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August 12, 2007

photography references

Категория: Sankar's Technotes, Photography related — technotes @ 5:47 pm

While not a “course” per se, Luminous Landscape has a number of very good tutorials, techniques, understanding series, and essays. I highly recommend that you take a look at this site, http://luminous-landscape.com/. Thom Hogan also has some interesting articles, http://www.bythom.com/nikon.htm.
Some other online sites you can checkout are,
Short Courses, http://www.shortcourses.com/
Cambridge In Color – tutorials, http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm
Digital Photography FAQ, http://www.cs.duke.edu/~parr/photography/faq.html.

–
Brooks

http://photo-seminars.com/Campus.htm

• • •

July 18, 2007

D200 and SB-800 Wedding Shooting Settings

Категория: Photography related — technotes @ 11:32 pm

D200 and SB-800 Wedding Shooting Settings

Common notes:
1. I Shoot in JPEG , Large / fine for all the formals and church pics.
At reception I change to medium / fine.
I keep to fine because it is the least compression ratio of 1:4
2. I use the D200 body and SB-800,

3. I keep the diffusion dome on all the times when indoors. I remove the diffusion dome outdoors when farther than 7 feet.

4. Outdoors I keep flash head straight at subject.
5. Indoors I rotate the head up 1 click
6. I am using a Fotogenetic curve EV3 v.1 , adding + 1/3 exposure

Try these settings. I find them very accurate, easy to use, and give repeatable excellent quality exposures and white balance.

Scenario A. Outdoors with fill flash:
1. Matrix metering on camera

Shutter priority. Set shutter speed to 1/250 sec. This is the sync speed of the D200.

2. ISO beginning at 100 or 200, 250 if darker day
3. SB-800 on TTL BL. Exposure comp at 0 to begin with
         
4. White balance : “Flash” , 0 comp (No, I’m not crazy)

Scenario B. Indoors with flash

1. Change SB-800 to TTL
2 . Manual metering on camera. I use 1/80 or 1/100 second at
       f6.3
       I usually use ISO of 400 indoors
 3. Don’t use too large an aperture. You want to nail focus
      during dancing and such.

4. SB-800 Exposure comp at 0 to begin with (see note below).
5. White balance: Flash, +1 comp (very accurate white balance, try
     it)

The SB-800 is adjusting its flash output by light reflecting back at the camera.

ď‚· With neutral subjects (clothing) leave flash exposure comp at 0.
ď‚· Brighter subject (bride) adjust up + 1/3 or + 2/3.

 Darker subject (couple wearing black for example) adjust down – 1/3 or – 2/3

You don’t want to overexpose with a flash shot. Learn to evaluate what the subjects are wearing and adjust up or down. If you learn this “zone” system of flash comp you can always get a very well exposed shot, very good consistency from picture to picture.

Examples:
ď‚· Picture of just wedding cake + 2/3
ď‚· Picture of just bride + 2/3
ď‚· Picture if bride and brides maids wearing light colour dresses, + 1/3
ď‚· Picture of groom (dark suit) alone, - 1/3
ď‚· Picture groom and his guys in black tuxes, - 2/3
 Picture of bride and mom (wearing dark dress) “0”
ď‚· Picture of bride and mom (wearing light dress) + 1/3 to + 2/3

ď‚· Picture of bride and groom cutting white cake + 2/3 with white table cloth

ď‚· Picture of dancing couple wearing black - 2/3

           Sam Stern

           http://www.samjsternphotography.com

–
Sam
http://www.samjsternphotography.com

• • •

November 12, 2006

Some exposure basics

Категория: Uncategorized, Photography related — technotes @ 4:51 am

http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

 

 

• • •

November 11, 2006

Some photographic Magazine Links

Категория: Uncategorized, Photography related — technotes @ 8:59 am

 

http://www.ourcapital.ca
http://www.zoozoom.com/
http://www.zinkmag.com/
http://www.myspace.com/35mmmagazine
http://www.visionaireworld.com/v2/fla_site/site.html
http://magazine.tigermagazine.org/
http://www.sunny16.ca/
http://www.betterphoto.com/galleryTOCDynoSub.asp?cat=541
http://www.selfservicemagazine.com/
http://www.eccentris.com/splash.htm
http://www.portfoliocatalogue.com/ ( I subscribe too this )
http://www.photoworksuk.org/index.htm ( I have a few issues )
http://www.urban75.org/photos/
http://www.photoarts.com/
http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/index.html
http://www.lumiere.com/
http://www.intothestorm.com/
http://www.european-photography.com/
http://www.fiftycrows.org/
http://cds.aas.duke.edu/
http://www.bigmagazine.com/home.htm
http://www.aperture.org/store/default.aspx
http://www.anothermag.com/
http://www.dresslab.com/
 

• • •

November 6, 2006

Moony 11 rule.

Категория: Uncategorized, Photography related — technotes @ 5:30 pm
Moony 11 rule.

 

The moony 11 rule is a modification of the sunny 16 rule for taking photos of the Moon if you haven’t got a light meter.

The rule is quite easy to remember - if you want to take a photo of the Moon set the aperture to f/11 and set the shutter speed to be as near as possible to the reciprocal (1 / x) the film speed. So if you’re using ISO 100 film, for example, you would set the aperture to f/11 and the shutter speed to 1/100 sec. However, since most cameras don’t have a 1/100 sec setting you would set it to the closest shutter speed, which is 1/90 sec.

This rule works because the light output from moon is simply reflected sunlight.

cf. ISO, light meter, sunny 16 rule.

Entry last updated 2005-10-17. Term 808 of 1486.

• • •

SUNNY 16 RULE

Категория: Uncategorized, Photography related — technotes @ 5:26 pm

SUNNY 16 RULE

When caught without a meter, one can use the “Sunny 16 Rule” as a guide for exposure. There are two steps to the rule, as outlined below:
STEP 1: Set your shutter speed equal to your film speed.
 
  (i.e., Shutter = Film Speed)
 
  Examples: 1/60 for Velvia rated at ISO 50; 1/125 for TMax rated at ISO 100. Note that in most cases, the shutter speed will NOT EXACTLY EQUAL film speed, but will be set as close as possible to the film speed. It’s simply easier to remember the rule as “Shutter = Film Speed.”
 
STEP 2: Set your aperture equal to f/16 for sunny sky.
 
  What if it’s not sunny?If slightly overcast, open one stop to f/11. If overcast, open two stops to f/8. If deeply overcast, open three stops to f/5.6.

How do I distinguish between slightly overcast, overcast and heavy overcast?

Examine the shadow detail. If shadows are distinct but soft around the edges, then it’s slightly overcast. If shadows are not distinct, but still visible - very soft - then it’s overcast. If there are no shadows at all, then it’s heavy overcast.

The chart below provides a useful summary:

SUNNY 16 CHART

Aperture

 Lighting Conditions

 Shadow Detail

f/16

 Sunny

 Distinct

f/11

 Slight Overcast

 Soft around edges

f/8

 Overcast

 Barely visible

f/5.6

 Heavy Overcast

 No shadows
• • •

October 24, 2006

Try using these settings as a starting point,

Категория: Uncategorized, Photography related — technotes @ 7:37 pm

Try using these settings as a starting point,

ISO 200 - set
Manual
1/500 - 1/1250
F8 or higher and adjust shutter speed.

When there is open sunlight without clouds the lighting situation pretty much stays the same. Very consistant. Find a setting you are happy with and shoot at that out in the open like the top shot.

Staying at f5.6 - F8 near trees or in shade you could go to 1/125.

Over the years I have become familiar with the camera and the first thing I do is put a little piece of heavy card stock in my camera vest and mark down the best settings for each outdoor condition, such as sunny, shady, overcast, etc… Once you find te settings that give you the results you like after a while you memorize them. Of course this is just one way to to it.

Another way is to invest in a used light meter and think about getting yourself a grey card. Pre-set your WB with the grey card and you will see a big difference, especially with greens and blues and work well on the colors when using a flash.

Exposure is the big thing. Your first shoot is slightly overexposed. It may look good to the average viewer, but the Nikon is capable of producing deeper colors by under exposing the shot by one or two stops. This reduces the amount of light coming in and reduses some of the haze from the image.

Change your metering in camera to spot when out doors and spot meter parts of the scene you are shooting and do some averaging. If you are still getting a hazy look with bleached out colors bump your shutter speed or your aperature up one or two.

Once you get it the way you want write your settings down on the card and use it for reference. After a while, you will memorize the settings and will find yourself reaching for the card less often.

I shoot in manual 90% of the time. I havent had my D50 long and it is the first DSLR since converting from film. I have pretty much got my card finished with the exception of one or two minor tweeks.

As far a flash goes I leave my camera set to ISO 200 1/250 - 1/500 outside and 1/60-1/125 inside and pretty much always stay at f5.6 with onboard flash set to auto TTL. This may seem like a hunt and set method, but it’s not when your camera is set to meter spot. Spot meter a bulb in a building and set your shutter speed one to two stops faster. I do the same thing when using a flash outside. Spot meter the high lit areas and set the shutter one or two stops faster.

These are some of the methods I have used to keep things going the way I want them to. Maybe they will help you. One thing is for sure! I am spending a lot less time processing my raw images!

Good luck!

–
John

http://www.eyeunit.com/

D50
18-55 AF-S ED 1:3.5-5.6
50mm f1.8D AF Prime
60mm f2.8D AF Micro
85mm f1.8D AF Prime
70-300mm 1:4-5.6D AF ED

• • •

Very good articles on photography

Категория: Uncategorized, Photography related — technotes @ 7:20 pm

http://www.ronbigelow.com/index.html

• • •

October 6, 2006

Landscape Tips

Категория: Uncategorized, Photography related — technotes @ 2:13 pm

Landscape Tips

Mike Stensvold, June, 2004

Photographs of beautiful landscapes made in the right conditions can be absolutely stunning. The keys are to be there in those conditions, and to be ready to record them when you find them.

You can greatly enhance your chances of being there at the right time by doing your research. It’s frustrating to travel to a stunning scenic site, only to be socked in by a blizzard—or to find that the magnificent waterfall you traveled 400 miles to photograph has dried up for the summer. Ask folks who have been there, check out books and magazine articles on the area, call the rangers or town officials, do an online search. Check the weather forecast before heading out—if it’s going to be bad for photos, choose another destination for that trip. There are lots of great landscapes to be enjoyed and photographed; you can catch the originally intended one another time if conditions aren’t good at the moment.

Most landscape pros use large-format cameras that produce 4×5-inch or larger transparencies. But you can make terrific landscapes with 35mm cameras, as the late Galen Rowell and others have proved. The key is to use fine-grained film (Fujichrome Velvia is very popular with landscape shooters, but your favorite fine-grain film will do nicely). As far as lenses go, a 28–105mm or 28–200mm zoom should provide all the focal lengths you’ll need, although a wider lens can come in handy for grand vistas and exaggerated-foreground-object shots. A graduated neutral-density filter will reduce the brightness between sky and ground so you can record detail in both (a two-stop filter is a good starter; the pros generally have sets containing a range of different strengths).

It can be a pain to cart a tripod into the boonies, but consider the advantages: The tripod will hold your camera steady, allowing you to stop down for great depth of field and use fine-grained slow film (or the slowest ISO setting on a digital camera, for best image quality), regardless of light level; and it will lock-in your composition so your can study it carefully, and won’t accidentally change it as you take the shot. Ansel Adams carted a heavy tripod along with his large-format cameras all over the American wilderness; we modern photographers can carry a modern lightweight tripod.

If you’re shooting film (and doing so will give better landscape results than will shooting with consumer digicams if you want to make big prints; however, some of the images illustrating this article are digital images), bracket exposures whenever you have doubts as to the correct one. Keep notes as you do, and you’ll soon learn how to expose a wide variety of situations with your camera.

Landscape Tips:

1 Use fine-grain film
2 Shoot near sunrise or sunset
3 Do your research
4 Use a tripod
5 Bracket exposures in tricky lighting


We’ve all seen lots of shots of Half Dome from the classic vantage point (rumor has it Ansel’s tripod holes are still there). So try photographing those famed landmarks from another spot (Olmstead Point, in this instance). Photo by Lynne Eodice. 		1. Find a New Spot
There’s a saying among real-estate folks that “location is everything.” Well, where you choose to set up is very important in photography, too. If you have the time when you’re in the area, try to find a different vantage point to photograph those famous landmarks. It’ll require some driving or hiking, but the reward will be landscape photos refreshingly different from the overdone postcard views. When seeking a camera spot, look for one that provides an attractive angle on the subject with no foreground obstructions, a good background, and good lighting.
The shadow photographer takes in Rocky Peak. The summit block is small, but larger than it appears in this photo: the wide-angle lens makes the block look smaller, and the sun’s low angle makes the photographer’s shadow larger than life. Photo by Mike Stensvold.

You get the feeling this arch is pretty big, but the human element in the scene lets viewers know just how big it is. Photo by Lynne Eodice.

2. The Human Touch
While purists try to keep human elements out of their landscape photos, you can add human interest by adding a human to a shot. A strategically placed person can also add scale, giving viewers an idea of the size of the landscape element they’re looking at. If you’re alone, and between the sun and the scene, you can use your own shadow to add the human element. But unless the sun is at a 45° angle, your shadow won’t serve as an accurate scale device—when the sun is lower than 45°, your shadow will be longer than your true height, and when the sun is higher than 45°, your shadow will be shorter than your true height.
Focusing on the nearby foliage threw the sun way out of focus, thus increasing its size in the image tremendously. Photo by Mike Stensvold. 3. Big-Sun Secret
If you want a huge sun in your sunrise or sunset shots, just include a foreground subject near your lens’ minimum focusing distance, and focus on it. The out-of-focus sun in the background will be huge. Don’t look at sun through a telephoto lens—that can cause severe eye damage. Focus on the nearby subject with the sun just out of frame, then take your eye from the viewfinder and shift the camera to include the sun. A digicam with its LCD monitor can be a big help here, but you can do it with a film camera, too. Make several shots, and you should get at least one with the sun well positioned.
A clearing storm in late-afternoon light provides exciting lighting. Photo by Mike Stensvold.

Even Badlands can look good in good lighting—in this case, provided by late-afternoon sun. Photo by Lynne Eodice.

4. Exciting Lighting
A skilled photographer can make a good landscape photograph pretty much anytime. But you can increase your odds of getting really striking images by shooting in exciting lighting. That occurs most often when the sun is low—i.e., at sunrise and sunset—or during a clearing storm. Low-angle sunlight creates long, dramatic shadows, emphasizes texture when falling across the subject (i.e., when the subject is sidelit by the sun), and is generally warmer than midday light, adding an orange cast that can enhance shots of rocky terrain (and outdoor portraits). The contrast between warm sunlit areas and cool shaded areas can add impact to a shot.
Hazy sun is great for flower shots, because contrast is low, yet there’s some “life” to the lighting.

If it’s really murky, concentrate on tight shots. The low light level provided a slow shutter speed to blur this mini-waterfall into cotton-candy. A tripod helps in dim light; this was shot with a hand-held digital SLR at a 480mm equivalent focal length.

Morning fog lent this mini-forest an enchanted touch. Photos by Mike Stensvold.

5. Don’t Give Up When It’s Murky
If, despite your research and the weather forecast, the day is too murky to shoot epic scenic vistas, think closer. You likely can find all kinds of nearby things to photograph—greenery, flowers, insects, rocks and rock formations, reflections and more. Overcast or foggy light produces soft contrast, which can yield beautiful flower portraits. And foggy scenes offer great opportunities

 

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