Ha, Headshots, who needs em!

Good Tuesday from Prospect.

Headshots, who needs em. "Hell I don't need to post a pic of myself, potential clients will just know who I am and want to work with me."

Is this what gets you ahead? I see this everyday. The infamous facebook guy or the linkedin head and especially that computer/laptop camera shot. Trust me that's not a positive image.

It's one thing if you're online in a personal capacity, but when it comes to business what are you thinking? If you think your facebook page is only viewed by your friends you're sadly mistaken. Even if you don't think it happens potential clients/employers are checking you out. That online presence is key to selling yourself and your ideas. If you don't care then power to ya.

Really, if you're going to take the time to post yourself online what the hell are you doing without a good headshot. You are your brand. A good headshot is part of your brand, if it doesn't portray your messaging and what you have to offer than why bother? 

Good branding is how you portray yourself to potentials, a good headshot is one graphic element in a successful marketing plan that stems from your brand. Good brands are about being focused. 

As a Designer and photographer I can assure you, if you don't put your best foot forward you won't succeed in whatever you're up to.

When looking to get a good headshot, look to a professional.

Professional photographers aren't your average enthusiasts, they aren't your cousin or boyfriend or fellow employee that just happens to have a camera, they are professionals because they understand professionalism. 

A professional seeks a vision, a creative that envelopes a message. Professionals deliver consistently time after time, not just get paid to shoot pictures. They know their gear and they know light. A professional headshot is a big part of your brand. Remember…"Your brand is what people say about you when you leave the room".

Whether you agree or not the net is image driven, it's not just what you say but what you show.

That deer in the headlights shot chases people away from, not toward, you. BTW, that includes your staff pics on your web site.

A Professional headshot is so empowering. So lean In, put your best self forward and get a professional headshot that communicates all of your many talents!

Until next post, enjoy Derek

How much should you Spend on Glass for APS-C sensor cameras?

Good Wednesday from Prospect.

To begin with, sorry I've been trying to stay off as much social media as I can lately and just honing my skills, and getting food on the table. Seems to take much more effort as of late for the same burger.

Canon 5D mkII, Canon 70-200 II f2.8 at 165mm, f2.8, 1/2500

Anyway, todays post I want to talk about full frame vs APS-C sensors as they relate to composition and DOF. Yes both of these play a big role in what gear we shoot and frankly we'll find that although APS-C cameras are relatively less expensive than FF we'll see we'll need to spend more on glass the smaller the sensor. Unless of course all you want is everything in focus all the time (point and shoot your heart out).

This post will not touch on light gathering capabilities between full frame and crop sensors (APS-C) or their pixel size and counts (too much tech there thanks). As sensors mature that really doesn't have as much bearing as it used to. But sensor/film size will always have an effect of DOF and BOKEH.

As we explain the effect of depth of field between the two we will see a trend that will explain why the crop glass should be the fastest we can afford.

Bare in mind this isn't really a tech post as so much as a technique post. What helps us to get that great BOKEH or control over the subject matter along with the composition. I am, also, not judging which is better, FF or APS-C (crop sensor), just the differences we need to be aware of.

First let me explain, briefly, what depth of field (DOF) is and what BOKEH is, for those who are unfamiliar.

Simply put DOF is that part of the subject that is in focus. To start, when we focus on a subject 1/3rd (33%) of the space in front and 2/3rds (67%) the space behind are included as in focus. 

The factors that determine that are:

 1 - the focal length of the lens

 2 - the aperture we are shooting at

 and

 3 - the distance from the camera to subject.

Fuji XF 14mm f2.8 with dof scale

Most high-end and manual focus lenses are imprinted with a scale that express what that lens takes into focus at any chosen aperture and distance. If you don't have that at hand here's a great resource to figure it out: http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html. 

(Oh BTW there's also an app for that, linked on the same page to the left. I have my copy.)

BOKEH is all that out of focus bit in front and behind the subject.

The combination of DOF and BOKEH are what helps, or hinders, the final composition.

So here is where cameras with different sensor sizes can change how the composition will look.

When we are shooting with either FF or APS-C, size does matter. A full frame sensor is typically Canon: 35.8 mm w x 23.9 mm h, where as an APS-C is typically 22.2mm w x 14.8mm h (Nikon: FF  36mm w x 23.9mm h, APS-C is typically 23.6mm w x 15.7mm h). It varies from model to model but a crop factor of 1:1.5 is common (50% smaller than FF). So the distance to subject, on a cropped sensor, will be about 50% further away from the subject to frame the same composition. 

Here's the story everyone hears at the camera store when it comes to crop sensor cameras: CAMERA SALESMAN: "This is a 50mm lens but on the APS-C camera it's about a 75/80mm lens, great for portraits, or that 35mm will make a great standard 50/56mm., or a 70-200mm is really a 105-300mm, great for sports." Insert whichever you wish in that conversation.

What no one wants to explain is what effect that has on the final composition and how it effects DOF and BOKEH. That falls in the full frame/crop sensor sales pitch.

So if by comparison we are always standing 50 percent further back to achieve the same crop with an APS-C size sensor than that's going to ultimately effect the depth of field (DOF), especially if we want the same amount of subject in focus. Now some will say that's a benefit. I'm not saying one has an advantage over the other. I'm just saying it effects how we shoot.

Canon 5d mkII, Canon 85mm f1.8 at ISO 200, f8, 1/125th
I wanted her face and hair in focus but her neck and shoulders to
fall away with subtle softening at the ears
The one thing I dislike is fuzzy hair if I can help it.

But here's my point about more expensive glass on APS-C cameras.

Theoretically every shot we make at f2.8 with a full frame camera, we will need to shoot at 50 percent more open to achieve the same thing because we're 50% further from our subject i.e.: f2 for the same effect. f4 would be f2.8., f5.6  would be f4 and so on (one full stop). 

Remember the percentage difference from front to back DOF? Here's a simple explanation.

Lets say the subject is 10 feet from us with a FF camera, same crop will set us at 15 feet (50% further away) And suppose that at FF - f4 we achieve 1 foot in front and 2 feet behind for subject in focus(3 feet in total). With an APS-C we will get 1.5 feet in front and 3 feet behind, 50% more (4.5 feet in total). To narrow down the same DOF and achieve the same BOKEH we will need to open the aperture to 2.8 (1 stop). So right off the bat we need faster glass to achieve the same effect. (Note: what to do if we're shooting 2.8 FF?)

But you say hey we can use a different focal length on an APS-C camera to be equivalent to that FF. Ahh, not so fast, now we have to compare the differences in compression as it relates to different focal lengths. The higher we go in focal length the more compressed a subject will look (more 2 Dimensional than 3 Dimensional)

By using say a 35mm on an APS-C may indeed crop the same and place us the same distance as a 50mm lens on FF but those lenses are very different when comparing compression, which is a crucial part of DOF. We can make the comparisons on the chart at this link (http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html) listed above as well. 

Here's an example, both resulting in the same crop/composition: 

(Note the Canon APS-C is actually set at 1.6 crop factor)

35mm (56mm with 1.6 crop) on a Canon 7D (APS-C) at f4 produces, at 10 feet from subject, 

a distance of 8' 5.1" - 12' 4"in focus (approx 4' 11")

50mm on a Canon 5D (FF) at f4 produces, at 10 feet from subject, 

a distance of 8' 8.9" - 11' 8" in focus (approx 2' 11")

To achieve the same DOF the 7D would need to stop up to f2.8  for 8' 10" - 11' 6" (approx 2' 8")

(BTW 35mm on a FF at f4, 10 feet is 7' 8.7'' - 14' 2'' (approx 6' 5") so it does have an effect, just not enough.)

Using the same focal length on both cameras to achieve the similar DOF is tough but here it is (approx). Note: the framing will be different between the shots at 10 feet and similar at 15 feet.

50mm (80mm with 1.6 crop) on a Canon 7D (APS-C) at f5.6 produces, at 10 feet from subject a distance of 

8' 10.3'' - 11' 6''in focus (approx 3' 1") (cropped composition-slightly deeper DOF)

50mm (80mm with 1.6 crop) on a Canon 7D (APS-C) at f4 produces, at 10 feet from subject a distance of 

9' 2"' - 11' in focus (approx 1' 10") (cropped composition-shallower DOF)

50mm (80mm with 1.6 crop) on a Canon 7D (APS-C) at f4 produces, at 15 feet from subject a distance of 

13' 2.4'' - 17' 4.8'' in focus (approx 4' 2.4") (same composition-deeper DOF)

50mm (80mm with 1.6 crop) on a Canon 7D (APS-C) at f2.8 produces, at 15 feet from subject a distance of 

13' 8.4'' - 16' 7.2''  in focus (approx 2' 11") (same composition-similar DOF)

50mm on a Canon 5D (FF) at f4 produces, at 10 feet from subject a distance of 

8' 8.9" - 11' 8" in focus (approx 2' 11") (same composition-similar DOF)

As we compare we can also see a trend of a very different nature in the in-front and back focus ratio. Sorry I'm not going to get into Hyperfocal distance (Great article here http://www.dofmaster.com/hyperfocal.html) or circles of confusion. My goal is to simply show the differences between the two and how they relate to the overall composition and technique.

By the way the faster the glass (more open aperture ability) the more expensive it is, incase for some inexplicable reason you didn't know. ( to illuatrate the difference, a Leica 50mm f1.4 Summilux goes for about 4000.00us and the most expensive 50mm lens we know of for full frame is a Leica 50mm f0.95 Noctilux for 11,000.00us. In DSLR standards, a Canon 50mm f1.4 is about 400.00us and a Canon 50mm f1.2 is 1620.00us. All 35mm film/sensor sizes. I haven't seen a dslr lens at 0.95 yet and I don't think it can be done given the lens to film plane distance, at a decent price anyway.

It's always mentioned at how creamy the BOKEH is on full frame and Medium format. When we boil all this down it simply shows that if you are going to buy APS-C sensor cameras, and want that same great look, you need to spend even more on the glass. Yup f1.2 and f1.4 is in your future or at least f2.8 as a minimum.

As a side note, I do tote a Fuji XPro-1 when I walk around shooting candid and street work. My glass starts at f2.8 on all my cameras but I tend to go faster on this XPro-1 (f1.4 and f1.2 is the norm and primes only) If you're not familiar with that camera it's APS-C. I chose that for the size of gear to carry and the results in the environment I intend to use it. You can see the results throughout this blog.

Now if that XPro-1 or fuji X equivalent, XPro-2 maybe, was full frame I'd drop my big DSLRs in a heart beat, or at least when I add digital medium format, I shoot film with that format currently. Which by the way achieves even creamier BOKEH at higher apertures. You see my goal is all about the sharpest image with the best control over DOF to blow a background out at a sharp aperture, say 6.3 to 8 and still get great BOKEH. That's where full frame and medium format come in.

One more note, the case could be made that APS-C is better for landscape because you get a longer DOF but as reality would have it the further away we are from a subject the more, in focus it is anyway.

Enjoy, Derek

Previous post on this subject

http://justthatdesign.blogspot.ca/2013/07/picking-lenses-based-on-focal-lengths.html

Keeping it Creative - Winter or Otherwise

Good Wednesday from Prospect.

During our last Nor-Easter

First off, sorry for taking so long to get back on this blog. I've come up with a few technical post but wanted to start this year off on a different note.

"A quick note, the blog passed 10,000 views December 11 2013. Thank You, I hope you all continue to enjoy this blog."

On to todays post.

Here we are in the dead of winter, yup for me that's exactly how I feel. I enjoy our spring and summer weather here in Nova Scotia. Yes, if it wasn't for winter we wouldn't be able to enjoy the spring. But the feeling winter gives me is dead. So with that I tend to find non outdoor recreation activities when it comes to photography. This is the season I put my nose to the grind stone and focus on design work and improving my skills, design and photographic. Any creative, photographic or otherwise, is done in studio.

Funny story. I was at a function last Friday, one about this upcoming seasons ocean racing, and a friend of mine who enjoys photography as an enthusiast, asked me what steps I took to get my gear ready to shoot outdoors this time of year. Most would state how long they take to climatize and protect their stuff from the outdoors. My answer was simple, I don't. Winter photography is just not something I find interesting. Frankly it's just white on white or lots of dead looking plants waiting for a better time of year. I suppose I could get to a ski hill and find someone interesting to shoot but that's not my environment either. Shooting people in winter doesn't work. How can you capture an individuals expression if they're covered in clothing to keep warm. So much for that facial expression. Yes I've seen a lot of portraits of women in parkas up-close in a winter environment. Sorry, studio work, no need to set it up outdoors. Only time I see to shoot outdoors is for extreme sports (snowboarding certainly comes to mind) But that's not in my bag of tricks.

Now don't get me wrong, the weather challenge is not the issue, it's about having your heart into a subject. If you can't get into what you're creating then you aren't really doing a good job.

Snowing and blowing hard enough
to not see the other side of the bay

Creativity is about expressing ideas and portraying a thought or message. Honesty is the first quality you need to do that. This not only holds true for photography but anything I do creatively. Whether it's a portrait or a brand, it needs to be honest and express the message and idea to be successful.

I suppose this holds true for any niche you may choose in your line of work. If you're not feeling the honesty and passion in what you do then your audience/client will sense it. I say take the time to explore what interests you before doing what you don't love. You'll be far better off and I bet less stressed.

Until the next post, which I may take a few people to task for posting crappy photos online (you know who you are) instead of good head shots, Enjoy. Derek

Mastering the right kit part2

Happy Tuesday from Prospect.

Well, back in the studio today perfecting the traveling headshot kit. Today we set up the typical clam shell.

(Kit part 1 link here)

This set-up is typically used in fashion but works exceptionally well for head shots, when set-up right, and the beauty is it can have a black, dark (non distracting) or pleasing, environmental, background depending on your light ratios. The kit only includes one main light and an optional second light to add separation where and when needed.

Something I wanted to add. I, for the umpteenth time, heard Zack Arias' ( his link is on the side bar) talk about an honest and inexpensive starter kit when starting out as a a photographer. He chose a Canon 5D mark 1, 2 primes and some basic flash gear, all used for easy pocket book pricing. What he failed to mention is why this gear. Although it may not be the latest and greatest in camera gear with oodles of mega pixels, it is a full frame package that fits a productive bill that delivers real results your client will love.

Full frame vs Crop sensor discussions are all over the place. Sorry, Full Frame rules…and delivers, period. (My XPro-1 is the only crop I've ever enjoyed and I use it for street, not business or deliverables.)

So for the shoot today, I used just that. I shot some of these with a 5D mk1 (this is my back-up body) with an 85mm f1.8 and the rest with a 5D mrk2 with a 70-200mm f2.8. Same strobe and separation flash set-up for both. Doubt you can tell the diff and I'm not tellin'. (Aperture/shutter speed/ISO/white balance are identical between the two. That's what happens when you take the time to calibrate your gear. PREVIOUS POST HERE) 

BTW, when I'm in the studio or on location doing these I always want my clients to enjoy themselves so we shoot as much fun stuff along with the final serious pieces, even if they don't leave the studio and no one else sees them. It makes for a better shoot and my clients end up much happier that they decided to do these. No humdrum Walmart here.

Good Headshots are just as important as your business card or brand. It's what you put forward. Can you really afford to go cheap. A Bad headshot (Maybe shot from your computers camera. Don't laugh, I see it all the time) is just as detrimental as a bad logo (50 bucks online).

Stop hurting yourself and look good to your potential clients, it's worth it.

Enjoy the fun poses, Derek

Sailing and Halifax are a great lifestyle choice.

Good Tuesday from Prospect.

This post is to update you on a few things I've been up to. The summer in Prospect hasn't been stellar but it's still warm and not winter.

Prior to my trip to Fan Expo, which I won't bore you with any more, I started chasing sail boats during their amature racing events here in Halifax. Specifically out of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron.

We don't really have an official photographer to highlight what the club does as mission. Promoting and teaching sailing both recreational cruising and world class competition.

So I've attempted to get that rolling. This past weekend (Sept 28 and 29th) was the RNSYS club championships once again. It's an annual event including qualified member racers who partake in either club regattas or wednesday night racing events and have achieved a certain level of wins.

The race is done using 6-J22s owned by the club so as to level the playing field. Each team is required to complete at least 3-4 races to qualify for the final 4 (we had 11 teams this year). Each time a team races they use a different boat, once again to level a fair playing field.

Well this year they could not have asked for better weather and although I wasn't a spectator for Saturdays races I did get out on Sunday for the qualifying rounds.

On the charge to the mark. The crew on the number 4 boat were the ultimate weekend champs
Rory MacDonald and the crew from McMac

I've included a couple of shots here and included the link to the RNSYS galleries on my site. They include 2 galleries for the 2013 championships, the last Wednesday night races before Chester race week for this year, and the championships from 2010.

Committee boat while changing crews

They are for sale as listed on the site if you're interested. If so just follow the instructions on the site.

The plan is to get out tomorrow night for the season final for the Wednesday night series.

Don't worry, sailing isn't quite over yet, with at least two more regattas left and what looks like stellar weather for the near forseeable future

Enjoy these in the meantime, Derek

Link to the Galleries.

Yes the younger members were out to practice their skills and watch as well

Next Personal Project comes from a love of mine.

Good Sunday from Prospect.

Here's a teaser for ya from my next personal project which involves, you guessed it, the sport of sailing. The primary rule to be a sport is simple, if you can get hurt then it is a sport. Yes it's a sport because participants can, and do, get hurt.

Weapon of choice: Canon 5D mrk II, Canon 70-200 IS f2.8

The project involves group and individual portraiture before, during or after an event, in the flavour of street photography. It is an editorial piece and no photos will be used in product endorsement or commercial purpose except for being in the final book and featured in online blog/website features.

If you're interested in participating, and sail locally, drop me a line and we'll see if we can work you and/or your team in. 

Sorry, no fees will be paid for sessions and all image copyrights will belong to the photographer, but you will get an online copy for your personal enjoyment.

A note on sailing: IMHO

Sailing is the utmost team sport, everyone needs to do their job for the team to succeed. No hot dogs or rock stars, they just rock the boat and create a lack of cohesion, unless the entire team, of course, are as talented. Then it's just an awesome team.

Some, those who have not partaken, say it's foolish and slow. Racing should be fast they say? Well that's all relative now isn't it. Sailing is not just about going fast, although doing 40 knots in 25 knots of breeze is quite a rush and it takes a tremendous amount of skill and superior technology to achieve. If all you want is speed then watch stock car racing, now that's foolish. Going fast left, left, left done.

In sailing you pit your experience and skill against your opponent. It's about making choices of direction as well as knowing how to trim and drive. It's also about becoming a better sailor. Practice makes perfect and what better way than to pit yourself against extreme conditions and other sailors to gain experience where it may otherwise be dangerous to experience for the first time.

Anyway, all I wanted to bring up is, yes, it's sailing season here in Halifax and the teaser is a sample from the gallery, and book, soon to come. 

Canon 5D mrk II, Canon 70-200 IS f2.8

This particular event is off point pleasant and run by the royal nova scotia yacht squadron, the oldest yacht club in north america.

Once a week every sailing club in the area runs at least one race night for the members. It's a great way to hone your sailing skills and, as it was for me, learn to sail.

If you'd like to spectate, other than go out on a boat, you can watch this specific event, from Point Pleasant Park on the Halifax peninsula or from Ferguson's cove off the Purcell's cove road.

I'm quite sure any sailing club close to you puts on a weekly event for you to see or participate in.

From August 14-17 Chester race week is underway. The photos included in this post is from last Wednesday nights rnsys race night. The clubs teams were gearing up for race week and so they were fine tuning their skills.

With fingers crossed, we hope the weeks weather will be awesome sailing weather with brisk breezes and bright skies. No I'm not forgetting about the great partying for the week, that's something you need to experience for yourself after the races in Chester NS.

Keep dropping back, or sign up for rss feed, as this project develops.

Maybe we'll see you in Chester, enjoy, Derek

Picking lenses based on Focal lengths and Sensor sizes

Good Friday from Prospect

1.5 Crop Sensor

Today I want to talk about lens focal lengths and the apparent differences when placed on cameras with different size film/sensor planes.

This refers to the surface area not resolution. This post is as much about image production and ultimate image feel as a discussion of hardware.

It took me a bit to get my head around this, when I moved to digital from film, since everyone obsesses about crop as the most important variable when choosing a lens.

This is where it threw me.

When I select a lens, the first factor is it's ability to compress or expand a subject. For instance I shoot portraits using a compressed, telephoto, focal length, not an expanded one. The flatter the subject can be the more attractive the outcome (there is of course a sweet spot but that's more subjective than technical). When using, what I call expanded focal lengths, wide angle, you distort your subject by pulling them forward from the background, which by the way also effects a face making it look deeper than actual dimensions.

The other factors like wide open apertures, fast glass for low light, bokeh, IS, filter sizes etc are the next deciding factors but not what we're discussing here today.

My division between the two is this. above 50mm = compressed, below 50mm = expanded. Focal length numbers from the lenses, period. 50mm is the zero point that acts like both, depending on the distance from your subject.

Full Frame Sensor

Focal Length Explained

First, You need to forget about the "crop factor." The focal length of a lens and its accompanying perspective characteristics don't change just because a lens may be mounted on a crop sensor camera. The crop area has absolutely nothing to do with the lenses characteristics in producing an image. A 100mm lens on a 35mm 1.5 crop, full frame or a medium format has the same result. Great compression and wonderful Bokeh at open apertures. 

The only time it should matter is when you are composing your subject and how close/far you are standing from that subject and how much stuff you want in the frame.

Yes it is true that in a small interior space you want to get as much as you can in the frame. But using an equivalent "crop factored" lens does not produce the same result.

Here's an example of the effect of different focal lengths and there equivalents. 

Shooting your subject up close with an ultra wide (like a 14 or 12mm) pushes the background farther away giving you that super depth effect you want with an ultra wide. They also allow more content in the frame. A 14mm is suggested to be a 21mm on a crop sensor so you would need to use a 9.5mm (approx.) on a 1.5 crop sensor camera to achieve the same frame using a 14mm on a full frame sensor camera.. Problem is in the real comparison. An image produced with a 14mm is vastly different than a 9.5mm. Perspective, although deep, is usually very distorted with a 9.5 (almost fisheye) than a good 14mm ultra wide. Two different animals entirely. Lens distortion does not change because you cropped in your photo, just the apparent visual effect because you don't see as much content in the composition. Same can be said in comparing a 35mm vs a 50mm. People can look very weird shot with a 35mm up close compared to a 50mm which is what our eye sees (subjective arguments not with standing).

One notable difference between full frame and crop sensor is the difference in distance between you and your subject, to achieve the same composition. You need to step back with a crop sensor camera to achieve the same framing as a full frame.

That does change a number of settings and ultimately the outcome of your image, like real depth of field. Those differences are for a discussion between full frame and crop cameras. Later.

Tech Note

Focal length refers to the distance from the main lens element to the film/sensor plane, period. Whether you are cropping it down or not, the lenses characteristics are still the same. And that plane distance calculation remains the same whether it's a full frame 35mm or 1.5 cropped sensor (or even medium format). 

This brings me to another factoid, how your subject will look in relation to what the human eye sees and what views more realistically. For instance the human eye actually sees the equivalent to a 22mm, not a 14mm cropped in, when discussing total input including the periphery but 50mm is what we see in the middle, not 33mm cropped in. 

Summary

f 2.8 crop sensor, fuji 35mm f1.4
(original size 3264 x 4896-XPro-1)
click here for high-res

Point 1 This point is the most important in relation to your subject matter. It relates to depth of field as much as perspective.: Focal length affects perceptual perspective. As the focal length and magnification of a lens increases, the image appears more compressed, resulting in less visual distinction and separation between the foreground, middle ground, and background. This is also the most important factor when attempting good BOKEH. Good bokeh allows you to create images with content awareness and focus with few distractions (what compositional focus is about).

f 2.8 full frame sensor
canon 16-35 II f2.8 at 35mm
(original size 2912 x 4368 - 5D mk1)
click here for high-res

Point 2 This is what everyone seems to be concentrating on. Crop factor: Ignore your crop factor when choosing your lens. The beauty in focal lengths in not the crop for composition, it's the subject itself and the perceptual perspective.

f 8 crop sensor , fuji 35mm f1.4
(original size 3264 x 4896-XPro-1)
click here for high-res

Point 3 The misdirection of crop factor effects on focal length is merely that, mis-direction. A subjects distance to film/sensor plane is what makes an image either sharp, or in focus. The lens has a better capacity to produce sharp images when the plane is closer to the subject, not unlike your own eyes. It's easier to see things in detail up close than far away. So in that point all 85mm lenses on any camera should produce the same detail and fidelity whether you crop it down or not, taken from the same distance to subject.

f 8 full frame sensor
canon 16-35 II f2.8 at 35mm
(original size 2912 x 4368 - 5D mk1)
click here for high-res

The samples on the previous post show that explicitly although I'm going to show it clearer here.

Those images where shot using only two focal lengths at the same distance from the subject. The only differences are the amount of excess image the frames carry due to the area available on the different sensors.

Point 4 Lastly It's always about the glass. Good glass on a sub camera produces better images than a crap lens on a good camera. So take your time in picking what's right for you. What are you shooting and what are your desired results are the two most important factors in choosing lenses.

Hope this helped.

Enjoy Derek

Another Great day on Halifax Harbour

Good Friday from Prospect.

I'll end the week with a little lighter post.

No need to rush with that spinnaker hoist, now is there.

Enjoying the weather on the Halifax Waterfront

Mar II

Georges Island in the middle of the Harbour

Thought I'd share this one with you from 2010. We were out on another exceptional day on Halifax Harbour. Well exceptional for everyone except the J24 National competitors. 

You see, you need wind to race sail boats. No wind, no competition. It was the last day of the Nationals and I don't think they got enough in the afternoon to run more than one race until the time limit. Wind picked up afterwards.

Anyway, that was the reason we went out, to watch.

The Sylva

Fortunately for us we had a wonderful afternoon, as well as anyone else that had the opportunity to enjoy this cities waterfront.

Enjoy the pics, Derek

The rain has stopped but the storm hasn't left just yet.

Good Monday from Prospect.

Prospect NS, f11, ISO 50, 1/200 sec at 16mm

f13, 1/25 sec ISO 50 at 26mm

Recently we've had days of heavy rain after the wonderful sun the past week.

Today is an exception before we go back to rain, sun and 16C. I hope this isn't a prelude to the summer here.

Well I found a few moments to run out and get a sense or mood of the days break.

f16, 1/125 sec, ISO 125 at 16mm

These are definitely samples of the past few days weather.

Anyway, enjoy, Derek

Question - When does social media photo sharing become good photography?

Good Monday from Prospect.

Winter here in Prospect. Glad that's over for another year.
iphone and best camera app

So here's the deal. I hinted at my desire to rant as of late, which has been holding me back from updating this blog.

I like to add positive content not negative, but this has been bugging me for a while. 

Before I start I want to be clear, to each his own and far be it for me to lay the map of whats right and wrong. Creativity is subjective in it's nature, but bad is still bad. This is simply my personal opinion and nothing more. Take it or leave it.

Waiting in the airport before, Christmas,
for the plane to arrive.
iphone with best camera app

Seems to me these days that anyone with a phone can be an artistic photographer. Really? Personally, I dig the use of mobile devices to share, visually, the events that shape our lives and this planet as a whole. Personally I thoroughly enjoy the freedom of using my iphone to explore new ideas and document locations (GPS built in). I also understand, generally, the concept of Lomography as an art form.

Social Media allows us to tell our stories, to share our experiences, with anyone who'll listen, Instantly. I mean the simple name Instagram explains it all, no lag in sharing an event as it happens.

This recent past Superbowl, as a great example, was shared by thousands in the stands to millions that couldn't be there. It allowed us to see what went on outside of the networks choices in broadcasting the event ( mind you they spread their story to millions of sports fans). By Instagrams' accounts, over 3 million photos at approx. 450 per second were taken and shared. It's that "being there" experience that happens.

Wow, what an amazing event share. Now that's the power of social media! Hmm, one picture worth a thousand words times 3 million? Now there was a story, albeit there was lots of duplication that would need to be edited, but you get the picture. As well, I suppose, that adds endorsement and credence to the event share (another story for another time).

Story Link here from intragram (http://blog.instagram.com/post/42254883677/sbroundup).

But I have an issue with individuals, especially self proclaimed professional photographers,  randomly taking pictures with their phones, dragging it through some obscure, god awful preset developed for their phone and claiming it the most wonderful artistic photograph of all time that they simply must share.

I have even heard some claim that they use their good gear to make these low end, noisy, pieces of trite and say it's okay because they used expensive gear. Once again I say, Really? (A snow covered bush with trite preset post processing, with a funky ragged frame, does not a good photo make.) "Substance over style. Content over Technique!"

I have never been a fan of presets of the extreme. Yes I have been as guilty as the next guy for experimenting with the weird and unusual technique to explore another avenue of image processing ( I do have one image on my photo site with over the top HDR to accentuate the high contrast and crisp reflections of the car in the photo and the texture of the surroundings. It was an experimental personal project). But fortunately for everyone concerned I dropped the continuous use of presets art conversions back in the 90's where it belonged. I still experiment with a multiple array of post processing techniques to enrich the image, I see within my own vision, to come up with that final minds image. I'm even not beyond shooting film and cross processing to experiment. Creativity reigns.

I will pay tribute to Chase Jarvis's concept of the idea that the best camera is the one you have with you when it comes to sharing an event or exploring an idea to come back to. But,  Great images take time, planning and thought. They are not random in nature but are deliberate. The democratization of photography is just that, sharing real ideas free of limits. With that said, in a random moment, and using Murphy's law, the best camera is the one you left at home (unless you are truly prepared and committed to photography).

A good friend of mine and landscape photographer, never just grabs his phone, or a cheap lomographic piece of junk for that matter, and shoots a "pretty" sunset. He invests his time and energy searching for just the right light and frame to capture the most elegant and enriching moment in time as our planet expresses itself to us it's guests. Ooo, that gave me the chills. But it's true. His work is deliberate and thought out. He views the subject in his mind and arranges what he wants through his lens to share that scene and moment with us.

Waiting yet once again for my daughter and wife. See a trend.
Maybe this will be my next personal project.
Waiting, waiting and waiting again. Where is everybody?
iphone with best camera app.

Maybe this all stems from being a designer. I look at every project from a logical perspective. I analyze my client and their needs and try to express those outcomes visually to help them with messaging that expresses what they want to say with a solid graphic voice. I never simply drop a random image on a client, that has no bearing with their message, because it looks nice. The brands I develop are planned and deliberate.  Expressions of a message from the client to their audience, nothing less. So why should photography be anything less.

For that matter why should graphic design or fine art be any different. Once again another story for another time.

So as not to point at anyone in particular, although I think you know who you are, I've simply posted a couple of images I have taken with the camera at hand to express my feeling at that moment in a place and time that needed to be shared. May turn into a personal project, who knows. I did use the software I installed on my iphone to clean up an image or two, and photoshop some others, to express how I felt (simple b&w conversions are usually the best way to fix lousy quality, phone images, IMHO).

BTW, if you want to look extra dorky here's a skin for your phone, at least you'll look like you have a Leica in your hands (personally I have a skin of a cassette tape, since I have music on my iphone, Ha ha).

http://store.petapixel.com/leica-look-alike-skin-for-the-iphone-4-4s/

Remember, art is deliberate and not trite. Randomness is how you explore an idea, not what you use as the final presentation.

Photography is as much an art form as any when it's treated as such and carries a deliberate message.

On a lighter note the cover came off the boat this past weekend. That should get me out of my winter funk.

Okay, I'm done and it's off my chest, Thanks and Enjoy, IMHO, Derek