Capturing Nature s Beauty through Photography

Transcription

1 Capturing Nature s Beauty through Photography Steve Dell Tonight s Topics Tools I use Techniques I use Things I like to shoot Throughout, I ll share some of my little victories Tools I Use Equipment Olympus OM-D E-M1 mirrorless camera (2 bodies) 7-14 f/2.8 lens wide angle zoom f/2.8 lens standard zoom f/2.8 lens telephoto zoom 1.4X Tele-converter MC-14 Apple iphone 6S Plus (with GPS software) Olympus flash, Benro tripod & Really Right Stuff BH-30 ballhead & a large variety of other stuff 1

2 However. A great camera can t make a great photograph, anymore than a great typewriter can write a great novel Peter Adams Tools I Use Post-Processing & Image Management Hardware Dell XPS 8700 desktop computer Windows bit OS 24 gigs RAM NVIDIA GeForce GTX 645 video card, 2 GB vram 6.25 TB internal storage w/360 GB SSD 10.0 TB external storage (redundant backup) 2 Dell 23 inch Ultra-Scan monitors Apple MacBook Pro 15 inch laptop Epson Stylus Pro 3880 printer 2

3 Do you occasionally feel this way? There is no such thing as a bad photo It s an editing opportunity! Arline Scott Tools I Use Post-Processing & Image Management Software Photoshop CC 2015 Photoshop Lightroom CC Plug-ins from: NIK Collection (Viveza, Silver EFEX Pro, Dfine) onone Software (Perfect Photo Suite 10) Topaz Labs (Simplify 4, denoise 6) HDRsoft (Photomatix, for HDRs) Papers from Epson, Red River, Moab, Canson & Hahnemühle 3

4 However Technique trumps equipment, every time! Rod Planck Nature Photographer Scout out locations before shooting Could the location be better captured at sunrise? Could the location be better captured at sunset? See the composition before pressing the shutter Preparation now saves computer time later Pre-visualize 4

5 There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept. Ansel Adams Scout out locations before shooting Could the location be better captured at sunrise? Could the location be better captured at sunset? See the composition before pressing the shutter Preparation now saves computer time later Pre-visualize Shoot off a tripod or other support Search for situations that could benefit from High Dynamic Range shooting techniques Scout out locations before shooting Gather information before going there Refer to travel guides Refer to location(s) websites Refer to social media sites Gather information after getting there Park rangers Printed & electronic brochures People you might meet along the way Go to the location at various times of the day Go to the location at various times of the year 5

6 See the composition before pressing the shutter Asking questions like these: What is there to see? What is there to capture? What is there to capture from a different angle? What could it look like? What could it look like in Black & White? What should be included? What should be excluded? Answering these questions before capture can save significant post-processing time later Shoot off a tripod or other support Single best practice that improved my photography For the sharpest images possible Forget about auto-focus & image stabilization Slows down image capture Forces me to think what am I trying to capture? Stable platform from which to shoot Far longer exposures are possible Shooting off a tripod or other support Single best way to improve photography For the sharpest images possible Forget about auto-focus & image stabilization Slows down picture taking Forces me to think what am I trying to capture? Stable platform from which to shoot Far longer exposures are possible Shoot a test shot handheld first Frees me from being anchored to one location Fully develop the composition before the final capture 6

7 Search for situations that could benefit from High Dynamic Range shooting techniques What is dynamic range? What are the benefits? What to do? High Dynamic Range shooting What is dynamic range? The design of the human eye allows for seeing more than 20 stops of light Details are visible in the darkest shadows Details are visible in the brightest lights The design of camera/lens combinations allows for capturing only about 8-12 stops of light with fewer gradual transitions The vast difference in light capturing abilities means the photo, directly out of the camera, will not accurately reflect what I saw in the field. High Dynamic Range shooting What are the benefits? To represent more correctly the intensity levels found in the actual scene ranging from very bright sunlight to deep, dark shadows. To reveal more precisely the intricate details found in those shadows & highlights, while minimizing noise. To reproduce more accurately the image as it was seen during capture. 7

8 High Dynamic Range shooting What to do? Capture a series of 3 (or more) identical images consisting of underexposed, normally exposed & overexposed Shoot off a tripod or a stable platform (a must) Shoot in aperture priority mode maintaining a consistent f/stop Shoot in manual focus throughout shooting sequence Shutter speed changes are automatic with auto-bracketing Combine captures into one image with tone mapping software Lightroom CC 2015 (latest version) Photomatix 5.0.x (the standard among many photographers) NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 Light illuminates Shadows define Rick Sammon There are no rules for good photographs; there are only good photographs Ansel Adams 8

9 Composition Rule of thirds Let the subject be off-center Centered or bull's-eyed shots are ordinary Create a bit of artistic tension Center of interest at a power point Let the viewer explore the image with leading lines Let the viewer follow the motion Leave some room for the action to move into Left to right is perceived as motion, at least in Western Cultures The difference between the pro & the amateur is that the pro knows what NOT to include in the composition. John Shaw Composition Is there a picture within the picture? Can the image be made more effective by: cropping? changing from landscape mode to portrait mode? changing angle of view? calling attention to more important elements concealing or de-emphasizing less important elements? 9

10 Composition Is there a picture within the picture? Can the image be made more successful by: cropping? changing from landscape to portrait orientation? changing angle of view? calling attention to more the important elements concealing or de-emphasizing less important elements? Is there something new & exciting to discover? Is my attitude willing to look for something new? General landscape & composition tips Always try to shoot early in the morning or late in the afternoon for the best light Add some foreground element(s) in sweeping shots Adjust shot angle so that the horizon is positioned roughly 1/3rd from top or 1/3rd from bottom Add more coverage by shooting multiple images to create a panoramic view For a resulting landscape view, shoot vertically For a resulting portrait view, shot horizontally You can observe a lot just by looking around. Yogi Berra American Philosopher 10

11 The best picture you make today might be behind you Bob Evans Professional Photographer Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively. Dalai Lama Staying Creative Steal Others Ideas Those who do not want to imitate anything produce nothing. Salvador Dali - Artist Shift Your Focus When you are through changing, you are through. Bruce Barton Author & Politician Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm. Ralph Waldo Emerson - Poet Share Your Images If other photographers like your work, you ll get inspired by their comments, which will inspire you to make more creative pictures. Rick Sammon Professional Photographer Stroll Around If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man who goes for a walk. Raymond Inmon 11

12 A great photograph is about depth of feeling, not depth of field Peter Adams Things I like to shoot Landscapes Wildlife & Critters Flowers Time Lapse Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer & often the supreme disappointment Ansel Adams 12

13 Wildlife & Critters Techniques Shooting Wildlife Practice at a zoo or animal park before heading off to Africa on safari Practice shooting captive birds to improve your birds-inflight skills Personal safety and that of the animals must be paramount in your shooting and thought processes Patience is key in getting the shot Lord, please give me patience..and hurry-up already!!! Luck is where opportunity meets preparation. Seneca Roman Philosopher 13

14 Flowers Techniques Flower Photography Tips Choose a low vantage point Shooting from above frequently gets too much info Shooting from low angle allows for distant soft focus Shooting an odd number of blossoms creates interest Come in close with a wide-angle lens Can make for an interesting exaggeration Concentrate on primary focal point Pick out one or just a few flowers Primary subject becomes readily apparent Preferable if the background goes soft Can be spectacular at local botanical gardens "Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." John Lennon 14

15 Timelapse Photography What is it Timelapse photography is simply a series of shots taken over a period of time & then combined to create an animated sequence. What is Sequence? Usually 24 or 25 frames per second (fps), or higher for HD What is needed? Intervalometer, either built-in or external Interesting Subject(s) Moving clouds Changing lights & shadows Celestial motion Flower buds opening Rotting food Flowing water Busy city life Stable Tripod "It's never too late to be who you could have been." George Eliot 15