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by Joel Weisbrod
Before you start editing (or changing) your photographic images, it is important to understand what will happen as you make these changes. As I said in a previous column, “less is more” so try to limit your changes to only what is really necessary. Here are some photo-editing terms and descriptions that will help you get started.
Some Frequently Used Photographic Editing Terms
Exposure - Sets the overall image brightness, with a greater effect in the highlights. Adjust the exposure until
the photo looks good and the whites are at the right level. Exposure values are usually in increments equivalent to f stops. An adjustment of +1.00 is similar to increasing the aperture 1 stop. Similarly, an adjustment of –1.00 is similar to reducing the aperture 1 stop.
Brightness: Adjusts image brightness, mainly affecting mid-tones. Large brightness adjustments can affect shadow or highlight clipping, so you may want to readjust the exposure, recovery, or blacks after adjusting brightness.
Contrast: Increases or decreases image contrast, mainly affecting midtones. When you increase contrast, the middle-to-dark image areas become darker, and the middle-to-light image areas become lighter.
Hue: Changing the hue alters the balance of the color (for example shifting red to yellow or magenta). As hue affects all colors in the image, it is rarely a good choice when editing. If the white balance is correct, the colors will likely be correct and not need any hue adjustment. If your photo seems too “cold” or too “warm”, a slight hue change might help but will look better if done with a White Balance change.
Saturation: Changing the saturation alters the strength of the color. If you desaturate (remove all color) you will be left with a monochrome (black and white) image. Limit saturation adjustments as noise viagra pills is introduced whenever you increase color density.
Cropping: Cropping involves cutting out and keeping part of a photographic image. You might crop to focus attention on the real subject, or to remove extra areas that spoil the picture. Another popular reason for cropping is to create a specific size image. Most cameras produce an image that will print completely as a 4” x 6” print. When you try to print a 5” x 7” or 8” x 10”, parts of the image are cut off. Use the cropping tool to create the exact size you need while including the important parts of the image.
Burning: Burning means darkening part of a photograph. In the darkroom, it’s done by blocking some of the light that would normally reach the rest of the photo. In digital photo editing, it’s usually a paintbrush-like tool built into the application.
Dodging: Dodging is making a section of a photo lighter. When this is done in the darkroom, it’s usually by blocking some of the light from reaching other parts of the picture and then re-exposing. In a photo editing program, it’s a paintbrush like tool that lightens instead of painting.
Summary
Photo editing is an art and mastering the techniques involved requires time, patience, and practice. In addition to the short list of terms above, there are dozens of additional terms and techniques available to the photo editor. If you are serious about editing, consider taking a photo editing course or private instruction (such as those listed below). In the next column, we will discuss the how and why of Photoshop layers.
Note: Not all software products will use all these terms or allow these individual adjustments. In addition, while the basic concepts will all be the same, the actual effects from any may vary from one software product to another.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Format
Before you start editing (or changing) your photographic images, it is important to understand what will happen as you make these changes. As I said in a previous column, “less is more” so try to limit your changes to only what is really necessary. Here are some photo-editing terms and descriptions that will help you get started.
Some Frequently Used Photographic Editing Terms
Exposure – Sets the overall image brightness, with a greater effect in the highlights. Adjust the exposure until the photo looks good and the whites are at the right level. Exposure values are usually in increments equivalent to f stops. An adjustment of +1.00 is similar to increasing the aperture 1 stop. Similarly, an adjustment of –1.00 is similar to reducing the aperture 1 stop.
Brightness: Adjusts image brightness, mainly affecting mid-tones. Large brightness adjustments can affect shadow or highlight clipping, so you may want to readjust the exposure, recovery, or blacks after adjusting brightness.
Contrast: Increases or decreases image contrast, mainly affecting midtones. When you increase contrast, the middle-to-dark image areas become darker, and the middle-to-light image areas become lighter.
Hue: Changing the hue alters the balance of the color (for example shifting red to yellow or magenta). As hue affects all colors in the image, it is rarely a good choice when editing. If the white balance is correct, the colors will likely be correct and not need any hue adjustment. If your photo seems too “cold” or too “warm”, a slight hue change might help but will look better if done with a White Balance change.
Saturation: Changing the saturation alters the strength of the color. If you desaturate (remove all color) you will be left with a monochrome (black and white) image. Limit saturation adjustments as noise is introduced whenever you increase color density.
Cropping: Cropping involves cutting out and keeping part of a photographic image. You might crop to focus attention on the real subject, or to remove extra areas that spoil the picture. Another popular reason for cropping is to create a specific size image. Most cameras produce an image that will print completely as a 4” x 6” print. When you try to print a 5” x 7” or 8” x 10”, parts of the image are cut off. Use the cropping tool to create the exact size you need while including the important parts of the image.
Burning: Burning means darkening part of a photograph. In the darkroom, it’s done by blocking some of the light that would normally reach the rest of the photo. In digital photo editing, it’s usually a paintbrush-like tool built into the application.
Dodging: Dodging is making a section of a photo lighter. When this is done in the darkroom, it’s usually by blocking some of the light from reaching other parts of the picture and then re-exposing. In a photo editing program, it’s a paintbrush like tool that lightens instead of painting.
Summary
Photo editing is an art and mastering the techniques involved requires time, patience, and practice. In addition to the short list of terms above, there are dozens of additional terms and techniques available to the photo editor. If you are serious about editing, consider taking a photo editing course or private instruction (such as those listed below). In the next column, we will discuss the how and why of Photoshop layers.
Note: Not all software products will use all these terms or allow these individual adjustments. In addition, while the basic concepts will all be the same, the actual effects from any may vary from one software product to another.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
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by Joel Weisbrod
Now that you have decided that your photos could use a little help and want to edit them, where do you begin. Here are some starting tips and a small glossary of terms that will help you get started.
Organize the Photos on Your Computer
Regardless of the editing software or editing process, the photos or “image files” need to be on your computer. You will need to copy them from the camera or memory card into a folder on the computer. As the number of images seems to grow quickly, I suggest creating a separate main folder and then a structure of sub-folders beneath it. For example, I call my master folder “PHOTOS” and below this I have one folder called “FAMILY”. Inside the FAMILY folder, I have folders for each event where I took photos of my family. Each of these folders is named for the date and event, so for example I have “20080105-Jessica in Newport” for photos we took in Newport on January 5, 2008. Finally, inside this folder is a folder called “EDITED” where I have the completely edited photos ready for printing. Another important point about this process is that you should rename your edited photos when you save them so there is no chance that you will overwrite the original image file. While this amount of detail seems tedious when you have 50 image files, when your “catalog” of images grows to a few thousand, you will be grateful that you took the time to create an organized system to arrange, sort, and categorize your files.
Getting Ready to Edit Photos
Camera Processing – Shoot in RAW mode and/or turn OFF all in-camera processing including tone control, sharpening, etc.
Camera Image File Format – Set your camera for the best quality and highest resolution. This creates larger image files but this is best for any editing you may do later. viagra online Some cameras allow you to choose to optimize file compression for quality or size – in this case, always choose quality.
Focus is a Camera Only Technique– No matter which software you choose, you cannot fix the focus on an out-of-focus image. Make this a priority when you are taking the photo!
Less is More – While it may seem that if a little sharpening is good then a lot of sharpening will be great, this is rarely true. Your goal should be to capture the best images you can and then enhance them slightly. When editing, the less you do to your images, the better the
final prints will look.
Noise Reduction and ISO – Along with higher sensitivity, higher ISO settings introduce “noise” into your photos in the form of blotchy colors and irregular brightness. It is best to turn off the automatic setting for ISO and use the lowest possible ISO in all cases. If there is not enough light, turn up the ISO but recognize that this will affect the quality of the image.
Summary
Photo editing is a way to take your photography to the next level, creating better photographs through a series of changes and enhancements to your images. In the next article in this series, we will begin discussing some frequently used editing terms including “Cropping”, “Saturation”, “Exposure”, and others.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
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by Joel Weisbrod
With the days of the darkroom rapidly disappearing, photographers have turned to a new tool to replace the many special developing techniques professional photo labs have provided for more than 100 years – computer software. These software tools come in all sizes and shapes but the all-time leader in photographic editing and manipulation is Adobe® Photoshop®.
This powerhouse of photo editing techniques offers photographers a complete editing service right on your personal computer (PC or MAC). In its “lite” form, Adobe® uses
the name “Photoshop Elements®” which has most of the basic features of the full version at a much more reasonable price. Another popular Adobe® product of interest to photographers is LightRoom®. In this column, we will explore the differences in these two products. In future columns, we will outline some basic techniques useful for editing your photos and making ordinary photos look extraordinary!
Adobe® Photoshop® and Photoshop® Elements®
This software is perfect for serious editing of any photograph. It is designed to allow editing of one image at a time but allows you to combine multiple images or parts of images into one another or into a completely new image. Want to add a picture of your dog to the family photo?
This software can do this efficiently and effectively. Need to remove that electric wire from the sky in your beautiful landscape photo? No problem! Adobe® has included so many features that most of us will never use them all. Photoshop® uses a destructive editing methodology that requires saving your changed image as a separate image file (different name or folder) so you do not lose your original image. This can be accomplished in many different ways that protect your original files from being changed. Photoshop® is the industry standard for photographic editing for good reason. If you plan to make significant changes to your images or want to combine multiple images into one, you will never be limited when using this software.
Adobe® LightRoom®
This software combines many features desired by serious photographers. In addition to being a superb editing tool (somewhat limited compared to Photoshop®), it is a total photography management system, automating some of the most arduous tasks facing digital photographers. From capturing the photos from your camera’s memory card through the process of printing, publishing on the web, or creating a slideshow, LightRoom® does it all. Create catalogs, group similar photos, compare photos to choose, edit and crop photos, create copies, and much more. Unlike Photoshop®, LightRoom® is designed to organize, manage, view, compare, and edit or manipulate tens, hundreds or even thousands of images in a simplified workflow tool. If you take lots of photographs and need to organize them as well as edit or manipulate them, consider LightRoom® as a solution.
Summary
Both Adobe® products are comprehensive tools for photographs. As a professional photographer, I use LightRoom® for most production work and rely on Photoshop® for the more difficult or serious editing jobs. I use Photoshop® for all photo restoration work, combining two or more images into one (e.g. panoramas), serious defect removal (glare in eyeglasses), and whenever I need to work on one single photo. When I return from a photo shoot with hundreds of photos, I use LightRoom® to copy the photos to my computer, view and rate the photos to select the “keepers”, compare similar shots to determine which is a better photograph, edit and crop as necessary, and then export selected and fully corrected images as proofs for my customers. Whichever software you choose, you will not be disappointed.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: Adobe Photoshop, Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks, LightRoom, photographic editing, Photoshop Elements, Rhinebeck
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by Joel Weisbrod
If you have a point and shoot digital camera you can simply point it, shoot, and enjoy a picture. While this will undoubtedly work, there are better ways to capture and enhance the look of these photographs. Here are some simple tips to help you jump from “just okay” to “great” holiday lighting pictures.
The flash on your camera works to “even out” the lighting of the entire scene and often hides the true color and beauty of using available light. If you cannot turn off the flash, use a black sock and cover it up so you can take advantage of the holiday lights and the glow they create.
Trees with Lights
If you have an indoor tree with lights, follow these simple steps to improve the final photos.
1. Since trees are vertical objects (taller than they are wide) it is best to turn your camera sideways so the shape of the camera
and photo are the same as the tree.
2. Turn off all other sources of light in the room and during the day, close all window shades/blinds. This will let the tree lights cast a glow around the tree and surrounding objects.
3. If you have a tripod, use it. If not, steady your camera by leaning on a door frame or other strong and steady object.
4. Point & Shoot Cameras: Turn off the flash and try the “Night” scene mode if your camera has it.
5. SLR Cameras: Set your camera to shutter priority mode (S or Tv). Adjust the shutter speed so that the meter shows slightly under-exposed (1 Stop) and shoot without flash.
If you have an outdoor tree or other decorations with lights, the same settings and rules above apply as long as you are shooting at night. Wait until it is really dark and use a tripod!
This will help you capture the “aura” of the tree and the holiday. Play around with the camera settings and find the best settings for your particular lighting and creativity.
Candles
For the same reasons as mentioned previously, turning off or covering your flash is important here as well. Here are some suggestions to improve your candle photos:
1. Turn your camera so the long side of the camera is facing the same way as the long side of your candle display (vertical for a single candle, horizontal for a Chanukah Menorah or group of candles).
2. Do not turn off the room lights
but rather lower the lighting so that the flame of the candles is brighter than any other light or background reflection.
3. If you have a tripod, use it. If not, steady your camera by leaning on a door frame or other strong and steady object.
4. Set your camera for “Center-Weighted” metering. For point & shoot cameras, this is usually on the function menu and on SLR cameras it is either a button on the camera or on the menu.
5. Point & Shoot Cameras: Turn off the flash and try the “Fireworks” scene mode if your camera has it.
6. SLR Cameras: Set your camera to shutter priority mode (S or Tv). Adjust the shutter speed so that the meter shows correct exposure and shoot without flash.
This will help you capture the “aura” and “glow” created by the candles. Play around with the camera settings and find the best settings for your particular lighting and creativity.
Most of all, remember to have fun and getting great holiday pictures will be easy!
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
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by story and photo by Joel Weisbrod
Almost everyone has a digital camera and is able to turn it on, point at a subject, click the shutter button, and capture a picture. I will admit that modern technology inside even the least expensive cameras make many of these “quick-click” pictures acceptable to most of us. What is the difference between these pictures and photographs taken by professional photographers using big expensive digital SLR cameras? Sometimes, the camera makes a difference, but most often it is the many years of experience taking and critiquing images that help professionals achieve better results. Here are some simple tricks to help you make the transition from good to great pictures.
Adjust Your Height
When you shoot a picture from above
or below the main subject, the perspective changes and subjects might appear elongated or compressed. This is easy to correct by lowering or raising the camera to the same height above the ground as the main part of the subject. At the Dutchess County Fair, dozens of cameras were capturing the six week-old piglets lying next to the mother sow. Almost every camera was shooting from above the cage. As the cage had large square openings from the top to the bottom, it would have been easy to hold the camera way down low so you could capture the piglets at their level rather than as an “aerial shot”.
Avoid the Middle
Most of the photos I am asked to critique suffer from the “Center Subject” problem. Although it seems like the most important part of the subject matter should be in the center, it turns out that human beings appreciate looking at off-center subjects and diagonal symmetry. If you are shooting a picture of two children of different heights, don’t ask the shorter one to stand on something so both children appear in a horizontal line. First of all, it is misleading to anyone that knows the subjects and more importantly, the diagonal symmetry created by the shorter subject next to the taller subject actually adds to the appeal of the photo. Look for diagonal lines in all your photos and let your appreciation of the entire scene override your inclination to put the subject in the center.
Look Before You Leap
How many photos have you seen where the subject has a tree or flower that seems to be growing out of their head? What about that picnic photo that is great except for the trash can on the side? These pitfalls are easy to avoid once you start thinking about the entire scene and not just the main subject. Frame the image and look all around to see what looks great and what does not. Reframe the image until everything is perfect and then shoot the photo.
Most of all, remember to have fun and making this “transition” will be easy!
About the Author: Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the
owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
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by Joel Weisbrod
The annual Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the state and even further away. Crowds of people, innumerable animals, scores of rides and attractions, and countless bright colors make this a great place to capture some stunning photographs. Here are some ideas to make your “fair minded” photography fun!
“Fair Minded” Morning
The morning is a great time to shoot photographs as the early morning sun enhances the reds and yellow in your images. At this time of day, you can capture the bright colors of the carnival midway. Morning (or Evening) sun brings lots of shadows that can enhance the 3-D look of your photos. Morning also is a great time to pass through the 4-H animal buildings as this is a busy time for all the competitors getting animals ready for the day’s events. This is a good time for photographs of people, since the enhanced warm tones make better looking flesh tones. Make sure the sun is not directly behind your subject unless you are trying to create a silhouette.
“Fair Minded” Midday
By noon, the sun is about as high in the sky as it will go. This direct light eliminates most of the shadows and highlights the blues in your images while suppressing the warmer tones (reds, yellows, etc.). No (or few) shadows make this a good time to photograph crowds of people walking through the fair. Don’t forget to visit the food stands. Here you can find hundreds of people choosing, carrying, and balancing every kind of food known to mankind. Food is a great subject and if you are looking for something different to photograph, the variety of food at the fair will keep you busy all day.
“Fair Minded” Evening
As the sun dips into the western sky, the light takes on a subtle reddish hue making everything you photograph have enhanced warmer tones (with proper exposure, of course). Find someplace high (e.g. near the 4-H buildings) where the sun casts long shadows, and wait for the reddish tones to appear. If you are lucky, you can even catch a glimpse of the sunset. For a few moments every day of the fair, just as the sun dips below the horizon, the lights of the rides and carnival midway are visible, but since the sky is still light these lights do not create any direct illumination around them. Photographs of these areas look great at this time since there is enough light for a normal exposure making these lights appear as bright orbs in your photos.
“Fair Minded” Night
Once it is dark, you must rely on either “fair” lighting or flash. Try turning off your flash, use a tripod if you have one (if not, try to
lean the camera on something solid), and set your camera for night photos (use Night Setting or set ISO 800 or higher). The brightest (and most colorful) night spot at the fair is the carnival midway and rides
area. Holding the camera as still as you can, take photographs of rides in motion, arcade games, food vendors, and anything else that catches your eye.
Most of all, remember to have fun and be “Fair Minded”!
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: Dutchess County Fair, Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks Photography, photography, Rhinebeck
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by Joel Weisbrod
It seems like summer happened in just one day. As we all complained about the never ending rain, summer just snuck up on us without warning. Now that summer is here, opportunities abound for using your camera to capture some memories of barbecues, beach outings, and other back yard fun. Here are some suggestions to help make your summer photo experiences more rewarding.
“Capture the Action” with Faster Shutter Speeds
If your camera has “Shutter Priority Mode”, select it and try adjusting for shutter speeds that will “stop the action”. The shutter speed needs to be fast enough that the movement of your subject is slower than the time the shutter is open. Try these examples:
• 1/1000+: Freezing Motion – Racing cars, sports action, shooting while moving in a vehicle, wildlife moving across your field, etc. In most or all cases, you will need to pan the camera to follow the subject as you shoot.
• 1/500: Freezing “slow” action – Slow moving vehicles, runners, wildlife, etc. This is suggested for hand held telephoto lenses with focal lengths greater than 300mm.
• 1/250: Great for outdoor “static” nature shots especially telephoto shots using 200-300mm lenses.
If your camera does not have “Shutter Priority Mode”, try selecting one of the scene modes for sports or action. This scene mode usually is identified by the “man running stick figure” and tells your camera to use a faster shutter speed.
Find some “Summer Only” Events or Venues
One of the great things about living in upstate New York is the abundance of county fairs. These summer-only events are a great place to take your camera and have
some fun. For color, visit the carnival midway, cotton candy vendors, and carnival rides. For action, visit the pig races, high dive tower, and the horse arena. For cute animal photos, visit the livestock barns, heifer judging, and the petting zoo. At the end of the fair day, the carnival midway and rides areas glow with brilliant colors. Try using slower shutter speeds (or Portrait Mode) to capture carnival rides in motion with swirls of color in the finished image. Some other great “summer only” photo ops include outdoor concerts, beach and lake visits, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome (a great place to see and photograph some WWI aircraft), and of course, professional baseball games.
Photograph a Fireworks Display
Before you know it, July 4th will be here along with some stunning fireworks displays. Wouldn’t it be nice to capture some of these beautiful pyrotechnics with your camera? Actually, it is not that difficult, especially if you follow the
steps below:
Use a Tripod. Okay, I know you hate to have to do this, but for fireworks it is essential. For any of the three methods below, a tripod is necessary for clear images.
1. Set your camera for “Shutter Priority Mode”. Set the camera ISO to 400. Keep adjusting the shutter speed to slower values until the camera says it can get a good exposure (probably about 1 second). Carefully and slowly depress the shutter release button as soon as you see the fireworks explode.
2. If your camera has a “Fireworks Scene Mode”, use it and you will likely get some decent results.
3. If you can’t use either method above, set your camera for the “Night Photo” scene mode.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: county fairs, fairs, fireworks, Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks Photography, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, photography, Rhinebeck, summer
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by Joel Weisbrod (text and photo)
Spring is finally here and our yards and surrounding open spaces are full of gorgeous colors. Nothing signals the
end of winter better than the
spring green of new leaves on our trees and the rich vibrant purples, yellows, and reds of early flowering plants. This is a great time to get out your camera and capture some of these brilliant and exotic hues before they are gone. Follow the steps below to enhance your photographic experience.
Shoot Early or Late in the Day and Turn off the Flash
Just as the sun comes up in the morning, everything takes on a slightly warm yellowish look. While the sun is low in the morning sky, the light is more yellow than at other times of the day, and enhances the “warmth” of any photographs you take in this light. Wait until an hour before the sun sets (as long as it still shines on your subject) and the light has a slightly reddish hue offering a similar increase in the “warmth” of your images. Using your flash will overpower the natural light and change this color so make sure to set your camera for no flash.
Set Your Camera for “Close-Up” Mode
If possible, choose this option to enable your camera to focus on the subject when it is very close to the camera lens. Once you set your camera, try getting very close to the subject before clicking the shutter release. Do not force yourself to capture every part of the flower – part of a flower as the complete image makes a very dramatic statement.
Put Your Camera into Aperture Priority Mode
If your camera supports this feature (look in the camera manual – sometimes A or Av on the command dial), select it and then set the aperture to the smallest number the camera (or lens) allows. Once the camera is set this way, only a small area will be in focus allowing you to zoom in on a flower or parts of a flower and making the surrounding area a nice soft blur (sometimes called soft Bokeh).
Use a Tripod
When taking close-up photographs, any camera shake will really spoil your image. The best way to keep absolutely steady is to use a tripod to support the camera. If you do not have a tripod, improvise by using something to lean on to help steady yourself and the camera.
Advanced Technique for Full-Feature or DSLR Camera Owners
Follow the first step above – choose the time of day and turn off the flash. Now, set the camera for Manual Mode and adjust the aperture to the smallest number allowed (Largest Opening – Shortest Depth of Field). Finally, adjust the shutter speed until the exposure meter in the camera tells you the exposure is perfect and then 1/3 or 1 stop further under-exposed. This slight underexposure will deepen the colors, making them appear more dramatic.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: camera, Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks Photography, photography, Rhinebeck, Spring
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by Joel Weisbrod
Most of you already know that digital cameras capture images using RGB technology where the “G” stands for the color green. This month, we are going to focus (excuse the pun) on what it means to be environmentally “green” – rather than the colorfully green in pursuing photographs.
Low Impact Photography – Protect the Natural Environment
Many of you have heard the phrase “Take Only Memories – Leave Only Footprints” when applied to camping in the woods. This also can be applied to your photography – “Take Only Photos – Leave Only Footprints”. When you are out shooting, observe some simple rules to be eco-friendly to our natural environment.
Shoot flowers as they are – try not to bend or move obstacles but move your camera to achieve better shots. Stay on roads, paths, and trails. When you venture off the trail, you are stepping on and possibly killing small (even microscopic) plants and creatures that are essential to the health of the soil and surrounding plants and animals. It may seem incidental to you, but over time this causes erosion, loss of trees, and loss of wildlife habitat. Take everything you bring in back out when you leave. Garbage, cigarette and cigar butts, plastic, and food are bad for the natural environment and should be taken with you and disposed of properly.
Low Impact Printing – Print Only What You Need to Print
On my Safari to Tanzania, I took 18,000 photos. Of these, I made a 90 minute slide show from 1100 of the best photos and will print only about 50 of them. This is “Green Photography”. The rest of the images I will archive until I need them in the future. When you shoot a vacation, a family event, or just a walk in the park, do you print all the photos on the card in the camera? Why? Consider a slide show you can watch on the DVD player attached to your TV or on your computer. Consider a photo book with several images per page rather than loose prints that require an album, essentially doubling the paper, plastic, and ink usage. If you are going to print, look through all of your images first, and select the best subset of photos. Not only is this ecologically better, it will
save you money as well.
Batteries, Batteries, and more Batteries – Proper Disposal is the Key
Some cameras use rechargeable batteries-and this is great-but they do not last forever. If your camera (and/or flash) needs regular replaceable batteries, you are forever changing them. Neither one of these is foolproof as the rechargeable batteries seem less expensive to use, but when one goes bad at Disneyland, you are out of luck and will not likely find a replacement. With replaceable batteries you may spend a little more per photo, but the Disneyland scenario can never happen to you. Either way, the real issue is what you do with the batteries when you are done with them. Most of us just throw them in the trash and that is seriously bad for our environment. Most large home centers or hardware stores provide a drop box for old and used batteries. Try Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware, or others and avoid throwing batteries in the trash. When dumped in the wet environment of a land fill or the ocean, batteries leak chemicals that eventually find their way into the water supply, the fish we eat, and other food sources.
Each Individual – One “Green” Behavioral Change
It does not take much to make a difference. If each of us makes one change to be “greener”, it will add up to a major change and improve our environment. Why not make one green change today?
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: eco-friendly, green, Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks, photography, Rhinebeck
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by Joel Weisbrod
When venturing out with your partner or family on vacation, most people bring along a camera to capture the spirit of the trip and memories of fun family times. How can you be certain that the photos you take will invoke the fond memories of your trip? Consider the suggestions and tips in this column to help you capture images that will stand the test of time and always bring back the warm and fuzzy feeling you had when you first took them. Remember, expect the unexpected and have your camera ready!
It’s Not the Mountains, Buildings, Monuments, or Other Landmarks
We have all come home from a trip with dozens of pictures of beautiful places around the world that were great but when you look at them a few years later, they seem to “shrink” in importance. Photos of Big Ben in London are a dime a dozen on the Internet, and many of them will likely be better than any of yours. On the other hand, a photo of your children on the bridge over the Thames throwing popcorn to the ducks with Big Ben in the background will forever be a treasured remembrance of the trip.
Do Not Forget Photos of the Photographer
As a professional photographer, I have always taken lots of great vacation photos of my wife and my children. Until my Mother-in-Law asked “Didn’t Joel go on this trip?” we never realized that there were no photos of me. This did not really come as a shock since I am always holding the camera but ever
since, we always make sure to take plenty of pictures of me while on our trips. When reviewing photos of past trips, it is important that everyone on the trip is represented in the photos, even if he or she is the photographer.
Use a Tripod, A Friend, or a Stranger and get Group Shots
When you travel as a group, there is a reason you are all together. Don’t forget to capture the “group concept” by taking whole group shots at special times during the trip. A group in front of the Grand Canyon is nice but a shot of the entire group hiking the rim trail or descending into the canyon is far better. A group shot in front of the “Colorado River Rafting Adventures” sign is nice but a photo of everyone in the raft with life jackets and paddles in hand is far better. If no one is around to help, mount your camera on a tripod (or prop it up somewhere) and use the camera’s “self-timer” so everyone including the photographer is in the picture.
Candid Images Tell the Real Story
Even if you follow all the suggestions above, you will miss some of the most memorable moments of your trip. It may seem like a spoiled photo when you take it, but when you look back at a child crying because they were afraid of Mickey in costume at Disney World you will realize the value of capturing these special moments in time. Have your camera ready and shoot pictures of events
as they happen! In this world of digital photography with seemingly limitless image memory, take those extra shots now – when you get home, you will be glad you did!
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks, photographs, Rhinebeck, vacation
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