[REVIEW:] Getting It Done With Photo Mechanic – Dennis Hays

Back in the days of film, before going on an assignment, I would stop at a camera store and buy enough film for the shoot. Of course, I would estimate this from a shot list provided by my client and added extra to it, based on some WAG (Wild-Ass Guessing) factor.

In most cases, I would buy the film in "blocks" of twenty, as 20 roll boxes of either 35mm 24 or 36 exposure film came cello-wrapped that way. I'd buy these blocks because they had the same emulsion number, therefore expecting consistent results. Anything left over went into my refrigerator for those one-off, quickie assignments or for fun and testing.

After the assignment, I'd drop off the film, often E-6 chrome, in two batches—odd number rolls in on one day and even number when I picked up the first batch the next day. If there were any lab accidents, only half of my film was at risk at any one time.

Once back at my office with the developed chrome images, I'd lay them out on a light table to view them. No matter what size film I used, 35mm, 120/220 or 4x5, I needed to view them with a magnifier. I'd go through each one, putting aside, in two batches, definite keepers and the garbage shots.

It's all so much easier with digital, including the last bit about culling the images. Instead of using a magnifier, I can look at each image full screen and even magnify it 800 times to see critical areas. Now, that I'm not restricted by a finite number of images (memory cards notwithstanding), I tend to shoot more pictures than necessary, even some grab shots along the way or some, I call experimental.

Working through large batches of exposures requires a tool that can do a number of tasks quickly. Recently, I had the good fortune to use Photo Mechanic by Camera Bits (version 4.6.3).

Figure 1: Photo Mechanic Main Interface

My workflow may not necessarily be right for you, but Photo Mechanic can accommodate most anyone's. The workflow incorporates everything from getting the image files off of the memory cards to "output." Photo Mechanic describes output as saving images, printing contact sheets or full images, creating a web gallery, and so forth.

Photo Mechanic's robust ingest feature determines when you have attached a memory card to a card reader and offers to copy/move the image files to your hard drive. While ingesting the files, Photo Mechanic can also apply the data from the IPTC Stationary Pad (Figure 2) to all the images. The data, once applied to your images, is available for any other IPTC aware applications.

Figure 2: IPTC Stationary Pad w/ MetaData

The images appear inside Photo Mechanic as a contact sheet (see Figure 1) with either the original file names or those applied while ingesting (batch renaming). While you can have a number of contact sheets in Photo Mechanic's tabbed interface, usually, you are working with only one at a time. A small annoyance, for me, was how I had to close a tab. I had expected to be able to close a tab with either a double click or right-click and select close, but, in Photo Mechanic, I had to use the keyboard combination of “Ctrl-w” or go into the “File” menu and select “Close.”

One of the first and, in my opinion, more important actions is to cull the collection for keepers. Photo Mechanic is set up to help you do this swiftly. Start by double-clicking the first image at the top-left of the contact sheet to open the preview window (Figure 3).

Figure 2: Preview for Tagging Images

To quickly go through your images, keep your hands totally on the keyboard and press “T” to tag the image (keeper) and the right arrow key to go to the next image. If in doubt about the quality of an image, press the “Z” key to toggle the zoom (can be set at various magnifications) and look at the image closer. When you've gone through the entire collection, press the “ESC” key to leave the preview screen and go back to the main Photo Mechanic interface (Figure 1).

Now, press the “F3” key and the images not (T)agged disappear (they not deleted), leaving you with only the keepers. Select all of them, “Ctrl-A” and use the “File >> Copy/Move photos...” command to copy them in a new folder, labeled as keepers.

In a few minutes, you can go through scores of images and whittle down the entire shoot to the few you need for presentation or editing or output. The beauty of working like this is you quickly narrow the collection to a manageable number and the unwanted images are removed (not deleted) and you are free from their distraction.

Figure 3: Single Image (Contact Sheet) Showing Additional Features w/ Mouse Over

Besides working the images as a batch, you can also address each image individually. As you hover the mouse over each image in the contact sheet, icons in the frame appear which allow you to tag, rotate, edit the IPTC data and "star" the image. The stars, at the bottom of the frame, allow assigning images 0 to 5 stars to designate a "value" for consideration.

In the editing mode, you can do all of the following:

• Selecting photos
• Rotating photos
• Tagging photos (e.g. the "keepers")
• Previewing photos
• Running a Slide Show to tag photos
• Sorting photos
• Adding IPTC (e.g. Caption) info to photos either individually or as a batch
• Renaming photos
• Sending photos to an external editor for detailed inspection

The design of Photo Mechanic allows you to speed through the normally time-consuming process of moving files from your memory cards, applying IPTC data and deciding which images are worth keeping. When done culling you can:

• Copy photos
• Save photos as a new photo (applying rotation, crop, resize, etc)
• Print photos as contact sheets or individually
• Export HTML web pages of photos
• Send photos as email attachments
• Present a slide show of your photos

Initially, I was reluctant to add another software application to my workflow as I had thought importing the files into Adobe Lightroom and working with them there was enough. However, I can definitely see the efficacy of using Photo Mechanic on the front end to speedily get to a stage where I can do any necessary editing. Photo Mechanic displays JPG, TIFF and RAW (also JPG + RAW) files quicker than most any application I have used.

I don't know about you, but frankly, I really don't like the grunt work—I'd rather be shooting or drooling over new gear. Photo Mechanic is quite efficient at what it does and for what it does, it leads the pack.

Visit the Photo Mechanic web site for additional information

Demo Available - http://www.camerabits.com/pages/demoreg.cgi

License: Electronic $150.00 / Media $160.00 / Upgrade $90.00

 

Technorati Tags: Photo Mechanic,Camera Bits,Culling Images,Edit,Images,Contact Sheet,IPTC

[REVIEW:] Zenfolio — An Online Photographer's Paradise – Dennis Hays

Photographers and writers are invisible performance artists and are known only by their work, not by their physical presence. While singers, actors and dancers perform in front of an audience, a photographer's audience usually never sees the actual performance, but only the results. It is the results, however, that the photographer wants the audience to see.

It's a rare photographer that keeps their work under wraps and away from the public and away from view. Normally, images are to document an event, publication or to be exhibited. I would feel safe in saying a large majority of photographers are amateurs and never put their work in front of the public. Of this demographic, there is a healthy number dabbling in fine art and semi-professional work (getting paid for their images, but not gainfully employed, full time as a professional photographer).

Zenfolio provides a service to photographers wanting to exhibit their images, possibly sell them, but don't want or can't technically maintain a proprietary Web site. Whether you are a novice, hobbyist, semi-pro or professional, Zenfolio has features to accommodate you.

Using Zenfolio's services is much like having your own web site, except for the costs of programming, on-going maintenance, and installation of a shopping cart for selling pictures, which can be both expensive and difficult to set up.

I created a trial account on Zenfolio to examine what they offered and also to experience the uploading and settings available. Zenfolio's trial account allows you to have two weeks to evaluate whether Zenfolio has what you need and, to be fair, I didn't find it lacking any essentials. In fact, I'm hard pressed to determine what, if anything, is missing.

After the two-week trial, Zenfolio offers three tiers of service: Basic, for $25.00 per year, has no bandwidth limit (you can feel free to have every one of your relatives, friends, clients and the general public view your pictures without any additional costs), but initially, has a two-gigabyte limit for image storage. If you stay at the Basic level, you get an additional gigabyte of storage for every additional year you maintain your subscription. The maximum file size per image is 12 megabytes, which should be plenty; the Unlimited tier, for $50.00 per year, offers the same per-image size, but the Premium level ($100 per year) has a per image limit of 24 megabytes.

Between the different levels, Basic, Unlimited and Professional, there are a few differences, with most of the difference between the two lower tiers and the Premium level.

The Premium level is intended for image sales and, as such, has a myriad of services intended to make the process of selling quick and easy. Zenfolio lists a comparative chart of their services and features.

 
Figure 1: Zenfolio Wizard

When I got started with Zenfolio, the site presented a wizard to facilitate getting set up. There were two choices of uploaders to get your images from your computer onto Zenfolio's site. The Zenfolio Uploader can upload a batch of images at one time. All you need do is drag and drop them into the uploader, press the upload button and get some coffee. The HTML uploader requires you to add photos, one-by-one. You can also use third-party tools.

After opening a trial account with Zenfolio (no credit card required), I used the wizard to upload three of my images and then went to look at how they were displayed. I thought it looked good...so good, I wanted to put up a few more to see the slide-show at work and that's when I ran into the first problem. Where is the upload tool?

After going to my account page, I looked for a login link and finally found it at the bottom right-hand corner. I logged in and looked for the uploader and, not finding it, searched the lower right corner, but it's not there.

Glancing around the screen, I saw the Zenfolio logo on the top left and a few items at the top right: WELCOME DENNISHAYS, MY ZENFOLIO (drop down) and LOGOUT. Thinking, for just a minute it's in the MY ZENFOLIO drop down. I check. There is a Back to Edit View link there (also goes to edit view when you click the WELCOME link). It's not obvious, but, I guess if you look hard enough...

Figure 2: Zenfolio Edit Page

Back at the edit view, where you can start one of the uploaders, the original wizard popped open, even though I had checked "Do not show this page when I log in." After the first time I used it and checked "Do not show..." I don't really expect to see it every time I go into Edit mode. This happens with both Firefox and IE7.

That is small potatoes overall. Zenfolio is a comprehensive online tool allowing you customize it almost any way you want: layout templates, background color, adding music and, as I said previously, a back-end shopping cart to help you sell your images.

Figure 3: Zenfolio Price Calculation

If you elect to sell your images through Zenfolio, you can create and manage price lists, building various lists for how you market your images. For instance, you can create a price lists for general sales and another for selling limited run pictures. When you upload images, they go into galleries you create (there is no limit to the number of galleries). Once created, you can assign your price lists to the galleries.

Figure 4: Zenfolio Price Formula Edit

Initially, I wanted to see the Zenfolio prices, but couldn't find a link. However, when you create your price lists, the base cost displays showing you Base Price, Profit, Service Fee, Selling Price and a tick box to tell Zenfolio to use a formula for price calculations. You can turn this off and change the profit and/or Selling Price to whatever you want. Also, you can change the formula used by Zenfolio in the price calculations.

Selling Price = Base Price + Fixed Markup + % Over Base

Zenfolio is a remarkable online platform for photographers. In an afternoon, you can create a presence which is both professional and comprehensive, allowing a myriad of customization to make your gallery unique.

Is it worth the price? Zenfolio's fees are, in my opinion, quite reasonable, at $25.00, $50.00 and $100.00 per year. The real question, however, is what is your alternative? What's the cost in time and energy to create your own Web site from scratch or how much will you pay to have someone do it for you. Let's face it. We're photographers and our time should be spent taking and editing pictures and marketing our services, not pushing code.

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[REVIEW:] Software Review: Athentech Perfectly Clear - The Joy of Image Editing – Dennis Hays

I have been using Adobe Photoshop ever since Adobe released version 2.51 on November 1992 and, for the most part, I have kept current. Photoshop is a daunting program with hundreds of commands, some buried so deep you'll need an archeologist to unearth them.

If you are a professional or fine art photographer, you may need to have all of this power at your disposal; but what if you could find some way to edit your images visually and with few commands?

Over the years many individuals and companies have made a business out of supplying plug-ins to extend Photoshop's abilities, but most all of them require you to know exactly what you want to do with your image prior to using them.

Athentech's Perfectly Clear promises automatic photo correction with instant Real Color perfection. Available for Microsoft Windows, Perfectly Clear could not be easier to use. Open the plug-in after loading your image and Perfectly Clear immediately corrects your photo. Athentech says their product will provide one-click adjustments to images that nine out of ten times exceed either the camera's own rendition or normal manual adjustments.

Figure 1: Perfectly Clear Before and After

The before and after picture above clearly shows what Perfectly Clear did without any manual adjustments. Note specifically the color of the water and the clarity of the subjects.

What about the times Perfectly Clear doesn't get it just right the first time? Look at the second picture where you can see, on the right side, controls for you to manually adjust the settings for your image. There are but a few and clearly labeled: Exposure, Contrast, Sharpening, Skin Tone as so forth.

Figure 2: Athentech Perfectly Clear Interface

All of them can be enabled or disabled with the check box to the left and you can save your manual adjustments as a "preset." This allows you to re-use your settings at any time by selecting them in the drop-down box at the upper right. As an example, I took many pictures at this beach while on vacation and, instead of moving the controls to duplicate my setting on each image, I saved my settings for the first image and then picked it from the drop-down for each image thereafter.

Many corporations and image laboratories have been using Athentech's Perfectly Clear technology for some time (in over 55,000 kiosks in 30-plus countries, thousands of mini-labs, countless online solutions, labs, and over 13 million software copies), but now it's packaged as a Photoshop plug-in for the general public. You can download a 30-day, fully functional trial with zero limitations of Perfectly Clear at Athentech's web site.

Requirements:

• Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
• Apple iPhone, Macintosh OS currently in development.
• Windows Version - $199.00
• iPhone Version - $2.99

 

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[REVIEW:] Photographing Nature by Ralph A. Clevenger – Review by Dennis Hays

Photographing Nature: A photo workshop from Brooks Institute's top nature photography instructor Review by Dennis Hays When I was a boy, I watched Marlon Perkins' Wild Kingdom on television and was fascinated by the images of live animals on the screen. I knew a photographer had to be in the background to capture the action. Someday, I told myself, I'd like to do that. While I'm grown up now, the wonder of nature still enthralls me and so do the photographers who put themselves "out there" to get the images. A few years ago, I had a conversation with Andy Rouse, one of the preeminent nature photographers in the world. While we talked about his photographic work-flow, we did have a side conversation about the field work. Being a nature photographer is not just walking out into the brush with your camera; there is quite a bit to learn to do it right. Reading Ralph Clevenger's book, Photographing Nature , was an eye opener for me as to what's needed to be proficient. He covers quite a bit, gives away some secrets and provides a first-rate course in this subject. Photographing Nature is a photo workshop from the famed Brooks Institute, where Clevenger is an instructor. Clevenger takes you step by step and leads you through a process to learn what you need in the way of equipment, lighting, wet-belly photography (it is what it sounds like!), and even ethics. There is no way a book, even one as comprehensive as Ralph A. Clevenger's Photographing Nature is going to make a weekend shooter into a professional nature photographer; not without hours and hours of practice and thousands of images. However, if you have any thought of heading to the great outdoors to try your hand at some simple subjects, Photographing Nature will make your initial steps easier and give you some methods with which to evaluate your product. Most of us will not be nature photographers, but will, from time to time, go camping or hiking and, while away, have opportunities to photograph plants and animals. The techniques Clevenger presents can assist you in making sure the images are framed correctly, have effective lighting and know what makes an appealing and possibly a salable picture. As for me... I still have a wee part of my curiosity that wants to explore some of Clevenger's methods, but not so much that I want to give up a comfortable bed for a sleeping bag.

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It's All About Focus - The Lensbaby Review by Dennis Hays

There is something almost primitive about the Lensbaby series of optics. The idea of a hands-on approach to selective focus is quite ingratiating and gives me a feeling of control. Almost from the minute I put the Lensbaby Composer on my Canon, I had an intuitive feel for its operation.

The Composer is the base lens of a system, where you change the optics to achieve various results. With the default double glass optic , you can move the front of the Composer, within its ball-and-socket axis, to adjust the "sweet spot" in any direction. This allows you to change the area of focus and force other areas softer. Once moved, the Lensbaby stays where you put it--there is no lock—it is secure to use for multiple shots or to point in any direction.

Lensbaby Composer with Double Glass Optic

Operating the Composer is easy. After putting it on your camera (it approximates a 50mm lens), twist the manual focusing ring to adjust the focus and then tilt the front of the Composer in any direction. This is a manual focus lens—there is no electronic connection between the lens and camera.

Changing the aperture is more involved than any other lens you have in your kit. You have to remove the double optic lens (or any of the other optics of the Optic Swap System) from the Composer body and replace the aperture disks This is the primitive nature I alluded to in the first paragraph. The aperture disks supplied with the Composer double-optic are: f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22.

All of the Lensbaby series of optics come with aperture disks and a magnetic tool to remove an existing disk. The tool has a built-in container to hold the unused aperture disks.

The Composer is not like a tilt-and-shift lens or a large format camera where you can extend the depth of field or adjust parallel line convergence. It has but a single purpose; to move the sweet spot within the angle of coverage.

Years ago, we used to take an old glass filter and gently put Vaseline over it, leaving a clear spot in the center. The Lensbaby is essentially a "dryer" form of this, albeit, with the ability to tilt the optics in any direction, while keeping the film plane parallel to the object.

As I said previously, the Lensbaby Composer is the base of the system. Using the top of the plastic case of one of the  Optic Swap System lenses , you remove the double glass optic and replace it with one of the other optics.

Lensbaby Composer with Fisheye Optic

I used the single glass optic , which simulates the optics found on an antique camera; the plastic optic that simulates the lens of a toy camera with a large amount of chromatic aberration; Pinhole and Zone Plate; Soft Focus Optic with which you can vary the amount of softness by replacing or stacking aperture disks; and the Fish Eye Optic with an ultra-wide 12mm focal length and 160 degree field of view.

Since all of these are part of a system using the same base device, when you purchase any of the other Optic Swap system units, you keep the versatile tilting base. None of the Optic Swap System connect to your camera's electronics; therefore, everything is manual--focusing, aperture adjustment and degree of softness.

 
Lensbaby Composer with Soft Focus Optic

To change any element, optic or aperture, you have to remove the optics and replace the optic and/or an aperture disk. This is not as simple as removing a lens from you camera and replacing it with another. Changing the Lensbaby requires some effort, so using any of the Optic Swap System items is not a spontaneous decision. You must think about the shot you want and not just set your camera on five frames a second and wave it about.

While some photographers, using the automatics of the digital SLR, may find using the Lensbaby cumbersome, I heartily disagree. The Lensbaby Composer and the rest of the Optic Swap System are a set of devices to help you acquire your artistic vision. You are not just capturing an event, you are painting a digital canvas.  

Lensbaby Composer with Zone Plate Optic

The Lensbaby is not expensive and definitely worth considering, whether you are an amateur or professional photographer. The $270 retail price the of the Composer is within the means of both the professional and the hobbyist and the individual lenses from the Optic Swap System are also affordable (Single Glass Optic $34.95, Plastic Optic $34.95, Pinhole/Zone Plate $34.95, Soft Focus Optic $89.95, Fisheye Optic $149.95).

This is a different way of working and unlike any optics or lens available, therefore it safely sets its own niche. I found their best use in portraiture and still life, but I’m certain I have only touched the surface.

Lensbaby Composer Specifications

• Available in mounts for Canon EF (EOS), Nikon F, Sony Alpha A / Minolta Maxxum, Pentax K / Samsung GX, Olympus E1 / Panasonic Lumix DMC cameras.
• Double Glass (Multi-coated Optical Glass Doublet) included.
• Focal Length: about 50 mm
• Focus Type: Manual
• Aperture Type: Interchangeable, magnetic aperture disks
• Apertures: f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22
• Minimum Focus: about 18" (45cm)
  Maximum Focus: infinity
• Size: 2.25"(5.7cm) h x 2.5"(6.35cm) w / Weight: 3.7 oz (104.9g).
• No electronic communication between the lens and the camera body.
• Automatic light metering is possible by shooting in aperture priority mode for almost all digital and film SLR camera bodies except certain Nikon bodies including the D40, D50, D60, D70, D70S, D80, D90, D100, N50, N65, N70, N75, N80, Kodak 14N and ProN, & Fuji S1, S2, and S3.

Single Glass Optic Specifications

• 50 mm focal length
• Uncoated double convex optical glass singlet
• Shipped with clear plastic storage case
• 1.75" (4.44 cm) x 1.37" (3.5 cm)
• Compatible with the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak

Plastic Optic Specifications

• 50 mm focal length
• Uncoated double convex plastic singlet
• Shipped with clear plastic storage case
• 1.75" (4.44 cm) x 1.37" (3.5 cm)
• Compatible with the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak

Lensbaby Pinhole/Zone Plate

• 50 mm focal length
• Pinhole: f/177
• Zone Plate f/19
• Shipped with clear plastic storage case
• 1.75" (4.44 cm) x 1.37" (3.5 cm)
• Compatible with the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak

Soft Focus Optic Specifications

• 50 mm focal length
• f/2 to f/22
• Multi-coated optical glass doublet
• Magnetic disk aperture system
• Degree of softness controlled by changing the aperture disks
• Includes 3 special multi-hole soft focus aperture disks
• Part of the Lensbaby Optic Swap System
• Compatible with the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak
• 1.93" (4.9 cm) x 1.93" (4.9 cm) x 1.34" (3.4 cm)

Fisheye Optic Specifications

• 12 mm focal length
• 160 degree field of view
• Minimum focus: .5" (1.3 cm) from front of optic. Allows for extremely close focus (zero inches from the front of the optic) when used with the Control Freak.
• Maximum focus: infinity
• Six element multi-coated optical design
• f/4 optic with aperture disks that range from f/5.6 to f/22
• Shipped with clear plastic storage case
• 1.89" (4.8 cm) x 1.89" (4.8 cm) x 2" (5.08 cm)
• Compatible with the Composer. Special adapter required for Muse and Control Freak (sold separately).

Lensbaby web site: http://www.lensbaby.com

Technorati Tags: Lensbabyy,Optic Swap System,Selective Focus

When the Teacher Becomes the Student

When I go out in public to shoot, people often approach me and ask questions. Many times the initial query is about my camera or lens. From there, however, the conversation can go anywhere and, invariably, the individual will share a personal anecdote or pose a question based on their own experiences.

Since I’ve already revealed to you that I’m an introvert by nature, you might think I would attempt to avoid such encounters. On the contrary, I’ve found that I’ve gained as much wisdom from these exchanges as I’ve imparted.

An Impromptu Tutorial

One Fourth of July evening, I set up a Mamiya 645 (film) on a tripod and waited for the local fireworks display to begin. As others in the crowd passed the time until the sparks flew, a number of them gathered around me to ask questions.

“Are you shooting for a newspaper?”

“What kind of camera is that?”

I noticed, as the people gathered, that some in the crowd became my protectors. They took it upon themselves to create a circle around me and my tripod, keeping others from bumping it or tripping over it as they passed.

This happened as if by magic — nobody said anything.

I got some good images that night and removed the film from the camera’s film holder. But I had to wait for the crowd to clear before going home.

That’s when one of my self-appointed protectors asked me how to shoot fireworks. He had a new camera and had wanted to bring it to the display, but he didn’t know where to begin.

An impromptu tutorial and question-and-answer session ensued. And somewhere along the way, the conversation began helping me, too.

As I thought through the answers I was providing this gentleman, I realized I would need to make some changes in one of my upcoming shoots.

Learning from Unlikely Sources

That’s the moment when the teacher becomes a student. The Socratic questions, in this dialogue, sparked some ideas and techniques I hadn’t considered, or had tucked in the recesses of my mind.

Even though I was holding court, so to speak, I was also learning something. That’s why these opportunities are golden — and should never simply be dismissed as a nuisance or inconvenience.

Obviously, you can find news and tutorials all over the Internet. You can go to trade shows with some of the best teachers available, and you can take courses in person or online.

But furthering your photographic education is not always through books, seminars and workshops. It can also come from the most unlikely sources — such as a chance conversation with a stranger.

[Appeared In Black Star on February 16, 2010 - http://rising.blackstar.com/when-the-teacher-becomes-the-student.html ]

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For the Self-Confident Photographer, All the World’s a Stage

In a previous Black Star Rising post, I discussed overcoming self-doubt in client negotiations by tapping into a reservoir of confidence — the one you have earned by developing your talents as a photographer.

But an awareness of your technical abilities can only carry you so far. As photographers, we also face other challenges where our doubts and anxieties can undermine our success.

For me, one of these has been directing people on a set or in portrait situations.

I’m an introvert by nature. I abhor crowds. If I need to confront someone, I prefer e-mail if I can get away with it.

So to effectively handle the “people” part of my job, I have to remind myself of some advice I was given many years ago — back when I was an apprentice magician.

The Magician’s Apprentice

As a high school student, I studied magic. I liked manipulating cards and coins — and making things disappear, of course.

After practicing my tricks long and hard, I decided to join a magicians’ trade group. Part of the initiation was presenting a 15 minute show to the group’s members.

So, on a Saturday evening, I walked on stage and did my act.

I stunk.

Oh, the magic worked well enough — but my stage presence was awful. Almost in tears, I retired to the back of the room, while the membership continued with the initiations.

As I sat on a bar stool feeling sorry for myself, a diminutive gentleman named Joseph White climbed onto the stool next to me and started a conversation. He told me very candidly the areas of my act that needed work. He gave me advice on how to improve my body language and interaction with the audience.

Then he said something that has stayed with me.

He recommended that before my next performance, I should mentally throw a switch to the “on” position, gather myself and take possession of the stage.

“When you are on stage,” Mr. White said, “you should own it.”

Owning The Stage

To this day, when I’m working as a photographer, I’m “on.” I own the stage.

I focus on being assertive, on being efficient, and on acquiring the deliverables. I know I must speak up and, if necessary, project my voice and attitude to those around me.

Whether on a set, at a portrait sitting or at a wedding, you can only succeed if you are able to take control and master the situation. During a wedding, for instance, when shooting the family images, it’s your responsibility to “call the shots,” literally. With shot list in hand, you must move people around to make the most pleasing pictures.

If you don’t project a commanding presence (without being rude or arrogant), that part of the event will take longer and you will dampen the overall mood — particularly as it relates to you. Things will only get worse when you move on to the reception, where if you don’t assert yourself, the attendees simply won’t pay attention to you.

If you, like me, are an introvert, this may be all a performance — turning on an “on” switch. But it’s a critical part of your job.

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The Three Phases of Camera Ownership

If you remember buying your first DSLR, you probably can also recall your thoughts and the research you did. You can graze the Internet, find most anything about any camera and read reviews before making a decision.

After finally making up your mind and paying for the camera, you wait for the delivery. Until the camera arrives, you have difficulty concentrating on anything else, except for package tracking.

There is a moment or two, between paying for the camera and taking delivery, when you wonder whether you made the right choice. Then, the camera arrives and, after taking it out of the box, you examine all the knobs, dials and menus.

The Honeymoon

The first phase of ownership lasts but a brief time — only a few weeks. You become acclimated to the placement of the controls and the fit of the camera to your hands. Initially, you shoot for the pleasure of photography and also to test the new addition.

As you meet other photographers and peers, you describe to them the merits of your new baby — shutter speed quick enough to capture a Higgs boson and video capture quality to make James Cameron proud — and everything you are planning to to do with the camera.

That’s on the outside. The inner photographer uses these facts and hyperbole to validate their purchase.

Cohabitation

Once you’ve used the camera for a while, it becomes an extension of you. All of the controls are right where you expect them to be, and the camera’s performance (hopefully) meets your expectations.

It’s here where you really determine whether this new camera is worth the money you spent. If your results show a smidgen of improvement over what you’ve done in the past, you attribute it to the new camera, of course.

You don’t consider that your personal photographic expertise might be improving, too.

On the other hand, maybe the images don’t show an improvement — and experimenting with advanced features consistently produces unacceptable pictures. You blame the camera. Sure, you saw examples when researching the purchase, but your images don’t compare.

That &%*#@ camera! All the advertising was just hype.

Could it be your failure to understand and learn how to use these new features? No, of course not. It’s the camera.

It’s always easier to blame the object and not yourself. If you ever hit your thumb with a hammer, it’s always “that &%*#@ hammer!”

Dissolution

Things have changed and you are ready to consider something newer — maybe somewhat more shapely or with added features. You are face to face with temptation; comparing a recently released camera’s sexy new features to yours produces a sense of seduction.

You step back and try to think rationally: Do you really need those new features? This is more tricky than it appears.

If your current photography has a clear and present need that gear might address, then, of course, the new camera must be considered. On the other hand, the lure of a new camera’s abilities can outweigh any sense of moderation.

In justifying the purchase, are you painting targets around arrows?

For some of us, spending money on a new DSLR is an expensive treat. For others, it’s purely a business decision. Either way, sometimes you just want a new camera — and that may be the only rationale you need.

Sometimes, Even the Best Lenses Need to Be Replaced

I’ve used cameras for most of my life, and I have really enjoyed what photography has brought me. This science and art requires attention to detail and ongoing maintenance. If you are serious about what you do, you probably spend many hours taking care of your gear. We know it’s important to keep dust off of our lenses and sensor, because any foreign matter degrades the quality of the image.

Recently, I noticed I was having some problems driving at night. Automobile headlights created a glare that made it difficult to see the road. I had also become quite light sensitive, to the point where even house lamps were difficult to look at. My night vision, which at one time was almost cat-like, now lacked contrast and detail.

As a photographer, I saw all of these changes in terms of cameras and lenses — and also from the perspective of an auto-hypochondriac.

A Feeling of Impending Doom

Yes, I suffer from “auto-hypochondria.” That is, whenever I’m driving my automobile, I tend to absently scratch or rub my neck or shoulders and find something I hadn’t felt before. Immediately, I believe it’s a death sentence.

More often or not, it’s an ingrown hair, a mosquito bite or other benign item. But there’s always a panicked minute or two when I feel impending doom.

So it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that upon realizing I had vision problems, my mind went directly to macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and other sight-stealing diseases. Any one of those could mean the end of my love affair with photography.

I went to my eye doctor and shared my concerns. After an extensive series of tests, including dilation, he revealed his diagnosis: posterior subcapsular cataracts.

“Thank God!” I said with relief.

Like Sandpaper to the Lens

I was fortunate. Cataracts can be “fixed,” usually by removing the lens and replacing it with a plastic or silicon lens. So, while having cataracts is not good, it’s a darn sight better than degenerating vision, leading to blindness or worse.

The type of cataract I have is much like someone took sandpaper to the rear of my lens. Light hits that area and scatters; hence the automotive headlight glare. The cataract also reduces contrast, compresses the dynamic range and affects acuity.

My doctor told me that sometimes cataracts can be slightly yellow. Besides the light-scattering effect and reduction in night vision, I could have had the equivalent of a built-in yellow filter. This would have affected my personal “white balance” and impacted my editing and overall color judgment. In my case, however, this wasn’t a problem.

But my cataracts do affect my ability to look through the viewfinder, chimp the LCD and evaluate lighting. I have to dial down the LCD (both camera and computer), as the brightness increases glare and tires my eyes quicker.

Cataracts can manifest due to environmental conditions (chemical, ultraviolet or radiation), trauma, injury to the eye or even genetics. Age is also a factor. Most of us will get them, if we live long enough.

My doctor said there wasn’t any rush to replace my lenses, but that when I was ready, I would need to make an appointment with an opthamologist and have surgery.

I scheduled the appointment the next day.

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Don’t Let Self-Doubt Hold Back Your Photography Business

If you are a new professional photographer or new to a different photographic genre, you most likely have some doubts about your ability. It’s not only a common feeling, but quite worthwhile in personal development.

As you read about other photographers on the Internet, each one invariably sounds confident and quite assured. It’s difficult for most of us to undress our emotions in public view, so you won’t often come across others expressing their fear, confusion and doubt in online venues. But these feelings exist nonetheless.

And even when you think you have worked your way through your insecurities internally, speaking to prospects, clients and your peers can quickly bring them back to the surface.

The Birthday Party

Many years ago, when film was king and I was just starting out, I photographed weddings and events. On one such occasion, I acquired a new client wanting pictures of her daughter’s 13th birthday party. Mrs. Customer’s husband was a major real estate developer in Florida, and when I visited her home to sign the contract, I stepped into a palatial house and met the “queen.”

We seemed to hit it off fairly well, and she liked my wedding portfolio. By this time in my career, I had about 20 weddings under my belt, mostly middle income, small events. Mrs. Customer’s party was going to be the largest I had ever done.

A week after the event, I met with Mrs. Customer and showed her the proofs, so she could pick her album images and additional enlargements. Up to this point, everything had gone well.

She examined the proofs. Then, she looked me right in the eye and said they were unacceptable and she wasn’t going to pay for anything further.

“In fact,” she said, “I’m considering asking for the money I’ve already paid you.”

I must admit, at that time in my life, I wasn’t doing well financially. Sitting in front of Mrs. Customer at that moment, my first thoughts were of making the rent and paying my bills.

I also felt some doubt about the quality of the images. I was paralyzed as to what to say or do.

When you’re young and starting out, a little doubt, as I said, can be helpful in examining your images and furthering your craft. However, once you’ve gained some experience — even if you are switching to a new genre, such as from sports to portraits — you should have a basic confidence in your ability to get the shot. Self-doubt remains a natural response to new challenges, but usually only until you’ve planned the project and created shot lists.

Of course, at any point in your career, there is no better litmus test of your self-confidence than in how you deal with recalcitrant customers.

Turning the Tables

Sitting across from Mrs. Customer, in her palace, I thought I was at a disadvantage. I needed the money, and somehow I had to salvage the situation. My mind quick-fired thoughts, while my hands sweated and, for a minute or two, I didn’t say anything — because I couldn’t think of anything.

Mrs. Customer sat back in her chair — we were sitting at her kitchen table — and stared at me.

What I hadn’t considered, until that second, was how well my previous work had been accepted by others, and the praise I’d received from clients and friends. That one thought gave me the direction I needed.

Silently, I gathered the proofs together, put them into their envelope, slid the envelope into my briefcase and got to my feet. With a firm voice, I thanked Mrs. Customer for her candor and turned to leave.

Before I got to the front door, she asked me what I was going to do with the proofs.

I turned in her direction and, in a non-threatening manner, I told her I was sorry she didn’t like them and that I was taking them back to my office. If I didn’t hear from her within 10 days, I would destroy them.

I had remembered my father telling me, many years ago, to always negotiate as if your wallet were full. Mrs. Customer was attempting to get a substantial discount by denigrating my work, even though she had contracted to pay for everything. When I realized all my other clients had been satisfied with my photography, I knew at that second that Mrs. Customer was trying to “play” me.

Although she and I had some further discussion along the lines of her offering me a low-ball figure, I was in the moment, not worrying about my financial situation or the future. I had negotiated at the beginning and Mrs. Customer had accepted.

Realizing the current discussion wasn’t productive, I thanked her for her time and left.

A day later, Mr. Customer called me, and we were able to resolve the situation. I met with him and his wife at a local restaurant to select the images we needed to finish. There were no discounts, and Mrs. Customer was quite nice (she even offered to pick up the check for dinner).

Inside all of us are dynamic thoughts and emotional processes, including those attempting to cast doubts. If you are aware of your work and know that it is good, that should be your guide. The tides of human emotion always change, but your body of work should sustain perspective.

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[REVIEW:] Nik Software Viveza 2 - Do It With Control.

If you are used to editing your images by making discrete selections and then applying effects or adjustments, then working in this new environment is quite a change. Nik^® Software Viveza^® 2, powered by U Point technology, uses control points to select areas of the image for adjustment.

Nik Software Viveza 2 Interface

To start with, instead of reaching for Photoshop's pen, polygon or magic wand tools to create an area in which to work, in Viveza a control point does the work based on similar color and density regions. This makes sense to me, as most of the time an area I wish to adjust is composed of similar hues within a selection.

So, grabbing a control point instead of a Photoshop tool, you begin by placing it on a area of the image you want to adjust. The initial action is to change the diameter of an on-screen circle to encompass regions of similar hues for adjustment. Even though you may have unwanted colors and textures inside the circle, where you initially placed the control point determines Viveza's targets.

Figure 2: Viveza 2 Control Point (Placement Point at Bottom – Below Hue)

When you place a control point, Viveza shows a root-like menu. While unusual looking, at first, it is really quite intuitive. Off a vertical drop down are controls relating to the size of the selection area, brightness, contrast, saturation, structure, and shadow recovery. All of these adjust the selected area, but there are also controls which affect the image globally (separate from the control point's variables).

I have many years of Photoshop experience, along with other image editing software. All of these, for the most part, use the same method of making selections, tools you manipulate with the mouse or tablet to surround a region to edit. Viveza 2 is not only a change, but a leap into a new paradigm. While it doesn't require a complete undoing of old methods, it does require you to think in different terms. Not so different that it requires hours and hours of learning, but once you start understanding what you can do with comtrol points, you can pretty much skip Photoshop's selection tools.

Figure 3: Beach Sand Adjusted For Brightness and Detail (Structure)

Viveza 2 is not a substitute for what you can do with Photoshop, it's another tool you use to make regional adjustments, as I mentioned previously. You still need an image editing application, such as Photoshop, to clone, patch and generally work on discrete areas of your image. As Viveza 2 works as a non-destructive smart filter, you always have the original image. While you work with a control point, the results are live, giving you immediate feedback.

You can use multiple control points (even overlapping previous editing areas) and you can copy control points to apply the same adjustments to different regions. It's easy to become accustomed to Viveza's workflow and quite quick to grasp most of the details of the plugin. Like most programs and plugins, experience is the best teacher for learning the fine points.

Figure 4: Arrows Show Control Points – Compare w/ Figure1

Nik Software's Viveza 2 is an Adobe Photoshop (7 through CS4), Photoshop Elements (2.0 through 8.0) and Lightroom (2.3 or later) plugin. The target users are professional photographers, prosumers and maybe hobbyists. The $199.95 MSRP ($99.95 Upgrade) price may be a little high for the occasional photographer.

Nik Software has a 15-day free trial and I would recommend downloading it and taking a good look at it. Viveza 2 does have a definite place in an editing arsenal, especially if you frequently make color and tonal adjustments to image regions.

Disclaimer: As a member or the Press, I acquired an advanced NFR copy of Viveza 2 at PhotoPlus Expo East (October 2009). Nik Software has not asked for any consideration for this review and I have been offered no compensation. I am free to come to my own conclusions regarding the efficacy of Nik Software Viveza 2

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Keep Your Cool — and Use Your Smarts — When Dealing with Meddlesome Clients

Some days, everything goes according to plan and the assignment seems relatively easy. The assistants and talent do their jobs and you do yours; and even your coffee mug stays magically full.

Other times, however, working through a shoot is like slogging through thick mud; problems seem to crop up at every available opportunity. Be in the game long enough and you'll have your share of both.

On an assignment for an advertising agency in Florida, I was supposed to document a video commercial shoot and take the collateral stills for regional ads. The early part of the day went quite well, on location at a private residence "rented" for the day. Between some video takes, I brought the actress to a large sunroom to set up for a series of images. The video director ordered his crew to hang blackout drapes and bring any lighting I needed. That part was easy.

Later, the art director took me outside to get some shots of an actor standing about forty feet in front of the house. He demanded I shoot with the actor in bright, midday Florida sun and get the shaded house in the background. The actor couldn't keep his eyes from squinting, but the art director was insistent. I did as he asked.

I didn't want to get in an argument with the art director, so I followed his lead, just as he asked. Afterward, when he left to pester someone else, I took the actor to the side, where there was some shade, spent about ten minutes setting some lights and did the same setup my way, albeit, from a slightly different angle.

I believe it's important not to be negatively influenced by others on assignments. Permitting them to dictate my mood, affects everything I do and the quality of the images. It's always best to find creative ways to ameliorate situations, like the above, rather than acting like a prima donna. It's more important to get the deliverables than to win petty wars.

Weeks later, I was in a large rented studio, setting up a shot for a major client. Their main business was producing the plastic fabric used to shade plants in tropical nurseries. Now, they wanted to open a new line of business, using the fabrics to make portable cabanas and car ports.

I had one of their white carports and borrowed a new white car from a friend, all placed against a seamless white wall and floor. The only real color was a rose in vase on top of a table next to the car port. I had spent the mornign painting the table, chairs and place settings white, when the Director of Marketing showed up unexpectedly to monitor the shoot.

Immediately upon arrival, he became a nuisance, chattering incessantly and wanting to look at the setup on the back of my 4x5, all the while complaining the image was upside down.

So, there I was with this guy getting in my way, questioning everything and suggesting I move the camera this way and that. My stomach started to churn and I could feel my anger rising. I knew if I told him to leave, it cold be unpleasant. Nothing I did or asked stopped him from being a pest. Then, I had an idea.

I went over to him and made it a point to show him how I wasn't getting the right kind of light on top of the car port and asked if he would mind helping me. My assistant brought over a 12 foot light stand with a small monolight attached. I handed it to the Director of Marketing and asked him to hold it over the top of the car port, as high as he could, to get even lighting. Because of the weight and length, he had to lean backwards to hold it in place. Once he had the light positioned correctly and out of the frame, I did my part.

Days later, at a meeting in the company's conference room, with the corporate officers present, we went through the images. They loved them. Near the end of the meeting, the DM told everyone how he was instrumental in getting these tremendous images. I didn't have the heart to tell him I never connected his light.

 

Technorati Tags: Clients,Photo Lights,Keeping Your Cool

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Do You Create Your Own Reality?

Whatever type of photography you practice and, be it amateur or professional, that which you are shooting, has been shot before. You are the difference. That's right, the only element in this equation is your imagination and technique. If it were not so, then every picture from the same location would be exactly the same.

When you are on location and sizing up the subject matter, you make choices, first your angle and composition, then possible exposures and finally, what lens you want (of course, if you are an amateur photographer and have but a single lens...).

While you may not do it exactly as I described, the basics are the same. Most every item and location has had someone, at some time, take a picture of it. If you've looked through available web sites, such as Flickr, for instance, you will see how images, from different people, look similar.

So, the sixty-four dollar question is: what do you bring that marks you as a photographer? Do you attempt to recreate an image you've seen before or do you look for a unique way of portraying the subject?

There must be a gazillion images taken at the edge of some body of water, where the photographer used a wide-angle lens and a small aperture to put everything into focus, from the rocks near the camera's position, all the way to the horizon. Do you really need to create another image like these? If you were standing at the same location, what would you do that's different?

Sure you could recreate what you've seen before, if, for no other reason than a learning experience, but is it original? Now, I'm not saying don't examine other images; you can learn quite a bit. Besides deconstructing the picture, you also know what's already been done.

Finding something new is what distinguishes a photographer. Stepping out of the ordinary, into the extraordinary is difficult and frightening. You are operating without a safety net and yet, that's exactly where you need to be. You need to be on the edge because that's where you'll find your personal style and bring a unique voice to the community.

 

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[REVIEW:] Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 IF EX DG HSM and Sun-Sniper-Strap

  A few months back I met with some of the organizers of the Help-Portrait project, here in the Albany, New York area. I believe I was one of the first photographers to volunteer. As I've said previously, I believe in giving back to the community, when I can and where the project is worth my time and energy.

Since Sigma Corporation of America had loaned me some lenses, in the past, for reviews, I thought I'd ask them if I could borrow something especially for this shoot. They completely agreed and I asked for the 24-70mm F2.8 IF EX DG HSM lens. I thought the focal length would be perfect for shooting both individuals and families and, with an aperture of f/2.8, I could get the exposure I wanted.

In comparison to some of the other photographers (there were five others), my setup was quite simple. I used a Metz 54 MZ-3 flash, off camera, on a light stand, as my key and I elevated it about six or seven feet and reflected it off a 43-inch white umbrella. I decided to shoot reflected, rather than through the umbrella as I was not going after anything dramatic and wanted a good general purpose light.

My second light, the fill, was to my right (subject left) was another Metz 54 MZ-3, reflected off a 43-inch white umbrella. This one I elevated only four feet and pulled it back some from the subject. Knowing I'd be shooting groups, I set the key so I would have an f/4.0 and the fill minus 1 1/2 to 2 stops.

Using the Sigma lens, I shot a white piece of paper to calibrate a custom white  balance and set my camera for the best JPG, rather than RAW. This was a consensus of both the photographers and organizers as I would not be selecting the final images for delivery.

With my trusty Canon, including a vertical grip holding two batteries and the Sigma lens, I was ready in less than twenty minutes. Oh, and I had a Sun-Sniper-Strap attached to a hand grip on the Canon.

As you can see from the included images, the 24-70mm Sigma was spot on. The zoom range is perfect, as I was able to get closer for individual portraits and wide for groups. The Sigma's HSM (Hyper-Sonic Motor) focus is quick and near silent and I had no problems focusing on someone's eye. This is a hefty lens, weighing 27.9 ounces (790g), nearly two pounds and would have been an effort holding it still, if I had to have it in my hand for the entire day (we shot from 10:00am until 4:00pm, with nary a moment to eat -- someone supplied me with coffee all day; bless her heart). Thanks to the Sun-Sniper-Strap, I could drop the camera, by my side, between shots and while setting poses.

My results were outstanding and, during a brief review with some of the organizers, near the end of the day, were consistent and some of the best of the day. My setup worked as I had planned, with exposure on target and the images quite sharp. I found the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 IF EX DG HSM to be a lens I would definitely want to have in my kit; consistent performance, exposure agreeing with my Sekonic L-358 light meter, with some tweaking for skin tones throughout the day.

This was also the first time I used a strap, such as the Sun-Sniper and I'll never go back to a neck strap again. I found it also enhances the use of my hand strap and I could easily pick up the camera and be in shooting position in seconds, yet still able to drop the camera, by my side and be out of the way (the lens points backwards and not out to the side like other shoulder straps).

I felt quite comfortable and secure using the Sun-Sniper. The strap was wide enough to evenly distribute the weight and had an elastic area, in case you accidentally let go of your camera instead of putting it down by your side. The carabiner slides easily along the diagonally worn strap and, after just a few moments, it feels as if this was a perfectly natural way of carrying your camera, while still being ready to use.

The combination of the Sigma lens and the Sun-Sniper-Strap is quite good for either shoots, such as the Help-Portrait I did, and also for general use, out in the field.

Disclaimer: The Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 IF EX DG HSM was loaned to me for a month with no expectations or considerations for a possible review. There was no quid quo pro; I was freely able to come to my own conclusions. The Sun-Sniper-Strap was part of a general press package, given to the trade press at last year's PhotoPlus Expo in New York. I neither asked for it or offered any mention or review, but was able to keep it along with the other items in the press package.

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