PHOTO ASSISTANTS

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 week's blog post is not so much a photo lesson, but an admonition to avoid deleting photos in-camera. During each photo shoot I get my assistant Jon or Jen to stand in for the subject so I can adjust the lighting. In the past I would always delete these test shots, even if I did not need to delete them due to a large memory card. A few weeks ago I decided to collect all the pics of my photo assistants posing for the camera. The results are fantastic, and I plan to put them on my website when I get a few more images.

If you can avoid deleting photos in-camera, who knows what kind of jems you will come up with. I realize that it takes extra time during post-processing, but I have found that many of my favorite shots through the years have actually been the test shots, that I normally would have deleted.

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

HARSH SUN, DEEP SHADOWS

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.

Have you ever seen the cover photo for the Buena Vista Social Club? The scene is a Cuban street, with a man walking on one side, and an old classic American car on the other. The photo is not very good technically, but it is incredible aesthetically. The shadows are unacceptably deep, the photo is out of focus, and the man's face is hard to see. However it is one of my favorite images due to it's "soul" factor.



















If you are in mid-day sun, and you feel uninspired due to the harsh lighting, why not use the weather to your advantage? Create a low-fi image by increasing your camera's contrast, underexposing, boosting saturation, and finally, taking the picture slightly out of focus.
















My sample image is quite deficient compared to the Buena Vista image, but it gives you an idea of what is possible when you purposefully take technically poor pictures! Sometimes you will get gems that turn out to be quite profitable.


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

FLUORESCENT LIGHTING ISSUES

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.

There may be times when you are required to photograph a person in a room lit entirely with fluorescent lights. If you cannot turn off the fluorescent lights and use studio strobes, or natural light, then a green gelatin sheet may be the right thing for you.

This sample photo was such that the model needed fill light, as the fluorescent lights were shining solely from above. If you currently don't have softboxes or umbrellas, you can still get a decent look by using your on-camera flash.

The first step is to order a square sheet of light green plastic from your camera store. These plastic sheets are also called gelatin filters or films. The reason they are so important for every photographer is that they transform your own daylight-balanced flash into a fluorescent-balanced flash. Ask for a dedicated fluorescent-balanced green gelatin filter sheet.

If, for example, I photographed this model using overhead fluorescent lights, but used a normal flash for the fill light, her face and body would turn out to be a different color than the rest of the room. Why is this? Fluorescent light is greenish in color, and your camera flash is normal white (also called daylight balanced). For you to give the model the same color tone as the room, you need to make your camera flash emit greenish color light. Simply take the green plastic gel that you purchased, and tape it over your flash!

The next step is to set your camera's white balance to the Fluorescent Light setting. This is indicated by a long fluorescent bulb icon. Put your camera on a tripod, compose the photo including the model, and take the photograph. In full Program or Auto mode the camera flash should act as a fill light, with the background room evenly exposed. If you need a brighter room, adjust your exposure compensation. If you need a brighter subject, adjust your flash's exposure compensation (check your manual to see if your camera has this feature).

Balanced light is very important when photographing people in interior locations. The only time you would not want balanced color tones is for artistic effect, which can also add greatly to your finished product.

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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

UNEXPECTED RESULTS

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 feel very grateful that I thoroughly enjoy photographing almost all of the commercial assignments that I receive. This is no doubt due to the trust that my clients have in my abilities, which allows me to experiment and find new ways of presenting normal subjects.

I am asked to photograph wine and food fairly regularly, and I always enjoy the task because it forces me to out-do my last job. This delicious 2004 Argentinian Alfa Crux Malbec had me stumped, as nothing was working out. The lighting was uninspired, and I couldn't seem to go beyond the look of a normal documentary style product shot.

I unintentionally placed one of my umbrellas behind the bottle, rearranging the studio to try for a different light setup. I did a test shot just to make sure my wireless units were working, and to my surprise found out that the umbrella itself worked as a decent (and unexpected) background! I fine-tuned the shot adding an additional frontal fill light, and gave the image to the client, who was very happy with the results.

I will be honest and admit that a good percentage of my best images are serendipitous. I am thankful for this, as I am well aware of my own limited capacities, and enjoy when the "Invisible Hand" takes over for me. I would encourage young photographers who are struggling with finding your creativity to purchase and read the book entitled The Artists Way. It may be a catalyst to take you from cerebral problem solving to right brain (and possibly spiritual) aptitude.

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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

CROPPING FOR POWER

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.

Cropping in the digital age is extremely easy. Not only is it easy, but your chosen crop is repairable, if you feel that you made a mistake (this is the value of using the RAW file format).

Most digital cameras have a standard rectangular aspect ratio. Some images however might fall apart if left un-cropped. Why is this? Too much useless and unnesessary space either above or below the main subject matter.

This attached photo of musicians was a prime example. I was extremely pleased with the quality of light on the faces and upper bodies, however below the waste was just pure shadow. I could have left the shadow in, but I felt that the image would express much greater power and authority if it was a bit tighter. I decided to keep the viewer's attention on that which is the most emotive, and get rid of the unwanted elements.

Now, here comes the more controversial part. I believe that cropping just slightly below the top of the head is (sometimes) another means of positing greater drama and strength within a portrait. If you say this out loud at a photographer's association meeting, they would no doubt shout you down quite quickly. However, it is not the photo associations that effect and forcibly evolve compositional design; it is the fashion and art magazines that set the trends. Look through Vanity Fair, or even a J. Crew catalog, and you will see that the photographer or graphic designers are far less concerned with "appropriate" cropping, as they are with creating visual power. Often you will see crops with the tops of heads cut off . . . I like this, as it is indicative of an attitude of indifference toward established visual precepts.

The only downside to intelligent cropping is a loss of resolution. It is best therefore to increase your resolution in your RAW converter prior to any Photoshop editing.

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

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

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.

When in a different country photographing city-scapes, the first and easiest subjects to photograph are the buildings. Night city photography can be exciting in places like Times Square or Shinjuku Tokyo. However, when you photograph objects that are immovable, such as skycrapers or neon signs, there is a potential for the image to become static (far too still and stationary).

To move your images from static to dynamic, why not add an element of movement? Spend the time to get your tripod out, and include in the foreground moving people or moving cars. Your exposure will be long, so a tripod is essential, and even better is the use of a cable or remote shutter release.

By adding movement to your city photographs you have just increased the value of your images tenfold.

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

HOW TO FOCUS

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.

If you are photographing any type of room or interior, and would like to get as much of the room in focus as possible, try this:

Set your camera on a tripod, and compose your picture. Now, walk away from the camera into the room and divide up the room into "thirds". Between the camera and the far end of the room you should be able to estimate where to mentally divide up the space into 1/3 distances. For example, if your interior space from the camera to the far wall is 30 feet deep, find the location on the floor (or a piece of furniture) that is 10 feet away from the camera. This section is "one third" of the total depth of the room.

Go back to your camera, and now manually focus the lens to that place on the floor, or that piece of furniture that is (as in our example) 10 feet away from you. Now re-compose you picture, set your lens aperture number to f8 or f11 (Aperture Priority setting), and take the shot. Your resulting image should have the most even amount of foreground and background sharpness.

Other tips: f8 and f11 are usually the sharpest lens apertures. If you need the maximum depth of field possible, go to f22 or the highest aperture number that your lens is capable of. The trade-off is that the final image may not be as sharp as the same image taken at f8.

When doing interiors, always use your self-timer. The shake of your finger on the shutter button will compromise image sharpness. Instead of waiting the full 10 seconds for the shutter to be released, see if your camera allows for a 2 or 5 second self timer.

Finally, make sure your camera is set to Manual Focus. After you have focused on your "1/3" location, you don't want the camera to focus on some other location as soon as you take the photo (which it will do, if the camera remains on Auto Focus).

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

HIGH CONTRAST

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.

If you are using only natural window light and want to get a high contrast look for your portrait, black fabric will do the trick. The best material is black velvet, which seems to "soak up" the light, as velvet does not reflect any light back toward its source.

Simply hang or pin any type of black material as close to the subject as possible. Obviously you will not want the material to be in the photo, but just at the edge. If you want to see how much difference this technique makes, take two photos, one with, and one without the black material.

To increase the contrast even more, use high contrast film, or set your digital camera to its highest contrast setting. Keep in mind that extreme contrast portraits are usually best for fine art photography. If you are doing a portrait session for a normal paying client, it may be best to do it with a more traditional method.

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DEPTH OF FIELD

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.

Low Depth of Field means that only a small "sliver" of the picture will be in focus, and the remaining parts of the picture space will be softly out-of-focus. This is very helpful for People photography, as long as the point of focus is always the subjects eyes.

There are two main ways to obtain low depth of field. Purchase a 50mm f1.8 lens, and set the lens to f1.8. Focus on the subject's eyes, and everything else should go out of focus. The closer the camera is to the subject, the greater the effect.

If you currently only have a zoom lens that came with your camera, you can still get a good effect without buying a new lens. Set the zoom lens to the longest setting, such a 200mm, and the f-stop at its lowest number, such as f5.6. Similar to the 50mm lens, the closer the camera is to the subject, the greater the effect. You may need to use a tripod however when using such a long lens. The longer the focal length, the greater the chance of camera shake.

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SCALE AND PERSPECTIVE

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.

Today's blog entry is very short, but effective. When photographing large-scale scenes, whether they are natural or man made, it is important to include a reference point (such as humans) to give the viewer a sense of scale. As camera lenses do not give a 100% accurate representation of reality, it helps to either include background subject matter of a known scale, or additional foreground elements that the viewer can make spatial judgments from. In this case, the people in front of the falls show the scale of the waterfall.

I took this photo at Montmorency Falls, near Quebec City. 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

TELEPHOTO COMPRESSION

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.

If you are interested in learning how to take good sports photos, try using a zoom or telephoto lens at around 200mm. These long lenses have a tendency to "compress" an image, making depth of field changes more prominent, as well as giving the image much more drama. Another benefit to long lenses are the compositional possibilities; you can usually get rid of distracting background information because the subject usually fills the entire picture space.

The downside to long lenses are few, but keep these in mind:
1. You will need a tripod, as the longer the zoom, the shakier the images can become.
2. The longer the lens, the quicker the focusing will need to be. This is either the camera's autofocus, or your own focusing.
3. You may need to increase the ISO to freeze the action of the moving subjects.
4. An f2.8 zoom lens is ideal for sports photography, but these are very expensive. A cheaper but high quality option is the 180mm or 200mm f2.8 telephoto lens (non zoom). You can buy them used for good prices, and the quality is excellent.

I took this photo at a bike race in Burlington, Vermont.

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

NIGHT ILLUMINATION

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 is a photo of my first vehicle, a very enjoyable (and expensive to operate) Dodge camper van. I was out doing night photography a long time ago and decided to take a picture of the van, in case it ever died or was driven off a cliff in frustration. As it was a cloudless night, the moon provided all the light that I needed for my vehicular portrait. If you would like to see the world in a completely different way, set your camera up on a tripod (on a cloudless night), and do a long exposure photo of whatever subject you desire. Your exposure may be a few minutes, but the results are worth it. Even though moonlight is a similar color temperature as the sun, it is a very different quality of light, which will be evident in your final image.

If you are unsure of how to do a long exposure with your camera, click here for a previous blog post that dealt with star trail photography. Have fun!

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

WIDE ANGLE LENSES

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.

If the above photo looks exaggerated in scale, it's because I photographed the dandelion with a wide angle lens. The distortion caused by such lenses are usually unwanted; stretched, fat-looking faces, and an untruthful expansion of interior spaces are a few examples. However when it comes to nature photography, the exaggerated results from a wide angle lens shot close to the subject can result in very interesting images. Simply get as close to the subject as your focusing will allow, and you will find the lens distortion adds to the picture. It really helps (as in the above photo) if you subject "trails off" into the background, which creates a feeling of even more depth. Anything wider than a 35mm lens should do the trick!

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

PHOTO BUSINESS CARDS

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.

Is your business card boring? Why not make a statement with your business cards by designing one with your own photography? The process is simple:

1. Take your preferred image and digitally re-size it to 2"x3.5" @ 300 DPI
2. Add the appropriate text
3. Save the finished file as a TIFF or PSD file
4. Burn to disk and send to your local print shop

I have been doing this for years, and each print run I change the photo. Many people keep my business cards, as there is less incentive to throw out a business card when it is visually appealing.

This business card photo was taken in Grand Central Station in New York. I don't know the person, but he was entering the Metrazure restaurant. If you are reading this blog, and that is your silhouette, thanks!

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

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

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.

When you are asked to do interior photos of a large room or building, one of the most important technical elements of the final picture are straight lines. A sure sign that an interior photo was taken by an amateur photographer are curved or angled walls. The unnatural curve that you experience when taking the photo is not your fault; your camera lenses are not nearly as advanced as your eyes, which have the ability to optically correct the curving perspective.

So how do you correct the image so that all lines in the photograph will be straight? Here are a few suggestions for in-camera perspective control, without using software:
1. Learn how to use a view camera. This is a very expensive, time consuming, and technically challenging endeavor. To learn more about view cameras, do an internet search.
2. Purchase or rent a perspective control lens made by Canon or Nikon. These expensive lenses can move in many directions, and will allow you to get straight lines by experimenting with the amount of Tilt and Shift that you apply (these lenses are also called Tilt/Shift lenses). Currently, Canon has the best version of this lens, as their 24mm wide angle will be adequate for most interior spaces.

If you don't have the cash for the above options, the second-best choice is using software such as Photoshop. Software still requires the very best image however, so you need to supply it with a photo that is as straight as you can possibly get. To do the most for the photo, follow these guidelines:
1. Always use a tripod.
2. Compose the photo so that you are exactly in the middle of the room.
3. If possible make sure your camera is positioned at the same distance between the ground and the ceiling (half-way up the room). You may need a ladder to do this, and a measuring tape.
4. Step away from the camera and make sure that the lens is pointing exactly 90 degrees away from the floor. In other words, the lens direction has to be completely parallel to the floor.
5. Set the lens aperture of f8 or f11.
6. Use a cable shutter release or 10 second timer so you aren't touching the camera while the shutter is released.
7. Take the photo!

If you are able to import your final image into Photoshop or other software, you can now make fine-tune adjustments to create straight lines throughout the photo. Each software is different, so you will have to read the instructions or ask someone to help you with this. Some key words to look out for are "barrel distortion", "pincushion distortion", "perspective", and "lens distortion correction".

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

NATURAL LIGHT PORTRAITS

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.

To get a nice soft natural look for indoor portraits using window light, it is very important to have a lot of light illuminating all sides of the model. If you have a corner in your house that has two windows on both walls, try placing your model in the corner. If you only have access to one window, pin up reflective material to surround the model. The reflective material will bounce light from the window back to the model. Reflection can be anything white or shiny, which could include a large white bedsheet, tinfoil, white bristol board, etc.

The reason that it is helpful to have non-contrasty scenes for lifestyle shots is because high contrast images do not sell as well. Take a look at any lifestyle magazine and you will see that the majority of images are light, airy, and warm. The more light that you can find to surround the subject the better!

Over-exposure is also a benefit, to the point where the background is always lighter than the foreground. The reverse just doesn't look right. Expose so that the model's face looks great, and don't worry about the rest.

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

MOVIE PHOTOGRAPHY

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.

There are many different types of professional photography, and most of the time a photographer will work within many different disciplines. There are a few photographers who only specialize in one part of the industry, but they are rare, and usually work only in large cities.

A Still Photographer is someone who works in the movies. It is the on-set still photographer's job to take photos of the same scene that the movie cameraman is filming. Why bother having a normal photographer in addition to a movie camera photographer? It is much easier to use still photos for advertising, than the film that comes from a movie camera. It is the still photographers job to take all the photos that end up on the movie posters, websites, movie extra features, and DVD cases.

During filming, the still photographer stands near the cinematographer and takes the same images. It is not an easy job, as the spaces on set are often very small. The still photographer has to keep a low profile, and remain out of the way of everyone else on set. In addition, the still photographer has the added challenge of working in very low-light conditions. Film cameras can handle light levels that would cause severe motion blur in normal still cameras. The solution is to use very fast lenses, and high ISO settings.

If you would like to get involved with movie photography, the best way to start is to join a local Film Co-op. They are often student groups who help each other make films on the cheap . . . each person volunteers their time to create the final product. Another thing to consider is that in most cases you need to be a part of a union to work on movies. It is necessary to have a number of films under your belt before you are permitted to join the union, which is why the student film co-op is such a good experience.

Equipment needed for on-set stills photography: 10-12 megapixel digital SLR, a monopod (tripods are too big), and camera sound blimp to encase the camera (reduces camera noise; available from Jacobson in California), 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm prime lenses, and a 70-200 (or equivalent) f2.8 zoom lens. As you can see, it is quite an investment!

You may also need a full studio light set-up to do what are called Gallery Shots. These are the planned studio shots that end up on the main film poster. These shots need to be of a higher quality than on-set film stills, thus the planned nature of the photo shoot.

Finally, although it may seem glamorous to be working in the movies, it is an incredibly boring process, with long hours and many egos to deal with . . . be prepared!
The above photo was one I took of James Caan in the movie Jericho Mansions

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

VERTICAL PANNING

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.

Most photographers have already practiced horizontal panning; when a moving subject travels past the photographer, the camera lens follows the subject. This allows the subject to remain relatively sharp, while the background becomes blurry in a linear fashion.

The same technique can be effectively used for vertical shots as well. I was working on a series of advertising photos for Mitsubishi Motors, and one of the shots needed to be an aerial photo to show off the top of the car. A helicopter would have worked, but a much quicker and cheaper option is to simply photograph from a highway overpass.

I wanted the shot to be taken at dusk, so the shutter speeds would automatically be slow enough to cause vertical motion blur. In fact, the driver was only traveling at 20 miles per hour. This slow speed was a good choice for just a slight amount of blur. Simply follow the car with your camera on a loose tripod, and take the shot at will. The amount of blur will be dependent on the duration of your exposure.

While you may not be interested in photographing cars, vertical panning is a good technique to practice, as it can be implemented in many diverse forms of photography.

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

FINE ART PORTRAITS

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.


A very easy and effective way to create more mystery in your portraits is to photograph your models utilizing window light shining through curtains. The light should be in the evening when the sun is low and warm, and you, the photographer, should be inside the house, somewhere between the window and the model. The position of the model in relation to the window with curtains will determine how much curtain fabric detail shows up on his or her face. Experiment with different locations for the model, but realize that the sun sets quickly! In order to get rid of distracting backgrounds, place a black sheet or bristol board behind the model. For faces, try to use a zoom lens in the 100mm range, which is usually the most flattering lens focal length.

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

SYMMETRICAL COMPOSITIONS

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.

When photographers first learn about compositional guidelines, such as the rule of thirds, they are often subconsciously bound by these parameters. One thing to keep in mind is that if an image is symmetrical, or has a triangular appearance to it, a centered composition often works best. For the above image, if the door was placed on the left or right of the picture space (rule of thirds), the photo would lose much of its strength. Indeed, images that have triangular shapes are often associated with power or authority, and to compose off-center will often weaken the photograph.

The best way to find out for yourself what compositions look best is to take three versions of the same scene; one where the center of interest is to the left, one to the right, and one in the center. It won't take long to be able to know in advance of your picture taking what composition will be the most effective.

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