Fotos For Phun - Photography by Scott Denny

Photo Talk: Tripods

2011-04-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

My last post was in May 2010…wow!! Between being blessed to make another trip to Kenya, Yellowstone, spending time in central Illinois at a Civil War reenactment, my last wedding (yippee!), and various other photo ventures…my summer of 2010 was packed!!!

Well…lets get back to some Photo Talk. I used to think my using a tripod was just me being old fashioned, that is until I read more and more articles from professionals I respect saying that using a tripod is the best method to make sure your camera is stable…period.

Two of the professionals I respect that have written about this are George Lepp and Art Wolfe. Both have acknowledged that even though image stabilized lenses and cameras are on the rise, the best way to make sure you are steady is by using a trusty tripod.

For a while I started to feel like the odd man out walking around carrying a tripod. When I would go out on shoots I would see other photographers with image stabilized lenses and I would start to think – maybe I should get with the times.

Then I started to watch Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge on PBS. Ahhh…world renowned photographer Mr. Wolfe shot with a tripod more than not. In fact, in addition to a tripod he most often shoots with a remote trigger as well. The remote trigger with a tripod mounted camera and lens gives you the best chance of stability and no unwanted movement from you pushing the release button.

There is yet one more trick up Mr. Wolfe’s sleeve that I knew about but seldom do…mirror lock up. The mirror lock up mode stops your mirror from flapping when you take a shot, therefore stopping movement.

The moral of the story? If you want to make sure your camera is stable, use a tripod, a remote trigger, and mirror lock up (most often for landscape).

I personally do not have a single lens with image stabilization technology. For me the big reason is cash. Canon L lenses are not the cheapest things in the world and I don’t have an endless bank account.

Take the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM for example. The standard version can be purchased for about $625-$700. The image stabilized version runs about $1200 or more. There have been a few times I thought image stabilization would be nice but then I remember that many photographers, well before my time, have produced breath taking images without an image stabilized lens.

Regardless if you buy a pro-grade lens or not, you can still get great shots and you still want your camera stable. So…let’s talk tripods.

I see many people carrying small tripods and many of those tripods being insufficient for what they are trying to achieve. The idea is to make sure you are stable. I have seen some cameras on tripods that waiver in the wind. Such a situation defeats the purpose and of course puts your gear at risk.

Don’t be fooled that you need to spend $500 on a set of tripod legs that are solid and stable. Sure there is some truth to - you get what you pay for. Still, there is also a point where spending $500 or more on tripod legs is really hard to justify.

I set my limit at $200. There are several really nice tripods you can pick up for under $200. Flashpoint, a house brand from Adorama offers several models under $200, as does Giottos and Benbo.

I use Giottos MT-7371 Tripod Legs. I selected this particular model for a number of reasons. One is that it is an older series from Giottos and can be found for a respectful price. Granted it is getting harder to find these legs in stock at e-stores but with a little work you might just get lucky. And…there is always used on Ebay and other auction sites.

Another reason I selected this model was that it has twist lock legs. I live in Wisconsin and do a fair amount of cold weather shooting. I have had tripods with clasp lock legs and although I never had a clasp break on me, I always lived in the fear that it would happen.

Yet another reason I selected this model is because it has only three leg sections. This means there are only two twist locks to adjust. Not only can this make tripod set up faster, the legs are thicker in diameter, therefore more stable.

The Gittos MT-7371 also has the ability for very low level shooting. I used to have a really nice Manfrotto tripod I loved. The problem was that I could not use it for stabilizing low profile shots.

One of the last reasons was this models maximum weight limit of 22 lbs. I figured out my Canon 30D with battery grip, EF 400mm lens, and Sigma EF 500 DG Super flash weighs in at about nearly 6lbs. I felt more than confident that my tripod legs will handle my gear.

If one day I am blessed to be able to afford the Canon EF 400mm f/4 or the Canon EF 500mm f/4, my tripod legs will still be able to handle the weight with utmost confidence. Man…I sure hope that blessing comes around one day.

I no longer let the fact I am lugging around a tripod bother me. I believe that the percentage of “keeper shots” has increased because I use a tripod. Whether it is taking photos of still life, nature, landscapes, events, or wildlife I use a tripod. Besides having increased my chances of stability, using a tripod also decreases fatigue.

The only time I have a hard time with a tripod is taking bird in flight shots. I know there are plenty of photographers taking bird in flight shots using tripods. The problem for me is not the tripod; it is following the birds…LOL!!

The next Photo Talk will focus on tripod heads. If you spend money on a respectful tripod and get a weak head, the point has been defeated. The information I have shared about tripods is based on having owned four different ones through the years. I will use that same experience in sharing about tripod heads.

Thank you.

Photo Talk: It Has Been Some Time

2010-05-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a long time since I added a new post. I am very sorry for the delay.

Much of my time has been spent taking photos, preparing for a trip to Kenya in June 2010, and building a web site.

Historically my work could be seen on a photo sharing site called Redbubble. As much as I like the site I did not feel comfortable sending potential clients to the site.

Redbubble is a hybrid of photography and art. There are some images posted at Redbubble that I prefer client not see. That is why I created my own site.

My site is called Fotos For Phun

My new site has an assortment of information to include samples of portrait work, my pricing, and a new blog called - Little Light Of Mine. I am working to get that blog up and running on a more regular basis.

I have also built another site dedicated to the work I photographic work I did in Kenya. My first trip was June 2007 and this June I have the chance to head back to Kenya for a second time.

The Kenya Missions site is a simply designed site that give you a little more of a taste of Africa, to include some African music on each photo page.

I am not sure how I have been able to get so many viewer to this blog. I thank you for taking the time to stop by, read what I have to say, and maybe even share it with others.

I do plan on having a real Photo Talk blog soon. If by chance any of you readers have a topic you would like me to share my thoughts on, please drop me a line at fotosforphun@new.rr.com

Thanks again and I hope you have a chance to stop by the new web sites.

Scott

A Personal Note- Kenya 2010

2010-01-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

Mid June of 2007 I went on a mission trip to Kenya. The team worked collaboratively with the Kenyan church Agape Fellowship. The mission focus was placed on door to door ministry, crusades, street ministry, and help with newly planted church sustainability.

My primary objective? To journal the mission trip through photography. The photos would be brought back to our church so members of the church could better see the activities related to the mission trip.

In June of 2010 I have the opportunity to attend Kenya for a second time. I will be journaling this trip as well. In addition I will work more closely with the mission team as counselor of sorts.

The mission team primarily consists of teenagers and young adults ranging from 16-21 years of age. In 2007 we had a “mens” team that ministered in a different way.

The men worked with Agape Fellowship members to establish a computer learning center with the 14 PC’s we brought along, trained church personnel in proper sound system techniques, trained them to construct and operate two water treatments systems we brought along, and installed a diesel to fryer oil conversion kit on a church vehicle.

I have selected a handful of the nearly 2500 photos I took on the trip to provide you a little taste of the efforts of the mission team and give you a little insight to the areas of Kenya we visited in 2007.

The first part of the trip was spent in Nairobi, Kenya. It was amazing to see how “modern” central Nairobi was. They had a shopping mall like any respectful size city here in the States.

On one side of the road you had a booming city. Cross the road and you have some of the worst slums in the world. It was something I was not used to.

We spent some time at the Agape Fellowship church. It is located not far from Kibera, Nairobi’s second largest slum. Kibera is home to nearly 1.2 million people. Here in the States you might have six families per acre, amounting to about 15-20 people per acre. In Kibera there are roughly 1250 people per acre.

This is a new building being constructed near Agape Fellowship.

Here is a photo of the streets of Kabatini. Kabatini is just outside of Nakuru some 120 miles north of Nairobi. Not nearly as bad as Kibera but nothing like you would see in the States by any means. Note that is did not rain for days in this area. The mud consists of sewage run off. Needless to say, the sights and sounds were one thing. The smells in Kenya, were another story.

While in Kenya we visited a number of small cities, suburbs and slums. Githeri, Nakuru, Kabatini, Njoro, Kibera, and Nairobi to name a few of the places we visited. Some were rather remote small towns.

Here are some photos from some of the areas visited.

A church in Njoro.

The streets of Githeri

Just outside of Nakuru near one of the Agape Fellowship churches.

The teens and young adults often ministered by means of dramas. Although the English language is taught, many in the slums do not go to school. It was much easier to spread the Gospel with dramas and take with people afterwards.

Dramas were held at schools, in the streets, and at some of the churches. In a square mile there might be six or eight schools. Each school serves between 800 and 1200 students. Classrooms are small and therefore very crowded.

Here are some photos of dramas, schools, and observers.

A grade school in Nakuru.

A classroom at the Nakuru school.

A drama at the school in Nakuru

Student onlookers at the Nakuru school

A more high end private school in the Nakuru area.

A drama at another public school in the Nakuru area.

A drama in the streets of Githeri.

The dramas held at the schools were a rather captive audience. The children loved the dramas.

Open air crusades were held in the streets of the cities. Onlookers of all ages would stop and watch the drama, and listen to the message from the Kenyan preachers.

I will be visiting Kenya in 2010. I am asking for your help. I know many of you may not know me that well. Follow your heart. If you do not feel comfortable donating or cannot afford to donate, please pray for me.

The Enemy does not want the Word of God shared…period. The attacks that participants of the mission trip face are many. The Enemy does not want us to go and wants us to feel defeated before we even get on the plan. Your prayers are needed and appreciated.

If you scroll back up to the top part of my blog page you will see a Paypal Donation button. Please use this means to donate whatever you feel lead to.

Here is my personal email address. I would like to know if you donated so please drop me a line. If you are willing, I would like to send you a CD of photos after I return from the trip. It is a small token of thanks for your contribution.

fotosforphun@new.rr.com

Please feel free to email with any questions at all. I appreciate your taking time to read this blog.

Thank you.

Scott Denny

Photo Talk: Gearing Up

2009-08-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

This posting will talk about photo gear. I will cover some of the gear I have, why I have chosen it, and some other tidbits related to photo gear. The intention here is to shed some light on gear that you may have been pondering. If you have any specifc questions regarding any of the gear mentioned, please feel free to drop me a line at fotosforphun@new.rr.com

Bags & Cases
I have gone through more camera bags than some women have gone through purses. I think since I regained my passion for photography in 2006 I have gone through 4-5 bags. At least I get rid of them when they still have some kind of resale value.

The bag I am using now is the Lowepro Magnum Pro bag. It is the largest shoulder bag made by Lowepro and is working for me just fine.

I now carry two camera bodies (both with battery grips) and they fit in the bag great. The photo above is an sample photo. On the sides of my Magnum Pro bag I have added a Lowepro Sliplock Pouch 60 AW and a Lowepro Utility Case.

Here is a run down of what fits in my bag system:

- Canon 40D with battery grip (attached Tamron 28-75mm SP Zoom)
- Canon 30D with batter grip (no lens attached)
- Canon 70-200mm f/4 L USM (with hood reversed)
- Sigma EF 500 Super Flash
- Tamron 1.4x teleconverter
- Hoodman Loupe
- Two Canon Battery Chargers
- Energize AA & AAA charger
- Air Rocket
- Cleaning brushes
- Countless odd & ends

The Utility Pouch carries a Lowepro Filter Pouch, cleaning supplies, sunglasses and few other odds & ends. The Pouch 60 carries a Gary Fong Lightsphere and an extra Tamrac N-27 neckstrap.

I think I found my last bag. There is still plenty of room for various small items. The bag is built like a tank and really not that heavy full loaded.

Camera Body
I have had the opportunity to be able to have both a Canon 30D and 40D. Both are semi-pro bodies and will last me a very, very long time.

I recently chose the 40D over the 50D for clarity reasons. Camera companies are getting caught up in the hype and producing cameras with far too many megapixels for the sensor size, and with the latest HD video craze…I will like be not buying a new body for a long time.

Both the 30D and 40D have metal bodies and are more durable than plastic bodies. Both produce wonderful photos. There are some slight button changes between the two but not a real big worry.

Lenses
As of now I do all my work with three lenses. Each has a purpose and function for how I approach photography.

The Tamron SP 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD-IF provides a good focal range for landscape and some portrait photography. Being a part of the Tamron pro-series this lens has very good clarity. I also like that it has a fixed 2.8 f/stop.

Many zoom lenses will note a maximum aperture range throughout the lenses zoom range. For example a 75-300mm zoom may have a aperture range of f/3.5 to f/5.6. This means the largest opening at 75mm is f/3.5 and the largest opening at 300mm is f/5.6. Fixed means the largest aperture stays constant during the entire focal range. In this case the largest opening stays constant at f/2.8 throughout 28-75mm.

The Canon 70-200mm f/4 L USM picks up where the Tamron left off. I use this lens the most. It does well in many landscape scenes, super for wildlife, and a great portrait lens as well.

Then lens is also fixed so the aperture will stay open at f/4 throughout the 70-200mm focal range. This is a Canon L lens and part of their pro-series. The clarity and overall quality is awesome.

The Canon 400mm f/5.6 L USM is a fixed prime lens. The aperture is fixed and so is the focal range. This is not a zoom. It is strictly a 400mm lens.

This bad-boy is my wildlife lens. The picture quality and clarity is awesome.

These lenses are not my first lenses. I have bought and sold several lenses to upgrade to them. If you have checked out my other Photo Talk blogs you will notice that I feel very strong that it is more wise to spend less money on a camera and more money on your lenses. Glass matters!

Camera Support
Once you get a semi-pro body, add a battery grip, and slide on a Canon 70-200mm lens…you will feel like Jesse Ventura in Predator…you will be carrying a canon of a camera!

The answer? Good camera support.

My tripod set up is a Bogen 3011 Tripod Legs w/ Amvona Telos Series ATH-A03 Ball Head. It is a very sturdy set up. The ball head is rated to hold up to 30lbs. The tripod has leg adjustment latches that are easy to use in winter.

Like my lenses I have bought and sold a number of tripods until I found the one I like. I do a fair amount of frigid winter shooting and some tripod legs have clasps that become brittle in Wisconsin sub-zero temps. The legs on the Bogen 3011 adjust very well in cold temps.

My monopod set up is a Bogen 681 Monopod w/ Amvona Telos Series ATH-A03 Ball Head. The Bogen 681 is a three piece monopod. With only two leg adjustment latches it is very fast and easy to set up and maneuver.

I like the convenience of not having to switch my ball head from tripod to monopod. Each camera has an arca style quick release plate, and I also have one on each of the Canon lenses.

Supporting the camera and lens from a lens ring is much easier on the camera body and also makes the balance on the ball head a bit more even.

On The Go
Although my camera bag holds all my gear, it is awkward and cumbersome. Whether it be hiking back in the woods to shoot a waterfall, trekking through a wildlife refuge to photograph birds and wildlife, or walking for hours at a zoo…I like my gear arranged for quick accessibility.

My newest piece of gear is the Cotton Carrier. This state of the art system allows me to easily, confidently, and securely carry one or two camera bodies without having them swinging all over.

I just purchased my Cotton Carrier and will be using it with my Lowepro Field & Sport Belt & Harness System. The belt allows me to carry an assortment of lens pouches and utility bags so they are out of the way and have easy access. The weight of all the gear is well distributed to make hiking, trekking, and hours of being on my feet much easier.

Conclusion
Sometimes I wonder if a compact camera is a better option. LOL!!

Seriously, not everyone will want to carry so much equipment. Not everyone wants invest into all kinds of equipment. That is really ok.

The point of this post is to provide a little insight for those looking for gear and not sure what to purchase. Please do feel free to drop me a line with any questions.

Photo Talk: A Little Light On The Subject

2009-07-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

My intention with this blog is to share what I have learned in hopes it can help you with your photography. I have much to learn, but what I have learned I will certainly share with you.

I tend to receive a fair amount of questions about photography techniques and such. One common question asked is – “how can I make my picture look less like a snapshot?”

Well in the last blog I shared about composition and the rule of thirds. This time I will talk about lighting, more specifically natural lighting.

A common misconception is that a beautiful sunny day is a great day for photos. In many cases that is simply not true. Bright sunlight creates harsh shadows and washout. If you are looking to use such elements on purpose then sunny is good. In most cases overcast or party cloudy is much better.

In the following photo – “Runt” there is a direct light challenge. To better handle the harsh shadows and bright light, I had to position myself in a way to place the shadow where I wanted them in the photo.

You can see there is a shadow on the little fella’s left side but it is actually lightened by the reflection on his body. This angle worked out well for such challenging lighting conditions.

In the photo – “Small Pond” you can see the sky is rather cloudy but the sun popped out between the clouds. For this shot I had to expose for the brighter area. At the time I did not own a Split Neutral Density Filter, so I had to take several shots at different exposure to come up with the best overall exposure.

In this next shot – “All By Myself” the subject was actually backlit, meaning the light was on the back side of the subject. To fix this I used my on camera flash as a fill-flash. I added just enough light to brighten the subject and still have a well lit background.

In this one - “U Looka Dis Way…” the sun was really bright and harsh. I had to again arrange myself so the harsh shadows were in a place appealing to the shot.

Finally in the shot – “Do You Hear A High Squeaky Sound?”, it was an overcast day. The lighting is very even and easy to work with. Shadows are minimal if not non-existent.

I guess the final thought with this blog is that before you snap the photo, take a look at your lighting situation. Position yourself or the subject in a place where you can control shadows the way you would like. The end result will be much more satisfying.

Photo Talk: Composition & Framing

2009-06-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

As much as it is important to expose your image correctly, composing your photo is also very important. You have probably heard of the rule of thirds. I think it is a great guide and I do bear it in mind when I am taking photos. On the other hand I look for other factors in the frame of the image that I may use as I compose the photo.

Rule of Thirds
As mentioned there are photos that I take when I am totally using the rule of thirds. Here are a few examples of the extreme use of the rule.

Then there are examples of when the use of the rule is a bit more subtle but still present.

In this photo you can see that the elk is not exactly in one third of the image. The back end of the elk starts in one of the thirds. Your eyes follow his body and move toward his huge antlers. The flow keeps you eye focused on the elk which in this case is the main subject. You will notice as you look at the elk your eye is still noticing the surroundings of the elk but your eye is not drawn away from the elk.

Here is an example where I have used the road starting in one third of the image to lead you into the rest of the image. The road leads you into the depth of the shot, ending in the final third of the image.

This is yet another example where I have used more than a single third of the frame to compose this image. Granted this is a tighter crop and it is clear the wolf is the subject. In this framing I purposely waited for the wolf to turn his head over the back part of his body. This helps route your eye to the face of the wolf.

Skipping The Rule
There are times I do not think about the rule so much and think more of eye flow. I may want to lead your eye to the back part of a photo or I may want to make sure your eyes capture the full essence of the shot. In these kinds of situations I think less about the rule of thirds. I compose based on how your eye will be drawn into the photo.

I tend to use this approach more with nature. I am from the old school so I use a tripod most all the time when taking landscapes and nature photos. The tripod is not just for stabilization but more so for helping me compose the shot. If I were hand holding and want to take the photo in different metering or exposure approaches, I may not get the same framing as I desire.

In this image I wanted the focus to be the rich colored porous rocks and how the water flows around them. I tried to compose this in a way to have your lead throughout the photo.

The angle and framing of this shot was intended to have your eye follow and see the entire bridge and its length.

You can see the top of the waterfall is nearly dead center in this image. I used the rock formations and flowing river to lead your eye to the top of the falls.

Full Frame & Tight Cropping
If you spend time reviewing much of my work you will find I like tight cropping, especially with people and animals. Each of us see photos in a different way. I tend to like tight crops and full frame. I dont know why...just do.

I hope these examples will help you as you compose and frame your photos. Try not to make the same mistake I do, try and not frame your photo too tight to start with. Give yourself some room to do your cropping in your software. Still compose well in the view finder. Just when you think...ah...that is the way I want it to look, zoom out just a hair. That will give you some room to finalize the desired look when you crop it.

Photo Talk: Exposure Simplified - The Big Three

2009-06-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Whether I am at Yellowstone National Park, a local zoo, or some other type of tourist area I am seeing a huge increase in DSLR users. I am always curious as to how the photographer is shooting the scene, especially when I see a flash being used on a scenic mountain scene. So it is not unusual for me to strike a conversation with a fellow photographer or take a peek as what mode their camera is in.

Sadly many people are shooting in Program Mode and dont know how to change their ISO. Often I find people do not understand f/stops, shutter speed, ISO and how they work together. My intention of this posting is to try and simplify how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together. Knowing a bit more can help you create top quality images.

ISO
ISO stands for International Organizatoin for Standardiszation. It is bascially a system that establishes standards. The ISO standards are used when refering to film speed. The term film speed is really what we want to talk about when we talk about ISO. I think it is easier to understand and remember. Ah...the good ol film days!!

What does film speed mean anyway? It is bascially a way to decribe a sensitivity to light. A slower film speed means that it takes longer for light to burn through the film. The faster the film speed means it takes less time for light to burn through the film. With that said an ISO or FIlm Speed of 100 would be considered slower than an ISO or Film Speed of 1600.

Of course in digital photography we are not shooting film so what gives?? Well the sensor is your film in the digital world. Setting the ISO, for lack of better terms, sets the sensitivity of your sensor...its sensitivity to light. So again if you set the ISO at 100 your sensor will need to be exposed to light for a longer period of time than if you used an ISO of 1600.

You have probably heard of film grain. That is when the detail of the image becomes less sharp and sometimes even hazy. The lower the ISO the better quality image and less grain you will receive. On the other hand a higher ISO is likely to result in increased grain levels. To some degree grain can be control with proper exposure. Nevertheless, the general rule of thumb is the higher the ISO the less quality image.

Really that is about it. In the digital camera world ISO is refering to the sensitivity setting of your sensor and how much light it will need. So if ISO 100 needs more light than ISO 1600, how do we control how much light gets exposed to the sensor? That brings us to the next two of The Big Three.

Aperture
In optics aperture is a hole or opening in which light travels. The larger the hole, the more light is allowed through the lens. In this case the more light allowed through the lens to be exposed on your digital sensor.

How is the size of the opening measured? To start, just so you know, I dont know why they number it this way but they do. On a lens the aperture is measured by f-numbers. The larger the f-number the smaller the opening. The smaller the number the larger the opening. Check out the illustration.

You have probably heard that aperture settings determine the depth of field. Depth of Field (DOF) is bascially the portion of the scene that appears sharp in the image. Lets say you are taking a portrait of someone and you desire to have the background blurry but you for sure want your subject sharp. If you use a f/2.8 which is a rather large aperture the DOF will be short and the the background will be blurry. But be careful. Your DOF could be too short and the sharness could start falling off sooner than you would like and the result could be that the subjects hair line is not sharp. The answer? A smaller aperture setting. I tend to shoot portraits between f/5.6 and f/8, depending how much I want the background blurred. The smaller aperture also helps ensure my subject is sharp and completely focused.

So lets say I want the opposite result. Lets say I am taking a photo of a cool rock formation in front of a waterfall that is slighty in the distance. Lets say I do not want the background (in this case the waterfall) blurry, I want it in focus. You guessed it!! Then I want to set my aperture at a rather small aperture like maybe f/18 or even f/22. With the smaller aperture the scene sharpness will be longer. I will have the foreground rocks and the background waterfall all in focus. Awesome!!

So aperture is the opening that allows light to hit the sensor. If we are shooting at f/4 we can see the opening is rather large. How do we control how long that light is exposed to the sensor? That leads us to the next of The Big Three.

Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is the length of time the shutter is open to allow the light being exposed through the lens to hit the sensor. If light is very intense in all likelihood it will need to hit the sensor for a very short period of time. Therefore you will want a fast shutter speed, maybe even something like 1/1000 th of a second. If the light is very low you may need to expose the sensor to light for a rather long time, maybe up to 3 seconds.

Depending on the size of lens and how far you are zoomed in, you can typically hand hold a camera at shutters 1/60th of a second and faster. Slower than 1/60th like 1/10th or 1 second you will need a tripod or other means to support your camera to avoid a blurry image.

__________________________

Hopefully these simple explanations are beginning to help you see that The Big Three are rather easy to understand and a combination of the three makes for well exposed image which in turn makes for a quality photo.

There can be a lot more time spent on explaining The Big Three. My intention is to shed light on the basics and help you see how they work together.
So lets talk through a couple examples.

Example 1
Lets say I want to take some photos of nightime cityscapes with the city lights illuminating the streets of the city. I am not going to use a flash and I would like to have images of high quality with little or no grain. I set my ISO to 200. Based on what I have learned an ISO 200 is not very sensitive to light and will need to be exposed for a longer period of time. In all likelihood I will need a tripod.

With the ISO set at 200 I need to next decide on my aperture setting. I want to make sure my DOF is not too shallow yet at the same time I do not want all of the background in focus. I choose f/11.

Since I have a less senstive ISO and a somewhat smaller aperture selected I may have to choose a slower shutter speed to make sure everything is exposed correctly. Depeding on the actual amount of light the shutter speed will vary. To follow through with the example I will say I will need to set my shutter speed at 2 seconds.

ISO - 200
Shutter - 2 Seconds
F-stop - f/11

Example 2
It is late afternoon and I am taking photos of animals at a zoo. Not only is is later in the day but the animal I am photographing is in a shaded area therefore I have limited light. Typically during the daytime hours I would choose a lower ISO like 100 but I am not so sure that is going to work today. When taking photos of animals you will want a little faster shutter speed since they move unpredictably and faster than you think. I dont want blurry shots so I will need a faster shutter speed.

To get a faster shutter speed to work in this slightly lower light situation I will most likely need to use a little higher ISO. I set the camera at ISO 800. I know that I have selected a little more sensitive ISO so it will not need to be exposed to light nearly as long. To control this I will need to set my shutter and aperture accordingly.
I do want a faster shutter speed so I set it at 1/500th of a second. Although my ISO is sensitive, I have selected a faster shutter speed. The light will be exposed for a very short period of time so I will have to let more in through the aperture. Again, depending on the actual situation the f-number will vary. To follow through with the example I will say I set the aperture at f/4.

ISO - 800
Shutter - 1/500th
F-stop - f/4

Experiment...shoot, shoot, shoot. Since you are shooting digital you will not waste film. Try shooting the same scene in different ways. In no time you will feel comfortable to turn your camera mode dial off of Program and begin shooting in Shutter Priority Mode, Aperture Priority Mode, or even Manual Mode.

Photo Talk: The Skinny on Sensors

2009-06-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

To start I must say I was rather surprised this weekend when I found out that people are actually reading my blog and liking it. A big THANK YOU!!, to you.

When I discuss a topic I like to keep it as simple yet informative as possible. I find some sight over complicate things or get too deep in the subject. I like to think there are a lot of people that want to learn more but do not want to read something that takes a college degree to read.

With that said, lets talk sensor size, mega pixels, and the clarify that more is not necessarily better, but bigger is better.

Most of you probably remember what 35mm film looks like, I mean in reference to its size. The negative is the original, your master image. The data captured on a 35mm film can be enlarged but you will get to a point where the clarity is lost and the enlargment starts to look not so good. The negative is 35mm wide, about 1 3/8 inches. When you print a 4x6, 8x10, and 11x14 print from a 35mm negative you can see the clarity begin to diminish.

Do you remember the old 110 film and how small it was? It was 16mm wide. In this case your source is a little more than half the size of a 35mm. You can image the clarity loss as you print a 11x14 print from a .63 inch master.

I tell you all this to help explain what is going on with digital sensors and why more megapixels is not necessarily better. Sure the marketing will tell you it is, they want you to buy the camera. But really...sometimes less is more.

Here is a little image breakdown to show you comparison of sensor size. Of course this is not actual size but I am sure you will get the idea.

A sensor that is equivilent to a 35mm piece of film is called "Full Frame Sensor". Professional camera bodies are the ones that will have a full frame, or 35mm wide sensor and will cost you some serious cash. The most common size sensor in Digital SLR's is the APS-C which is 22.7mm wide. Many of the compact cameras have sensors that are 5.3mm wide. You can see already the difference in the size of your master image and the impact it will have on how large of an image you can really print.

Now that we have established some groundwork in sensor size...lets talk megapixels.

Don’t be fooled to think more is better. An APS-C sensor is 22.7mm wide and its size does not change with the addition of more and more megapixels. For the Mfg. to go from 10 MP to 15 MP the actual pixel must be smaller to crunch them on the sensor. In this example, 5 million pixels squeezed on the same sensor that once held 10 million.

Each pixel gathers light and exposed to color. One would think that having more is better. In fact you must remember that each of those pixels are now smaller, meaning it could take more light to maintain or increase effectiveness.

Everything I have read about the Canon 40D vs the Canon 50D indicates that the 40D is better in higher ISO noise. The 40D is 10.1 MP camera and the 50D is a 15.1 MP camera.

The big megapixel cameras (21.1 MP) for Canon are the 1Ds Mark III and the 5D Mark II which have full frame (35mm wide) sensors. Interestingly the other pro body from Canon (1D Mark III) which has an APS-C (22.7mm wide) sensor, has only 10.1 MP’s.

I think it is easy to conclude that more MP’s is not necessarily better. I am convinced the camera companies are building what you are willing to buy. As long as people think that more MP’s are better, they will continue to build and design entry level and advanced amateur cameras with more MP’s.

A good example is the compact camera world. Look at the size of the sensor in most of these cameras. It is like 5.3mm wide which is less than a ¼ inch.

Learning what you have, it is easy to conclude that 8MP on a DSLR (APS-C sensor) is much better than 8MP on a compact camera sensor.

I have had two compact cameras. My first was 2.1MP and the latest is 7MP. I have taken far better images with the old 2.1MP by far.

The two images above were taken with my Sony 2.1 MP camera. In a small compact camera I personally think less MP's are better. A 2.1MP image will make a good 4x6 print. Much bigger than that and quality drops.

The Canon 300D I took to Africa in 2007 was a 6.1 MP camera. It is my opinion that in most cases you do not need much more than 8 MP's unless you do a lot of cropping.

Please remember, a DSLR sensor is nearly 4.5 x's larger than a compact camera sensor. Even though a compact camera may have 8 MP's, the potential for top image quality is just not there.

Here is a little tool to help associate MP's with print size.

The point of this blog is to help you become informed and to encourage you to do a little more research as you seek to purchase what may be your first DSLR. Do your research before you buy. There are several great review sites.

Fred Miranda

The Digital Picture

SLR Gear

Digital Photography Review

Cross reference the reviews. Don't rely on one review to make your decision. You are investing a fair amount of money and you want to be confident in your purchase.

Even as I plan on upgrading, I will choose the Canon 40D over the Canon 50D. I am not looking for MP’s, I am looking for top quality.

Photo Talk: Not Taking Zoo Pictures

2008-09-04T20:07:00.001-07:00

At first you might think this is some kind of posting about how it is only a cool photo if it is taken in the wild. On the contrary...I am not one who thinks taking a photo in a zoo is wrong. As far as I am concerned, I love to capture God's creation and help express its beauty...zoo or in the wild.

This post is more about taking photos in a zoo and not having the photo look like a "zoo" photo.

I have seen many posts at various websites where the photographer has taken lets say a photo of a lion and forgot to exclude rocks, fences, and people. The shot may be a winner with an expression or action that is priceless but with all the other distractions it turns out not to be a "money shot".

I am still learning everytime I go off to a zoo. Not only do I learn more about photography but I also learn more and more about what zoos in my area are even worth going to.

I like to see large, natrual looking enclosure and evidence that the animal is well taken care of. I also like to check out the lighting situation and make a plan as to what animal I want to photograph when.

It is funny...almost every zoo I go to says - "The bears are more active in the early morning and mid evening". It cracks me up because the zoo does not open until 10 am and closes at 5 pm. LOL...I can never figure out why they tell me such things.

So anyway...after you spend a little time figuring out what you want to do and when, it is time to crack open the gear and get rockin.

You best have a decent size zoom. Something you can get nice and tight with if need be. I have a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L which can do the trick sometimes but there are times I add a 1.4 teleconverter to get a little distance.

Recently I added a Tamron SP AF200-500mm F/5-6.3 Di LD (IF) Ultra Zoom to my arsenal. I am very pleased with the zoom factor but it is not nearly as clear as my Canon L. I knew that when I purchased it so there is no real surprise.

I would certainly plan on using at least a monopod. Once you get used to shooting with one they are really quite handy. I personally would recommend a ball head of some sort so you can stay versatile with horizontal and vertical shooting.

When I use my bazooka...oh...Tamron 200-500mm it is certain I will need a tripod. I have tried to hand hold this thing but it is just better with a tripod.

Depending on the effect you are looking for, I generally try and stick with fairly fast shutter speeds - at least above 1/800th. You never know when an animal is going to blink, move, or turn their head.

Dont be too afraid of mid day lighting. Depending on the animal and how you adjust your exposures, it can really add character to the shot.

Another good practice it to switch your camera to burst mode. I like to take 2-3 shots in a row so I can ensure I am catching what I want to catch. If you have luck like me the first shot the deer closes its eyes. The second shot it sticks out its tongue. Maybe the third shot will be the winner.

I do a lot of zoo shooting. If you have any questions please feel free to drop a line.

Keep your strap around your neck and happy clickin!!

Photo Talk: Shooting In The Raw

2008-07-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

RAW file format that is...Sheesh...what kind of guy to you think I am?

When I first really started getting into digital photography I shot in JPEG mode. My camera at the time - Canon 300D was scary enough let alone trying to understand whatever the heck RAW meant.

As I read more and more articles I started to feel intimidated. All these pros are shooting in RAW format and I thought maybe I was too much of a novice to shoot like the pros.

Then one day I thought...what a bunch of bunk!! I can shoot RAW just like anyone else. Well let me tell you this...I will never shoot in straight JPEG mode again.

Right now I shoot in both JPEG and RAW mode. Without downloading a special viewer, my Windows XP does not preview RAW so I use the JPEG as a polaroid so to speak.

With RAW you are basically have the ability to take the photo all over again. If you underexposed, you can adjust the exposure compensation. If you have a little wash out, you can recover some of the detail. If you need a little fill in lighting, that can be done too. Oh and the two adjustments I love the most - adjusting blacks and vibrance. It is amazing what can be done with a RAW image.

So whats next? Well after you work your RAW image you can bring it into your photo software. I use Photoshop Elements 6. Once you bring it into your software you can make any further adjustment and save the image as a JPEG or PNG, or any other file type your software allows.

You see, RAW is the image you photographed in its rawest form. JPEG files are compressed. A good way to think about it is - When you click the shutter the camera captures the raw image. If you are in JPEG mode your camera does the "photo processing" which results in the JPEG you see on your screen.

My understanding is that each camera company captures the raw image in a different fashion, with different data. The same goes for JPEG. Each camera "processes" the image in a different way.

Think back to those old film days. Did you ever get photos back from the developer that were a bit blue? Or too bright? Too dark? Did you ever wish you could process the film yourself?

Well yippee howdy do!!! That is what you can do with RAW. You start with the "digital negative", make your adjustments, bring it into your software, customize it as you see fit, save it as a JPEG and you just processed your own photo!

Lets put this all together with some sample photos at the different stages.

This is the RAW image taken at the time I snapped the shutter. It was a rather overcast day with little or no sun to speak of. I knew saturation would be a challenge. Rather than select some kind of custom shooting mode in my camrea, I decided to try an ensure acceptable exposure.

The next image is after I made some adjustment in the RAW Converter software. I use the one in Photoshop Elements 6.

As you can see the photo is starting to take some shape. The next and final image is my final adjustments after I brought the RAW image into Photoshop Elements 6.

It really is not scary at all. If you are not shooting in RAW format you should really give it a try. If you can put your camera in JPEG + RAW, that way if you find you dont like working the RAW image, you still have the JPEG and did not lose the shot.

If your camera cannot shoot in RAW format, that is unfortunate. I have heard there are some point and shoots beginning to support RAW. Then again you may just be happy as a lark with JPEG. In that case dont sweat it...keep on clickin!!

Photo Talk: Shooting Modes - Which to choose?

2008-07-20T16:00:00.001-07:00

Depending on the type of photos I am taking, I may switch between four different shooting modes. For each photographer the shooting mode of choice is most likely a personal preference. Here are some of the modes I use and when.

Landscapes
In most cases when shooting landscapes I like to be in Aperture Priority. My subject is not moveing so I have a little more time to calculate how I might want to shoot the scene. With my selecting the f/stop and letting the camera determine the shutter speed, I can move from scene to scene and maintain the desired depth of field. I almost always am shooting a landscape with a tripod so I worry much less about shutter speed.

I also like to use Manual Mode, especially if I am shooting waterfalls, rivers, and streams. In general I like water looking a bit smooth. Not too much...there are some photos that just a little too much "cotton candy" effect. I do my best to try and keep a little bit of a good thing, if you know what I mean.

Wildlife
I find myself in Program Mode and Shutter Priority when shooting wildlife. Depending on the subject they can tend to move a bit and be unpredictable.

I have actually had a lot of success in Program Mode. In Program I can still override the apreture with the flick of a wheel. The Canon 30D also has exposure compensation made easy by spinning an adjustment wheel.

People
I do some portraits and am getting into them more are time goes on. Where I shoot most people photos is at events and such. When shooting at events I am strictly in Program Mode. I need the camera ready and ready fast. Getting that "money shot" of a child takes cat like speed. I cant be fumbling around with all kinds of calculations.

I am still learning as probably most of us are. Certainly there are different reasons to be in different modes. If you have a camera that has RAW capability, switching it to RAW is not a have bad idea.

If you are in RAW you can make up for some exposure errors or miscalculations fairly easy. To some it may sound like cheating. I say Iam being smart embracing the technology.

Drop a line, give me your thoughts, tell me the modes you like and why.