really random thoughts
How much modesty can you have when you are wearing buttons and thread for a bathing suit?
more random thoughts
Some observations from my recent spat of workshops
Latest Favorite
This is my latest favorite photo. I took it in March at the Triple D Game farm. I have a ton of Mt. Lion shots from Triple D, probably several hundred good ones and probably a dozen or more really good ones so it was unexpected that I would take more while I was there. This animal was also very reluctant to walk on the snow that day. A mountain lion not liking snow, who would’ve thought? So any time he was on snow he was in an awkward pose and the pictures didn’t look right. I saw this patch of old grass nearby and asked if we could try the animal there. He was much happier there but he wouldn’t leave the grassy area. So I photographed him peering out through the branches. this is a different kind of shot for me and one that I wouldn’t normally take but I have so many shot of mountain lions trying something different seemed like a good idea. Part of the reason I like it so much is probably because it is so different for me. The crop worked out well too. It is now framed and hanging in my office, ever ready to pounce.
Question 2
Another question I get asked a lot these days is “When I took your workshop years ago you said to open up your exposure (over expose) to make white actually look white but now you say that you under expose all your exposures. What gives?” I love these ‘years ago’ kinds of questions. When I taught a lot with John Shaw people used to come up to him all the time and confront him on why he was doing or using something different than from what he wrote about in his books which had come out years earlier. His stock response was always “and I drive a different car as well.” I still don’t know what that means. I guess his point was that things change. We adapt to different sets of circumstances. This is how we grow and become better at whatever we do. If you always did something the same way no matter the advances than you would be stuck in the mud of stubbornness. No one likes to be stuck in the mud of stubbornness, unless, of course, you are a member of congress. When we all shot film, lo those many years ago, we used cameras that were pretty sophisticated but not nearly as sophisticated as the ones we use now. Also, if you can remember back that far, what we did to film is what we got on film. There wasn’t much chance to tweak the exposure or tighten the composition like we now do on our computers. So with film we needed as much precision as possible. For any tricky exposures we often used the spot meter for precise metering. If we put the spot on something white we had to over expose the picture to make the white appear white on the film. We can do the exact same thing with digital exposure and get great results but most of us don’t. Instead we use matrix or evaluative metering, reading the entire frame because matrix/evaluative meters are very, very sophisticated now. But we still have to use our brains to get the proper exposure. By using our brains I mean we have to realize that with digital cameras we still want the whites to be whites but we are also aware that if the whites are too white than we will be in trouble. Blown out whites (whites that are too over exposed) in digital photography are not only detailless (not good) but also dataless (really not good). Without data our computers are helpless to make changes in the image. In other words, computers won’t have any effect on these blown out highlights no matter what we do. These areas will always be blown out, distracting, dreadful whites. To prevent getting blown out highlights when using matrix/evaluative metering I often fudge on the exposure and slightly underexpose the picture. I do this often when shooting landscapes because there are always hidden areas that I don’t recognize that can easily blow out. I also always do it when shooting in significant sunlight because the increased contrast will usually lead to some very bright whites and some blown out whites. How much do I underexpose? My default amount is -.7 stops (2/3 of a stop under). I use the exposure compensation setting on my camera to set this amount so every picture I take is slightly underexposed and looks dark on the LCD on the back of my camera. Even though I do this I still check the histogram after every shot. Sometimes I take all the exposure compensation off if the histogram is too far over to the left (dark) side of the graph. I rarely add more compensation though. If I find I need to shoot at -1 or even -1.3 stops than the light is too contrasty and I know I should stop shooting until the light improves. So if the light is low contrast it is fine to spot meter something white in your picture and make your meter read a stop or so over exposed just like we used to do with film. If the light is stronger though, my experience tells me that I if I do this I will get blown out highlights in my picture. To avoid this I set the camera to under expose a bit. The resulting picture will be darker than it should be when I first see it on the back of my camera but I know I can fix it later in the computer. It is important to realize that all of these are just guidelines, nothing is written in stone. There are no hard, fast rules for proper exposure because the light is always changing. By using the guidelines above you will have to do a minimum of fussing to adjust your exposure.
What’s Next?
I did an evening program a few weeks ago for a local camera club. Afterwards, a former student came up to me to say hello and ask me a question. He said that at the end of the workshop he was in he asked me what he should work on when he gets home. “What did I say?” I asked, a bit leery, wondering if I was paying attention back then (always iffy) and said something silly or if I had actually given him a good answer. Since he wasn’t rearing back with a clenched fist I felt pretty secure that at least I wasn’t going to be ducking a punch. “You said to photograph locally.” “And did you?” “I did and it has been great. I live in a little town in Connecticut. I used to not photograph while I was at home thinking that all the pictures were elsewhere…in the national parks out west or in the wildlife refuges in the south. That’s where everyone else went to take pictures so it must be where I should go. Nobody ever comes to Connecticut to photograph. But then you said to photograph locally and I started to think about it and I realized that nobody photographs in Connecticut…nobody photographs in Connecticut…nobody–photographs–in-Connecticut. Ding! I have the state to myself! It has been the best thing I have ever done photographically.” “Well, that’s great. I am glad it worked out so well for you.” Turning, I head for the door, anxious to start the long trip home. “Now what?” I stop and turn back to him. “Now what?” “Yeah. Now what should I do? What is the next step?” “The next step?” I turn again and look longingly at the exit. “Yeah. What comes after photographing locally?” Okay, I can wait five more minutes. I actually get this question a lot. What should I do now? I suppose that people think I should know what they are doing now so I can tell them what they should do next. I don’t but luckily, the answer is in two parts so chances are I have a pretty good shot of at least telling them something worthwhile. The first part of the answer is photograph locally. The second part? I told him to “photograph a story.” “A story?” “Yes, a story. Pick a theme and illustrate it. It can be anything…anything that you care about and are interested in. It is best to pick something that you are passionate about but for now just pick a theme, an area of concentration. Follow a stream from its start to where it empties into a river. Do the seasons of a pond, or a meadow, or a reserve or your garden. Tell the history of that old barn you drive by or the historic building downtown. Interview the oldest person in town and tell his or her story in pictures. Or go to the local hysterical society, I mean, historical society and take now-a-days pictures of back-then pictures from the same spot.” “A story, I’ve never thought about a story. I like that.” “It will be the best thing you will ever do creatively and your photography will be new and exciting and unique. Plus you will have something to share with people so you will be in demand and you will be the local expert in your theme. Think stories rather than single pictures.” “Stories, okay. Local stories. I can do that.” “You’re gonna be surprised how much fun it is.” “I’ll catch you next time and good luck with your new company.” “Thanks, and good luck with your stories.”
Wide angle lenses in small spaces
Everyone always thinks about using their wide angle lens in wide opens spaces. It is the traditional use of a wide angle lens- get close to the foreground, include the background and blast away. While this is a great use for this lens it isn’t the only use. I find that I use my ultra wide angle lens (Nikon 12mm-24mm) in ultra close, small spaces as well. This is also a traditional use of a wide angle lens but most people don’t recognize it. If you have ever seen close photos of people doing something and where they are doing it is clearly shown that photo was taken with a wide angle lens within arms length of the person. This type of photo is called environmental portraiture because it is a portrait of someone and the environment where they are. You can try this with longer lenses but the longer the lens the farther away from the subject you have to be and thus the less impact the photo will ultimately have. Get in close and you will be amazed at how strong and compelling the pictures can be. This is my friend Roger fixing the feed cart in his dairy barn. To show both Roger and the feed cart I got right behind him photographed as he repaired it. I used just the available light because I didn’t have time to set up a flash. Roger again in what he calls the Oil House. I call it, well never mind what I call it. I have always wanted to get a picture of Roger in the Oil House because the environment is so colorful and chaotic. I waited 4 years before I caught him there. He is only about 4 feet away from me but with my lens all the way down to 12mm and my back pressed against the wall I was able to get both Roger and all the stuff around him.
A Nature Photographer’s View of Photographing People
I know, it is an oxymoron; nature photographers photograph nature because they don’t want to photograph people. If nature photographers wanted to photograph people then they would be called people or travel photographers. But they are called nature photographers because they like to photograph nature and by most definitions that means without people. I will even go so far as to say that most nature photographers regard people about as well as a germ regards penicillin; it is best avoided. But bear with me a moment, I might change your mind. You have all the photographic skills to photograph people. Taking a picture of a person is no more difficult than taking a picture of an elk or bird or dog or flower. Control the background, find nice light and don’t annoy the subject and, voila, you have a nice people picture. The skill you lack as a nature photographer are those pesky social skills that allow most people (those other than ax murders and nature photographers) to interact with their fellow kind in a genial, non-threatening manor. This gap in our development in large part explains why we do what we do; we would rather be stuck in mud than at a cocktail party. And don’t argue with me, you know it is true! But it is actually fun, no really, to take pictures of people. We all have tried it and we were initially thrilled with what we got but then we saw the photos of the pros such as Bob Krist and Nevada Weir and we vowed that we would never take pictures of people again. Give me a flower any time! This is how I felt about taking pictures of people. I took them because I had to for my various projects but they were at best serviceable. Then I started teaching with Bob and Nevada and I was forced to admit that my people pictures were dreadful. They all looked like I took them secretly peeking out through a drawn curtain or cleverly as I walked by so no one would notice. One reason Bob’s and Nevada’s pictures are so good is because they get great access to people, they make them relax and they are accepted right away. This is in large part because they are Bob and Nevada. Bob, with his goofy hair and overly friendly face, is about as threatening as a Labrador retriever puppy and Nevada, with her blazing blue eyes could get you to do just about anything, anytime, happily. I, on the other hand, am burdened with the face of a mutt and the personality of a cold sore. Not the best combination when you are trying to gain the good will and take a picture of a stranger. So what is a fella to do? The first rule is to take your time. Find a potentially photogenic subject and then just chill in their vicinity. Sit on a bench, lean against a wall, have a beer, daydream, whatever. Just do nothing. You can hold your camera but you can’t use it. You are trying to be part of the scene, not a photographer on the prowl. In 15 or 20 minutes you will be invisible and no one will think of you as the odd, potentially murderous stranger. Then you can take out your camera and slowly begin to move around the area taking pictures. While you are doing this don’t approach your subject with your camera up and your face hidden behind it. People respond to faces and eyes and smile, none of which can be seen if you are hold up your camera as you move around. Be sure to stop and hang out some more as you are starting to take pictures. Eventually, you will gain the trust of whomever you are photographing and they will relax. That is your goal; to be so ignored that you are invisible while you are photographing and your subject is relaxed. The second rule is to make sure the pictures you take are good ones. This involves thinking ahead of time about the light and the background and the perspective from which you are going to shoot. It also involves making sure your camera is set correctly and that all the gear you need handy and ready to go. The last thing you want to do is fiddle with your gear while your subject is getting antsy. The first pictures I took of the Bromleys for my farm book project were almost nauseatingly bad. I was using a 70-200 zoom so I could stand far away and the pictures looked more like mug shots than intimate portraits. As time went by and the family became used to me my pictures started to get better but they still weren’t great. The reason for this is that even though they accepted me taking pictures, I was projecting my own ill at ease about photographing them on to them. As soon as I stopped thinking they were uncomfortable because I was my pictures improved dramatically. I realized that they didn’t mind having their pictures taken. If they didn’t mind, why should I? It was then I started getting the pictures I wanted by using wide-angle lenses and getting up close and personal. This was when my pictures finally took on a Krist/Weir look. So give it a try. Go out and find some people doing something in nice light and have a sit, a good long sit. You could even try talking to them. Not about photography, about them. Everyone always loves talking about themselves. Shine a little spotlight on what they think is their ordinary life and you will find a very willing subject most of the time. Then take your camera out and slowly start taking pictures. Your images will be much better and the experience will be much more satisfying. Of course, you could always get a goofy haircut or electrify your eyes.
Critique-speak
Critique Speak I spend a lot of time looking at student images and giving my opinions. I enjoy it and most of the time I think it is a beneficial learning experience. But there are some times when the critiquee seems to be talking a different language than me, the critiquer. After 25 years of careful study I have finally translated critique-speak and have figured out what the critiquee is really saying. “I don’t photograph flowers” means “I can’t bend my knees.” “I don’t photograph wildlife” means “I am too cheap to buy a good telephoto lens.” “Some noise is good” means “I hand hold.” “Editors are idiots’ means “I can’t sell a thing.” “I meant it to be that way” means “I never noticed that before now.” “I shoot black and white” means “I’ve taken a vow of poverty.” “Night shots are clichéd” means “I’d rather be eating/drinking/sleeping.” “Sunsets are clichéd” means “I don’t miss happy hour.” “I use VR/IS lenses all the time” means “I’m too lazy to get my tripod.” “I can fix it later in photoshop” means “I’m an idiot for not noticing it.” “I’m a whiz at sharpening” means “I can’t focus to save my soul.” “I need a new lens” means “I want a new lens.” “I shoot in program mode” means “I haven’t a clue what I am doing.” “I shoot in manual mode” means “I am a dinosaur and proud of it.” “I love autofocus” means “I’m over 50.” “I used HDR” means “The light was terrible.” “I love workshops” means “I still don’t get it.”
RMSP and Me
I have decided to end my long professional relationship with the Rocky Mt. School of Photography. I will keep the details as to why confidential but I will say that I could not longer tolerate their rigid, narrow policies limiting my ability to earn money and grow my career. I am still going to teach my very popular Going Pro class that I started teaching with RMSP in 1996. It remains to my knowledge they only class of its kind being offered- a detailed and personalized road map to earning money as a photographer. And I am thrilled that my co-teacher, Scott Rouse, is going to join me once again. Together we make a terrific team and make this class a very worthwhile undertaking. For details on my Going Pro class please go to either my website or go to the website of Photographers Alliance Workshops – paworkshops.net. If you have any questions please, please contact me and I will be glad to answer them for you. I am sorry if this decision has caused any problems for any potential participants. But the class will still be taught, the same material will be presented and Scott will be there to co-teach. I can say that the plans are for the class to be taught in Kalispell, MT in late August but the class will now be 7 days long instead of 10 and it will be about $800 less expensive. And we will still go to Triple day for a morning of photography. Stay tuned for more details about this class.
Just Because You Should
In this world bursting with potential and possibilities there is a rule that we all must remember and repeat everyday. Here it is: Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should do something. This applies to all aspects of life but especially to pursuits that have toys included. Photography is one of those pursuits. Let me explain. Just because you can handhold doesn’t mean you should handhold. You will always get a better shot- better composed, better thought out, better executed- if you use a tripod. Don’t argue with me. If you can, use your tripod. Just because you can fix it in Photoshop doesn’t me you should. Fix whatever you can before you take the picture. Clean up the background, adjust your depth of field, de-dust your sensor rather than be dumb and lazy and do it later in your computer. Just because you can include the moon in your picture doesn’t mean you should. Almost every shot I have seen that includes the moon is a terrible shot compositionally because there is so much space between the moon and the rest of the picture the composition falls apart. Either shoot the moon when it is close to something or let the moon go. Just because you can take a tight portrait doesn’t mean you should. This is especially true of wild animals and things that are obviously moving. A tight shot of a wild animal removes the wild from the picture and leaves the animal unattached. Zoom back and include some of the habitat and you will get more pleasing pictures. And a tight shot of a moving animal is too confining. It always looks like the animal is moving within a box and it is uncomfortable. Just because you can use a filter doesn’t mean you should. I mean, how blue do you really want the sky? Navy skies don’t happen on this planet. And neither do nuclear reds and oranges in fall foliage or neon pinks or purples in sunsets. Back off the slider in your computer when you are tweaking saturation and your pictures won’t be so obviously manipulated. Just because you can include the phrase ‘award winning’ in your bio doesn’t mean you should. After all, what does ‘award winning’ really mean? The only ones you are going to impress are not the kinds you want to impress and the ones you want to impress are not going to be impressed. Let your work and reputation speak for itself. No adornment necessary if both are good. If they are not, no adornment is going to help. Just because you can disagree with any of the above doesn’t mean you should. Just let it go and accept the fact that I am right and you are wrong. My life will be much easier.