PHOTOGRAPHING SEASONAL CHANGES

While these two photographs are not perfectly "registered" with each other, it is always interesting to take images of the same subject in various seasons. The above two photographs were taken from my old house on Douglas Avenue, Saint John, New Brunswick Canada. Our city has a diverse collection of architectural styles, which makes it a haven for all types of visual artists.

I did not plan out the above photographs to work in tandem with each other, however if I did, this is what I would do:

1. Buy a used tripod that is solid and not wobbly, with a quick-release camera attachment plate.
2. Attach it to your house in a solid fashion.
3. Make sure the tripod head is locked tightly so that it will not move during the year.
4. At the first of every month place the same camera on the tripod, and take your monthly photo.
5. Make sure that all of your 12 images have the same "F-stop" number, preferably f/8.
6. When the year is finished, place the 12 photos into a slide show with a dissolve, and you will have a nice short film to send to your friends!

For more detailed information on any of these steps, or if you have any questions about this process or any other photography question, call me anytime at www.clarity.fm/markhemmings

These two photos are ready for your wall as large fine art prints! Check them out here: www.markhemmings/prints www.markhemmings.com/prints
Mark is available for hire as a photographer or filmmaker at www.hemmingshouse.com

CANON 50mm f/1.2 L USM LENS REVIEW

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.


Do you want to get some intense shallow depth of field? Well, there are many ways of doing this, but if you have the cash one fine way is via a full frame camera like the Canon 5D MkII matched with the 50mm f/1.2 lens. I took this photo at our annual San Miguel de Allende Photo and DSLR Filmmaking Workshops last year. This is a straight photo with no photoshop retouching. As you can see, the photo has a very thin slice of focus:

I have used this lens quite a bit since its release, and have found that the images taken at f/1.2 have a soft-ish glow to them, which can either be good or bad depending on your subject matter. From the perspective of a commercial photographer, it is unlikely that they would be utilizing such an f-stop very often. Fashion photographers may enjoy the radical depth-of-field options, but they would not rely on f/1.2 for every shot. DSLR filmmakers tend to play around at f/2.8 to f/5.6 due to moving subjects. So, who could make regular use of this lens when used wide-open (lowest f number)? I think nature, wedding, film & theatre, and street photographers. 

Nature Photography: While you have limited ability to get really close to the subject matter, using a full frame DSLR photographing flowers will result in some pretty cool shots. Here are some more photos that I took in the same cactus garden:

These nature photos are for sale as fine art prints for your wall by clicking here

Street photographers and wedding photographers share a similar skill set; catch the moment in  a split second because if you miss it, it will never happen again. I am not saying that this lens is greater than average regards focusing speed, rather the ability to shoot in darker environments at f/1.2 allows for a greater chance of "getting the shot". Further, if a wedding photographer wants to mix flash with ambient light, shooting at f/1.2 will allow for a sharper image due to a faster shutter speed.

The Canon 1DX sports an incredible maximum ISO of just over 200,000! To put that into perspective, when I used to buy film I would rarely go above ISO 800 except for artistic applications. The Canon 50mm f/1.2 mixed with the 1DX camera body would be able to see in the dark.

On-set stills photographers need fast lenses as shutter speeds are required to be in the range of 1/45 of a second, at ISO 800 or so. When I worked in the movie industry I was always frustrated that I had to jack up my ISO just to get a shot that wasn't blurry (due to the actors moving around). A fast lens on a newer DSLR with usable high ISO abilities would suit stills photographers well.

Finally, you pay a high premium for f/1.2! If you can get by with f/1.8 you can save a ton of money, and still get amazingly sharp images.

Feel free to leave a comment about your experiences with this lens, or any other thing that comes to mind! To hire Mark as a photographer or filmmaker, visit his production company website at www.hemmingshouse.com

EYES ARE THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

The past six years or so I have been blessed to spend time with Eastern European Romani people (or Gypsies, as they are popularly known as). I am not sure why I am drawn to them, I seem to find a certain measure of self worth in giving of my time to the Romani families that I meet on my journeys.  This blog entry is two-fold; the first is obvious, that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and the second is that the larger the camera sensor, the greater amount of depth-of-field options you have.

If you are primarily a photographer who loves people, you may be best served with a full sensor camera. While these are usually the most expensive types, prices are dropping each year. The Canon 5D MkII has been a popular choice for many diverse photographers due to its great image quality, full frame sensor, incredible video, and light weight. At the time of writing this blog the price for the 5D MkII is about $2,300.

This is one of my favorite shots of my new Romani buddy who I met in Transylvania last summer. I was struck by the indescribable quality of his eyes . . . somewhat haunting! As you will see, the depth of field is so narrow that only his eyes are in focus. This is one of the advantages of a full frame sensor camera. Feel free to leave a comment below, I am always appreciative of extra input for my readers!

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com
Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

IPHONE 4S CAMERA REVIEW

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

I am writing this blog post on the iPhone 4s, and I have had plenty of time to play with the built in camera. My dad asked me what kind of point and shoot camera my mom should get, and my quick reply was to just buy a new iPhone (I believe her contract was coming to an end). While I don't appreciate over consumption with the new latest and greatest, the combination of a great camera and a great mobile phone has changed the way I communicate with the world. In the past I would photograph my kids with my point and shoot, attach it to my computer, download, edit the photo, upload it to our family website, email family members notifying them of an update. Now it is seamless and quick with one device that is always in my pocket.

While you may miss having an optical zoom on the iPhone 4s, remember that zoom lenses aren't absolutely necessary. If you look at the history of great photography, almost all of the iconic images were captured on prime (non zoom) lenses. Sometimes it is good practice to physically move your body closer or further away from the subject matter.

The images are very acceptable on the camera, and I am very impressed with the 1080 HD video capture as well. As a professional commercial filmmaker, having a decent portable HD cam in my pocket is so helpful when doing location scouting. Often we are working with clients who are in different cities, and they need to see what we are seeing. The iPhone's ability to send photos or videos quickly via cell towers or wifi makes it a great tool for the photographers and filmmakers who deal with agencies or PR firms.

I am happy! A tool that consistently works well for me deserves public mention. The attached photo was treated with a 70's look via an iPhone photo app.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com
Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

INSTAGRAM PHOTOS

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

This will be old news to a lot of you, but for those who are experimenting with photography on your mobile phone (such as an iPhone), the Instagram App may be a good fit for you!

What I have discovered is that in monochrome settings such as a ski hill, you will often get uninspired results from your cell phone camera. The image will come out slightly dark due to the bright snow, and the image may have a melancholic blue color cast. Enter Instagram, and a host of other great photo apps. With one click of a button your cell phone pics become alive via some really cool filters. And for only a few dollars, you can't go wrong! I took this photo yesterday on a fun day at the slopes. This filter gave the photo an aged look from a few decades ago, which my dad appreciated!


Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com
Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com