Editors note: We are proud to welcome Royce Howland to the OPG blog! Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Royce is a consultant in the IT industry and is an accomplished wildlife and landscape photographer. Look for more articles from Royce soon in the areas of HDR and the digital darkroom. You can learn more about Royce and view his spectacular images at his website: Vivid Aspect Photography.
A joke about being self-employed goes like this — "Thank God it’s Friday! Only two more working days until Monday." Another one was pointed out to me by a friend — "Being self-employed, you get to work half-days. And you even get to choose which 12 hours you work!" Ha ha, only serious. As somebody with a non-photography day job and doing photography on the side, I don't always get to spend my time the way I would choose. Two serious pursuits to fit into each week, each with challenging and necessary ways to spend a lot of time… well, there are only so many hours. It's easy to get bogged down in the work of it all. But it's also important to preserve some time to focus on creativity.
On a recent weekend, I had a ton of work to accomplish and was busily chipping away at it as one of a series of powerful storm systems blew through Calgary. After taking a break to visit family on Sunday evening, on the drive home my wife and I watched huge cloud formations surrounding the city. I was tired, it was getting late, I still had more work to do, and so I figured I’d lost yet another chance to photograph some incredible stormy weather. But when we got home, I decided to set my work aside and try to do some image making given the opportunity created by the weather.
I grabbed my camera, threw some gear in the car, and drove east towards Shepard as fast as I reasonably could. I was chasing what looked like a super cell, trying to get to a useful location out in the prairie farm areas east of the big city, where I could find some kind of view. Unfortunately, the storm cell was fleeing away from me to the southeast at a pretty fast rate, and into a zone where I could see it was losing the light. Suddenly, as I wove my way through some back roads, I came across a field of canola in full bloom on the north side of the road. It was the only crop I saw this far developed, and due north of it was one of the other thunderheads that was putting on its own show of strength. Yee-haw!
There were no foreground objects of interest, but who cares — a field and big sky is the essential prairie setting. I screeched to a halt, grabbed the tripod and camera, and ran across the road in the growing gloom to set up and make a few exposures. Yes! I knew I was capturing something good. I felt energized again, gaining the strength to swat at the trillions of mosquitoes that descended upon me, out for blood. I even maintained the presence of mind to consider composition possibilities, and framed both vertical and horizontal orientations that would be useful for different layouts. This cloud formation was the only one of all in view to maintain light right up to the end. My gamble had paid off. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, but what I have learned is that if I'm persistent I can also make my own luck.
When I could tolerate the vicious mozzie attacks no more, I packed up and headed home. My total time for storm chasing ended up being only about two hours; not a bad diversion! Another couple of hours of work still awaited me that night… and of course now I had the new task of developing my storm images, too. But hey, cowboy up — it’s only sleep.
Yesterday I wrote about some of the advantages of shooting videos with DSLRs, which hopefully gave you an idea why they have become so popular.
There are two sides to every coin, and video on DSLRs is no different. Some major drawbacks exist as a result of where we are in the evolution of these new hybrid camera systems.
Video capable DSLRs are first and foremost designed and engineered for taking still images, with video being a secondary function. As such, you can expect manufacturers to prioritize functionality and design accordingly. Also expect any compromises that inevitably need to be made, to be made in favor of still photography.
So here are some of the areas that I feel are most challenging when shooting video with your DSLR.
Audio Recording
Audio can make or break your video, and what I mean by this is that bad audio can ruin even the most spectacular video you've ever seen. Yet, good audio usually just goes completely unnoticed. Just like we control the amount of light we let into our camera with stills, we need to control the audio levels as well. Just like we have a viewfinder to see what it is that we are shooting, we need a way to monitor the audio we are recording to make sure we are capturing the right sound.
Unfortunately, most video capable DSLRs don’t have any audio controls. They have something called AGC, or Auto Gain Control, which makes the audio sound terrible in any situation where the sound levels fluctuate.
But there are ways around this. I wrote a two part article here that shows you how to record good audio:
In the first part I show you some bad audio and some good audio so you can judge for yourself how important this is.
Rolling Shutter (Jello-Cam)
This is probably the biggest issue with DSLRs for which there is no solution. "Jello-Cam" is a phenomenon that is caused by the way the sensors in DSLRs capture the image: they use what is called a rolling shutter. For a good definition and examples check out this wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_shutter
Jello-Cam really comes into play only when shooting fast moving subjects or when you are moving the camera very quickly. For me, personally, this is not a factor, but it may be for you.
No Articulated LCD Screen
Not having an articulated LCD screen can be a a pain, and sometimes quite literally a pain in the neck. In most cases I'm not holding my camera right at eye level. Usually I am holding it lower, or to the side or sometimes up above. Having a fixed LCD on the back of the camera makes it difficult to see what you are shooting in these situations. Attaching an external monitor can remedy this, but they are usually expensive, and it’s just another piece of gear to carry around.
Limited Autofocus Functionality
This is one of the things people complain the most. However most professional camera operators do not rely on autofocus, focus is almost exclusively done manually. In movie sets they have people whose SOLE responsibility is focus! For me this is not a big issue. Yes most AF systems are very good a focusing on what is in front of them, however most AF systems are not very good about reading your mind and knowing exactly what to focus on, and most often than not, the thing I want in focus is not in the middle of the frame.
No Power Zoom
This is another limitation that does have an effect on most folks. Butter smooth zooms and pulls, are often done by motorized power zooms. I don’t know of a single DSLR still lens that has a power zoom. However with practice you can get very good at zooming. I have seen people do it very very smoothly, as well if not better than the best power zooms. So this can be overcome with practice, also you can use a follow focus mechanism for this to make it a bit easier.
No Built-in ND Filters
In the first part of this article we talked about the awesome shallow depth of field that DSLRs provide us with and that this is quite possible the single biggest reason why these cameras are so revolutionary. Naturally, this is something we want to take advantage of, however in very sunny situations we may be forced to deal with smaller than desired apertures to keep our exposure in check. In very bright sunny situations, even at ISO 100 you may be forced to go as low as f16 to keep proper exposure (since you want to keep your shutter speed at around 1/60, this may be a topic for another article). So in a situation like this what do you do? You use a neutral density filter. An ND filter is nothing more than a dark piece of glass that is neutral in tonality so as not to introduce any color shifts, that simply cuts the amount of light entering the camera, thus allowing you to keep a wider aperture.
Why is this a limitation you ask? It’s not, this is something that affects every camera from the cheapest to the most expensive, BUT professional video cameras have built in ND filters in different strengths that you can turn on and off, with DSLRs you need to add ND filters in front of the lens either thru screw-in filters or thru a Matte Box.
Length of Shot limitations
Most video capable DSLRs have a limitation on how long a single shot can take, normally this limitation is time based, sometimes file sized based, or a combination of both. On the Canon cameras it’s a combination of both factors, but it effectively limits you to about 12 minute long shots. 12 minutes is a LONG time for a single shot, so for most of us this is a non issue. I personally never even come close to that, but again depending on what you are doing you might. If you are looking to record hour long interviews with people, this will certainly be an issue for you.
In Summary
Yes there are some serious issues and limitations when shooting video with these video capable DSLRs, specially when compared with dedicated video cameras. But by the same token these cameras provide capabilities and conveniences unmatched by traditional video cameras. As with everything else in life, the choice here is a matter of compromises, so you need to determine what is most important to you and make your choice.
In the end for me the benefits offered FAR FAR outweigh the limitations and inconveniences, so now I shoot video exclusively with my pair of Canon 7Ds!
A couple rock climbing near the top of Cathedral Ledge. Echo Lake State Park in North Conway, New Hampshire. White Mountains.
This last April I attended the American Society of Picture Professionals’ reinvention weekend in Boston, and the major theme was finding ways for those working in the picture industry to keep working while the landscape of the industry is rapidly changing. Both stock and assignment prices have been deteriorating for years, if not decades, challenging both stock agencies and photographers to change business tactics in order to survive. It’s no secret what is causing the decline in prices – digital technology. To some extent, digital cameras have leveled the playing field on the content creation side of things. More importantly, digital distribution has drastically reduced the cost of selling images. On the stock side of the business, digital distribution (first in the form of royalty-free CDs, then with the advent of microstock) has enabled stock companies to be profitable without charging large rights-managed fees as the administrative costs of managing a large stock library have been drastically reduced due to digital image management and distribution. Lower stock prices have also led to lower assignment fees, both on the commercial and editorial side of the business, though to a greater extent in the editorial world, as newspapers and magazines are downsizing and going out of business.
I’m not a doom and gloom kind of guy, but it’s hard to ignore the trends in the industry. As a nature and adventure photographer and editorial shooter, my big question going into the ASPP conference was this, “Is there a future for the solo nature photographer or photojournalist?” The romantic image of the lone wolf photographer spending weeks in the field funding his or her work through the sale of stock and assignment fees is definitely under assault. After the conference, I got the sense that the answer to my question is “probably not,” though the experts seemed to be unsure how the marketplace will shake out. I’m cautiously optimistic, but I’m pretty sure the “lone wolf” approach is dying out and that the new paradigm is going to be collaboration – with other photographers and creators, with NGOs, with foundations, and so on.
I’ve collaborated with NGOs for most of my career, both for funding and for discovering the conservation stories that are relevant and newsworthy. This collaboration has definitely kept my business afloat during the recession, but it is clear to me that I need to take this idea to a higher level by working with other photographers and other creators to create feature-rich, story-driven multimedia content. This is a big change from how I usually work (I rarely even work with an assistant) but it is a way of working that I’m embracing and excited about.
Why am I excited that this approach can work? Simply because of the success stories that are emerging in the midst of this downturn in the industry. At the ASPP conference, we learned that this collaborative approach is already working from speakers like Brian Storm, whose company MediaStorm is leading the way in partnering photographers with other professionals to create powerful, multi-media stories. If you haven’t yet seen what MediaStorm is creating, then you haven’t seen the future of photojournalism. We also learned about VII, a photo agency where some of the world’s best photojournalists work together to create equally powerful multi-media stories. Both companies use a new model that uses multiple content creators working together to create stories that the big media companies won’t spend the money for. My impression is that no one is getting rich, but these companies are giving photojournalists the opportunity to do what they originally set out to do in their careers – tell important stories. These stories are getting told in new and on non-traditional ways – through print, multi-media, exhibits, etc. Funding these projects requires a new model as well. No longer are the magazines, newspapers, and big news organizations footing the bill. Instead, money comes from a diversity of places: NGOs, foundations, media companies, print sales, book sales, etc. Photographers need to pay attention to this new model. The old way of paying the bills with assignment fees and residual stock income is just getting harder and harder to do.
Conservation photographers like myself should also check out the work of the International League of Conservation Photographers. ILCP is setting the bar very high for collaborative conservation photography projects with their Rapid Assessment Visual Expeditions. These R.A.V.E.s are intense, short-term photo projects where a group of the world’s best nature photographers descend on a location and quickly create a body of work that is used to bring about environmental change. Another collaborative conservation photo project seeing great success is Stephan Widstrand’s Wild Wonders of Europe, and the newly launched Meet Your Neighbours (led by Niall Benvie and Clay Bolt) project seems destined for similar success.
So…if you’re a photographer, are you willing and ready to change?
Much as been written on the web about waiting years and years for all the elements in a scene to come together for a “once-in-a-lifetime shot.”
That’s all well and good, and sometimes it’s true.
But sometimes a good shot is just dumb luck. Here is an example.
In the above photograph, the five subjects are completely isolated, the side lighting is wonderful, the reflection is perfect, the background is effective in adding to the “sense of place” of the image, the dog adds an extra element of interest, and the exposure is good.
I even like the way the cowboy has his leg slightly lifted, and the way we can see the cowgirl’s silhouette.
Now, I could say that I waited years for a picture like this one. But in fact, it was just a dumb luck shot.
You see, I was co-teaching a workshop in Oregon. One night during dinner, one of the participants said, “Hey, look out the window, there is a great shot.”
We all stopped chowing down, grabbed our cameras, walked out on the porch, grabbed a shot, and went back to eating our pork and beans.
This is one of my favorite dumb luck shots, and dumb luck stories – once of many such stories.
The thing about dumb luck, however, is this: you have to be prepared for when those dumb luck moments present themselves to you. Keeping your camera handy, and knowing how to use it, increases your luck. So does understanding light, compensation, and lenses.
Below is another dumb luck shot. I was just in the right place (Mongolia) at the right time (festival) in the right conditions (overcast and dusty) and in the right location.
With that same sharp wit, Paul has produced another Top Ten list:
This list compiles the top ten things that other photographers have said to him that I’ve found to be annoying. And, the more often I’ve heard something the more annoying it tends to be. That’s just the way I am.
If you’re a photographer who is easily offended or you can’t take a little bit of sarcasm, please don’t read any further. I don’t want your delicate sensibilities to be offended!
With that out of the way, presented in traditional count-down order, here are today’s Top Ten Annoying Things that Photographers Say to Each Other.
10. What settings are you shooting at?
Red-necked Grebe sitting on a nest
Get a group of photographers together shooting the same subject and invariably one of them will ask one or more of the others this question. I believe it stems from a sense of insecurity where a less than confident photographer is worried that he’ll miss the shot that everyone else got. Why not just ask me to send you my shots?
In a learning situation this could be a useful question although differences in equipment can make the answer moot. But, in a group of peers, this question should never be uttered.
9. Did you see my shots in National Geographic?
Is there any photographer who doesn’t want to be published in National Geographic? Why risk a severe beating by flaunting your awesomeness?
8. Dude! Dude! You’re in my shot!
And your feet are nailed to the ground? Seriously? Who calls someone “dude” in the first place? Seriously!
7. I’m a Fine Art photographer.
Fall morning at a beaver pond
If someone can help me understand the difference between a “Fine Art” photographer and a portrait, wedding, landscape, photojournalist, sports or wildlife photographer, I might rescind this item, but the whole term strikes me as a bit pretentious.
6. The new K-tel Autocapture 5000 looks good, but I noticed there’s noise in the shadows at ISO 102400.
Maybe the pixel peeping will never quit, but do we have to examine each and every pixel of every new camera to find a flaw only evident at billboard sized prints? Besides photographers more obsessed with pixels than photos, who really cares?
5. …in these tough economic times…
Ruddy Duck displaying on a lake
Okay, this one isn’t specific to photographers, but I’m sick of hearing it. I propose that the world set up a giant swear jar. Every time someone utters the phrase ”…in these tough economic times…” they have to put one US dollar into the jar. Not only will this reduce the use of this annoying phrase but the funds could be used to solve the current economic crisis.
4. All of my work is available as limited edition Giclée prints.
So your printer sprays droplets of ink at the paper? Wow! That’s exactly what my inkjet printer does.
Giclée is French don’t ‘cha know. It’s pronounced “zhee-clay” and it sounds pretentious. IMHO.
3. Oh that? I can fix that later in Photoshop.
Black Bear cub trying to get to the bottom of things
Not only is it annoying to hear, it is the calling card of a lazy photographer.
2. Oh, you’ve got the K-tel Autocapture 3000? I just got the K-tel Autocapture 3000 Mark II.
And that makes you a better photographer how? Oh, that’s right–the Mark II finally introduces the “no sucky photos” setting, whereby the camera will simply not allow the creation of a poor photograph.
If so, there are some people I know that would think their K-tel Autocapture 3000 Mark II was broken when it never let them take a picture again!
1. Dude! Did you get this shot?
Pair of goslings swimming in a pond
This is a common question from the serial chimper. You know, the person you’re out shooting with who is continually chimping their images (looking at the LCD and then pointing and saying ”ooh, ooh, ooh” when they see something they like). They’ll call out when they find a photograph they think is great and you might have missed. And, don’t call me dude!
I’m betting that if you’re a photographer who has spent any time photographing around other photographers that you’ve got a few of your own sayings to contribute. Go ahead. It’s very cathartic!
There are two types of outdoor photographers: those who need help getting to the right place at the right time and those who don’t. If you are of the latter persuasion, you can stop reading now. Really, I mean it…stop reading. Okay, that’s better. For the rest of you, let’s spend some time discussing just what to expect when you hire a photography guide.
The business of guiding outdoor photographers isn’t new. However, in the past few years guiding has experienced significant growth. I blame it on the digital revolution – everyone has a camera and almost everyone is a photographer. I have seen guides advertised in Outdoor Photographer and all over the internet who are available to lead you on a private photo tour in just about every state. But what can they do for you?
What Do Photo Guides Do and How Much Do They Charge?
What a guide does and how much they charge for their services varies tremendously. One thing almost all of them have in common is that you can usually depend on them to lead you to the right place at the right time. Some guides service only iconic locations while others will spend several days backpacking with you in remote and forbidding territory. Some guides offer personal instruction, image critiques, portfolio reviews, digital darkroom tutorials, and more. Guide fees are all over the board and may range from $150/day to more than $2,500/day with a prominent photographer. Surely the more you pay the better the guide, right? Nope. Not even close. In my research it seems that $300 to $500/day is the average going rate. Generally speaking, paying more than that buys you the opportunity to rub shoulders with a heavy hitter.
How Do I Know What I’m Getting For My Money?
This is easy – just ask ‘em. It’s your money and you deserve to know what you’re paying for. Check out their websites for details about their services. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there don’t hesitate to send an email or give them a call. Ask questions. What does the guide fee cover? Park entry fees, transportation, meals/snacks? Will they be available to answer your questions or will they show you where to set up your tripod and then disappear to make their own images? It isn’t necessarily a bad thing if they plan to break out their camera. I’ve often had clients tell me that they learned a lot watching me work. But, I think it’s important for you, the client, to know what to expect on your guided tour. Perhaps even more important, if you expect your guide to never leave your side you should tell them so. Successful guides have mastered the art of managing expectations.
How Do I Know If The Guide I’d Like To Hire Is Any Good?
Check their website for testimonials. Sure, they could be faked but at least it’s a good start. If you’re still not convinced, ask the guide if you can contact a prior customer or two. If he balks at that idea I’d have to wonder why. Perhaps a phone conversation with the guide may help to ease your mind. Spending all day with someone with whom you have a major personality clash pretty much sucks. It sucks even more when you’re paying them.
What Will The Schedule Be Like?
Excellent question! Most guides offer full or half day tours. Find out what that means. Does a full day tour mean you’re in the field from sunrise to sunset? Will there be a break during mid-day? I always build in a break to allow us both to recharge batteries (both literally and metaphorically), download images, eat and relax. Not all guides do this. If you need or want a break, be sure to relay that information to your guide. On the other hand, if you expect to be in the field the entire day, be sure to tell your guide that, too.
Does “Private” Mean It’s Just Me?
Don’t automatically assume it’ll just be you and your guide. Some guides only do small group tours. It would suck to show up thinking you will have the guide’s undivided attention only to discover there are 2 or 3 strangers tagging along. Often this information can be obtained on their website. When it isn’t spelled out there, call or email them.
Is My Guide Legit?
This is a big one, in my opinion. The Feds require that anyone operating commercially on their property do so with a permit in hand. National parks, BLM, Forest Service or national monument – they are all regulated to some degree. Find out if your guide has the proper permits. Being permitted also means that he will be carrying liability insurance and most likely, a first aid and CPR certification.
While we’re on the topic, help your guide plan a productive and fun trip by telling him if you have any medical issues or physical limitations. You don’t want your guide planning a lengthy hike if you aren’t capable of completing it. A good guide can and will customize the tour to your interests and abilities.
Why Should I Hire A Guide?
I’m a pretty independent dude. When I’m traveling somewhere new I research the living daylights out of the place until I have a pretty firm grasp on how to photograph the area. It’s a time intensive process and I’m not always successful. Usually, but not always. I’ll be posting an article soon on what I do to prepare for a trip, so check back often so you don’t miss that post.
But, what if you don’t have the time or interest in doing all that research? Hiring a guide can be a great way to ensure that you are maximizing your time on the ground at a new location. Guides should be intimately familiar with the areas in which they operate. This is important because as the seasons change, so do the photo opportunities. For example, if you come to Arches in April to photograph the Three Gossips you might be really disappointed to find them completely in the shadow of The Organ until well after sunrise. A knowledgeable guide would know this and be able to steer you in the right direction.
Although not a critical point, it’s always nice to work with a guide who is, on some level, a naturalist. If he knows a little bit about the flora, fauna, history and geology of the area it will certainly make your trip more enjoyable.
A guided photo tour can be an excellent way to best experience a new area through your camera’s viewfinder. With these tips in mind I’m confident you’re fully prepared to make the most of your private guided photo tour. If you’re interested in learning more about my services, I invite you to visit the Moab Photo Workshops website.
You can learn more about Bret, view his wonderful images, read his blog here: Bret Edge Photography
Storm Chasing On a Time Budget
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010Editors note: We are proud to welcome Royce Howland to the OPG blog! Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Royce is a consultant in the IT industry and is an accomplished wildlife and landscape photographer. Look for more articles from Royce soon in the areas of HDR and the digital darkroom. You can learn more about Royce and view his spectacular images at his website: Vivid Aspect Photography.
A joke about being self-employed goes like this — "Thank God it’s Friday! Only two more working days until Monday." Another one was pointed out to me by a friend — "Being self-employed, you get to work half-days. And you even get to choose which 12 hours you work!" Ha ha, only serious. As somebody with a non-photography day job and doing photography on the side, I don't always get to spend my time the way I would choose. Two serious pursuits to fit into each week, each with challenging and necessary ways to spend a lot of time… well, there are only so many hours. It's easy to get bogged down in the work of it all. But it's also important to preserve some time to focus on creativity.
On a recent weekend, I had a ton of work to accomplish and was busily chipping away at it as one of a series of powerful storm systems blew through Calgary. After taking a break to visit family on Sunday evening, on the drive home my wife and I watched huge cloud formations surrounding the city. I was tired, it was getting late, I still had more work to do, and so I figured I’d lost yet another chance to photograph some incredible stormy weather. But when we got home, I decided to set my work aside and try to do some image making given the opportunity created by the weather.
I grabbed my camera, threw some gear in the car, and drove east towards Shepard as fast as I reasonably could. I was chasing what looked like a super cell, trying to get to a useful location out in the prairie farm areas east of the big city, where I could find some kind of view. Unfortunately, the storm cell was fleeing away from me to the southeast at a pretty fast rate, and into a zone where I could see it was losing the light. Suddenly, as I wove my way through some back roads, I came across a field of canola in full bloom on the north side of the road. It was the only crop I saw this far developed, and due north of it was one of the other thunderheads that was putting on its own show of strength. Yee-haw!
There were no foreground objects of interest, but who cares — a field and big sky is the essential prairie setting. I screeched to a halt, grabbed the tripod and camera, and ran across the road in the growing gloom to set up and make a few exposures. Yes! I knew I was capturing something good. I felt energized again, gaining the strength to swat at the trillions of mosquitoes that descended upon me, out for blood. I even maintained the presence of mind to consider composition possibilities, and framed both vertical and horizontal orientations that would be useful for different layouts. This cloud formation was the only one of all in view to maintain light right up to the end. My gamble had paid off. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, but what I have learned is that if I'm persistent I can also make my own luck.
When I could tolerate the vicious mozzie attacks no more, I packed up and headed home. My total time for storm chasing ended up being only about two hours; not a bad diversion! Another couple of hours of work still awaited me that night… and of course now I had the new task of developing my storm images, too. But hey, cowboy up — it’s only sleep.
Visit Royce’s web site at http://www.vividaspectphoto.com/.
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