Tips

Summer Photo Tips

John Ostrom

Each year many customers ask me for tips and ideas as to how to improve their photos during their summer vacation.

Step 1: Polarize It! – A circular polarizing filter will do magical things to your photos – especially at the beach or during the fall foliage season. First and foremost, it will minimize glare on reflective surfaces, such as water (which is commonly found at the beach, in case you didn’t know). That’s something that no amount of photoshop can mimic. In addition to that, it’ll help add contrast and color saturation to your images, giving them that additional “pop” that so many photographers covet. There is one downside to using a polarizing filter and that’s the fact that it’s going to cut your light down by approximately 2 stops. Make sure you have enough light for the exposure or use a tripod.

Just like any other filter there are many different categories of circular polarizers. They can range in price from $50 all the way up to $300, depending on size and brand. The better the filter, the better the photo. It’s as simple as that.
Recommended brands: Promaster HGX, Promaster Digital, or B+W if you’re feeling rather German.

Step 2: Use A Flash! – If you’re photographing people outdoors you almost always want to use a flash. Using a flash will help minimize those high contrast areas and fill in those unflattering dark shadows that appear under the eyes, nose, and chin. It will also help if your subject is in a backlit situation, which nearly always happens at the beach. Unless it’s raining – but then why are you even at the beach?!

Step 3: Overexpose! – It’s not often that somebody recommends you overexpose your photos. At the beach or in snow your camera will usually underexpose in any of the auto-modes. The light being reflected off the sand/snow is so bright that it fools the camera into thinking that that’s the light source – which will then underexpose your image. Find the exposure compensation feature on your camera and overexpose your image by .3 to 1 stop. A significant amount of point and shoot cameras even have a beach/snow scene mode, which will do this automatically for you.

Step 4: Check Your Watch! (or Cell Phone!) – The time of day can considerably impact the quality of your images. The optimal time is an hour before sunset – also known as “The Happy Hour for Photographers The Doesn’t Involve Booze”. At this time of the day the sunlight tends to be more diffuse, giving you softer and most pleasing lighting. At this point you still would want to use flash.

Step 5: Be Careful! – Sand is a cameras worst enemy. If the sand or salt in the air gets onto your camera’s sensor it may be curtains for your vacation photos. Keep your camera in a zip-lock or waterproof bag. As long as the bag is clean and clear you should be able to shoot through the bag without issue.

As always, please stop by the store or give us a call if you have any additional questions or concerns.

And don’t forget the sunblock.

Photo industry discovers YouTube! News at 11!

John Ostrom

As you may (or may not) already know, YouTube’s M.O. is useless videos, which is why it’s one of the most popular sites on the web. People love useless stuff – I know I do! But buried within the millions of pointless videos on YouTube is the occasional useful one. Nay, you may say? YouTube and useful in the same sentence? Pfft!

LumiQuest has (somewhat) recently made a YouTube Channel specifically dealing with using flash and flash diffusers. It has some really good info on there and I recommend checking it out.

View more useful LumiQuest videos at www.youtube.com/lumiquest.

Now that we’ve got the lame “useful” video out of the way, here’s one that’s not useful. At all.

Now that’s what the internet was made for.

Phones with cameras and cameras with phones and so on and so on…

John Ostrom

I’ve had a lot of customers stop by the shop recently and ask if we can print photos that they’d taken with their cell phone. It’s definitely a do-able process, though it’s not easy.

First and foremost, your image quality is going to be sloppy at best. The imaging sensor in cell phone cameras is small – smaller than any pocket sized digital camera. Even at 4×6 it’s going to be an extremely pixelated photo. Cell phone images are generally meant for sending in phone messages or uploading to the net.

If you aboslutely need to print an image from your cell phone, check to see if your phone will accept a memory card. Most modern, mid-to-high end cell phones will take some type of removeable flash memory. If that’s the case, get the images copied over to the memory card and we can pop it into one of our photo kiosks and make some prints that way. Nice and simple.

If your camera doesn’t take a memory card, your next best option is to get it onto your computer and email it to the store. Getting it to your computer is the hard part – you need to make sure you have the correct cables and/or wireless connection. Some phones and computers are able to connect to one another via Bluetooth, which is a quick and easy way of transferring files.

Fireworks Photography – What to do and what not to do.

John Ostrom

It’s close to that fireworks time of the year and we thought it would be a good time to post some tips on fireworks photography.

Most modern compact point and shoot digital cameras include a “fireworks” scene mode. You can usually access that mode by going into “SCN” or “Scene” mode on your camera and selecting the firworks mode.

Here’s some tips if you’re using an SLR:

Manually set your ISO to 100
Lens Choice – Wide Angle Zoom would be most appropriate
Auto White Balance or Daylight
Set your lens to manual focus then focus to infinity
Set your camera to Manual exposure – Try 5 seconds at f/ 16
Carefully release the shutter to capture from one to several bursts
Evaluate your exposure
Evaluate sharpness by zooming in on your image – adjust as needed

Improving Fireworks photos:
Shoot with a tripod – it will give a more natural cascade of light
Carefully release the shutter without moving the camera or use an electronic release.

Other Techniques:
Set your camera to B and lock open your shutter – keep the lens covered with a dark hat and remove the hat to capture a burst then recover and repeat to capture several bursts. Just be carefull not to bump into your camera.

Also – you’re most likely to be taking these images after a nice, family-friendly, backyard barbeque. By “nice, family-friendly”, I mean one-too-many-drinks and more hot dogs than Takeru Kobayashi can eat. Another good reason to use a tripod!

Blurry Images? This is what to do…

John Ostrom

Everything in photography is about light. Many people complain about blurry images and the amount of available light has everything to do with it. If you can get away with using a flash, that’s a sure-fire way to get the job done. Keep in mind that most point and shoot cameras have a flash that will only reach to about 13 feet. If you’re using an SLR, the camera’s built in flash will give you a very similar light output. If you can afford it, it would be wise to invest in an accessory flash unit. A high-end flash can give you up to 80 feet of distance and will cost you around $500. In addition to drastically reducing blur, an accessory flash unit will also help in reducing red-eye.

Another thing that can help you is image stabilization – but there’s a catch. Image stabilization (or vibration reduction or steady shot or vibration control… it’s all the same) will help control blurry images caused by camera shake. If your subject is moving they’re still going to end up blurry. If you’re getting camera shake and you don’t have image stabilization, hold the camera with both hands while holding your arms against yourself – essentially forming a tripod. It’s not a 100% solution, but it should help.

Some small digital cameras have something called “E.I.S.” or “Electronic Image Stabilization”. EIS essentially raises the camera’s ISO (or light sensitivity) in order to capture a less blurry image. In doing this, it is also lowering your image quality and creating a lot of noise, or grain, within the image. I would only recommend doing this if it’s completely necessary.

The only absolute solution for blurry images is to increase the amount of available light, though of course in many situations this is not possible. Get creative if needed – then you’ll get the best results.

Memory Cards – Speeds, Sizes, etc.

John Ostrom

Memory cards are now coming in absurdly large sizes. Compact flash cards are available up to 64gb capacity and SD cards come as large as 32gb. Unless you’re doing high-def video, a memory card of that size is total overkill. Instead of getting one large memory card, I suggest multiple smaller cards. Don’t bring one 8gb SD card with you on vacation – instead bring either 2 4gb card or 4 2gb cards. The more the merrier. Imagine taking 1000 images during your once-in-a-lifetime Italy vacation and losing or damaging your 8gb card? Doesn’t sound like a good time to me.

When purchasing a new memory card, keep your eyes open for the read/write speed of the memory card itself. Many of the cheaper memory cards are 15 or 20x read/write speed. A memory card of that speed will greatly increase the time between taking photos on a digital camera – a VERY common complaint amongst consumers. Make sure you get a card that’s at least 60x speed. Again, with this one, the more the merrier. Faster cards = more money, but it’s worth the price.

Do JPEG’s break down?

John Ostrom

Numerous cameras nowadays have the option to either create images in a JPEG format or an uncompressed format, such as RAW or TIFF. I’ve been asked many times to suggest the best format for image files. In a way it’s a lot like choosing a camera – it all depends on what you’re going to do with it.

Yes, over time JPEG files will break down, but only if you open the file, edit it, and re-save it again as a JPEG. Simply opening a JPEG file will not cause it to lose information. JPEG files are considered lossy files – the computer will discard what it deems useless or unnecessary information.

On the other hand, uncompressed files do not lose information, no matter how much work you do to it. They’re much larger files but can retain all of it’s original information. There is a slight difference in the initial image quality when shooting in RAW – there will be more information retained in the highlights and shadows and a slight boost in your color information.

RAW files require additional software (as well as additional editing time) in order to be printed. Always keep that in mind when shooting in RAW. If you shoot 300 images from your summer vacation in RAW be prepared to convert every single one of those files to JPEG before then can be printed.

Do you like to print on your own? Do you want to get knee deep in the photo editing process? Then an uncompressed format is right for you.

Not much of a computer person? Would you prefer sending your images to get printed at a lab? Then JPEG is for you.

Both JPEG and RAW work for me. It all depends on the occasion.

Sensor Dirt

John Ostrom

dsc_0001

Ever take a picture and have it look like this? Hopefully not. This is an extreme case of sensor dust and probably not half as bad as you’ll ever see. Dust is a part of everyday life and getting it on a digital SLR’s imaging sensor is a problem that every photographer has to deal with.

A DSLR’s sensor has an electronic charge and just like a tube television, it loves dust. Changing lenses, zooming, even something as minute as focusing can bring dust into the camera. I find the best way to determine exactly how much dust is on your sensor is to take a photo of the sky at f16 or higher. Also make sure your camera is set to manual focus – otherwise the lens is going to keep seeking for a focus point. Next, load up your image in photoshop and enlarge it to 100%. That’ll give you the ability to see every tiny bit of dust that’s plaguing your sensor. Don’t worry if there’s a Boeing 747 on your sensor – it’s most likely just in the sky.

So now that you see the dust, what do you do with it? There’s always the option of cloning out all the dust in photoshop, but that’s an hour’s worth of time that’s better spent behind the camera. If you have the courage you can clean the sensor yourself with the right equipment and supplies.

If you decide to try it yourself, check to see if your camera has a “clean sensor” option under the set-up menu. Many DSLR’s require you to have a fully charged battery in order to clean the sensor. If the “clean sensor” option is greyed out, that is most likely the case. Charge your battery fully and give it another go. If you have an older SLR, it is possible that it does not have a “clean sensor” option. At that point, in order to access the sensor yourself, your only option is to put the shutter on bulb and clean it that way. It’s a way to do it but it’s very risky. If you accidentally release that shutter while cleaning it’s going to be a costly repair. Also the sensor will be activated, which will increase the chances of more dust appearing.

Okay, so now you have access to the sensor. What now? Whatever you do, DO NOT use compressed air to clean your sensor. Many types of compressed air emit tiny particles of liquid propellant which can damage your sensor. Always use products meant specifically for sensor cleaning, such as Sensor Swabs and E2 solution by a company called Photographic Solutions. Bulb blowers are a great way to do a quick cleaning – never do a wet cleaning unless it is absolutely necessary. You can even buy small, travel-friendly bulb blowers for cleaning on the go.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to try it yourself, but be aware – Some camera manufacterer’s warranties become void if you clean the sensor yourself.

If you’re having dust problems please feel free to stop by the store. If you’d like to purchase the cleaning products and try it yourself we’d be more than happy to walk you through the process. If you’re more of the butterfingers type and don’t want to risk it, bring your camera into the store and we can clean it for you.

Intro to Video Formats: Part 4 – High Definition or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Embrace Digital

John Ostrom

Within the past few years high definition has become more commonplace than ever before. HD televisions are constantly dropping in price as well as getting better in terms of image quality and design. The same is occuring within the consumer camcorder market.

The obvious advantage of a high definition camcorder is that it is able to record and display video at more than double the resolution of a standard definition camcorder – depending on the camcorder, of course. SD (standard definition) video displays 480 horizontal lines of resolution at any given time. HD video can display up to 1080 horizontal lines of resolution at any point.

Within the consumer camcorder market there are two types of resolution currently available – 720p and 1080i. 1080i sounds better, right? Not really. If we were talking still photo resolution that would be the case but with video it’s a different story. The “i” and “p” come into play when we start talking about motion. The “i” stands for interlaced. When recording or playing video that’s interlaced the display (or camcorder) assigns each alternating line of resolution into odds and evens. It first displays the odd lines and then the even lines – each line being refreshed 30 times per second. This is occuring so fast that the human eye is not able to percieve the lag time. If you pause interlaced video you’ll see what the video industry justly calls “jaggies”*.

The “p” stands for progressive. Progressive video refreshes the entire picture 30 times a second. This type of video will alway produce smoother motion.

Many of the newer LCD and plasma televisions will display at 1080p but, as of this writing, there aren’t many consumer camcorders on the market that can record at that resolution.

Now let’s get into the fun stuff. Depending on what type of high def camcorder you purchase there are different types or “formats” of video that it might record in. A HD MiniDV camcorder will record in a format called HDV. HDV is the eldest of the HD crowd and is widely compatible with different types of editing software.

AVCHD is the most popular of the compression formats and is used in almost all non-cassette format camcorders. Though AVCHD may be the future of high-def video there are still many improvements that need to be made. It is still very unfriendly when it comes to editing software and certain types of computer systems. Always double check your software and system specifications before investing in this type of high-def camcorder.

MPEG-2 Transport Stream is a format that is currently used exclusively in JVC camcorders. The image quality is somewhat poor comparted to it’s AVCHD competition.

AVC/H.264 MPEG-4 is only used in certain Samsung and Sanyo brand cameras. Image quality is decent but it records solely in 720p resolution. I wouldn’t be surprised if this format becomes obsolete when the popularity of 1080 resolution rises. I also can’t see marketing execs falling in love with it’s oh-so-catchy title.

High-def video is the way of the future. It’s actually more like “the way of the now” but who’s counting? Depending on what type of video you’re looking to record (and of course what you’re looking to do with it afterwards) going high-def will ensure your video future will not be behind the times.

* Yes, that’s a technical term – as is “jagginess”.

Intro to Video Formats: Part 3 – Flash Memory/HDD

John Ostrom

Flash Memory and HDD (Hard Disk Drive) are the most recent video formats to be introduced into the consumer camcorder market and each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Flash memory (also known as solid state memory) camcorders record video information onto a small removeable memory card. If you own a digital still photo camera you’re likely to be very familiar with what a memory card is and how it works.

The main advantage of a solid state memory device is the simple fact that there are no moving parts – hence the name “solid state”. Unlike a hard drive which writes information mechanically, solid state memory electronically writes information onto the card, thereby making it more stable than mechanically written information. The other great benefit to flash memory is that it has the ability to read/write information much faster than a standard hard drive. A solid state drive on average can read/write information at approximately 40 megabytes per second whereas a good quality hard disk drive can read/write information at about 7 – 10 megabytes per second.

Of course like anything else there are disadvantages to flash memory. The first is that flash memory is more expensive per gigabyte when compared to a standard hard disk. A camcorder with 60gb of hard disk memory is generally around the same price as a camcorder that takes solid state – not including a memory card. A high capacity, reliable, class based SD memory card can cost as much as $200. That’s a significant amount of money to spend on top of the cost of the camcorder itself.

Hard disk drive camcorders are the modern alternative to flash memory. Hard drives will usually have more storage space than flash memory at a similar price. The first and most pronounced advantage to using a hard drive is obviously cost. At a specific price point you can get much more storage on a hard drive than flash memory though you will be sacrificing a small amount of reliability and speed.

In terms of reliability you shouldn’t be concerned with the camcorder suddenly up and failing on you. It has more to do with if the camera is dropped or takes a significant hit – by having more mechanical parts there is more of a chance of a component breaking upon impact. Take care of your equipment and I wouldn’t be overly concered with reliability. Certain models of hard drive camcorders can make a slight amount of noise which can be heard in the video’s audio if you’re recording in a very quiet environment. Most major manufacterer’s models don’t suffer from hard drive noise so again I wouldn’t be hugely concerned with it. The final drawback to hard drive camcorders is that they’re somewhat larger and heavier than their flash memory counterparts.

I have found that most people go with flash memory camcorders based solely on size itself. If you’re looking for a high quality, pocket sized camcorder then flash memory is the way to go. If you’re looking for a budget alternative and size is of no concern then hard drive is the way to go.

Come visit again next Wednesday for Intro to Video Formats: Part 4 – High Definition.