skip intro

august 10 2011

Let's get back some manual controls

written by: Christian Oth

There are some fine cameras out there today. The current state of technology is truly remarkable. Oh yes, they have come a long way. That said, cameras and lenses still work with three physical basics: aperture, shutter speed and focus.

There are other functionalities that factor into generating a great photograph, but these core three are the core physical influencers in how a photo turns out. Not only that, but used skillfully, a lot of creativity in photography centers around altering those three.

For decades, the aperture ring was found on the lens and the shutter speed somewhere near the right thumb, usually not far from the shutter button. Now, however, it requires the studying of a manual to find out where those controls might be. Worse, they are buried in some kind of electronic menu that usually has nothing intuitive about it.

There seems to be an obsession in those labs to cram more controls and features into a camera. Yes, there have been some amazing technological advances, but the human interface has been altered and is now very different from camera to camera.

As a photographer I need to know what aperture and shutter speed I’m shooting at. The use of the left hand to move the aperture ring on the lens was extremely intuitive. Recently Fuji released the X100, which by all accounts has some great manual controls. It too has a terrible electronic menu, but the fact that you can control these core functions via rings and knobs is a step in the right direction, meaning it's a step back. Every photographer I know that plays with it simply loves that aperture ring and the shutter speed knob.

So, Canon & Nikon please take note. To your credit, both of you make some amazing sensors and have some other amazing technology incorporated in those cameras, but us photographers are wildly enthusiastic about that aperture ring.

Fuji

The new Fuji is not without flaws though and is clearly a version one-point-O. This is evidenced by the fact that the manual focus rings takes several full rotations to go to infinity. It has several other quirks too, but the feeling in the hand makes more than up for it.

may 24 2011

Scouting and Dreaming

written by: Christian Oth

Regardless on if I’m shooting a fashion shoot, portraits or a wedding, it’s always healthy to just walk the premises with a camera and get some angles. It’s almost zen-like: standing in the room and pre-visualizing what is about to take place can be extremely powerful.

The practical and the imagined meet at this moment and things such as camera angles, light and props will become evident, but what is most important is to scout, whether you do this days ahead of time or just the day before, like this I can sleep on it and dream about it.

Scoutingb

The above shot was recently taken two days before a fashion shoot in Tuscany. We were able to build a concept around the idea of how the light fell on the hedges, but ultimately changed the angle.

january 12 2011

The 50mm Discipline

written by: Christian Oth

Let’s get down to basics and talk about the "Normal" lens. The 50mm is called that because it captures the world as the human eye would see it. It’s the simplest lens for lens-makers to build, and because of its efficient design it tends to create the sharpest images, particularly with the more powerful versions. But enough with the technical details--it’s the actual perspective of the lens that makes it both difficult to master and extremely rewarding to use.

For example, it can be difficult to photograph landscapes because it doesn’t draw in the edges of the image the way a wide-angle lens does. It doesn’t have the zooming capabilities of a telephoto lens, so it requires that you are close to your subject (which can be a challenge depending on the subject). However, it is certainly one of my favorite lenses, and if I had to choose just one lens for street photography and capturing mood images, this would definitely be the one.

The reason I like this lens so much is because it takes skill and discipline to learn how to use it, but when you do, the results can be amazing. There is no wide-angle distortion or compression effects like a telephoto lens would create, so it challenges me to take more artistic images that focus on interesting composition and subject matter rather than relying on special effects. It requires that you invoke your skill as a photographer to create a great image because the photograph will be clear and devoid of any distracting effects. There are certainly appropriate uses for wide-angle and telephoto lenses, but for most occasions I prefer the crisp, natural images produced by the basic 50mm lens.

Below are three images I shot in the aftermath of the last snowstorm two weeks ago in upstate New York using a 50mm lens. I thought I would post these as it is such a snow day in New York.

_g1z5863 _g1z5851 _g1z5871

november 08 2010

When Color, When B&W?

written by: Christian Oth

We shoot every image in the RAW format. This means the maximum amount of information is recorded, which is almost always in color. Back at the studio we change certain images to black-and-white during the editing process. There are some distinct reasons why we choose to convert some images and not others, so here’s a little behind-the-scenes look at how we decide which photos are best in color and which should be in black-and-white:

Typically, black-and-white is a better choice for documentary images that tell a story (but not always). Converting a photograph from color to black-and-white is great for environments with busy backgrounds because taking away the distracting background colors directs focus back to the subject. For example, a New York City street scene tends to look far better in B&W. Images that look cluttered and chaotic from all of the colorful street signs change to a much more focused, classic cityscape in B&W because the eye has less to register. Unexpected elements like the weather can also have an effect--on bright but overcast days, color photographs can look too washed out or overexposed, whereas black-and-white photographs don’t register this effect.

Although black-and-white photos can be great for busy backgrounds or classic, timeless moments, color photographs bring out the joy and celebratory feel of the day. Detail shots of the flower arrangements, bridesmaids dresses, and some of the portraits should reflect the thought and care put into choosing them. Colors also help to distinguish a time and a place. During spring and fall when there are brightly colored flowers or foliage, shooting these details in color can help to tell the “where” and the “when” of the story. During late afternoon and early evening, the color of the light can be beautiful warm tones of yellow, orange and red, so color photographs are often preferred. There is great benefit to having both color and black-and-white photographs, and a good mix will offer the strengths of both mediums.

071110levala0031 071110levala0031a

And then there are those images that have that certain ability to look great in both mediums. The choice to convert those to B&W is purely aesthetic and sometimes depends on the adjacent images and the flow of the story.

september 01 2010

Q & A: How To Get Great Wedding Portraits

written by: Christian Oth

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about portraits in wedding photography and I got some great questions about how to create posed photographs that look relaxed and capture real energy and emotion. Today I want to continue that discussion and hopefully provide some useful tips for getting great, natural-looking wedding portraits.

To get started, here is a comment from my previous post:

“One of the funny things I always hear photo-journalistic photographers tell the bridal party for the big group shot is ‘Don't look posed. Don't look staged. Be natural.’ And then the photographer will pose and stage them exactly where they want them. So for your second picture, with the Rocky Mountains in the background, I immediately think, ‘Wow, what a relaxed non-posed shot’, but the truth is, you had to pose them right? Even though it looks amazingly candid.”

The answer is, yes, for group portraits I do place the subjects strategically to get this kind of a photograph. But, there are several things you can do as a photographer to make your subjects look and act relaxed without coming out and saying it. First of all, before the wedding if possible I always scout the location to make sure I know the environment inside and out. I plan great spots for the portraits beforehand and try to map out where I am going to place everyone, so that on the day of the wedding I feel comfortable with the location and my plan.

An incredibly important aspect of great portraits is that the subjects will almost always mirror the energy of the photographer, so if I am confident and relaxed that will be reflected back to the camera.

Along the same lines, there are basic things you can do--like making sure there are snacks and drinks available for your subjects--that make the experience enjoyable for everyone. Anticipating the wedding party’s needs in advance is one way to guarantee that everyone will feel great and be more at ease. I have a conversation with the planner or the bride beforehand in order to facilitate that.

When I photograph group portraits, some groups come together dynamically and with some I tell each person where to stand. Of course there are some obvious choices like putting the bride and groom next to each other, or the maid of honor as close as possible to the bride. Then I decide if I’m going to put the shortest person or the tallest person at the end, and I go with what looks right. That’s the starting point, and from there I move people around to create a dynamic composition, which lends energy to the photograph. During this time, I just try to have fun with my subjects, because talking and laughing together changes everyone’s posture and makes them look and feel more natural.

Anyone can take a static portrait, but the professional photographer’s talent lies in what they are able to get out of their subjects. So how do you get that sense of capturing a moment in time from a still portrait? The biggest tip here is to establish a rapport with your subjects. Spend some time getting to know them before the wedding. This applies to both photographers and couples -- make sure to schedule an engagement shoot. That way you will be able to get to know one another and have a practice run before the big day. Ultimately, if you are comfortable with one another and just have fun, you will be able to get great photographs that capture real, candid moments, even if some of them started out posed.

august 25 2010

A Primer on Lenses

written by: Christian Oth

Lenses are every photographer’s favorite subject to discuss--we get pretty passionate about lenses, and everyone has an opinion. This post is going to focus on prime versus zoom lenses, and what type of glass creates that really special look that we are able to achieve as professional photographers.

090808libali0009 080913kimcec0053 Sha0023

First of all, what effect does the quality of glass in a lens have on a photograph? The answer is sharpness and bokeh. Prime lenses are known for their high quality glass, which renders crisp, clear images of the subject while leaving the background and foreground beautifully blurred or out-of-focus. In most cases, prime lenses have a larger maximum aperture than zoom lenses, which allows them to capture more light. Sometimes wedding venues have low levels of light, so a prime lens is ideal.

Lens quality affects the look and feel of the background and foreground portions in the photograph as well. The aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus section in a photograph is called bokeh. A high quality prime lens can create beautiful bokeh by capturing more light and giving the background and foreground areas in a photograph a soft, romantic glow. Poorer quality lens glass can result in distracting background blur in a photograph, rather than enhancing it.

100530sulkri0189

Some of the sharpness and bokeh that a prime lens offers is sacrificed with a zoom lens in order to allow for the convenience of being able to adjust focal length quickly. Zoom lenses contain many moving parts to allow for this adjustment, so the quality of the image is always compromised. Prime lenses are designed to capture the highest quality image from one specific focal length, so they are much more specialized. Here at the studio, we use prime lenses for the vast majority of occasions (we do usually have one or two zoom lenses at the ready just in case as well). This means that we sometimes have to carry several different prime lenses of varying lengths with us, but it is worth the extra weight because we want to be able to capture those special shots.

As I mentioned earlier, lenses are every photographer’s favorite subject. If you are a photographer or aspiring to be one, let’s hear from you--what type of lenses do you prefer and why?

august 11 2010

Unpeeling the Onion: The Importance of Layers in Photography

written by: Christian Oth

Anyone can take a picture, but what sets a talented professional photographer apart from the rest? The answer lies in the photographer’s individual aesthetic choices--for example, how they use tools and techniques to create layers in a photograph.

Layers can put a photograph in context, tell a story and convey a feeling or idea all at once. There are three layers that comprise most photographs; the action layer, the environment layer and the suggestive layer.

THE ACTION LAYER

The action layer is just what it sounds like--it is the action or the event that is taking place. As a wedding photographer specializing in the photojournalistic style, identifying significant moments large and small as they are taking place is especially important. Actions like the bride sharing a champagne toast with a bridesmaid or someone reaching out to buckle one of her shoes are the moments that I am there to document.

090425folles0053 Verite09 071110levala0025

THE ENVIRONMENT LAYER

The environment layer is the context for the story. It is where and when the action is taking place, but how it is presented is often up to the photographer. This is where the photographer’s creative decisions and individual aesthetics come in. For instance, when I am shooting a wedding I always make sure to take a detail shot of the invitation cards in the context of the environment. I could represent the environment very literally by photographing the card in front of the reception site, but my preference is to find a great little detail about the venue that simply suggests where or when the event is taking place. If a venue has more of a log cabin feel to it, I could use some of that great wood detail as the background for the invitation card to indicate the place. If the wedding is happening during the fall, I could place the card on a beautiful leaf in the grass to indicate the season. By making these choices about the environment, I am eliminating the clutter and focusing on one or two distinctive features. How a photographer selects the environment layer in a photograph can indicate a lot about their personal photographic aesthetics. 091003pikzei0001 100530sulkri2395 090815hirama0495

THE SUGGESTIVE LAYER

The suggestive layer is where the photographer really has the most artistic freedom. It is a perspective, mood or feeling that the photographer wants to convey about the scene. I discussed framing last week, and selecting a foreground is one way of creating a suggestive layer. It gives the photograph a softer, more romantic feel, and can also help the photographer selectively include or exclude elements from the background environment. However, there are other tools that can be used to effectively create a suggestive layer. The quality and focal length of the lenses a photographer selects can effect the feel or perspective of a photograph very differently, for example. I once photographed a couple walking down two rows of an expansive vineyard, and I chose a long lens to draw more focus to the couple. It was apparent that they were in a vineyard by the leaves and vines from the two rows that were captured in the photograph, and the perspective that I created by using a telephoto lens to shoot down the two rows suggested that the vineyard was long and expansive. This photograph would have appeared very different if I had chosen to use a wide angle lens to capture the entire vineyard--it would have been a much more literal photograph of the vineyard rather than providing my perspective and interpretation of the environment. It also would have drawn the focus more to the surroundings than the couple. Either option can be ideal in different situations, but it is the photographer’s creative instinct that determines the outcome. When choosing a photographer, looking at the layers in their photographs is a good way to see the creative choices that they make and identify their personal style.

090625mickat0083 080105mcnmel0054 100605fanamy0043

- Christian Oth

august 04 2010

Frame of Mind: Exploring the Composition Technique of Framing in Photography

written by: Christian Oth

In a previous post, I talked about the element of light as an essential tool in photography. This week I want to discuss another important element, and that is the concept of framing.

Framing serves several functions in a photograph, and when used creatively, can greatly enhance the quality, beauty and visual interest of a photograph. It is most often used to draw attention to the subject of the photograph, and to capture a moment in action. For instance, picture a scene of a bride getting ready for her big day. She is in a room filled with people - bridesmaids, family members, hair and make-up artists. A photograph taken from within the room might appear cluttered and chaotic. Now picture the same scene from three feet back, taken through the frame of a door. Using the doorway as a frame for the scene creates a much more beautiful photograph with a soft, romantic edge and draws attention to the action in the room. It also creates depth and layers (foreground, subject and background) to the image, a subject that I will discuss in a future post.

Newyork13 Verite07

As a wedding photographer with years of experience I know intuitively what to look for when framing a photograph, and am constantly alert to anticipate special moments as they occur. I know to always have an eye on the door to the room because at any moment, the bride’s father or a relative might suddenly enter and see the bride in her gown for the first time. Another area in a room that I often use to frame a subject is a window. Photographing a bride or her dress against a window creates an ethereal frame of light around the subject and softens the look.

Additionally, creative framing can offer a hint of the environment - the bride leaning forward and stepping into the door frame of a vintage car, for example. Only a suggestion of the car is needed, just an open car door to frame the bride and give context to the photograph. The location of a wedding can also be used to frame a scene and be a part of the narrative. I photograph a lot of New York City weddings, and the location is an important part of the story, so I tend to use wide angle lens to draw in the environment. Some environments can be challenging to shoot if they are not visually appealing. Ever been pleased with yourself for taking a great picture, only to find on closer inspection a large and unsightly advertisement in the background? As photographers we are often stuck with a specific location or environment and have to work with what is there. The good news is that strategically choosing an object or area to frame the foreground can eliminate clutter, traffic, or billboards in the background by blocking them from view. In other cases, shooting a couple from a distance and using a long lens can be a good way to create a crisp, clear image of them while giving a busy background a softer, out-of-focus glow. More to come on lenses as well. Stay tuned - Christian Oth

january 26 2010

The Sunny Day

written by: Christian Oth

Tips, tricks and the Nature of Photography, explained and explored by Christian Oth

In my first "Light, Camera!" blog entry, I wanted to explain why I want to have entries devoted to different topics of interest. Over time, I'll speak about aesthetics in "The Bigger Picture"; about great ideas in "Inspirations"; photographic techniques in "Light, Camera!"; and keep you updated with "News", so you know what to look for from my next Studio blog post. I'd like to think that we have something worth sharing with those who are seriously interested in photography. That said, I hope to speak to novices and serious photographers alike -- that is, people who have a passion or simply a curiosity about the art of photography that they wish to explore. People growing, learning, cultivating their interests in the field. So, we'll try to strike a balance between the basics and sprinkle it with some advanced tips. Let's start with the pure fundamentals. From photojournalism to fine art photography, and everything in between, all photos have these things in common: light, lenses, and cameras. Naturally, skill, technique and the mechanical nature of what goes into a photograph and what's important in a great photo all vary greatly. In fact, photography is so ubiquitous that even the most basic phone camera still works with those 3 essentials: light, lenses and cameras. Even the best artistic photographers work with the basics to take great photographs. For now, let's discuss the key element: light. Without it, there's no photography. It's often forgotten as THE most simple and crucial ingredient. No wonder, what with our modern gizmo automatic digital cameras. They help us out with their technology to manage light for photos, but they all still need light to take pictures. Light can be either from an artificial source (flash, strobes, tungsten lamps, etc.), or from natural sources-- most likely the sun. Artificial light is a future "Light, Camera!" posting. Let's talk about the sun in today's post.

The reason why most cameras do reasonably well in regular daylight is because most camera manufacturers build easy-to-use cameras for outdoor photography. Think about it -- it's outside and daytime that most people take photos of their kids, their beach or ski vacations, etc. Manufacturers know this and build settings to help support it. During summer sun or a foggy autumn day, the sun's natural light is the best element for distinct and memorable images. Direct light is when the sun is out and on you, not necessarily during the brightest of blue sky days. In fact, the most common misconception is that you'd have to have a perfect sunny day to take perfect pictures. Actually, while a beautiful blue sky day is like chicken soup for the soul, it poses its own challenges. In fact, the pictures might also turn out too 1950's postcard-like. However, a good photographer does not always require a cloudless day to get enough light and take great shots. The tips below deal with that cloudless sunny day: Tip #1: Choose the right time of day (when possible) The angle of the sun is different depending on the time of day. Noon--when the sun is at its highest point, is a very unflattering light for humans -- the morphology of the face when standing upright causes some VERY unflattering shadows: eye sockets become dark, long shadows under the nose, etc. It's not just noon sun-- even the 3pm sun during the summer solstice has a similar high angle. I'm sure most people have heard of the Golden Hour, and it's called that for a reason. While you don't always need a picture perfect sunset, the later part of the day is the most flattering. Not only because the light comes in at a lower angle, but also, in an urban setting the sun might illuminate the sides of buildings or walls, thus reflecting the light as a soft light source, generating some very beautiful lighting effects.

Tip #2 Late afternoon or first rays? For photographing people, late afternoon tends to be better. As a photographer, you should start taking pictures well before the day is over and figure out the best angles by the time the light is right, which is usually during the last part of the day. Compare that with early morning photography. You are talking about taking the same shots at 5, 6 or 7am depending on the season, and who doesn't have puffy eyes during that time of the day? However, if your field is landscape photography, there is a certain dewy quality in the first sunlight that you don't have during the last part of the day. If you're a National Geographic photographer, you should set your alarm clock to 4am. Tip #3 How to shoot at noon, if you have to. There are situations of course where one has to take pictures at noon. The brunch with your in-laws is happening, well, during brunch time. If it has to be outdoors, try to shoot under foliage or an awning. Anything that blocks the direct sunlight from above should work. However, watch out for the background. If the background is sunlit, it might get too over-exposed.

Tune in next time! "Light, Camera!" is on deck, and I'll continue our light discussion soon before moving on to lenses and cameras. Thanks for listening, and I look forward to future discussions here, or elsewhere online. For the love of photography, -- Christian Oth

Older Posts

Follow

RSS Twitter Facebook

news

portfolio series

style series

the bigger picture

inspiration

Light, Camera!

real weddings

Older Posts

Follow

Archive