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- Practice Photoshoot Couple: Emily & Teif's Experience
Welcome back to my blog! In this post, we will talk about how to prepare for your next photoshoot. I know how hard it can be to get clients and couples for photoshoots. You get stuck in a vicious cycle where you need to grow your portfolio to get clients but you need clients to grow your portfolio. Many couples find it beneficial to practice photoshoots before their big day. So one way of practicing, learning, and building up a portfolio that screams “Hey! I am a great couple and wedding photographer” is to practice with your family and friends (keep reading because I will circle back to this later on this post). Since you now know how to set up your camera in Manual Mode and use it like a pro, the next thing you’ll need to practice is directing your subject (a.k.a your brother & sister-in-law or mom & dad… you get the idea). This, in my opinion, is one of the hardest things about becoming a professional photographer because the interaction is completely different. When you are just beginning you worry about so many things that talking and directing your subject can be almost impossible. The good news is that the more you do it, the easier it is. The bad news is that you need to get out there and mess it up a couple of times because you feel comfortable in that situation. Therefore I will create a different post about directing your subject because there are several points I would like to share with you. Remember to subscribe in the button below so you don’t miss that post when it comes out (soon). Putting aside the directing your subject part, there are a few things that can make your life easier as it will be one less thing to worry about. And as you already know, we are big fans of showing mistakes and failures so you learn from them. So here are my tips for your next couple or engagement photoshoot: Practicing with friends and family can also help prepare for engagement photos, making you more comfortable in front of the camera and capturing those special moments. Wedding Planning Moodboards These can make your photoshoot a lot easier! Moodboards can help with pose ideas, angles, colors that go well together, etc. They can help you visualize what you want to achieve during your shoot and gather wedding inspiration so when you arrive, you have a clear vision of what you are going to do. Moodboards can also help define a cohesive wedding style, making it easier to streamline decisions regarding the venue, invitations, and overall aesthetics. Moodboard example A couple of days before the photoshoot, I go into Pinterest (but you can also use Google Images, Instagram, magazines, whatever you can access) and search for ideas. I type “Couple’s photoshoots at the beach” or “posing ideas for…”. There are thousands of images, articles and blogs that will help you get an idea of what you are trying to achieve. I normally keep it on my phone (I create a board within Pinterest but you can download the images into your phone as well) so if I’m struggling or running out of ideas, I can check it quickly and keep going. You can also show it to your couple to explain what you are envisioning. Wedding Location and Venue Some couples and families might have a place in mind when they are booking you, some others might ask you where to go. In either case, research the place and if you can go, it’s even better. Securing a wedding date early can significantly impact your venue selection, as it allows you to coordinate timelines and ensure availability. Emily and Teif in Christchurch If you can walk around the place and check out what the light is like, the colors, and the details, this might give you ideas on what your photos will look like. Scouring local listings can help you find the perfect venue that meets your aesthetic and budget needs. Having a clear picture (no pun intended) can make your photoshoot a lot easier. Permits This is very important! Some places (even botanical gardens) require a permit for you to be able to shoot. It looks terrible and very unprofessional if you get caught without a permit in a location that requires it. Additionally, obtaining a marriage license is a critical step in wedding planning, similar to securing necessary permits. So please make sure you do your research and apply ahead of time. Do not leave permit applications or securing your marriage license to the last minute. Permits & Paperwork Wedding Photographer Equipment Now that you know what you want to achieve and where, think about what equipment you need. Is it a dark place? Then you might need a speedlight. Or maybe it is the middle of summer and the sun shines so bright that you might need an ND filter. It is all about what your goal is and how to get there. Paying attention to equipment details can make a significant difference in the quality of your photos. A wedding planner can help organize equipment needs, ensuring that everything is in place and functioning correctly for the big day. Camera equipment Now that you know what you want to achieve and where, think about what equipment you need. Is it a dark place? Then you might need a speedlight. Or maybe it is the middle of summer and the sun shines so bright that you might need an ND filter. It is all about what your goal is and how to get there. Paying attention to equipment details can make a significant difference in the quality of your photos. A wedding planner can help organize equipment needs, ensuring that everything is in place and functioning correctly for the big day. Now you are ready! You know where you are going, what you are looking for, and what you are using so let’s circle back to practicing with your friends and family. Knowing your subject and feeling comfortable around each other can be a game changer especially when you are just starting. This does not mean that you shouldn’t be getting clients who are not related to you, it just means that if you are a bit shy like me, you might find it beneficial to practice with someone you can be yourself with. Thankfully for me on this occasion, I knew the couple very well so it made my job a lot easier. I knew if I made a mistake or if I asked them to stay in the same pose for a while, we would just laugh about it and everything would be fine. That took the weight of my shoulders and I was able to relax and enjoy the moment. I felt safe talking to them and letting them know how well they are doing, and how cute they look. These comments brought out some shy smiles which looked amazing in the photos. Also, since I knew Teif well, I knew I could joke about him being very awkward and unsure of what to do, and where to look. This made Emily laugh so hard that I kept making cheeky comments about it and focused more on Emily’s reaction. It’s a win-win. Emily & Teif Emily is a teacher from New Zealand and Teifion is a Welsh engineer. Teif works with me and he has become a close friend. He knew about my passion for photography and asked me if I was willing to do their wedding. I think I didn’t even let him finish the question before I said yes! As I was starting my photography journey, we did several photoshoots just for them to get comfortable with me and for me to practice how to direct them as a couple and individually. Utilizing wedding planning tools can greatly assist in organizing these photoshoots, ensuring that every detail is managed efficiently. A stress-free planning process can enhance the photoshoot experience, making it more enjoyable and relaxed for everyone involved. I have to say, this couple’s photoshoot was one of the most amazing and funny I have ever done. Thank you so much, Emily and Teif for being such good sports and supporting me every step of the way! A blog post of their wedding day is coming so stay tuned for that!
- Let’s talk about failure
Failure is a word that most people dread. It is a word that carries a negative connotation, and people tend to associate it with disappointment, frustration, and desperation. But what is failure? I think it is safe to say that we all know what it “means” but what we miss to understand is that failures vary from person to person. For example, if I’m a chef and my food today tastes terrible, that would be considered a massive fail, right? Now let’s say I’m terrible at cooking and today, even though it tastes pretty bad, I didn’t burn it! Wouldn’t that be a win? You see, failure it’s sort of a mindset and how we choose to take things and events that happen to us. We all fail at some point. It doesn’t matter who you are, and what you do, there will be a point in your life when you consider that you failed at something. Photographing Canterbury Surf Champs 2023 Now, let’s get to the point and some photography information shall we? This year, I was taking pictures at the Women's Canterbury Surf Champs in Christchurch, New Zealand. This is a fantastic annual competition organized by a group of fantastic women. I’ve done this for the past 3 years so it wasn’t anything new to me. I knew how it worked, I knew the system and I knew what I was doing. Now, if you are a surf photographer you know that it is all about capturing the beauty and power of waves, the surfers who ride them, and the landscapes that surround them. Is not an exact science and it depends on a lot external aspects that you cannot control no matter how hard you try (and believe me, I’ve tried). To give you a little bit of context the day was awful! It was gray, cold and miserable. The tides were so so so incredibly low but waves seemed to be alright so, off I go I set up my gear (if you want to know about what gear and how I setup for surf photography, check out my post Surf photography), and get ready for a long day. The previous years I’ve been shooting with my lovely Nikon D7500 and my Sigma 150-500mm lens and I’ve gotten incredible results! This year, I upgraded to a Nikon Z7ii and I was so excited! I though “this year I’m going to knock it out of the park because I have a better camera and I have a lot more experience”. Boy, was I wrong! Let’s go through what went wrong that day. Mistake 1 Let’s remember that the D7500 has a cropped sensor and that the z7ii is a full sensor camera. So off course a lens (unless you use a cropped sensor lens which I wasn’t) do not have the same focal lens when used in cameras with different sensor size. This is a concept I was very familiar so it wasn’t like I didn’t know about it but it still hit me in the face which made a great start to my day. I used my sigma lens, instead of acting like a 150-500mm lens, it acted roughly as a 225-750mm lens. So all those lovely closeups and surfers filling up the frame where loooong gone. So a went from the picture in the left from (2021) to the picture in the right (2023). Also let’s not forget that the tide was incredibly low so it wasn’t only my lack of memory’s fault but nature’s as well. Mistake 2 Second mistake, In preparation for this competition I pre saved my settings (Check out my post to know about this) under “U2” so it will all be ready for me. As I said before it was gray and miserable so my ISO had to be around 1600 to be able to freeze the moment with those amazing water splashes that I love very much. Now, what I didn’t know was that if you save a certain ISO under your settings, and your camera goes into sleep mode, when you start it back up your ISO reverts back to your original settings (aka ISO 64). This is something I should have realized sooner because that’s what the metering and histogram is for! But clearly that wasn’t a good day for me because I missed it several times and only realized when I checked and saw they were absolutely black! I know it is a basic concept and even though I’ve been doing this for years, it just slipped my mind and I’m not very proud of it. Mistake 3 I could keep going with the endless list of mistakes that day but I will jump to the last one which was my mindset. I was so disappointed in everything that day that I got into my head. I started thinking “I should know better than this” every time I caught myself doing something wrong (which at that point was every second move). I was so caught up in what I was doing wrong that I just missed even more things. More opportunities, more waves… more everything. I just wasn’t thinking straight. The cherry on top And to make my day even better… The day decided to get better, the sun was coming out, tide was on its way so surfers were getting closer and I started to come around and doing a better job . I thought to myself “ok, I might be able to get some really good ones”. All of a sudden I was standing behind my camera (close enough but not yet touching it), no one around me and I looked to my left to talk to my mom who was visiting me from Ecuador and when I looked back, my camera was on he floor. Yup, you read it right. ON. THE. FLOOR. You can imagine me trying to wrap my head around it and noticing my camera was broken (as in I could see parts of the inside of the camera). I still don’t know what went wrong or what I could have done to prevent it. It was just the perfect ending to a disastrous day. Of course after all of this my mind starting asking questions like: Why didn’t I check the ISO in every single picture? Why did I not check that my settings were correct? Why did I ignore the histogram? I should have hung my camera bag from my trip to prevent it from falling. I shouldn’t be here if you are clearly not good enough to be shooting here. My pictures were terrible. How can you call yourself a photographer after this?! And so on… Let’s just summarize my internal conversation was a pity party to say the least. Not really good for my mental health and confidence either. Learnings So what’s the point of this endless story? Well, we all have bad and terrible days. Again, it doesn’t matter who you are and what you do, I can guarantee these days will always come. Sh*t happens all the time. You might say that all of these mistakes are very rooky mistakes and the truth is, they absolutely are. I know better than that. I’ve been photographing people surfing in and out of competitions for almost 5 years now and I just don’t know what happened to me that day. That’s just life I guess. We all have good and bad days. It is said that success is built on a foundation of failures, and this could not be truer. Every failure is a learning experience that brings us closer to our goals and makes us resilient. So get out, make mistakes, learn from them and keep growing. I can guarantee I will never ignore the histogram ever again… I can guarantee I will get to know my camera better before I shoot anything… I can definitely mention a million lessons I learnt that day. Also the pictures weren’t the best but also they weren’t as bad as I thought they were (you can't have a look at some of them at the end of this post - please be gentle as I'm still recovering from this event). There were just not as good as I expected them to be and I just got into my own fears and insecurities which made me miss a lot more things going around me. But you know what, I’m proud of them because I learn some much more from this experience than any other competition I’ve ever been to. And I got back up from this and I’m still standing. So those are my 2 cents about failure. I have to say exposing myself like this scares me deeply but to be honest, I would have loved to find more stories like this where I can see that I’m not the only one and that these things happen. So here it is, hopefully it can help someone. Lots of love Belen
- How to Shoot in Manual Mode: a Beginner's Guide
A comprehensive guide to exposure settings: aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. It took me a while to put together this guide because I want to give as much details as I can without overwhelming you with information. So please let me know how I did in the comments and if you would like another post with more information. On this post, we will be talking about: Why Shoot Manual Mode Understanding Exposure (Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO) Exposure triangle Getting ready to Shoot in Manual Mode Other Shooting modes Why Shoot in Manual Mode? Have you taken a picture and thought why is the camera making this blurry? Or why is it not freezing the water the way I want it to? That's because when you are shooting in Auto mode you are letting the camera make all the decisions. If you want to take pictures the way you want, then there is only one way of achieving it (well, actually several ways but you get my point). Shooting in manual mode empowers photographers with full control over their camera settings, offering unparalleled creative freedom and precision. By manually adjusting the settings, you can achieve the desired photos, resulting in more professional and artistic images. Manual mode will allow you to create, experiment and adapt to different lighting conditions, ensuring consistent results regardless of the shooting environment. Additionally, mastering manual mode enhances one's understanding of fundamental photography principles, enabling photographers to make informed decisions based on their artistic vision. Embracing manual mode may require practice and patience, but the rewards are boundless, leading to breathtaking photographs that reflect the photographer's unique style and expression. Understanding Exposure When we want to shoot in manual mode, the first thing we need to understand is exposure. According to Adobe, Exposure is the amount of light that reaches your camera's sensor, creating visual data over a period of time. So essentially, exposure is what happens when your camera sensor is displayed or exposed to light. Now, keep in mind that nowhere in that definition “proper exposure” or “correct exposure” are mentioned. It is extremely important to understand that there is no magic equation that can tell you what the perfect exposure is. If you are into a dark and moody type of shot, then your proper exposure would be completely different than if you were going for a “light and airy” photo, but that will come with practice and experience. There are 3 main things we adjust to achieve the desired exposure: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO (I have not mentioned them in any particular order so I am not saying one is more important than the other). These 3 parameters form the “Exposure Triangle” and I will come back to this later after explaining each one of them. Aperture Aperture refers to how much light passes through the lens. Lenses have a diaphragm that closes or opens to let light in. F/stops is how we “measure” the aperture so this number represents the size of the opening in the diaphragm. Instinctively, we tend to assume that the larger numbers represent a larger aperture and this is quite the opposite. The larger the number, the small the aperture. The “f” in f/stop represents the focal length of the lens, usually expressed in millimeters. This means that if we are using a 50 mm lens and have the aperture set to f/4, the opening in the lens diaphragm (the aperture) is 12.5mm in diameter (50 divided by 4). Don't panic!!! You don't really need to remember this, but this will help you understand the depth of field and how much more light we are letting in every time we change the aperture. The bigger the opening in the diaphragm (or diameter), the more light you are letting into your sensor. Pro tip: “Stopping down” is a term commonly used by photographers and it means to decrease the lens aperture (remember that the bigger the number, the smaller the aperture). As I mentioned before, the aperture affects the depth of field (DoF). In a nutshell, the DoF relates to the area in focus in a frame. By using a wider aperture (a smaller F/stop) we are able to get a shallower depth of field (see image on the left). If we use a smaller aperture (a greater F/stop) we will get a deeper depth of field (see image on the right). I have a lot to say about this topic so stay tuned for the next post. Leo (my dog) helping out and posing for my blog. I used f/2.8 in the picture on the left and f/18 in the picture on the right. Shutter speed Shutter speed refers to how much of that light that went through the lens reaches the sensor. This parameter tells your camera how long the sensor will be exposed and it’s normally expressed in fractions of a second (e.g. 1/60th, 1/80th, 1/100th, etc). The way the shutter speed works is by a set of "curtains" that cover the sensor and move to expose it for a period of time. There are 2 types of shutters: mechanical (normally found in DSLR cameras) and electronic (found in the new mirrorless cameras although some of them can contain both) and they operate differently even if the result is the same. If you'd like to learn a little bit more about the types of shutter operations, let me know in the comments and I'll write a post about this subject. This parameter also helps us control how much movement we want to show in the shot. For instance, if we want to freeze and action - like a car at high speed- or a waterfall (see picture on the left) we use higher speeds (i.e. 1/500th and above - remember that these are fractions of a second which means that the larger the bottom number is, the less time it represents). If we want to show the subject moving or a body of water smooth as a cloud (meaning we are allowing the image to have motion blur) then we go to lower shutter speeds (see picture on the right). Waterfalls in the Catlins, New Zealand. Photo on the left was taken with a high shutter speed while the photo on the right was taken with a slower shutter speed. *Pro tip: I normally freak out thinking that my subjects are not going to be as sharp as I would like them to be so I have a rule for the minimum shutter speed. I normally do not go anything less than 1/60th or 2x the focal length. So for example, if you are you are using a 24mm it means that you should at least use a shutter speed of 1/48th in which case I would go for 1/60th. On the other hand, if you are using an 85mm then I would go for 1/170th. ISO (International Standards Organization) ISO is how sensitive is the camera sensor. The higher the ISO value, the more sensitive the sensor is. Be aware that as the ISO sensitivity increases, so does the noise. Note that this is a simplified and easy way of explaining ISO but if you want a real in-depth explanation let me know. Now, let’s get back to that exposure triangle. Exposure triangle As I said, there are 3 components to reach the desired exposure: Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO (which we now know what they are and how they work) making up the three sides of the exposure triangle. This means that every component needs to be adjusted to allow the right amount of light to get to the sensor. If one of them changes, at least one of the others must also change to maintain the correct exposure. For example, if we ‘stop down’ (meaning the F/stop number becomes larger), then the shutter speed should be 1 stop slower. Using your light meter Your camera light meter can be found through your viewfinder and it looks like the picture below (circled in red). This might change depending on your camera brand so make sure to familiarize yourself with it because this will be your best friend in photography. There will be a little vertical line (you can see it under the zero in the picture below) indicating where your exposure stands. IMPORTANT: I normally try to keep my ISO at 100. The settings shown in the following images are for demonstration only. Canon and Nikon have the "-" and "+" on opposite sides (Nikon has the "-" on the left while Canon has it on the right). A scene is "overexposed" when there is too much light going into the camera sensor. This means that your photo will be too bright (or maybe even white) and your light meter might look something like the picture below. Note that in this case, I have severely overexposed and therefore my light meter has a lot of lines on the right. this might not be your case if your exposure is not as extreme as mine is. This was only to show you how it might look. Your scene is "underexposed" when (you guessed it) there is not enough light going into your camera sensor and your light meter might look like the picture below. Getting ready to shoot in manual mode Alright! Now that we are experts in the exposure triangle, let's get ready to shoot in manual mode. What do I set up first? You are going to set up the most important setting first. This will depend on your subject and what your overall vision is for your photograph and scene. For example, let's say you are taking a family portrait. This means that your aperture is more important than your shutter speed because unless it is a family of runners during a race, you can use a slower shutter speed (not too slow obviously so your pictures don't have motion blur). But if your subject is a really fast car, then your shutter speed will be more important than your aperture. The last setting I set up is the ISO. So when I started I used to make these questions myself which should give you an idea of what to adjust first: What is my subject? Is my subject moving? Am I working in low light? If so, do I need a tripod? How do I want my background to look like? Do I want a blurry background or do I want to show the location? Example 1 Now let's say I am taking photographs for some clothing brand: My subject is a model. She will be moving but not extremely fast. I am using natural light and I won't be needing a tripod. I want a blurry background so it doesn't distract the viewer from the subject. This means that my top priority is the aperture and not the shutter speed. So I will set up my aperture first and then I will set up my shutter speed based on the information provided by the camera meter. If the vertical line is where I want it after adjusting the aperture and shutter speed, then I adjust the ISO. I always try to keep the ISO to the minimum but if my scene is too underexposed, then I just raise it until I feel comfortable with the exposure. Don't be afraid to raise the ISO. There more you shoot in manual mode the more you'll familiarize yourself with your camera limits so you can minimize the risk of creating undesired noise. Example 2 For this example, I'll be shooting a surf competition. My subject is the surfers. They will be moving very fast. Also, water is involved so I want to freeze the water movement in each scene. I am using natural light but I will be using a tripod to reduce camera shake and obtain sharp images. I want to show the background. This means my top priority is the shutter speed as the background and depth of field will not matter if my picture is just a complete blur. Example 3 My last example will be shooting the milky way My subject is the milky way. Nothing will be moving. Everything will be very still Extreme low light situation. Tripod is required No blurry background. Sharpness is key In this situation, because there is no light, my top priority is an extremely slow shutter speed and subsequently a high ISO. The aperture will only be set up to have a deep depth of field so most of the scene is in focus. I have to admit that I have simplified the process by a mile. You have to go into it knowing that this will be a trial-and-error situation until you get your exposure balanced and this means that most of the time there will be compromises. Sometimes you will go over 10 settings before reaching the one that works with you and that's ok. The important thing to know is that if you understand aperture, shutter speed and ISO and how they complement each other, then you will work it out. Other camera modes Now there are other camera modes that you may want to try out. Nevertheless, understanding these 3 settings (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) is the key to using any settings so familiarize yourself with them. Now, your camera should have 3 more shooting modes: Aperture Priority mode (A for Av depending on your camera brand) This mode prioritizes aperture (I know this is pretty obvious from the name but stay with me). Essentially you choose your desired aperture (remember a narrow aperture - big f/stop number - will give you a deep depth of field while a wide aperture - small f/stop number - will give you a shallow depth of field) and ISO and the camera will adjust the shutter speed to obtain an appropriate exposure based your camera's meter reading. Shutter Priority mode (S or Tv depending on your camera brand) This mode prioritizes the shutter speed. It works the same as Aperture Priority mode but it will adjust the aperture instead based on your selected shutter speed and ISO. Program mode (P) This mode is like an adjustable Auto mode (or at least that's what I have understood over the years). I have to admit I have never really used it because I haven't really needed it. But in a nutshell, once the ISO is set, the camera chooses the aperture and shutter speed. You can adjust your aperture in case you want a small aperture and the camera is setting it to something else or you can set it to a higher shutter speed (or lower shutter speed depending on what your subject is) and your camera will automatically adjust to let more light (or less light if it's a sunny day) to capture the image in the correct exposure based on the camera's light meter. This is a very basic and very brief explanation of how these modes work. If you want more information on these modes, check out my post "Choosing the correct shooting mode". Hopefully, you now have a basic understanding of how the exposure works and how to properly shoot in manual mode. I can go into more details if you guys feel like getting geeky with me but it is very important to understand that no matter how much information I give you, you’ll need to practice in order to fully understand it. Get out and shoot as much as you can and these concepts will start to make more sense. If you have any questions, comment down below or contact me at info@belenradaphotography.com. I’ll be happy to help as much as I can.
- Turning (or trying to turn) my hobby into a career
Welcome back to my blog! Just like many of you amazing photographers, I am trying to turn what started as a hobby into a career. And, as you all know, it is hard!!! Disclaimer: This post is not so much about photography but about my journey as I start to develop my own business. I know this is not something that might interest everybody so if this is not for you, that's ok! Click here to check out my other posts with lots of photography information. Also, this post includes what helped me in my journey and what "steps" I followed and it might get a little bit cheesy so you've been warned! Turn your hobby into a career Next steps What do I want? Understanding your competition What do I need? Take your time Legal Requirements Running into issues Turn your hobby into a career First things first... Is your hobby a career? Well, I am a firm believer that whatever it is that you do, there is room in the market for you. Before you think I've lost it, let me explain. If your hobby is related to art then you definitely have a market. Art is art! Not everybody will understand it or like it but there will be hundreds of thousands of people that will love what you do. You just need to get to know your audience. Now, if your hobby is not an art and it's more like organizing closets or cleaning pavers, then I don't think I need to tell you there are people out there who need their closets organized and their pavers sparkling clean. Is all about what you make of it. Next steps So, what’s the next step. Well, very good question! For me was working on myself funnily enough. Working on my confidence, working on believing in and loving myself and what I do. So my next step was literally myself! I don’t know about you but for me, the hardest part is not doubting myself. I constantly questioned myself like “Am I good enough?”, “Am I wasting my time trying this?”, “Will I make it?”… The list of questions is endless and quite disheartening I might admit. It's hard for some people like me to believe that what I do is good and it will help people one way or the other. Whether it is to figure out what not to do, what you don't like, or what you truly love, it doesn't matter. The truth is that if I can help in any way shape or form then all the hard work is worth it. At least to me it is... So, you know what? We only have one life so why not make the most of it? I know this is not something we can flick a switch and change how we feel and think but try it. It took me a long time (hence why I didn't start this blog sooner) but I'm getting there and if I can, then you can too, so there! Let’s get rid of all those negative questions and say “YES I can do it and YES I am good enough and YES my work is worth being out there”. What do I want? After that, I made a plan. What do I want to achieve? Do I just want to get paid for taking pictures? Do I want to do weddings? Do I want a Youtube channel (this was a straight NO for me – I admire people who can talk straight to a camera because it’s just not my thing)? Do I want a blog? Do I want a studio? Do I just want to shoot things that I love and sell prints online? In my case I want to be a portrait and product photographer but I also want to share my knowledge to make it easier for other people which ended up with me having my own website/blog. So ask yourself, what do you want? The sky is the limit! Don’t think something is too much because is not. Just write down what you want and let’s work for it, together. Understanding your competition In any business, they say you need to know your competition and I agree with that 100%. So go to Google and search for anything that might be remotely related to your hobby. In my case, I searched "photographers in Christchurch", "photography blog", "product photographer near me". Get creative in your searches because this will give you an idea of what is already out there. Now please don't freak out after your research. Yes, there is a lot of competition out there but there is only one you. Nobody can do things exactly like you do so the key here is to include in those goals how you are going to separate yourself from everybody else. So for example in my case, I thought I would create a photography blog that shows every mistake I've made because that's something I couldn't find when I first started. I also wanted my website to look/read/sound like as if I was talking to a friend. There is no way another person in the world had the same experiences with the same mistakes and feelings and expressed herself like me. It's just not possible. So find that! What makes you, you and that will be your selling point. What do I need? Once I had my list of sky-high goals, I know what makes me unique and I've looked around in the market, I said “Ok, Belen, what do you need?” If I want to create a blog, do I need writing lessons? Do I need a website? Do I need to learn how to build a website? Make a list of the things you need. I personally like to learn things so I don’t mind enrolling in all sorts of courses but if you don’t, you might want to include “hire a website developer” or things like that. Take your time Now, let’s get to work! You have your goals, you know what you need, let’s get to business. One thing that is extremely important is to try not to rush into things! Things will happen when they have to. It is easier said than done, I know, but just remind yourself that good things take time. So be patient. I started with what was easier for me. Believe it or not, it wasn’t the logo. I started writing the blog posts because it was what I could do without getting overwhelmed. This way was more enjoyable to me, but hey, it’s your journey so do what feels right. It might not make sense right now but once you start, you will feel it so trust your instinct. So yeah, just start doing what you can. This will help with the feeling of “I’m getting stuck” or “I don’t know what to do next!” because you have a list of things that your goal requires so pick the one that feels like the easiest and go ahead with it. Legal Requirements Even though there is no right or wrong order to do this, there are a few things you will need to do before you start your own business. Now that you have your business idea clear, decide on a name and register your company. I do recommend you check the company's name early on because you don't want to start building something like a social media presence under a name that belongs to an existing company. Also, can you operate as a sole trader? Is it better to be registered as a company or a partnership? Do you have to register for GST (goods and service tax)? Those are all questions you need to ask yourself. Every country is different so please familiarize yourself with your country's business legal requirements. This might take some time and money but once is done you don't have to worry about it. Running into issues One major problem when you are starting a business: Money! Yes, I struggled too. I think in a way or two, we all do. It is very stressful, I am not going to lie, but if you start with things that you can do it will feel like everything is moving forwards, even if it’s slowly. For example: need a logo and don’t have the correct software? Do it by hand! Draw it on a piece of paper, maybe later when you become a successful photographer or whatever it is you are trying to achieve you can frame it! There, you get a logo and office decorations for free. Another example is learning through YouTube. I couldn’t afford a website developer, so I learned through YouTube and blogs. My website may not be perfect but it’s mine and I did it all by myself, so it’s great! Be creative. Money is important, yes! But you can still achieve plenty of milestones without it. When my partner started his business, he needed a booking system and we couldn’t afford all the fancy ones, so I created a fantastic spreadsheet! All it took was time and dedication. It is hard work, but it is not impossible, always remember that. And to wrap this up because it’s becoming longer than what I wanted, I think is important to say that I haven’t reached all my goals just yet and I’m still growing as a person, as a photographer, and even as a civil engineer which I have been doing it for quite a while now but I’m absolutely loving it. I do have my ups and downs like everybody else and there are some days where I just want to throw everything away. But at the end of the day, every time I pick up my camera and take a picture, it reminds me of how much I love what I do. Regardless of how good or bad my pictures might be, I love it, I enjoy it and I’m grateful for it. Sorry for the cheesiness... It will happen from time to time but I think it's important to me to truly show myself and for you to know that I struggled and continue to struggle as much as you might be. Lots of love, Belen
- Camera Metering Modes Explained (How & When to Use Them)
Camera Metering Modes Explained (How & When to Use Them) Hi there! Welcome back to my blog 💚 So far we have covered some of the photography basics like focus modes, shooting modes, how to shoot in manual mode, etc. But the reality is that lucky for me, there is a lot more to know about cameras and photography. In this post, we will be discussing your camera’s different metering modes, how they work, when to use them, etc. so stick around if this is something you’ve been wondering about. As we learned previously, your camera takes a picture by letting the light reach the camera sensor. How much light we let into the sensor is controlled but the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO (exposure triangle). To know whether we are over or underexposing, we use the camera light meter. But how does that light meter know if we are overexposing or not? What kind of dark magic is that? Worry not… I’m here to explain it to you. If you don’t want to learn the ins and outs of your camera metering and only want to learn about the metering modes, click here to get to the good stuff. Metering System Your camera has a sensor installed that measures how much light is reaching it and how intense it is. This sensor, also called 'light meter', is a reflective light meter which means that it measures the reflected light from your subject/scene. Nope, that’s not a mistake. It measures the light REFLECTED from the subject. You may be thinking, aren’t we supposed to know how much light is ON the subject and not reflecting FROM it? Well yes, which is why you have to know how to use your meter properly. Also, to be perfectly honest, there is an incident light meter which measures the light on the subject which you have probably seen in movies when there is a photographer. I’ve never used it, I learned that it existed and that’s as far as I’ve gotten. But to me, having to run to measure the light, come back to my camera and set it and then take the shot doesn’t make much sense. Also, I don’t think if you are taking a picture of a lion, you’ll be brave enough to get next to a lion to measure the light before running back to your camera. So, as I was saying, your camera measures the light reflected on the subject. It would be fine-ish if the subject was the same color or at least similar ones so the light was reflected evenly. Of course, this is not the case. To make matters harder (or worse), your camera meter measures 3 tones in a scene. The key point to note is that this scene is in black and white. Therefore, the tones that your camera will be measuring are pure white, pure black and a mid-tone (this doesn’t mean that it’s only measuring the gray tones of the scene but colors too - a mid-tone of any color seen as B&W… hopefully that makes sense). The problem with this is that your camera meter is going to find those 3 tones in every picture. If it’s a dark scene, like a black swan in a lake on a cloudy day, then it might be that the mid-tones are actually on the darker side and not really mid-tones. Same on a bright scene, for example, a ski field full of snow; even though is closer to pure white, the camera meter will read some of those white tones as mid-tones. What’s the big deal with this? Well, your meter might tell you to overexpose (in the case of the dark scenes) or underexpose (in the case of the bright scenes) because is trying to make those “mid-tones” a mid-tone. I can show you this with a white piece of paper. So your camera is going to think that this white paper is your “mid-tone” so when we take the picture, the white paper comes out gray. So how do we fix this? Well, we learn about the mid-tones. Sorry if it’s not the answer you were looking for but don’t panic just yet. Now that you know why sometimes your camera doesn’t do what it’s told to do, we can work around it and if you keep practicing it will come automatically to you. One thing that helped me to understand what the camera meter is seeing is setting my camera to B&W and then defocusing my scene (see images below). That will show you the tones your camera is seeing. When I see it on the darker side, my camera meter is going to try to make me overexpose so I just stay 1-2 stops under what it recommends. I understand you can’t do this every single time because it will take you a lifetime for each shot but if you do it when possible, you’ll start to get an idea of how your camera meter will operate. Also, the more you shoot, the more you’ll understand your equipment and how far you can push it. The first picture is how we see through the viewfinder, the second one is how the sensor sees it (in Back & White). The third image helps you see where the mid-tones are. So if I’m taking a picture of a black bear, I know my camera will try to make me overexpose, but I also know that if I overexpose, my camera will be able to retain details in the highlights and whites if I don’t go over 2 stops (I’m making this up just to prove a point but if you want me to explain a little bit more, let me know in the comments and I will do so). So you can always balance that but again that takes practice, experience, and lots of times and bad pictures. Now let’s get into the main reason you are here before I loaded you with information to confuse you… (Sorry!) Metering Modes There are 3 different metering modes, although nowadays the more advanced cameras will offer you 4. Note that the names might change from brand to brand. I have included the names of Canon and Nikon modes as those are the 2 brands I am most familiar with. Also, note that the exact science and mechanisms for each metering mode are locked under the biggest Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm security boxes. This is part of what makes these systems original and different. So I’m going to explain in general terms how everything works but I cannot go into details because this is unknown unless you work for them and you are ready to get the lawsuit of your life! Selecting your metering mode There are 2 ways you can access the different metering modes: via the "i" button (Nikon shooter) and vi the main menu. I've included screenshots of my camera screen so you cans ee what it looks like. Center-Weighted metering I believe this is the oldest metering mode there is (maybe I read this somewhere and I’m just repeating like a parrot). This mode does exactly what the name says, it measures the scene as a whole and then gives extra value to the center area. How much? I’ve researched to try to find a number and I found a range between 60% - 80%. Steve Perry from Back Country Gallery mentioned 75% and to be honest, that guy knows a lot so we will go with that. So the center area has 75% more weight than the rest of the scene. So in scenes where your subject is in the middle, this is a good metering mode to use. Now, be aware that this does not work like focus where you can lock the focus and then recompose. Your camera will continue to measure light at the different spots giving more importance to the center area of your viewfinder. Most pro and mid-range cameras will have an option of adjusting the center area size. I’ve included pictures of where to find it in a Nikon camera below. If you have any other brand, check your camera manual. Spot Metering Mode Just like the name says, spot metering reads off of a spot in the scene. It is quite small though, especially for full frame cameras so keep that in mind. Unlike the center-weighted metering, nothing else outside of the “spot” is accounted for the reading. It is very important to note that this metering mode does get affected by the focus mode you choose to use. The light meter will take a reading from the primary point so if you are using Autofocus, your camera will be able to focus on your subject if it’s moving around but your light meter will still be measuring the light from the main point you’ve set up. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it. This is a really good mode but you need to understand how it works so you can take advantage of it. Where should I place the focus point to get the right reading? In the mid-tone area! By doing so, your camera will prioritize the mid-tones and not over or underexpose your scene. Just remember that if you are locking the focus and recomposing, make sure to move that AF point so you can get an accurate reading. Matrix Metering Mode Also known as Evaluative Metering for Canon users, this measuring system has evolved with time (as it should) but to spare you the details we will just jump into how it works now. The camera divides the scene into segments. How many? I am not sure because it depends on the camera and brand but it is in the hundreds. All of these segments constitute the “matrix” which calculates the levels of brightness and patterns to come up with an appropriate exposure. This mode also considers your AF point because the system assumes that where you are placing this point, is because there is something you want to focus on. Now, I should mention that there is a lot more that this mode considers but I don’t want to overwhelm you. If this is something you are interested in, please let me know in the comments and I can do a deep dive into this metering mode. Do you really need to know every single detail? No, definitively no. But knowledge is power. So if sometimes your camera is not doing what you want it to do, knowing these things might give you some answers. This mode is probably my favorite for the type of work I do. However, when you are in very bright/dark situations, due to the lack of tonal range, your camera might make the camera struggle to give a correct meter reading. Nevertheless, if your scene doesn’t have too many tones BUT is mostly covered with mid-tones then your camera will nail it every time. Highlight Weighted Metering Mode This option can be found in the newer camera versions. A lot of people say that this is a type of spot metering but the truth is, it is a type of matrix metering. Why? Because it measures the whole scene instead of just one spot. How it works is that it detects the areas with large amounts of highlights and adjusts the exposure to protect those areas. This is a great mode if you have a scene that is in danger of clipping because the camera's light meter will make sure the exposure is adjusted accordingly. The problem with this is that if you have a very bright little area, it will throw your exposure all out of whack. For example, a window where a lot of light is coming through, you might end up with a black room with a very clear view of what’s outside the window. Partial Metering Mode This is a Canon-only metering mode and it covers only the center 6.2% (percentage obtained from Canon Hong Kong website) of the frame in the viewfinder. I cannot tell you much about it because, as you know, I’m a Nikon user. I can get a Canon camera and explore this mode a little bit more if you What metering mode should I use? Well first of all as you may have noticed, a lot of the metering modes overlap each other. Also, the metering mode you choose will help your camera assess the entire scene in a particular way. If your camera is giving you a reading that you don't think is correct (for example when you use mirrorless cameras you can see the adjustments before taking the shot), you can always adjust the settings DEPENDING on your shooting mode. If you are in control of your exposure settings completely (like in Manual mode), then your exposure metering will give you an idea of what to change but it's up to you as the photographer to do as you see fit. If you are using any of the auto-shooting modes (or semi-automatic modes) then you'll need to be more precise with your camera metering mode and how to use them. Nevertheless, you can achieve any photo with any of these metering modes. The trick is to understand how they work and to practice. Below I have included a picture of my beautiful model using each mode. As you can see the exposure changes from one picture to the other but nothing dramatically (except maybe for the highlight-weighted metering mode where the picture is heavily underexposed). I normally use the Matrix metering mode (or Evaluative metering mode for Canon cameras). I think this is the best general metering mode and it works in 90% of the scenarios I shoot. I use the spot metering mode when I am shooting a very dark or bright scene so I can choose what the mid-tone area is and get a proper reading. Other than that, I do not use any of the other modes. I personally don't need them but that doesn't mean you won't need them either. Again this all comes to experience so get out there and shoot as much as you can and let me know if this post helped at all. Happy shooting!
- Choosing the correct shooting mode
A comprehensive guide about shooting modes and when to use them. Welcome back! Today I bring you a fun topic. Again, I’ve tried to pack it with lots of information without overwhelming you with it. Also, all cameras are different so what you read here might not be exactly like it looks like in your camera so please familiarize yourself with your camera settings. If you have questions or comments please contact me and I will try to help/clarify. Camera Shooting Modes There are 5 shooting modes: Auto mode, Aperture Priority mode, Shutter Priority mode, Program mode, and Manual mode. You can choose the shooting mode by rotating the mode dial at the top of your camera. The picture below is from a Nikon Z7II so your dial might look different but you get the idea. Auto Mode Let’s start with the simplest option: The cozy Auto Mode - the ultimate "beginner's bestie". This mode is like having your own photography genie! It converts your DSLR or Mirrorless camera into a point-and-shoot camera. So literally point, click, and voilà! Your camera does all the work. The biggest advantage this camera has is that it sets the settings to the optimal exposure (based on the light meter reading). Now this mode doesn’t let you do anything. You are there only to hold the camera and point it in the right direction. Don’t get me wrong, you will get great results, but you are not utilizing everything your camera has to offer. My recommendation is that this is a great first step into photography, but don't get too comfortable and when you are ready jump into another shooting mode. When should I use Auto mode? This mode is perfect for quick snaps when you're feeling a little camera-shy or simply want to trust your camera's brilliance. Within the Auto mode, the camera has "scenes". I've included some of the ones Nikon offers. Different brands may have different names or even completely different scenes so make sure to check the user's manual to see what options you have available. Scene modes If you want to choose one of the scenes then make sure to set up your camera dial to the "SCN" option (see picture below). To choose between scenes, you'll need to rotate the rear command dial until you found the option you want. I got my hands on a Panasonic DMC-GF3 and used some of the scene modes so you can see what the photos look like. I tried to take snapshots of common things around the house and not anything fancy to give a more realistic view. Some cameras might not have this option in the dial so you will have to go into the camera menu. Portrait mode This mode is intended for taking portraits as it adjusts the aperture settings to help the main subject stand out by creating a shallow depth of field. The camera uses a "face detection" system (this is not available in all cameras) to focus on people's faces. If there is more than one face, the camera will focus on the face closest to the camera. So if you are using this mode and you want to take a family picture, make sure you place everybody at the same distance from the camera to avoid having blurry people in your shot. You can also use your flash if you are in a low-light situation so you don't have to worry about slow shutter speeds or noisy pictures. Another advantage of using this scene mode is that the camera also softens skin tones. Landscape mode This scene is designed for vivid landscapes and cityscapes. The camera will focus at infinity which means that things placed in the foreground will most likely be out of focus. This is to give a little bit of depth to the image since we are trying to capture a 3D view into a 2D image. Note that this option disables flash. Sports mode Use this mode for dynamic action shots that freeze motion in a single shot and record action in a series of pictures. If you want to take pictures of a football game, a surf competition, someone running or jumping, this is the scene to use. An important thing to know is that the camera will focus on the subject in the center of the frame so make sure that you compose your shot accordingly. The camera focuses continuously until the shutter-release button is pressed halfway to lock the focus. To take the picture, the shutter-release button needs to be pressed fully down (a focus and focusing modes post is coming I promise!). While the shutter-release button is held (fully) down, your camera will shoot frames continuously to a rate either set up by you or to the maximum camera's capability. The more professional cameras have a higher frames per second (fps) rate than a basic point-and-shoot camera. This will also depend on the current settings and memory card. Some memory cards are not capable of recording the information as fast as your camera can shoot so when you get your next memory card, make sure you check the transfer speed capabilities (and, of course, storage capacity). The more storage and faster it is, the more expensive it will get. Last but definitely not least, it is important to know that the focus, exposure, and white balance are fixed at the values determined with the first shot in each series. To change them, you'll need to release the shutter-release button and start again. Close-up (Macro) When you select macro mode the camera zoom will move to a position that allows macro shooting (getting really close to objects). The camera can focus on objects as close as about 5 cm at the widest zoom position, and as close as about 7 cm. IMPORTANT: These measurements will be different in each camera! Night Portrait mode Use this mode to achieve a natural balance between the main subject and background lighting in portraits taken at night. Flash is used to illuminate the subject while maintaining the mood of the background. Face detection and focus work the same as the portrait mode. Also important to know is that the flash fires to light your subject, but the camera uses a slower shutter speed to capture the background lighting too. There are a few more options but I think this will cover the basics. If you want more information, let me know. Aperture Priority Mode From this point on, you’ll need to have a basic understanding of exposure. If you have no idea and want somewhere to start, check out y other post “How to shoot in Manual Mode: A beginner’s guide”. It contains all the information you need to understand how exposure works. Note that depending on your camera brand, Aperture Priority will be shown as “A” or “Av” (Aperture Value). They are both the same mode just different names. Ok, let’s get into it. This mode is part of the auto exposure modes and prioritizes the aperture. Why auto-exposure mode? Because you only choose your f/stop and ISO and the camera will adjust the shutter speed accordingly to obtain the correct exposure based on the light meter reading. It should really be semi-auto since you are doing part of the work but I didn’t create the categories so don’t shoot the messenger. The first advantage is that you get your desired f/stop every time. This is the preferred option for many photographers because depth of field (DoF) is, in many cases, the most important consideration. For example, if you are a landscape photographer, your work might require a deeper depth of field with a low ISO since you want most (if not all) of the scene to be in focus. So you can set it up and start shooting and you will always get images with the DoF you want and the appropriate exposure - based on your light meter. Note that if your camera constantly shoots a little bit too bright or too dark for your liking, then you can always adjust the exposure compensation. I know we haven't mentioned this before I will cover this in another post as this is already extremely long! How to set it up? The first thing I do is, funnily enough, set up the ISO to the highest I am willing to go. Nope, I’m not going crazy, hear me out. Ask yourself, what’s the highest ISO value I feel comfortable with? 400? Ok let’s set it up to that. Why? Because this means I will always have the maximum shutter speed available and even if the light changes, I will have a high enough shutter speed that I won’t get too much motion blur. After that I set up my aperture depending on what I want the image to look like. I really recommend Steve Perry’s book “Secrets to Exposure and Metering for Nikon” (well books in general but he talks about this topic on this one). If you are a Canon or Sony user, a lot of the information is based on Nikon cameras but the technical explanations are still valid and applicable so I would still check it out. His explanations are absolutely brilliant and a lot of what I know today is because of his books and Youtube videos (I am not sponsored in any way, shape or form. I just truly think he is fantastic). Shutter Priority Mode This is also an auto exposure mode but, instead of aperture, prioritizes the shutter speed. This shooting mode allows you to set up the shutter speed and ISO while the system selects the appropriate aperture. If you are shooting sports or action, setting up your shutter speed as high as you want will let you sleep at night knowing that your shot will not have any motion blur (or at least no more than what you want it to have). The con is that you might end up with a scene completely in focus or a really shallow depth of field that does not show everything you wanted it to show. This is because the camera adjusts the aperture based on the light meter information. So if your scene needs more light, it will stop down as much as it needs to (or can). Also, for some reason when you use shutter priority, there is a lack of f/stops available. This means that once you get to the widest aperture your camera will start to underexposure (unless you happen to check the camera and adjust your ISO). How to set it up? The first thing I do is set up the lowest shutter speed and the maximum ISO I am willing to go. This means that my shutter speed will still be fast enough that it will freeze the scene without forcing the camera to go to the widest aperture so there is room for adjusting if the light changes. Program Mode Program mode is Auto mode’s really close cousin. Why? Well because this mode works by setting up your aperture and shutter speed for you. And if you happen to have your ISO in Auto ISO, then it will do that too. Then why do I call it the cousin and not the identical twin? Most cameras will allow you to tweak or persuade camera adjustments. Essentially what it does is that when you tell the system you want a faster shutter speed, the camera will find a reciprocal set of values (an aperture - and ISO if you have this in AUTO- that would provide the same exposure). The advantage is that is an easy way of setting your camera without having to be worried if your images are going to be under or overexposed. The disadvantage is that if the light changes drastically (and believe me, this happens) then the camera takes it upon itself to make decisions you should be making as the photographer. Granted, is easy enough to set it up again but if you are outside in the sun and decide to go inside and the baby does a silly face that you cannot resist, the camera will just decide for you what your settings will be. To be completely honest, this is not a mode I have used a lot. I learned how it works, I understand it but I haven’t really felt the need to use it. Manual Mode In this mode, you are responsible for all 3 settings (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) leaving all the creative freedom to you. It sounds like the best option but that issue begins when you have no clue where to start. So first of all, do you understand the exposure triangle enough to shoot in manual mode? If your answer is no, then click on the button below to familiarize yourself with it. The biggest advantage of shooting in manual mode is that you get the freedom to do whatever you think is best. The disadvantage is that it can become overwhelming to think of everything at the same time. Luckily the camera gives you a hand with the light meter (which you can find in your viewfinder and it might look like the picture below). The light meter will tell you whether you are under or overexposing so you can adjust your settings accordingly. How to set it up? I have a whole blog post discussing manual mode in detail so you might want to check it out. In that post I include my process to set up my camera in manual mode. If you have any questions, comment down below or contact me at info@belenradaphotography.com. I’ll be happy to help as much as I can.
- RAW vs jpeg: What format should I use?
Understanding raw vs jpeg and when to use them If you're a photographer, you've likely heard of the digital camera shooting formats: RAW and JPEG. The famous "raw vs jpeg" situation. While each file format has its own advantages and disadvantages, it's important to know the differences between them so you can decide which is best for your photographic needs. So as usual, I’m here to give you all the information and my personal opinion on the matter. You are welcome to take it if you think you agree with me or to say “thanks but no thanks” if you think I’m crazy for my life choices. We are not here to judge, just to learn. What is a RAW file? Raw files are files (duh!) that contain uncompressed and unprocessed (or I guess we should say barely processed because all the files are somewhat processed by the cameras) data from your camera sensor. This raw data captured needs to be converted to an editable format first in order to be printed or even displayed which is why we use a photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (a.k.a Lightroom), Photoshop, Luminar Neo, etc. What are JPEG files? Jpeg file format is the result of post-processing the data from your sensor within the camera. The exact process is different depending on the brand and model of the camera but in general terms, the camera will keep the exposure as shot (this is based on the camera settings at the moment the photo is taken) while sharpening, noise reduction, and contrast will be added and then rendered into a compressed jpeg file. As a result, these images can be printed straight from the camera. Advantages & Disadvantages of Shooting RAW Advantages Larger color range: While 8-bit jpegs have up to 16 million colors(256 brightness level per color), raw files can either be 12-bit with up to 68 billion colors (4096 brightness level per color) or 14-bit with up to 4 trillion colors (16384 brightness level per color). Note that the colors refer to Red, Green and Blue channels. Wider dynamic range and color gamut: Because all the data is kept within the file, shadows, and highlights contain a lot of information that can be recovered during post-processing. This also means that if you underexpose (or overexpose) an image, you can recover it by adjusting the exposure, highlights, and shadows. This, however, will depend on the dynamic range of your camera (For more information about this, check out my next posts). White balance (WB): When adjusting the WB in a raw image, it works as if you were taking the photo at a different temperature. Nevertheless, it’s always better to set the correct WB from the beginning. Just like before, the color space of a raw image can be easily adjusted during post-processing. If you are wondering what the color space is, don’t worry I got you covered. The color space is, essentially, the color range you want to display in a photo. This will depend on what you will do with your photos, if you are printing them, it’s always a better idea to shoot in Adobe RGB. If you are going to be putting them on a website or social media, your best option is to use sRGB. The reason for this is that Adobe RGB is a larger range that will give a more vibrant look. On a screen, we don’t need such a big range so it’s ok to use sRGB. If you don’t shoot in the correct one, don’t freak out. As I said before, this is easily fixed although it is always better to set it correctly at the beginning. Raw files can be exported in different formats, even other types of raw files. Disadvantages You need to process them otherwise you can’t use them and that takes time (a lot of time!). Shooting in raw is like shooting in film. All the information is in the film, you just can’t do anything with it until you develop it. So think of the raw format as a digital negative. How you process them we’ll cover later on on a different post so stay tuned. Bigger files = large storage space required. Because raw images are completely uncompressed, depending on your camera (brand, model, etc), the digital image can be 40MB per raw image. So imagine if you do a photoshoot and take thousands of photos… Because you are dealing with bigger files, creating backups takes a loooot longer. Advantages & Disadvantages of Shooting JPEG Advantages Jpeg files are compressed which means that the file size is a lot smaller. When you only have a couple of photos, this is not really relevant but with time and experience you end up shooting a lot more hence your storage starts becoming very limited. Backups are quick and easy to do. Since jpeg photos are already processed in the camera, you can share and print them straight from the camera without any issues. Limited post-processing: Jpeg processing is really simple and a real-time-safer. If you are anything like me and go on trips and come back with thousands of pictures, then you might be grateful for this one. High compatibility: Nowadays, most devices can open jpegs so you shouldn’t have any compatibility issues. Also, you don’t need any special software to open them. Disadvantages Small color range: 8-bit jpegs only contain up to 16 million colors (256 brightness level per color). It is important to mention that our eyes can only see 10 million colors so although raw files can provide a wider range which makes the images richer, jpegs are still plenty for us. Very limited flexibility for editing: Because they are processed and compressed files, a lot of data is lost in the process so when we take these files to an editing software, there is not a lot left to work with. Again because data gets lost after the camera processing, any settings in the camera at the time of shooting are permanent. If you underexpose a picture, you won’t be able to retrieve any data from the shadows because there is no data left in there. Adjusting the white balance can cause color casting. Color casting is a tint that may affect partially or completely a digital image. Comparing raw and jpeg files Whichever format you choose, it's important to understand the differences between them so you can make the best decision for your needs. I know all of that was a lot of information but do not worry, I am about to show you the difference between raw and jpeg files. I set my camera to save the data in both formats simultaneously. To do so, you’ll need to go into your camera menu - photo shooting menu - image quality - select NEF (RAW) + JPEG. You will see a lot of different options (depending on your camera) but I always go for the highest image quality possible. Note that “NEF” is Nikon’s raw file format. This will change depending on your camera brand. Some editing software also have their own raw format such as Photoshop (DNG file). I’ve tried to take common things around my house because if I go and camp for 3 nights to get the perfect shot in the middle of nowhere, it won’t be too realistic for anybody who is just starting. So the simpler, the better. However, I've used a couple of shots of Lake Tekapo because the example required it (you'll see why). First, we have the straight-out-of-camera photos. I only used Lightroom to convert the raw file into a usable format but I didn't adjust any settings for either image. On the left, we have the original raw file and on the right, we have the original jpeg file. I will always keep it in that order to make it easy for everybody so if I don’t mention which one is which, you already know. When you look at these pictures, the jpeg format file looks definitely better. The raw file looks dull and lifeless. But hold on a second, don’t make any decisions yet. Although this option sounds (or should I say look) fantastic, there is a catch. As we said before, jpeg files are processed and compressed files while raw files are not. When you compare a RAW image with a JPEG is like comparing a diamond on a ring and a diamond in a mine. Both are still beautiful but you will always go for the clean, polished and treated diamond. But if you are going to be editing your pictures, you’ll soon realize that the extra information is worth saving. Now, there are situations where they both look great like when I was photographing my lemonade (a hybrid between lemons and mandarins) tree (see photos below). So you won't be able to see this difference in every single image. File Size In terms of file size, there is a very clear difference. Raw files are more than 50% larger than jpeg files. White balance (WB) As I mentioned before, it's always better to shoot in the right WB but if by accident you take a picture in the wrong setting you can adjust it during post-processing. On the jpeg image, you can clearly see the color casting that occurs due to the adjustment. Note that only the WB was changed on these pictures so you can clearly see how the effects on both file formats. Underexposed images We’ve all been here. You take an amazing photo just to realize is heavily underexposed. So you take into Lightroom to see what you can do… In this case, both file formats obtained a pretty good result. The colors in the jpeg image look a little bit unrealistic and is lacking a little bit of contrast in my opinion. Nevertheless, I would say is not a bad picture. This will depend on each situation. Colors, details, etc can have a big impact in shadow recovery. Overexposed images Let's take it to the other extreme. You have overexposed your image and you try to recover it during post-processing... In this situation, unlike when we underexposed, the results are not so good. Because we pushed it too far, parts of the image were burned (meaning that the gamut is considerably exceeded resulting in image clipping - which also means that the camera is not able to record any data in that area). But overall, the raw file seems alright except for that little bit of yellow missing on the fruit. On the jpeg file, it just doesn't look right. It has a green-blue-ish color cast on it that just doesn't suit the image. This is why is so important to know your camera's dynamic range. Your dynamic range is the one that will tell you how much you can push your camera in both directions. So if I'm shooting at a wedding, and the room is quite dark and I'm already at ISO 1600 and I don't want additional unnecessary noise in my image, I know that my camera will be able to keep details that I can recover later during post-processing. But if you are not familiar with your dynamic range, then you won't know if you should take the shot as it is or raise your ISO and deal with the noise later (there are noise reduction tools nowadays that can help you with this but for dramatic purposes, let's assume that there is nothing else we can do). I will be posting an exercise you can do to familiarize yourself with your camera's dynamic range. You might want to subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss out on the upcoming posts :) Choosing a format The are 4 things I would mainly consider when choosing raw vs jpeg: Purpose: What are you going to be using the photos for? Are you taking them for more of a personal use at your sister's birthday party or at a friend's dinner? Or are you planning to take pictures at a wedding and use them for commercial purposes? If it's more of a personal use type of situation, you might not need a crazy color gamut and a jpeg file will do. But if you are thinking of selling them, then you definitely need a wider color range. Time: Post-processing = time! This process is time-consuming so if you want to take photos, then go home and have them ready to share with the world, then your best choice is to shoot jpeg. But if you don't mind spending the time, then shooting raw might be the way to go. Editing skills: even if you had all the time in the world, your editing skills matter. It can be very frustrating to spend hours trying to get your picture to look a certain way and not achieve it. Storage space: shooting raw will definitely require more storage space. So if you don't want to invest in bigger memory cards, or external hard drives, then you might want to stick shooting jpegs. Recommendations In the battle of raw vs jpeg, it is clear that raw files are clearly superior as they hold a lot more information within them and as a photographer, you'll appreciate that. Does that mean you always have to shoot raw? Of course not! You now have enough information to judge each situation accordingly and be happy with your decisions. My sincere recommendation is that if you are still unsure about the file format then shoot in both. Keep your jpegs to show off your amazing work and use the raw files to train yourself to edit. That will take the pressure off of you because you know whatever happens, you have your photos safe and sound. You don't need to choose the highest image quality and save some storage space. With the right knowledge and a bit of practice, you'll be able to take stunning photos regardless of whether you're shooting in raw or jpeg. So have fun out there and don't be afraid to experiment! Who knows, you may just find your favorite format by doing so.
- Understanding Your Camera's Focus Modes
Manual Focus Mode vs Autofocus Mode Camera focus modes… If you are anything like me when I first started you will be asking yourself, what are the focus modes? what are they for? what do they do? So let’s get into it… First of all, do not get the focus mode confused with the focus area modes. There is a post coming up about this but just know these are 2 completely different things. A camera's focus mode is the main setting of a camera that tells it how to focus on the subject, automatically or manually. When taking photos, choosing the correct focus mode is crucial. There are mainly 2 focus modes: Autofocus mode and Manual focus mode. Nowadays, cameras come with a variety of autofocus modes to choose from but since they are still automatic modes, I have kept them in the same category. Setting your focus mode First things first… how do we even choose a focusing mode? There are several ways to do this and this might be camera dependent. If you have set it to one of your function (Fn) buttons, then you can easily choose and change between modes easily by pressing the button and scrolling through the options with one of your dials. But if your camera is brand new and you haven’t set up anything, do not worry, I’ll help you find it. I am a Nikon shooter, so beware that this might change from camera to camera. Make sure to check your camera guide if you have any issues finding this option. Head into your camera menu and click on the “Photo Shooting Menu” and “Focus mode” after that (see images below). Now, you can also change from Auto to Manual or vice versa from your lens by flicking the little switch on the lens from "AF" to “MF”. Manual Focus Mode (MF) I’m going to start with manual mode since there is only one and it’s an easy one to explain. Manual focus mode is the most basic type of focus mode available on most cameras. Here, you will have to manually (duh!) adjust the focus ring on your lens. That’s it! Autofocus Mode (AF) In photography, the autofocus mode is the one mostly used. Why? Well, it is simple and easy IF you know how to use it properly. You might be a bit confused because I basically said that both modes are easy. They truly are. The only problem I see with manual focus is that it can be hard to see if your scene or subject is completely in focus. However, nowadays there are things like Focus peaking (according to Adobe, Focus peaking is a real-time focus mode that uses the camera’s Live View focusing aid to highlight peak contrast areas with a false-color overlay in your viewfinder. This can help you determine what part of the image is in focus before you shoot) which makes it really easy to know where your focus is. You would need a higher-end camera so not everybody has access to this feature. So, unlike manual focus, the camera shows you in the viewfinder where it focusing on with a little red square in most cases. So let's get into the different autofocus modes, shall we? Auto AF Also known as AI Focus AF in Canon cameras, this option is the most Automatic option out of the whole bunch. That is why this option is not available in every model as the higher-end cameras expect you to do a little bit of work to get your subject in focus. Another important thing to mention about automatic autofocus is that it switches from single AF and Continuous focus mode as it sees fit. More about those modes coming up. The next 2 modes are considered automatic because the lens adjusts by itself to the distance the photographer sets it up to but it won’t do it on its own. Single AF (AF-S) Single AF (Nikon) or One-Shot AF (Canon) is a mode for single-focus capability. What does this mean you ask? When you half-press the shutter release button, the camera will focus on the subject and lock the focus distance. You will hear and feel your lens adjusting and your focus area (those little red squares in your viewfinder) will turn green and may be there to let you know everything is in focus and ready to shoot. Note that this might depend on your camera model and brand. After you take the picture and you let go of the shutter release, the camera will reset. This means that if you want to take another shot, you will have to go through the whole process again (not that it is a long list of steps but you get the drill). However, if you do not fully let go of the shutter release (keep it half-pressed), then the distance will stay locked and ready to keep shooting. This is the ideal mode for things that are not and will not move like landscapes. Hopefully, you can see why. Continuous AF (AF-C) Now we have Continuous Autofocus mode. Basically, it works the same way as the Single AF but, unlike the previous mode, the camera will track the subject’s movement. So once you half-press the shutter release button and the camera focus on the subject, if it moves you won’t have to refocus. For example, you are photographing a kid running toward you. If you have selected Single AF, then you will have to adjust the focus with every movement. With Continuous AF, the camera will automatically adjust the focus for you and keep the kid crystal clear for you. How it tracks the movement, the area size, etc will depend on your camera capabilities and area focus mode (post coming up soon I promise). Also, it is important to mention that unlike with Single AF, there is no indication of when the camera is done focusing. Why not use AF-C all the time you might wonder? Well, technically you can but although they work similarly, it’s exactly the same. Focusing on AF-C takes a little bit longer than with Single AF which means that it needs a little bit of extra power. This does not mean that your battery life will be reduced by half on this mode! But over a long day, you might see a slight difference. Also, in my opinion, Single AF is a little bit more precise. But give it a go and see if you agree with me. This is the ideal mode for subjects in motion like portraits, wildlife, and sports. Back Button Focus Because I like you guys so much, I’ll give you an extra tip. So this whole post we have discussed each of the focusing modes: Single AF for static subjects Continuous focus mode for moving subjects The only issue is that if you are constantly changing from one to the other it takes a little bit of time. Also if you change to Single AF because your subject became static and all of a sudden started moving again, it can become frustrating. Sooo I have a solution for you: Back Button AF (BBAF)! The way this works is by assigning all AF function to a button on the back of your camera, disabling the shutter release completely. This means that when you half-press it, your camera won’t focus. Once you press the BBAF the camera will lock your distance so you can recompose your scene. So this will be like using Single AF. But if your subject starts moving, all you have to do is keep the BBAF pressed and the camera will continuously adjust the focus (like AF-C). To set it up, you’ll need to go to. the Custom setting Menu - Autofocus - AF activation and select “AF-ON Only”. This will prevent the camera from adjusting when the shutter release button is half-pressed. If you don’t have an AF-ON button, you can always reassign the AE/AF lock button. You can always achieve the same thing by shooting fully in manual mode or using exposure compensation. Well, I hope this all made sense but let me know in the comments if you need any help! Happy shooting!
- Gaining Experience As A Photographer
I've been in that situation too where you are keen to put what you've learned to the test! Look, I get it, you've put time and effort into learning the craft but you need to practice. How can I gain experience in photography? There are different ways to get the practice you need. In this post, I've included a couple to give you ideas but there are a million more. I can do another post about this so let me know in the comments if this is something you are interested in. Ask some friends or family members This is a great idea if you have people around you who love pictures as much as you do. If you don't or if you are too shy to ask then this is easier said than done. Don't feel bad about not asking your friends. I do too find it hard to ask people you know to pose for me so this is completely normal. Nevertheless, keep in mind this is people who love you and will love your work so it's a really good starting point. Start with objects You don't need people to practice what you've learned. Go to a botanical garden, or maybe a zoo. Animals and flowers will never say no to a good picture. Plus, they never get tired so it's a good starting point. Volunteer at charity events I absolutely love this one! I've volunteered so many times and I have loved every single time I've done it. There are a couple of posts coming up about those events so you can learn what I did wrong so you don't repeat my mistakes so stay tuned for that. But I cannot recommend this enough! Whether you get 10 pictures or 100, your work will be appreciated. Go to public events This is also an amazing opportunity to put your skills to the test. Just like the charity events scenarios, you are not in control of anything apart from your camera settings. So if you want to see if you are up to the challenge, believe me, this is your chance. I recently went to the Catrina Parade in Mexico City and it was an absolute dream! Let me tell you all about it... The Catrina Parade: a colorful procession of skeletons A Catrina is an elegant skeleton figure extremely popular in Mexican culture. La Catrina is a sacred symbol that represents the way Mexican people see death and the afterlife. In Mexican culture, they choose to honor and celebrate the lives of the people who are no longer here with us rather than focus on the idea that they are gone forever. This Mexican tradition happens every year, before the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) which is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, there is a 4.5km parade between the Ángel de la Independencia to the Zocalo (see the map below). People get together to dress up as Catrinas with colorful and elegant dresses and incredible makeup. But when I say incredible, I really mean incredible! The details, the creativity, the colors! They are just out of this world. They also dress up as a Catrina version of famous Mexican icons such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Selena Quintanilla, among others. Not only do you have so many things and colors to shoot at, but people are truly happy to be there and willing to pose for you with the biggest smiles on their faces. Lots of photographers go to this parade as well so you can see how they work with the Catrinas and learn right then and there. If you want to experience this truly amazing event, visit Mexico City. There are 2 events (normally on 2 consecutive weekends) that you can come and shoot to your heart's content. Visit their website to check the dates before planning your trip. I've included some more pictures below... Let me know what you guys think!
- Unveilling the Secrets of Dynamic Range in Photography
Hello hello! Welcome back to my blog! Today I have an interesting subject that should help you get closer to your camera and get to know each other a little bit better which will definitively improve your photography. If you have been reading my blog, you’ll remember I constantly mention that you should get to know your camera because this will be a game-changer. Well, today I’m ready to share with you all I know about dynamic range. Understanding and harnessing dynamic range can take your photos to the next level, allowing you to capture the full spectrum of light and shadow in your scenes. So, grab your camera, and let's unravel the mysteries of dynamic range together! What is Dynamic Range in Photography Why is Dynamic Range so Important? Using dynamic range Mastering dynami range Do I need to invest more money for a better dynamic range? What is Dynamic Range in Photography? Not a lot of people talk about this but there are actually 2 dynamic range in photography: the dynamic range of the scene and your camera's dynamic range. It is important to know this because what your camera is able to capture is not the same as what you are seeing in your scene. Our friends from Adobe say that dynamic range describes the ratio between the brightest and darkest parts of an image, from pure black to brightest white. It's the ability of your camera to capture details in both the shadows and highlights without losing information or introducing unwanted artifacts (aka noise and some other nasty things we don’t want in our professional pictures). A wide dynamic range enables you to create stunning images, especially in challenging lighting situations. I do have to mention that mid to professional-range cameras will have a wider dynamic range than a beginner’s camera. This DOES NOT mean that you have to spend thousands of dollars on a camera. We will discuss this in a little bit so don’t get a second mortgage just yet and keep reading. Why is Dynamic Range Important? Mastering dynamic range is crucial because it can: Preserve Details: Knowing your dynamic range ensures that you don't lose details in areas that are too dark or too bright. This is essential for retaining the richness of your subject. Create Balanced Exposure: With proper control of dynamic range, you can achieve well-balanced exposures in high-contrast scenes, like landscapes with bright skies and dark foregrounds. Enhance Creativity: Understanding dynamic range gives you the creative freedom to manipulate light and shadow for dramatic effects and storytelling in your photos. Using dynamic range So our eyes roughly have 15 stops of dynamic range. Granted, our eyes move around very quickly so it’s able to capture a lot more information than our cameras do. When your eyes don’t move around and they are static, the dynamic range reduces significantly. Why? Because sometimes we think we can see something when in reality we fill in the gaps by grabbing information from the next scene. So how do I use my dynamic range to my advantage? Well, say you are shooting in a studio. You have a model with some nice designer clothes with a variety of colors; some dark and some bright. You can easily check with your light meter your darkest area and see how underexposed it is and then repeat the process with the brightest area. If the darkest area is too dark then you can always add a set of lights to brighten it up. If it's too bright then we can increase the shutter speed or lower the ISO, etc. If you do not understand what I am talking about now, head to my ‘How to Shoot in Manual Mode’ post to read about the exposure triangle. In this scenario which I know is extremely simplified, since we know the light is not going to change from one second to the other, it’s easy to solve it. You put more light into the dark areas, and not so much into the brightest areas. Simple, right? But what happens when we are outside? What happens if a cloud decides to go in front of the sun for a couple of minutes? What happens if you are only shooting in natural light and you can’t add more light to the shadows? Or what if you are shooting wildlife and of course the lion won’t like you using a speedlight? That’s when knowing how much detail can my camera retain in the shadows in an underexposed shot comes in handy. If you are able to know that your camera will still retain all the information even if you are 2 stops underexposed then you can take the shot without losing any sleep that you might have ruined your once-in-a-lifetime picture. Mastering Dynamic Range So here are some pro tips for mastering dynamic range: Understanding light: This is probably the hardest part of learning photography because you would think understanding light would be easy, but it's not. So what I used to do (even when I wasn't taking pictures), first was use my hand to see how the light created shadows. Understanding how to use the sun/light to my advantage was a game changer. Change your camera's metering modes: Just like understanding light, you need to understand how your camera works. The camera's light meter is your best ally when shooting a high dynamic range scene (well, any scene really). Most cameras today, from beginner's to professional ones, offer different metering modes for measuring the proper exposure of a scene. Different metering modes will let your camera know what parts of your scene are more important to you and it will expose accordingly. Choosing the correct one can be the difference between succeeding and failing your shot. Luckily for you, I already have a post about this and you can find it here. 3. Learn how to use your histogram: The histogram shows you the dynamic range of your scene captured by your camera (meaning the dynamic range of your image). In a nutshell, if your histogram is within the width of your histogram display, then everything is right with the world. If your histogram is shifted to the right or left, it means that your photo is over or underexposed respectively. This means your photo is "clipped" and you have lost information that you cannot recover. 4. HDR Photography: When you are in a situation where you have several subjects in a scene and they each need their own exposure triangle (like the picture below). Then HDR photography is the way to do it! High Dynamic Range or HDR photography involves taking multiple images with different exposures and merging them together using specialized software. You can achieve this by using bracketing or by manually adjusting the exposure in each shot. Do not go crazy with this! Use HDR sparingly for natural-looking results. 5. Shoot in RAW: RAW files contain more information and provide greater flexibility in post-processing to recover details in shadows and highlights. If you see the picture below, even if it isn't the best picture, look at how much detail I managed to recover. Same situation with this picture of the keas. Look at the details on their wings! 6. Post-Processing: Use software like Adobe Lightroom to fine-tune the dynamic range in your images during editing. There are some other software you can use as well but Lightroom and Photoshop are normally my go-tos. 7. Graduated Filters: A graduated neutral density filter (GND) is a handy tool to balance the exposure in high-contrast scenes. I will talk about this later on in another post. I currently have the 67mm 2-5 stop Peter McKinon Grad filter and I love it. I wish I used more because when I do, the results are absolutely amazing. It is not cheap unfortunately but if you have the budget, do invest in a good filter. 8. Last but certainly not least (probably the most important one) understand your camera: Get familiar with your camera's dynamic range capabilities. Some cameras perform better in high-contrast situations than others but you won't know until you put it to the test. The best way in my opinion is learning about the zone system and the stepped grayscale test. Lucky for you, I do have a post about this that you can find here. Do I need to invest more money for a better dynamic range? Absolutely not! Ok, if I'm being honest, yes a more expensive camera will have a better camera sensor and, therefore a better dynamic range. Having said that, there are ways around it. So don't break the bank just yet. I am a firm believer that you shouldn't upgrade your equipment unless it is actually stopping you from achieving your goal. So if you are trying to take pictures of wildlife and you only have a wide-angle lens, then yes, you should invest in equipment. But in this case, like I said, there are ways around it. Also, keep in mind that having to think of ways to achieve your shot means that you need to really understand the basic concepts which will help you a lot along your career. Dynamic range is a powerful tool that can take your photography to new heights. By understanding its importance, practicing various techniques, and experimenting with different scenarios, you'll become a master at capturing the full beauty of the world around you. Don't be afraid to push the limits of your camera's dynamic range and let your creativity shine through in your photographs. That's all for today! Keep shooting, keep learning, and remember that dynamic range is your key to unlocking the full potential of your photographic vision!
- Explaining Ansel Adams Zone System and How to Use It
Welcome back to my blog! Before getting into the famous zone system, if you haven’t yet, please check the Dynamic Range post because it will give you some useful information you’ll need before getting into the zone system. So for once, I’ll get into it without going around in circles … What is the zone system? Stepped Grayscale test Building your zone system rules What is the zone system? The zone system is a photographic technique of previsualization, light metering, and exposure developed by the amazing Ansel Adams and Fred Archer. This system which was invented during the black and white photography era, translates your dynamic range into a ten-zone scale from black (zone 0) to white (zone IX). When color film came out, the zone system was not as useful as it used to be but once digital photography came into play, the zone system started gaining popularity again as photographers started seeking to get the most out of their camera sensor. However, with technology, more tools have come up that made the zone system less favorable like the histogram which you can now find in most (if not every) digital cameras. Nevertheless, I do think that this is what made a difference in my photography and that’s why I’m so eager to share it. Understanding each zone is still very useful, even with the technology and cameras we have nowadays. Now, let's remember that the camera meter measures the reflected light from the subject. The way the digital sensor measures light is by using the light meter that is already installed in your camera. All the information you need about the camera's exposure settings, metering modes (spot meter, matrix metering and center-weighted metering), and other things to understand exposure are in my other posts. So go have a look and come back when you are ready. In my post 'Camera Metering Modes Explained (How & When to Use Them)' I explained how the camera meter worked by setting my camera to black and white and defocusing the scene. Now keep this in mind for a little bit while we go through the explanation of the zone system because it might help you understand things a little bit easier. In the following table, we can see all the zones: from pure black to pure white. The number might change from author to author (most authors talk about from ten zones to twelve zones) but the idea is still the same. Now, let me explain what the table above is for. Each camera has its own zone system that looks something like this table. The amount of zones will depend on its dynamic range. So the idea is that if you are taking a picture of a person that has fair skin (picture it like the image of Leo above where you only see tones and not details), in order for everything to be properly exposed then her face should be placed in Zone VII (according to the table above - the zone number will depend on your own table). If the person has darker skin, then maybe it should be placed in Zone V. But how do you do that you ask? Well, we know that if the scene has the proper exposure, then the light meter will look like the picture below. So that "proper exposure" point is your Zone V or 18% gray card. That is your middle ground and your point of reference. Each stop you go up or down will mean you are moving between zones. Going back to the portrait example we were talking about above, you can take a meter reading of the person's face and properly expose the scene. Then, step up until you reach Zone VII. Ideally, we should be able to place all the tones and colors from the scene into a zone which will guarantee that everything will have the correct exposure and enough details. Don’t freak out just yet! Once we complete the gray scale test, you will be able to construct your zone system ruler and start to understand and visualize the zone placement customized for your individual system which is the ultimate exposure control! So take a deep breath and complete the test. Stepped Grayscale test For this test, all you need is your camera (duh!), access to Photoshop and an 18% grey card. You can find these in photography stores as well as Amazon. I have left a link below. I don’t get any commissions on this so feel free to choose any 18% gray card you want. The one below is for you to see more or less what it looks like. For practical reasons, it’s better to have a small gray card so you can carry it around but for this exercise it’s better to have one of the big ones. It’s up to you really, it won’t make a difference to the results. I have also used a gray paper from a normal paper store like Office Max. In that case, when I checked the RGB values (you'll understand what I'm talking about later when you reach the Building your Zone System Ruler section) they did vary quite a bit. Not enough to repeat the test but it wasn't as exact as it was with the proper gray card. Up to you what you want to use, I'm just giving you options in case you don't want to buy another accessory. Also I want to clarify that I haven't done this test as many times as it sounds... just a few with different cameras to check out their dynamic range. I used my Nikon D7500 for this test as this is not a professional camera and it is probably more relatable but let me know in the comments if you want me to do the test with my Nikon z7ii to compare the dynamic range. Lastly, you can use a tripod if you like but it’s not really necessary. It can make the test a little bit easier but I have done this test with and without the tripod and it works just fine either way. One last thing! Try to do this test on a clear day. If you have clouds passing by, your light will change and this will affect your test. It can be a cloudy day as well, as long as it has evenly overcast conditions, it doesn’t matter. Alright, let’s get into it… Step 1 If you haven’t already, setup your camera in Manual Mode (M). Set you ISO to 100 and aperture to f/8. If it’s too bright and sunny, you can use f/16 instead. If your camera has the option, set your image quality to RAW. Step 2 Place your gray card on a vertical surface. This can be anything really: a wall, a fence, etc. Just make sure that it’s evenly lit. Try to avoid places that might create a colour cast so just take your time and find the right spot. Now I have placed my camera and tripod in the picture below to give you an idea of what the setup should look like. I put my card in the shadows to avoid any changes in the light so if there are a few clouds in the sky, this is an easy fix. Another thing you might notice is that my fence will definitely create a color cast. You can either cover part of the fence with a neutral color paper/fabric or find somewhere else to put your card. This was only to show you what the setup might look like. The only way to learn is by making mistakes so don't be afraid to be wrong... It's part of the process. Step 3 Position yourself in front of the gray card so that the card fills the viewfinder completely. Make sure you are not casting any shadows. Step 4 Take a picture of your gray card. In your ‘White Balance’ settings, select ‘Custom’ and use the picture you just took of your gray card. If you don’t have this option, you can use the ‘Auto White Balance’ function instead. Step 5 Set your camera lens to Manual Focus. This is to help your camera focus since your subject is a boring gray piece of cardboard. If you keep it in Auto, your camera might not let you take the picture (some do but some others will keep trying to focus and not actually take the shot). Step 6 Half depress the shutter speed so your light meter takes a reading. This will let you know whether your exposure is correct or not. If it’s not correct, adjust your shutter speed until it is. Make sure you take note of what the settings are. This will come in handy in Step 9. Step 7 Take a photo of the gray card (finally!). This should come out as gray (or at least close to it). If this is not showing a gray color, you will need to go back to Step 4 and adjust our White Balance. This is your starting point of your Zone Ruler, also known as Zone V. Step 8 Increase your shutter speed by one stop (remember that one step will double the number - some cameras might be able to increase in halves or thirds so just make sure you you increase it by a full stop) and take the picture. You are going to repeat this step until you complete all 6 exposures (apart from the one you already got in step 7). Step 9 Return to the original settings (see! I told you it wold be handy). Your exposure should be correct once again. Now, we are going to decrease the shutter speed by one stop at a time and take a picture at each stop. Step 10 Upload all these images onto your computer. Building your Zone System Ruler Now let’s jump into Photoshop and we are going to open each image. Go to File > Open We need to see the RGB readings so if you don’t have the Info Panel open, please do so now (Window > Info). The window will like the image below. The first image you took should be the one you took in step 6 and this should be your Zone V. Go ahead and save each file under the zone name so it’s easier to identify it. Now for this test, you will need to check that all the RGB colors are the same. If they are off slightly (say a few units), it’s ok. But if the numbers are off by 5 units or more, then it might be a good idea to redo the test and pay extra attention to the white balance step (Step 4). So you should create a table that looks something like this: Again, different authors start at different zones and have different amounts of zones. This will depend on your camera so don't worry too much about the zone number until you've completed the exercise. Starting with Zone V, let’s have a look at the RGB values: As you can see, my Zone V had RGB values of 98, 98, and 98. Do not freak out if your numbers are different! It really depends on the camera. Now we are going to repeat this step with all the other zones. Try to take the reading roughly from the same area as there will be a slight difference along the image. There are many reasons for this like uneven light, lens, etc. Once you have all the readings, your table will look like this. From this table, there are few things we can say: The dynamic range of my camera is 11 stops. My grey card exposure (Zone V) favors the highlights. Numbers were not exactly the same in every place of each picture (variations of 1 or 2 between R, G, or B) but since it wasn’t significant, it can be said that there was no color bias. I have to admit that I found it a little hard to understand what was happening when I was taking the pictures the first time I did this test. But once I downloaded the pictures on my computer, it made a lot more sense. So don’t get frustrated and trust the process. Now, if you want to put all your images together, it should look something like this. Hopefully, this gave you a little more insight on how your camera works. This might sound like a lot of information but take it one step at a time. It took a while for my head to get around it but once you do, it's like a switch that turns on. I still miss some shots every now and again but my understanding of exposure is a lot better because of the zone system. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me via the Contact Us page or by emailing me at info@belenradaphotography.com Happy shooting!
- Frame the Future: Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing Your Next Camera
Hey there and welcome back! Ready to dive into the mesmerizing world of pixels, lenses, and ISOs? Today we are going to be talking about something I’ve been asked quite a bit in the past…. how to choose your next camera. Picking your next camera can be confusing and overwhelming. But don't sweat it, I've got your back! Choosing your next camera Before you start being overwhelmed by image quality, interchangeable lenses, image stabilization, sensor size, amongst other things, I want you to focus on the three most important ones (at least in my opinion): Purpose Experience Budget These three things are going to decide for you. I do want to make it very clear that yes, there are more factors that are important when you are choosing your next camera but I think these are the ones that will seal the deal. Keep reading and I'll explain why. Purpose Let's talk about 'Purpose'. Are you the kind of person who captures landscapes that would make Ansel Adams weep with joy, or are you more into street photography like the legendary Henri Cartier-Bresson? Each genre requires a specific set of features, so this will significantly influence your choice. There are different types of photography and below I've included a list with some examples. Not all of these are my images (they are stock images) as not all of these are my area of photography but I did want to show you in case you are not sure about what your style is. Portrait Wedding Sports Product Food Landscape Street Wildlife I know this doesn't look a lot like wildlife but this is New Zealand's wildlife... We don't have snakes, lions, or anything like that, just pretty birds. Astrophotography Night Travel So, ask yourself ‘what do I want to photograph?’ The answer can be multiple things so don’t get scared if this is your case. I, for example, shoot portraits, sports, and products for the most part but now and again I shoot some landscapes and food. It’s normal to have different niches so don’t be afraid to branch out. In this case, pick the one you will be doing the most. Once you get your answer, you should start listing the things your camera must have. So if you are into sports photography, your camera requires a high frames-per-second rate (unless you are photographing chess) so you can freeze the athletes' movements. If you are into landscapes then you might not need a super high frames per second rate because you will mostly be shooting long exposure shots and instead you'll need a camera with a good low light performance. So have a think about that. It is very important to be completely honest. If you have several areas you want to cover, I recommend you start with the one you practice the most and then move to the second most important one. See what features overlap and what are you missing and make a list. Make sure to mark the things that are a ‘must’ and the ones that are ‘nice to have’. Take your time, there is really no rush. Experience This one is a tricky one and let me explain why. When we talk about ‘Experience’, I’m not just talking about the years you’ve been taking pictures, I’m talking about how you feel behind the camera. This can really make you love your camera and photography or stress and want to quit (yes I know I’m dramatic but it can be that way). So to me, it is something like this… Let’s say I have never cooked in my life and one day I decide I’m going to make a grilled cheese or ‘cheese toastie’ as they call them here in New Zealand. Pretty simple right? And all of a sudden I need to bake the bread, make the butter, and cheese from scratch plus learn how to use the sandwich press or pan if I want to do it on the stove... Can you see how easily it can get overwhelming? The same happens with your camera. If you’ve never had a digital camera or a film camera and all of a sudden you get this top-of-the-line professional mirrorless camera, it can be like doing a sandwich from scratch where you have all these amazing things that your camera can do while you are trying to understand how to shoot in manual and that’s not what you want. The camera should help you and work with you and not work against you by giving you more questions than answers. So be realistic about what you need and what you can operate. I started with a Nikon D3500 which was my mom’s. Once I felt comfortable with that camera and I felt like I needed a little bit more, I moved up to the Nikon D5600, after that the D7500 and lastly, I moved to my beloved Nikon Z7ii. I know it doesn’t sound like big step-ups but even if it was only one more thing that I needed to learn how to set up, it was a lot easier to learn one thing at a time rather than 20. Budget Now, onto 'Budget'. Again, a camera is just a tool. A more expensive gadget won't automatically transform you into a world-renowned photographer. It's all about how you use it! Be realistic about what you can afford and remember to set some money aside for accessories like lenses, camera bag, and perhaps, extra batteries. Just be aware that these can be really expensive. Other important factors Camera Type There are a few camera types that you can choose from. I've included a brief explanation below to help you out a little bit. If you have any questions though, feel free to send me an email and I can try to help you as much as I can. DSLR cameras Digital Single-Lens Reflex or DSLR cameras received their name because they use the same lens for framing, focusing and snaping the picture. Not really that important to know when you are buying your first camera but I love those nerdy fun facts. Anyway, these are known for their optical viewfinders allowing photographers to see exactly what the lens sees. Just as a quick note, the DSLR camera uses a mirror mechanism to reflect light from the lens to an optical viewfinder. This is the main difference with mirrorless cameras so I think it is worth mentioning. DSLRs are versatile and favored for their excellent image quality, robust build, and a wide range of interchangeable lenses. However, they can be very big and heavy (especially if you are going for a full-frame sensor one - more on that coming up). The entry-level models are very good as a starting point and they will not leave you bankrupt. Mirrorless cameras Mirrorless cameras, as the name suggests, lack the traditional mirror mechanism found in DSLRs. In the mirrorless camera system, the light directly reaches the camera's image sensor which makes the digital camera a lot lighter and more compact. Mirrorless cameras offer fast autofocus, advanced video capabilities, and are increasingly popular for their portability and versatility. On the down side, the starting price for these digital cameras is a lot higher than the DSLRs. Micro Four-Thirds Cameras Micro Four Thirds cameras (also called Micro 4/3, MFT or M4/3) are a type of mirrorless camera that cover a wide variety of styles and options, but their common feature is their sensor size. I will talk about the sensor size later so for now, all you need to know is that a Micro Four Thirds camera is like a smaller version of an interchangeable lens camera. Compact Cameras (better known as Point-and-Shoot Cameras) Point-and-shoot cameras, or compact cameras, are designed for simplicity and convenience. They're lightweight, small, easy to use, and often feature automatic modes. While they may have limitations in manual controls and image quality compared to more advanced options, they're great for casual photographers and everyday use. They are also great for practicing composition and experimenting. Bridge cameras Bridge cameras are the bridge between point-and-shoot and DSLR/Mirrorless cameras. They often have larger zoom ranges, more manual controls, and electronic viewfinders. Bridge cameras are suitable for those who want more features than a point-and-shoot without the complexity of interchangeable lenses. Action Cameras Action cameras are extremely compact, rugged devices designed to capture high-quality video and stills in extreme conditions. They are commonly used for sports, outdoor activities, and vlogging. Action cameras are known for their durability, wide-angle lenses, and ease of use. This brief overview should help you navigate the diverse world of cameras. Each type caters to different needs, preferences, and skill levels. Sensor Size The 'Sensor Size' is like the camera's eye. A larger sensor means more surface area to capture light which results in better image quality, especially in low light conditions. There are 3 main camera sensors you’re likely to find when shopping for a digital camera: 1 Inch (or smaller): commonly found in some compact cameras APS-C: this sensor size, also known as cropped sensor, is found in advanced compact cameras, mirrorless cameras and DSLRs Full Frame: just like the cropped sensor, this can be found in advanced compacts, mirrorless cameras and DSLRs Professional photographers commonly use full-frame sensor or advanced APS-C sensor cameras. However, larger sensors often mean larger and heavier cameras and heftier price tags. Balance is key here! If you have the budget, a full-frame camera is a wonderful investment, but not a necessary one in my personal opinion. I think that if you are a beginner or an enthusiast photographer, a cropped sensor is a better option. This way, your camera body won't be as heavy or as big as a full-frame one and you will be more inclined to get it out on the field more often than not. Also, an APS-C sensor camera body will offer you the option of kit lenses which have a reasonable price. Fixed (also known as 'prime') and zoom lenses for these types of digital cameras are a lot more affordable so it is a good starting point. Now, I should also mention that the sensor size on interchangeable lens camera will also affect the ‘crop factor’. PetaPixel described the crop factor as the ratio of the 35mm full-frame diagonal to the diagonal of a smaller crop sensor. I'll try to be brief with this explanation as I don't to give you a headache... In the film photography era, the 35mm film was (or I guess it became with time) the dominant still photography film format. A 35mm sensor has a diagonal that measures 43.3mm. Once the digital cameras came around, there was no longer a constraint to the sensor size because it could be anything that the manufacturer wanted. So as a result, some cameras are full-frame (meaning the same size as a 35mm film camera sensor), some are smaller than full-frame, and some are larger than full-frame. This difference between the camera sensor and the 35mm film is known as the 'crop factor', also known as the 'format factor' or 'focal length multiplier'. This is expressed mathematically and it is a number that tells us how the lens behaves with the size of the sensor. Note that this crop factor doesn't affect how the lens performs. It just means that if you have a 35mm lens, this might behave as a 50mm lens instead due to the sensor size. I will write a post about this so don't worry too much about this right now. Resolution & Image Quality When considering 'Resolution', remember that more megapixels don't always equal better images. They do, however, provide more flexibility in cropping and printing large-size photos. Lens System Let's not forget the 'Lens System'. The flexibility to change lenses is what sets DSLRs and mirrorless cameras apart from compacts. If you're keen on exploring different styles of photography, this feature is a must. User Interface and Ergonomics Last, but certainly not least, 'User Interface and Ergonomics' can make or break your experience. If the camera feels uncomfortable in your hands, or the menu seems like it's written in an alien language, it's probably not the right choice. So I really recommend you go to a camera store and give them all a try. See how they feel, what you like, and what you don’t. Recommendations Right so here are a few things I wished someone told me when I was looking for my next best friend: Go to Google and search for the cameras within your budget. With the available options, start checking the specs. You will find that there are more than a few options that will suit you and that is ok. Once you have a few that you are interested in, I think the best thing to do is go to a store where you can see, touch, and use them. I'm sure once you grab them one will click with you and you will know that’s the right one. You don’t have to use all your budget! I was always like ‘I have $1000, I need to spend it all’ and that’s absolutely not true. If you ever get overwhelmed with the choice of cameras, let online reviews be your guide. User ratings can provide valuable insight into the real-world performance and features of a camera model. YouTube offers a lot of reviews where you can see the photographers’ experiences and how the cameras work. Just remember to read/watch them with 'a grain of salt' – everyone has their own preferences and biases. Make sure to add the cost of the accessories you may need for your camera into your budget. In addition to lenses, you may want to invest in spare batteries, memory cards, lights and other gear depending on the type of photography that interests you. And don't forget about the importance of good quality photo editing software for post-processing your images! With the right combination of hardware and software, you should be ready to capture stunning photos with your camera. It is always a good idea to check out second-hand shops. Not only you can find cameras, but lenses and accessories as well. That can reduce the cost significantly while you are still learning. Be realistic! No matter which camera you decide to buy, make sure it meets your needs and it adapts to you. Don’t go for the biggest most powerful one if you are not going to use it to its full potential. At the same time, pick a camera you can grow into. I know it seems contradictory but try to find a balance. Don’t buy something that will limit you but don’t buy something that will give you more problems than solutions. Remember, choosing a camera is a personal journey. Take your time, do your research, and most importantly, have fun with it! Because in the end, it's not about the camera, but the person behind it. Happy shooting!📷✨