Photography, Creativity, and Angst

It seems that a lot of photography blogs that aren’t caught up in discussing the latest equipment and technology (as I’ve been lately after the announcement of the 60D) are often addressing the struggles of photography, art, and creativity. Most every photographer seems to relate to the frustrations of not being able to create the images that they wish they could – images like the ones of the photographers they admire or images like the ones they envision in their own mind.

This isn’t a bad thing, and in fact this dissatisfaction with one’s current work is one of the most important components in inspiring and pushing oneself to improve. But there is a huge problem if this struggle becomes angst and doesn’t serve a positive purpose. It is an easy path to fall into with photography, especially when just starting out or soon after technical and equipment mastery is attained. There is so much to learn and everyone else seems to have picked up important and secret knowledge which you don’t know where to find. And there are so many great photographers out there who you like and no matter how hard you try your images don’t look anything like theirs.

Rome – Statue in front of Palazzo del Quirinale

I fell into this trap when I first became serious about photography. I saw images in galleries, museums, and magazines (there was no internet yet…) that I wished I could create, but had no idea how. What kind of camera were they using? What kind of chemicals and darkroom techniques did they use? Where did they come up with their ideas and inspiration? I had no idea, but tried to learn what I could from books and experimentation. But the learning curve was so steep, my interests and ambitions were too broad and scattered, and the dedication was not yet there. The angst and frustration built and slowly I stopped even taking photos. I had wanted to create great images at will but knew I couldn’t. My results rarely matched my vision, so I stopped making any images at all.

Rome – Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi by Bernini facing Sant’Agnese in Agone by Borromini and Rainaldi

I thought the angst was part of being an artist, a photographer, and that holding onto it would lead somewhere. But the angst didn’t get me anywhere. In fact all it led me to was abandoning photography. Years later, when I became frustrated with the limitations of my digital compact and dSLRs became affordable, I decided to give it another try. I went out on my first self-assignment, not really knowing what I was doing, relearning how to use a camera and compose photos. But this time I had a different attitude, a new mindset. The photos on my LCD screen still didn’t look like the ones in my head, but I didn’t care, and I continued to happily work away. I knew I was learning with each photo, I didn’t expect instant masterpieces. I knew I would improve over time when I studied the results and identified the differences between where I was and where I wanted to be.

Rome – Piazza Navona

Most importantly I had finally given up on trying to take Ansel Adams’ photos and started to take my photos. If they weren’t any good, I would keep taking my photos, and figure out how to make them better versions of my photos. For the first time I was truly happy with my images because I stopped comparing them with some real or imagined perfect images that I would never take. It doesn’t mean I still don’t have the angst. Every time I look at Ami Vitale’s photos I want to take Ami Vitale’s photos. But I let it go, I don’t let it become a negative, limiting frustration. I study them and learn from them, but I continue to take my photos. Because those are really the only ones I can take, and those I the ones I am happiest with anyway.

So it is true – as everyone concludes their “photographer’s struggle” blog posts: just get out and shoot. That is virtually all there is to it. But there is another important component. Let go of the angst. Art and creativity does not equal angst. Change your mindset. Stop dwelling on creativity, thinking about creativity, reading about creativity…and just go create. Shoot your photos, improve on your photos, and be happy knowing that with each frame you are learning and progressing. Besides, you shouldn’t want to be imitating anyone else because you don’t want to be called “The next Henri Cartier Bresson.” You want some future budding photographer to be called “The next (your name here).”

Rome – Street with view of Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza by Borromini

(These photos were taken the first time I ever used a “real” camera, an SLR – a Canon AE-1 I borrowed for an afternoon. Taken in Rome, Italy in 1990 or 1991 while studying with the University of Notre Dame Architecture Rome Studies Program. Not a bad start, huh?!)

Canon 60D Tutorial

I have completed an eBook tutorial and user’s guide for the new Canon 60D, called Your World 60D – The Still Photographer’s Guide to Operation and Image Creation.  Learn to use your 60D, quickly and competently, to create the types of images you want to capture.  You can learn more about the Your World 60D eBook and how to purchase it here.

How to Choose a New dSLR Camera

When selecting a new dSLR camera, many people seem to look at the latest offerings, attempt to compare their many features, and determine which one, in or near their price range, is “better.”  But this is the backwards way to approach it.  Of course a continuous burst rate of of 126 JPEGs at 8 frames per second is “better” than 58 frames at 5.3 frames per second.  But do you need the ability to take 126 consecutive images in 15.75 continuous seconds?  Ever?  Certainly the ability to to control both the method and the sensitivity of AI Servo Tracking is impressive and powerful, but do you even understand it, wish to learn about it, need it, and will you ever use it?   If a camera’s features don’t fit your needs as a photographer, it is not a better camera for you.  In fact, it may be a worse camera for you because its complexities and options may serve to work against you and your image making.

Iquitos, Peru

When you are trying to determine which new dSLR camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around where you look at the new features and determine if you really need or will use them.

For example, I began shooting with a Rebel XT and took it on an extended trip where I shot lots of outdoor dance and festivals (see the Peru and Dance galleries here for the results – those are all shot with a Rebel XT.)  I soon discovered this camera wasn’t fulfilling my growing needs and I made a mental list of what my next camera needed:

• more focus points which are more strategically positioned (the Rebel XT only has 7 focus points in a simple cross pattern which did not suit the way I focus and compose)
• faster frame rate in continuous shooting mode (it only has 3 fps which wasn’t good enough for catching a good burst at the peak of action)
• better sealed body (I ended up in several very dusty or wet situations)
• integrated sensor cleaning (see “dusty” above)
• more megapixels (the 8 MP of the XT just weren’t sufficient when it came to cropping and post-processing)
• battery with longer capacity (I used it on weekend trips to the middle of nowhere but didn’t want to have to buy and take more than 3 batteries)
• larger LCD screen to better review photos (the XT has a tiny screen)
• grid in the viewfinder (I just can’t keep it straight sometimes)

Iquitos, Peru

These are the features I looked for in my next camera.  I didn’t work backwards and wonder, “Do I need or will I ever need auto lighting optimizer and highlight tone priority?” If I had exposure issues on my list, I would have looked for these kinds of features, but I didn’t.  I didn’t wonder, “Do I need multiple flash remote firing?  Should I worry about that?” That wasn’t on my list because it wasn’t a need I ran into, ever, in months of shooting.  I don’t even own multiple flashes and wish to minimize using the one.  I didn’t ask myself, “Do I need an extensively redesigned focus system with AF Point Expansion and Zone focusing?” I nearly always choose my own focus point – I don’t want the camera choosing the closest point which is bound to be a dancer’s flying hand and not their face, so I don’t need that.  No matter how awesome and advanced it is.  Even if the subjects are moving.  I’m pretty quick with the focus point selection.  I just need more and better placed focus points.  If you haven’t run into a need for certain features in your months or years of extensive shooting, you aren’t going to suddenly need it just because it is now offered on a camera. Sit down and make your list, then look at the cameras’ offerings.

And please be aware, no new camera will help you instantly create better photos.  Or better yet, all of the latest cameras will help you take better photos, but equally so, none any better than the others.  If you wish to take better photos, just chose one of the cameras and get out and shoot.  Learn how to use the basic settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focusing modes and focus points, exposure metering modes, histograms) and then concentrate on composition and telling a story through your images.  Get a book like Bryan Peterson’s newly updated Understanding Exposure to get a handle on the essential functions and relationships of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.  And see the following posts to help you on your way, or if you are in the Boston – Cambridge area, take a one-on-one lesson with me!

How Pros Photograph

Deconstructing the Shot

Pucallpa, Peru

Need a lens to go with your new camera?  Read about choosing a lens other than the kit lens in this post Why You Shouldn’t Buy the Kit Lens, and learn about the Best Lenses for Travel Photography here.

If you are interested in researching or purchasing the equipment or books I use, discuss, or recommend, I would appreciate it if you use this referral link to Amazon. Your price will be the same, and it will help support my blog and my work.  Thanks!  And for those of you across the pond, click here for my referral link to Amazon UK.  If you are in another country, click on one of my Amazon links, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on your country for your local Amazon.

Canon 5D vs 7D vs 60D vs 50D vs 550D / T2i

I am moving my blog from here at WordPress to my own website.  This post comparing the Canon T3i, T2i, 60D, 50D, 7D, and 5D Mk II can now be read here:

http://blog.dojoklo.com/2011/02/20/canon-t3i-600d-vs-t2i-550d-vs-60d-vs-7d-etc/

Thanks for following me to my new blog home!

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Canon 60D Introduced

The Canon 60D was just introduced!

image of 60D from Canon website

As it had been widely rumored, the 60D has the articulating LCD screen.  Although it doesn’t exactly replace the 50D in the sense that it doesn’t add upon the advancement of the 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D progression, it now takes that position between the 550D and the 7D.  If you thought it was difficult to choose between a Canon 550D, 50D, and 7D, the choice just became infinitely more difficult, as all three of these cameras now share so many features.  And because they share an image sensor that is very similar, and all with 18 MP, the image quality of these three cameras will be nearly identical.  The Canon consumer/ pro-sumer lineup has never been so similar as it now becomes.  So as I like to profess, you need to choose which camera is best for you based on the advanced features and customization options that are important to you and the way you work.  See this post for what I mean.

Before I get into it, I want to mention that I will be selling a Canon 60D eBook tutorial, which covers ALL the Menu settings and Custom Function settings of the 60D (except movie menus), with recommended settings, PLUS in-depth descriptions of how and and why to use its settings and features in everyday use – Your World 60D – The Still Photographer’s Guide to Operation and Image Creation. Learn more about it here:  http://dojoklo.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/canon-60d-users-guide-and-tutorial/

Strangely, the 60D takes a step back from the 50D in continuous shooting speed, in construction, and in use of an SD memory card, and lack of AF Microadjustment capability.  They must have determined the smaller size and weight was an important consideration for the target consumer.  But basically it is a Canon 550D/ T2i with a larger, more rugged body, advanced buttons and controls, and more advanced menu and customization options (or is it a stripped down 7D?!)  One of the only functional differences between the 60D and the 550D is the faster continuous shooting speed.  The elimination of the 50D’s thumb joystick and moving that control to inside the large control dial on the back is an interesting decision.  While I think I prefer the location of the 50D thumb button, the new controller on the 60D may be easier to control on the diagonals, which I still struggle with on the 50D.  In reality, it may just be a matter of getting used to the new control (although dpreview isn’t very pleased with it in actual use).  The new 60D uses the same battery as the 7D and 5D, the LP-E6 – an unusual choice considering it is bigger than the 50D battery, but a good choice.  Another great feature that Canon incorporated is the locking Mode dial, so that the top mode dial doesn’t accidentally move from, for example, Av mode to Landscape mode, which happens occasionally with my cameras as I take them in and out of their bags or as they lay against my leg hanging from the R-Strap.

Canon has added a lot of in-camera processing abilities which may prove to be useful and time saving to those who shoot a lot of photos and need fast turn-around.  Most importantly, this includes the in-camera RAW processing, turning your RAW files into JPGS with the settings you desire, without opening them up and making the changes in Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop or Lightroom.  This also includes in-camera image resizing, while maintaining the original file.  According to Canon,

“In-camera RAW image processing features include Picture Style, White Balance (WB), Color Space, High-ISO Noise Reduction, Peripheral Illumination Correction, linear distortion correction and chromatic aberration correction. These powerful in-camera editing tools will allow photographers in the field to produce optimized images on the spot and generate JPEG files at various resolution and compression settings for immediate sharing, without affecting the original RAW data.”

“Another great new feature for photographers-on-the-go is Canon’s new image resizing function. After capturing full resolution or smaller JPEG images, the camera can generate lower-resolution copies using menu commands. New lower-resolution settings include 1920×1280 for optimal display on HD televisions, or 720×480, ideal for immediate uploading to social networking and other photo sharing web sites. The original high resolution files remain unaffected by the image resizing function.”

And also, they’ve included some new fun filters, including the unexpected “toy camera” and tilt-shift-like “miniature” filters:

• The Soft Focus effect filter helps dramatize an image and smooth over shiny reflections.
• The Grainy Black and White filter can give a different nostalgic perspective to any shot.
• Canon’s “Toy Camera” filter deliberately adds vignetting and color shift for a creative option when shooting a colorful scene.
• Users can also make a scene appear like a small-scale model, simulating the look from a tilt-shift lens, with Canon’s Miniature Effect filter, great when shooting any scene from a high vantage point.

These kinds of inclusions, along with the size and weight reduction, indicate that the 60D is moving down the pro/pro-sumer/consumer scale towards the consumer end, with the Canon 7D now being the pro-sumer camera.  (However, I still profess that any of these cameras, from the 550D on up, can give you professional quality images).  Unfortunately the new 60D is a camera designed with product positioning (to fill a spot and a price point between the 7D and 550D and its position in relation to Nikon) and marketing (to appeal to a certain target of customers) as a priority more than with technology, innovation, and advancement in mind, which is disappointing to Canon photographers accustomed to the xxD progression of improvements.

Is it more accurately the 60D vs. 7D?  Or the 60D vs. 550D / T2i?  Here was my analysis and speculation from this previous post, three months ago (I know it is silly and pointless to make these predictions, but I’m pretty proud of my earlier assessment):

“It seems that it [the 60D] will sit at a new position that will no longer be a bridge between pro and consumer cameras (pro-sumer) as the 7D now fills that role (as the 50D once did), but will now be considered a very advanced consumer level camera.”

As dpreview now states,

“With the 60D Canon has unashamedly moved the X0D range out of the ‘semi pro’ bracket and instead focused on the enthusiast photographer looking to upgrade from their Rebel. As a result, it’s not the obvious continuation of the 30D – 40D – 50D pattern that its naming might suggest. Rather than being a direct upgrade replacement for the 50D, it’s perhaps better understood as a ‘Super Rebel.”

And later they call it,

“…essentially a new tier of EOS SLR, perhaps best described as a ‘high end Rebel.”

Let’s see how the actual 60D specs line up with my predictions!

Canon 60D

• 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• Vari-angle 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 ratio LCD
• Full HD movies with manual control
• DIGIC 4
• 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs
• 9-point cross type AF System
• iFCL metering with 63-zone Dual-layer Sensor
• Integrated Speedlite transmitter
• Estimate Retail Price $1,099
• 96% Viewfinder
• ISO 100-6400, H:12800
• SD memory cards

My Predictions from this previous post

• 18MP 1.6x sensor – same!
• 3″ 3:2 LCD – articulating – same!
• HD video – same!
• single Digic processor- same!
• 6 or so FPS at high speed – close but the 60D is a little slower than expected
• 9 or so point autofocus system, less advanced than 7D – same!
• 63 zone metering – same!
• (I didn’t know what to predict for the wireless flash – glad to see they included it!)
• cost: $1,100-$1,300 – same!  B+H is listing it for $1,100.  The kit is with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens for $1,399.
• 98%+ viewfinder – I was off with this one.  It is disappointing the 60D doesn’t have a viewfinder quite as big and bright as the 7D, but it is close.  It also uses interchangeable focusing screens but it looks like it doesn’t have the nice light up grid option as in the 7D.
• all other features of 50D (construction, custom functions, AF microadjustment, live view, etc.)- same for the most part.  Slightly smaller and lighter.  This is due in part to the unfortunate use of a “polycarbonate resin with glass fibre on aluminum chassis” body rather than the more rugged magnesium allow of the 50D and 7D. The 60D also eliminates the thumb joystick for choosing focus points and locates it within the large control dial on back.  Again, a strange choice.  The 60D does not have AF Microadjustment capability, so again this makes it closer to the 550D than the 7D.  The 60D also does not have a PC terminal for connecting external flashes via a cable.
  
• Doesn’t use CF memory cards – strange.  Seems like a backwards step, but I suppose it contributes to the slightly smaller size.
  

Lack of AF Microadjustment: Since the Canon 60D does not have Auto Focus Calibration, AF Microadjustment, see the bottom of this previous post for how to deal with that.  Canon is hearing from those disappointed that the 60D does not have AF Microadjustment and they may decide to update the firmware and include it in the 60D when it actually goes on sale.  However, I still don’t understand why many are so adamant about AF Microadjustment.  Have you ever tried to calibrate a zoom lens?  Not just with the center point at one focal length, but rather to calibrate it for real life circumstances?  At various focal lengths and with different focus points?  It is an infuriating, possibly impossible task.  AF Microadjustment is a built in admission of lack of quality control of cameras and lenses, and not a positive, much less deal-breaking, feature.  I would love to hear from people who disagree because they have had positive and beneficial experiences with calibrating their lenses.

So, who is the Canon 60D for?  Canon says,

“For the hobbyist looking for their first “professional-style” camera, or the enthusiast aiming to take their photography to the next level, the EOS 60D makes a sensible choice…For travelling photographers, the high resolution APS-C sensor will capture all the details while at the same time keeping the body and lenses small and light enough to avoid weighing you down.”

Fair enough, I would have to agree with that.  See this other post to help you decide between a Canon 7D vs. 60D vs. 550D.

Here is a great quote from Photo.net to sum it all up:

“You can look at the EOS 60D as a Rebel T2i but with a better viewfinder, better AF, higher frame rate, a tilt and swivel LCD, an electronic level, a rear QCD, a larger capacity battery and overall better ergonomics. Alternative you can look at the 60D as an EOS 7D, but with a less advanced AF system, less weather sealing, a slower frame rate, no vertical electronic level, a smaller JPEG buffer and using an SD(HC) card rather than CF. The unique feature of the EOS 60D is the tilt and swivel LCD screen.”

See their hands-on preview here.

more info here:

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/slr_cameras/eos_60d

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1008/10082620canoneos60d.asp

If you are interested in researching or purchasing the equipment I use, discuss, or recommend, please have a look at the site I’ve set up on Amazon.com.

Please leave a comment and let me know if my posts have been helpful, and what you’d like to learn more about.

Deconstructing the Shot – Photo 1

This post is the first in an occasional series in which I will describe the making of a photograph, from both a technical and artistic standpoint.  I’ll go through the camera settings and why they were chosen, as well as the thought processes going through my head regarding composition and the creation of the image.  These types of posts will be concrete examples of a previous post of mine called How Pros Photograph, which describes the various decisions that may be going through a photographer’s head as they work a scene and make photos.

The Photo: As the first example photo, I’ve chosen the full, original version of the current header image of this blog, a line of kids reading in the courtyard of Ventanas Abiertas, an after-school learning center in San Miguel Dueñas, Guatemala.  I traveled to this NGO near Antigua in November of 2009 to photograph the center, its founder, teachers and students, and its work in the community.  I created this strip of images showing select photos from the series as I worked towards finding and making this image:

The Process: As I roamed the center taking photos, I spotted the kids all lined up on a curb in the courtyard, reading.  The linear composition and the striking yellow wall made for a pretty obvious opportunity.  I had a Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens on a Canon 7D, with a protective UV filter on the lens.  I first took a shot from a standing position, lining the kids across the center of the frame.  The focal length of the lens was at 23mm, a wide shot to capture the whole scene.  That shot has a bit of a snapshot look, and didn’t take full advantage of the yellow wall, had far too much of the grey concrete patio, and created too static of a composition which did not make use of the opportunity to apply the rule of thirds for a more dynamic composition.  I re-framed to move the line of kids to the bottom third of the frame, and still had the lens wide and was standing.  To better fill the frame with just the kids and to create a better point of view, more on the level of the kids, I crouched down and zoomed in to 35mm.  Although the 35mm focal length is a wide angle and thus prone to distortion, due to my camera to subject distance there is only a slight amount of distortion in the image.  If I had moved closer to the subjects, more distortion would have been obvious.  At this point I checked my settings and saw I was at ISO 400 from the previous shots in the shade, so I lowered it to ISO 200 since the late afternoon light was still pretty bright.  The lowest ISO possible for the given situation will typically create a higher quality image file.  For all the shots I was using Aperture Priority mode.  I almost always use Av mode unless i am dealing with motion or blur that needs to be controlled (then I use Tv mode), or am using the flash in a controlled situation (and then I often use Manual, M mode).  The aperture was set at f/5.0 to give me a relatively shallow depth of field, but enough so that the kids and the wall behind them were all in focus, but anything inside the doorway and window would be a bit blurry and thus less distracting.  Unlike most of my images, the aperture setting wasn’t critical here, as the depth of the entire image is mostly all within a couple feet, from the kids’ toes to the wall behind them.  So f/4.0 or f/8 would have given me virtually the same image.  At ISO 200, the shutter speed was at 1/80 or 1/100, which was fast enough for handholding.  A little faster would have been better to ensure there was no blurring if a child moved their head or hands during a shot, so leaving the camera set on ISO 400 would not have been a mistake.

As you can see in the first several photos, many of the kids were aware of me taking their photo, and were posing, goofing, or self conscious.  I continued to take a few shots and waited for them to begin to ignore me.  I liked the composition, and the window and the doorway to anchor the sides of the frame, so I continued to take the same shot, attempting to get the best moment of poses and facial expressions.  I attempted to keep the image straight, aided by the lines visible in the viewfinder of the 7D.  For all of the shots, I manually selected an auto-focus point, using a point below the central focus point which would line up on or near the face of one of the central kids.  This would take advantage of the nice contrast between the dark hair and the lighter face to ensure proper auto-focus.  By selecting an AF point exactly where I wanted to focus, I didn’t have to worry about focusing or have to re-frame each subsequent shot.  The exposure metering was set on evaluative.  The bright yellow wall could have easily messed with the metering, and I’m sure another camera like my 50D would have overexposed the wall, but the 7D performed nicely on this mode.  I checked my histogram a couple times to make sure I wasn’t blowing out any highlights and thus needing to use exposure compensation to adjust for that.

The Final Image: Canon 7D, 16-35mm f.2.8L II at 35mm, ISO 200, f/5, 1/100s

I took a series of 19 images of this same scene, over 1 minute and 12 seconds.  As you can see, it didn’t take long for the kids to begin to ignore my presence.  My chosen shot was from the middle of this series, IMG_3068.  It stood out among all the others in the poses, positions, groupings, and facial expressions of all the kids.  Throughout the time of the series, a head appeared in the window, and people moved around inside the doorway.  Luckily with my chosen shot, the head was in the window, as I like this subtle, almost hidden detail.  I liked the bit of green from the plant on the left, but my chosen shot unfortunately doesn’t show much of it.

The Post-Process: To create the final image, I adjusted the color and contrast in Adobe Camera RAW (ACR).  I had shot the image in RAW for maximum quality and processing latitude.  Due to the available light of the scene and the proper exposure, it required little processing.  I set the Temperature at 4600 and the Tint to 8.  I adjusted Recovery to 5 to bring back some of the detail of the yellow wall which was very slightly blown out, Fill to 15 to lighten up the children’s clothes, Brightness stayed at the standard 50, I set Contrast to 20 with plans to increase it a bit more in Photoshop.  Clarity 20, Vibrance 15, and Saturation 0.  I like a bit of color saturation, vibrance, and contrast in my images, but I prefer not to overprocess or to make the adjustments obvious.  While the yellow of these images is definitely vibrant, especially compared to the dull, neutral RAW images, it is a realistic representation of the actual color.  Typically I straighten and maybe crop a bit in ACR, but miraculously this shot was very level, and also left no room for cropping.  In Photoshop I used Curves to adjust the contrast somewhere between the Linear and Medium presets, and used Unsharpen Mask to sharpen.  I don’t know what my exact settings were, but I had to use aggressive sharpening because the Canon 7D I used had a severe front-focusing problem.  The settings were probably Amount: 175 or 200, Radius: 1.8, and Threshold: 4.

The Lesson: We should always learn from our photos, so that next time we are in a similar situation, we can create an even better image.  Some improvements I could have made to this image include possibly crouching or sitting even lower to be more on level with the kids faces (although this would have caused keystoning of the vertical lines), eliminating the doorway at right by either re-framing or moving slightly to the left (which would cut out a child or two on the right) or moving to my right and shooting back towards them at a slight angle, but this would have affected the straight-on view which I feel is important to this composition.  I would not have minded a little more of the green plant on the left in the frame.  The image demonstrates the importance of keeping the camera level and the sensor parallel to the subject to avoid unwanted distortion.  The best way to keep the horizontal and verticals straight while taking the photo is to make sure the camera is not tilted up or down and that the sensor is parallel to the wall.  This involves moving yourself and the camera up or down to get the framing you desire.  Also, in post-processing, I could have used the lens correction menus in ACR or Photoshop to perfectly straighten all the verticals and horizontals.  Finally, although the color looks good, now I would have paid more attention to adjusting the Temperture and Tint, or adjusting the white balance using Curves in Photoshop because I have experimented and learned a bit more about these settings since then.  Also, now that I see IMG_3074 again, (the last one in the strip above) I like it a lot, and should probably process that one and add it to my collection of final images.

So hopefully you can see from this explanation and from my previous post that photographs don’t necessarily just happen.  They are created through a combination of thought processes, a series of decisions, and the application of camera settings based on these decisions and on the situation at hand.

The second post of this series can be seen here.

World Humanitarian Day 2010

Today is World Humanitarian Day 2010.  Help celebrate the efforts and accomplishments of humanitarian aid workers worldwide.

Guidebook Cover

I just stumbled across this on Amazon – here’s my photo on the Viva Travel Guide – Machu Picchu and Cusco guide book.

Inca King at Inti Raymi – Sacsayhuaman, Cusco, Peru 2007

I would like to mention, for those researching digital SLR cameras, that this photo was taken with an Olympus SP-320, 7 megapixel point and shoot!

Steve McCurry and the Last Roll of Kodachrome

Here’s a great article about what renowned photographer Steve McCurry did with the last roll of Kodachrome ever produced.  I’m eagerly looking forward to the National Geographic special that follows him around the world as he uses the final roll.

Check out this site for some wonderful historic photos on Kodachrome from the 1940′s.

October 1942. “Lieutenant ‘Mike’ Hunter, Army test pilot assigned to Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, California.” 4×5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.

It looks like Alien Skin Software has a nice Kodachrome preset in their Exposure 3 product.

Becoming a Humanitarian Photograper – After the Self-Assignment

I wrote a popular previous post about How to Start Out as a Humanitarian Photographer.  It discusses one of the important initial steps of this endeavor:  the Self-Assignment.  The self-assignment – a volunteer trip to work with and photograph an NGO or non-profit – should help you determine if humanitarian or travel photography is something you really wish to pursue.  And if so, it helps you to gain experience working in the field, collaborating with NGOs, and preparing for future assignments.  Once you’ve completed and returned from that trip, there is much more to be done!

Be sure to check out the photo book give-away going on now!  Available Light by Don Marr.  See this post for details.

Editing: Your first task is to select the best images out of the hundreds or thousands of digital images you took, and then to edit and optimize those images.  If you are not already adept at working with Photoshop and/ or Lightroom you need to learn the programs and begin to gain proficiency.  There are numerous books for this, so try to find the ones that work best with your learning style.  Some of the ones I’ve found most helpful are the books by Scott Kelby and by Chris Orwig:

The Adobe Photoshop CS5 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby

Adobe Photoshop CS4 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques by Chris Orwig

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques by Chris Orwig

These and other helpful photography related books can be found in my post on Essential Digital Photography Books.  Don’t worry about learning every feature of the programs but concentrate on the basic color, contrast, and sharpening features, as well as layers and adjustment layers.  As you gain proficiency, move into masking, retouching, advanced sharpening and black and white conversions.  Develop good editing, metadata, storage, and workflow habits from the start because it becomes hard to undo bad habits later on.  Begin to learn how to use actions and batch processing to more quickly process numerous images.

Contests: When you’ve finished selecting and editing your best images, begin to enter them in contests.  The reason for entering contests is not to gain sudden fame, riches, and an instant professional career.  Few, if any contest will lead to this, no matter what they promise.  Instead, the purpose of contests is to start to develop credentials.  Being selected as a finalist or winner of a photo contest will enable you to add that accomplishment to your CV, and winning will allow you to add that coveted phrase in front of your name:  “Award winning photographer.” Many contests lure you with the promise of exposure to those in the photo industry or the greater public, but in reality there is very little chance that this will lead anywhere, even if you win.  Photographers who are regularly published in magazines and whose name is often in front of industry insiders still struggle to obtain their next gig, so don’t expect your single photo to bring you much.  Also, participating in contests will help you to see what others think of your photos.  Of course you think they are great, and your friends and family rave over them, but what about others out there?  It also helps to see your photos side by side with countless others to see if your images truly stand out among the masses.  However, it comes back to you to be the best judge of this.  The images that are chosen will often confuse and annoy you and the other entrants, and it is often difficult to understand why the judges chose particular images.  It helps somewhat to look at the winners of the previous years to see what types of images catch the judges’ eyes, but it is impossible to second-guess what they are looking for year to year.  Stick to entering the images you like best, but detach yourself emotionally from your photos’ subjects and the experience of taking them, and view them as an impartial observer.  If contests ask for captions, descriptions or short essays to go with the photos, take time to carefully write them.  Look into guidelines and recommendations for writing newspaper captions, and please, avoid saying amateurish phrases like, “I took this photo while standing…”

There are a few contests (and grants) that cater to humanitarian photography, such as those run by Photoshare, Focus for Humanity, and PhotoPhilanthropy.  There are countless other photography contests so search on the Internet to find some current ones.  Many of your photos will likely fit well in travel photography contests or the travel category of a contest.  Also be sure to look at other categories that might apply such as people or portraits.  It is best to stick to the well know, reputable contests, like those run by National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, airline magazines, travel magazines like Conde Nast Traveler, travel guidebooks like Rough Guides and Viva Travel Guides, travel websites like Peterman’s Eye, contest sites like Travel Photographer of the Year, and newspapers.  Be wary of contests that charge entry fees.  You can quickly spend a lot of money entering multiple photos to multiple contests in the hope of gaining notoriety.  But remember that the likelihood of you winning the grand prize is small, no matter how amazing your images are, and even if you did win, it will not lead to sudden fame and an instant professional career.  While some of the contests you have to pay for are well respected and legitimate, such at the International Photography Awards, and it may be worth it to enter a couple, keep in mind that the most you can expect is to be able to use this credential in your bio and descriptions.  Also note that some of the prestigious contests with entry fees attract professional and commercial photographers or very highly talented amateurs, and the quality of the entries exceptional.  Determine if it is worth your time and money to enter, or better to wait a few years until your skills and images improve.  But also remember that, despite thousands of entrants, it is possible to win photo contests.  I’ve been recognized in several contests, have won a dSLR, and had my photo selected for a travel guidebook cover.

Be sure to carefully read the fine print of a contest’s rules and guidelines, especially to determine if you are signing away the rights to your photos.  Contests are often tools for a company to gather a large pool of free photos to use in their books or website, and you may be surrendering lifetime, or even exclusive rights to them just by entering.  You never want to surrender your copyright or give them exclusive rights and just give away your photos for free for them to use however they wish.  Recent examples of this which greatly upset many photographers including well respected professionals were a National Trust contest in the UK and a Frommer’s cover contest.  If you are still determined to enter and feel that the potential benefit outweighs the cost, consider entering a photo that is similar to your best photo, but not the exact same one that you may wish to use, exhibit, and sell later.

Grants and Fellowships: In addition to contests, you should also consider applying for grants and fellowships.  There are very few of these, but if you were to win, they would allow you to travel and pursue an in-depth project.  I’m sure you’ve begun to think about personal projects and places you would like to travel to and photograph, so turn your idea into a compelling story.  Most grant and fellowship applications require both a sample photo essay or story and an essay or proposal.  Hopefully on your self-assignment you documented your project in a manner that tells a story of a place, organization, or person.  If not, careful editing and captions might create a good photo essay.  Some grants or fellowships require a project already in process, so keep this in mind as your travel and work.  Writing the proposal is very time consuming and takes a lot of careful thought, so start working on yours well in advance of the deadline, and follow their requirements precisely.

Many of the contests, grants, and fellowships occur annually, so be sure to add them to your calendar, giving yourself a few weeks to prepare for each of them.  Some online sites which list many of them are:
http://jasminedefoore.com/resource-photo-contests-and-grants-calendar/
http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/contest-and-grant-calendar
http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/grantsawards-calenders
http://photographygrants.blogspot.com/
http://photojournalismlinks.com/awardsgrantsandcompetitions/

Website: This is pretty self-explanatory – build a website to share your work with others.  There are countless sites which are designed to host photo portfolio websites, such a PhotoShelter and Fluid Galleries, or templates you can incorporate into your own website.  Try to strike the best balance you can between do-it-yourself, cost, functionality, and professionalism.  Domains and hosting are very cheap through places like GoDaddy, but portfolio templates and hosting can start to add up to hundreds of dollars a year.  Try to keep the costs to a minimum until you start making money from your photography.  Just make sure your site looks clean and professional, functions quickly and intuitively, and that your images are large and easy to navigate.  Here is a list that can get you started.

Exhibitions: Print and frame your photographs and exhibit them so that you can share them with a wider audience.  Look for unique opportunities of places and events that might be eager to incorporate your photos, such as travel agency offices, local festivals, performances, and movie screenings that relate to the culture or country where your images are from, local stores, and restaurants (although I am wary of this last one as I would prefer to sell my images to them and am afraid of damages to the prints from exposure to constant cooking air).

Read: Continue to read and learn about the humanitarian issues and the countries that most interest you.  A good place to start is any of the books listed in the Humanitarian Books section of the Amazon.com site I put together.  Get them from your library, or purchase them through that site and help support my work!  This post also has information about books, and this post talks about other resources for learning about humanitarian issues.

The next step in the process is to learn the business aspects of becoming a professional photographer.  I’ll save that lesson for another time!

For related posts, be sure to check out the other entries in the Humanitarian Photography category.