Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Surviving the Family Photo Vacation

Ah, the family vacation—time for some fun in the sun, for grilling hot dogs, playing volleyball, and building castles in the sand. Or so it is for most people. For the serious nature photographer (whether a working pro or a weekend warrior), the family vacation can be a time of anxiety and dread. Family doesn’t always understand your obsession with getting “the shot,” and marital and familial friction often results when you scamper off to chase the light. As a result, photography during a family vacation can be sort of like having an illicit affair: anxious waiting for a moment when you can sneak away, furtive glances at the weather, and slinking back to bed in the morning hoping your spouse didn’t notice that you were out for some steamy sunrise action.

How does one get great shots while avoiding family strife? While recently spending a week on a family vacation in scenic Door County, Wisconsin, I gave this some serious thought. Here are a few helpful tips I came up with:

1. Plan Ahead

The key to success in any photo shoot is advanced planning, but this is especially true for family vacations. Getting to know the area before you arrive can help you optimize your limited field time. Read hiking or tourist guides to get a sense of the area and to help identify good shooting locations. Basically, the more prepared you are, the less time you will have to spend scouting for shooting locations, and the more time you will have for photography. Oh, and the more time you will have for your family, of course!

2. When Negotiating, Start High

While on vacation, your spouse, kids, and other family members will want to spend some quality time with you sans camera. As a result, bargaining for some photography time is an inevitable part of every family vacation. You should approach this time-honored tradition with the aggressiveness of a mother grizzly defending her cubs. Demand to be allowed to photograph from sunrise to sunset. Graciously offer to give up mid-day shooting if necessary.

3. Stay Close To The Action

This one is important: choose lodging that is near a planned sunrise shot. Your chances of getting permission to shoot sunrise greatly increase when you don’t have to wake your spouse up at 3:00 am!

4. Build In Some Extra “Me” Time

I always try to schedule extra time before or after the family vacation so I can shoot without distraction. Even just an extra day or two on location—without the family—can mean the difference between getting the shot or not.

5. Everyone Can Join the Fun!

Get family involved in the photography process as a way to strengthen familial bonds. Explain that carrying heavy photo equipment enhances overall health and builds character. Children can learn what is meant by the phrase “human shield” when strategically positioned to protect your camera from flare, wind, water, or charging buffalo.

6. Keep A Weather Eye

Check the long range forecast for your area ahead of time, and check the short range forecast as much as possible when on location. This will allow you to pick the best times to shoot. If it turns out, for example, that it will be raining at sunrise, then you can graciously offer to sleep in with your spouse that morning. Just don’t let on that you already know the forecast!

7. When Necessary, Bribe

Provide incentives for your family to embrace your erratic shooting schedule. Dinner at a nice restaurant (tip: avoid restaurants where you order by number), taking the kids for a few hours, or being nice to one’s mother-in-law are all effective. Avoid the last option unless desperate.

8. Looking for a Few Great Shots

When I have limited time to shoot a location, I don’t try to hit all of the scenic highlights. Rather, I concentrate my efforts on a handful of particularly photogenic locations, returning as often as I can to photograph them under changing conditions and light. I’d rather come home with a few great shots, rather than a bunch of good ones.

9. Don’t Be Ashamed To Be Shameless

When your family absolutely refuses to let you go shooting, you may need to resort to dirty tricks. I employ several tactics that are usually effective. Distraction works well when you need to sneak away for a quick shot: “Look over there, isn’t that Johnny Depp/Jessica Alba [choose one or both as necessary] nude sunbathing?” For more time-consuming photography, try a fake injury: “Owwee, I just pulled my latissimus dorsi. Go on and enjoy yourselves, I’ll just stay here at this scenic location until sunset, hopefully I’ll feel better by then.” When family is being particularly obstinate and you’re afraid you’ll miss that shot of a lifetime, go nuclear: “Officer, I just overheard that woman talking on her cell phone and she mentioned the words ‘President’ and ‘weaponized avian flu.’ By the way, she appears crazy, she seems to think she’s my wife.”

10. Move Over, Sparky!

It is inevitable: you will anger and disappoint your family because of your photography addiction. Upon return from the family vacation, be prepared for an extended period of contrition. Use your time in the proverbial doghouse wisely: start planning your next family vacation!

Comments on NPN nature and travel photography articles? Send them to the editor.

Ian Plant lives in the Washington, D.C. area and has been photographing the natural world for fifteen years. His work has appeared in a number of books and calendars, as well as national and regional magazines, including Outdoor Photographer, National Parks, Blue Ridge Country, Adirondack Life, Wonderful West Virginia, and Chesapeake Life, among others. His sixth and most recent book is the critically acclaimed Chesapeake: Bay of Light. Ian’s work has also appeared in five other books of the Wonder and Light series. Ian is co-owner of Mountain Trail Press, a publisher of fine art nature photography books and calendars.

To see more of Ian's work, visit Mountain Trail Photo. The Mountain Trail Photo Team consists of some of the top nature photographers in the country, whose mission is to educate and inspire others in the art of nature photography. There you will find team member images; articles on photo techniques and destinations; and information on workshops in some of America's most beautiful places. Also visit the Team's blog for a more eclectic mix of images and musings.

Text and photography copyright © Ian Plant. All rights reserved.


Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Portrait Photography

Portrait Photography is one of the most challenging arts if you are considering becoming a professional in this. If you don't have a photo studio, then you can always start by concentrating on environmental portraits through which you can show the subject as well as his surroundings. The best work is the one that can produce an enlarged image of the size 11x14 inches. If the image is any smaller than this then the subject's face will look too small. You will require the help of a low ISO setting, prime lenses, a tripod, and a mid-range digital SLR.

There are two basic elements for portrait photography in a photo studio. The first one is a controlled background. You will have to focus all your attention on the subject and at the same time minimize or remove the distracting elements in the frame. A common mistake made by many portrait photographers is the use of seamless paper or various monochromatic backgrounds. What you need to understand is that you don't require a special room to create a controlled background. There are various types of clever portable backdrops and backdrop supports, which you can build or even buy. Inspite of all this, if you are still unable to control the background, then the next best thing is to use a long fast lens like a 300/2.8. A fast telephoto lens will have very little depth of field and hence the eyes and the nose of your subject will be sharp. The distraction in the frame will become a blurry blob of colors.

The second most important element of a portrait studio is controlled lighting. If you have lights kept on stands or if you can hang them from the ceiling then it will be easier to pick the angle at which light will strike the subject. The use of umbrellas and various diffusion equipments will help you to pick the harshness of the shadows on your subject. Backgrounds have always played an important role bringing out the details in a portrait photograph. So if you can’t find a big open space with diffuse light and a neutral background then you will have to steal one

Here are some key factors of portrait photography. The first one is:

Lighting
The best lighting condition for portraits is soft and off-camera. If you have a large north-facing window or the soft-box then it will work very well. For shooting outdoors, an overcast day or sky will provide a perfect lighting condition. If there’s sun outside then you can use an electronic flash or a reflector to fill in shadows underneath the eyes.

Lens
The best way to flatter your subject is by de-emphasizing the nose. This means that you will have to stand at least 10 feet away from your subject. The problem that arises in this case is filling your frame with the subject's face since you are standing at 10 feet. To deal with this problem, you will require a high magnification or telephoto lens. Typical portrait lenses vary between 90 and 135 millimeters long for 35mm cameras.

Taking great portraits

By: Cecil Garcia

Abstract Photography

Abstract photography and abstract art are very popular and involve a merchandise trade of billions of dollars over a century. Most art galleries and exhibitions as well as photography events are never complete without a section on this form of depiction. Every year thousands of art students and photographers follow courses all over the world and try to vent their thoughts and ideas in the form of their own interpretation. In fact, abstract photography is a direct outcome of the earlier abstract art form that was made famous by many noted artists. Nearly everyone at some point of time has had a brush with this genre of photography and as we will see later in this article, has appreciated or collected the abstract photographs.

What is it really and is it the same as Abstract Art?

As the name implies "abstract" denotes what can be interpreted but not seen. The art form is many times debated to be complex and difficult to understand. Yet it attracts a horde of art critics and art collectors from every part of the globe, and several interpretations may accompany abstract paintings. Similarly, abstract photography draws the same popularity except it is done with a camera and not with brush and paint!

The exact definition of this art is difficult but it is sufficient to understand that there are no rules or norms for creating and in layman terms "anything goes" as long as it appeals to the eye! The photography technique is used to capture almost any event in a subtle manner such as a drop of water splattering in a pool to look like a crown or a piece of hemp rope at close quarters that looks like a striated bundle etc. The composition is immaterial; it is only the way a scene (really a photograph) is captured on film. The interpretation may come later.

How is abstract photography carried out?

It is necessary to have a professional high speed camera and sometimes a special high speed film. The best results can be obtained by using a black and white film and many valuable photographs are of this monochrome variety. The following aspects need to be kept in mind:

  • A perfect understanding of conventional photographic principles regarding shutter speed, aperture, focusing, film speed and lighting effects.

  • Telephoto lenses and close up lenses and flash equipment form a part of certain trick effects one wishes to create.

  • Films of different types like color, black and white, speed in ASA or DIN, tripod stands, remote shooting, filter lenses, shadow hoods etc.

Abstract photography is really the prerogative of a true artist and one who also has a scientific bent of mind. Composing a perfect shot requires the "artist" and taking the photograph requires the "technician"! Imagination knows no bounds and the best results are when one uses creative powers to its full capacity.

Seth Willis Jr.


Nature Photography Tips

Nature photography: How to take great nature photographs

Great nature photography explores the natural setting, records natural history and the facts and phenomena of nature. Nature photography should not contain images of man or man’s presence, such as power lines, automobiles, radio towers, etc. Nature photography records organisms, weather, animals, natural landscapes and any aspects of the natural environment.

For a photograph to be a “nature photograph” it must completely fit the rules for nature photography. Nature photographs cannot be “arranged” in any way. There should be no manipulation of the scene to convey a message. The content of a nature photo can be purely pictorial or can relate a story or information about nature or natural history. Nature photography’s subject may be an abandoned beehive or the reflection of trees in a stream.

Subject or theme. To compose a nature photograph, it is helpful to see the order present in the disarray of the natural scene. Look for rhythm and pattern, and what doesn’t fit the rhythm and pattern. What stands out in a sea of fallen leaves?

Format. Decide on a format for your photo – horizontal suggests expansiveness, vertical suggests height, and square is neutral.

Fill the Frame. Fill voids with clouds, branches or other naturally occurring objects. Try to allow enough space around the subject that the viewer can explore around the subject in the frame. Aim to capture the whole of the subject in the photo. If not possible, aim to convey a sense of completeness in the image you capture.

The Rule of Thirds. Imagine dividing your picture area into thirds horizontally and thirds vertically. Where the lines intersect are the “thirds” – the area next to the direct center of the frame. Center your subject on one of the “thirds” to give more interest and movement to your photo.

Look for Lines and Shapes. A meandering stream, a curled fern frond and a row of corn all give strong lines to the composition. Some items are triangular, round, square, etc. A butterfly is triangular, a leaf oval. Look at the scene you want to photograph in terms of balance of line and shape.

Texture and Pattern. Texture and pattern add dimension and can sometimes give an abstract quality to the photo.

Perspective. Create the illusion of distance and depth through capturing close foreground objects within the scene depicting distance, or vice-versa.

Viewpoint. Take the photos of the acorns at ground level, or climb the tree and capture the squirrel at branch level. Take photos with the viewpoint of the insect or bird. Use the zoom feature to get close to the leaf spores or the sand crab.

Color. Pay close attention to both the subtleties and drama of color in nature. The same scene saturated in green in the early morning turns brown, green and blue at noon.

Equipment. Great nature shots have been taken by observant photographers with nothing more than just a simple instant camera. Equipment that is recommended, however, for the serious-minded consists of an SLR camera, light filters, lens shade, tripod, and light meter.

Retouching And Improving Your Photographs - Photoshop Makes It Possible

Digital imaging and more specifically Adobe Photoshop as well as other image editing software have revolutionized photography. The advances in digital image manipulation now allow for unlimited possibilities in the area of improving photographs through retouching and restoration.

What types of improvements are possible by retouching photographs with Photoshop?

Blemishes

Embarrassing skin blemishes like acne or scars can easily be removed using the retouching tools available in Adobe Photoshop. You can learn these Photoshop techniques in minutes.

Damage to Prints

The benefits of digital imaging for restoring old damaged or worn out photographs are one of the best reasons to learn Photoshop. Once an old photograph is scanned it can be retouched to remove tears in the paper or water marks. You can also restore colors that have faded over time. Once you have retouched your image and it is like new again it will last forward because digital images do not deteriorate over time like prints.

Closed Eyes

This is one of the most common problems with group photographs. You finally got the entire family together for a family photograph including Aunt Martha only to find that she closed her eyes. Closed eyes are not a problem for a skilled user of Photoshop. You can easily open her eyes and no one will ever know.

Removing unwanted Subjects

Not only can you remove blemishes in Adobe Photoshop but another common use of Photoshop’s retouching capabilities involves removing unwanted people or objects. Old boyfriends can be forever removed from photographs quickly and easily if you know what you are doing.

Retouching photographs has never been easier than it is today. Photoshop and other photographic editing software applications have made it a breeze to open closes eyes, remove blemishes and scars, change colors, restore old damaged photographs and remove unwanted objects.

by David Peters

Digital Photography Secrets For Black And White Shots

One of the biggest benefits of digital photography over regular film picture taking is the fact these little devices actually give a photographer instant access to many different special effects. One of the most spectacular of these effects is the ability digital photography gives to switch instantly from color to black and white exposures. Rather than having to change out film types or drain color from a shot on a computer screen, digital photography does this on the spot.

The truth is black and white photography tends to be under-rated. When it’s used to create an impact with a shot, the resulting image can be amazing. Landscapes, portraits and even still life type shots can all benefit from an occasional switch over to black and white. Learning how to take full advantage of this digital photography technique, however, will take a little time.

This type of digital photography can be a little tricky to master, but since the cameras generally come equipped with monitors to instantly see results, the risk factor of walking away with a bad shot is minimized. Since pictures can be reviewed on the spot, anyone trying this digital photography technique will find they can see their pictures and make adjustments instantly if the shot isn’t quite what they’d hoped for.

To make the most of black and white pictures taken on a digital camera, there are several tips beginners can try. These tips do translate to regular film photography, as well.

See the shot
This is a very important technique for black and white digital photography and even color. It’s important to really pay attention to what the camera sees and shows before snapping the shot. In black and white digital photography, the monitor will likely switch over to black and white mode, which makes this even easier. Practice paying attention to the images as they are presented and make sure the image presented is the one you want before you shoot. If you learn to rely on the monitor or the view finder, you’ll know when more light is needed, when subjects need to be moved or even when it’s best if you move yourself.

Contrast is everything
Since black and white digital photography doesn’t rely on color to tell the story, the contrast of shades will need to be relied upon. This is one of the most important black and white shooting tips to learn. It is important to make sure subjects stand out even more so in black and white than in color. While a dark blue shirt might look awesome against a dark green setting in color, it will likely get lost in the shuffle in black and white.

Play with lighting
While that dark shirt and dark background can present problems in contrast, lighting can help fix the issue. The best way to master lighting for this type of digital photography is to play around and be willing to experiment to see what works and what doesn’t. Try using the black and white settings in all kinds of situations to really master what needs to be done under different circumstances to effectively light up a shot.

Learning to master the black and white setting on a digital camera can be a fun pursuit. Offering drama and impact, black and white imaging is a different way to record the world around you. For more tips on digital photography, Digital Camera Wiz.com is the site to visit

by Idan Lavi

Angle of View

Angle of View is the amount of a scene a photograph captures and can be measured vertically, horizontally or diagonally. Also known as angle of coverage or field of view, angle of view changes given the type of lens a photographer uses to take a picture.

While wide-angle lens tend to capture more of a scene than any other lenses, longer lenses generally get about two degrees of a scene within their angle of view.

The further away an image that a photographer is attempting to capture within their angle of view, the longer and more narrow the lens should be. For instance, a picture of the stars or far-off marine life would be taken with a longer, narrower lens than one that has an image with an angle of view that is twenty feet away. Similarly, if a photographer wants to include more or less light within an angle of view, they can use a petal or a hooded lens respectively.

Whether you are a novice or expert photographer, changing the angle of view of a scene can add a fresh, unique spin to a traditional picture. Rather than shooting a photo straight on, as is the traditional method, a lowered or slanted angle of view may give your pictures an unconventional flare.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Digital Camera Basics

An electronics on-line discussion forum contains a story about an elderly woman who wanted a simple camera to take pictures of her grandchildren. When she received a digital camera for Christmas, she looked puzzled for a moment and then asked, “Where do you put in the film?” This humorous example demonstrates how the revolutionary technology of digital cameras may be mystifying for those who have difficulty grasping the concept of a “filmless” camera! For almost a century, photography enthusiasts sagely discussed such topics as 35mm film, light meters and F-stops; today, digital cameras have made such topics all but obsolete.

Howstuffworks.com contains an article by Gurevich, Karim, and Wilson that greatly simplifies an explanation of how digital cameras work. Very simply, they explain that CDs, mp3’s, and DVDs all share the same technology: they convert traditional analog “wave” data into digital data based upon “bits.” In so doing, this radical shift in technology has changed greatly – and forever – how we do things and what has become possible including digital “filmless” cameras. While film cameras depend upon chemical and mechanical processes, digital cameras contain a computer that records images electronically.

In 1994, Kodak and Apple developed and sold the first digital cameras. Today there are hundreds of models to choose from, depending upon the type of pictures you need, the complexity with which you’re comfortable, and what digital camera you can afford. For everyday use, most people prefer a “point and shoot” camera that isn’t complex, takes good quality pictures that can be loaded onto computers or printed for personal use and to send to friends, and is affordable. According to a number of consumer guides and customer reviews, the top ten digital cameras in the low, mid, and high price ranges are:

1. Nikon D300 (high)
2. Canon EOS 5D (high)
3. Canon EOS 40D (high)
4. HP Photosmart M547 (low, great value)
5. FujiFilm Finepix S700 (mid)
6. GE A730 (mid)
7. Nikon D200 (high)
8. Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xsi (high)
9. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 (mid)
10. Canon EOS 30D (high)

The point should be made that what constitutes a “great” digital camera is usually in the eye of the beholder. One person’s “top ten” list is almost certain to differ from another person’s. For example, a digital camera that is making devoted converts is the Casio Exilim series that sells in the mid-level price range, depending upon your digital camera photography needs. On the other end, Digital Camera.com rates the Pentax Optio E-10 as “the worst digital camera ever.”
With all these differing opinions, what’s the best way to buy the digital camera that’s right for you? If you simply want to take personal pictures, choose a digital camera that has at least three megapixels. This will give you good quality pictures at a very affordable price. Remember that the higher the number of megapixels, the better quality your pictures will be, but the digital camera you choose will be more complex and more expensive. Also consider the size and shape of the camera; is it easy for you to carry in your purse or pocket? Finally, be sure your digital camera has at least 256-512 megabites of space on its memory card so you won’t have to buy additional memory cards. Taking all these factors into consideration will help you enjoy capturing treasured memories for years to come.

10 Tips for Taking Better Pictures

Many people think they have to have an expensive, top of the line digital camera to take great photographs, but the secret to a great picture is not the camera, it is the photographer. If you try these simple tips when using your digital camera you will reap the rewards of better photographs no matter what your subject matter is.

1. Position your subject

Use the Rule of Thirds to make your photographs more interesting. Imagine the scene divided into three sections, like tic- tac- toe, horizontally and vertically. Positioning your subject at the intersection of those lines will break up symmetry and result in a compelling photo. If you don’t get the perfect shot, you can crop it with Photoshop. You should be able to get a free download for Photoshop at the Adobe website.

2. Choose the Right Backgrounds for your Subject

Simple backgrounds are best for subjects with busy patterns. You can also adjust the depth of field to focus on objects closer to you while blurring objects far away. Simple subjects look best against a more detailed background. Be sure the background doesn’t interfere and take attention away from your subject.

3. Create Distance and Dimension

A photo of a distant subject can seem static and one-dimensional. Including subjects nearer to you in your photos gives a sense of distance. Blurring the background focuses attention on your subject.

4. Choose an Orientation that Suits your Subject

Your camera produces a rectangular image which gives you two orientations to work with-vertical or horizontal. Your subject will lend itself to one or the other. One sure way to find out is simply to take your photo both ways and decide which is best.

5. Use a Unique Point of View/ Get in Close to your Subject

Break the habit of shooting everything from eye level. Experiment with kneeling down to capture subjects from near the ground, or photographing subjects above you. Get in close to your subject -- close-up photography adds intimacy to your photos and helps capture all the hidden details and moments you might not ever see. Learn Photoshop so you can edit, crop and enhance your digital photos.

6. Use your surroundings to Frame Your Subject

Position your subject in front of an interesting doorway, window, scene, etc. to frame your subjects, keeping the Rule of Thirds in mind.

7. Avoid Underexposed Pictures

Indoors - move near a window or bring a lamp into the room. Move closer to your subject. Manually adjust the shutter speed on your camera. Change exposure settings. For lighter photos, adjust exposure up; for darker photos, adjust down. You are able to see what your image will look like as you adjust this setting

8. Avoid Overexposed pictures

On sunny days, find a shady spot to photograph your subjects and use the flash which will cast an even light over your subject. Take advantage of overcast days to avoid shadows. When indoors, provide as much natural light as possible to avoid using the flash which may wash out colors and cast harsh shadows. Avoid the midday sun, early morning and late evenings are better times for photography.

9. Avoid Red Eye

Turn off your camera's flash or if it's too dark to go without a flash, ask your subject to look toward the camera, but not directly at the lens. By taking daytime photos, you may eliminate the need for a flash. Bring in additional light sources if needed. Try stand further away from your subject. If you try all this and still have red eye, try using Photoshop to edit your photograph.

10. Avoid Blurry Photos

Avoid shutter lag by pressing the button halfway down before you shoot your photo. When you are ready to take the shot, press all the way down to instantly capture the desired photograph. Use a tripod or brace yourself against a stationary object to hold the camera still. If your subject is moving, use the Action mode on your camera. The Action setting automatically optimizes the shutter speed to capture the action.

The best way to learn to take good digital photos is to takes lots and lots of pictures. You can just delete those you don’t want. Learn Photoshop so you can to make corrections, enhance your pictures, and use special effects to make your digital photographs look like a pro’s.

Digital Photo Dodge and Burn

Dodge and Burn are techniques for fine tuning exposure in selected areas of digital images. This is a how to for an alternative process to Photoshop's inbuilt tools.

Terms, dodge and burn, come from common practice in traditional film darkrooms where image manipulation is an important part of the photographic process.

  • Burning is when printing from a film negative everything is back to front, so increasing the light or burning an area of a print makes it darker.
  • Dodge naturally is the opposite, where blocking light from the enlarger preventing from it reaching the photographic paper makes that area of the print lighter.

There are specific dodge and burn tools in digital image editing programs for selectively altering the exposure of a digital image. However, there are other methods offering subtle benefits in producing realistic image enhancement.

Layer Blending and Paintbrush

This method’s main advantage is the enhancement of shadow detail in areas where it is applied. This tutorial uses Adobe Photoshop CS2, but the GIMP has features for similar results.

Firstly, create a new layer, and in the dialog box configure it for soft light mode and check the fill with soft-light-neutral color (50% gray) box. This sets the background for the new layer and determines how this new layer blends with the original layer.

Then using the paintbrush tool paint areas in the new layer with black for a burn effect. When the two layers blend with the soft light option, these areas will appear darker with more saturated colors, similar to the effect of a polarizing filter. This helps bring out details in the clouds. Painting with a white brush produces a dodge effect on the image.

Set the brush tool to a large size, in the order of 500 pixels, and make sweeping passes over the target area. With the opacity of the brush set to a low value, in the order of 15 to 20%, the changes are easily controllable.

The soft light blending of the two layers does not affect areas evenly. Rather it affects darker areas more than lighter areas, enhancing texture and shadows. This technique is not a cure for poor exposure. If the image is too dark or light areas have blown highlights, then this process will not rescue them, its main purpose is to fine tune scenes with difficult exposure. In addition, it is not a substitute for graduated neutral density filters, or polarizing filters, rather t use it in conjunction with these aids.

This process only makes slight changes; it can have greater effect by increasing the opacity of the brush or repeating the process on additional layers. Although this really defeats the purpose of this process, as its main advantages are subtle and gentle enhancements. If it is sparingly applied, the resultant image retains a natural look and does not have that artificial heavily Photoshopped look. Photographers still need to pay attention to preserving highlights when making the initial exposure.

Example Photos

The example photo has a great range of contrast, from the deep shadows of Launceston’s Cataract Gorge, to the bright sky and the golden tree lit by full sun. Burning the darkened the sky brought out the blue, while the patch of white cloud retains its brightness.

The very bright tree leaves were toned down or burnt, while the rocks within the gorge’s shadow were dodged to reveal more of the texture of the rock face. Because of the uneven way this affects the image, the textures of light and shade within treated areas increased.


The copyright of the article Digital Photo Dodge and Burn in Digital Photography is owned by Philip Northeast. Permission to republish Digital Photo Dodge and Burn must be granted by the author in writing.

Digital versus film photography

Quality

[edit] Spatial resolution

There are many measures that can be used to assess the quality of still photographs. The most discussed of these is spatial resolution, i.e. the number of separate points in the photograph.[citation needed] This is measured by how many picture cells make up the photo, usually counted in the millions and hence called "megapixels".[citation needed]

The comparison of resolution between film and digital photography is complex. Measuring the resolution of both film and digital photographs depends on numerous issues. For film, this issue depends on the size of film used (35 mm, Medium format or Large format), the speed of the film used and the quality of lenses in the camera. Additionally, since film is an analogue medium, it does not have pixels so its resolution measured in pixels can only be an estimate.

Similarly, digital cameras rarely perform to their stated megapixel count.[citation needed] Other factors are important in digital camera resolution such as the actual number of pixels used to store the image, the effect of the Bayer pattern or other sensor filters on the digital sensor, and the image processing algorithm used to interpolate sensor pixels to image pixels. In addition, digital sensors are generally arranged in a rectangular pattern, making images susceptible to moire pattern artifacts, whereas film is immune to such effects due to the random orientation of grains.[citation needed]

Estimates of the resolution of a photograph taken with a 35 mm film camera vary. It is possible for more resolution to be recorded if, for example, a finer grain film and/or developer are used or less resolution to be recorded with poor quality optics or low light levels. The digital megapixel equivalent of film is highly variable and roughly depends on film speed. Slow, fine-grained 35 mm B&W films with speeds of ISO 50 to 100 have estimated megapixel equivalents of 20 to 30 megapixels. Color films (both negative and slide types) are estimated between 8 and 12 megapixels. This would place film cameras (as of 2008) well over almost all point and shoot digital cameras. However, different films with the same ISO speeds can have different linear resolutions, so a direct comparison to digital is not easy. Resolution for 35mm film drops drastically with higher ISO ratings, particularly above ISO 400.[citation needed]

While 35 mm is the standard format for consumer cameras, many professional film cameras use Medium format or Large format (generally sheet) films which, due to the size of the film used, can boast resolution many times greater than the current top-of-the-range digital cameras. For example, it is estimated that a medium format film photograph can record around 50 megapixels, while large format films can record around 200 megapixels (4 × 5 inch)[1] which would equate to around 800 megapixels on the largest common film format, 8 × 10 inches. However, the estimate above does not take into account lens sharpness.[citation needed]

The question of photo quality often comes up when attempting to print a digital image at various sizes. The following tables can aid the consumer in determining a maximum photo print size based upon the megapixel depth[2]:

MegaPixel
Size
Image Resolution Outstanding Print
fine compression
Very Good Print Fair Print
1 480 x 640 - - - - Wallets Up to 4x6
1.2 768 x 1024 Wallets Up to 4x6 Up to 5x7
1.5 1024 x 1280 Up to 3x5 Up to 5x7 Up to 8x10
2 1200 x 1600 Up to 4x6 Up to 8x10 Up to 10x15
3 1536 x 2048 Up to 5x7 Up to 8x12 Up to 12x18
4 1800 x 2400 Up to 6x9 Up to 11x14 Up to 16x20
5 1932 x 2580 Up to 6x9 Up to 12x18 Up to 16x24
6 2016 x 3040 Up to 8x10 Up to 12x18 Up to 20x30
7.1 2304 x 3072 Up to 8x10 Up to 16x24 Up to 24x36
8.3 2336 x 3504 Up to 10x15 Up to 20x30 Up to 30x40
10.2 2592 x 3872 Up to 11x14 Up to 24x30 Up to 30x40
10.9 2704 x 4060 Up to 11x14 Up to 24x36 Up to 36x48
16.6 3328 x 4992 Up to 12x18 Up to 36x48 Up to 48x64

When deciding between film and digital and between different types of camera you want to use for a given project, it is necessary to take into account the medium which will be used for display, and the viewing distance. For instance, if a photograph will only be viewed on a television or computer display (which can resolve only about .3 megapixels[3] and 1-2 megapixels, respectively, as of 2008. HD sets of 1080p are around 1.8mp), then the resolution provided by a low-end digital cameras may be sufficient. For standard 4 × 6 inch prints, it is debatable whether there will be any perceived quality difference between digital and film when it comes to resolution. However color film will generally have the ability to reproduce a much wider range of colors than digital sensors smaller than 3 megapixels. The difference is visible on most modern computer monitors and on traditional chemically processed prints, but may not be noticeable on output media with limited color pallets such as lower end desktop inkjet prints and even large media such as billboards. Comparisons can depend on the gamut of the output media, which can influence the perception of resolution. An output media with a smaller gamut will need to use more dpi to reproduce a given color.

[edit] Noise levels

It should be noted that a special case exists for long exposure photography - Currently available technology contributes random noise to the images taken by digital cameras, produced by thermal noise and manufacturing defects. Some digital cameras apply noise reduction to long exposure photographs to counteract this. For very long exposures it is necessary to operate the detector at low temperatures to avoid noise impacting the final image. Film grain is not affected by exposure time, although the apparent speed of the film does change with longer exposures, a phenomenon known as reciprocity failure.[citation needed]

[edit] Dynamic range

As of early 2008, many current DSLRs offer a dynamic range that is as wide or wider than film such as the Canon 5D[4], 30D[5], 40D[6], Nikon D40[7], D40x[8], D80[9], D200 [10]), and Sony A700.[11] CCDs such as Fuji's Super CCD, which combines photosites of different sizes, have also addressed this problem with a gain of a much as 3 stops of range, but this has been at the expense of decreased actual resolution.[12]

Drawing showing the relative sizes of sensors used in most current digital cameras.
Drawing showing the relative sizes of sensors used in most current digital cameras.

[edit] Effects of sensor size

Most digital cameras, even most digital SLRs, have sensors that are smaller than a standard frame of 35 mm film. These smaller sensors have a number of effects on the captured image and the use of the camera:[13]

  1. Increased depth of field.
  2. Decreased light sensitivity and increased pixel noise.
  3. For digital SLRs, cropping of the field of view when using lenses designed for 35 mm camera.
  4. Lenses can be smaller, since they only need to project light onto a smaller image area
  5. Increased degree of enlargement.

The depth of field of a camera/lens combination increases as the film/sensor size decreases. This is arguably an advantage for compact digital cameras since they are intended for taking snapshots. It means that more of the scene will be in focus than with a larger sensor, and the autofocus system does not need to be as accurate to capture an acceptable image. However, art photography often makes use of a limited depth of field to create special effects, such as isolating a subject from the background. When using a digital camera with a small sensor, the photographer would have to use a larger aperture on the lens to achieve similar amounts of "bokeh".[citation needed]

Light sensitivity and pixel noise are both related to pixel size, which is in turn related to sensor size and resolution. As the resolution of sensors increase, the size of the individual pixels has to decrease. This smaller pixel size means that each one collects less light and the resulting signal is amplified more to produce the final value. This amplification also includes an amount of noise in the signal. With a smaller signal, the signal-to-noise ratio decreases. Not only is more noise present in the image (relatively speaking), but the relatively higher noise floor means that less useful information can be extracted from the darker parts of the image.[13]

Most digital SLRs use lens mounts originally designed for film cameras, commonly 35 mm. If the camera has a smaller sensor than the intended film frame, the field of view of the lens is cropped. This crop factor is often called a "focal length multiplier" since the effect can be simplified to that of multiplying the focal length of the lens. For lenses that are not "digital specific" (designed for a smaller sensor despite using the 35 mm-compatible lens mount) this has the slight beneficial side effect of only using the center part of the lens, where the image quality is normally best; the "soft edges" are cropped off.[citation needed]

Only a few of the most expensive digital SLRs have so-called "full-frame" sensors — a sensor the same size as a 35 mm film frame (36 × 24 mm). These larger sensors eliminate the issues of depth of field and crop factor when compared to 35 mm film cameras.[citation needed]

With compact digital cameras the sensors are tiny compared to DSLRs. This means that prints are extreme enlargements of the original image, and that the lens has to perform outstandingly in order to provide enough resolution to match the tiny pixels on the sensor. However, many modern compact camera lenses, even 12x "super-zoom" designs, achieve the needed sharpness. The use of a small sensor also has the effect of increasing depth of field to the extent of making images very "flat" looking because backgrounds can not be blurred except for subjects very close to the camera.[citation needed]

[edit] Convenience and flexibility

Digital photography is flexible to the extreme; a photographer can change anything about a photograph after it has been taken.
Digital photography is flexible to the extreme; a photographer can change anything about a photograph after it has been taken.
These two pictures are a before and after demonstrating the capabilities of the digital photographer.
These two pictures are a before and after demonstrating the capabilities of the digital photographer.

This has been one of the major drivers of the widespread adoption of digital cameras.[citation needed] Before the advent of digital cameras, once a photograph was taken, the roll of film would need to be finished and sent off to a lab to be developed. Only once the film was returned was it possible to see the photograph. However, most digital cameras incorporate an LCD screen which allows the photograph to be viewed immediately after it has been taken. This allows the photographer to delete undesired or unnecessary photographs, and offers an immediate opportunity to re-take. When a user desires prints, it is only necessary to print the good photographs.

Another major advantage of digital technology is that photographs can be conveniently moved to a personal computer for modification. Many professional-grade digital cameras are capable of storing pictures in a Camera RAW format which stores the output from the sensor directly rather than processing it immediately to an image. When edited in suitable software, such as Adobe Photoshop or dcraw, the photographer can manipulate certain parameters of the taken photograph (such as contrast, sharpness or color balance) before it is "developed" into a final image. Less sophisticated users may choose to simply "touch up" the actual content of the recorded image;[citation needed] software with which to do this is often provided with consumer-grade cameras. (See Digital image editing.)

[edit] Price

The two formats (film and digital) have different cost emphases. With digital photography, cameras tend to be significantly more expensive than film ones,[citation needed] comparing like for like. This is offset by the fact that taking photographs is effectively cost-free.

With film photography, good-quality cameras tend to be less complicated and, therefore, less expensive, but at the expense of ongoing film and in particular processing costs. The photographer will also only identify poor shots after paying developing and printing costs.

35mm film does offer the photographer much more control over the depth-of-film than a 'crop' body DSLR, and the entry cost differential to full-frame photography can therefore be very large - 35mm SLR's can be purchased for a tenth of the price of a full-frame DSLR. Since the lenses from the main brands are interchangable between SLR and DSLRs, film can still be an attractive route into photography because of this.

There are also additional costs associated with digital photography, such as specialist batteries, memory cards, and long-term storage. However these combined are likely to be very much less than developing costs.

With many photographers switching to digital, many film cameras (and associated equipment like lenses) are now available on the second-hand market (especially online auction sites like eBay) at often very reduced prices.

[edit] Robustness

Dust on the image plane is a constant issue for photographers. DSLR cameras are especially prone to dust problems because the sensor is reused for every shot, where a film SLR will effectively have a new "sensor" slid into place for every shot. A fresh, dust free film frame comes at risk of debris such as dust or sand in the camera scratching the film. A single grain of sand can damage a whole roll of film. Also as film SLRs age, they can develop burs in their rollers. With a digital SLRs dust is difficult to avoid, but easy rectify if one has a computer with photo editing software available. Some digital SLRs have systems that remove dust from the sensor by vibrating or knocking the sensor. Some cameras do this in conjunction with software that remembers where dust is located on the sensor and removes dust-affected pixels from images.[citation needed]

One huge advantage to compact point and shoot digital cameras is that they are exclusively available with fixed lenses, so dust is not an issue for them. This is not true of point an shoot film cameras, which are often only light tight and not environmentally sealed.

[edit] Archiving

When choosing between film and digital formats, one may need to consider the suitability of each as an archival medium.[citation needed]

Films and prints processed and stored in ideal conditions have demonstrated an ability to remain substantially unchanged for more than 100 years. Gold or platinum toned prints probably have a lifespan limited only by the lifespan of the base material, probably many hundreds of years.[citation needed]

The archival potential of digital photographs is less well understood since digital media have existed for only the last 50 years. There exist three problems which must be overcome for archival usage: physical stability of the recording medium, future readability of the storage medium and future readability of the file formats used for storage.

Many digital media are not capable of storing data for prolonged periods of time. For example, magnetic disks and tapes may lose their data after twenty years, flash memory cards even less. Good quality optical media may be the most durable storage media for digital data.[citation needed]

It is important to consider the future readability of storage media. Assuming the storage media can continue to hold data for prolonged periods of time, the short lifespan of digital technologies often causes the drives to read media to become unavailable. For example, the first 5¼-inch Floppy disks were first made available in 1976. However, the drives to read them are already extremely rare just 30 years later.[14]

It must also be considered whether there still exists software which can decode the data. For example, many modern digital cameras save photographs in JPEG format. This format has existed for only around 15 years. Whether it will still be readable in a century is unknown, although the huge number of JPEG files currently being produced will surely influence this issue.[14]

Most professional cameras can save in a RAW image format, the future of which is much more uncertain. Some of these formats contain proprietary data which is encrypted or protected by patents, and could be abandoned by their makers at any time for simple economic reasons. This could make it difficult to read these 'raw' files in the future, unless the camera makers were to release information on the file formats.[15]

However, digital archives have several methods of overcoming such obstacles. In order to counteract the file format problems, many organizations prefer to choose an open and popular file format. Doing so increases the chance that software will exist to decode the file in the future.[citation needed]

Additionally many organizations take an active approach to archiving rather than relying on formats being readable decades later. This takes advantage of the ability to make perfect copies of digital media. So, for example, rather than leaving data on a format which may potentially become unreadable or unsupported, the information can typically be copied to newer media without loss of quality. This is only possible with digital media.[citation needed]

And, of course, the digital images can always be printed out and saved like traditional photographs although there are few , if any, commercial services available producing true silver halide prints from digital sources. All dye based prints, as noted above, have only limited permanence (with the exception of Cibachrome).[citation needed]

[edit] Integrity

Film produces a first generation image, which contains only the information admitted through the aperture of the camera. Film "sees" in color, in a specific spectral band such as orthochromatic, or in broad panchromatic sensitivity. Differences in development technique can produce subtle changes in the finished negative or positive, but once this process is complete it is considered permanent.[citation needed]

Film images are very difficult to fabricate, thus in law enforcement and in cases where the authenticity of an image is important (passport or visa photographs), film provides greater security over digital, which has the disadvantage that photographs can be conveniently moved to a personal computer for modification.[citation needed]

Nikon film scanner, right, which converts  35mm film images to digital
Nikon film scanner, right, which converts 35mm film images to digital

[edit] Converting film to digital

Film photographs may be digitized in a process known as scanning. They may then be manipulated as digital photographs.

There are currently three ways to scan or convert a film image to digital format.[citation needed] The first is through a reflective image scanner. Inexpensive flatbed scanners, depending upon the model used, can scan a paper-sized image from 8" x 14" to ledger size, 11" x 17". An expensive and very high resolution drum scanner can also be used to scan reflective and transparent images.

The second method is to use a dedicated film scanner, such as the Nikon Coolscan (pictured) which can scan 35 mm transparencies and negatives. Other film scanners can scan 120 film, typically up to 6 x 7 cm or 6 x 9 cm.

The third method is to take a digital photograph of the source image. One can mount a digital camera on a copy stand (or an old enlarger with its projection head removed) and photograph the source image. It is also possible to use a slide projector to project the image from a transparency and then take a digital photograph of the projection.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Resolution Test Area 2: trees and Mountains R. N. Clark, 8 April 2001. Retrieved 2 September 2006.
  2. ^ Montclair Photo Resolution Guide
  3. ^ Why do Images Look Crappy Played on a TV
  4. ^ Canon EOS 5D Review: 22. Photographic tests:
  5. ^ Canon EOS 30D Review: 21. Photographic tests:
  6. ^ Canon EOS 40D Review: 20. Photographic tests:
  7. ^ Nikon D40 Review: 18. Photographic tests:
  8. ^ Nikon D40X Review: 18. Photographic tests:
  9. ^ Nikon D80 Review: 19. Photographic tests:
  10. ^ Nikon D200 Review: 22. Photographic tests:
  11. ^ Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Review: 20. Photographic tests:
  12. ^ Fujifilm S5 Pro Review: 18. Photographic tests:
  13. ^ a b Bob Atkins. Size Matters. Photo.Net Equipment Article, 2003.
  14. ^ a b Stewart Brand. Escaping the Digital Dark Age. Library Journal vol. 124. Issue 2, pp. 46-49, June 20, 2003.
  15. ^ Dean M. Chriss. RAW Facts: The short life of today's RAW files: Demystifying the Debacle. DMCPhoto online article, April 29, 2005.

History of photography

Photography is the result of combining several technical discoveries. Long before the first photographs were made, Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) (965–1040) invented the camera obscura and pinhole camera,[2] Albertus Magnus (1193–1280) discovered silver nitrate, and Georges Fabricius (1516–1571) discovered silver chloride. Daniel Barbaro described a diaphragm in 1568. Wilhelm Homberg described how light darkened some chemicals (photochemical effect) in 1694. The fiction book Giphantie, by French author Tiphaigne de la Roche, described what can be interpreted as photography.

Photography as a usable process goes back to the 1820s with the development of chemical photography. The first permanent photograph was an image produced in 1826 by the French inventor Nicéphore Niépce. However, the picture took eight hours to expose, so he went about trying to find a new process. Working in conjunction with Louis Daguerre, they experimented with silver compounds based on a Johann Heinrich Schultz discovery in 1724 that a silver and chalk mixture darkens when exposed to light. Niépce died in 1833, but Daguerre continued the work, eventually culminating with the development of the daguerreotype in 1837. Eventually, France agreed to pay Daguerre a pension for his formula, in exchange for his promise to announce his discovery to the world as the gift of France, which he did in 1839.

Meanwhile, Hercules Florence had already created a very similar process in 1832, naming it Photographie, and William Fox Talbot had earlier discovered another means to fix a silver process image but had kept it secret. After reading about Daguerre's invention, Talbot refined his process so that it might be fast enough to take photographs of people. By 1840, Talbot had invented the calotype process, which creates negative images. John Herschel made many contributions to the new methods. He invented the cyanotype process, now familiar as the "blueprint". He was the first to use the terms "photography", "negative" and "positive". He discovered sodium thiosulphate solution to be a solvent of silver halides in 1819, and informed Talbot and Daguerre of his discovery in 1839 that it could be used to "fix" pictures and make them permanent. He made the first glass negative in late 1839.

In March of 1851, Frederick Scott Archer published his findings in "The Chemist" on the wet plate collodion process. This became the most widely used process between 1852 and the late 1880s when the dry plate was introduced. There are three subsets to the Collodion process; the Ambrotype (positive image on glass), the Ferrotype or Tintype (positive image on metal) and the negative which was printed on Albumen or Salt paper.

Many advances in photographic glass plates and printing were made in through the nineteenth century. In 1884, George Eastman developed the technology of film to replace photographic plates, leading to the technology used by film cameras today.