, you can see my photo assistant being a VALS [Voice Activated Light Stand]. The flash is helping me pop the subject out from the crowd.

Now on the flash, I am using a 1/4 CTO gel that works well with the available light. I started with 1/2 Plusgreen gel, but even with color correcting using the ExpoDisc, the color never looked right on the faces compared to the background.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 11400, ƒ/6.3, 1/100 Custom White Balance with ExpoDisc

Color

You can also use color to draw your eye into a photo. Here the lady in pink draws your attention because she is wearing Pink. Unfortunately, the same image in Black & White loses the directing quality of the color.

To make a B&W photo work, photographers will burn and dodge to direct your eye with available light photography. Here I have burned in some photo areas, so the lightest area leads your eye.

Light is the greatest influence in photography

Photography is writing with light. That is what the word means. Now take a moment later, I decided to add light to the situation above. Watch how much I am currently directing your eye with the light.

While the lady in pink is drawing some of your attention, I have more light on the scientist here holding a brain model.

I have now really isolated where I want you to look in black and white. So I have removed the color influence of the pink jacket, and you are now because of introducing a spotlight on the subject, a way for me to influence where the audience looks.

Put it all together

Here I am using the off-camera flash and a longer lens of 90mm to come close to the two little girls. But, most importantly, I am capturing a moment where their eyes are communicating interest, and this is the second most important part of a photograph—The Moment.

Here I am using the off-camera flash to light the young boy and make the background darker. The mother’s orange jacket is a complimentary color to the blue jacket, and I am also using the color to help direct you. I am using the hand of the scientist holding the brain model. In contrast, the mother’s hands continue to lead you toward the boy’s expression on his face—this moment of interest by his eyes and mouth expressions showing interest. The mom’s expression also compliments her son’s expression.

Here I am again using the off-camera flash to brighten the people in the foreground and the background is now darker. I am still using composition to help direct you and, most important, looking for the moment that tells the story. The embroidery on the scientist’s sleeve almost replaces the need for a caption.

The off-camera flash enhances capturing a moment with a father and daughter. In addition, the photo reads faster than had I relied solely on composition alone.

As seen in this last photo, your eye will wonder if the photographer hasn’t used all the tools necessary to direct your attention.

When you look back at your photos from something you attended, and nothing stands out, there is a reason. Are you using all the tools at your disposal to capture moments? Of all the tools you can use, off-camera flash maybe the best weapon you have. Do you know how to use one?

Give me a call for a personal class for some one-on-one instruction if you would like to master this technique.

Storyline involves a Plot

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / photojournalism / storytelling / visual storytelling
Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.6, 1/250, custom white balance with ExpoDisc

A plot “ensures that you get your character from point A to point Z.”

The shooting of the story is often not in the order of telling the story. It is standard in Hollywood when they are making a movie to shoot a story all out of order for budget reasons.

You may need to go ahead and shoot the ending because it takes place in the spring, and you are now in the Spring time.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/9, 1/45, custom white balance with ExpoDisc

Yesterday I was working with my intern/photo assistant. I sat down for a few minutes to talk about what I was doing and why. He is going to Lisbon, Portugal, with me and will be shooting his own visual story.

One thing I talked to him about was how every situation I shot was as if it were a stand-alone story.

Fujifilm X-E2, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.4 D AF, using Nikon G to FX adapter, ISO 500, ƒ/1.4, 1/60

Yesterday I photographed a Georgia Tech Management student. I followed him around for the day. While in the classroom with him, I photographed each situation as if the whole story had to come out. I was shooting stills and videos. I shot an overall shot of the classroom, some of the teacher and some of the students, and everything else you could think of in between.

Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.4 D AF, ISO 1100, ƒ/1.4, 1/250 Custom white balance with the ExpoDisc

I shot each situation as if it were a stand-alone package because it is easier to sequence the overall package with the best photos to tell the complete story.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/6.3, 1/500, custom white balance with ExpoDisc

If you didn’t shoot the variety, you might end up with all close-up shots when you finally were editing. Then the array of the photo starts to work against you by shooting to get good tight, medium, and overall pictures and varieties of each of those; you then are picking from each situation and then putting these into a sequence that moves the viewer through the plot of events to tell the story.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 8000, ƒ/4.8, 1/250, custom white balance with ExpoDisc

Unlike fiction writers who can create their content, the visual storyteller who captures the story must grasp it before it is sequenced and told. The writer can design and make it work and not worry if they have images to move you through the plot. They create it.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 400, ƒ/10, 1/500

I even did the environmental portrait as a safe shot of the student in front of the Georgia Institute of Technology sign.

During our interview with the subject, he mentioned that he would be working with Wells Fargo Securities this coming summer. So just to have something we could drop in for a visual, we found a sign to put him in front of for the story.

Fujifilm X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/10, 1/180 and -1 EV on the pop-up flash

The bottom line is that you need to have a storyline in mind while shooting. Then for each point of the outline, you shoot it like it will be the complete story. Then, you create another sub-outline of the design that makes this a full report.

It is almost impossible to overshoot for a visual storyteller. Those who undershoot will have to rely on other communication like text or audio to help tell the story.

The best way to tell a story is to show the audience rather than say it to the audience. Don’t be caught without enough visuals when putting the final package together.

Fujifilm X-E2: Using only available light for meeting

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.5, 1/90

Assessment

I walked into the room and a wall with handprints along one side. The wall has lights on it and is the brightest spot in the room.

The problem, as seen in the first photo, was the speakers’ background. They might have been standing in front of a window with sunlight coming in. There were no lights on the speakers except for the room lights, which were much darker than the wall.

The first thing I do in any situation—looks around and see where the light is and isn’t. I then pay attention to the type of light in the room.

I am assessing the direction and the quality of the light in the room.

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.4, 1/70

As long as I wasn’t photographing the speakers, the rest of the room didn’t present the same issues as the backlit speakers.

Custom white balance

To get the best possible color in photos, I rely first on ExpoDisc. I bought the original version in the 77mm size. I hold this in front of the lens to set the white balance.

In the new version, you can get filters that you put over the ExpoDisc, which let you warm up or cool down your color temperature.

If you use a slightly blue filter, your camera will add the opposite color, yellow, to try and color correct the image. This process will warm up your photos.

If you use a slightly yellow filter, the camera will add blue, making your photos cooler.

Since the ExpoDisc is going over the lens and capturing the light as it hits the filter, this gives you an incident light reading.

A general rule is an incident light reading is more accurate than a reflective reading. It is better because it just reads what the amount of light is hitting or the color of the light.

The camera set the Kelvin to 3650 and added 30+ magenta for my photos.

Since I was under fluorescent/sodium vapor type of lights, I had to use a shutter speed slower than 1/100 to avoid color banding in the photo.

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.6, 1/70

Exposure Value Adjustment

I shot the photos using the aperture priority mode on the Fujifilm X-E2. First, I picked the A for the shutter speed and then shot wide open with the aperture. I am using the MULTI metering mode for the Fujifilm X-E2.

I had the camera set to use AUTO ISO. On the camera, I set the low-end ISO to ISO 100 and the high-end ISO 6400. I put the shutter speed to 1/100 since I didn’t want to go above this due to the fluorescent/sodium vapor lights.

I am using the electronic viewfinder (EVF) while shooting. The EVF gave me a significant advantage over my DSRL because I saw what I would get later. The minute I put the camera on the speaker, all that backlight was silhouetting my speaker.

To get the correct exposure on the speaker, I adjusted the EV dial by +2.7, which is what you see above.

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/50 [focal length 200mm & 35mm equivalent 300mm]

I am handholding the Fujifilm X-E2 with the XF 55-200mm. This speaker photo’s lens is equivalent to a 300mm lens on my full-frame DSLR. So shooting at 1/50 shouldn’t be this sharp. The reason is the lens has optical image stabilization (OIS). The image stabilization function allows the use of shutter speeds 4.5 stops slower. As you can see, the photo looks pretty sharp for 1/50.

OIS cannot help you if the subject moves a lot while you are taking the photo. It just helps keep your camera steady.

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.7, 1/30 [RAW image processed through Adobe Lightroom]
Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.7, 1/30 [JPEG from camera no Adobe Lightroom]

Why not ISO 12800 or 24600?

Frankly, I am not thrilled with how the Fujifilm X-E2 handles skin tones. They tend to come out just a little waxy for my taste. Also, to use an ISO greater than ISO 6400 on the Fujifilm cameras, you must shoot JPEGs, not RAW.

If the photos were not working, I would have shot at a higher ISO and lived with the trade of the waxy skin tones versus not-so-sharp images.

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/75

For Comparison

Nikon D4, 28-300mm. ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/125

The one thing I still like about the Nikon D4 over the Fujifilm X-E2 is shooting raw at even higher ISO settings. As a result, the photo above is in available light like the Fuji, and the lens also has image stabilization to help with camera motion.

How about strobes?

Nikon D4, 28-300mm. ISO 6400, ƒ/5.6, 1/200 [2 Alienbees B1600 lights bounced on 1/32 power]

I also shot photos using two Alienbees B1600 lights with Pocketwizard Plus II on the lights receiving the radio signal from the Pocketwizard MiniTT1 Transmitter on the Nikon D4.

The flashes helped a great deal with the quality of the image, but at what sacrifice? They announced to everyone in the room when I was taking a photo. It made the people too aware and less relaxed.

No question that you get better quality light with strobes, but unless you are dealing with professional actors/actresses, you will not get the best expressions during a meeting. Sure, you will get some, but I believe available light is the way to go—if possible.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm. ISO 6400, ƒ/5.6, 1/200 [2 Alienbees B1600 lights bounced on 1/32 power]

Here are a couple more photos for you

Fujifilm X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.6, 1/110
Nikon D4, 28-300mm. ISO 6400, ƒ/5.6, 1/160 [2 Alienbees B1600 lights bounced on 1/32 power]

Hair bit more excellent color with the flashes, but if I am getting the photo with the Fujifilm X-E2 that looks this good without flash, why use flash?

Comparing “Bokeh” on Nikon, Sigma and Fuji lenses

by Stanley LearyNikon D4

Which camera and lens took this first photo? Here are the choices

  1. Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AF-D [Lens $969]
  2. Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM [Lens $1249]
  3. Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300 mm f/2.8 DG EX APO IF HSM [Lens $2500]
  4. Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300 mm f/2.8 DG EX APO IF HSM, with Sigma 1.4 converter [converter $249]
  5. Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR [Lens $897]
  6. Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS [Lens $699]
  7. Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS Zoom [Lens $694]
It might surprise you. For this exercise, I shot each lens wide open at the most extended focal length and the closest distance the lens would focus. There is a slight focus issue due to my skills in placing the tripod and subject, but you can see for yourself and pick the photo that matches the above image.
Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AF-D
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300 mm f/2.8 DG EX APO IF HSM
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300 mm f/2.8 DG EX APO IF HSM, with Sigma 1.4 converter
Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM
Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS Zoom Lens
Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS Lens
If you had difficulty figuring out the top photo, it is the Fujifilm X-E2 with the FUJINON XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS Lens.
When photographing people for portraits, I love the Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 AF-D. While I can get closer with many other lenses, as you can see above, any closer with the 85mm, you are too tight.
I hope this exercise also points out that using a longer lens can give great “BOKEH” if you back up a little and zoom in all the way.
The one lens that wasn’t all that great was the FUJINON XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS Zoom because it zoomed all the way in at 55mm; the ƒ/4 is just too much depth of field. So If I had the Fujinon XF 55mm ƒ/1.2, I would see something similar to the 85mm ƒ/1.4.
The lesson I hope is that you might try some longer lenses for portraits to get some smooth, silky “Bokeh.”

Fuji X-E2 with XF 55-200mm vs Nikon D4 with 28-300mm

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
 
Fuji X-E2, XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/90

I didn’t set out to compare these two cameras and lenses but just ended up shooting both of them.

A couple of variables don’t make this a perfect comparison. I like shooting AUTO ISO on both cameras. You cannot shoot RAW on the Fuji above ISO 6400, so the camera is set up with the highest ISO, whereas on the Nikon D4, the high ISO default is ISO 12800.

Nikon D4, Nikon 28-300mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/125

Both lenses have a vibration reduction system turned on, and both were handheld during these photos. One thing of interest is the Fuji XF 55-200mm; zooming in gives you the same focal length proportion as the Nikon 28-300mm at the most extended focal length. The difference is the ƒ/4.8 on the Fuji versus the ƒ/5.6 on the Nikon.

Focusing performance was superior with the Nikon as compared to the Fuji. I had them both set to single-frame focusing versus continuous. Both were on AUTO focus, looking for faces. Fuji would hunt every single time. The only way to stop that was to go to the manual guide.

The one thing I can say about comparing the two cameras is I love the Fuji results better than the Nikon, but the Nikon is far superior for catching moments. The Fuji is trying to decide if the subject is in focus too often.

Here are two photos with the Fuji X-E2 and the Nikon D4

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 3200,  ƒ/4, 1/500
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/125

A couple of photos just from the Fuji X-E2

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 4000, ƒ/2.8, 1/500
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/105

I think if you are trying to nail a moment just right, the Fuji takes a moment too long to lock in on the focus as compared to the Nikon system.

If you carry the Nikons all day long as I was doing, you then know why I am so interested in making the Fuji system work–WEIGHT. So I could deal with the slight delay of the Fuji system for the weight I would save carrying them all day long like I have been covering a meeting.

If you are used to being able to shoot sports as I have with an autofocus system as quick as the Nikon D4, you will be slightly disappointed in the Fuji. However, if you have never shot with the best Nikon systems, you might be OK and not notice the delay.