By request: How not to suck at photography
In response to this post, Rez said:
Paul, I desperately need to learn how to take photos like you. I dont try to pose off people, but with you i make the exception.
Please write about this if you can in your coming blogs. kind of a like a tutorial on how not to suck…i’d be very grateful.
First, a sincere thanks for the compliment. Now, so that we’ll know what the heck I’m talking about, let’s define that word, suck. I would, for the purpose of this post, define it as a serious dissatisfaction with the output of one’s own work. As in, all of my pictures suck, or at least the majority of them!
I do my best not to judge the work of others, other than to say, it appeals to me or it doesn’t. I’ve seen lots of work that hasn’t appealed to me, but that certainly doesn’t mean that it sucks. It simply means that I didn’t like the subject matter or the way that it was portrayed. That’s it.
Practice
The answer is quite simple and contained in the punch line to this joke:
A New Yorker (or in some versions Arthur Rubinstein) is approached in the street near Carnegie Hall, and asked, “Pardon me sir, but how do I get to Carnegie Hall?” He replies, “Practice, practice, practice.”
Types of practice
Of course, you could go outside and practice, practice, practice, with no particular goal in mind. This type practice is not so effective as goal-oriented practice. First, you need to find what you like. Then, you need to find your voice, or what you have to say about it. You may like sunsets, sunrises, people, frogs, parking lots, discarded shopping carts, tin cans, road signs, fog, etc. Who knows? The world is a very big place with lots of interesting things!
The most important aspect of the whole thing, I think, is to get that camera in your hand and shoot, shoot, shoot. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ways of shooting, even if someone else says that it’s wasteful, fruitless, unorthodox, etc. So what. What works for them, might not work for you. Do your thing. If you have an idea, follow it.
The work of others
In finding your voice, you’re going to run across the work of others that you like. Keep viewing the work of other photographers that you like until you discover why you like it. This is a huge clue in finding your voice. Perhaps you like the photographer’s choice of subject; the use of lines and shapes; the bold use of color; the abstract nature of the photo; the sentimentality of the subject matter.
We all seem to start by mimicry. I know I certainly did. I remember how captivated I was by Ansel Adams’ photographs when I first saw them. Every landscape photographer that I knew, seemed to want to be like AA. Similarly, in the early 80′s and 90′s, nearly every basketball player wanted to be Michael Jordon. When they went to the playground, they tried the moves that they saw Michael do last night, or perhaps they would practice the move in the driveway a few hundred times before putting it on display to the rest of the world (playground). Eventually, they added their own particulars and made it their own.
The methods are same. See something that you like. Try to duplicate it. Practice. Practice. Practice. Add your own flavor. Make it yours. Sure, there are those critics who will yell “derivative”. So what. Ask to see their portfolio! 
You have to be pleased with your work.
Proficiency
I think that you have to be technically proficient with your camera before you can become very expressive with it. The camera can get in the way if you don’t know how to use it. It can be a frustrating experience. Even if you understand color, lines, composition, etc, it really doesn’t so much matter if you cannot get the exposure right or figure out why your pictures are constantly blurry. Technical excellence turns the camera into an extension of your imagination, not a roadblock.
Acceptance
You have to accept where you are at this moment and realize that as long as you keep shooting and evaluating, not judging your work as good or bad, then you are growing. Evaluate the merits of the photograph to decide if you met your goal for the picture. Did I capture the feeling that I was trying to? Am I satisfied with the result? What more could I have done to make the shot more appealing to me? What if …? Again, the merits of the photograph, not the abilities of the photographer. Tell the inner-critic to take the day off. You’re not interested in his/her opinion of your skills!
The paradox
Don’t look for your voice to hard. You won’t find it. You’ll have to be quiet. You have to listen for it. Just keep shooting and, over time, it will find you. You’ll be drawn towards that which you like and that which speaks to you. When you start to over-think it, that’s when the confusion and anxiety sets in. Have fun and don’t let anyone tell you that you are doing ‘it’ wrong. There is no right or wrong. It’s simply what works for you.
For the Newbies: Choosing a digital camera
Wow! This is a big topic and there is no definitive answer. It all comes down to a matter of preference and intent. What do you like? What do you plan to use it for? There are as many different answers as there are individual letters in this post! Much of the choosing is about experimentation and personal preference.
What type of soap should I buy?
If you’ve ever been to the grocery store and stopped to look at the impressive array of most anything; it can be confusing to shop. Just take a look at the detergent section, for example! You have powder, liquid, high-efficiency, with fabric softener, with color-safe bleach, mountain-fresh, rain-scent, small size, medium size, large size, best-value size, Tide, Dreft, Purex, generic, store label, etc!!! Arghhhhh!!!! Mind you, they all do the same things. Some of them slightly better, others … well, they just impart a different smell!
About those cameras
The camera market is no different. There are lots of manufacturers, each offering slightly different versions of the same thing. They all perform the same function. They capture a digital image of whatever you point them at. You just have to make a decision on which flavor you prefer.
If you have read my articles on aperture and shutter speed, then you know that being able to control these features allows for a great amount of latitude in your picturing taking. You can become quite creative if you have control over these items.
I think that if you plan on experimenting, creatively, then a camera that allows you to control aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. should be in your future.
Digicams
Cameras, such as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50, have lenses that are permanently attached to the body. The big advantage here, especially for someone new to digital photography, is that everything you need is already there! You needn’t buy anything extra, save for a tripod, and some filters, if you want. You can control aperture, shutter speed, ISO (sensitivity), etc. Because the lens is permanently attached, you have no problems with dust getting onto the sensor, so there are no cleaning worries. This camera, for example, has an optical zoom factor of 15x. It can go from a modest wide-angle of 31mm, all the way to a respectable zoom of 465mm. Optical zoom factor being derived by dividing the larger zoom number, 465, by the smaller, 31, giving a factor of 15. It’s safe to ignore any propaganda about digital zoom. It’s crappy! It’s simply a magnification of the scene using mathematics!
EVF a word of caution
One word of caution here. Unfortunately, these cameras have electronic viewfinders (EVF); rather than seeing the actual view, you see the equivalent of a video image. Either that, or you get to look at the LCD screen. It depends on what you like. I’ve never felt comfortable composing in an LCD. Since I started with a film camera and was used to seeing the image through glass, it was rather difficult to get used to an EVF. In fact, I never did get used to it. It’s like the difference between looking out of the window vs. looking out of the window through a video camera. It’s not the same. Also, update speed is a problem. The EVF does not update fast enough to follow action. Period. This, in my opinion, is a very big down side, but don’t take my word for it. It’s important that you check it out for yourself. Go to the store and compare, for example, a D40x and Sony DSC-H50. See which you like better. They are both in about the same price range. Initially.
DSLR
The good thing with these cameras is that they have a mirror that bends the light into the viewfinder, so you are actually looking at the scene that you are going to photograph right through the lens. Crystal-clear.
Again, these are cameras and they take pictures; however, because they have removable lenses, they allow you to be a bit more selective in your lens choices, but they also add another layer of confusion. In the above example, you had a camera that had a lens that covered the range from 31-465mm. Now, you may have purchased, for example, a Nikon D40, which comes with a lens that covers 18-55mm. Well, you’re a bit short now. You’ll need to go out and buy, perhaps a 55-200mm, and a 200-500mm to cover the same range. More $$$. Also, you’ll have to change lenses, etc. All this is fine, if that’s what you want to do. Also, now that you can change lenses, you’re allowing those little dust bunnies inside of your camera. You’ll either have to learn how to clean it, or send it back for cleaning, which is more $$$. The flexibility does not come without a cost. To add another small item, each new lens that you add to your bag, adds a little bit of weight. You have to carry it.
Which is best?
It depends on what you need. There is no best, though brand-loyalist might keelhaul you if don’t agree with their point of view. Discussing which camera is best is akin to discussing religion, politics, megapixels, or shooting raw vs. JPG! It’s just flat out dangerous! Within a group of similarly priced cameras, all of the features are going be about the same. Manufacturers are adding lots of post processing features into the cameras, like color correction, cropping, changing to monochrome. These are better left for after the fact, rather than inside of the camera. It’s much easier to see what you are doing on a monitor than a 2 inch LCD!
Let’s try to winnow it down.
The following is certainly my opinion and what I look for in a camera. Hopefully, reading how I do it will give you ideas of how to perform your own winnowing process. I start by asking myself what is it that I want to do with the camera. Camera technology is always changing and better cameras are coming out for less money. Don’t stress yourself trying to figure out what you’ll want to photograph next year. Buy something that suits your needs today. After all, it’s all that you know.
Are you going to shoot sports?
If I want to seriously consider sports, I have to find a camera that shoots about 4 FPS (Frames Per Second) or better. This is based on my use of cameras shooting at less than 4 FPS and >= 4 FPS. Basically, this will cut out most of the consumer-level cameras and thrust you into the prosumer or professional level cameras. In other words, you’ve crossed the $1,000 zone! Most of the consumer-level cameras shoot at about 2.5 or 3 fps. While I’ve shot sports at this speed, you do miss a lot of important moments. At lot can happen in 1/3 of a second while your camera is trying to get on to the next shot. See my photographing basketball post for more information. If you have an EVF, forget about sports!
How does it feel/fit?
OK. The next important facet, for me, is to see how the camera feels in my hands. I prefer the feel of Nikon cameras because, well, they just fit. I’ve even been told by some serious Canon users who have felt the fit and weight of my Nikons that the camera feels a lot better; however, the choice is yours. I have Nikon equipment because I liked the feel of it, plain and simple. It’s important to me. They also have the features that I like. Does your hand land comfortably on the shutter button? Are the other adjustments in a comfortable place? Does the camera make sense to you? For example, Nikon lenses attach and lock in the counterclockwise direction. Canon, clockwise. Put it around your neck. Is it too heavy? Too light? Just right?
How does it look through the viewfinder?
When you look through the viewfinder, are you comfortable with what you see? If you wear glasses, can you see the entire viewfinder with your glasses on? If you take your glasses off, can you adjust the diopter knob enough so that you can see without your glasses. Some viewfinders show about 96% to 99% of the field of view. If you are very serious about how you frame your subjects, look for one that covers 100% field of view.
Len choices vs. camera manufacturers
Eventually, your lens purchases will exceed your camera purchase. Glass is expensive. You can purchase the original manufacturers lenses, such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, or Olympus, but 3rd party lenses may be more in your budget. When looking to purchase a DSLR, see if the 3rd party lens manufacturers like Tamron, Tokina, and Sigma make a wide array of lenses for your camera. If your are purchasing a Nikon, or a Canon, well, you probably don’t have a single worry. You’ll have a huge choice. After the top 2, things start to roll off. If you purchase, for example, a Sigma SD14, you may be constraining yourself to only Sigma lenses. Also, if you wanted something like a Lensbaby, it may not be available for your camera.
Megapixels
I don’t even want to go here because I fall back to the practical side. You cannot not tell much difference in a normal sized print, say 11 x 14, between a 6 MP camera and a 10 MP camera, assuming the same sized sensor (APS-C or Full frame). If you are not going to enlarge past this zone, well, then the issue is moot. You can function just fine with a D40 (6MP) or a D40x (10 MP), no need to spend the money on the extra pixels. Again, just my opinion and experience. I own a Nikon D40 (6 MP) as well as a D2x (12.2 MP) and get lovely prints from both of them. I’ve printed D40 files up to 13 x 19 and they look wonderful. So, you may be asking, if it’s so good, why do you have a 12.2 MP camera? Well, they are different beasts. The D40 is my lightweight walk-around camera. The D2x, my all weather, workhouse, sports shooting (5 or 8 FPS) camera. The D2x is HEAVY and not nice to carry around all day!
Sensor Size
Most DLSRs have an APS-C sized sensor. It’s about 75% of the size of a regular 35mm frame. Without going through all of the techno-mumbo-jumbo, larger sensors mean less digital noise at higher sensitivities (ISO). Also, the lenses have different angles of view when placed on the camera. Suffice it to say that if you step into the world of full frame sensors, you’ve just upped the ante!
Nikon has only one, the D3, and it will cost you $4,999. Canon has 2, the 5D, about $1,800, and the 1DS MK III, about $7,999. The big difference between full frame and APS-C is the angle of view and the ability to shoot true ultra-wide angle lenses. I don’t think that this price range is where most beginners want to tread. Perhaps after you get used to your camera, discover what you like to shoot, then you can make the decision to spend between $1,800 and $8,000.
Rent it or borrow it
If you are fortunate enough to live in a large city, or near one, that has a camera store where you can rent a camera for a day or two, take one for a test drive. See how it handles. If at the end of the day, you like it, go buy yourself one. Perhaps your buddy has one that he’d let you borrow for a little while.
In the end … it depends!
So, you see, it’s up to you. No, I didn’t recommend a camera and I only mentioned Nikon, because it’s what I shoot with. Nothing more. Hopefully, I have given you enough information where you can make a choice that will be good for your needs today.
About the pictures: Just a sampling. One with a digicam (Minolta A1), one with a point & shoot (Canon A350), three with DSLRs (D2x, D300, D40). They all got the picture! That’s what camera’s do!
For the Newbies: Shutter Speed
In a previous post, I spoke about the aperture. Now, I’d like to talk about the other half of the exposure dynamic duo, shutter speed. Whereas aperture had everything to do with the lens, nothing to do with the camera. Shutter speed is the opposite. It has everything to do with the camera, nothing to do with the lens. OK, view camera boys, back off! I’m talking SLRs!
But first, I have to answer a question: Yes? You in the back! … *groan* No, shutter speed has nothing to do with wind velocity, hurricanes, or wooden shutters! Sheesh!
A major disadvantage of some of the point and shoot camera crowd is a lack of ability to control the shutter speed or aperture. Basically, you get what the camera gives you. The camera works to get you a clear picture where everything is in crystal-clear focus. But, what if that is not what you want?
Blurring on purpose? Absurd!!!
The above picture, my son’s basketball team running ‘suicides’, was done using a method called panning. You hold the camera at eye-level and rotate at the waist while following the action. You need to use a slow shutter speed, in this case 1/8 of a second, in order to get the blurred effect. This effect gives the picture a sense of motion.
What is shutter speed?
Shutter speed is the amount of time expressed in seconds, or fractions of seconds, that the shutter curtain is open and allowing light to fall upon the sensor or film. My Nikon D300 has shutter speeds ranging from 30 seconds, on the long end, all the way up to 1/8000 second, on the high end. There is even a ‘bulb’ setting that allows you to hold the shutter open for as long as you want. This can make for some interesting night shots. Exposure = quantity (aperture) + time (shutter speed).
Fast shutter speeds
Higher shutters speeds, generally speaking, are about 1/250 second or greater. Higher shutter speeds allow you to freeze action. This comes in very handy when you are shooting sports, or some other fast paced action that you’d like to freeze. You can capture a moment in time, like the picture of this diver to the right, at the point of no return. Notice how the water droplets at the bottom of his shorts are frozen in time.
Slow shutter speeds
Slower shutter speeds allow you to capture motion over time. It gives your image an overall artistic feel. My favorite motion studies are of water. I like to set my camera upon the tripod and expose an image for multiple seconds. Of course, you have to have a fairly low light level to do this, or a filter that reduces the amount of light coming in so as not to overexpose (let in too much light) the picture. In this photo, to the left, the shutter has been left open for about 20 seconds. Everything that is stationary, rocks, plants, etc. remains in sharp focus. That which is moving, the water, takes on a pleasant blurred effect. This type of shot can only be accomplished by using a steady tripod, or some type of camera support.
Without a tripod, save for panning, slow shutter speeds can be a disadvantage because they record camera shake. You may have the hands of a surgeon, but surely you cannot hold perfectly still. Your breathing, heartbeat, and nervous system all contribute to camera shake. Additionally, where you stand, how you stand, the wind, etc. make their own contributions to this vibration. Lenses with image stabilization help to reduce this vibration, but are no substitute for a good tripod, but that’s another article all together.
It’s rather difficult to get sharp, hand-held pictures at the lower shutter speeds. A rule of thumb for selecting a shutter speed is that you shouldn’t shoot at speeds less than 1/focal length. So, if you have a 50mm lens, then don’t hand hold at less that 1/50 second. The longer the lens, the higher the needed shutter speed. A 500mm lens would require at least 1/500 of a second. Personally, I like to double that number, and prefer not to hand hold under 1/(2 * focal length). Mind you, only a very small percentage of my shots are taken hand held, save for sports.
Well, I cannot beat this horse anymore. So, I’ll just have to get another one ride off into the sunset. Until next time! (No horses were harmed in the making of this post!)
For The Newbies: Aperture
Creative use of DOF
When finished, hopefully you’ll know what is an aperture and why it’s important. So, let’s start:
An aperture is, quite frankly, a hole. By varying the size of this hole, we can increase or reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor. Say what? Let me put it another way. Let’s talk very briefly, first, about exposure. Exposure is the amount of light + the amount of time that the light is left on the sensor, or film.
A jug of water
In order to have a property exposed picture, you need the right combination of light + time. If you have a container that holds liquid, for example, a 1 gallon container, when you go to the sink, or perhaps to the garden hose, you can control the filling of that container by varying the quantity of water that is coming out of the hose. If you open the spigot to its maximum opening (aperture), then the container will fill very quickly. However, if you let but a trickle of water come out at a time, it might take several hours to fill the container. This is exposure. Time + quantity (intensity) of light. The intensity being controlled by how wide you open the spigot. The time that is needed to fill the container, shutter speed.
Away from water. Back to cameras.
If you were to take one of your lenses, hold it to the light and look through it, you’d see a hole created by diaphragm blades. If your lens has an aperture ring, turning the ring would make the opening larger or smaller, depending on the direction that you turn. The purpose of this hole is to increase or reduce the amount of light coming into the camera. This is your aperture.
What do all of those numbers mean?
Looking at my 50mm lens, I see the following numbers: 1.8, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16. Looks like some weird math sequence that you’d have to figure out for a college entrance exam, doesn’t it? Well, these numbers are aperture numbers, or f-stops, and each one of them, starting left to right, represents a smaller aperture, that is, it lets in less light (1/2 the amount of the previous number). The bigger the number, the less light it lets in. Think of it as a divisor.
A little math! Piece of Pi !
Uh, oh! No one said that there would be math involved! You can skip this part if you don’t want to know why these numbers are as they are. Let’s just say that it has to do with circles and Pi.
So, if you decided to keep reading, here’s what those numbers mean:
Given the above formula, let’s plug in some values for a 50mm lens:
f = focal length
N = the aperture Number.
Area = 3.14(pi) * ( 50/2 * 4 )^2
Area = 3.14 * ( 50 / 8 ) ^2
Area = 3.14 * (6.25)^2
Area = 3.14 * 39.06
Area = 122.7 square millimeters (area of the circle).
Using the same calculations for the same lens, but different aperture (5.6), gives and area of 62.6 square millimeters, or approximately 1/2 of the surface area, so one half of the light! Isn’t math wonderful?. Try it for the others and you’ll see that the math works. Now you know why each step to a higher number results in half of the light being let through, and each full step to a lower number, twice the light. You are changing the surface area of the hole.
For your math savvy folks, the above formula is the calculation for the area of a circle. pi * r^2. The division in the ( ) is the calculation for the radius, but enough of this math stuff!
So, that’s all very interesting. How can I use this?!
OK, now that we know how to control the the quantity of light coming through, what advantage does it offer us? This allows us to control our depth of field. Depth of field is how much, front to rear, of our picture is in focus. We might not always want everything in focus from the tip of John’s nose to the end of the street. We might want to isolate John and provide a nice, blurred background.
DOF and Bananas (click for larger image)
Depth of field can be altered by many factors: focal length of lens, distance of lens to subject, aperture, distance of subject to background, etc. For the purposes of this article, we’ll stick with depth of field as it pertains to aperture. We’ll also only demonstrate DOF for one lens, a 90mm f/2.8.
Because the birds won’t hold still long enough for me to take 8 shots in a row, I had to use some bananas that I had sitting around. Bananas are very cooperative, as a bunch, generally! 
As you can see, each step down (move to a higher number, smaller aperture) in aperture causes a corresponding increase in depth of field. When I was at f/2.8, the banana was very well isolated from the background and only that point that I focused on, at the stem, was in sharp focus. As I decreased the size of my aperture, more things start to come into focus, which may or may not be what I really wanted.
In this way, DOF can be used not only to control the amount of light coming in, but to also control what appears in acceptably sharp focus. So, now you know!
Aperture Priority / Aperture Value (AV)
This is the mode on a camera where you choose one half of the exposure equation, the aperture, and leave the camera to choose the other, shutter speed. That’s it!
Other things: Fast lenses
OK, so you’ve heard the term, perhaps, “fast lens”. It has nothing to do with how fast you can put it onto your camera! It may have to do with how fast it can drain your bank account, though! Fast lenses can be a lot more expensive than their slower counterparts. They are also heavier because they use larger pieces of glass to let in more light.
A tale of two lenses
For example, a Nikkor 300mm f/4 costs $1,124, while the same type of lens, one stop faster, the Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 VR costs a whopping $4,449! You pay a lot for that extra stop of light. A lot of engineering goes into that lens. Also, the former weighs in at 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg), the latter, 6.3 pounds (2.9 kg). Certainly something to consider when making a purchase.
A fast lens means, generally, those with maximum apertures of 2.8 or more. Remember, the smaller the number, the wider the opening. Think divisor. Fast relates to shutter speed. The wider the lens opening, the faster shutter speed you can use for the same lighting conditions. For example, a 100mm f/2.8 is a faster lens than a 100mm f/3.5, by almost a complete stop (1 stop equals twice or 1/2 as much light, depending on the direction that your heading.). So, it is a stop faster.
Now, hopefully, you know about apertures, how they affect exposure, and why having control of it can be important.
Something for the newbies
I wouldn’t spend more than $100 on a tripod. They’re all the same.
-Wolf Camera Employee
When I was a Newbie photographer, things were complicated enough. We had to make choices between aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, or a bit later, program cameras. There were all sorts of film choices and heaven help you if you decided to develop your own film. Now, add choices of film developer, paper, paper developer, enlargers, fixers, etc. Unfortunately, camera store employees, especially in the big chains, were of little help. They had a passing interest in photography, at best. The very small stores where were you wanted to go. And, if you can believe it, there was no such thing as The Internet! Now, with digital, the choices seem endless. The situation has not improved. What’s a person to do???
Stephen’s story
Yesterday, I had a conversation with my friend Stephen, of Two Black Guys in a ditch fame, and he was relating to me his experience of going into Wolf Camera and trying to purchase a camera. He said that when he went in he kind of new what he wanted, but not really. A friend or coworker had suggested that he get a Nikon D80, but hadn’t really given him more information as to why he should make that purchase. Could he have gotten a D40, D40x, D70, or perhaps he should have gotten a D200, D300, or perhaps a D3? What about Canon? Pentax? The choices seem endless. He even said that after he got home and started looking at all of the controls, he thought that he might be in over his head!
All tripods are the same
After he got into the camera store, the sales person started offering to sell him all sorts of stuff like filters, extended warranties, other lenses, etc. He didn’t really know what to buy. He just knew that he wanted a better camera than the present one he had. The above quote, or perhaps paraphrase, is from the employee that he was talking to. Obviously, this employee has never mounted his camera on a tripod before, and if he has, it certainly wasn’t the least bit breezy outside!
A helping hand
So I thought, why not offer a running series of posts just for the Newbies? While I was walking Hobbs this morning, I thought about some topics that I think might be useful to the uninitiated:
- Deciding between point-and-shoot and DLSR
- Choosing a DSLR camera:
- Choosing a point-and-shoot camera:
- Extended warranty. Should I get one?
- Tripod: Do I need one? How to choose one
- Pixels! Pixels! Pixels! – Explaining and showing the difference between different cameras/megapixels
- What type of lenses do I need?
- Accessories: What do I need? How many CF cards? Filters?
OK, now that I’ve chosen one, how do I use it? What are all of these strange markings on the camera?
- RAW? JPG? What should I use? (Uh oh!). That ought to be a fun one!
- Aperture
- Shutter Speed
- Exposure
- Manual mode
- Composition
So, those are the items that popped into my head immediately. That’s a lot of information that needs to be disseminated. Sure, you can find it all over web, so why not here, too. I rather like the community here. There are lots of experienced folks around here and I’m sure that they can add value to any article that I post, so after a post has cooled down, I’ll make changes to the post and promote it to a ‘page’.
Looks like I have a lot of work to do! If you are a Newbie, or an experienced person and can think of anything else that might be helpful to a beginner, please chime in! If you have any suggestions, let’s hear ‘em!