Photo Walk

Time: February 15th, 2020, 12-3pm
Place: Granville Island Concrete Plant. This will be class 5 of the eight classes so this means the final class will be on March 4th. If you choose to drive keep in mind the paid parking is in effect for the whole island from 11AM to 6PM.

Next Week will be Night Photography During the Class

Assignment Review

Last we we talked about composition and working on introducing compositional elements into your photographs. The primary focus was to be on rule of thirds or golden ratio, foreground-middleground-background and rhythm.

1. Can you describe how you experienced introducing compositional elements into you the way you capture images? What worked or did not work for you?
2. Did you learning anything new about your camera during this process?
3. Have you any further thoughts on what it is that draws you in to take the photographs you took?

Quote

JAY MAISEL

The more I shoot the luckier I get.

It isn’t a matter of how much ground you cover, it is what you see. If you walk too fast you don’t see.

Photographer

Fred Herzog (September 21, 1930 – September 9, 2019) devoted his artistic life to walking the streets of Vancouver as well as almost 40 countries with his Leica^[1], photographing – mostly with colour slide film – his observations of the street life with all its complexities. Herzog ultimately became celebrated internationally for his pioneering street photography, his understanding of the medium combined with, as he put it, “how you see and how you think” created the right moment to take a picture.
Wikipedia

Camera Operation: ISO

Auto ISO is often a standard default setting for many people. It allows a photographer to let the ISO “float” while in either Priority and Speed modes. Usually in good light the ISO will stay at its native ISO, only when the light begins to fail is the ISO likely to climb. In your settings menu you can usually set a minimum Speed and a maximum ISO level, this means while in Aperture mode your speed stays high enough to prevent camera shake, and the ISO when it reaches the maximum it will stay at this setting. When this happens your camera should indicate you have an exposure problem if the light continues to drop.

I recommend setting the lowest speed to 1/80 unless you are using a camera with over a 40 MP resolution, or you have 5-axis stabilization. Keep in mind that if your lens is greater than 50mm the speed will have to be increased. There is an inverse rule for this which says if you have a 50mm lens set your speed to 1/50, 80mm 1/80, 110mm to 1/110, etc., however this is the lowest possible speed if you have a correct stance and have drunk no coffee. So personally I find this speed is to low for me, so this is why I recommend 1/80 for 50mm and higher for lens with high mm numbers.

If you are in manual mode, Aperture Priority or Speed Priority and the light is good the I recommend you set your ISO to its native value (usually 100 ISO), this will ensure you do not accidentally trigger a higher ISO. As the light fails then the ISO may need to be altered or put back on one of your automatic ISO settings. If your camera is on a tripod and there is no motion in you frame, I usually turn off my ISO to make sure I get the least amount of noise.

Noise Test at Various ISOs

Reducing Noise

Use a Tripod or 5-axis Stabilization

Use a tripod if the exposure demands an ISO level you do not like, and there is no movement in the scene this should be your first consideration. Modern mirrorless cameras with 5-axis in camera stabilization can also help you shoot handheld at much lower speeds, thus allowing the ISO setting to be lower.

Shoot RAW

The first step in reducing noise is making sure you shoot RAW as the compression process of creating a JPEG can introduce artifacts into an image. The amount of artifacts you might find in a JPEG increases as the ISO goes up. In addition to this removing noise from a RAW file in post production has more flexibility.

Get the Exposure Correct for your Sensor

Depending on the age of your sensor you may be able to reduce the degree to which you underexpose your image in order to protect your highlights, as underexposing an image does introduce some noise into the darkest areas of the image. This noise can become quite apparent when you lighten your shadows to increase the dynamic range of the image. So it goes without saying that getting the exposure correct is helpful in avoiding noise. You may wish to run a number of tests in a high dynamic range situation to determine your best setting for your particular camera.

Use Noise Reduction

If you are taking a two or three minute exposure make sure your camera’s noise reduction is turned on. “In camera” noise reduction will analyze the heat signature of the sensor and then remove the noise pattern from your image. Keep in mind that the camera will shut down for the same time as the exposure in order to memorize the noise pattern of the sensor. So if you are taking a three minute exposure the camera may go blank for three minutes.

Consider Your Pixel Pitch

Finally if you are interested in low light or astrophotography you may want to invest in a camera with a high pixel pitch. Pixel pitch determines how accurately the sensor gathers information, the smaller the number the less light is measured by each of the sensor’s pixels. Cameras are marketed usually on their resolution, so people tend to buy cameras with higher megapixels to get more resolution, however they often overlook pixel pitch which governs the accuracy of the resolution.

Noise What is It and How to Fix It.

As you increase your ISO setting above the native ISO, you will introduce more and more noise into the image. The amount of noise will be greater with older cameras compared to newer cameras, at some point noise can become undesirable. The higher the ISO the more artifacts are introduced into an image, these artifacts at some point will negatively impact the image.

Noise is created primarily by underexposed areas of a photograph, the heat of the sensor over long exposures or high ISO settings and high ISO settings. Using a high ISO basically amplifies the image and this amplification creates more noise. If you turn a radio speaker up at some point the speaker begins create distorted noises because the amplification starts to get beyond the speakers capacity. This is similar to what happens when you turn the ISO up on a camera.

White Balance

Colour, quantity, direction and quality are the four characteristics of colour in the following video Ross de Otter gives a quick overview of why white balance is important, particularly if you are shooting JPG and not RAW.

Focus Point

The Four Shooting Modes

Manual Mode

In Manual mode, the aperture and shutter speed values are fixed by the user. ISO Auto will change the ISO when the light levels change. You do have the option of turning off the auto ISO, which puts the camera in a fully manual exposure mode. Night photography often requires the camera to be in full manual.

*When using the ISO Auto function in manual exposure mode the electronic analog exposure display of the camera will continue to indicate correct shutter speed and aperture settings when light levels change within a four-stop range. The ISO Auto system increases or decreases the ISO value to maintain the correct shutter speed and aperture value the user has chosen.

Speed or Shutter Priority

In Shutter Priority mode the shutter speed is set by the user and the aperture is determined by the camera system. If light levels change, the aperture will change as determined by the camera system. At some point the automatic aperture adjustments will reach the end of the lenses range of its range. When this happens the ISO, if it is set to automatic will increase its sensitivity value.

Aperture Priority

In Aperture Priority, the aperture value is set by the user and the shutter speed value is determined by the camera system. If light levels change and the shutter speed required to achieve the correct exposure is beyond the shutter speed range of the camera, ISO Auto will increase the sensitivity.

*As the shutter speed range of a D-SLR is very large, it is rare that a shutter speed beyond the range of the camera (i.e. 30 sec) will occur under normal lighting conditions. 

Program

In Program, Auto or any of the Digital Vari-Program modes the aperture and shutter speed values are determined by the camera system. As light levels change, the camera will alter shutter speed and aperture values to ensure the correct exposure. When the shutter speed required to achieve the correct exposure is beyond the shutter speed range of the camera and the aperture cannot be adjusted any further by the camera system, ISO Auto will increase the sensitivity.

Metering and Exposure Compensation

Types of Camera Metering

There are three basic ways in which you can have your camera evaluate the amount of light that is in the scene you are photographing. The meter automatically determines your exposure, unless you are in full manual mode.

1. Evaluative metering looks at whole image you are about to capture, after looking at all the bright and dark areas it averages all the information and bases the exposure on this average. Every manufacture has a different method for doing this so you may notice a difference between cameras you own. Evaluative Metering or Matrix Metering is a good all round metering method, and the exposure compensation dial can be used to correct any problems with this method of metering.
2. Centre Weighted Metering looks at the centre area of the image you are about take, sometimes up to 75% of the centre, but ignores the corners of the frame. Then based on this area averages the darks and lights and then determines the exposure for the camera. Centre Weighted Metering is ideal for people, portrait, and still life photography
3. Spot Metering here the meter, which often follows where the focus point is located can be as small as 5% or 3% of the image. It sets the exposure for the camera based on the spot it is metering. Spot Metering works best when the subject or subject matter you are photographing is surrounded by a much darker or much lighter area, such as some studio portraits.
4. Keep in mind these are the basic methods, as cameras advance there are many additional variations, such as focus tracking.

Histogram

The histogram on a camera is a graphic display of your exposure. The left side of the histogram represents the amount of shadows in your picture and the right side the amount of highlights. The middle of the histogram displays the midtones and the very centre represents the amount that is 18% gray.

What are Zebras, Highlight Clipping Warning, Highlight Alert or Blinkies

Diffraction

Finding a Composition

Artistry of Camera: Focal Point and Composition

When composing in camera and working on an image in the processing phase, the photograph needs to distance themselves from the experience of taking the photograph. Sometimes the best strategy when processing is to let the photograph sit in your editing catalogue for a few days before editing it. Another method that can be applied both in the processing and capture process is to think about composition elements, visual hierarchy and focal point. In this way you can begin to look at the photograph or potential photograph as an editor might look at it or the viewer of the photograph, becoming more objective.

Focal Point

Focal point is the convergence of the art and science of photography. In an image often the area where the sharpest focus is located is where the photographer has the compositional elements converge. A photographer may choose to use position, shape, size, colour, blur or depth of field to emphasize focal point, or a number of these methods, including the compositional methods listed below. So looking at how the elements in the image contribute to the focal point is helpful in determining if the composition is going to work, or if you need to move around in the scene. If you are in post processing then you may consider how to crop the picture.

Visual Hierarchy

Visual Hierarchy is a way of examining what is the dominant and less dominant compositional elements in a photograph. Too many elements may detract the from the focal point, unless they are grouped into patterns. Why is this important to consider, too many compositional elements or a complex hierarchy can create a very busy image that becomes so busy that it feels like wallpaper. So this is helpful in consider if the hierarchy of elements is working to focus the viewer or distract the viewer.

The Compositional Dance

Photography can be a kind of performance art as you are dancing with your viewfinder within a scene to find a composition.  Unlike painters, writers and poets a photographer seeks to find the compositional elements within the viewfinder. Remember your camera is not a window you are framing a composition. While doing the compositional dance consider where the key elements fall within the frame; how do the leading lines within the frame help or hinder; how does the viewers eyes move through the frame; and where are the horizontal lines falling in the composition.

Last week we focus on two compositional elements the rule of thirds and foreground, middleground and background. There are lots of methods for creating compositions as an artist, let’s look at other elements.

• Rule of Thirds (main subject in 1/3 of the frame either vertically or horizontally).
• Foreground, Middleground and Background.
• Rule of Odds or Rhythm (odd numbers of subjects).
• Leading Lines (lines that draw attention to the subject
• Balancing Elements (including another element to balance the main subject).
• Open Ended Scene (you can’t tell for sure what is actually going on).
• Room for movement or implied movement.
• Frame within a Frame
• Controlling strong verticals or horizontals
• Checking horizon lines are level
• Strategic cropping of lines, and objects
• Balancing bright and dark areas
• Focus
• Contrast
• Pattern
• Proportion
• Creation of Depth

Leading Lines

In its simplest form leading lines is a technique of drawing the viewer toward the main subject of an image such as path from the land down to a dock. There are many elements that can be used to do this such as roads, fences, bridges, rivers, shorelines, waves, sand dune, and many more. When looking at composing a shot you need to examine the scene for all the leading lines within the frame. This will often force you to move around the scene seeing these lines change as you change position until you find them where you want them to be and which lines are best to use in your composition. 

Using these lines can help create depth in your composition, help move the viewer from foreground through middle ground to background, heighten the subject, draw attention to smaller important elements in the composition and if combined with other elements in the composition help lead the eye in a circular motion within the composition so the viewer never leaves the frame.

When we look at an image, our eyes are drawn into a visual journey. If the photographer has successfully used leading lines. The route your eyes takes when you are enjoying a photograph is often dictated by these lines, which can also add balance to the image. Lines are as fundamental to photography as light, shadow, highlights, and rhythm. Even the frame of the image are lines, so being conscious of lines as a visual element is important.

Space to permit movement

Leaving room for movement is important in a photograph, as it gives the impression or illusion of movement. When this room is not present the photograph often feels like something is missing or cut out of the image. The two images below illustrated this phenomena.

Abstraction

Abstraction, sometimes called non-objective, allows the photographer to move away from representational photography. In other words, you are less worried about accurately portraying an object, and more interested in isolating elements of an object or scene. This often creates a somewhat unreal scene or object. Often this means the photograph is more focused on texture, shape, shadows, colour, or form. In this way the photographer is working more with sensations, impressions, feelings or an inner expression of their reaction to what is in front of them.

Compositional Checklist

1. Object of Interest: The view should immediately be drawn to the object of interest make sure nothing distracts from the object but the elements in the frame draw the view to the object.
2. Corners: Make sure the corners do not contain objects that distract from the composition.
3. Horizon Line: Is your horizon line straight.
4. Sense of Scale: Is there something in the image that gives the composition a sense of scale
5. Golden Ratio: Are the elements in the image arrange using using compositional rules, is the horizon line where it should be?
6. Leading Lines: Are the leading lines in the composition helping to frame the main subject or are they working against the subject.
7. Clean foreground: If he subject is in the middle ground are there any objects that may distract from the subject in the foreground.
8. Sharpness: Is the sharpness in the image edge to edge or if you are using depth of field the isolate a subject is the focus correctly set on the main subject.
9. No set Rules: The rules are there to help you think about how you might make a pleasing composition but they may not all serve your purpose so pick and choose what helps and leave out what hinders your composition.

Photography is More Creative than Factual

Unless you are a reporter following strict rules of photojournalism, a photograph is a creation and a form of self expressionism. Whether or not your photograph is manipulated should never enter into a discussion, rather the discussion should be around how effectively it conveys what you wanted to express.

Firmware Upgrading

Inside a camera is a microprocessor or computer, it stores on a non-removable flash memory inside your camera an operating system, that controls the features, functions, menus and buttons. This operating system sometimes called firmware controls autofocus, exposure, image processing, noise reduction, lens operations and other important functions within your camera. Without firmware your camera would not be able to operate.

From time to time camera manufacturers upgrade this software to fix or upgrade how your camera operates. It is not always necessary to bother with upgrading your firmware on your camera, but sometimes it can bring new features to an older camera. If new lenses are introduced then an upgrade may be necessary to ensure optimal operation of the lens.

For example the D5300 since it was release it has had a few firmware upgrades to fix some issues with the camera and some lenses, or the Z6 which has added new eye-detect features to its camera.

One has to be very careful when following the instructions for a firmware upgrade, if a battery fails or the process is interrupted in any way it can render your camera unusable. If this happens your camera store should be able to arrange for a fix from the camera manufacturer.

Photography Events of Interest:

The Vancouver Art Gallery is showing a retrospective of Cindy Sherman’s work from Oct 26, 2019 – Mar 8, 2020. Sherman manipulates her own appearance to take self portraits creating or assume characters from popular culture, film, advertising and fashion.

Assignment: Focal Point

If you are shooting with a zoom lens rather than a prime lens, use a piece of gaffer tape to choose a focal distance so it does not vary during this exercise. You are going to be zooming with your feet rather than your lens. Go to a location that you find interesting locate what you want to capture, when you have a subject framed and the focal point located within the frame take a photograph. The point behind this assignment is to move forward, backward, to one side then the other, trying to frame the scene in different ways, while working on compositional elements. Once you have at least six shots very different images from the same scene move on to another area that interests you.

Remember while you are doing this assignment doing pay attention to the negative space, which should be relatively small, and scan the edges of the frame, shift you position till everything you want in is in and everything you want out of the frame is out. Keep in mind that lines that cut through the corners, little bits of confusing detail along the edge of the frame or random flecks of light or shadow may draw the viewer away from the your focal point. 

Next Week We are Doing Night Photography

Remember to bring your tripods and lenses review how you use the timer on your camera, we will try and do night shots next week. If you have a cable release or remote shutter release that you are comfortable using please bring it along. Some cameras may allow you to use your smartphone through bluetooth to release the shutter.