Merry Christmas

I would like to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas! 

May the Blessing of Christ be with you this season and for the year to come.

Painting with Light

The word photography means "Painting with Light".  Photography is not the technology that we use to photograph.  Photography is a form of art.  The camera, lenses, and lights that we use are tools like a brush is to a painter.  We must remember that each and every time we pick up the camera.  Sure, not every situation is an artistic one but if we think of every situation artistically our images will benefit greatly.  Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I truly hope it gets you to thinking.

Below is an example of what I mean.  This is a photo of my parents and their grandson (my boy).  If I had just taken a photo without considering the artistic side then I might have missed the vanishing lines of the background.  See how the bamboo fence trails from left to right.  As you look at either edge of the photograph your eyes are drawn from left to right or right to left because you want to see where the lines lead.  The grandmother and grandfather are in the left and right third of the photograph and the boy's head is in the top third.  This keeps your eyes moving around the main subjects. 

This is one of my favorite photographs and it is just a family "snap shot".  I didn't spend time posing them I just told them where to stand and the rest was done in camera.  Remember, art is everywhere.



Joyce, Zackeal, and George Eldridge (Grandma, Grandson, Grandpa)



A Different Way of Thinking

This is a topic that I have discussed several times in past blogs.  I think the reason I talk about it so often is because I used to be one of those "photographic purists".  A Photographic Purist is an individual who believes that the image taken in camera should be unaltered.  Back in the film days this was easy to do simply because you sent your photos off to get processed and sent back.  What you got back you assumed was what the camera recorded.  I quickly learned that each type of film had their own level of color saturation.  Fuji Velvia for example had the most amazing greens.  Later I discovered that each lab had their own unique way of developing the negative or slide.  What about home darkrooms....  You developed the images while paying close attention contrast and exposure.  Ultimately it was your take on the image that was the final product.  In truth, "Photographic Purists" can't really exists.

In the digital age we have the ability to manipulate photographs down to the pixel.

After I download my photos to the computer I then enter the "editing" stage of my workflow.  The term edit indicates that something just isn't right and requires "fixing".  I have a new way of looking at this stage of workflow.  I now call it the "Finishing" stage.  The term finishing indicates that it is just a part of taking the photo.  This portion really is dependent on the photographer and his/her clients.  The type of "finishing" that I do works for some and for others it is just not their cup of tea.  There are several photographers some consider great that I just can't stand.  Why?  I feel they are over processed.  However, those particular photographers may feel just the opposite about mine.  They might say "man that guy could benefit from additional processing". 

So, the moral of the story....  No matter what type of "photo finishing" you do there will be someone out there that finds it interesting. 

Take a look at these two photos.  The first one is the photo after I did the final finishes.  The second is where I started.  You decide for yourself which is better.  Leave a comment and let me know where you stand on this.

Destiny

Just this past evening (12/13/2010) I had the opportunity to photograph Destiny Polles. I think she is 6 days old here. Over all I didn't get to take that many photographs because well Destiny runs the show. Everyone in the house is her time table and she was not overly happy about the photographer that had invaded her nap time. Honestly, with a subject like this taking a bad photo was much harder than taking a good one.

You can check out more photos from the session at http://www.eldridgestudios.com/Portraits/Destiny-Polles/15065005_nBr4d#1125606166_DnvAv

There are a few things to remember when photographing a newborn. 

• You are on their time table and they control the shoot.  Period.
• You must have patience and be ready for that fleeting expression.
• This is a human being, albeit a small one, and as such should be treated with respect and understanding.  Their comfort and sense of security should remain vitally important to you as a photographer.  If that means coming back another day when they are more willing to accept your presence then fine.

• Soft lighting is your friend.  Use umbrellas or softboxes to ensure even soft light.  If you want to go for an edgy look then you can remove the umbrella or softbox and shoot away.  However, that is not necessarily something you should do for every shot as it is not overly flattering.
• Remain as calm and quiet as you can so as not to put the subject on edge.
• Remember to have fun!  Your attitude can have a great effect on the parents and the baby.  The more relaxed all parties involved feel the better the shoot will be.

Thanks for reading!

10 Christmas Gifts for Photographers

So, what do you get the favorite photographer in your life? Take a quick look here for some ideas. I could go into all the technical types of gifts such as cameras and lenses but I want to focus on some of the “affordable” extras. Before you run out and buy all this stuff for me, know that I likely own it all already. But hey, the fact you were thinking about it warms my heart. =)


1. Black Rapid R-Strap: http://www.blackrapid.com/product/camera-strap/rs-7/

2. Lens Cleaning: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/507196-REG/Pearstone_LENLP1.html

3. Sensor Cleaning: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/504333-REG/Lenspen_LENSK1_SensorKlear_Digital_SLR_Sensor.html

4. Light Modifier: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/707213-REG/ExpoImaging_ROGUERELG_Rogue_FlashBender_Large_Positionable.html

5. Light Modifier: http://store.ziser.com/zumbrella.aspx

6. Backpack: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/577361-REG/Lowepro_LP35271_PEU_Flipside_400AW_Backpack_Black.html

7. Captured by the Light (great wedding portrait book): http://www.amazon.com/Captured-Light-Essential-Extraordinary-Photography/dp/0321646878/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291918810&sr=8-1-spell

8. Captured (wildlife photography book): http://www.amazon.com/Captured-Lessons-Legendary-Wildlife-Photographer/dp/0321720598/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291918833&sr=8-2-spell

9. Lightroom 3 (this was a game changer for me): http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-65064073-Photoshop-Lightroom-3/dp/B003739DVY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291918912&sr=8-1

10. Lightroom 3 book: http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Lightroom-Digital-Photographers-Voices/dp/0321700910/ref=pd_bxgy_sw_img_b

Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Product Reivew: Think Tank Photo Modular Belt System

I am just like most photographers and as such I would be willing to buy a camera bag every month; financially this is not an option (or so my wife tells me). Still, I do have a good assortment but I always want more. Why? Well, every bag cannot be for every situation and like most things in photography there is a trade off. Sure, you could take all your gear on that mountain hike but then your pack would weigh 60 lbs (your back would not be happy). You could take a smaller pack leaving some gear behind. However, while hiking you might see that one small bird you have been looking to photograph for years only to realize you left the long lens back at the car. I think you can see where I am going.

I have found a solution (for now…lol). Some of you will not like this solution because of your vanity or sense of fashion. Personally, I gave up caring about that a long time ago. Now, functionality is a different story.

What I have found is the Modular System from Think Tank Photo. This system allows for you to put a belt on and attach different pouches that can be slid around out of the way with a push. Think Tank Photo designed this system with event photographers in mind. If you plan on adding a good amount of pouches to the belt you can get a harness that puts all the weight on your hips and shoulders. Recently I photographed a wedding and was on my feet for 6 hours with; Nikon D700, extra battery, SB-900 flash, 80-200mm f2.8, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, 50mm f1.8, 24-85mm f2.8-4, 30 AA Batteries, 6 CF cards, Lens Pen, Sensor Pen, cleaning cloth, and finally, a power bar. There was not a single time all day that I notice the weight of the equipment. I even left two of the pouches at home. One of my favorite pouches was the Large Lens Drop-in which allowed me to quickly take the lens on the camera off, drop it in the bag, and then pull out another lens to attach. It was fast, easy, and I didn’t have to set a lens down anywhere.

So, what are the down sides? First, you look like a photographer. This is not an issue if you are photographing a wedding or a sporting event but if you are in the seedy part of town you might as well carry a sign that says “I have lots of expensive camera gear… ROB ME!” Second, you could slide the pouches around but at time this took a little effort.  My guess is that after it wears a bit this will not be an issue.  Finally, you may look a bit like a geek.  For some of us that is not a big deal.

The Bottom Line: This is the best carry system that I have seen so far. If you are a vain individual you might stay away from this. On the other hand if you like to carry a good amount of gear comfortably with great functionality then this is the set up for you.



Get Close

 The past couple of weeks have been rough and I have not had the opportunity to do much shooting. My wife received some flowers and while she was giving our son his bath I though… Now is the time! Quickly I grabbed my camera, tripod, and a light. I wanted to get in close for a other-worldly feel so I used my 80-200mm f2.8, 300mm f4 (with 1.4x converter) and a Canon macro filter. This allowed me to focus really close.  When focusing this close you lose a good amount of depth of field (DOF), which in the case of these images, was exactly what I was going for.  As you look at these images you will notice how certain parts are sharp in focus while other parts of out of focus.  This is referred to as a shallow depth of field and is magnified in macro photography (post for another day)..  With a shallow depth of field you have one "plane" of focus that is sharp.  Everything closer or farther away from that focal plane is out of focus.  You can use this method to produce some dramatic images.





I managed to get a few shots off before my son came running through the house instantly saying “oh wow” at the lighting and camera set up I had going. It was a short lived shoot but still a good amount of fun.

This Thursday (12/09/2010) I have been asked to photograph a high school concert band during their performance so stay tuned for more posts.

 

  

I apologize for the posts being so infrequent of late and look forward to producing them again on a regular basis. Thanks for following and don’t forget to “Like” the Eldridge Studios Facebook Fanpage.