Photographing your work - Questions

[Roger Chandler]

Will do Roger. I normally shoot bears on Skyline late spring/early summer, that should be close to you.

Ken! You just have too much fun! So many things, so little time......... .......seems like the story of my life!

Let me know when you're coming this way. If I could work it out, I certainly will!

[Scott Hackler]

Ken, I just have to remark that those pictures are incredible. I am just starting out trying to figure out the whole photography thing and your skills are awe inspriring. I bought a Canon T2i last year, now I have to learn to use it correctly!

[Ken Hill]

Thanks, and yes, I try and have as much fun as possible. I did my 20 years of being a worker, now I try and do what makes me happy. The wallet suffers but money isnt everything, or so they say.

Scott, the basics is all anyone really needs, just like turning. Once you have those down, the rest will find its way into what you do, what you like etc. I chuckle sometimes at the cririques here(they are mild), as I have to withstand a barage of stuff from editors etc. On the stock sites I sell to, they are very critical and it took a bit for me to understand what they wanted even when they declined an image that was stellar. Then there are the brides......thats why I only take on a handful of weddings each year.

Maybe thats why I prefer wildlife, all they can do is eat me haha!

I do want to show one(2) more images, it was taken by my oldest son. He is usually behind the bars but with this manufacture (Can Am/BRP) we had to have a rider that was over 18 so I took the role of rider. He nailed every image in this shoot and I never had to take my helmet off. They were published in a few different publications and one of them is due to be used in a billboard out near Indianapolis from what I understand. I bring this up because he had to take photography in school last year and I told him to keep his mouth shut about what I do and to just accept what the teacher had to say. He did get an A in the class, but ironically, she never taught them how to make an exposure using manual settings, infact more emphasis was placed on using photoshop and program (auto) modes. The shot below would not be possible with auto settings(ok, there is a way but its alot of work for something I can do 10 times as fast in manual and I would need some new triggers that TTL meter), as it employed remote flashes, all of which he set up and exposed the shot on his own and there was no way to meter just using the camera. It showed I had done a good job teaching him, and gave me a shot that makes me look like im a pro haha!



Ofcourse I had to upstage him on another location, but the day will come when he will surpass me....maybe hehe!

[Bill Huber]

Using aperature or shutter mode still means you are relying on the camera to set the exposure, you are just controling one aspect of it, basically telling the camera what you want to be the starting point for the exposure. The camera is handling the other half. In a scene that is mainly well lit, with no real bias towards highlights or shadows, todays sensors do a fine job, but not perfect. The sensor bases the exposure on a given set of values in those modes, an average as it were, unfortunatley it still bases it against the meter and most scenes arent forgiving(bright sky, dark shade etc) As far as using the exposure compensation, you are telling the camera you want more or less light, but it again changes the exposure based on what IT thinks is correct.

Take an image of a white flower in one of the program modes, it will be underexposed. Add in your +2 stops and you may be close depending on the overall lighting. The meter tried to stop down the exposure based on the dominance of the white flower it is reading in the meter. I have +5 stops of control and many times it is not enough for correcting such an image in an "auto" mode. Very limiting to someone who knows how to use manual and adjust the settings.

I agree with every thing you have said and I don't mean to say that A and S modes are the only way to shoot and I do use the manual mode at time.

I just about always use manual for macro type work.

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And there are the times when you must really use the EV to not blow the highlights.

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And there are times that there is no way the camera can meter the light near to what it should be.

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And as you stated to keep the sky and the item you are shooting you have to some times work at it.

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So I think we are on the same page on most everything. Now I am not in your class, I just do it for a hobby now, I got out of the pro side of it in 1972.

You do have some excellent shots and I hope you get paid good for them.

[Ken Hill]

Haha Bill, my wife made me sell my macro lenses. With two boys here, they kept dragging stuff in for me to photograph and they sometimes...escaped!

[Dan Hintz]

Haha Bill, my wife made me sell my macro lenses. With two boys here, they kept dragging stuff in for me to photograph and they sometimes...escaped!

LOL... niiiiice

Ken, if you don't mind (I can can scrape up the time come Spring), I would like to join you on one of those "shooting" sprees. I picked up a Canon Rebel T2i when they first hit the shelves (actually, the Best Buy guy had to pull one out of the shipping box in back as they weren't yet on the shelves), and although I've managed to take some great shots with it, I'm probably only using 10% of its capabilities. I can't remember what you're shooting with, but I recently found a program for late-model Canons that allows for a lot of extra capabilities (for example, adding more than 3 burst shots for bracketing mode as well as increasing the bracketed range beyond the 2 stops Canon normally allows, among others). If you're interested, I'll dig it up (it's a freebie).

Oh, and I can always dig through your woodpile while I'm there

[Ken Hill]

Will do Dan. I might be able to grab a 500mm f4 from a buddy for you to stretch out there for a day of shooting wildlife. (In all honesty, I usually just have to out run someone older and slower on these ventures, and you are in better shape then me so I will keep us a safe distance LOL!)

I shoot all Nikon, have since 1989. As far as software, I have most everything I need and wish I could put alot of the editing (actually the design or graphics design ) portions of those programs to work. I shoot almost exclusively in RAW and I use Nikon software to handle them, then its off to Photoshop CS5 for basic tweaks. If graphics/design work is needed I let the editors handle it.

I will be down south soon, going after Gators. It adds a new dimension...usually I can see a Bear, but the gators tend to just "appear" near you.

[Dan Hintz]

The software I mention is updated firmware for the camera itself... it simply opens up some extra menus and such (more metering options, histogram adjustments, etc.)

[Ken Hill]

Oh my bad! I will try and read up on that model and see what it offers.

[Dan Hintz]

Found it... Magic Lantern:
http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/M..._Firmware_Wiki

From the website:

Our first set of fixes are targeted at the audio limitations of the camera, but there are some video enhancements included, too:

• On-screen audio meters
• Manual gain control with no AGC
• Zebra stripes (video peaking)
• Custom Cropmarks for 16:9, 2.35:1, 4:3 and any other format
• Control of focus and bracketing

I especially like the "follow focus" option so you don't need to keep the shutter trigger pressed halfway as you follow an object, as well as with video.

It currently only works with a number of Canon models, but there is development under way for Pentax bodies.

Here's a video detailing a number of available features:
http://player.vimeo.com/video/7838475

[Scott Hackler]

Bummer, I just tried to order a #39 Varitone PVC background and they are out until the end of the month becuase of supply issues with the manufacturer. I guess that gives me more time to construct a photo tent!

[Ken Hill]

Dan, I know nothing about the video. I do know that Canon has a much better set up in the higher end SLR's then most others. I have a higher end camcorder that I seldom use mainly because the dirt and dust killed it.

Scott, im about to drop the trigger on a tent myself, you just cant beat the ease of use. I doubt I will worry with a backdrop (store bought anyway) as I prefer to use themes especially with my calls. One of the biggest advantages to using them is you can control the spill light from windows or other light sources in the area. Maybe once the kids grow up and move out, and the Labs finally settle down, I will set up a small studio here at home. The last time I left a strobe set up the dogs knocked it over trashing a $500 unit!

[Dan Hintz]

I just found the manual for the T2i here:
http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/550D/UserGuide

and here's the official list of features:

• GUI menus: press the ERASE button to display them, SET/DISP to change values
• Bit rate control (QScale parameter) for the H.264 encoder
• Zebra stripes for overexposed / underexposed areas
• Spotmeter, histogram
• Cropmarks (16:9, Cinemascope, Fisheye)
• Intervalometer (classic or HDR)
• Trap Focus: camera takes a picture when something comes in focus
• Remote release with either the LCD face sensor or audio trigger
• Rack focus
• Stack focus (Live View only)
• Lens data computation
• Onscreen audio meters
• Manual audio gain, selectable input source, disable AGC and digital filters
• Display time remaining during video recording
• Debug functions (display CMOS temperature, screenshot, logging)
• Fine tuning for ISO and shutter speeds; also ISO 25600
• Kelvin white balance
• Clean LiveView display without any overlays (selectable)
• On-demand auto tuning for ISO, shutter & kelvin white balance
• Quick access to some useful settings like HTP, ALO and contrast

Definitely a lot more there than just for video. The stack focus would be awesome for macro shots of bugs (changes the focal distance automatically while it takes multiple shots), and of course I already mentioned the nice HDR bracketing modes.

[skott nielsen]

So I just set up a light tent lit from the side with two halogen work lights and am using NIkon D40 with 18-200 mm lens at about 80mm focal length and cannot get a 10 inch bowl in focus front to back using aperture priority and the highest f
Stop about f32 it will let me. Any tips?

Skott

[Bill Huber]

So I just set up a light tent lit from the side with two halogen work lights and am using NIkon D40 with 18-200 mm lens at about 80mm focal length and cannot get a 10 inch bowl in focus front to back using aperture priority and the highest f
Stop about f32 it will let me. Any tips?

Skott

Are the images not coming out in focus or what you are seeing in the view finder is not focused.

And how close are you to the bowl, you should be back about 10 ft I would think with that lens.