Category: Photography

Anticipation is key to capturing a decisive moment

by Stanley LearyPhotography
Three elements I look for in sports photo: 1) The Ball, 2) The Competition & 3) Expression

One of the more obvious moments in capturing a decisive moment in photography I think is in sports photography.  Most everyone understands what the purpose of the game—scoring points.

I have written in previous posts about what I think are some key elements to some great sports photos. (Click here for that link)

Key ingredients (Most of the time)

1.    The ball
2.    The competition
3.    Expression of the athletes

Decisive moment in sports requires anticipation. I know that the purpose is to score points and the best place to capture this is with a camera placed behind the glass where you can show the goal scoring. What else is helpful is the three elements again: 1) Ball, 2) Competition & 3) Expression.  Had I captured a major break away the slam dunk would be missing the competition because you couldn’t see them in the photo.

To capture these moments requires the photographer to anticipate more than just the ability to recognize the moment when you see it. The action is moving so fast in most sports that if you push the shutter button when you see it, in the time it can take to make the shutter trip to the time it captures the moment it has already passed.

Great sports photographers are the ones who consistently capture peak action. To do this a sports photographer has studied the sport, the team and the players and can anticipate those peak moments.

What about peak action outside of sports?

“the decisive moment, it is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression.”
–Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson is credited with coining the phrase of the “Decisive Moment.” He may have been first to express it this way, but painters like Michael Angelo were painting them long before.  I think one of the greatest examples of this is the painting of the Creation of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  Many consider this the crowning achievement of all his work.

The Creation of Adam by Michael Angelo

As you can see in the painting you see Adam almost touching God.  To me this epitomizes the concept of the anticipated moment in photography, which often is the decisive moment.

This is when the anticipation is often greater than the moment itself.  It is like the effort of the basketball player as they are scoring rather than the actual point.

A mother touching her dead son and having her husband and family with her communicates much more about the loss of this soldier.  While there were many other moments that showed parts of the funeral, this communicates the loss and those who must cope with the loss.

While we may wish to capture the moment just before people touch, the touch itself can be just as powerful of a moment.

For me this is just an average photo of the Summerall Guards performing on Corp Day Weekend at The Citadel.
I was excited to capture this moment of the Summerall Guards performance. You see they perform this drill in silence and the only way they communicate is through small sounds.  Here you can see them sniffing, which is a small sound they can here next to each other.  I felt like I had captured the expression of the members doing all they could to stay in step and precision with each other.  This to me is a Decisive Moment of the performance of the Summerall Guard.

Moments are quite subtle indeed. I have written before about how the eyes are where true smiles are detected and not in the mouth.

Looking at the eyes of the guy talking and the guy listening lets you see there is a connection going on between them even though they are not looking directly at each other.  The eyes are giving away how this is a real moment and not something posed.

 

Here you can tell the lady is listening just by looking at her eyes.  There is a look people have when they are attentive with their ears that shows with their eyes.  You must capture these moments carefully by anticipating them.

Compare these two moments:

 

 

How do you capture the moment consistently?  You have to first shoot enough to begin with.  Way too many photographers never have learned to first overshoot.  Before you can learn to pick your moments you must first overshoot an event.

What happens when you overshoot?

First of all, over time you will discover that technically a lot of situations just will not work. I remember when I saw things and after a while would pick up the camera and shoot these only to discover later there were things from where I was standing making this impossible to capture.  Next time I saw something similar I was aware of either not making the photo or maybe doing something that would make it possible–like adding a flash.

Second, you realize their is a build up to a moment and then often just after the moment happens that the drop off is quite abrupt.  In sports there is the moment of the score and seldom just after you might see a moment when say a catcher at the home plate looses the ball in the tag and therefore the player is safe.  However for the most part the tagging of the player out is the moment.

Celebration after the touchdown.

Third, you start to see another moment develop shortly after the peak and give you a second great shot.  In sports this is often the jubilee shot.  The celebration after the score or sometimes the defeat you see on the defense or the loosing team after a score.

Last, you learn that moments are happening all the time and you must be on your toes watching and anticipating.

I tried to capture Tommy Bassett in many different moments in a desire to show the complexity of the man.  Here I have Tommy as a serious thinking and concerned person.

 

Here I think I have a lighter and humorous moment of Tommy with the ladies who formed a cooperative restaurant in Mexico.
Tommy Bassett is interpreting for our trip to visit the coffee farmers in Mexico for Just Coffee.

 

This is Tommy taking photos and getting contorted to get the right moment and composition.

When I went back through my coverage of my trip to cover the Café Justo in Chiapas, Mexico I realized I had a series of photos of our guide Tommy Bassett and one of the founders of the cooperative.  I also realized that had I wanted to do a story just on Tommy I would have wished I shot even more images of him.

You need to learn to think on your feet and continue to ask what are you trying to say.  What is the story? Then continue to shoot those things that will help you convey to your audience the story.  Remember you need to shoot enough to capture those moments that communicate.  Often these moments will have to be anticipated if you are to capture them.

Take that lens cap off your camera and get out there and start shooting.

Photography Rules: Don’t get religious

by Stanley LearyPhotography
Just picture St. Peter at the gates of heaven and he is checking which camera you have to let you in.  Do you have a Nikon, Canon, Olympus or maybe you have a Pentax camera, but will this get you into heaven?

You would think this is going to happen when we die when you talk to some photographers.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTVfFmENgPU]
There are even videos spoofing camera brand loyalty

There have even been converts in this battle over camera brands. You will find many photographers have switched when their brand of camera fails them after a few times. You would switch too if you photos were no longer in focus.

I watched one photographer years ago get so frustrated on the sidelines of a Georgia Tech football game that he just threw the camera after game across the field. 

These are the photographers who often feel the need to convert and once converted are on the street corners preaching.  They want to help others to join them and not go through the hell they had to go through to get their camera to make pictures the way they wanted.

I shoot with Nikon cameras. This is one of my Nikon D3 cameras I am selling since I am upgrading to the Nikon D4.

One of the main reason professional photographers upgrade their gear is to be sure they have all the competitive advantage they can.  You cannot loose a job to another photographer because they are able to deliver something that you cannot, just because of the gear you have. 


True Pro Photographers aren’t that Religious

Professional photographers know that it is the photographer more than it is the equipment that determines how good a photograph turns out.  So they are less about equipment than most amateurs think we are. 

It is OK to have faith in God and practice your faith. However, when your religion of camera gear comes into the discussion, it will more than likely have the pros realizing you think it is the camera that makes the photo and not the photographer.

Confession Time

While it is true I understand that it is the photographer that makes the photograph, the camera can fail you.  If it fails and another camera will be more consistent–then it is time for this photographer to convert.

My confession is that I changed camera systems a few times for not the right reasons.  I just wanted the latest camera and I could have kept my last camera and the quality of the images I was giving to the client wouldn’t have changed.

I must also confess that I have tried to get by with off brand lens just because of how inexpensive it was rather than about it’s performance.

The Nikon P7000 is the camera I carry all the time.

If St. Peter is a photographer

When you get the gates of heaven I think the question will not be what camera you shoot with, but let me see your camera. I think St. Peter will judge you a true photographer based on if you have your camera on you more than what camera you own.

Famous Photographers: Are there really any?

by Stanley LearyPhotography

Jay Maisel, Bernie Boston, Hugh Morton, and George Tames. Four famous photographers in my book. I took this at the Southern Short Course in the 1980s.

Most photographers want to be known for their work. Most everyone I know wants to have their work judged as significant.

I have tried numerous times, as many other photographers have been attempting, to get hired by National Geographic Magazine. I wanted to cover important stories and to well known.

 
I’ve had the privilege to meet some of the most outstanding photographers of our time. What interested me was that most people in the room had no idea who they were. They knew their images but didn’t recognize them.
Bill Fortney emcees a photo event in the 1980s.

Then one year, I met Bill Fortney, who gave his thoughts on the subject. He pointed out that other than maybe Ansel Adams, most other “famous photographers” who walked into a local mall would most likely not be recognized. I think he is right.

Fortney went on to talk about how his pursuit of being a “famous photographer” was probably a big mistake. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he came face to face with the demons of pride in his life.

Don Rutledge, my mentor and friend, for the most part, enjoyed working as the fly on the wall. Sure he liked recognition but learned to let the focus be on the story. He knew he had to diminish for the story to be center stage.

Don Rutledge, my mentor and friend taught me a great deal about being a photographer. I have yet to see anyone masterful storytelling with a camera. I also was impressed that he would talk with anyone and help anyone who asked him to help. Rutledge helped just about everyone he met, even those just starting.

The Road to Success

I have spent most of my career figuring out the steps to success. As a result, numerous books help people climb the corporate ladder. But unfortunately, there are no photography career books outlining steps to success.

What I continue to see over and over is “The Secret.” Most everyone one of the books was helping me to realize that to succeed, I must serve. However, this formula left a bad taste in my mouth. The message was more about how to rise to the top rather than how to live in the moment.

It continued to bother me that the only reason all these authors were writing the book was to tell everyone to do this for a while, and then you will be in charge.

What Don Rutledge Taught Me

Don wanted to tell stories with his camera, but because he was so good everywhere he worked, they wanted him to manage communications departments. Don knew he was not gifted to lead but had a talent for visual storytelling.

People around him were mad at him for not stopping doing what he was good at and leading the division.

I was learning from Don that if I were a ditch digger and good at it, there is no reason I couldn’t make a career out of it.

Finally, a book about how to be your best

Order it here on Amazon

While in Hawaii, I met Jack Hart. Jack was the art director for many years at CBS for TV shows like The Price Is Right.

After talking for a while, Jack said he had a book I needed to read. But unfortunately, I had to run off to teach a class, and just before I started, Jack came into the room and handed me the book The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places: The Joy of Serving God in the Ordinary.

It is a rapid read, and you can also get it as an eBook.

Here is the first book I picked that outlined what I learned from Don Rutledge.

I believe the key to success is being joyful in life where you are now and not where you might be in the future.


What does this have to do with photography?

I have been working on a book to help students and those starting in this profession become successful photographers. I believe one of the key messages is learning to connect the eighteen inches between the head and the heart.

The connection of why you do what you do can make all the difference in your attitude and your mood is what makes people want to hire you over and over. 

It took me many years to understand how important the question “why” is to a story. I was asking Who, What, Where, When, When, and How, but I was filling the holes with the information. I needed to be like a child and ask, “Why is the sky blue?”

Why does the story need to be told? 

Attitude Adjustment

I have come to see that it is the photographers who understand they are here to serve others. They operate by helping others communicate effectively using visuals.

When you are a freelancer, you will have a client occasionally insult you- or it feels this way. They may demean your position or some other way you feel offended. You have a choice to respond and set them straight; sometimes, this might be necessary, but you must ask yourself if it is worth losing the account.  

As I read Ken Barnes’s book, I came across this quote he had from Gordon MacDonald in his book Rebuilding Your Broken World.

“You know whether or not you’re a servant by how you react when you’re treated like one.”

Do you seek significance? Do you want to be recognized? Is this getting in the way of your joy in living?

Chick-fil-A is one of my best clients. They are my best for many reasons, but one that I have come to realize over time is teaching me the value of service.

Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A, helps clean up trash at a Habitat for Humanity built in Columbus, GA.

Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A, had trained his children that whenever they came to the restaurant, they come in to pick up any trash. Truett also does the same even today. He will bend over at 91 and pick it up if he sees something.

Chick-fil-A trains their people to do any job joyfully; this includes the bathrooms and the dirty dishes.

Will you become a “famous photographer” if you serve others–maybe. But, I think the real question is will you be happy in the role of a servant only when you discover the joy in it?

Key to selling on eBay: Take good photos

by Stanley LearyPhotography
Have you sold anything on eBay before? I am selling some cameras and lenses and will replace them with a new Nikon D4.

If you are wanting to sell your stuff on eBay I recommend buying a lighting tent.  You can then take this outside and use the sunshine as your main light and the tent will do the rest.

This is the primary photo for my eBay sell for my Nikon D3.  I am selling this one first and then will sell another D3 once I have my new Nikon D4. The price is $2,500.

eBay recommends that you post many photos of your product so the buyers can get a good look before purchasing it.  There are two things the tent lighting will help you with the sale.  First it helps you to be totally transparent in the sale.  You are showing the product in the best possible light so that everything is viewable–even the flaws.

Here is how it appears on eBay.  Check it out

I made a couple more photos to help sell the camera.

Second, the more photos you use the less verbiage is necessary to tell everyone all they are getting. However, please be sure and list those things in the text that someone will search eBay.  If you have the manual and original box this will help you up your price.

I am trying to show all sides of the camera hoping this will improve my selling of it.

Now as you can see in the photo of the setup I have here in my basement office I am using strobes in addition to the tent to help with lighting.  Using the flashes will improve your color and believe me when you are selling something online the better the color the more likely a sell.

So many folks just use the manufacturer’s photos and because they are this will make some buyers a little cautious. They want to see the product you are selling and not a brand new one from a catalog.

This is my setup for photographing the camera and lenses.  Nice very even lighting.  We call this tent lighting where you are wrapping the object with light. B&H Tent Light

What are other tips to selling on eBay?  Please put those tips in the comments below so others can learn from the community. 

This is one of two 24-120mm Nikon zooms I am selling. 
This is the second 24-120mm lens I am selling.

Camera Phone or DSLR?: How much time do you have?

by Stanley LearyPhotography
Veteran Professional photographers Greg Schneider and Tom Mills come every year to the conference to soak up more material.  Of course as you can see from my photo we are friends and enjoy catching up each year. Greg has been a past speaker at the conference.

I was just reviewing my photos from the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference.  I take these photos every year more for just me.  I am not trying to tell a story from my photos, I am just enjoying having some memory joggers. I might share these on social media where my friends tag each other to help us all remember.  They are taken for a more private consumption.

I contrast this to many people who come up to me and want to learn how to use their DSLR.  They are realizing their spouse is getting better photos with their camera phones than they are getting with what should be a better camera—their DSLR.

Kevin Vandivier and Ted Wilcox were both past speakers at the conference and seasoned pros.  They too come for learning and rekindling of relationships with friends.

Surely the professional photographers just know the secret settings to put my camera on that will help me consistently get great photos.  Is this what all these people are thinking when they come to me and want to know how to get better photos with their DSLR?

I then contrast this to all those professional photographers who spend money to go to a conference where for the most part not one single speaker got up to the microphone and told us how to set our cameras to get better photos.

Anacleto Rapping and Michael Kitada enjoy catching up with each other at the conference.  Anacleto has been past speaker a few times.  Today he teaches at Brookes Institute.

No one told us how to use flash to balance the background with the subject or to manipulate it.

Last year we did have Scott Kelby walk us through his workflow process for using Lightroom 3.  One year we had Joe McNally show us how to use multiple hotshoe flashes to light a subject and control them all from your Nikon camera.

Both of those technical presentations were for new things introduced and people wanted to know how to use the new technology.  But, for the most part the camera hasn’t changed all that much from over 200 years ago.  You still have an aperture, shutter speed and ISO to set to be sure the photo is well exposed. 

Bill Fortney, the Nikon Representative, takes time to help John Walton understand the differences between different model DSLR cameras that Nikon just introduced.  Typically you are hearing a dialogue where Bill is asking what type of photography are they doing and what do they want to do they cannot do right now.  Walton has traveled all over the world shooting for the AWANA Clubs International for the past 30 years.  Even with all his knowledge he is still on his knees before Bill learning something new.

Lifelong Learning is Key for DSLR

If you just want to know what settings to use on your camera to make photos and that is it, don’t waste your money on a DSLR.  Use your camera on your phone.  You will more than likely have this with you and that is why you will get better photos for the most part—having a camera with you when the moment arises.

If you are finding that you need a flash and your camera phone isn’t cutting it, then buy a camera with built in flash for those moments you just need to be sure the subject that is right in front of you has light on them. 

When this camera isn’t working for all the situations be very careful about your next purchase.  Buying the DSLR will not solve all the situations that the point and shoot wasn’t capturing.  Most likely it would capture the moments.  The problem is the lack of knowledge of how lighting works or the camera works to capture moments rather than the camera lacking.

During the panel discussion Lisa Krantz pulls out her iPhone and is taking a photo of the crowd and most likely posting to her social media outlets.  Notice how both Alex Garcia and Brad Moore are so use to this behavior by other photographers they are just taking this in stride.

What the Pros are buying

If you go to a conference with a bunch of pros today, you will see them walking around with point and shoot size cameras. They wear them like jewelry and proud to own them.  Sure you may see a few of us with our big DSLR cameras, but almost all will own a point and shoot.

Francis Bacon is using his point and shoot to photograph Jim Veneman with a student.

All the pros realize the simplicity of the point and shoot camera helps them rediscover why they fell in love with photography.  They enjoy having a camera with them that captures what they are experiencing at the moment.  Carrying all their pro gear all the time would help them make better photos, but they don’t enjoy carrying everything all the time.

Brad Moore has his photo taken by one of the conference attendees with their camera phone.

Why do all the pro photographers continue to go to conferences where they are not all learning about the camera settings?  They know they need to train themselves on why they make pictures rather than on just how to make pictures.

When you know why you are making photographs you will have the proper motivation that will help you tackle all the technical stuff and learn to master it.  You need to be reaching for lenses and flashes and changing settings on your DSLR the same way a person drives their stick shift car—it is all muscle memory.  You are not stopping and thinking about it you are just doing.

Tom Yu has Gary Fong review his work.  Gary Fong is the founder of Genesis Photo Agency and Christians in Photojournalism.  Every year Gary comes and invites all his friends to meet him at the conference.  Tom has come from mainland China to attend the conference for the first time.  Tom is now looking for an internship while he is in the state.  Anyone need an intern, let me know and I will pass this along to Tom.

If you bought the DSLR and not willing to commit the time to learn how to use it—which will be a lot of time—sell it and get a point and shoot or just use your camera phone.  DSLR is not for the casual shooter, it is for the serious amateur and pro.

Jim Veneman is never without his Nikon P7000.  He too is using a point and shoot over carrying his DSLR all the time. 

Parts To An Estimate

by Stanley LearyPhotography

There are three major sections to an estimate for a job you are bidding on for a client.

1.    Your costs
2.    The price the client pays
3.    Your selling of yourself and why you are the best person for the job

Your Costs

There are two sections to every job when it comes to expenses.

1.    Ongoing expenses spread across all jobs, which we refer to as the “Cost of Doing Business.”  This gets broken down even more into

a.    Living Expenses
b.    Business Expenses

2.    Job costs associated to the project.  If you have prints, travel expenses, and other things that you would not have as expenses unless you were doing this job.

Your costs are not what you quote to the client.  This is what you use to help you know what you must clear for a profit.  Take this information and then figure out what you need to charge.

The Price the Client Pays

http://www.whattheduck.net

1.    The Price

If you are selling to the public prints they put on their walls from portrait sessions you may have a variety of packages that include the shooting fees and maybe a starting number of prints.

You may shoot weddings and then have similar print costs like the portrait photographer, but also have more prints and binders to create books for the couple.

When you shoot for corporate or advertising you have shooting fees plus usage fees.  These usage fees are based on where and for how long they plan to use a photograph. 

         2.    The Package

Typically you are going to offer more than one solution and hope that you can up sell the client. Most often you will have 3 to 4 prices.

A)    Rock Bottom Price
B)    Low End Price
C)    Medium Price
D)    High End Price

Your Sales Pitch

This is the area I see the weakest for most photographers.  They quote a price as a take it or leave it price.  Those who understand how to sell often do not mention prices until they have sold the client on their services.

The key is to first find out what they need and learn how to meet the need and even exceed it.  Once you have done this selling is quite easy.

If you are just pitching packages and not understanding how they plan to use the images you are unable to show how you are helping them.

Lets break this down into bite size steps:

1.    Establish the need.  You can ask directly and sometimes they know, but more than often you are going to need to explore with the client and understand them and or their business to be able to establish what they are trying to accomplish.

2.    Word all of your pitches to address the need and show them how by picking a certain product you are offering they will accomplish even more.

3.    Give them options. Too often photographers do not put themselves in a very good negotiating position.  Try your best to always think of three prices they could choose to meet their needs.  Maybe on the bottom price they only get the digital images.  Next level they get prints and on the top end you even provide online galleries.  Be creative think of ways that you can give them a choice.

Learn to say yes!

When a client asks for something that you are uncomfortable with, unless it is unethical price it so you can either bring on help to make it happen or the money is enough to make it worthwhile.  When you are saying to the client I would love to help you and here is how much it is to do that for you then if the price is too high, they said no and not you.

Too many photographers for example say no to not selling their copyright.  Just put the price high enough that it is worth it.  Surely you would like to retire tomorrow for the right price today.

Put yourself in the clients perspective

While you may have done everything just right and it makes sense to you, ask a friend who knows nothing about photography to hear your proposal.  Ask them to let you know if anything doesn’t make sense to them.  Ask them if it feels like you are excited about serving them.

If people are only shopping price rarely will you get the job.  If they are shopping for solving their problem and feeling taken care of by a photographer—you most likely are in the running using these principles.

Serving or being served: The Key To Success

by Stanley LearyPhotography
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
— Galatians 5:13 

Last week as you know I was teaching students in Hawaii photography.  What I realized once again that when you live in community, as we all do, you must have some order or you will create chaos.

Dennis Fahringer, director of the School of Photography at YWAM in Kona, talks to the students about their trip around the Island.  Important details like when they will leave and what to bring are just a couple of the things Dennis talks to them about.

There are always at least two people’s perspectives in community–you and someone else.  The importance of becoming aware of how you carry yourself impacts others is key to the success of a photographer.

While many can and do what works for them, the successful photographer is the one who is concerned about others.  You cannot show concern for a client when you do not show concern for those in your community.  It is much easier for you to learn to live a life that shows how you enjoy serving others than to pick the moments when you decide to care about someone.

Sarah Chapman vacuums the classroom to help keep the place looking presentable and clean.

Self Centered or Client Centered?

You will be either one or the other as a photographer.  I believe the key is to learn to develop a lifestyle that is consistent to which you choose to be.

Now at times we all need to be self centered.  You need to take care of yourself or you cannot be there for others.  The key is not to live your life so that all your time is about serving yourself.

When others take an interest in me, well I just feel good. 

The students are in the studio ready to learn something new.  I was getting ready to teach them some very basic concepts about posing men and women for portraits.

Secret

When I started to understand that photography wasn’t all about me having fun and taking photos that I liked, but rather me helping others get photos they needed I not only started to get more jobs, I was having more fun.

I have found that the more I serve my clients the happier they become.  The happier they are usually means they want to use me even more.  When I have more jobs I find I can pay my bills and I become more relaxed.  As I become more relaxed, my creativity goes up and my clients get better work from me.  I then get more jobs.

When I was more self centered, I shot for me and others may have noticed, but rarely hired me.  I was struggling to pay the bills.  My creativity was diminishing. 

Often from the perspective of the student, they are thinking I have paid to sit here and be served.  However, you are living in a community and as you learn to respect the other students your experience is more enjoyable.  The more you see that your fellow students benefit from your input and you from theirs you start to see how when we serve on another we all grow in our knowledge.

Check your gauges

If you are finding that people are coming to you asking you to do something more than the times you are going to them and offering to help you are most likely self centered.  However, if you are rarely getting asked because you are already doing, then great you are on the way to a successful career.

Shoot the fringes and not just center stage

by Stanley LearyPhotography
Many folks think all the action at a concert is happening on the stage.  While this is why everyone most likely came the fringes are where I often find some of the real gems.

When you hire your photographer, review their work and look for someone who has images that show they are shooting all that is happening and not just the main stage.  

Nikon D3, 14-24mm, ISO 6400, f/2.8, 1/15

While you may think this is the photo I was talking about actually this is just the beginning.

Get there early and capture the people gathering and getting to know each other in the audience. 

Nikon D3, 14-24mm, ISO 320, f/2.8, 1/500

Nikon D3, 14-24mm, ISO 560, f/2.8, 1/500

Nikon D3, 14-24mm, ISO 6400, f/2.8, 1/160

I like shooting the fringes. The advantage of looking for these shots is you are not always down front getting the images on the stage.  So when some of the action happened in the middle of the room I was ready.

Nikon D3S, 28-300mm, ISO 12,800, f/5.6, 1/400

Nikon D3S, 28-300mm, ISO 12,800, f/5.6, 1/125

I actually lucked up and caught someone taking a flash photo and that helped complete the lower photograph.  Nice moment of the performer with the fire and then you can see clearly the audience.

Now don’t stop shooting the stage, just don’t shoot only the stage.

Nikon D3S, 28-300mm, ISO 4,000, f/5.6, 1/100

Nikon D3S, 28-300mm, ISO 12,800, f/5.6, 1/160

Nikon D3S, 28-300mm, ISO 12,800, f/5.6, 1/200
Nikon D3S, 28-300mm, ISO 12,800, f/5.6, 1/60

YWAM School of Photography: 1:3 Ratio Lighting

by Stanley LearyPhotography
This is the students second shooting assignment this week.

Assignment Description:
1:3 lighting ratio.  This photo is classic lighting.

Items:

Softbox
This light is your main light. Get a light reading with just this first. The light should be 45 degrees off the axis of the camera and 45 degrees above the subjects eyes.

Subject
Your subject should have the main light lighting only part of the face and the shadows should be just a little to show the 1:3 ratio.

White backdrop
Keep the subject a few feet from the background and do not use more lights to light it.

(D)SLR
Choose the lowest ISO.  Use a portrait lens 50mm if you don’t have full frame camera can work.  No more than 100mm.

Octobox
This is your fill light and get just a reading of this 2nd.  Be sure it is 1/2 the power (1 f/stop less) than the main light. After this is done get a 3rd light reading of both lights which will be the setting for the camera. It can be level with the eyes, but you may have to move up with glasses to avoid glare.

Here are the results:

by: Lisa Mironuck
by: Sasha Stark
by Annett Rek
by Ellis Peeters
by Malcolm Adair
by Sharon Reitsma
by Lauren R. Tercero
by Joshua Soon Yong Choi
by Janie Wakefield
by Francisco Leon V.
by Deborah Mataia
by Tom Yu
by Elsa Mesot
by Hastings Franks
by Katie Suderman
by Sarah L. Quinones

A little modification to an older project

by Stanley LearyPhotography

Stanley,

“Is there any any any chance you can take out – remove the 1 slide at the very beginning that the slide show starts with that says… petting farm….- am just trying to remove petting farm any where i can find it on the website.”

I was thrilled to see something I did a few years ago can be modified and help my friend’s business. She just wanted to change the focus of her business.

Many businesses will add new things and drop other things and the cool thing with that slide show that I produced I just had to make one modification.

It wasn’t too difficult to make the change due to the format.  Had I shot this all in video I could still make the change, but the time would have been a lot more.

Have you visited your website lately?  Should you change your focus for your business?

 

I recommend looking every once and a while at what you offer and what you could offer.  Sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is to stop doing some things. Some of those things may look like they are keeping you in business, but they could be consuming the time you could put into something more profitable.

Some photos are more timeless than others.  Look through your website, blog and other materials and see do the people in the photos look like how people dress and style their hair today?  If not you may need to create some new content.

One of my new clients is putting a new photo every day of the year up on their website.  It doesn’t rotate.  Guess what?  They now have increased their traffic to the website.  People don’t want to miss the photo since if they skip a day they miss out on some content.

By the way if you want to have fun at my friends farm then go here for information http://www.theartbarn.com/.

SWPJC Student Workshop Moments

by Stanley LearyPhotography
I am at the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference where we are holding a Student Workshop prior to the regular program.

I just wanted to share some moments from our time going out to a Cowboy church last night where they gave use horseback rides, fed us and sang some songs with us.

2 bags I don’t leave home without

by Stanley LearyPhotography
ThinkTank Urban Disguise 60 V2.0 is the main bag I use everyday.

When I travel I use the ThinkTank bags to help protect my gear and carry all my camera and computer gear.

I use the ThinkTank Urban Disguise 60 everyday.  I always carry my Apple Macbook Pro and iPad with me.  I enjoy the fast response of the iPad to just see content and prefer to do work on my Macbook pro.

I always have a camera with me but it isn’t the Nikon D3S I am carrying all the time.  I prefer to carry my Nikon P7000 because it is light and pretty versatile if I just want a photo of something I came upon.

When I travel with my pro cameras and am flying I use the ThinkTank Airport Security™ V 2.0.  It is quite common to be stuck on a small plane and have to check my cameras at the door of the plane.  I have had good results with nothing ever breaking when flying with the roller bag.

ThinkTank Airport Security V2.0

I think it is important to carry what you need to a job and I find that I need a lot more than just a camera.  I need backup gear so I need two of almost everything.  That becomes a lot of gear.

In this example you can see 2 cameras, four flashes and numerous lenses and other gear.  I too carry a lot and need not only to be able to carry the gear, but work out of the bag once on location.  I find I can easily get what I need without having to empty the bag to find that piece of gear I am reaching for.

I recommend these two bags in tandem to get your gear on airplanes and to your location to shoot for your client.