Learn My Shot - Latest Lessons

One Light Fashion Portrait

May 08 2012 6:57 am

Video by Nick Carter. (an award winning wedding photographer in NYC area), Article by Sasha Gitin

Great portrait photography does not have to be technically complex. Last month we talked about shooting a portrait using natural light. Today, Nick Carter demonstrates how to create gorgeous fashion portrait using just one light.

Single Light Source.

If you feel comfortable using natural light in your photography then using a single light in the studio would be equivalent of owning your own sun (single light source). While nature can be unpredicted using an artificial source such as studio flash or continuous light will give you a full control.

photo by Nick Carter

Using one light is a terrific way to learn. If one can master a single light there would be no surprises when multiply lights will be needed later in the game. Keep the variables to the minimum and focus on the subject.

Have a great shoot.

Assignment: Shoot a portrait using a single light post your shot in comments below.

Learn My Shot is welcoming guest tutorials. To submit yours reach out via Contact Form

Photographer the Jack of All Trades

Apr 27 2012 3:28 am
Article and Images by SASHA GiTiN

There are numerous photographic niches and styles. Here at Learn My Shot we always aim at sharing tips on how to photograph anything. But one day when your wings get strong you will pick one area of expertize and fly away to develop your own style. Having a distinctive style or a strong focus on a particular niche of photography has proven to be a successful path for commercial and fine art photographers. Being really good at one thing one is considered as a master. While being good at everything is often compared to not being good at anything. But is it really true?

Early in my photographic career I focused on learning how to shoot anything. I spent about 5 years assisting photographers from diverse industries, portrait, lifestyle, fashion, wedding, event, paparazzi, product, architecture, real estate and still life (That's how I met Robert Grant – assisting him on a product shoot some years back). When I learned to fly on my own, I chose Food and Beverage as my specialty and took another 5 years to master that particular skill. Often, especially at times when cash was really tight, I asked myself did it ever make sense to spend years experiencing other niches in depth, prior to focusing on one specialty? The answer came in clear recently when I landed a Grey Goose account.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f1.4, 1/125 50mm lens on 5d

The Grey Goose Job:

The job required photographing mixed drinks and bartenders in action making those drinks. There are a lot of beverage photographers out there and there are 100 times as many portrait photographers. But being able to shoot both environmental portrait and beverage equally well was something unique to my style and it got me the job.However, the skill required to shoot this job went far beyond the standard norms. The job had to be performed during the filming of Beyond the Bar series on Sundance Chanel. While the job of the film crew involved filming interviews with top national bartenders, my job required to create photographic images of drinks and bartenders in action in between filming sessions. The images where intended to be used for Sundance Chanel website, advertising and point of sale.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f2.2, 1/125 50mm lens on 7D

3 Hours in 3 minutes

Generally it takes about 2 hours to do one drink shot and about 1 hour to shoot an environmental action portrait. My assignment was to accomplish both tasks in 3 minutes. Thats right! 3-hour job in 3 minutes. So three minutes of shooting every session.My production was equivalent of pit stop during formula racing. So everything had to run perfectly.Every job generally is broken down into three steps: Pre-Production, Production , and Post -Production.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f1.8, 1/160 24mm lens on 5D

Pre-Production

The first and crucially important part of any kind of job is the pre-production. Luckily, I had plenty of experience shooting on movie sets. That experience came from number of previous jobs: Shooting behind the scenes shoots for movie production as a PA during my college years. Shooting celebrities on movie sets during my short lived paparazzi adventures and shooting celebrities on film sets for public relations firms. Shooting people on movie set is one thing, but this job also required shooting drinks. I have done some editorial assignments in the past where I was hired to shoot at restaurants or exclusive dining clubs where the use of flash was not allowed and lighting was a real low-light kind of situation. Based on prior experience:Choose Equipment wisely:My choice of equipment was 24mm f 1.4 L lens, 50mm f1.2 L lens. My Original plan was 35mm and 50mm lens but the rental house didn't have the 35mm in stock so to compensate I decided to use two different bodies Canon 5d Mk2 (Full Sensor) , and Canon 7D (1.5 crop factor). Thus being able to cover 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 75mm with only two fast prime lenses. The reason I rented those lenses is because most of the shots where done handheld with lenses open below f2.8.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f3.5, 1/100 50mm lens on 5D

I forgot to mention that this job came a bit of a last minute. It was awarded to me during the last three days of my family vocation in Mexico and scheduled to be shot the next day I come home to New York. My pit stop crew consisted of a trusted assistant who was sent to the studio prior to the shoot for walk around and took photos of the shooting space and sets which he then emailed to me for review and planning.Assistant was also sent to rent 5d M2 body and lenses. Pre-production also involved communicating with Advertising Agency, Production coordinator, studio people, rental house, assistant etc... While this part sounds easy when you are at your office. However, It required me jumping from roof to roof in search of cell phone signal in Akumal, Mexico and occasionally cutting my snorkeling short to check emails. I knew better not to take any chances, and make sure every box received a check mark.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f4.5, 1/160 24mm lens on 7D

Production:

The advantage of working on the movie set is that the lighting is already there. However there is a negative side to that. First of all, the light intensity is often not enough to shoot action for stills. Secondly the lighting set up to light the set and a person but is not so great for drinks as it's too specular resulting in a bunch of unwanted reflections in the glass. I had to solve both of these issues.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f3.2, 1/80 50mm lens on 5D

Solutions:

Fast lenses allowed me to utilize video lights set up by film crew, and achieve shutter speeds above 1/125 that required for action.
On-Camera flash Canon EX II 580 flash with Gary Fong bouncer (love that thing) allowed me to fill in shadows and helped freeze motion better.
Color temperature was matched between my flash and video lights by placing Rosco 1/4 CTO Gel over the flash. Custom white balance was then set in camera, resulting about 4300 K.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f2.5, 1/80 50mm lens on 5D

The Shoot:

The first day of the four-day shoot was going smooth. Except for a little adventure early on. At first I was worried that 3 minutes might not be enough to capture great images. So I decided to try shooting during the filming. My assistant rigged up a tall ladder and I climbed up with 70-200 f2.8 lens on top. Positioning myself high above the film and production crew. I set camera to silent mode and used live view to avoid mirror clopping sound. During the first roll I started quietly taking shots of the bartender interviewed. I knew I was far away enough from the boom not to mass up the sound. But after the first take the director started to refer to strange clicking he heard. DP told him she didn't hear a thing and sound engineer assured him that there is no unusual noise. But you can't fool the man. While canon is pretty quite in live view mode (mirror locked up ) the shutter still clicks a bit. Director started looking around and inquired who is making this sound. He was a bit agitated and was not about to give up. The reason he didn't see me is because I was about 3 feet above him on a ladder rig. The most natural and honest thing for me to do at that moment was to admit my clicking, apologize and let the shoot move on. But it was way to early in the game for me to mess up and get everyone's negative attention and start off the first day of collaboration on the wrong foot. I remained quiet hoping no one would look up. Sound engineer suggested that probably what director heard was the was something computer related. Director didn't buy it but moved on. That was pretty much the end of my “shooting with long lens during filming” idea.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f2.8, 1/125 50mm lens on 7D

Getting ready for the 3 minute spot:

Knowing that I did not have those back up shots put a bit of extra pressure on my 3 minute lime-light. To ensure that everything on my end was ready I communicated to the set dresser to provide us with a corresponding empty glass prior to the shoot. My assistant would then prepare the glass, which required: windex cleaning, dulling spray application, and sweat / mist application (water + glycerin 50/50 spray). I spent the stand buy time wisely during filming as I carefully observed the bartender during the interview, paying close attention to which angles of the face and body positioning were good and noticing how the talent responds to the direction of the director. I figured that if I only had a few minutes, I needed to step in as a continuation to what the director had already started. The talent was already warmed up, allowing me to jump on the same wave and ride it straight the the final shot.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f1.6, 1/125 24mm lens on 7D

Pit Stop:

Film crew was done with the first take and that meant showtime for us.We walked in fast and determined. My assistant carrying the hero glass and tools to work on the drink and me carrying a camera on each shoulder and an extra lens hanging on my belt. I instantly engaged with the bartender in the same tone of voice as the director, but with a even softer voice making him feel that this part was easy and more pleasant. I asked the bartender to make a fresh drink shooting him in action and giving him a direct direction. Switching from one camera to another. Occasionally swapping lenses. Shooting approximately one frame every second. Once the drink was ready, I asked bartender to pour into the hero glass. Propping fruit and the placement of Grey Goose bottle, took about 20 seconds. Usually at least 20 minutes required for that step. I took a few shots and heard the Sundance producer. “Sasha your time is up, we have to move on” I shot another 10-15 takes at the rate of a machine gun. Producer again mentioned that I have to get off the set. I complied.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f1.6, 1/125 50mm lens on 7D

For me, keeping track of time is not an easy task, when I am shooting, I am in the moment, in the dimension where time doesn't really exists. However, it became clear that 3 minutes is not really enough time. Making the drink took over 2 minutes. To Prep the drink, Style props and shoot the image under one minute is quite a challenging task. I thanked the bartender for his work and went off to talk to the producer.

Talk the talk:

Conversation was not flowing very smoothly. While both of us had an objective to keep the client very happy with the outcome of the project. Her main concern that filming goes smooth and on the schedule and I was a clear abstraction to her plan. My main concern was to deliver great images. Which was crucially jeopardized by the time limit imposed on me. I continued to roll smoothly and I constantly kept adding oil into the gears. Producer and I agreed that I would be given one minute warnings and it seemed to work fine.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f4.5, 1/80 50mm lens on 7D

Improving the Plan:

I eliminated the step of making the drink from scratch and reserved to pouring the already prepared drink into prepped glass and simply tweaking the details and glass décor. Bartender in action was limited to pouring and shaking etc... on request, not entire drink making coverage.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f1.8, 1/60 50mm lens on 5D

There was an instance when original drink was not usable as it had spills and fingerprints. Set dresser did not have an extra glass of that kind so original glass had to be cleaned and new drink to be made. This obviously consumed all my valuable minutes. Even before I started shooting I heard the producer say: “Sasha, you have two minutes”. At the moment when she told me my time was up I haven't still made my shot. But I kindly replied (without stopping shooting) that I never got a one minute warning. She pointed out that a two minute warning was given. I kept on shooting while kindly replying that she can't switch the time warning procedure on me all over the sadden, as we agreed on one minute warnings. She then pointed out that the 2 minute warning was actually given 3 minutes ago. At that moment I already felt that I had the shot.A combination of good humor and positive energy will get out of many situations and will buy you an extra minute, if that is what at stake.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f3.2, 1/200 24mm lens on 7D

Post-Production:

As there where about 150 final images and Ad Agency has a great retouching team, My post production was all done in lightroom. With a focus on sorting through 2000 takes and tweaking the color contrast and white balance.

photo by: Sasha Gitin | f4.0, 1/80 50mm lens on 7D

Conclusion:

At the end everyone was happy, filming was done on time. And client really loved my work. Hopefully next year I will have this gig again. But next time I will ask for 5-7 minutes. Really! When you are shooting a job all your previous experiences come into play. Understanding color temperature of film lights and gelling the flash correctly came from shooting behind the scenes on film sets. Being able to switch cameras and lenses fast came to me from my event photography experience. Working with talent came from years of shooting portraits. The ability to style props fast came from experience of product catalog photography and editorial jobs. Shooting food and drinks is my main trade and that part I have down to a science. Being able to interact in a friendly manner with clients and crew came from traveling and other life experiences which allowed me to improve my previously poor social skills.

When you have 3 minutes to get the shot done there is no room for thinking nor trial and error, it's only direct autopilot. Being the jack of all trades finally paid off.

To see all photos from that shoot visit Beyond the Bar Page
For all featured cocktail recipes click here.
Special thanks to Moosilvanya Ad Agency, the Grey Goose, the Sundance chanel, the film crew and all of you for reading.

Related Tutorials:

Challenge: Create two images. One: Environmental Portrait of a person performing her craft, and a second image: The still life of the outcome.

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a fabulous Food and Drink Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a very creative Commercial Photographer shooting advertising and editorial, based in Connecticut. Two humble guys trying to keep you educated and entertained. Connect with us via Facebook & Twitter

9 Fundamental Styles of Portrait Photography

Apr 03 2012 3:10 pm
Article by SASHA GiTiN

This month we continue our focus on portrait photography. Photography of people can be broken down into numerous categories. It is important for photographers to identify separate styles in order to choose the right creative direction for future projects. Being able to understand different styles will also help you to organize existing work in a portfolio. Below is a list of fundamental styles that relate to portrait photography.

1. Traditional portrait.

Traditional or Classical portraiture would refer to an image where face is the predominant element. The purpose of the photograph is to depict visual representation of that person. Subject is expected to be looking directly at the camera. With what is described as a head-shot, two thirds or full body framing can be used.

Photo by Sasha Gitin, Portrait of a Young Woman, 2007

2. Environmental Portrait.

The term Environmental Portrait refers to an image where the subject is photographed in person's natural environment. For example, a worker photographed at the construction zone, teacher in the classroom, sculptor in a sculpture studio and so on. Surroundings are used to compliment the subject and to emphasize his character. Subject and setting are chosen by the photographer.

Photo by Sasha Gitin, Fish Butcher

4. Candid Portrait.

A candid portrait istaken without a subject expecting or acknowledging the photographer. This style used in photo journalism, travel photography, street photography and event photography. As opposed to an environmental portrait this image is captured at the moment rather than set up.

Photo by Jeff Eagar, Lady in Market Vietnam

5. Glamor Portrait.

The term Glamor Portrait refers to portraits where emphasis is given to highlight the sexy romantic appeal of the subject. see : 5 ELEGANT LIGHTING SETUPS FOR MODEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo by Nick Carter

6. Lifestyle Portrait

The term Lifestyle Portrait refers to portraits where emphasis is given to suggest the "style of living" of the individuals depicted. Technically it is a combination of environmental portrait and candid portrait. More weight is given to communicate the feeling of life experience of the subject. Style has numerous implications in commercial and fine art photography. Editorial, fashion, pharmaceutical, and food industries often use lifestyle images to evoke emotions in viewers by depiction of desired life styles. It is common to see this style used in wedding and family portrait photography as well.

Photo by Sasha Gitin, Happy Family, 2009

7. Surreal Portrait.

Surreal Portraits are created to emphasize the other reality. A depiction of a person's interpreted subconscious mind. Surrealism is an art movement started in the early 1920's and still alive and well. In photography tricks and special effects are used to achieve a surreal look. VIDEO/ EBOOK: Photography Tricks and Special Effects

Photo by Evan Sharboneau. (LMS contributor and Author of Tricks and Special Effects)

8. Conceptual Portrait.

Conceptual Portrait refers to images where concept adds a fourth dimension. The hidden meaning of the concept will leave the viewer guessing as it is often open for interpretation. Conceptual artists generally get offended when asked what did they mean in their photograph. It is the job of the viewer to decide. Conceptual Portraits are often used in advertising photography but concepts are much easier to understand.

Photo by Constantin Gedal. "Untitled" 2007

9. Abstract Portrait.

Abstract portraits are created with a purpose of creating art and not based on realistic representation of a person. Collage or digital manipulation is often used.

Photo by Sasha Gitin. Portrait of Ura, 1999

Conclusion:

Styles Mentioned In this article are the basic principals of portrait photography. Each style or a combination of any can be applied to numerous categories. For example a wedding photographer can choose to use tradition style vs. candid, or glamor vs. lifestyle.

Next week we will look closely and all the specialty categories of portrait photography. Stay tuned.

What is your style of portrait photography? Post your image and identify your style.

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a fabulous Environmental Portrait Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a very creative Commercial Photographer shooting advertising and editorial, based in Connecticut. Two humble guys trying to keep you educated and entertained. Connect with us via Facebook & Twitter

Northern Light Portrait Photography Tutorial

Mar 14 2012 2:09 pm
Video by Robert Grant Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography tutorial will demonstrate how to create a portrait using north-facing window light.

Natural light is the easiest light to utilize in photography, but to master it might take a lifetime. Great portraiture photographers such as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Arnold Newman all favored natural light.

Photographs of people taken with natural light have a very unique look. These images create a straight forward honest feeling about the subject portrayed, welcoming the viewer to sense profound meaning.

With technologically advanced lighting equipment and numerous light modifiers easily available, some of the greatest artists of our time still prefer to work with natural light instead.

Richard Avedon, "June Leaf", sculptor, Mabou Mines, Nova Scotia, July 17, 1975

Albert Newman. "Pablo Picasso", Vallauris, France, 1954

Irving Penn. "Rudolf Nureyev" 1965

Constantine Gedal, "Untitled" from the House Series, 2011.

Robert Grant. Self Portrait, 2012

Northern Light.

Natural light can often be difficult to control. The main benefit about windows that are facing north is that no direct light enters the room throughout the day. Consistent light will aid mastering your skill as there will be less variables to deal with. No rapid jumps in light intensity or white balance. Just evenly diffused beautiful daylight throughout your shoot.

Self Portraiture

There are a lot of great reasons to dive into taking self portraits.

1: Model knows exactly what photographer wants (and vice versa)

2: Getting a model or a friend to collaborate might not be easy at times. Convincing yourself to pose will take less effort (in most cases)

3: It is always feels good to take photographs of person you love most. Right?

Recently we have published a review of an eBook by Anna Gay the Art of Self portraiture. Highly inspirational resource take a look at the video.

More Inspirational resources:

Avedon at Work: In the American West
"In the American West" is one of Richard Avedon's most interesting projects. He goes off to American West to create photographs of common folks. Staging his natural light studio in the middle of fields. This fascinating book tells how his work was done.

Arnold Newman, Five Decades.
Arnold Newman the pioneer of Environmental Portraiture. In this book his works are arranged chronologically. (book is out of print, look for used copies)

Irving Penn, The Small Trades
The Book consists of portraits of skilled trade people dressed in their work clothes and carrying the tools of their respective trades. Images taken in the 50th in Paris, London and New York. Really amazing works!

Related Tutorials:

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a fabulous Food Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a very creative Commercial Photographer shooting advertising and editorial, based in Connecticut. Two humble guys trying to keep you educated and entertained. Connect with us via Facebook & Twitter

Challenge: Create a portrait using only Natural Light. Post you image in comments using share your shot link.

FACES Book Review The Art Of Portraiture

Feb 29 2012 10:14 pm

Video by Robert Grant Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography book review.

Mastering portrait photography requires a lot of skill and time. Trial and error will get you there at some point. However it is always better to get on the right path at the start. The book Faces is a great resource to get started or to find new ideas. Not only it covers numerous fundamental and alternative lighting scenarios but also explains the psychology of interacting with your subject or a model.

Provided Lighting solutions range from minimal budget to full on studio setups, providing plenty of room to grow. Watch video above to see inside the book with Robert Grant.

Book Info:

Authors: Steve Biver and Paul Fuqua (Co-Authors of Light Science and Magic)

Paperback: 195 pages

Publisher: Focal Press; 1-st edition

To learn more or to get you copy click here (Amazon)

How to Create Appetizing Food Shot using your Window Light

Feb 14 2012 12:32 pm
Video by Robert Grant Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography tutorial will demonstrate how to shoot food using window light.

Achieving mouthwatering food photography can be quite a simple task. If all you have is you camera you can create gorgeous images using only your window light.

Using Window Light for Food Photography:

Earlier we discussed how to photograph food using natural light in the studio environment today we will show you how it can be done using small window at your own home or kitchen.Natural window light is used as back light to emphasize texture of the food.

Food Preparation and Styling

Successful food shot depends on food presentation as much as it does on lighting and composition. Take your time to make sure the food looks it's best when you cook it. Pay attention to details when plaiting your food. Previously we used professional food stylist and today Debra (Robert's wife) was talked into performing this important task.

Focal Point

Focal point is highly important part of food photography. You may use shallow DOF to help emphasize the most appetizing part of the image. Pay close attention to detail when preparing the food so you would have interesting activity happening in your focal point. When you focus your camera make sure the area of interest is in focus. The rest of the image can go soft.

Possible problem:

Not all prepared food can be shot only using window back light. While back light works really well on flat styled (presented) food, your food creation might be built vertically and the light would not able to wrap around it resulting in dark image.

Solution:

Simply bounce the light back using white fill card or reflector. To bounce hard light: mirror can be utilized.

Equipment needed:

Camera: DSLR preffered
Tripod: Central Column System Tripods recommended.
Diffusion material: Drafting Vellum Tissue.
Styling: Spouse can be utilized. You may also like to collaborate with a chef or aspiring food stylist.

Challenge: Food in Environment. Photograph food using natural window light. Pay attention to the styling and composition. Incorporate elements what would suggest environment / setting: Table-cloth, fork, glass of drink etc... Make sure your white balance is right on. Post you image in comments using share your shot link.

Photography Contest CLOUDS

Feb 10 2012 3:04 pm

CONTEST CLOSED:

The Winning Images Are:

First Place:

Rays of Light and Clouds, by Susanna Patras

Second Place:

Reflection, by Laurent Miaille

Third Place:

"Untitled" by Antti Ramstedt

CONGRATULATIONS !!!

Thank you everyone who participated! There were a lot of truly sublime images posted!

Entries must be submitted by March 1, 2012 (CLOSED)
Theme: Clouds

Submit a photograph where cloud(s) are the main subject
Giveaway Sponsor: SafeSync ( photo and data back up and storage)

First Prize: 3 Year 100gb Account with SafeSync ($450 Value)

Second Prize: 1 Year 100gb Account with SafeSync ($150 Value)

Third Prize: 1 Year 50gb Account with SafeSync ($90 Value)

About Prizes: SafeSync makes it easy to get access to your files from anywhere- all your photos, videos, Music or documents, anytime, from any device! Seamlessly sync files between your computers, smartphone, and tablet. Have all your photos securely backed up on a cloud server.

Judging:

Judging will be done using a secret ballot. Each image will be given points, Image with the most points wins.

Judges
Robert Grant: Commercial and Fine art Photographer (co-founder of LMS)
Sasha Gitin: Commercial and Editorial Photographer (co-founder of LMS)
Mayra Moreno: Art Educator (BFA in Photography and Masters in Art Education)
Carl Hebert. Fine Art Photographer and Photoshop Guru.

Rules:

Submit a photograph where cloud(s) are the main subject.
Must be your own photo.
Must be a recent photo. Not older then one year.
ONLY ONE PHOTO per entry. (please!)

Note: LMS reserves the right to remove submissions that do not meet the Rules above.

Start Shooting Some Clouds!

How to Submit your Image:

Log in to LMS or sign up for a free LMS account. Then use "share your shot" link in comments below. When the box opens, please click on the orange question mark for posting instructions ( read the instructions ! ). Your photo will instantly appear in comment section below with post.

Support contest sponsor: Check out: SafeSync

By Submitting your photo you are giving Learn My Shot.com And SafeSync (sponsor of the contest) the right to display your image in association with the promotion of this contest or in a showcase of winning images.

How to Create Repetition in Photography

Jan 31 2012 5:07 pm
Video by Robert Grant Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography tutorial will show you how to create repetitive composition.

Photography is a marriage of science and art. In this tutorial we would like to focus on the art aspect of photography.
Previously we discussed how to create photographic composition, today we would like to go deeper into fundamentals that can guide you to create a great image.

Principals of Photography.

Just as any other form of visual arts, photography is based on certain fundamental guidelines. There are 9 Principals of Art that relate to photographic creation:

Repetition a.k.a (Pattern & Rhythm)
Balance
Contrast
Movement
Proportion
Emphasis
Variety
Harmony
Unity

Today we would like to start with the principal of art called: Repetition.

Repetition: Is the movement or variation characterized by the regular recurrence or alternation of different quantities or conditions of an object, shape line or form.

Artistic creation is not a mechanical process and one should approach creating art based of rules. However it is important to identify principals and elements of art when evaluating your own work or the work of other artist that you admire. Identifying principals and elements will help see what made that particular image so attractive to you.

In your own creative process you will notice that while using a single Principal of Art you may consciously or subconsciously create a piece witch is in tune with other principals of art as well.

As an example lets evaluate Robert's Image (which was created in Video tutorial above) and see what principals are present:

photo by Robert Grant

Visual Evaluation based on Principals of Art

Repetition: (yes!) multiple objects of the same shape (6 while bowls) were positioned in a manner where they formed a pattern

Balance: (yes!) Composition was arranged in a way that no one part of a work overpowers, or seems heavier than any other part and asymmetrically balanced.

Contrast:(yes!) Dark shadows and bright highlight brought a lot of life into this image and added a lot of graphic interest.

Movement: (yes!) Directional Lighting and perspective helps the viewer's eye to move from darker to lighter tones until the eye temporally fixates on the blue bowl and softly exits the image following the highlights on the edges of bowls.

Proportion: (yes!) Using lower camera angle perspective was achieved to help create movement. The use of tele-photo lens helped to create an illusion of compressed perspective and thus to control proportions of the size of the bowls. This also helped to conceptually emphasize that one bowl is not more important then the other. (size doesn't matter but content does)

Emphasis: (yes!) the fact that there is water in one of the bowls has created a center of interest

Variety: (yes!) the blue color of water and the fact that one of the bowls was full not only created Emphasis (focal point) but also created a sense of alternation. Variety is always more interesting than repetition of the same.

Harmony: (yes!) It was achieved here because of the use similar objects throughout the work. The image created non-complicated pleasant look and feel.

Unity: (yes!) Effective use of the elements and principles of art led to a wholeness of the image (well done Dr. Bob!)

Conclusion:

Repetition was the main drive behind creating this image. But in the process of making this piece all of the principals of art were incorporated. In near future we will create tutorials emphasizing other principals and elements of art that can guide to creating beautiful images. Stay Tuned.

photo by Robert Grant

Tools used in video:

Vellum Diffusion Tissue Paper Roll
70-200 f4 L canon lens

Challenge for you: Create an image using repetition and pattern. You may set your own still life or capture repetitive composition present in nature or architecture. Post it here using Share your Shot Feature in Comments.

Traveling China Photo Essay by Jimmy Phua

Jan 24 2012 5:44 pm
Notes from LMS team: Finding a place to exhibit your work is one of the most challenging aspects of fine art photography. Here at LMS we would like to start exhibiting the work of our members in a form of a Photo Essays. Today we start with Jimmy Phua's " Traveling China". If you have a complete body of work that you would like to showcase on LMS, put it together in pdf file and send it to us for consideration. Once every month we will select and publish the most interesting one. Submit your photo assay to info@learnmyshot.com

Traveling China By Jimmy Phua:

In the year 2011, I took a trip to China. It was my first trip to that fascinating country. Before I embarked on my journey I did a little research about the history of places I was going to visit and made a good plan. Having a plan and knowing some background about a place will greatly enhance your photography experience.

Being able to tell a story through my photographs has always been the aim of my travel. It is important to observe and learn about your subject and it's environment before taking a photograph.

Temple of Heaven kept clean.

One of my favorite architectural structures in Beijing is The Temple of Heaven. It’s a place wherethe Emperor offered his sacrifice to the heaven for good harvest. The most fascinating thing about this temple is that it was made entirely of wood.

Lama Temple

Frame within a frame is simple technique used to isolate your subject. In the above photo Itried to frame it with the surrounding trees.

Confucius temple.

Elderly playing cards during their pastime along the walkway to the Temple of heaven

Forbidden city walkway, 2011 Jimmy Phua

The Forbidden City has been a subject for many photographers. In my photo I wanted do something different and highlight the line of perspective along the Forbidden walkway. I felt the crack on the floor made an interesting foreground .

Outside the Forbidden City, street vendors selling Chinese sausage

Tianjin is a small city about a 30 minute train ride southeast from Beijing. I love this city, it has a mix of European and Asian architecture. A great place to visit if you are visiting Beijing. If time is a factor for you, a day trip to Tianjin will be a bit easier to do.

Tianjin 2011

The Summer Palace was the biggest highlight of the entire trip. It was so peaceful and calm. I could understand why the Empress Dowager Cixi wanted to stay there.The palace offered numerous opportunities for photography. In truth, it’s a photographer’s haven.

Garden in the Summer Palace

I often like to include people in the photo to give a sense of the scale of the building.

This is one of the many Bridges in the Summer Palace.
A visit to China can never be completed without visiting one of the wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China. There are many sections of the Great Wall. The most visited section is the Badaling Great Wall. There is even a cable car ride to get you to the top. I wasn’t entirely impressed with such novelty. However, when the cart brought me up and I was able to face the Great Wall, I had forgotten all about the cheesy ride and was overwhelmed by the magnificence of the place.

Badaling Great Wall of China,

Tip for a pleasant photography trip:

Travel light and bring the gear that suits your shooting style. if you are a landscape photographer you might want to bring your wide-angle lens. However there are times where you want to photograph local people, then a portrait lens might come in handy.

Always bring extra memory cards and batteries. You will run out of juice faster than you can imagine. Travel is highly rewarding and enlightening. It helped me learn about places, get to know other cultures and improve my photography. Sharing images of my travels is the biggest reward. I want to thank Sasha and the rest of LMS team for allowing me to share my travel experience and images with LMS community.

Have you traveled recently? Please post your travel shot and share one of your tips.

This photo essay was shot by Jimmy Phua. Jimmy is an elementary school teacher from Singapore. Connect with Jimmy via Facebook

Learn My Shot is welcoming Photo Essays from members. To submit yours reach out via Contact Form

Backlighting Wedding Photography with Available Light

Jan 09 2012 10:52 pm

Video by Nick Carter. (an award winning wedding photographer in NYC area)

Backlighting is a great technique that can be used to create artistic images. A while back we demonstrated a backlighting technique with still life when the light was being projected onto background using continuous light source (clamp lamp). Today Nick Carter demonstrates (in video above) how to take advantage of available window light and use it as the main light-source.

Backlighting Technique

Light source should be behind the subject.

Tips:

To avoid flair the subject should block the light source completely.
If using back light that is projected from 135 to 180 degree angle the lens should have a lens hood attached to avoid flair.
Sometimes flair can ad a unique creative feel (disregard tip 1 and 2)

photo by Nick Carter

Backlighting technique can be used very effectively for any type of photography: Portraiture, still life, architectural, food, weddings... you name it.

Assignment: Create an image using back-light as your main light source. Post your Shot here using share your shot link in comments.

Learn My Shot is welcoming guest tutorials. To submit yours reach out via Contact Form

How to Photograph a Glass of Champagne with Sparklers

Dec 27 2011 4:21 pm
Video by Robert Grant Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography tutorial will show you how to photograph beverage with sparklers.

Learn My Shot launched exactly 2 years ago. On January 1st, 2010. It was born out of one conversation Robert and Sasha had in the studio. We were discussing some basic lighting techniques and the fact that none of those essential techniques were taught to us when we were in college studying photography (Robert 30 years ago and me 10 years ago). Robert then said lets make a website where we can demonstrate all these techniques, and Sasha said lets do it. Bang!!!

Usually when we work together we come up with a dozen ideas a day, but very few make it into reality. This one did! With some hard work and a lot of fun we published over 80 lessons and the site received more than a million visitors. And the more we post the more ideas we get. Stick around with us there is much more to come.

Remember, Learn My Shot is your home too! You are a big part of what it has become and you are the ones who direct where its going. Communicating, sharing images, commenting on each others' work and spreading the word is what's keeping LMS going.

Just to let you all know, in the next 3 months we will be working on improving some functionality and adding some new exciting features to the site.We are looking forward to have you aboard in 2012!

Happy New Year !!!
Sasha, Robert, Carl and the LMS Team

photo by Robert Grant 2 seconds, f32, 113mm, iso 100

Assignment: Shoot a glass of Champagne. Post your image below using "Share Your Shot feature in Comments"

Tools used in video:

Vellum Diffusion Tissue Paper Roll
70-200 f4 L canon lens

Related Tutorials:

Creating Photographic Composition

Dec 21 2011 12:11 pm
Video by Robert Grant Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography tutorial will show you how to create a well balanced photographic composition.

Composition Challenge: Deadline: December 31st, 2011 (CLOSED)

Winning Image is:

Congrats to Franco Scozzarella from Italy!!!

notes: Judges felt the image was really gracefully composed. Subject matter: Pomegranate is one of the most symbolic fruits. Ranging from being the "Fruit of the Dead in Ancient Greece" to "Sweetness of the Haven" in Christianity. In Islam it is parsed as an example of "Good things God creates". In Judaism and Hinduism pomegranate symbolizes "Fertility"
The choice of black background, natural surface and bright light on the fruit created a perfect balance of concept and composition.

Thank you all for participating !!! Choosing the wining image was not easy at all. Great work everyone!!!

Composition is one of the most important aspects of photography. No matter how gorgeous your lighting might be, or how unique your subject matter is, or how perfect your exposure might be, or even how great your camera and lens are, your shot will still suffer greatly if the image is lacking a good composition.

Do not worry. Composing your image is something that can be learned and significantly improved with time and experience. And by watching more LMS tutorials, they will definitely help you in this journey.

Two Ways to Photographic Composition

There are two ways to compose the shot. One way is to frame the composition that already exists. A second way is by creating your own composition from scratch. Bang!

Framing Existing Composition:

Great photographic composition already sits and waits there for you to capture it. In most cases you have no control over the subject or the environment. The photographer must be able to observe and figure out how to frame all the elements to create a perfect balance. Such compositional technique is generally used in documentary photography, landscapes, architectural, nature, macro, etc.. We will cover those techniques in upcoming tutorials.

Creating Your Own Composition:

Have your camera set up on tripod and build your composition from scratch. This technique will teach you to not only to observe carefully and closely, but will help you see and feel how shapes, lines, value, and negative space balance each other. When you are building your composition you are no longer an observer but also a creator. Creating your own composition is a truly sublime experience. In the video above Robert goes step by step and demonstrated the process.

Photo by Robert Grant

Million Dollar Advice:

Some of the best advice I received on the subject of creating a still life set was from a highly experienced food stylist, Karen Temple. She once told me a story about how on one of her very first jobs she was asked to make a large still life set. She was terrified and didn't know where to start. A veteran creative director sensed her anxiety and told her to just start doing it and “it will come to you as you go”. Now whenever I work with Karen she will push me back with her elbow eager to get to building a still life. There you have it, the secret to creating great still life is, “Just Start Working on It!”

Related Tutorials:

Challenge: “Dear Things.” The holiday season is the time of year when we reflect back on the past. Throughout our existence we tend to collect objects that keep memories. Here's the challenge. Compose multiple objects that are dear to you and create a balanced image.

Judges:

Robert Grant: Commercial and Fine art Photographer (co-founder of LMS)
Sasha Gitin: Commercial and Editorial Photographer (co-founder of LMS)
Mayra Moreno: Art Educator (BFA in Photography and Masters in Art Education)
Carl Hebert. Fine Art Photographer and Photoshop Guru.

Judging will be done using a secret ballot. Each image will be given points, Image with the most points wins.

Deadline: December 31th, 2011. Winner will be announced on this page, twitter, facebook and a special newsletter on January 2nd, 2012

How to Submit your Image:

log in to your account or sign up for a free LMS account. Then use "share your shot" link in comments. When the box opens, please click on the orange question mark for posting instructions (read instruction especially if posting from flickr).

Good Luck, and Have fun!

Winner will receive a copy of “Light Science and Magic” Book

Giveaway is generously provided by the Focal Press

Light Science and Magic Photography Book Review

Dec 13 2011 11:17 am
Video by Robert Grant Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography book review.

There are numerous photography books available and often it is difficult to make the right choice.
“Light Science and Magic" definitely stands out from the bunch.

Robert, in the video above, took a close look what the book is about.I have just a few things to add:

This book can get very technical covering scientific end of how light works in all sorts of situations. Do not expect to read this resource like a novel, unless you are like me and thrive on technical end of photography.

However the book is not created for photography rocket scientists only. It's designed the way that even complex concepts are illustrated in diagrams that any visual folks can understand easily.

“Light Science and Magic” fourth edition was just released at the end of 2011. All the info is up to date!

The bottom line: This book is a must have for every photographer and makes a great gift.Enjoy your read.

Book info:

Paperback: 326 pages
Publisher: Focal Press
4 edition (2011)
Language: English (available in many other languages)
Co Authored by: Fil Hunter, Paul Fuqua, Steven Biver

For more info or to purchase click here (Amazon)

Holiday Season Photography Ideas and Tips

Dec 10 2011 2:47 pm
Images by Robert Grant and Evan Sharboneau, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography ideas and tips to create beautiful photographs during the holidays.

Contest: "Christmas Photo" WIN $500 details below the article

The upcoming Holidays can offer a lot of photographic opportunities. Today we would like to suggest a few Ideas and tips to keep your creativity flowing.

Winter Landscape.

photo by Robert Grant. ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f8.0, 85mm lens

Snowy landscapes are always magical and unique. These photographs make great prints to hang on the wall or printed as a Holiday card. Winter landscapes always make a fine addition to any landscape portfolio.

Tips for winter landscape photography:

Keep it warm. Wear gloves, so your frost-bitten fingers will not give up before your artistic energy wears out.

Exposure Compensation: Your camera would suggest exposure based on neutral gray. But the snow is about full stop brighter then neutral grey and pictures often end up darker. If shooting in any of automatic modes go to your camera menu and set Exposure Compensation to +1. (refer to you camera manual how to set exposure compensation)

Condensation: When bringing your camera back indoors it"s best to let it de-condense naturally by taking it out of the bag and removing lens cover for about 10 minutes. (Condensation is happening when you bring optical gear from cold to warm temperature)

Print and Frame your masterpiece and then hang it above the mantle. Looking at a snowy landscape will make you feel even warmer and cozier.

This brings us to the next idea: The Fireplace.

Fireplace.

photo by Robert Grant.

Tips for photographing the Fireplace:

First Set the exposure that will show fire at it's best. See our previous tutorial: How to photograph fire.

Once your exposure for fire is set add a second light source to light your subject: it could be a pop up flash or strobe or clamp lamp (whatever your preferred light source is)

Ornaments.

photo by Robert Grant

Tips to photograph Christmas Ornaments:

Use very shallow depth of field to separate your subject from the background.

Experiment with soft focus filters video below:

Unconventional Techniques:

photo by Evan Sharboneau

Take your pictures over the edge using unconventional techniques:Video: 4 Unconventional Christmas Lights Photo Techniques.

Contest: Christmas Photo

Submit your photo to a Contest and win $500.

Our Friends at Storwell Self Storage are holding a contest. The contest is free to enter and the winner gets $500
Note: this contest is NOT an LMS contest so to submit your photos please go here.

Contest description:
The holiday season is once again around the corner and while we all spend our time focusing on organizing our Christmas feasts and celebrations there are many people out in the cold living on the streets with hardly enough food to survive. In an attempt to help the homeless and families who cannot afford food this holiday season, we will be donating $1 to the Daily Bread food bank for every entry that is made. We are also offing a grand prize of $500 to the person who's photo gets the most votes.

Requirements:
It could be a cute photo of your pet dressed up as a rain deer, a photo of your elaborate Christmas light decorations, or perhaps a photo of your exceptionally decorated Christmas tree.As long as it is justifiably related to the holiday season, simply take a photo of it and upload it here.
For rules visit http://www.storwell.com/christmas-photo-contest-rules

Dead line: Jan 6th, 2012 at exactly 12:01PM the photo with the most votes wins! Simple as that.

Enter contest here

Happy Holidays an Merry Christmas !!!

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Featuring photo "Unconventional Christmas" by PhotoExtremist. Author of "Trick and Special Effects Photography Techniques". The photography contest by Storwell Self Storage - storage facility in Toronto, with locations in Mississauga and Scarborough.

50mm f1 8 Prime Lens Review

Dec 06 2011 2:08 pm

_{^{Review by Carl Hebert}}

^{_{Read this 50mm 1.8 lens review to learn the reasons why they are so good.}}Welcome to our second installment on Holiday Ideas. This review will be on 50mm f1.8 prime lenses:

Canon 50mm f1.8 , Nikon AF 50mm f1.8d, Nikon AF-S 50mm f1.8g , Sony SAL-50F18 50mm f1.8 DT

Why a 50mm f1.8?

Why would you want a 50mm f1.8 lens in the first place? There are many reasons: One: they deliver high quality images and Two: They are really inexpensive. These lenses range from around $120 for the Canon, $150 for the Sony and Nikon has two, one for $125 and the other for $220. The color contrast and sharpness of the lens are actually very good for the price you are paying. Consider that the Canon f1.2 L version is $1500 and you start to see what a great value these lenses represent.

The third reason you would want one, especially on one of the newer all plastic camera bodies, is the weight. These are super light lenses.

The Canon 50mm f1.8 MKII weighs in at only 4.6oz (130g) the lightest of all of Canon’s current lens lineup. When I had this on my Canon 60D it felt like a feather compared to my Canon 5d without a lens on it.

Nikon has two and the 50mm f1.8g is the newest one and it comes in at only 6.6oz (187g) and the older f1.8d is 5.5oz (156g)

Sony’s 50mm f1.8 DT is in between the newer Canon and Nikon lenses at 6oz (170g)

The fourth reason is the speed of the lens. A 50mm at f1.8 will give you 2 stops more to open up versus a typical kit lens. This could really make a difference in a low light situation such as a party or other event where a flash isn’t allowed. This speed also makes this a great video lens to use on all the new DSLRs that also have video capabilities.

Some technical tidbits

We will now go over a few of the numbers and technical aspects of each lens just to give you some basic info.

Weight:

Canon – 4.6oz (130g)
Nikon g – 6.6oz (187g)
Nikon d – 5.5oz (156g)
Sony – 6.0oz (170g)

Diaphragm Blades (more is generally better for bokeh):

Canon – 5
Nikon g – 7
Nikon d - 7
Sony – 7

Filter Size:

Canon – 52mm
Nikon g – 58mm Nikon d - 52mm
Sony – 49mm

Aperture Range:

Canon – f1.8 to f22
Nikon g – f1.8 to f16Nikon d - f1.8 to f22
Sony – f1.8 to f22

Ergonomics

All four lenses felt about what you paid for them.

The Canon 50mm f1.8 MKII was extremely light and felt cheap. The focusing ring was not easy to use as I kept grabbing the barrel and the ring at the same time. Hopefully on the MKIII they will make that ring a bit easier to grab. The autofocus switch was on the left hand side and easy to use with your thumb while shooting.

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8g was by far my favorite as far as focusing goes. It was quiet and the focusing ring is a nice wide ribbed band that made it easy to find and use. It also had the most solid feel to it, which was probably due to it also being the heaviest. The autofocus was also easy to use with just your thumb while shooting.

The older sibling Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f1.8d felt a lot like the Canon 50mm f1.8 MKII although the focusing ring on the front was raised and easier to use then the Canon one. You will want to double check and make sure this will work on your Nikon camera as the auto-focus will not work with all of their cameras.

The Sony SAL-50f18 50mm f1.8 DT lens felt cheap, but handled great. The focusing ring, although smooth, was easy to use. The auto-focus was a bit slow at times and noisy. The Autofocus switch was easy to use with your thumb while shooting.This one is only works on the non-full-frame Sony cameras.

The Wow Factor

All the lenses get a WOW! due to the low cost of each of them.
Canon 50mm f1.8 MKII:

WOW! on this lens is the super lightweight. It was the lightest and cheapest of all the lenses.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8g:
WOW! was the wonderful feeling I had holding this lens. It was the most expensive, but it also had the best feel to it.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f1.8d:Wow! Another lightweight lens. If you are looking to buy a 50mm for your Nikon this one gives the most bangs for the buck. Although I would recommend you go for the newer version if money is not an issue as it has the newer glass and better build.

Sony SAL-50F18 50mm f1.8 DT:
Wow! Again a really lightweight lens and the bokeh was extremely nice.

Summary

When I used my Canon 50mm f1.8 MKII for the first time I was pleasantly surprised at how well the images were with such an inexpensive and cheap feeling lens. It is not called the plastic fantastic for nothing. After using the other lenses I have gained even more respect for the nifty-fifties and recommend them to everyone. They are unobtrusive and not as in your face as a typical zoom. People will not feel as intimidated if you have one of these on your camera. They are light and inexpensive, so they won’t break your budget. They make for a great video lens because of the ability to open up to 1.8 for low light conditions.

Click on the corresponding links below to view technical details or make a purchase:
(sometimes price is better on Amazon sometimes at Adorama)

Prices and Tech Info:

Canon 50mm f1.8 at Amazon click here
Canon 50mm f1.8 at Adorama click here

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f1.8d at Amazon click here
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f1.8d at Adorama click here

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8g at Amazon click here
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8g at Adorama click here

Sony SAL-50F18 50mm f1.8 DT: at Amazon click here
Sony SAL-50F18 50mm f1.8 DT: at Adorama click here

Obviously if you have a canon camera you get a canon lens, nikon lens for a nikon and sony for sony. However is you haven't gotten a new camera yet read our previews review: DSLR Camera Kits Under $500

If you have one of these lenses or have used one in the past please post a comment! If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see in the upcoming reviews please email us here. Have great Holidays!

This article was written by Carl Hebert. Carl is an associate of LearnMyShot.com, Professional Photographer and Photoshop Guru.

Food Photography Tutorial using Natural Window Light

Nov 29 2011 2:56 pm

Video and Article by SASHA GiTiN: Food Photographer based in New York.
In this food photography tutorial we introduce how to use diffusion when using window light. Includes tips on how to create steam on soup.

Last week we introduced the basic concept of how to photograph food. Today we would like to explore a more advanced yet simple technique of photographing food using natural window light.

'Gumbo" photo by Sasha Gitin, Food Styling by Maria L. Rodriguez.

Food Loves Natural Light.

If I can use natural light I will as it is always my first choice. Using natural light is not as easy as it seems. It took me years before I could master this technique. The main benefit of using natural light there is no need for lighting equipment. Here are some tips that will help you to overcome some of the problems.

Tips On Using Natural Light:

Problems you might experience using natural light and the solutions.

Problem 1: Inconsistent color.

On cloudy days color temperature can jump sporadically every minute, shifting white balance from 4800 to 6500 degrees.

Solution: White diffusion should be used.

On overcast days I use: Tough Silk Diffusion. (a really fine thin diffusion that keeps light in a beam and fine tunes white balance)

On sunny days (Indirect light / north exposure) I use Opal Tough Frost (light diffusion, it keeps the beam focused and white balance leveled)

On sunny days (direct sunlight) I use Tough White Diffusion (thick diffusion keeps light evenly diffused) or Tough Frost (also thick diffusion but keeps beam more focused at the center and makes the image a bit less flat compared to Tough White)

Note: White balance should still be checked and fine-tuned before taking your final shot.

Problem 2: Only one light source (Sun) is used.

When we are in need of extra light you generally add another light, right? Having the sun as your light source limits you to a single source.

Solution: Light can be bounced back onto dark areas (when needed) using a white card or white bouncer. Mirrors can also be utilized to bounce sharper directional light. See basic use of reflector: Still Life Photography with Natural Light

Problem 3: The shoot can run out of light.

The sun is not going to work overtime.

Solution:

Plan accordingly and keep track of time. It’s always a good idea to have a backup light (tungsten or strobe) just in case. With the camera on a tripod shooting is still possible as the sun is setting by controlling the exposure using very slow shutter speed.

Problem 4: Motion Blur.

When shooting with diffused natural light. Your exposure might require slow shutter speeds.

Solution: Use a tripod. Consider using the mirror lock up function in your camera to minimize camera shake, also consider using a remote trigger.

Notes on soup steam: Steam can be captured naturally without using cigar smoke. But be prepared to shoot within 15 seconds of the soup hitting the set. Also, a lower angle is preferable when emphasizing steam. Dark backgrounds will help steam show up better. (I had very specific angle instructions for the shot in the video above)

Sometimes steam can play against you as it will diminish the color and appeal of fresh beautiful ingredients. If you are shooting a job for a client it always good to shoot both versions with and without.

Conclusion:

Take control of the natural light and treat the sun as you would any other type of photographic light source. Do not forget to have fun and enjoy your meal.

Photography Equipment Used in The Video:

Camera: Canon 7d , Lens: Canon 24-70mm f2.8 L, Diffusion: Rosco Opal Tough Frost

Assignment: Shoot your food using window light. Post results here using “Share Your Shot” feature in comments

Related Tutorials:

How to photograph food

Liquid and Splash Photography

Tips on Shooting Overhead

How to Create Artificial Sunlight In Studio

How to photograph With Diffusion in Direct Sunlight

This article was written by Sasha Gitin co-founder of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a NYC Food Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Connect via Facebook, & Twitter

Soup Styling by Maria L Rodriguez a Food Stylist in New York

DSLR Camera Kits Under 500 Review

Nov 28 2011 12:44 am

_{^{Review by Carl Hebert}}

^{_{Read this camera review to learn which DSLR camera under $500 is for you.}}

Here at Learnmyshot we decided to put together some reviews of products that I hope will give you ideas for the upcoming holidays. These reviews will not be super technical in origin. I want us to focus more on usability and cool features. How does the product feel in our hands? Do the controls seem easy to use and in logical places? What made us go “Wow!”

As these reviews progress we will of course be taking your feedback into improving future articles. If you have experience with one of the items we are reviewing please leave your own mini review in the comments section at the end of the article.

Our first article is on DSLR kits for under $500. These kits include a camera body and some version of a zoom lens. The three kits we are going to review are Canon’s Rebel T3, Nikon’s D3000 and Sony’s A390.

What’s in the Box?

All three kits are very similar when the contents of the box are revealed. Each comes with a camera body, 18-55mm zoom lens, lithium-ion battery, battery charger, camera strap, interface cable, software CD and lens & body caps. One of the differences was in the Nikon D3000 box, which also included a dust cover for the hot-shoe and for the viewfinder. Nice additional accessories that will help keep those areas a bit cleaner in the long run. Also, what was noticeable and slightly annoying in an entry level DSLR kit is the lack of an SD card so you can shoot with your new camera! With the relative low cost of these cards now-a-days it would just be nice if one was included.

They all have the basics covered in the box and you only need to pick up an SD card to begin shooting.

Some technical tidbits

We will now go over a few of the numbers and technical aspects of each camera just to give you some basic info on the cameras.

Sensor/Megapixels:

Canon – 12.2mp cmos sensor
Nikon – 10.2mp ccd sensor
Sony – 14.2mp ccd sensor

ISO Range:

Canon – 100-6400
Nikon – 100-3200
Sony – 100 -3200

Shutter Speed:

Canon, Nikon & Sony – Bulb & 1/4000 to 30sec

Weight (body & kit lens):

Canon – 696g/1.5lbs
Nikon – 750g/1.7lbs
Sony – 699g/1.5lbs

LCD Size:

Canon – 2.7” 230k pixels has live view
Nikon – 3.0” 230k pixels does not have live view
Sony – 2.7” 230k pixels has live view & tilts Image

Stabilization:

Canon & Nikon – Lens has stabilization
Sony – Camera has image stabilization

Ergonomics

All three cameras felt comfortable while holding them. The Nikon kit lens had a noticeable heft to it compared to the other two and that of course translated into the Nikon D3000 feeling a little more substantial. This is of course a personal observation as I am used to hauling around heavier cameras and glass. I feel that the light weight of these cameras will be much appreciated on the go.

The larger screen on the Nikon was great for seeing what you shot, but it did not have a live view mode. The lack of live view is not much of a hindrance, because I find I use it mostly for video and the Nikon and Sony do not shoot video, whereas the Canon T3 shoots 720p HD video.

The control layout was pretty similar among the three. All had the on/off switch on the right hand side for easy access when held up for a shot. The Sony A390 has the mode dial on the left which I like, but I think only because I am used to that dial being over there on my other cameras. The control wheel of the Nikon D3000 is on the back, so you can use your right thumb to use it. The Canon T3 has it on the right front top where you use your index finger to change settings with the shutter button in front of it. The Sony is on the front also, but in front of the shutter button.

Overall they all felt great to use and I was impressed with how far the Sony and Canon grips have come from their earlier models. I recall my first experience with a Canon Rebel and feeling like I was pinching it rather than holding it. If I was to choose a favorite from them for comfort and ease of use I would lean towards the Canon T3, but again I clarify that statement with saying I am a long-time user of Canon and the controls are in familiar places. If I used either of the other two for an extended length of time I am sure they would both be as comfortable and easy to use.

The Wow Factor

Now it is time for the part that I enjoy the most! That is finding the features that make me go – “WOW!”

Canon Rebel T3

Number one is that this camera shoots HD video! If you want a DSLR that shoots stills and video for under $500 this is the camera for you! Only thing that could make this better is if it could shoot in 1080i/p.

Number two WOW! on this camera is the 6400 ISO! Granted it will add noise to your shot, but that is better than no shot!

Nikon D3000:

Number one WOW! was the in camera image editing feature. I couldn’t stop playing with it! I was simply amazed at how many options it had for editing.
The second thing that made the WOW! list was the larger LCD screen on the back. Anyone who has upgraded to a larger TV or computer monitor knows what I am talking about. A larger screen just makes it easier to see the details in your image. It also makes it easier for your friends to compliment your wonderful photos later!

Sony A390:

Number one for the Sony is the 14.2 sensor! That’s a 15% improvement over the Canon T3 and 30% over the Nikon D3000! This basically will allow you to enlarge your photos more before you see degradation in the image.
Number two WOW! is the tilting LCD screen on the back! It tips up or down for both high and low shots. I have to say that after using this camera with the tilt back you will wonder how you lived without it.
Say What!? A third WOW! for the Sony A390! This is for all the people who are frustrated with auto-focus in live view or should I say the lack of. This camera has a surprisingly fast auto focus mode while in live view. It virtually eliminates that little delay you get from most cameras while trying to shoot in live view.

Summary

When I started doing this review I thought a clear winner would pop out. I was leaning towards the Canon Rebel T3, because I use Canon myself. Then again Nikon has been such a successful brand I figured it would also have a great chance of being tops, but the Sony was surprisingly well made and had some great features that the others did not have.

It comes down to what you are looking for, I would recommended any of these based on the results I got from using them, but if you want video in your DSLR then you have to go with the Canon Rebel T3. If you want live view you can go with the Canon Rebel T3 or the Sony A390(with tilt!). Want to be able to do some in camera editing? You should go with the Nikon D3000.

If you want to brag about the number of megapixels you have then you need the Sony A390 with its 14.2mp sensor. Want to have the largest selection of lenses to choose from? Go with either the Canon Rebel T3 or the Nikon D3000 each has over 160 available.

Granted there are better cameras out there in many aspects, but the purpose of this review was to show you some DSLR cameras for the holidays for under $500. Again if you have one of these kits or have used one in the past please post a comment! If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see in the upcoming reviews please email me.

For pricing and technical specs check Amazon: Canon Rebel T3, Nikon D3000, Sony A390

Have great Holidays!

This article was written by Carl Hebert. Carl is an associate of LearnMyShot.com, Professional Photographer and Photoshop Guru.

How to Photograph Food

Nov 21 2011 5:50 pm

Article by SASHA GiTiN: Food Photographer based in New York.
In this hands-on article we introduce the art of food photography. Includes tips and instructional tutorial videos.

Earlier this month we discussed how to boost your creativity and to find your photography niche. Today I will introduce my favorite genre: The art of photographing food.

Introduction to Food photography:

What makes food photography exceptionally unique is the fact that the goal behind every photo is to reflect the appetizing factors of your subject and to engage your viewer's taste buds.

Photo by Sasha Gitin, Styling by Janine Kalesis. Published in "The Gourmet Bachelor" Cookbook.

How to create an appetizing image:

First let’s look at all the possible variables that we associate with food. For many of us food has to pass three tests before we determine its deliciousness.

Look, Smell and Taste.

Photo by Sasha Gitin, Styling by Janine Kalesis. Published in "Cooking With Love" Cookbook.

The Look of food: Visual Appearance of the subject is the variable that can be controlled by the photographer. But let’s break it down into categories.

Preparation / Styling: Food is just like a model. If you start with a highly appealing dish or a beautiful fruit it is equivalent to working with a professional model.Take your time preparing the food. Choose good looking ingredients.If you are not a cook collaborate with a chef or a food stylist or your spouse (as a last reserve).

Photo by Sasha Gitin, Styling by Janine Kalesis.

Color: Color reproduction is one of the most important factors. When we look at food the color tells us if the food is fresh. For example If the food is expected to be white like sword fish, but has a blue, magenta or other unhealthy looking color tone, the viewer will automatically become repulsed by the image as she would to the actual dish.True white balance is the key. Set your camera to custom white balance. If you are shooting raw make sure to shoot a white or grey card and pick a white balance point using Adobe Camera Raw or whichever raw processing software you might be using. Grey card: After trying dozens of white balancing cards cards, I found the following two to deliver the most accurate white balance: WhiBal and Qp101 Cards. White point can be picked using raw processing software Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom, or Raw capture software that came with your camera. In Video below Robert will demonstrate how to set Custom White Balance:
How to Set Custom White Balance (VIDEO by Robert Grant):

Taste: Taste is the most important factor in our food experience. Image alone however cannot translate taste directly. Try licking your computer screen right now. Yummy? I didn't think so. Since taste cannot be translated onto the image we need to look for other variables we can associate with our food indulging experience. Texture would be one of them. Texture: Evaluate your model (food), if you were to eat it what texture would you expect? With lighting we can emphasize the texture.

Photo by Sasha Gitin, Styling by Janine Kalesis.

Texture: Meat, Fish, Bread, and Cheese all have grain or flakes that can suggest how it will feel against the tongue. Light your subject to bring out the texture. See our previous tutorial: How to Light for Texture

Smell: Obviously we cannot reproduce the smell with the camera. On the bright side we do not have to! The human brain has the unique ability to fill in the gaps. If the food already passed the color and texture tests our brain will assume how it will taste and smell based on our previous food experience. Steam from hot food can also accentuate this and the viewer will subconsciously sense the smell filling up the air. Next week we will look into creating steam to emphasize hotness.

Photo by Sasha Gitin

Choice of Lens: My favorite range to work in is 50 to 135 mm. With 75% of the work shot at around 100mm. The lens should have macro capability. However instead of investing in an expensive macro lens you might like to start with a simple 11, 12 or 13mm extension tube. (See our previous tutorial - How to Photograph using Extension Tubes.)

Photo by Sasha Gitin, Styling by Maria Rodriguez.

Composition and Angle: Framing your Shot is crucially important. Carefully observe your subject. Be aware to lines and shapes and frame according to your gut feeling. To give you an idea take a look at my article published by dPS - 11 Great Angles for Food Photography.

Next week I will invite you into the studio during an editorial food shoot and show you how to photograph food using natural light and special diffusion. Also I will demonstrate a technique of adding steam to maximize deliciousness of hot food. Stay tuned.

To see more Samples of Food Photography please visit Sasha's freshly updated Food Photography Portfolio

Assignment: “Shoot Your Dinner” Photograph your meal and post your shot here using “Share Your Shot” feature in Comments. (if you are new to the site click on the orange question mark in upload box for posting instructions)

This article was written by Sasha Gitin co-founder of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a New York Food Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Connect via Facebook, & Twitter

How to Photograph Shoes

Nov 07 2011 2:16 pm
Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography tutorial video demonstrates how to photograph shoes.

Last week we explored the options a photographer can take to boost up her creativity and overcome a Photographer's Block. One of the options we talked about was to find an interesting object in your everyday environment and take it out of it''s context.
This week Robert Grant himself took on the challenge and came up with a great subject to shoot: His old work boots (See video above) This gave us a great idea for a challenge:

Challenge: SHOOT YOUR SHOE Deadline: November 20th, 2011 (CLOSED)

Winning Image is: "My Base"

Congrats to Arun Padala from New Zealand!!!

Contest:

Create an image featuring your shoes. Be creative, Authentic and Fun. Shoot your own shoes to tell your story. Images must be recent.

Judges:

Robert Grant: Commercial and Fine art Photographer (co-founder of LMS)
Sasha Gitin: Commercial and Editorial Photographer (co-founder of LMS)
Mayra Moreno: Art Educator (BFA in Photography and Masters in Art Education)
Carl Hebert. Fine Art Photographer and Photoshop Guru.

Judging will be done using a secret ballot. Each image will given points, Image with the most points wins.

Deadline: November 20th, 2011. Winner will be announced on this page, twitter, facebook and a special newsletter on November 21st

How to Submit your Image:

log in to your account or sign up for a free learnmyshot account. Then use "share your shot" link in comments. When the box opens, please click on the orange question mark for instructions.
Good Luck, and Have fun!

How to Resurrect Your Photographic Creativity

Nov 02 2011 5:35 pm

Article by SASHA GiTiN
in this story we give tips on how to overcome photographer's block.

Photographers just like any other type of artists are not immune from having a creative block. There are often posts across photography forums where people express their frustration about loosing interest for photography or not being able to find that spark that made them pick up the camera in the first place.

Photographer's block

The photographer's block happens to most of us and it occasionally comes back without a warning. Here are some common issues:

Can not find an interesting subject to photograph?

Try to find something unique in the most common object. Look around, try to see ordinary objects in a different way. Take the subject out of it's context / environment and give it a whole new meaning.

Travel to a place that has interesting architectural structures or appealing landscapes (might be just on the other side of town).

Just stroll around your neighborhood and find something new in environment which you see everyday.

Play with different focal length. If you are used to shooting with a medium range (50-70mm), then try shooting with a long telephoto or wide angle instead and vise versa. Or attach some extension tubes and go macro (with Macro you can shoot entire new portfolio within 5 yards radius).

What to do with all these photos?

That's another common obstacle photographers face: what to do with images? Do I need another landscape shot? Do I need another macro flower shot? Or another water drop? The solution to this situation is to find an outlet for your images.

Have you considered actually printing them? With digital photography, most images do not make it outside the computer. (One megapixel cameras would be sufficient for that, by the way.) How about decorating your house or office? Or how about getting holiday presents to friends and family in the form of a framed fine art photograph? Having developed an outlet will help you to find your own creative direction and get on the path.

Self assigned photography projects: Projects require a theme. “ Color Red”, “Windows”, “People with Tattoos” “Clouds” (I bet, if you spend a few months shooting clouds, you will have the most amazing body of work. “Dogs and their Owners” Anything that might fascinate you.

photo by Sasha Gitin, Mary and Jesus, Bolivia

I remember (some 10 years ago) after a few months of traveling, I started loosing interest in travel photography as it became a mantra: landscape number 126, donkey number 19, colonial building number 58...you get the point.) One day, I naturally came up with a project. I became fascinated with sculptures of Saints and Jesus found in Catholic churches in Mexico and South and Central Americas.What intrigued me the most was the way sculptures were portrayed, expressing pain so vividly that it seemed that Jesus just walked out of Mel Gibson's movie Passion of Christ. I worked and focused on that theme for about four years. Every time I arrived to a new town, I anticipating entering a church and conducting my visual study. I still shot plenty of donkeys and sunsets but my photography, with a focused theme had a purpose and made my travel experience more interesting.

photo by Sasha Gitin, Atlixco, Mexico

See and Create.

Photography is as much about seeing as it is about creating. Some photographers are great at observing and capturing images that are already there waiting for them to be claimed. Others create images by setting up scenes using objects and/or collaborating with people to create their own story. If you are into creating images it might be a good idea to switch for a day and go out there and shoot some street portraits or architecture. Or vise versa: if you are a documentary or a people photographer try shooting some still life for a day. You will be amazed what you will learn about your own creativity and new ideas will sure start hatching.
You may browse our library of over 70 tutorials to get some good ideas, that's what we are here for.

We asked the question “How to overcome photographer's block" to our fans on facebook page. And here are few suggestions folks shared:

@Ugogurl just do more random shooting... something usually clicks

@Cindee Music and nature always inspire me, but whenever I feel like I'm in a funk I sometimes look to the work of others. I find that I can quite often be inspired and come up with something original without having to copy them. :)

@Momen I joined a local photography club and we meet regularly, that inspires us all with new ideas. I also participate in photography competitions. The best work I have is that I photograph to enter a contest, although I never won anything so far, but trying alone indeed improves me already!

@Spike Sometimes I look through Flickr or other photo sites for inspiring shots. I like the idea of a photo club though. If not for my wonky work schedule, I'd love to join or even create one locally.

Let's continue this conversation. Please share your solution to Photographer's block. And if you are having one right now try to overcome it and post your new images here Using “Share your Shot” feature in comments.

Next week Robert Grant will post a video showing how he deals with his artist's block. Update: Photographer's Block video by Robert is here.

This article was written by Sasha Gitin co-founder of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a New York Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Connect via Facebook, & Twitter

Occupy Wall Street Photography Experience

Oct 18 2011 6:37 pm

Article by SASHA GiTiN
in this story Sasha shares his experience stepping into Occupy Wall Street Protest.

When history unfolds photographers are there to document the events. I am not just talking about photographers who are employed by media organizations. I am talking about about shooters like you. When visual testimony of historic events is being recorded by a photographer who is there on assignment his first responsibility is to please the client which is in most cases is a large news corporation which at it's core leans towards some kind of agenda.

News Distributors. photo by Sasha Gitin, Zuccotti Park October 17th 2011

Who is in charge of the news?

Nowadays news is no longer owned by powerful corporations but is produced by individuals and can be distributed through twitter and other social media platforms. Bits and pieces of self published information create the big picture. Self published news is often more accurate, more recent and more honest than those produced by mainstream media and ironically big news organizations are tuning to twitter or facebook to get their content. Never before in history photographers had a chance to distribute their images to the masses without being affiliated to any kind of organization. Now you can if your image tells a story and is relevant, it will be shared with the world instantly.

Human Microphone. photo by Sasha Gitin, Zuccotti Park October 17th 2011

Occupy Wall Street Protest:

Yesterday, on my way home after a studio shoot I decided to stop by wall street and see what Occupy Wall Street was all about. My intention was not to go there to photograph the event but simply to satisfy my own curiosity.

Photography Gear:

Just in case I grabbed a Canon 7d body with 50mm 1.8 lens (great lens by the way, inexpensive and to the point). Before making a first step I set the exposure to be ready.

TIP : Always set the exposure before before even seeing your shot. If you are not sure what lighting conditions are going to be at location set your camera to automatic mode based on your needs. This way you will not miss your first shot.

Kids Talk, Wise Men Listen. photo by Sasha Gitin, Zuccotti Park October 17th 2011

Exposure:

It was past 7pm and the sun was long gone. I figured that at the park the lighting is going to be similar to what it is anywhere else on the streets. The exposure I set to: Shutter speed of 1/80 sec (just enough for me to avoid motion blur) f-stop set to f-1.8. I new I would have to be very careful with focus. At f-1.8 there is no room for error. ISO was set to 3200. It's higher then I would like it to be but I am not against grain and at night that is the only way you can get away without using flash.

Zuccotti Park

That day, on October 17th 2011, Occupy Wall Street protest had its one month anniversary. As most of us, I have heard about this protest on the radio and read about in newspapers and online and have seen bits of photos and video clips here and there (I threw away my TV about 10 years ago so television is not my source of information). Based on all that information I had a picture in my mind what the protest is about. However that picture turned out to be very different from reality. I thought that the whole downtown was blocked and everyday day life was completely disturbed. To my surprise there were no signs of distress anywhere in wall street area. Only when I approached the Zuccotti Park some out of ordinary activity was happening even though it seemed quite mild. The park, which is really tiny by the way, at first glance looked like a community of homeless people.

I have seen many camp-in protests in Mexico City and Oaxaca and those protests in Mexico had a very sophisticated shelters and everything was very well organized and coordinated. Americans are definitely amateurs when it comes to organizing protests especially when compared to the third world countries, but it seems that we are catching up pretty fast. When I came close to the corner of the park where speaking was taking place the energy began to feel very vibrant and surprisingly pleasant.I felt that I was back in 1917 in Tzar Russia on the verge of Socialist Revolution. However the rhetoric was not communist at all, just the energy and details had a strong suggestion that we are set 100 years ago. No amplified sound, pamphlets are being distributed , hand made signs and the presence of a tribe that gathered together to stand up against what they believe is wrong. There is no surprise why media correspondents returned from their assignment not being sure what the message of this protest is. The one message was not there. It was very personal everyone protested whatever they felt needed to be protested. Everyone had his own message.

Meditation. photo by Sasha Gitin, Zuccotti Park October 17th 2011

The phenomenal thing is that everyone who had a message was given a voice. If you wanted to speak you had a chance to express yourself and your message was amplified by others around you and repeated farther to the middle of the park and picked up and send all the way to the back. But it didn't stop there it was instantly send to twitter, facebook, blogs... One little person speaking out his feeling was instantly heard my millions.

Protester. photo by Sasha Gitin, Zuccotti Park October 17th 2011

New Age Photographer:

Numerous photographers covered the event, but none of them had a press pass hanging on their necks. They were there because they wanted to be there. They wanted to document this unique happening and share it with others. One photographer drew my attention. The photographer was a girl in her twenties. She wore military pants and a ragged vest, untamed curly hair and bright spark of energy in her eyes. She had 3 camera bodies, with long , medium and wide lenses, she had two speed lights and bunch of other gear. She worked very confidently handing her equipment as she was born with it. It seemed that if she was taken off from Zuccotti Park and placed to Afghanistan she would not feel the difference or any discomfort, she seemed to be ready for any action on any terrain. She was not in rush to capture what stood out, it seemed that she was planing to cover the protest for entire night and possibly all other days to come, she moved around slowly and shooting when the time was right.

TIP: If you are planing to capture great photographs give yourself a fair amount of time. And be patient.

Keep it Low-Key

Careful Now. photo by Sasha Gitin, Zuccotti Park October 17th 2011

I had my low-key camera hanging on my shoulder. 50mm lens makes the camera to appear non-intimidating. I moved towards the front and became one with the crowd it felt incredibly good to take a part of being a human microphone. It felt awkward at first. The words I was repeating were not slogans just communication of thoughts and feelings passing through people and making connections. I have never experienced anything close to that, it was very unique and inspiring. I occasionally drew camera to my eye capturing moments and trying to comprehend this experience.

In your opinion should photographer try to express his own point of view when taking images or stay purely neutral and simply document the events?

Please share your thought and comments and images below:

This article was written by Sasha Gitin co-founder of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a New York Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Connect via Facebook, & Twitter

How to Take Gorgeous Photos of Your Kids eBook Review

Oct 11 2011 11:41 am
Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN

Today we are excited to tell you about new photography learning resource written by Rachel Divine and recently published by the Digital Photography School.

Click! How to Take Gorgeous Photos of Your Kids.

When I first started taking photographs of children I was in desperate need of advice and was looking for a resource to steer me in the right direction.

Generally every type of photography requires you to have a knowledge of your camera and lighting. When shooting kids the technical aspect is highly important but is often is secondary. You can have your most perfect setting, the most beautiful lighting, stunning wardrobe and wonderful props but at the moment when you are ready to take that capture the child can burst into tears and run to her Mommy.

Click! eBook goes into every aspect of child photography covering not only the technical part but also psychology of working with kids. Rachel who is not only a great commercial portrait photographer but also a mother of three gives great advice on working with every age group, from babies to teens. This eBook is full of solid tips on working with every type of a child (shy kids, goofball kids, you will not have it your way kids...)

Click! provides recommendations on camera settings, shows lighting diagrams, offers plenty of suggestions on style and props and goes over numerous aspects of composition and camera angles.Also the book includes a great section on retouching and post-production.

The only thing I wish happened, is that this eBook was available years ago when I was just learning.

To learn more about Click! eBook click here.

Please share your reviews, comments, and images taken based on the techniques learned from this resource.

Disclosure: dPS is an affiliate partner of LearnMyShot.com. Affiliate programs earn LMS a small commission that helps us maintain the site. However Learn My Shot does not provide paid biased reviews. We only publish reviews on products chosen and used by LMS team. We thank you kindly for your support!

This review was brought to you by Robert Grant (video) and Sasha Gitin (article) - Co-founders of Learn My Shot .com

Challenge Results for September 2011

Oct 03 2011 4:31 pm

We would like to share some great images recently posted by LearnMyShot members. Thank you everyone for participating in these assignments and challenges!

Challenge: Sunset Photography

Sunset Reflections by Astrid Pardew

Maiden, by Alice Villa-Real

Burj Al Arab - Duba, by Hessam

At the End of East, by Kerry Cameron

Sailors Delight, by KenJackson

Challenge: Water droplet

Transparent Splash, by Paritosh Narayan

Empty Space Drop, by Joseph Kulha

Water drop #4, by Hessam

Water droplet, by Debbie O'Brien

Challenge: Travel Photography

Untitled, by Franco Scozzarella

Hanoi Vietname, by Jimmy Phua

Challenge: Classic Still Life

Pineapple Cookies, by Arthie Beighl

Challenge: White Balance

Mozzarella Cheese Salad soaked in Yogurt, by Franco Scozzarella

Challenge: Liquid Pour and Splash

Love splash, by Franco Scozzarella

Plash plash, by Aneef Izhar

Challenge: Disaster Coverage

West Pittston PA, by Eric Sandroski

Red barn floating, by Eugene Lagana

Challenge: River Landscape

Stranded, by Paul Howell

Thank you everyone! We picked these images based on aesthetics, concept and technical qualities.

Don't miss our next challenge: "Colors in Water" Deadline October 25^th. For that challenge we are giving away Rosco Strobist Collection Gels Kit. (one winner will be selected)

Color Pouring Photography Technique

Sep 26 2011 3:34 pm
Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Photography tutorial video demonstrates how to create beautiful designs of color in water.

Challenge: "Colors in Water" Create an image using Color pouring technique. The WINNER will receive Rosco Strobist Collection Gels Kit (ship worldwide). Judging is done by a secret ballot by all LMS associates and visiting artists. Image with the most points wins.

Deadline: October 25th, 2011. (CLOSED)

The Winning Image Is:

Title "Robot" by Phil Hallam

Congrats!! Thank you everyone in participating in this difficult challenge!

Tutorial:

Observing the color to gracefully metamorphose in water is a fascinating experience. Capturing this effect on camera requires freezing the action. In our previous tutorials we explored How to Photograph a Water Droplet without Flash and Liquid Pour and Splash Photography Technique Using Continuous Light. While in the past we used continuous lighting as our light source, today we have utilized studio flash.

Photo by Robert Grant

Steps for creative Color Pouring Photography:

Fill up the tank with water. You may add a bit food coloring to create volume in otherwise translucent space.

Mix food coloring with Glycerin. Use Pitcher or any other devise designed for pouring.

F-stop set it anywhere from f8 to f32, You will need all the DOP you can get.

Shutter Speed: Set to 1/250 sec or whatever maximum shutter speed requirement for you strobes (1/250 usually is a default for most strobes).

ISO: keep ISO at 100 for smoothest color reproduction and minimum noise.

Position Studio Strobes on each side of the fish tank to avoid glare in the glass.

Set power output on your flash unit to achieve desired exposure.If using hot shoe flashes, set them to manual and control the exposure manually

Pour color and be ready shoot within the first second.

Post your shot here in comments using “Share your Shot feature”

Photo by Robert Grant

Tools for Color Pouring:

If you are looking to master Liquid Splash Photography we highly recommend: Mastering Splash Masterclass video eBook by Alex Koloskov. Highly detailed info and 4-hour video. Click here for more info.

Photo by Robert Grant

Related Tutorials:

Challenge: "Colors in Water" Create an image using Color pouring technique. The WINNER will receive Rosco Strobist Collection Gels Kit (ship worldwide). Deadline: October 15th, 2011.

How to Submit your Image:

log in to your account or sign up for a free learnmyshot account. Then use share your shot link in comments. When the box opens, please click on the orange question mark for instructions. Submission must be made before midnight on October 25th, 2011. Images submitted after deadline will only be considered for critique.

The winner will be announced on this page, as well as in our newsletter, facebook and twitter.

How to Evaluate Exposure Using Metering Modes

Sep 20 2011 3:48 am
Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to achieve desired exposure, easy.

NYC 911 Memory Segments in Pictures

Sep 09 2011 9:43 pm
Video and article by SASHA GiTiN

Today, 10 years later. I wanted to write something meaningful in memory of September 11th, but couldn't find the words that can express what happened and how I felt. Instead I am sharing an image that I took that day.

Click to enlarge Photo by Sasha Gitin. "Brooklyn in Smoke" September 11, 2001 11am

When tragic events like that happen our world turns upside down. We are often lost and not sure what is the right thing to do next. Going out there with a camera gives us a purpose: You as a photographer can document history and communicate it to the world from your point of view, using the visual language you possess.

How this image was made:

It was taken with Nikon FM2 Camera, Using T-max 100 film. 50mm lens with circular polarizing filter to darken the sky.

Location: Pier on 69th street in Brooklyn. Overlooking tip of Manhattan and entire Brooklyn.

Eleven separate frames were taken. Starting at The Statue of liberty and ending just past Verrazano bridge covering about 280 degree panorama. Each Image is a full frame.

Collaging:

Nowadays panoramic images are created using all kinds of image stitching software. But back in a day it was not as easy. Collaging was (and still is) a very unique and creative process.

Camera should always be located in the same place. (preferably on tripod)
The next frame should start at the point where the previous left off
You can shoot not only left to right but also up and down. Creating final image of any ratio.
Print photos out and align the consecutively.

Article by Sasha Gitin, sound in the video by Ron Gozzo

Please share your memories, images and thoughts...

Disaster Coverage Photography Storm Irene in Vermont 2011

Sep 05 2011 1:44 pm
Video and article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph during a natural disaster.

Edited by Robert Grant

What can you do to help people of Vermont?

People and small businesses there do need your help:
Red Cross Donations:
At this time, financial contributions provide the greatest flexibility for a Red Cross response. Donations can be made at www.vermontredcross.org

The Vermont Irene Flood Relief Fund:
Administered by Central Vermont Community Action, will raise funds to help affected business owners get their doors open quickly. Donations can be made online www.vtirenefund.org

Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund: www.vermontcf.org/give-now/

Donate $10 to the Vermont Foodbank to pay for food that will go to food banks in communities most impacted by Irene. Text the word FOODNOW to 52000 to make a $10 donation that will show up on your next cellphone bill.

Photographer's Role During Emergency Events

We are now living in a world where unfortunate events are beginning to happen more often. Just think about it: earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, forest fires, terrorist attacks, wars, famine, riots, occasional crazy people just blow up stuff or shoot others for no good reason. All these things of horrific proportions have happened just in the past 6 month. What is the role of photographer during these moments in time? You tell me.

In my opinion the camera gives us power to tell our own story.

Photo by Sasha Gitin. The end of the road. Rt100 near Wardsboro, Vermont. USA

Be ready for a disaster:

Keep you camera bag in check all the time

Batteries fully charged

Cards formatted

Carry the camera with you all the time (if you don’t want to drag dSLR around at least have a good point and shoot with you)

Photo by Sasha Gitin. "Lost Roof" Rt100 near Wilmington, Vermont. ISO 1600 time 0.6/sec f5.6

What to do with the photos?

Once you have captured your unique images, there are a number of ways to put them in good use:

Publish them in newspapers: Simply contact your local newspaper and tell them you have footage of the resent events. Send images over asap. If you feel your images are of national or international significance then contact national or international publications. Its a good idea to start building your contact list ahead of time. So when the time comes, you will not need to spend time researching.

News is no longer solely supplied by news corporations. Individuals have the power to share news and images instantly via. Twitter, facebook, flickr etc... And more and more people are turning to social media for news as appose to TV.

Tell your own story and have your photos exhibited. 20- 30 photographs will make a good exhibition. Contact your local art galleries and put a show together.

Contact other artists in your local community (look via camera clubs, creig's list etc, see if other artists are working on the same theme and team up.

You can use your photos to start a fundraiser or donate images to organizations that already have one going.

Photo by Sasha Gitin. "Drying up". Rt100 near Wilmington, Vermont. USA

Share your images: If you photographed images during Tropical Storm Irene please post your shot here below using “Share Your Shot” link in comments. Please include the location and date.

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a New York Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a very creative Commercial Photographer shooting advertising and editorial, based in Connecticut. Two humble guys trying to keep you educated and entertained. Connect with us via Facebook, Flickr, & Twitter.

Special thanks to Vlad Bitel who came out to shoot the video. Thanks all for watching and reading.

Sunset Photography Settings and Tips

Aug 09 2011 4:13 pm

Video and Images: by Nick Carter. (an award winning wedding and portrait photographer in NYC area)
Article by Sasha Gitin

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph a sunset.

Sunset is a spectacular celebration of the end. The finality of the day. A wrap party. It's the time when the sun actually allows us to witness it's powers without burning our eyes.

Sunset photography

Camera allows us to intensify the visual experience. Photographically speaking shooting the sun is the same as photographing the light source itself.

Analyzing the source of light:

Sun is a continuous light source. Continuous light source is the easiest source to control. All of the camera settings that influence the exposure will influence the intensity of the sunlight and it's reflection. The beauty about being able to control the exposure of the continuous light-source with all the controls which are: f-stop, shutter speed and ISO. Is that each one of these controls will influence the exposure individually.

Exposure tips for sunset photography:

Set your Camera to the manual mode. (M)
Start with setting desired ISO. The lower the ISO the lower the noise/ grain in your image. If you desire smooth look set your camera to ISO 100. And if you are going for grainy look set to 800 or 1600
Set your f-stop. When photographing a sunset use your aperture to control the depth of field. For Example: F11-22 will ensure the focus edge to edge. While f5.6 to f2.8 will allow you to have selective focus. When using the sunset as a backdrop for your subject you might like to have the subject (person, silhouette, rock, boat etc..) in focus and let the sky go blurry. Once you have made a conscious decision about ISO and the f-stop it's time to control the intensity of the sun.
Shutter speed. As nick pointed out in the video above, increasing Shutter speed with decrease the intensity of the light and will increase vividness of the sunset. Try overriding your light meter by a full stop or two and experiment until you get desired exposure. As the only control you use is the shutter speed this with be quick task.

Note: if your shutter speed is below 1/30 sec you will need a tripod. If photographing people during sunset you want to be at 1/60 sec and above to avoid motion blur, also if photographing people during the sunset you might want consider using off-camera flash as well.

Advanced: When photographing on the beach try using a neutral density filter (or polarizing filter as it will knock off a stop) and lower your shutter speed to 1/15 sec. So the waves will produce a dreamy water effect

This video and images were created by Nick Carter. Nick is an award winning wedding and portrait photographer. His comprehensive portfolio can be viewed @ nickcarterweddings.com Connect with Nick on his blog or on Facebook

Article was written by Sasha Gitin

Learn My Shot is welcoming guest tutorials. To submit yours reach out via Contact Form

Challenge: “Glorious Sunset”
Photograph a setting sun. Intensify sunset by controlling exposure. Post your shot below. Using “Share your shot” feature in comments. Please click on orange question mark in "share your shot" box for posting instructions. This challenge in on-going the new results will be announced the first week of the each month.

Challenge Results for July 2011

Jul 20 2011 6:22 am

We would like to share some great images recently posted by LearnMyShot members. Thank you everyone for participating in these assignments and challenges!

All of our assignments are on-going and once a month we round up images that stand out based on aesthetics, concept and technical qualities. To participate simply post your image to the corresponding tutorial page using "Share Your Shot" link in comments.

Challenge: Water Droplet

Colours. by Deano

Challenge: Fashion Photography Outdoors

Bride. by Craig Hamill

Dodge City. by Eric Sandroski

Challenge: Fire

Face. by Brian Smith

Challenge: Travel Photography

Sweet Time. by Franco Scozzarella

Challenge: Still Life with Natural Light

Flowers In Natural Lighting. by Leona Headley

Challenge: Hangover

Got a Headache? by Steve Garside

Challenge: Anything

Old Rusty but faithful. by Dipayan Pal

Challenge: Liquid Pour and Splash

Clear Blue. by Kathy Thompson

Challenge: Steel Wool Sparks

Ring of Fire, by Eugene Lagana

Challenge: Historic Photograph

This is the most recent challenge and since every photograph is so unique to place and time we include all of the recent submissions.

1954 Cadillac Convertible by Eugene Lagana

Clifton Forge Station, 1950. by Sara Coffey

Back in 2011. by Franco Scozzarella

My city (Malaga / Spain). by Juan Martos

Old Covered Bridge. by Cathy Smith

Thank you all for sharing your work!

All assignments are on-going. Every month we pick new outstanding images. This time we skipped a month, sorry, but images above were selected from the past 2 months to compensate. When you try a tutorial, post your image via “Share Your Shot” feature on corresponding tutorial page. We have a bunch of new tutorials coming up this month. Stay tuned!

The Time to Photograph Historic Images is Now

Jul 12 2011 9:59 am
Video and article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph historic images.

The time to shoot historical photographs is now. When we view images created in the past, there are often elements in those images that relate to a particular time period. Many things around us may seem to be ordinary today, however these things will have historic significance in the near future. Have you seen the first generation iPod? That thing looks pre-historic already.

photo: Sasha Gitin | Coney Island, Brooklyn 2011

What elements in the image will have historic meaning:

Fashion, cars, and technology change so rapidly that in 20 years from now, you will not believe that some of the things will evolve from being cutting edge to a distant testimony of the past.

Coney Island in Brooklyn New York is a historic landmark. During the first half of the 20th century, it was a happening place. At a time when commercial air travel was not yet affordable, most people spent their vacations locally. The Coney Island beach was one of the most beloved destinations for New Yorkers and visiting tourists alike. Around the 1960’s, Coney Island started to experience a downfall.

In the early 1990’s (when I arrived to the neighborhood) it was quite ran down and somewhat of a dangerous place, fascinating nonetheless. Today, Coney Island is making a comeback. It’s full of life and the number of people visiting the area is getting closer to the peak it had in the 1920’s - 1940’s. Honestly, it was quite shocking for me to witness thousands of people in the place that was nearly dead not so long ago. As a photographer, I felt an obligation to capture the thriving life that has return to Coney Island. One day, perhaps 100 years from now, someone will look at my images and might appreciate it as a treasured reference to the current time period.

photo: Sasha Gitin | Coney Island, Brooklyn 2011

Challenge: “History of Now” Shoot an image that will capture the essence of today and will have a chance of a greater impact tomorrow. The time to take historical images is now. Post your below using "Share your Shot" feature

Related tutorials:

How to Photograph Street Portrait

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a fabulous New York Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a very creative Commercial Photographer shooting advertising and editorial, based in Connecticut. Two humble guys trying to keep you educated and entertained. Connect with us via Facebook, Flickr, & Twitter

Special thanks to Moise Misha Gulko (who came out to shoot the video. Thank you all for watching and reading.

How to Photograph Street Portraits

Jul 05 2011 12:54 pm
Video and article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph street portraits.

Street photography is absolutely one of the most exciting genres to shoot. For me it’s not just the outcome that fascinates me but the experience itself. The photographer has a chance to interact directly with the environment and the people in it. This is a very rewarding experience, which can charge you up with a lot of creative energy. Honestly, for me, it has been over 6 years since I shot street portraits. I must admit that although I felt a bit rusty at this craft, it felt great to blend with the crowd and shoot away. Therefore, I would like to communicate to you what went right and what went wrong during this particular shoot.

photo by Sasha Gitin f5.0, iso 100, 1/125sec 24-70mm @24mm

It all started quite spontaneously. A buddy of mine phoned me earlier that day and I mentioned to him that one day he should come out and film me shooting some street portraits. On what he replied: “Today is the Mermaid Parade!” Alas! I had been planning to go out and shoot the Mermaid Parade for a while and it had totally slipped from my head that it was actually happening that day. So I replied: “Let’s do it”

Pre-Production:

“Let’s do it” is easier said than done. I don’t know if it’s my wife or all women react to sudden change of plans in the same way? However, my lovely wife definitely hates sudden change with a passion. Therefore, I negotiated that we would all go to the parade together (Sammy 11 month and Juliette 4), but that she would have to give me 45 minutes of kids free time to shoot portraits and make this video. “Sure I’ll just walk around with kids” she said. We all agreed. My wife went ahead and got the kids ready while I prepared my photography gear for this event.

Always check:

Make sure the batteries are fully charged. One loaded in the camera. One extra for backup

Cards- make sure all the memory cards are freshly formatted and ready to use. (I have four 16GB cards for my Canon 7D and four 8GB cards for my back up 40D). In this case, I actually was shooting with the 40D as my friend was using 7d to record this video.

For street portraits, take the least possible amount of photography gear. I only took one lens, a cannon 24 -70 f2.8 L. to shoot and a 17-40mm to record the video (at some point I swoopped the two, guilty)

That’s all you need: camera, lens, battery, memory card. – Do not bring the whole bag – go light(In the past, I would walk out of house without memory cards loaded or without battery in the camera. Trust me it’s very frustrating, so always double check.

Double-checking requires a few extra minutes. Women generally are gifted with patience. However, when the kids are cranky, patience can turn to irritation. So we headed off on a not so good start.
Tip: always keep the energy positive prior to the shoot. Otherwise it will backfire, read on…

Production:

We arrived to Coney Island about an hour after the parade.

Tip: The best time for character portraits is prior to an event or right after. Participants are more relaxed and are surrounded by more natural environment, as appose to marching among the rest.

photo by Sasha Gitin f3.5, iso 100, 1/400sec 24-70mm @24mm

It took a little while to train my friend on how to shoot video with the Canon 7d. We were finally ready to start shooting when my dear wife came back and little Sammy was not at all enjoying the parade’s aftermath. I didn’t react positively on the fact that the promised 45 minutes was shortened to 20 and as a result, my wife got a bit pissed off to keep the long story short she took the baby home but left our four-year-old Juliette under my command. That added an extra variable to the whole production. Fortunately, Juliette is an outgoing child and can appreciate fun activities (especially going up on horsey, me being the horsey).

Tip: It’s easier to approach people (especially women) when you have a young child with you. You gain an instant trust. I guess if someone trusted you with a baby – you are automatically trustworthy.

Exposure:
Have your exposure preset before approaching your subject. Keep the shutter speed above 1/125 sec. If you are shooting action (moving subjects) shutter speed should be above 1/ 250 sec. I personally get too excited when I shoot and that contributes to the camera shake.

photo by Sasha Gitin f3.2, iso 100, 1/320 sec 24-70mm @24mm

Approaching People:

The fear of rejection is what impedes the best of us from asking for the shot. However, if you are refused a shot, it is ok, you just move on to a next subject. If you never ask, you will lose the shot for sure. I actually had a 100% success rate during the Mermaid Parade. The only person who refused to pose was the girl with a scull umbrella, but I approached her later while she was dancing and I still got a candid shot of her. Shooting with 40 pounds on my neck wasn’t as convenient as I would’ve liked it to be, but it was doable nonetheless.

photo by Sasha Gitin f3.5, iso 100, 1/200 sec 24-70mm @24mm

How to ask for the shot:

Be polite, honest – feel free to explain why you interested in taking their portrait. If people are caring stuff in their hands that do not add to the photograph ask them kindly to put it down or for someone else to hold it.

Pay attention at the background.

People might not be in the right spot but you can ask them nicely to move a few steps to a better spot.
Thank your subject for letting you take a photo. Most people will ask to see the photo. Hand them your card or have a pen and paper ready to write down their email address. Nowadays people are happy to receive a jpeg by email so they can share it on Facebook etc… It’s a good Karma too.

Before I end this article I would like to share my experience of taking this one shot:
One particular girl (actually I wasn’t entirely sure of the gender), the one with pink lace and army hat.) Was one of the most fascinating subjects I came across that day. At first, I took a few candid shots of her feeding mango to her friend.

What intrigued me the most was the fact that I couldn’t tell if she was wearing a costume or that was her natural appearance? Her character was too real and too believable. I approached her and asked her for a shot, but she refused. I tried to explain that she would look great under the given lighting conditions and the backdrop. She wasn’t buying it. I was determined and had no excuse not to try all that I could to get the shot. I felt light. The scene was taking place at the beach. Little Juliette got off my neck and was enjoying playing in the sand. I pretended that I accepted the rejection and turned to her friend. “You have beautiful eyes”, I complimented. “May I take a close up portrait of you?” She agreed. I took my time taking a few frames. Her vibrantly blue eyes indeed had an interesting feel for the image.

photo by Sasha Gitin f4, iso 200, 1/200 sec 24-70mm @65mm

After that shot I turned my attention back to the other girl. I pulled the time card. “I would Like to take photo of you before you finish your cigarette” I said. She replied” “Do you have a fetish for cigarette smokers?” “I never thought about it this way”, I said. After that, the conversation started to go in the direction far away from my goal (I am not even sure if it is appropriate to share in writing). So I pulled the time card again. “The sun is setting and we are losing the light, can we just take a quick shot?’ I said very casually. She agreed. I said “follow me”. We took 10 steps to uncluttered spot, which I planned 10 minutes ago. I carefully framed the shot and took one capture. “No I am not doing it, I am done” she/he said. Well I am done too, thank you very much!

photo by Sasha Gitin f4, iso 200, 1/200 sec 24-70mm @24mm

Conclusion: go out there, take some street portraits, and remember that the most important thing is to keep your spouse happy.

This article was written by Sasha Gitin co-founder of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a New York Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Connect via Facebook, Flickr, & Twitter

Special thanks to Alexius Shapurking (who came out to record the video, his wife Angelina who watched the bags and kept her eye on Juliette. Super thanks to Robert Grant for spending his 4th of July weekend putting the video together. Thank you for all who posed for the portraits. Shot out to Rude Mechanical Orchestra who played great music on the beach. And thank you all for watching and reading.

Share your shots here: using “Share Your Shot” link in comments box.

Which approach do you take when taking photos of strangers on the street? Do you ask for the posed shot or do you take it without consent?

Related Tutorials:

Travel Photography Tips from Jeff Eagar

Long Exposure Photography using Steel Wool

Jun 27 2011 6:17 am

_{^{Video by PhotoExtremist. Author of}^{Photography Tricks and Special Effects}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn a photography technique of capturing the sparks using long exposure.

Creativity should not have any limits! Spinning steel wool is a unique technique that could add excitement to your photography skill. Earlier we discussed long exposures using sparkles and fireworks. Today Evan expends this technique (of long exposures) further, by introducing the technique of spinning steel wool.

Perfect time to shoot:

The best time of the day to shoot flying sparks is during the blue hour. Starting about 30-45 minutes after the sunset. At that time of the evening the ambiance is dark enough to do long exposures but the sky still has enough color (deep blue) for breathtaking effect.

Exposure and camera settings:

Capturing sparks flying off from a steel-wool pad will require a long exposure or an open shutter (B).

Shutter speed: 15 or 30 seconds should give you enough time for creative spinning.

ISO: Keep ISO at 100 to minimize the grain. (200 is ok). Please note that the camera will produce more unwanted noise during the long exposure. From my observation, images shot using shutter speed below 1/15 sec will have more grain/noise that those shot at a faster speeds (given the same ISO).

F-stop: Really depends on ambient light conditions and desired DOF. Experiment! Start around f5.6.

Here is what you need for your shot:

Steel wool – Available at any hardware store or online. Red Devil brand - Grade 0, 00, 000, or 0000 will produce great sparks. Don't get anything at or above Grade 1 (too thick for sparks).

Whisk – (borrow one from your kitchen) any cooking supply store should have it or online

Steel cable or chain – Also any hardware store should have it. You need a cable about 2 feet (70cm) in length.

Tripod – Camera should be on tripod for the long (15sec to 30sec) exposure.

Lighter/ Matches - To light the wool on fire.

While this technique has numerous creative implications some safety precautions should be seriously taken in consideration: Do not try this indoors. Do not practice this technique in the areas prone to wild fires. Avoid areas with dry grass or any flammable objects or substances. Keep a fire extinguisher ready. Protect your eyes, hair and skin. So wear goggles,hat, long pants and sleeves. (we have a lot more tutorials coming up so you will need your eyes in the future)

Have fun. Post your results below using share your shot feature in comments.

This tutorial was brought to you by our regular contributor Evan Sharboneau. Evan has published a pretty cool eBook: “Photography Tricks and Special Effects” it’s packed with unique techniques and mind-bending photographs: for more information click here

Related Tutorials:

The Art of Self Portraiture eBook Review

Jun 14 2011 8:49 am

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this review video to learn about The Art of Self-Portraiture eBook

Do you feel a greater need to understand your personal essence and to expand your creativity?

Working on a self-portrait project will not only provide you with a personal meditative experience but will also help you become a better photographer.

Back in college, when I took my first photography course, a self-portrait was the very first assignment given by our professor. It was a great experience. The experience helped me to understand how a model would feel when photographed by me. Before one can give direction to someone else, it is important to learn how to direct oneself. When you are just starting to photograph people, the patience of the model runs out 5 times faster than that of a photographer. When you are the photographer and the model happens to be you too, you have an opportunity to push your creativity to the edge. After you get a hold of your self-portrait project, you will begin play and develop different characters. Everyone has a potential of being a great actor and when an acting experience is intimate and without any pressure it will become much easier to develop that part of your talent as well.

As Robert pointed out in the video above, Anna Gay in her “The Art of Self-Portraiture” book, will explain every technical and creative aspect that you might encounter when working on a self-portrait. This knowledge will help to cut down your trial and error time, so you can jump to creating great images right away.

When I came across Anna Gay's work, it truly captivated me. I spent hours looking at hundreds of her images. Her photographs are very inspiring and immensely creative. She is a true artist. I am thankful to her for sharing her knowledge, advice and creative energy with others.

For more information or to get your copy visit dPS page.

The Art of Self-Portraiture, was written by a professional photographer Anna Gay, consists of 52 info-packed and illustrated pages of advice, insight, and techniques to help you in your own self-portrait journey.
Current price is $19.99

Available for instant download worldwide.

dPS backs all their eBook by 60 day guarantee if it’s not what you expected you get full refund no questions asked.

After you get the book and start on your project you can share your images below in comments using "share your shot" feature and we’ll be happy to offer our feedback on your ongoing and final work.

Photography contest MY VERY SELF

Jun 07 2011 2:20 am

Welcome to Learn My Shot - Rosco Photography Contest!

Contest: Theme “My Very Self”

Prize: The winner will receive a Rosco Calcolor Kit. This awesome kit includes 33 color calibrated gels and a technical brochure. (Free shipping worldwide)

Deadline: June 15, 2011 (CLOSED)

The winning image is: “Just Little Ole Me” by Leona Headley

Congrats!

Decision was not an easy one as there were so many amazing entries. Thank you all for sharing your work. Please look out for our upcoming contests.

The judging was done by secret ballot and the winning image received the highest point count.

Entrée fee: FREE

Guidelines: “My Very Self” is a personal project where you will create a self-portrait. Self-portraits are great to photograph as the model always knows exactly what the photographer wants and vise-versa. Also you can shoot for long hours without getting complains such as “ I am cold, I am hungry, and I want to go home.”

Every famous master of the past has created a self portrait. It’s very personal and highly rewarding subject matter. So shoot and share yours.

All portraits must be recently taken, after May 1, 2011 (we will check metadata of the image).

How to Submit:

The winner will be announced on this page, as well as in our newsletter, facebook and twitter.

Judges:

Robert Grant- A commercial advertising photographer for 30 years in NYC, Co-founder of LMS

Sasha Gitin: A professional photographer specializing in lifestyle portraits and food photography,

Co-founder of LMS

Mayra Moreno:

Received BFA – in photography from Plattsburg University, Masters of Art Education from Brooklyn College and currently teaches art and working on a PhD in Art Education

Your submissions will be judged based on Aesthetics, Concept and Technical execution.

About the prize:

Colcalor gels are color calibrated filters by Rosco. What this means is that the gels will reduce only a particular color in the spectrum while enhancing the other. (Brochure is included with the Kit and explains the technical part.)

Gels can be used for special effects (as we did in water droplet tutorial, and scary photo tutorial) but they can also be used for altering white balance, which is unique to CalColor.

In the video above , we used #4390 cyan gel, to alter the color of the cityscape background.

Steps:

Attach the gel to go over the light source. In our example, we used a shoe-mount camera flash (these gels can be used with any lights, strobe tungsten, clamp lamps).

Take a custom white balance reading. See our previous video on how to set custom white balance.

What will happen is the camera will now think that the light is coming from the gelled light source is balanced to white. This will convert the color of the background, which is exposed by sunlight, to the opposite color of the gel. In our case, the Cyan gel turned the background to Red.

Post your “My Very Self” below using share your shot link in comments box.

Thank you for participating and good luck!

DPS recently published a new e-book, The Art of Self Portraiture. It's a great resource and we highly recommend it for inspiration for this project and your future work. We have already read it and we will publish a review video soon. You can take advantage of 25 % off today and download your copy here (use code dps25).

Related Tutorials:

How to Create a Really Scary Self-portrait

How To Create a Self-portrait with Pop-up flash

Special thanks to Rosco for sponsoring this contest.

How to Photograph a Water Droplet without Flash

May 30 2011 5:13 pm

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph a drop of water using continuous light .

Looking to master Liquid Splash Photography? we highly recommend: Mastering Splash Masterclass video / eBook by Alex Koloskov. Highly detailed textual info and 4-hour step by step video. Intended for commercial, advertising and fine art photographers as well as advanced amateurs. Click here for more info.

Photographs of a water drops always captivate viewers. These images possess the magic which is not seen by the naked eye. Water is the most familiar substance in our environment, but the drop falls so fast that we only notice the ripples on the surface. The camera is wonderful device at freezing such a quick motion that it allows us to capture the movement of a drop at any moment in time.

Recently, we demonstrated how to photograph liquid pour and splash using a clamp lamp as a light source. We received some challenging emails and comments across the forums which stated that shooting a water drop would be not possible with continuous clamp light. So we took the challenge. Well it was not easy, and it took six clamp lamps with a 120w halogen spot light bulbs to make it happened. So after some days of experimenting, we came out with this technique... (Actually Robert did, I was mostly critiquing…)

Photographing a water droplet splash:

As you already know, the shutter speed controls the time of the exposure. From experimenting we found that 1/1000 sec is the minimal speed required to freeze the motion.

Reflective light:

When you photograph a drop of water, the light is reflective, as oppose to directly back-lit (as we did in our water pour tutorial). in the article on how to photograph reflective objects we explained the concept behind the angle of reflection. So in this can case, we are not lighting the water itself, but what is reflected in the water (diffusion paper + gels).

Since reflective light loses a lot of intensity, more light is required to get the desired exposure while keeping the shutter speed at 1/1000 second or above.

Get the water drop in focus:

To get the shot in focus, observe carefully where the drop is falling and temporally hold some object in that same spot to focus your camera. Then set the camera to manual focus.

The height of a fall:

The longer the distance between the dropper and the surface of the water, the higher the bounce of the drop. Experiment with distance. Photographing the water splash that is created by a drop will require a lot of takes. The results could be very rewarding and unexpected.

Color:

Experiment with different colored water (using food coloring) and use different color gels for vibrant effect.

Gels: Rosco is a top manufacture of gels. This is a great kit to start.

Challenge: Create an image of a "water drop splash" post your results here using “share your shot” feature in comments. If you have shot water drop previously, using a different technique, feel free to post it, and please share the technique that you used with us.

Note: if you are in Atlanta, Georgia area, our friend Alex Koloskov is teaching a Master Class on Liquid Splash photography (which is designed toward advanced photographers). If this is of your interest: The next class is being held on June 11, 2011 check it out.

Related Tutorials:

How to Photograph Liquid Pour and Splash with Clamp Lamp

How to Photograph Water In Motion

Meeting FroKnowsPhoto at blogWorld 2011

May 25 2011 7:09 am

Article by SASHA GiTiN

photo: Robert Grant (left) Jared Polin (Right)

Yesterday Robert and I have attended BlogWorld Conference in NYC. Last year we had a chance of meeting Darren Rowse from Digital-photography school. This time around we met Jared Polin from an educational and highly entertaining photography blog FroKnowsPhoto

Listening to Jared speak was very inspirational. During his presentation Jared talked about his passion for photography. I was touched to learn that his mother (who sadly died of cancer) was the one who inspired his passion.

Jared reflected that he felt that he has missed the moment when he could spend more time doing photography together with his mother and helping her with the digital aspect of it. We often miss moments and postpone some actions but life is often very generous about offering a second chance. But when we lose a loved one, unfortunately we cannot turn the things back. Jared learned from that experience and transitioned it in a positive way. He build up his visual appearance, grew some hair, and worked some muscles (he was kind enough to demonstrate shirtless photos of himself in front of the audience) But most importantly he turned from being a self-indulging photographer (like many of us) into a selfless fellow who shares his knowledge with others.

Check out his educational blog: at FroKnowsPhoto.com

Who inspired your passion for photography?

Fashion Photography Outdoors using Off Camera Flash

May 19 2011 9:37 am

Video and Images: by Nick Carter. (an award winning wedding and portrait photographer in NYC area)

Model: Ruth Rojas. Article: by SASHA GiTiN

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to mix daylight with flash when photographing fashion or portraits outdoors.

Fashion photography is one of the most exciting fields. Every photographer I know has tried to go that direction at some point of their career. Fashion changes every season and so does the style of fashion photography, so it always has room for creativity and innovation.

Earlier we discussed set ups to photograph a model in the studio, today Nick Carter will demonstrate (in the video above) how to photograph a model outdoors.

Fashion photography outdoors can produce very rewarding images, the majestic appearance of the landscape complements the beauty of the model.

Photo by Nick Carter

Using Off-Camera Flash:

When shooting a model outdoor especially at a remote location, taking as little equipment as possible, will make your job easier. Using an off-camera shoe mount flash as your lighting is the ultimate light-weight solution.

Position the flash on a stand as close to the subject as possible to avoid seeing the unit itself standing in your shot. To secure the shoe mount flash onto the stand you will need a clamp with a shoe mount adapter

Photo by Nick Carter

Camera Setting:

Set the exposure for natural light. Make sure the landscape (backdrop) is properly exposed. Make sure the model is not over-exposed, underexposing is ok, the flash will add the needed light. Also please note that most flash units have a maximum sync speed of 250/sec. So you shutter speed might have to be 250 or below.

Set the flash power:

Option one: set your flash to manual mode and adjust flash power to desired lighting.

Option two: If your hot shoe adapter slave allows flash to work in TTL: Set flash to auto, and use exposure compensation on flash +- 1/3, -2/3, -1 etc… to get desired lighting

Syncing camera and flash:

Shoe mount flash was designed to work connected to the camera. So be prepared that going against nature might pose a bit of a challenge:

To Sync your camera with shoe mount flash off-camera you will need a long sync cord or a radio slave (wireless).

Syncing the flash to a camera:

Wireless:

1. Use a radio slave (transmitter on camera, receiver on flash unit)

2. Use a hot shoe adapter (with PC Sync Socket) to connect the radio slave to the flash

3. Use a short cord (usually comes with radio) to connect the slave to the flash unit (PC male to miniphone)

4. Alternatively to radio slaves you can use a long sync cord. (you will still need hot shoe adapter with a jack). If your camera does not have PC jack you will need a hot shoe to pc adapter for the camera as well (hot show male to PC female)

This site has a comprehensive list of slaves and adapters available and explains what each one does. Just make sure the adapters will work with your type of camera / flash.

This lighting technique can be used with any type of an outdoor portrait.

Have fun shooting…

This video and images were created by Nick Carter. Nick is an award winning wedding and portrait photographer. His comprehensive portfolio can be viewed @ nickcarterweddings.com Connect with Nick on his blog or on Facebook

Learn My Shot is welcoming guest tutorials. To submit yours reach out via Contact Form

Related Tutorials:

5 Elegant Studio Lighting Setup for Model

How to Photograph in Direct Sunlight with pop-up Flash

Challenge: Shoot images using off camera flash and share your results below:

The Fear of Missing the Shot and How to Overcome It

May 11 2011 12:46 pm
Article by SASHA GiTiN
in this story Sasha shares the challenge he experienced on a recent shoot and his solution that worked.

Most photographers when hired for their first paid job are worried about not getting the image that was asked of them. However the best and most experienced shooters have exact the same worry. The fear of not getting the shot is the main secret behind the greatest photographs ever created. Annie Leibovitz had a paralyzing fear of not coming back with the shot. She would pull all the possible strings to get her image. She would tire her subject out to the point of exhaustion. Ansel Adams didn’t quite snap a pic while hiking. He accurately planned the composition, waited patiently for days to get the right weather and lighting and shot numerous takes before getting that warm fuzzy feeling in the gut knowing that he nailed the shot.

Today I would like to share my own story, a story about what went through my head while on assignment shooting a job a few days ago:

I received an assignment to photograph Denis O’Brien: A World’s leading businessman and a philanthropist. He was in New York to receive an Ellis Island Medal of Honor for his achievement. An award previously given to six US Presidents, Nobel Prize winners, athletes, artists and leaders of the industry.

The photos I was assigned to take were intended for Irish news media and specs of the assignment was to get a portrait of Mr. O'Brien (an Irishman) with a distinctive American Background (Ellis Island or NYC skyline or the interior of main building at Ellis Island etc…). The shoot turned out to be anything but easy and I would like to share what went on throughout the shoot and through my head while trying to capture the shot.

As this was a last minute job, I had very limited time to do my homework. I read up on who my subject was, read up on Ellis Island Medal Of Honor ceremony, and some history of Irish Immigrants arriving to Ellis Island in 19th century. I planned a photo in my head: a glorious image of Denis standing at the aft of the boat with a New York cityscape or the statue of liberty in a background. Here was my chance to photograph an Irishman coming to Ellis Island, but this time to get the medal for being a great American. The shoot did not go exactly as I had planned.

I arrived at Ritz Carlton Hotel at 4 pm. I met my contact person and waited for an hour for Denis O’Brien to appear. When he finally appeared, I was told to follow. I was brought to the room where there was a makeshift photo studio already set up so that each honoree would come in, wear a medal, and pose for a shot. I had a shoe-mount flash on (canon 580) and with minimal excitement took a few shots. “What am I going to do with a traditional shot like this?" I thought.

I insisted to go on the boat with Denis to capture (my planned shot). I was told that I would not be admitted to the boat because I did not have the pass. Now it seemed that the only thing that was stopping me from achieving the image I had planned was actually getting on the boat. I found the table with lovely ladies who distributed passes. Since I was booked the last minute, no one had bothered to put me on the list. Luckily, I am the kind of person who can talk his way into almost anything, so I convinced them to give me the Press Pass. Now that I had my pass, I realized that I had lost sight of my subject. O’Brien disappeared from the floor and probably headed over to the boat. Previously I was thinking to get some shots on the way to from Ritz Carlton to the boat at Battery Park, using downtown Manhattan as a backdrop and now it was no longer an option. I headed to the dock as an obvious place to meet up with my subject again. That’s pretty much when I got shocked as I observed the scene. What I didn’t anticipate is that about 2000 people were in attendance and were leaving to the island on three separate boats. A real Zoo. One third of the people were already on one boat which was about to set sail. Another 1/3rd was at the dock passing through x-ray scanners and another third was on their way to the dock. Finding my guy was as easy as finding a needle in a hay stack. My worry was that I wouldn’t get on the same boat (and thus not get my boat shot) I decided to let the first boat go I figured that I probably walked faster then O’Brien did and also I cut the long line to the x-ray machines by flashing my brand new press pass. So the chance that he was on the first boat was very slim. While anticipating my subject, Wayne Newton stopped right in front of me to shake the hand of a police officer and tell him that he appreciates his fine service. I took a quick shot of that. The cop asked me if he can get the photo and I handed him my business card. He handed me his in return and told me that I could use it if I ever get in trouble. (Where was that card when I got a ticket for having a beer with my lunch in Battery Park a few years back?)

The second boat was almost full and I was getting worried that I had already missed him. However, a few moments later, he appeared as he was making his way to the boat. Right away, I asked him if he would not mind riding on the upper deck, he refused. O’Brien was engaged in an important conversation with other honoree and I knew better not to interrupt. Meanwhile I scouted the upper deck and asked a boat crew about which side of the boat the Ellis Island is going to appear when the boat gets closer to arrival. I calculated accordingly, where the Liberty Island was going be and downtown Manhattan so I would know in advance where to position my subject. Once I found the perfect spot I went to go get Denis, I had about 15 minutes before the boat neared the point of the shot. As I approached him, he was still having a conversation that could not be interrupted. While I anxiously waited I picked a conversation with a photographer who was covering the comedian Jerry Lewis. We had a few minute chat high-fived each other for both using canon 7D cameras. I gave him a card to check out LearnMyShot.com and parted our talk as the time was pressing. Wayne Newton was sitting a few yards away from where I was standing, we occasionally exchanged eye contact, and a smile with him. I could feel that Wayne was reading my anxiety…. And in about 7 minutes, when the moment was right I asked Denis O’Brien to come up to the deck. He really hesitated and a friend of his another prominent businessperson and an organizer of the event intervened and told me that I should take it easy. He informed me that the action has not even started yet and that there are a lot of amazing photo ops ahead and we are going to be back on the boat and there are going to be fireworks and…. And I replied “Ok I trust you on this” … and that pretty much how I didn’t get my planned shot. Lost it. Just like that….

Ten minutes later the boat docked at the Ellis Island and I thought I would able to get a good image right at the dock with Ellis Island main building as a background, but the sun came out casting harsh unflattering light. There were a thousand people in front, behind and all around, and when I asked O’Brien to Stop and pose for a shot he turned around for precisely 5 seconds, and I snapped a shot, but nothing worthy to satisfy my wishes…

All honorees were taken into the tent and all of the glorious things that were happening on the island where not of my use.

The ceremony wasn’t going very smooth for me either. The tent had numerous rows and divided in two with a single aisle at the center. Press photographers were all kicked out from the aisle, and we were asked to be behind the barrier, which was far away from the podium. From there getting any kind of decent shot was simply not possible for me. I needed 400 or even 800 mm zoom to photograph anything from that distance. The biggest lens I brought was 70-200mm 2.8L. Only photographers hired directly by event organizers were able to remain at the front in the aisle. The only way to tell, which photographer was who, was the presence of the press pass or its absence. So wearing one now was frightfully bad. After carefully observing the whole situation and analyzing the room. I figured that the only spot at the center would be to sit on the floor in the aisle right next to one of the guests. Therefore, I got up, tucked my press pass inside my shirt, left my camera bag at the press barrier and only took with me two cameras, one with a 70-200 lens and the other with a 24-70mm and a canon 580 Speed light. I made my way fast to the front. I looked at the guests to determine who would be the best candidate to sit by his feet. I naturally chose Wayne Newton. He has a very pleasant demeanor and had already exhibited niceness to me by exchanging some smiles earlier. So I pretty much parked by his leg. I was carefully getting ready for my shot opportunity. I noticed that to get the shot I wanted I had to get up and walk 30 feet closer. The photographer who was taking official shots would get up from her sitting position to take each capture and thus block all the other photographers (I wasn’t the only smart-ass sneaking in the aisle). I knew I needed to come right shoulder to shoulder with her. I tested my exposure and flash settings (shooting from the height of Wayne’s knee). I was ready for O’Brien to approach the podium and take my shot.

Photos by Sasha Gitin: "Denis O'Brien receives The Ellis Island Medal of Honor"

His chance to come up to receive the medal didn’t happen for another hour. My legs felt sore from crouching on the floor beside Wayne and I was afraid of not being physically able to get up. But the moment came, I got up made my way all the way upfront, A marine presented O’Brien with a medal, I drew the camera with 24-70mm lens set at about 70mm and got the shot. Then I switched to the other camera with a long lens and got close ups of him speaking at the podium. That whole part worked out very smoothly as I had planned. Followed by army chorus the program was finished and everyone poured to the street.

It was already 10pm and the daylight was long gone. Honorees proceeded to the dinner. I went to make my way to the boat to sail back home. Even though I got some decent footage at the ceremony, I still thought about the shot on the deck of the boat. And how I didn’t get it. Many times that same night, I replayed that brief conversation in my head and thought of the different ways that I could have handled getting my intended shot. I thought about what Annie Leibowitz would have done. And I felt that I didn’t push hard enough to get that shot on the boat. I replayed that moment repeatedly. I remembered how perfect the lighting was and the majestic appearance of the city scape. I even came up with the winning line to reply to his hesitation, “Sir, the shot that was requested is happening right now on the deck, please come with me, it will only take few minutes”. I think that would have worked. But words are only useful when said at the right time… I felt that I failed.

I didn’t board my boat; instead I turned around and went to the hall where the dinner was taking place. It was taking place at The Great Hall of the main building, where immigrants were processed 100 years ago. It had good architectural features. The only problem was that it was crowded with tables and people not giving me a chance for a clean shot. I looked up and found myself with a perfect looking ceiling, it spoke of a Great Hall, and it had two American flags and a light projection of patriotic stars. I scouted a good spot (located between the tables 58 and 59) grabbed the waiter to test the lighting and camera settings. I had to be low on my knees to get a clear shot with the ceiling as a backdrop. The lighting in the room was really dim. I set the camera to ISO 1600, Shutter speed at 25/sec, F-Stop at 5.0, 17-40mm L lens was set 19mm. That was a good exposure for the background (ceiling) I set the canon speed light to -1/3 auto (seemed to be a good exposure for the face). The only thing I was missing was my subject. Denis O’Brien was about to start his long awaited dinner (and was probably very happy that I was long gone) His table was 5 tables away from the spot. I needed to get the shot, but his genuine disinterest in taking photographs was not very promising. To convince a world’s class businessman, the second wealthiest man of Ireland (according to Forbes 2009) to do anything against his will, is practically impossible. I approached him. Before I had a chance to open my mouth he spoke first and said,”You are done, you can go home now!” I had to act fast and be persuasive and I used my “my missed boat shot line”. And so I said, “Sir, I have one more photograph to ask you for, this is the image that was requested by the Irish news media (which he actually owns) and that shot is happening right here only a few tables away and it will only take a minute!” while looking straight into his eyes. He got up and followed. His friend appeared (the same one who talked me out of the boat shot) and commended me, “You have to leave now”. Before I could open my mouth Denis said to him “It’s OK we need to do this shot” We all came to the spot. All the settings were set and tested in advance. I got on my knees, draw the camera to my eye, shot about 5 quick frames.

Photo by Sasha Gitin: "Denis O'Brien recipient of Ellis Island Medal of Honor"

As I was done, to my surprise my hero Wayne Newton walked into the shot and was introduced to O’Brien. And as a bonus I got a shot of two of them together shaking hands! I was content that I finally got the shot.

Photo by Sasha Gitin: "Wayne Newton left, Denis O'Brien Right"

I had myself a beer while waiting for the dinner to be over so I can get on the boat to head home. For my all of my efforts, I was rewarded with some superb fireworks. By the way shooting long exposures from a rocking boat at sea is not an easy task. On the other hand nothing is ever easy!

Photo by Sasha Gitin: "Fireworks in Honor of Recipients of Ellis Island Medal of Honor"

On my way from the boat to my car I ran into Denis O’Brien again. I tried to make minimal eye contact as I felt that I was perhaps too pushy all day and he really had enough of my company. To my surprise he made his way towards me, extended his hand and sincerely thanked me for my work.

Have you ever worried about not getting the shot? What steps do you take to make sure you can capture the image you are trying to create?

Challenge Results for April 2011

May 05 2011 9:05 am

We would like to share a few images posted by LearnMyShot members during the month of April. Thank you everyone for participating in these assignments!

The 10 images below were selected based on aesthetics, concept, and technical execution:

What’s your poison. by Andrea Potts

Inspired by: Liquid Pour and Splash Photography Technique Using Continuous Light

My Obsessions. By Juan Martos

Inspired by: Introduction to Light Painting Photography Technique

Apple Close-up. By Leona Headley

Inspired by: How to photograph using Close Up Tubes

Ring of hope. By Dipayan Pal

Inspired by: How to Photograph with Diffusion and Direct Sunlight

Still Life With Grapes, Bread and Cheese. By Ben Russell

Inspired by: Classic Still Life photography with Natural Light

Film Reels. By Brooks Short

Inspired by: How to Photograph Shiny Reflective Objects Silver Chrome Metal

Space- up and beyond the garden wall. By Andrea Potts

Inspired by: How to Photograph Bubbles

Vanishing Point. By Farzin Farhang

Inspired by: Travel Photography Tips from Jeff Eagar

Cinnamon and Nutmeg. By Brooks Short

Inspired by: How to Create Sunshine Effect in Studio with Artificial Sunlight

Phoenix Rising. By CLAUDETTE GINTER

Inspired by: How to Photograph Fire

Thank you all for sharing your work!

All assignments are on-going. Every month we pick 10 new outstanding images. When you try a tutorial, post your image via “share your shot” feature on corresponding tutorial page. We have a bunch of new tutorials coming up this month stay tuned.

How to Photograph Anything

Apr 26 2011 6:01 am

When we launched Learn My Shot, just over a year ago, our mission was to create the most comprehensive resource where photographers could learn how to photograph anything. We are still enthusiastically working towards this goal. With the help of contributing photographers we published over 50 creative step by step howto tutorials that answered the most common question: How to photograph…?

Below are some of our most popular photography tutorials to give you a glimpse:

How do I photograph a...

How to Photograph a Model

How to Photograph a Baby

How to Photograph a Flying Cat

How to Photograph Flowers

How to Photograph Fire

How to Photograph Wine Bottles

How to Photograph Jewelry

How to Compress Perspective with Telephoto Lens

How to Emphasize Texture

How to Shape Light for Creative Effect

How to Photograph Classic Still Life

How to Photograph Using Artificial Sunlight

How to Photograph Shiny Reflective Objects

How to Photograph using Light Painting Technique

How to Photograph a Water Splash

There are many more tutorials in our archive that cover all sorts of topics... Not yet receiving our superb newsletter? Subscribe today for newest weekly tutorials and tips.

What would you like to learn next? Please share your suggestions and comments.

Liquid Pour and Splash Photography Technique Using Continuous Light

Apr 11 2011 12:21 pm

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph a liquid pour and light splash.

Are you looking to master Liquid Splash Photography? we highly recommend: Mastering Splash Masterclass video / eBook by Alex Koloskov. Highly detailed textual info and 4-hour step by step video. Intended for commercial, advertising and fine art photographers as well as advanced amateurs. Click here for more info.

Shooting a splash or a liquid pour is often associated with high speed strobes. Today we would like to take the complexity out of creating these unique images and will show you that it can also be achieved with a clamp lamp (continuous light source).

Previously, we discussed how to photograph a river landscape where we used a slow shutter speed for a dreamy effect. In this tutorial, we take you to a different side of the extreme and the video above demonstrates how to freeze the movement of liquid.

Image by Robert Grant, the motion of liquid is frozen @ 1000/sec shutter, F6.3, ISO 400

Tips to achieving a perfect pour splash:

Shutter speed: 1000/sec was just enough to freeze the motion of a pour. Adjust ISO and F-stop for correct exposure. Based on your lighting setup.

Pouring into a round glass: This produced a nice back-splash. A wine glass works well.

Avoid a flood: Cover the floor with plastic and use a large container below your set. Otherwise after 50 tries your house/studio will look like it was hit by a tsunami.

Color: Try Different color liquids, you can use food coloring. Or the actual beverage (wine, beer, milk, etc..). If using red wine we recommend diluting it 50/50 with water so the light will penetrate better.

Image by Robert Grant. 1000/sec shutter, F7.1, ISO 400

Lighting: We used 100w spotlight bulb in a Clamp lamp. Diffusion Material: Roll of Drafting

Photographing splashes and pours is a magical experience. Images of splashes are fun as a stand alone or can add a drama to any shot. In near future we will produce tutorials about freezing the motion of liquid using a high speed flash. You can sign up for our weekly mailing list to stay updated.

Related Tutorials:

Alka-Seltzer Drop

How to photograph Fire

How to Photograph Water in Motion

Challenge: “Frozen Moment”

Rules: Create an image where you can freeze the motion of liquid. Be creative and feel free to take it over the edge. Any post processing is permitted. Any light source can be used.

Post your result below using share your shot link in the comments box (read instruction via orange question mark if posting image from Flickr). There is no dead line for this challenge; top 10 images from all challenges across the site will be announced monthly via our Newsletter, Facebook and Twitter.

How To Photograph Bubbles

Mar 30 2011 8:17 pm

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph bubbles.

Bubbles are one of the most challenging subjects to photograph. They are round, transparent, reflective and constantly in motion. Bubbles are magical and can make a magical prop when photographing children. As you noticed in the video above, adults can have a lot fun with bubbles as well. I had my own fun and turned one of Robert's shots into a deep psychedelic space image.

Create Psychedelic Space Image using Photoshop & Bubbles:

By the time we are done depleting our natural resources, destroying oceans and polluting the air we better scout a new home out there in space. But not to worry, it will take centuries.

Step 1: Get Images

This image was composed from 4 separate images:

Bubbles: by Robert Grant
Earth: by Reto Stöckli, Nazmi El Saleous, and Marit Jentoft-Nilsen,NASA GSFC
2 Moons: by NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Step 2: Cut Out the Planets

There are many ways to cut out an object from the background. Using the pan tool is the most accurate. However in this case accurate edges were not necessary so I used the fastest way:

Select Range: This works really well when the background is a solid color.

Choose Menu > Select > Color Range. The "Color Range" window will open. Use picker to click on the background color. Set fuzziness till the object is completely black and background is white (40 in my case). Hit OK. Then go Menu > Select > Inverse. Copy that selection (right click on subject and click, "layer via copy", then drag the new layer from layers window onto your original file.

Step 3: Blending Layer Style

The reason I used the moon to blend with the bubble is to give the bubble the texture of a planet. Setting the Layer Style will allow an overlay of two layers. Create a copy of original bubbles layer and place the new planet layer between these two layers (as seen on the screen shot below). Then in the layers window select the top layer and change "layer style blanding mode" from "Normal" to "Overlay".

Step 4: Repeat step 2 and 3

Repeat step 2 and 3 for other planets/ bubbles. Please note how all new planet layers are placed between two copies of original bubbles layers.

Step 5: Change Color Hue/Saturation

Create a new hue/saturation adjustment layer. Position this layer right above the "bubbles-top" layer. Create a clipping mask by going layer>create clipping mask, (this way the hue setting will only apply to the layer it is clipped to not all layers below). Slide the global hue slider until you are happy with the color. You can adjust each planet to be a different color by masking other planets and then creating a new hue/saturation layer again for the next planet, again masking other planets...

Step 6: Create Stars

The Fastest way to paint a starry sky is to use paint brush tool. Select the "brush" tool. Open brushes panel: Window > Brushes. Choose the star shape brush (comes with photoshop). Set "Shape dynamics" and "Scattering" for organic, naturally random effect (it's fun to play around with these settings):

Choose a Star Shape brush:

Shape Dynamics:

Scattering:

Create a new layer all the way on top of the other layers. Choose white as the color for your star brush (or other color if desired) paint the stars. You might want to create a mask over that layer to remove some of the random stars if they fall onto the planets.... and there you have it: Starry Sky.

Final Image:

Assignment: Photograph bubbles, and create your own world. Post your image below. There is no dead line for this assignment. Top images from each month will be posted in our special edition newsletter and on our facebook page.

Related Tutorials:

Introduction to Light Painting Photography Technique

Mar 15 2011 11:20 pm

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn light painting technique.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? Now you can! get a copy of Photo Nuts and Shots eBook

Creating a great photograph does not often require expensive photographic equipment. Light painting can be done using a basic household flashlight. Previously, we discussed using sparklers during a long exposure. A creative technique that explains how to combine camera flash and sparklers. Now we would like to introduce a different side of this technique and demonstrate how you can use a flashlight as the only light source.

Light Painting:

Light painting technique will help have a better understanding of one of the essential concepts of photography: Time.

Time in photography is controlled by the shutter speed setting on your camera.

Shutter speed:

Shutter speeds sets how long time the light (image reflected) will be entering the lens and projecting onto the sensor. While the shutter is open you can use any light source and project it onto your subject.

Lighting as Airbrushing:

Think of a flashlight as an airbrush. If you point and hold an airbrush in one spot, it will produce a blotch of color in one area. But if you would move it evenly over the surface it will produce the most even and consistent spread of paint. That’s why this technique is called “light painting” you almost literally paint with the light. Light painting will give you similar control of the light as an airbrush would give you to control the paint.

Dark Set:

To avoid ambient light from registering in your shot a totally dark room is required You might want to consider photographing at night or blocking all the light around your set with black cloth or black foam boards, as Robert did in the video above.

What shutter speed is best?

Whatever time setting will give you enough time to light paint your subject is the one. You might need 5 seconds, 10 seconds or 30 seconds. Most DSLR cameras have a maximum shutter speed setting of 30 seconds. If your image requires more time to complete you might consider setting your camera to BULB.

Bulb setting:

Bulb (“B” setting on camera dial) allows your camera to keep the shutter open endlessly. When the shutter release button is pressed, the shutter opens and remains open until the shutter release button is pressed again. So push the button and begin painting with light and when you feel that you are all done push the shutter release again.

Creative ways to use light painting:

Beer Glow:

In this image I used light painting technique to light the beer from the back to show the glow. I used light painting as well to light the label on the bottle. The reason light painting was the best solution in this situation is because for me in order to light the label with with a strobe would require positioning the light in front of the bottle and as a result the light source itself would get reflected in the glass. To show the glow painting with a flashlight was very effective as it gave me total control to achieve desired results. This whole shot was done in the following manner:

I Set the camera to Bulb and pressed the shutter release button.

Using a flashlight, I painted the light to create the glow (just by running a small flashlight up and down, projecting it onto the bottle and glass, from the back).

Then I light-painted the label.

Then I popped the strobe (two strobe heads with 20 degree grids) positioned one on each side behind the subject) and dropped the lemon simultaneously. It took about 30 takes... to get desired result.

More ideas:

Evan the PhotoExtremist (our frequent guest contributor) recently demonstrated a light painting technique to create a pretty cool image of Psychedelic Droplets CD:

Conclusion:

Digital photography took away some of the magic that used to happened in the darkroom (what's a darkroom? During the dark ages of photography, about 10 years ago, you had to: take a photo, then wait untill you were done with the roll, develop the roll of film, then spend hours in the darkroom printing images, and did I mention measuring and mixing chemicals?... it was awesome and now long forgotten. Nevertheless,this good old technique of light paintings brings some of this magic back into our digital time.

Give this technique a try and post your results and comments. What is your approach to light painting?

Related Tutorials:

Long Exposures with Sparklers
Unconventional Photography Techniques

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a busy New York Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a busy Commercial Photographer shooting advertising, editorial and catalog based in Connecticut. Connect with us via Facebook, Flickr, & Twitter

Travel Photography Tips from Jeff Eagar

Mar 08 2011 6:29 am

_{^{by Jeff Eagar}}^{_{of Which Way To... and EagarBros.com}}

^{_{Watch this inspirational trailer video to learn about style of traveling of Jeff and his brothers Chris and Steve.}}

My name is Jeff Eagar. I was born in Canada but for the last 15 years I have traveled and worked in over 80 countries on 6 continents around the world (have yet to make it to Antarctica). Currently I am a TV producer with my office in Toronto, Canada but a wife and apartment in Tokyo, Japan (incredible city for shooting!). Currently I am doing a travel–adventure series ‘ Which Way To…’ that airs on National Geographic Adventure Channel in over 200 countries. Traveling is my life and when I am on the road I always have my camera with me. I am self-taught through repetition, practice, reading and asking questions.

by Jeff Eagar: Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

I met Sasha, the co-creator of this website, a few years ago on an overland trip I was making from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean across South America. At the time I was about to embark on a difficult portion of the trip through the Amazon jungle and wanted someone with me as a safety net in case something went wrong (malaria, broke leg, mental support). When I spotted him with his shaved head, and buck knife and camping stove hanging off his pack I knew he was the one. Once propositioned he loved the idea and we headed off into the jungle together.

Sasha Gitin (left / front of canoe ) Jeff Eagar (right /back of canoe) Manu Jungle, Peru

Sasha asked me to write a short article on some of my thoughts on travel photography (lifestyle-documentary photography). The following are a few things I keep in mind while shooting on the road.

People:

They are human beings not cold, emotionless subjects. Be polite, ask to take their photo, talk to them and have fun. If they (and you) are happy and relaxed you’ll get a better photo. Black and white is great for people. And remember, some people love to have their photo taken while other cultures aren’t so keen. Don't force a photo.

by Jeff Eagar. Lady in market, Vietnam

Things:

Buildings, nature and objects are a play of light, angles, framing and background. Be aware of these. Relax and enjoy the moment, you’ll take better photos.

by Jeff Eagar. Old Dodge, Veradero, Cuba.

Gear:

I am not a high tech guy and don't spend a lot of money on equipment. I like keeping things simple and basic. I have been using the same Nikon D-70 for the last 5 years. It weighs a ton but its steel body can take the solid beating I put it through. I only carry two lenses: a wide angle (10 – 20 mm, 1.4 – 5.6) and a medium zoom (24 – 85 mm, 2.8-4). Both lenses I like very much. I find these are all I need. I carry a small flash (Nikon SB-400) and never carry a tri-pod. That’s it.

by Jeff Eagar. Hasedera Jinja (temple), Kamakura, Japan

General Tips for Travel Photography:

Don't be lazy:

get up early. You’ll thank yourself later. It’s the best time to shoot. The light is best then, the crowds (other travelers) are still asleep, people are in a good mood, nature is tranquil and you are more calm and focused. It's a beautiful time to be alive.

byJeff Eagar:

Light:

Very important. Soft light in morning and evening add everything to a shot.

by Jeff Eagar. Huge prayer wheel in Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal

Rain:

Think positive – rain is great! It adds emotion and mood to your shot. When you get up in the morning and it’s raining be glad; sometimes it makes for the best shots.

by Jeff Eagar. Rainy Day. Cuzco, Peru

Background:

Be very aware of the background. It can make or break a shot.

By Jeff Eagar: : Leading to Swayambhunath - the Monkey Temple - Kathmandu, Nepal

Black and White:

It can be very emotional and strong. Keep your black and white shots as simple as possible.

by Jeff Eagar: Rickshaw wallah and his rickshaw, Kolkatta, India

Be Creative:

Remember that different angles can look very nice. Be an active shooter. Very low and very high angles are nice. Also, try to crop shots in non-traditional ways. Have fun with the composition

By Jeff Eagar: Carp Pond, Beijing, China

A Numbers Game:

Many times you’ll shoot 40 or 50 shots before you’ll get one you’re really happy with. Most of my shots are average and only a few are really good.

by Jeff Eagar: Boys playing marbles, Hoi Ann, Vietnam

Hunting:

Good shooting is like hunting with your camera. You need to be patient and take time to get good shots. Sometimes you may find a great scene but need to wait there 15 or 20 minute until the right object-subject comes into the frame for you. Be patient. Also, you should sometimes sit and let the shot come to you instead of running around in search of one.

by Jeff Eagar: Old farmer, Bangladesh

Finally:

In travel photography sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good! Be aware of your surrounding and be ready to grab that spontaneous shot. Luck has been the reason for some of my best shots!

Happy Shooting!

What is your favorite photographic travel destination? If money and time where not an issue where would you take your next trip? And Please share your shots below!

The images, video and article were contributed by Jeff Eagar. Jeff is a world traveler and a producer / star of a popular TV Show Which Way Too... which airs on ONL and National Geographic. You can learn more about Jeff, his Brothers and theirs adventures at www.EagarBros.com. You may also connect with Jeff on facebook.
Learn My Shot is welcoming guest tutorials to submit yours reach out via Contact Form

If you are planing a trip soon and are looking for a comprehensive travel photography resource we recommend the following reading: Transcending Trevel by Mitchell Kanashkevich

Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography eBook Review

Mar 01 2011 12:42 pm

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this video to learn more about the new resource to improve your photography

get your copy here.

Several weeks ago we received Photo Nuts and Shots eBook and were asked to review. After thoroughly enjoying the book, Robert reviewed it in the video (above), but I would also share some points regarding this resource, it's author and publisher:

I immediately appreciated how the information was organized, as for me a good layout and structure are especially important as I rely on it to remain focused (which with my short attention span is not an easy thing to do).

About the Author:

The eBook was written by a very talented and knowledgeable photographer Neil Creek. Neil not only creates beautiful flawless images but also shares his knowledge of photography in a unique way.

Photographs:

All photographs in the eBook are taken by the author. I highlight this fact because at LMS we strongly believe that photography educators should teach what they know and have done themselves (hence “learn my shot”). Neil does exactly that – explains what he learned, experienced and mastered.

I was particularly delighted to read Neil’s take on the “body stance” – positioning your body and gripping the camera to achieve the sharpest possible shot. I, personally, being a tripod devotee, suffer from over-excitement when I shoot hand-held. I indulge myself in capturing the moment, framing the shot, communicating to my model and creating a special vibe, however, I often completely forget to focus on how my own body is positioned and how I am handling the camera. As a result, I hit my head against the wall at the time when I review the images of the shoot and notice that some potentially remarkable shots have gone soft due to camera shake, and the reason for self-punishment comes not because the shot went soft but because the mistake could have been easily avoided. Photo Nuts and Shots outlines how to take a sharp photo every time.

As you know, most of our tutorials at LMS are practical step-by-step techniques, as only a limited amount of information could be included in a 5 minute video. We are often asked in comments and emails to elaborate on details that are the foundations for how the creative images are made. We feel that Photo Nuts and Shots fills in all gaps.

About the Publisher:

This eBbook was published by Digital Photography School an educational website of Darren Rowse. Darren is a highly admired entrepreneur and a fine human being. Robert and I had a pleasure of meeting him at blogWorld 2010 in Las Vegas. And we are extremely honored to make such acquaintance.

Robert Grant (left) Darren Rowse (center) Sasha Gitin (right)

For more information, and to get your copy today, visit Photo Nuts and Shots info page.

Please share your reviews, comments, and images taken based on the techniques learned.

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a busy New York based food photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a very busy commercial photographer shooting advertising and catalog, now based in Connecticut. Connect with us via Facebook, Flickr, & Twitter

Disclosure: dPS is an affiliate partner of LearnMyShot.com affiliate programs earn LMS a small commission that helps us maintain the site. However Learn My Shot does not provide paid biased reviews. We only publish reviews on products chosen and used by LMS team.

Using an Image to Create a Backdrop for Your Photograph

Feb 22 2011 12:45 pm

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to create a realistic backdrop using photograph or a painting.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? Now you can! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

In the age of Photoshop some good old techniques are being forgotten. Back in the day, snow or beach scenes where created right inside the studios. Photographers also traveled more often to shoot at exotic locations. Nowadays, most of that magic is done in Photoshop by combining studio shot images with stock photos.

Sometimes using the technique demonstrated in the video can save you time and will help create a rewarding image.

Photo by Robert Grant. Converted to sepia tone in Lightroom

This tutorial was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com. Sasha is a busy New York based food photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a very busy commercial photographer out of New York shooting advertising and catalog now based in Connecticut. Connect with us via Facebook, Flickr, & Twitter

Related Tutorials:

Classic Still Life Photography with Natural Light

Backlighting Photography Technique

Assignment: Use a photograph or a painting that would represent an appropriate environment and use it as a backdrop directly in your shot. And if you feel to add some Photoshop juice to it, do not hesitate. Post your results here using “Share Your Shot” feature in comments.

5 Elegant Studio Lighting Setups for Model Photography

Feb 15 2011 8:47 am

Video and Images: by Nick Carter. Model: Kamara Innis. Article: by SASHA GiTiN

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn photography lighting setup how to photograph a female model.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? Now you can! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography eBook

Models and actors always need fresh images for their portfolios. Photographer’s task is to create a diverse set of images / looks that will help the talent in their efforts to get noticed and to get desired jobs. There are no rules that are set in stone for model or actor portfolio shots, but there are a few things to keep in mind. When photographing a model or actor it’s advisable to understand their needs. For example, a lingerie model will need images that emphasizes on the shape and form of the body. While a dramatic actor, will have more success sending out a head-shot that communicates a certain feeling and will evoke emotions.
Nick Carter demonstrates lighting setups that create unique looks. The video above will take you step by step. Below are images from the shoot:

5 Looks:

Head shot

Half Body Shot

Full Body Shot

Monochromatic

Natural Light

This video and images were created by Nick Carter. Nick is an award winning wedding and portrait photographer. His comprehensive portfolio can be viewed @ nickcarterweddings.com Connect with Nick on his blog or on Facebook

Learn My Shot is welcoming guest tutorials. To submit yours reach out via Contact Form

Related Tutorials:

Assignment: Produce a Model shoot. Pay attention to details: hair, make up, wardrobe.
If you cannot convince your family and friends to collaborate with you, there are ways to find aspiring talent to work with you:
Tips to getting a model: You can find aspiring models who will trade time for quality prints/ digital images. Places where to look: onemodelplace.com, modelmayhem.com, and Craig’s list. Craig’s list is also a place to post ad and find aspiring hair stylists and make-up artists. (if craig's list is not popular where you live, look up other community message boards in your area)
Post your shots in comments below using “Share Your Shot” feature.

17 Steps to Create Time Lapse Video from Still Images

Feb 07 2011 8:21 pm

_{^{Tutorial by Carl Hebert Music by Jason Shaw}}

^{_{Watch this photography tutorial to learn how to make a time-lapse video with your DSLR camera.}}

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? Now you can! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

On January 11th and 12th Connecticut was hit with a blizzard that dropped 20-30 inches of snow across the state. I decided I wanted to try a time-lapse photography.

Time Lapse Photography

Time lapse photography is basically shooting a lot of images over a given length of time and then cramming them back together into a video that is shorter then that time.

This little video shows me shoveling the driveway out after the blizzard passed. 2.5 hours of capture in 2 minutes of video.

17 Steps I took to create this time lapse video

1. Use Tripod

I set my camera up in my garage on a solid tripod.

2. Frame

Frame the shot the way you would for a photograph.

3. Focus

I focused on the front of my car in the driveway. Make sure auto focus is off and that the image stabilizer on your lens is also off.

4. Exposure

I wanted the action in the shots stopped for the most part so I made sure that my shutter speed was fast enough for that. When I started it was fairly bright out and I had the camera set at f13 (important not to change this) and the shutter at 1/250. I had the iso set at 200.

5. White balance

You do not want to use auto white balance as this can change as time goes by. Pick one appropriate for your situation and keep it there for the entire shoot. I used the daylight setting on my camera as it started as a mostly sunny day. Custom white balance is also recommended.

6. Intervalometer

Once I had the settings on the camera done I attached my intervalometer to the camera. Some cameras have one built in. An intervalometer is an advanced shutter release that allows you to set a time between shots. It also allows hands free shooting so you can be in the images your shooting as I was in this video. I set the first shots at 20 second intervals. I stopped and looked at what I had taken and decided to shorten the time between shots to 15 seconds. This allowed more of the action to be caught so it would look less jumpy in the finished video. The less time between shots the smoother the video will look when done. After a few more shots I rechecked the look and decided to change it once again and made the intervals 10 seconds. I know I wanted a fairly jumpy video and was happy with it at 10 seconds.

7. Memory

I also recommend that you have a fairly large memory card in the camera if you are going to be shooting for a long time. I own 8gig cards and filled four of them up shooting this. If I would of been shooting at a shorter interval of lets say 1 second between shots, this same video would of required forty 8gig cards! Another option would have been to have the camera hooked directly to a laptop and have the images saved directly to the laptop. This is fine until you reach a point in which the files can't save as fast as your taking them. At 10 second intervals I don't see this as a problem, but at 3 seconds or less I believe this could be an issue and you would lose shots as the camera waited for a file to transfer.

8. Push the button

Once I was happy with the way the images were looking I hit the start on the intervalometer and started shoveling. I started at 11:30a and finished at 2:10p with a small break for lunch.

9. Re-Check Exposure

I was extremely lucky that the exposure for the most part was great. As the shoot progressed the sky became more overcast, great for a dramatic sky, but the exposure was becoming too dark. I then changed the shutter to 1/125 from 1/250 to gain a full stop of light back. I knew I could make some adjustments in camera raw later.

Post Processing:

When I was done I had a little over 500 images and after I removed the bad ones I still had 480 to work with.

10. Make Adjustments in Raw

The nice thing with adobe camera raw is you can adjust a lot of files at once and when working with 480 files that is a nice feature.I did have to make two adjustments:

The first one was to all the images. I used the fill tool in camera raw to bring out the shadows a bit as they were not bright enough in my opinion.

The second adjustment was the same but only for the shots I took after my short lunch. The sky had darken a bit and the shadows were darker after lunch then before lunch. I again used camera raw and adjusted the fill more intensely to bring the shadows out.

Turning Stills into Video:

12. Save images As JPEG

Once I did the adjustments in camera raw I saved the files as jpegs. When I saved them I made the files 1280x1920 pixels. I could of made them even smaller, but at this size most were smaller then 1mb and they were still large enough to make a high definition video.

13. Import images

Import images into Windows live Movie Maker (PC) or iLive (Mac). I used Windows Live Movie Maker to make the final video. It comes with most computers that have Windows 7 on them. If you have XP or Vista I believe it is just called Movie Maker. On an Apple you get iLife which has iMovie. I just selected all the jpegs just created and dragged them into Movie Maker.

14. Set Interval:

Once in the program I then selected all the images but the first one and the last one and set the time each one would be shown to .2 seconds each. You can play around with this to see what looks best for your video.

15. Play Around:

I then selected the first one and added some text to it with a little visual effect. There were lots of choices and you can have a bit of fun with this. I also made the first frame last 5 seconds to allow the text to be read. The last frame of me with my arms up I set for an 8 second duration.

16. Add Juice

I then picked some music and dragged that to the start of the video and added a fade in and a fade out.

17. Save as High Definition

I also saved this project often as I worked on it. When done I save the project as a high definition movie.

That is it!

Hope you have fun and will take the time to try this technique. Did you have any snow this winter? Share your best snow shot here (using share your shot feature in comments box)

Here is a great time lapse video for inspiration:

Create Keyboard Message Using Content Aware

Jan 31 2011 10:01 am
Video by PhotoExtremist, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this video to learn how to create a special message on your keyboard using Adobe Photoshop.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Contest: try this tutorial, submit your results, 1-st prize: A copy of Trick Photography and Special Effects - E-Book See CONTEST details at the end of this post:

Once again Evan came up with a highly creative technique. There is an infinite number of words and phrases you can arrange in a way that anyone can visually relate to. Keyboard is an object that we stare at everyday. Sometimes when I can not think of something to write about (like right now, for example), I just stare at the keyboard and meditate on the letters hoping that letters will start forming a story on their own. This time around it didn’t happen, so what I decided to do instead, was to actually try to execute Evan’s tutorial myself.
What I did was to create a business card for my photography business:

I think I am pretty happy with it, it’s edgy, simple and a creative looking slim business card (1.5 inches by 3.5). It took me about 15 minutes.
By the way, I did this on my older laptop and it doesn’t have CS5 on it only CS4. So I used the “Patch” tool to replace the buttons instead of content aware (as suggested in the video, content aware only available in CS5)
So that was my take. What can you come up with?

CONTEST: Express Yourself Using the Keyboard Keys
Guidelines: Using this technique express yourself in about 1 to 50 characters. Make a statement, business card, love note, (Valentine’s Day is in two weeks) a ransom note, anything… I am sure if you stare long enough at your keyboard you will come up with some creative ideas.
Contest Winner will receive a copy of Trick Photography and Special Effects - E-Book
By Evan Sharboneau ($37 value)
To submit your entry, simply upload your images on this page using “Share Your Shot” feature in comments box below. Submission Deadline February 7, 2011

This video and images were created by Evan Sharboneau. He shares a lot of his tips and techniques on his blog: check it out: PhotoExtremist.com

Learn My Shot is welcoming guest tutorials. To submit yours reach out via Contact Form

Portrait Lighting Techniques DVD Promo

Jan 21 2011 12:51 pm
Video review by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this video to learn about exclusive promo from Calumet Photographic.

As Robert mentioned in the video, LearnMyShot, is now affiliated with Calumet Photographic. This will not change your LearnMyShot experience in any way, but it will provide us with greater resources to produce more great tutorials in the future.

Exclusive Offer:

As an exclusive offer for our community use code CALLMS to get your Portrait Lighting DVD for FREE with any purchase from CalumetPhoto.com until January 31st. See below how to use the code.

About Calumet:

CalumetPhoto.com is an awesome online photography store and rental house located here in New York City as well as in most major US and European cities.
We chose Calumet as our affiliate for a number of good reasons:

Huge inventory of photography products: from high end professional equipment to beginner grade cameras and lighting gear.

Great prices – prices often much lower than other online Photo stores

Superb Lighting equipment:

Calumet not only is a store, but a great brand for high quality professional lighting and photographic equipment. They sell their own product which makes their prices lower than any competitive brand

Until January 31 there is great deal on Lighting Kits and Light Modifiers:

If you are planning to invest in studio strobes, we highly recommend Genesis Strobe units: Genesis 200 (200ws watt/seconds) these are great studio strobes for beginners OR Genesis 400 (400ws twice the power of 200 unit)
If you need even more powerful strobes: The Travelite series offers power up to 750WS (watt/second)
I’ve been working with these units on numerous shoots and they perform flawlessly.

Great Light modifiers (Softboxes and Umbrellas):
Top quality at very affordable prices. I bought my first calumet umbrellas in 2001, and they outlived and outperformed other umbrellas that I have owned (when you do commercial photography reliably and long life of equipment is crucial to running the business and getting the jobs done).

Until January 31, 2011 exclusively for LearnMyShot community enter code CALLMS

How to use this current promo to get your FREE Portrait Lighting DVD:

Visit CalumetPhoto.com and check out some products.

Purchase any Item from online store (no minimum purchase required)

At check out, enter code CALLMS (please note that nothing will visually happened after you enter the code, however your free DVD will be added to the final order when check out is complete)

Please note that this deal only applies to CalumetPhoto.com (online store) not the retails shops.

Do you already own any Calumet brand photo equipment? Please feel free to share your experience or photos in comments below:

Disclosure:
^{Calumet Photographic is an affiliate partner of LearnMyShot.com affiliate programs earn LMS a small commission on purchases that anyone makes when they visit CalumetPhoto.com and enter the code callms. However learnmyshot does not provide paid biased reviews and only reviews the products chosen and used by LMS team.}

A Decade of Lost Images

Jan 18 2011 2:41 pm

Article and Photos by Mayra Moreno

^{_{In this article Mayra shares a series of events that made her love photography , hate it , and love it again.}}

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

I was in my last year in high school when my non-interesting life as a teenager took a turn. I entered into a whole new world that taught me to see and fall in love with the world around me. It still amazes me that something in the shape of a small box made me feel this way 22 years ago.

It was over two whole decades ago that I held my Pentax K-1000 as if it was my life itself, an extension of my senses interpreted and translated into the physical world. In other words, magic at its best. This art was magical enough that I switch my major from Marketing to Visual Arts during my sophomore year in college. So I clicked away with my camera through college as an art major, incorporating it into my painting and ceramic work.

It was the year 2003 and my camera had been my sole companion for over a decade already. I was done with college and I had been using my camera for the last three years to document my art students and their artwork. Unfortunately due to budget cuts, I was out of a job. Fortunately enough, that same year I had saved enough money to do what I had always dreamed of doing, traveling and photographing the big world out there.

That same year, I had met a young talented man with whom I shared several similar interests. There was one major difference between us. He had giving up his rolls of film and his film camera and purchased a digital SLR camera. I, on the other hand, went out and bought 300 rolls of film and a Nikon F100 camera to accompany me on my ten months backpacking trip.

Halfway through my trip, I had already backpacked for 4 month throughout Mexico and 1 month in Guatemala. Throughout this whole time, not once did I ever feel that carrying all that photo gear was a nuisance. Although I must admit, that the labeling and the mailing of rolls back home to be develop was time consuming, but not a good enough reason to switch from film to digital. At that time, the digital quality of a print had not convinced me at all. So, I held very tightly and firmly to my backpack with all of my film tucked inside of it.

During my trip, two major things that happened in my life and they both happened in Ecuador. One, for the second time, I met up with the same young and talented photographer in the beautiful city of Quito. Together we explored and photographed the diverse and beautiful country of Ecuador. The second major event happened on a bus to Guayaquil. I thought of taking advantage of this city with a port to ship out my 35 exposed rolls of film. Those 35 rolls of film were the most special rolls I had taken in my life. Not only had I captured images that made my soul sing, but I felt that my strongest work ever was rolled up inside those metal containers. The fear of damaging them with x-ray machines was too great of a risk, so I had decided to ship them by boat instead.

We caught the first bus departing from El Paraiso to Guayaquil early that chirpy sunny morning. Feeling excited, the way I always did when moving on to a new place, I loaded my bag back to top bag compartment above my seat and placed a small bag with my exposed rolls between my feet momentarily to settle into my seat. I had barely settled into my seat when I reached for my bag to place it on my lap only to find air in my hand and an empty space between my feet. My first reaction was to check under my seat to see where it might have slid. When I didn’t catch sight of it, I walked back and forth on the small bus desperately looking for it and asking the few passengers on the bus if they had seen it. Images from my last week in Mexico, my entire trip in Guatemala, and half of my trip through Ecuador flicked through my mind at a tremendous speed upon realizing that my 35 rolls of film had disappeared in a matter of few seconds. It was on that bus to Guayaquil that I felt a great part of me had literally vanished and it has only been recently that I am recovering from this great lost. Till this day, I play a video in my mind of little children running with my negative strips twirling in the air like kite strings without the kites under the blazing sun while my other rolls of film lay semi-buried on the side of some old dirt road.

Almost ten years later after this incident, I never did shoot with the same enthusiasm again. Since then, I have only picked up my camera to photograph special family events. These days, film is not readily available like it used to be and my favorite photo lab closed five years ago among many others. It is hard to believe that I have allowed myself to let my rolls of film sit through months on my desk before taking them to be developed. When at one point in time, my film went straight from my camera to a developing tank and off to darkroom to make prints and if this was not possible, straight to a lab.

On December 25, 2010, my husband, that young talented photographer I have been telling you about, gave me back a part of me that I had not seen in almost a decade. I finally found a digital camera that was compact, with fine grain, and with almost better color accuracy than film. In three weeks, I have shot hundreds of pictures, capturing images of onions, the streets of Brooklyn, strangers, but mostly my three year old daughter and 5 month old son and I love every moment of shooting with my new Nikon D3100. Looking back in time and putting things into perspective, I’ve realized that it was not only thirty five stolen rolls of film that I lost but I lost my chance of photographing a whole decade.

I know a lot of photographers who embraced digital photography at its birth in the late 1990’s and the early 2000’s, but I also know there were a couple of them who like me, had a difficult time switching from film to digital. At what moment did you realize that it was time to move from film to digital photography?

Mayra Moreno is an artist who teaches the visual arts at a high school in Brooklyn, NY

LearnMyShot.com is welcoming guest videos and articles. To submit yours please contact us using this form

How To Photograph a Flying Cat

Jan 10 2011 11:36 am

_{^{Video by PhotoExtremist. Article by SASHA GiTiN}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph flying cats plus Photoshop tips on how to stitch two images together.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Cats just love flying, after a long and convincing conversation, I am sure your pet will happily agree to collaborate with you on the photoshoot. Out of all pets, cats are most suited for flying due to their landing abilities. So grab a cat, convince it to fly, and share your shots and experience with us. Do you know of any other mammals that would be good for this kinda flying?

This tutorial was brought to you by our regular contributor Evan Sharboneau (bottom left). Evan just released a pretty cool eBook: “Photography Tricks and Special Effects” it’s packed with unique techniques and mind-bending photographs: if you happened to be interested, grab a copy here.

Related Tutorials:

Color Infrared Technique

Long Exposure with Sparklers

How to Photograph a Dog

Hangover Photography Alka Seltzer Drop

Dec 29 2010 11:33 am

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN
Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how photograph water in motion in the glass.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

The holidays are associated not only with joy, quality time with the family and friends but also with a hangover. The morning after, it feels like it takes an eternity for the Alka-Seltzer tablet to dissolve in water. And that’s, pretty much, where the idea for this tutorial came from.

Tips for freezing the motion:

Freezing the motion means stopping time. There are two variables that can control time in photography: When using continuous source it’s the shutter speed and when using flash it’s the duration of light.

Continuous light:

Shutter speed of 400/sec and greater will stop the motion. The freezing effect will gradually increase with the shutter speed up to 2000/sec

Shoe Mount Flash:

Shoe mount speed lights are great for stopping the action, The duration of flash on the shoe-mount flash is really short, thus making it a great motion stopping tool. Most of the shoe-mount flashes can be used off camera and sync using wireless or optical slaves or the sync cord.

Studio Flash:

Studio flash generally will have a shorter duration at its lowest power setting. In the video above, we used 200ws setting on a 2400ws power pack.
So give this tutorial a try and post your results.

Related Tutorials:
How to Photograph Water In Motion
How to photograph Moving River
How to Photograph Wine Bottles

Assignment: Motion In the Glass. Create an image that shows moving liquid in the glass. Pouring or Dropping or Bubbling.

To post your images: use “Share Your Shot” feature in comments.
What is your photographic New Year's resolution? Share your ideas and
Have a Fabulous 2011!

Soft Focus Filter Effect

Dec 21 2010 1:51 pm
Video by Robert Grand with introduction by real Santa Claus, Article by SASHA GiTiN

Watch this tutorial video to learn how to use soft focus filter during the long exposure and mixing flash with continuous light.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Using soft focus filter to soften background, while keeping the subject crispy sharp:This technique can be achieved when two light sources are used and each is lighting a different part of the image. Studio strobe, shoe mount flash, or pop up flash can be used to mix with natural or artificial continues light.
Before we get into the art of mixing the strobe light with natural light and allowing soft filter to blur the background during the long exposure, let us first touch on the basics of how light and time works.
Light and time are the backbones of photography. The light travels faster than anything else known to men, (at the speed of light). Main camera functions are designed to control the light.

Shutter Speed:

Shutter in camera opens and shuts to let the light onto the digital sensor. Thus, shutter speeds control the duration of time for the shutter to remain open.

Aperture:

Aperture controls the amount of light entering through the lens.The smaller the f-stop, the wider the aperture so more light enters though, and vice-versa: the bigger the f-stop the narrower the aperture, so the less light enters through. And because the time in turn is controlled by the shutter speed there is direct correlation in controlling the exposure.

ISO:

ISO is the sensor’s sensitivity to light. The higher the number the more sensitive it is.

Flash:

When using any type of flash, pop up flash, hot shoe or studio strobe, the duration of the flash is controlled by the flash unit. Regardless of the setting, the duration of the flash is so short that the shutter speed has no influence on the exposure. This is not to be confused with the camera sync speed (generally for SLR cameras speed has to be below 250/sec in order to be sync) When using flash the camera can only control the exposure with the f-stop (aperture) and ISO (sensitivity), or power settings on the flash unit.

The art of mixing Flash with Continuous Light:

Lets take an example of the shot we demonstrate in the video above:
The Subject (Santa ornament) is lit by flash. While the background (Tree) is lit by natural window light. To make things a little bit more difficult there is the third light source (the lights on the tree).
To repeat what was stated earlier: when using continuous source (sun + Christmas lights) the exposure is controlled by all three: shutter, aperture and ISO
Flash exposure is controlled by the power settings on the flash unit, aperture and ISO.
What does continuous source and flash have in common? They are both controlled by Aperture and ISO. What is unique to each source? They can be controlled independently: Continuous light can be controlled by Shutter while Flash power and duration can be controlled by power setting on a flash unit. And in contrary, the change of power setting of the strobe does not influence areas exposed only by ambient (continuous) light and in turn the change of shutter setting does not influence the exposure of flash.

Balancing flash and continuous light:

Set your camera to manual mode.
Start with exposing your subject (Santa ornament in this example).
Set the f-stop to achieve the desired depth of field.
Set the power setting on the flash unit to achieve the desired exposure. For pop up flash use + - setting. (if you don’t know how to change the power setting on your pop-up or hot shoe flash, refer to your camera or flash unit manual or ask us to tell you in the comment area below (just tell us the model that you are using).
Adjust shutter speed for the correct exposure of the background (Christmas tree with lights in our example). We used 1 second.
Done!

Using filters to soften background and for other special effect:

Since flash pop only lasts a short period of time, part of the image that is exposed by continuous light source can be altered during the exposure. In the video above, we used a 1 second shutter speed. So the flash pop only lasts about 1/1000 of a second but because we have the exposure set to 1 full second, the light on the subject (Santa) that is projected by strobe will not be altered in any way after the pop. So if the flash is only active during 1/1000 of the second, you have the rest of the second to alter the background (tree and lights). Right after the flash pop you can place anything over the lens. Possible tools are:
1.   Soft Filter - makes lights to glow and softens the background
2.   Star Filter - will create star glow effect
3.    Soft Star Filter - creates both round glow like soft filter and star glow effect like star filter does
4.   Also there are some DIY alternatives: you can use, a clear glass or plastic and smudge it with few drops of Karo syrup mixed with starch, to create a soft filter look.

Without Filter:

With Soft Focus Filter:

This technique can also be used when photographing people as your subject. Just ask them not to move for 1 second.

The idea of this article was to give you better understanding of how the technique of mixing the light works. Understanding concepts of photography will give you special powers and ability to create your own unique images.
Let us know if you have any questions. Try this tutorial and post your results here. Seeing your work inspires others and helps us to understand your skill level better, which plays a big role in crafting new tutorials. Please share your shots in comments area below:

4 Unconventional Christmas Lights Photography Techniques

Dec 17 2010 4:15 pm

_{^{Video by PhotoExtremist. Article by SASHA GiTiN}}

Watch this tutorial video to learn how to photograph Christmas tree using Panning and Zooming camera techniques.

Evan Sharboneau is the Author of Tricks and Special Effects Photography eBook. A Mind-blowing photography resource featuring 270 pages and 9 hours of tutorial videos. Edition 2.0 is out: To learn more click here

Star Effect

Star filter works great when doing low light night photography. It adds magical sparkle to candles, Christmas lights, night town lights etc.
Simply Attach the star filter to your lens and it will do its thing.

Photo by Evan Sharboneau

Zooming

The camera and subject are still.
The camera is set to long exposure.Shatter speed of 1 sec or longer.
Zoom in / or out while taking the shot
Can be combined with flash

Photo by Evan Sharboneau

Panning

The camera and subject are moving together at the same speed.
The camera is set to long exposure. Shutter speed of 1 sec or longer.
Flash is freezing the motion of the subject, while the shutter drags background for creative effect:

Photo by Evan Sharboneau

Zooming and Panning

The camera is set to long exposure, Shutter speed to 1 sec or longer.
Camera is panning and simultaneously zooming
Can be combined with flash.
No PhotoSHop was done here, Evan actually looks like that:

Photo by Evan Sharboneau

This video and images were created by Evan Sharboneau. Evan just released a pretty cool eBook: “Photography Tricks and Special Effects” it’s packed with unique techniques and mind-bending photographs: if you happened to be interested, grab a copy here. Also he shares a lot of his tips and techniques on his blog: check it out: PhotoExtremist.com

Learn My Shot is welcoming guest tutorials. To submit yours reach out via Contact Form

Post your "Unconventional" shots here using "Share Your Shot" feature in comments, the first one to post gets extra credit (for real!)

Fast Way to Organize and Search your Photos Using Keywords in Adobe Bridge

Dec 13 2010 3:08 pm

_{^{Video by Carl Hebert. Article by SASHA GiTiN}}

Watch this tutorial video to learn how to use keywords to effectively search for your imaged using Adobe Bridge CS5.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

In the “old days” the process of archiving and organizing photographs involved compiling the negatives, contact sheets, proofs, final prints into boxes and then marking the boxes with appropriate labels. When I occasionally need to find a particular photograph the “looking for” part becomes a project in itself.

Digital Image Archiving:

Digital Image Archiving if not done properly can turn into complete nightmare over time. Even if you name your files and folders properly searching for particular image can become highly frustrating experience. However if your images have been properly organized and keyworded, searching for an image or group of images can take only a few seconds.
There are many programs that allow you to organize your images. Among professional and advanced photographers usually the following programs are used:
Aperture for Mac (by apple cost about $200),
Lightroom 3 both PC and Mac (by adobe about $230 also available as student / teacher editions for $79)
Adobe Bridge (comes for free with Photoshop or Elements)

Keywording and Searching with Adobe Bridge:

In This tutorial we would like to focus on Bridge because if you have adobe Photoshop or Elements you already have Bridge as it’s a part of the installation.
In Bridge you can add your own keywords and make your files easily searchable. When you switch from one software to another lets say from Bridge to Lightroom all your meta data will remain accessible because most leading programs and web applications recognize XML. And specific list of keywords can be exported as well.

Keywords:

Bridge allows you to quickly assign keywords to your images. Keywords can be broken down into categories and subcategories. For example if you have travel footage from Ecuador. You can create a keyword “Travel” and a sub-keyword “Ecuador” and attach that keyword to all the images taken on that trip.

_{Photo by Sasha Gitin, Ecuador 2004}You can also get very specific with your keywords. For example an image depicting a group of kids (above) taken in the central highlands of Ecuador can be keyworded for every element in the image: “travel” with sub-keyword “Ecuador”, with sub-keyword “Central Highlands” with another sub-keyword “Chugchilan” (the village near the place where the image was taken). Also general keywords can be attached such are “road” , “mountains” “kids” "girls" "boys" "hat" "curious" etc…
So when you are selecting entire hard drive in bridge with "show items from sub-folders" option checked you can search for keywords Ecuador + Kids + mountains and all the images that depict “Kids in Ecuadorian mountains will be displayed.
Keywording might take a little extra time in the beginning when you upload new photos on your computer but will save a ton of time later when you search for a particular photo that you took years ago.

Keyword Sets:

You can create a list of keywords as you go like Carl demonstrates in the video above. Also you can use some ready made sets. This one is put together by Rick Potter and available for Free: Rick's Keyword Sets
When you download this lists you can import them into Adobe Bridge by clicking on drop-down box in keywords tab (see screen-shot on the right)
There also more comprehensive keyword sets available for those who use industry recognizable keywords. Useful for someone selling photos for stock or doing a lot of of travel or documentary photography:
Two most popular sources are:
Controlled Vocabulary
Keyword Catalog

If you know of other good resources to download keyword sets please share it with us in your comments.

Baby Photography Tips and Lighting Setup

Dec 01 2010 11:32 am

^{_{Tutorial by SASHA GiTiN}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph babies.Newborns, infants using studio flash and double umbrella lighting. With tips on photography lighting and studio set up.

Want to learn in depth how to take gorgeous photos of kids? now you can ! see our review of a New Educational Resource - Click!

In this baby photography tutorial video we cover the following topics:

Complete Studio or Home Set up
Amazingly soft Portrait Light using a Double Umbrella
Equipment needed for the shoot (simple and inexpensive also can be used for Portraits and Fashion, see the complete list below)
2 poses with many variations
Tips on working with a baby

Tips for photographing a baby:

Easy with a Flash power

Try to avoid using strobe / studio flash with infants under 3 months old, instead try to utilize natural light. With infants over 3 month old use the lowest power setting to minimize the negative impact. Instead increase ISO and open the f-stop. In my opinion, the high powered strobe flash can have a negative effect on a child’s development.

High Powered Strobe is bad for newborns.

The first month of a child’s life is the most sensitive period for brain development. When the baby is born, billions of brain cells that have developed while in the womb, begin to make first connections (synapses). Stimulation of the brain begins with sensory experiences.

One of examples would be when child is observing the contrast between light and dark shapes. This fires up the neurotransmitters which create connections as they travel from cell to cell forming a network. The network of these connections corresponds to intellectual capacity, memory, problem solving, and language. But just imagine what happens when 2500 watt per second of studio flash power is being released into a baby face? I am not an expert on neurology, but in my opinion, flash will create a sudden sensory overload, most likely misguiding neurotransmitters and frying some cells, eliminating the opportunity for successful development.

Based on my hypotheses, I would not recommend using flash to photograph newborn babies under 3 month at all. Reserve to natural light, or continuous light instead. What I noticed by observing thousands of babies being photographed, is that baby’s immediate reaction to a flash pop, when the unit is set to 250ws and above and positioned close to the subject is the baby literally jerks and jumps back on each pop. However, by lowering the power below 100ws, it does not seem cause any visual reaction. (In the video, my strobe was set to 1/32 of a power of 320ws unit) so each pop was only 10ws. As you might have notice, Sammy did not exhibit any reaction to strobe pop, at all.

Bottom line: Crank up your ISO – and carefully focus so you can keep you aperture open, so that you can control your exposure with ISO and f-stop, as appose to flash intensity. Trust me the grain in the image is definitely better than brain development complications.

More info on baby brain development: Making connections helping children build their brains

Use soft Light.

I used a double umbrella for this photo shoot. Double umbrella is a translucent umbrella and white reflective, or silver umbrella taped together at the ends of the stem. Most of the umbrellas have an option of black cover to be removed. By removing the black cover the white reflective umbrella turns into translucent.

Be ready to shoot.

The baby will generally only grant you with a few minutes of good behavior. Test your light and exposure prior to the first shot, use a doll or a soft toy to preset focus and exposure.

Direct babies attention with a sound “prrrrrrrrrrrrrrr” kind of works well.

How to Make Baby Smile:

Happy baby is the one who had his nap, was recently fed, is dry and comfortable. Babies instinctively will produce a social smile – meaning that if you smile at them they will smile back. Ask the mother to stay right behind the camera.

DO NOT: This might be obvious but never shake the baby, shaking can cause brain damage. Once again, do not use your strobe at a high power setting. If the baby has any type of reaction to the flash pop, it means that the power setting is too high.

Create a soft comfortable and safe environment; make sure that the camera is close enough so the baby is within your reach or within the parent’s reach. Secure the photographing area, in case of a roll over, make sure there is no hard surfaces or objects for the baby to get hurt with.

Studio Equipment for baby photography:

A: 4 inch (medium) Spring Clamp (A-clamps). A-clamps where used to secure background fabric to the telescopic poll. Also one clamp was used to secure the bouncer (H) to the stand (D)Price is about $3 per clamp. You can get them at any hardware store.

B: Alien bee B800 flash unit.

C: Bogen 2983 Telescoping Cross Bar The most convenient and versatile background holder you will ever find. It can hold any roll of background paper up to 9 feet wide. You can hang all sorts of fabric backgrounds on it with A-clamps. It doesn’t need any special hook up because it can easily be attaches to any type light stand. (one on each end) It has three telescopic sections so it’s easy to transport on location and it’s very durable and light weight. I love it.

D: Manfrotto 367B Basic Light Stand. Great heavy duty stand. I used 2 of them is this shoot one was holding the light the other was holding the bouncer. I had a lot of cheap stands in the past and they all died. This stands survive all the abuse and still perform like new. Maximum height is 9 feet.

E: Manfrotto 5001B 74-Inch Nano Stand These stands are great for location work. They fold really small and extend to 6 feet 2 inches. They can hold a studio light with umbrella or small softbox. These two stand where supporting the crossbar (C), but I was worried that my 3 year old would knock them down. As she was running back and forth behind the set. So I would only recommend them for location use, for studio the (D) stands are better, they are more sturdy

F: Calumet 45 inch Umbrellas. Also these are the best quality umbrellas I own. I have used these for more than 10 years and they are still in great shape. These are very versatile. The black backing is removable so the umbrella can be used as reflective soft white umbrella or as translucent/ shoot through umbrella. Or two can be hooked up together with tape for single light - double umbrella set up (as was done in this video) I also used it during a heavy rain, once, coming back from a shoot. (Kept me dry, True story)

G: Vivitar 285HV Flash Oh yeah they still make these. What a workhorse!!! I think I have mine for about 15 years. Never broke. I use it as a background light quite often. It can be used as on camera flash as well. (but I have canon 580 for that purpose) This unite is compact and battery operated. It takes any type AA batarries (4). I use rechargeable Sanyo Eneloop Hybrid Batteries with all my flash units, they seem to last the longest, and do not die when not used. Please note that to sink this unite wireless with your main flash you will need an optical slave (peanut) the flash will sink wireless within 100 feet from the main flash unite

H: Bouncer : Collapsible reflector. It bounces light back onto the subject feeling in shadows. Can be used with any light source. I often use this when I shoot portraits and still life. Sometimes I use it as a background or surface as well on small still life shoots or quick head-shots. One side is white the other is gold.

J: White canvas backdrop, it wrinkles a lot so I always keep it out of focus. You can iron it though it’s made out of cotton

K: Canon 40d camera was used to shoot these images. I used my 7d to record the video. I think, I like 40 d actually more than 7d because it has less color noise and finer grain (on lower iso). 24-70mm canon L 2.8 lens was attached to a camera. I have a dozen lenses but I use this this lens for about 85% present of all my work. For this shoot the lens was set to about 40mm at f4

L. White sheer This is thin, translucent fabric, It was used it to place over the heavy cotton backdrop (J). Produces a light airy feel. You can use regular sheer curtains or for larger set order by the yard: I used 20 yards of 118 inch wide fabric. from here: http://warehousefabricsinc.com/V118WHE.html

Sasha Gitin is the editor and co-founder of LearnMyShot.com. Also he is a busy New York based commercial food photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. His commercial portfolio can be reviewed on sashagitin.com.

Related Tutorials:

How to Photograph Children Outdoors

What's your best / Worst experience shooting babies?

Assignment: Post your Baby Shots here using "Share Your Shot" feature in comments box.

First Steps in Photoshop CS5 Open Edit Save

Nov 16 2010 6:12 am

_{^{Video by Carl Hebert. Article by Sasha Gitin}}

Watch this Photoshop tutorial video to learn how to open, edit and save images using Adobe Photoshop CS5.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

As we are starting to introduce more advanced photography and Photoshop tutorials we would like to finalize the basics. If you do not use Photoshop yet, this is a good time to start.
For me Adobe Photoshop is the most fascinating piece of software, ever. I took my first Photoshop class in college in 1999. And after 11 years of using it, for work and fun, I still discover some new functions and tricks that advance my skill.
The tutorial video (above) is the 3-rd part of the foundation series.
Part 1: How to Import and Organize your Images in Bridge
Part 2: How to Open and Edit Images in Adobe Camera Raw

About Photoshop:

Photoshop, Bridge and Adobe Camera Raw are three separate applications that come with Photoshop Installation and together these 3 allow you to download from camera/card, organize, process in raw, and of course, edit and retouch your images.
There are two versions of Photoshop CS5.
Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended. The Difference between Extended Version and regular is: that Extended has everything that regular does plus 3D image creation and editing and rich motion graphics editing.
Photoshop CS5 cost $699 on Adobe site and on Amazon about $634.99 for PC and $657.99 for Mac
Photoshop CS5 Extended for PC listed on Adobe for $999 and on Amazon about $888.00 for PC and $989.00 for Mac

However there are more affordable options:

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended Students and Teachers Edition.
Is the same application as Photoshop CS5 Extended but is discounted for teachers and students.
Who is qualifies for Educational edition:

University and college students
Primary and secondary school students
Faculty and staff

Required Proof of Eligibility:
In order to install the Adobe Student Edition software, you (or the person you are buying the product for) must first obtain a serial number by submitting proof of eligibility to Adobe. read about eligibility details
Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5 Student & Teacher Edition is $192.00 for PC and $192.00 for Mac

There is also another solution for beginners on the budget:
Adobe Photoshop Elements 9
The big plus is that Photoshop Elements also comes with Adobe Bridge and Adobe Camera Raw.
Elements is a unique software which is scaled down and simplified version of Photoshop. Together with Bridge and Adobe Camera Raw it is a powerful application and is great for enhancing, sharing and organizing your photos. The best thing about Elements is its price:
If you buy from Adobe its 79.99 and from Amazon $69 for PC and Mac
All of Adobe applications are available to download as 30 day trial. At Adobe.com

As Learn My Shot is moving ahead we hope everyone will be equipped with right tools to implement current and future tutorials.
If you have any questions about Photoshop or its features feel free post it here we'll be happy to help.

Related Photoshop Tutorials:
How to Import and Organize your Images in Bridge
How to Open and Edit Images in Adobe Camera Raw
Focus Stacking Technique
How to Create Scary Portrait

Focus Stacking and Bracketing Technique for Marco Jewelry Photography

Nov 08 2010 2:55 pm

^{_{Tutorial by Alex Koloskov}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to create amazingly sharp macro and jewelry images using focus bracketing photography technique and focus stacking tool in adobe photoshop CS5.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

How & Why to Use Focus Stacking (focus bracketing) Technique:

We often use focus stacking for critical product shots, where closed aperture or tilt-shift lens does not provide enough DOF and/or details. For this photography and photoshop CS5 tutorial, we have photographed a silver bracelet, positioned at about 45 degree from a camera focusing plane.

First let me go over the lighting set up used for this Jewelery shot . Even though focus stacking technique can be used for any type of photography where sharp focus throughout the image is required:

Set up for Jewelry Photography:

Subject was placed on white seamless surface. When looking at this particular product (silver bracelet) please notice that it is not entirely bright shiny silver but also has black cast as a part of the design, I wanted to make sure it will be correctly shown on the final image. So, the idea here is to have soft, even lighting (Tiffany-like, take a look at their silver pieces), yet to show the rough texture of the bracelet surface. To achieve desired look first thing I needed is to hide the bracelet from direct light. I've used 2 foam boards: Board 1 is white foam board, positioned the left side of the jewelry piece. Board 2 is a 50% gray and is positioned to the right of the jewelry piece.

Lighting:

First light (front left), is a WL X1600 strobe unit with 20 degree honeycomb grid is creating a spot on the right (gray) foam board and simultaneously spilling light onto the table right in front of the bracelet. The hot spot in the board is being reflected in the curves of the bracelet creating a bright life-full highlights , while the softer part of the light that is being projected onto gray card is being reflected in mid-tones of this jewelry piece. The White card (left of the subject) is being reflected in left part of the bracelet. Such lighting scenario produces even and smooth look.

Second Light Strip box (back, center) is projecting light onto the background. Not only it is lighting the background but also spilling onto the surface and bouncing off both (white and gray) boards adding over all softness. Please note that none of the light sources are hitting bracelet directly.

Focus stacking technique:

The idea is similar to a HDR photography, but instead of exposure bracketing, we do a focus shift- a.k.a. Focus Bracketing: To achieve focus bracketing: For each shot we move camera slightly to cover another piece of the object, and then merging all this captures in one during the post-production: using adobe photoshop CS5.

The correct way to change a focusing point is to change the distance between the camera and our subject by moving the camera while lens zoom and focusing point should not be changed. The best way to achieve precise movement is to use macro focusing rails (I use Manfrotto 454 Micrometric Positioning Sliding Plate)
For camera settings we use completely manual mode: manual exposure and manual focus.
For this image I used F11 aperture: this is right in the middle of "sweet spot" for the lens I've used, Canon 180mm F3.5L macro.

Why F11 Aperture was used:

As we all know, DOF gets increased (more deep) when we close aperture (larger number on F stop value). However, every lens looses contrast and amount of visible details (linear resolution) when aperture gets closed or gets wide open: diffraction starts playing a big role when light travels trough a pin hole lens... Each lens has it's own "usable" range (you have to "master" your lens to find it), but even most expensive ones does not do a good job at it's maximum F-stop number. You can see examples of how image gets changed when we go from F8 to F16, than F22 and f32 on my another article, where I've compared Hasselbald H4D-50 and Canon 1Ds MkIII.

Focus Bracketing:

I did total of 12 shots for the bracelet: by doing a little bit more then needed, overlapping focused area on each shot, we got that extra amount details on the final, merged image. Photoshop does great job of pulling all the usable information from each shot and combining it on one final super-image:-) see video above for Focus Stacking using Adobe Photoshop SC5.
Those extra shots did not cost me much time, but the end result... that amount of details you can't get even with 50+ megapixel medium format camera when the image is done in one shoot.
See yourself:

Full image:

100% crop of the left end of the bracelet:

100% crop of the right end:

100% crop of the center:

The video will take you step by step through the process, enjoy:-)

Hardware/software used for the shoot:

    * Canon 1Ds mark III DSLR
    * Canon 180mm F3.5L macro lens
    * Manfrotto macro focusing rails
    * Manfrotto 405 geared head
    * Fatif studio stand
    * Manfrotto (bogen) shooting table (roll of seamless paper can also be used)
    * White Lighting monolight units
    * Photoshop CS5 Extended

This post was filmed and written by a guest writer Alex Koloskov. He also writes for his Photography Blog where you can find gear review, photography tips and behind the scenes videos. His commercial photography portfolio can be viewed @ www.koloskov.com

Give this tutorial a try and post your results here using "Share Your Shot" feature in comments box. Do you use Focus Stacking in your photography? What do you shoot using this technique?

Related Tutorials:

Light Bulb vs Halogen when Photographing Reflective Metal

Nov 01 2010 5:55 pm

^{_{Tutorial by Dave Dugdale}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph shiny objects using clamp lamp vs. halogen light

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Video Transcript:
Hello everybody this is Dave Dugdale from LearningDSLRVideo.com and today I am honored to do a guest post for Learn My Shot. I need to learn a lot more about lighting so I decided to try and replicate one of Robert's tutorials and in the process show the difference between a normal clamp light and halogen work lights that I am using to light this video. The tutorial I am trying to replicate is on Shiny Reflective Objects where Robert shoots some flatware so let’s go to my studio and see how I do.
Here my flatware is not exactly like Robert's but it is pretty reflective so it should work. We already know from Roberts example that we will need some diffusion so I purchased the exact same paper that Robert uses and I will stretch it out over the flatware all the way from the camera to the back the desk. So looking at my camera settings. I am in aperture priority like Robert's tutorial so we set the aperture value and the camera sets the shutter speed. The lens I am using is not as wide as Robert's but it should get us close. It is the 28-135 set on 28mm and on manual focus.
We are setting the ISO on my Canon T2i to 100 for the lowest noise. Our f-stop is set at 22 and I am using evaluative metering and the shutter will be long. And here is my first try with the clamp light with 150 watts, that looks pretty good but lets see how it looks like when I use the halogen work light. The halogen is 250 watts so I am guessing the shutter speed is going to decrease.

Well to be honest I am not noticing a big difference at all. But the one with clamp lamp looks a little better to me, I am not sure why?

Dave Dugdale runs a DSLR video educational blog where he shears what he learned. His tutorials are brilliant we definitely recommend you to visit: LearningDSLRVideo.com

Equipment used in this video:

Camera: Canon Rebel T2i 18MP
Lens: Canon 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Diffusion Paper: Vellum H1000 Roll 36in X 5 Yards
Lights: Clamp Lamp Vs.Halogen Work Light

Give it a try, like Dave did, experiment a bit, and share your results! (use share your shot link in comments box)

Why do you two different light sources produced a similar result? What type of lights do you use?

How to Create a Really Really SCARY Photo

Oct 21 2010 7:21 pm

_{^{Video by Robert Grant. Article by Sasha Gitin}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to take a dramatic portrait.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Happy Halloween Everyone!

We hope to scare the hell out of you with this tutorial. And we hope that you will, in turn, will scare hell out of many people after you try it out.
I remember back in school when we were working on a project that evolved creating a realistic looking self-portrait mask. One of the students (a smart-ass) asked out loud: “What are we suppose to do with the final piece?”. My sculpture professor, Karin Guisti, replied, “Well, you can wear it for Halloween and be something really scary”.
If you attending or hosting a costume party this year it might be a great idea to set up a few lights in the corner and take some shots of your friends. If you are planning to spend this day alone you can still dress up and take some really scary shots of yourself. Robert’s video, above, will show you the set up, step by step. You can make your images even more horrific in Photoshop by following these steps. It only takes about 10 minutes:

10 Steps in Under 10 minutes:

Make a Scary Image Even Scarier using Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop.

1. Open your image in adobe camera raw.

If you don’t know how to open files in Adobe Raw look at our previous tut: How to Open and Edit Images in Adobe Camera Raw

2. Adjust the Color Temperature and Tone:

In a main “Basic” tab set color temperature to 2700 (if ordinal was shot with flash then set it to about 3500) adjust other settings as per diagram below. Please note that settings may vary a bit depending on original image. Adjust the “Exposure” slider last, for desired look.

3. Set desired ”Vignetting”:

Click on “Lens Corrections" tab and adjust Vignetting. This is the first time I actually find a use for this feature. It helps to make the image more mysteries looking. Just follow the settings below.

Once you are done hit: “Open Image” button. The image should open in Photoshop.

4. Always Duplicate the Background Layer.

This is a back up: If you mess something up you will always have the original layer. To do so: in layers window Right-Click on desired layer and select “Duplicate Layer….”

5. Sharpen the Hell out of Your Shot:

For this image we really want to sharpen the edges by creating a high pass. To do so Duplicate the layer, select the new layer – in top menu go Filters > Other > High Pass > set the number so you can see the edges of the ghost image. The number is different depending on image size. For 8mp image it’s about 3.5 while for 18MP image it would be around 9. Hit OK. It should look all gray with little detail.

6. Blend the High Pass:

In layers window , select the new “gray” layer and change blending mode of this layer to “Hard Light” (if the image gets too sharp you can change blending mode to “Soft Light” Then merge both layers together (high pass one and the one under): to do so - select both layers and hit command-e (or control-e on PC)

7. Change the Color of the Eyes:

In tools: Chose “Color Replacing Tool" brush. Set setting according to screen shot below. Choose desired color for your brush mine was “ad3029” and paint over each eye detail should stay the same but the color will change.

8. Liquify the Face.

I gifted Robert with elf ears, nose and a cute smile. To do this stuff: select final top Layer and in top menu go Filter > Liquify a new window will open. I used the “Forward Warp Tool” to pull the ears out and bring the sides of the mouth down and to lift up the nose. You can really play around there.

Click “OK” when you are done.

9. Flatten your image. And Save.

Layers > Flatten Image

10. Share your Shot:

To post your images here. Change Image > Size to 500px width and save as a jpeg. Use “share your shot” feature in comments to post it from your computer. Or upload your shot on flickr and insert “grab html” code into image url window.

Final Image:

Give this tutorial a try and SHARE your Shot with our community.

Related Tutorials:

Color Correction How to Set Custom White Balance in DSLR Camera

Oct 12 2010 12:33 pm

_{^{Video by Robert Grant. Article by Sasha Gitin}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn the art of color correction and setting custom white balance.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Color is a visual property of perception. Camera chip interprets the light that passes through the lens in a similar way as our brain interprets the light passing through our eyes. Our perception of color is a result of the journey undertaken by light. Light travels from the light source onto an object and then it bounces off the object and continues to travels through our eyes onto receptors. Then information received is processed by the brain. The brain, being very considerate of our psyche, it balances the color of the light to a white point (simulating daylight). The camera works in a similar manner as the human eye + brain: the light enters the lens and falls onto sensor and then the data gets processed and the software/firmware assigns corresponding values based on camera settings. (Note: when shooting in RAW, white balance can be re-assigned in a raw processing software)

Color is determined by many variables, the main ones are:

1. The Light source:

Human beings on planet earth have been exposed to the single light source called the Sun for millions of years.   The first time humans where able to produce an alternative light source (fire), according to the most recent study, was about 790,000 years ago (oh yeah, check out our previous tutorial on photographing fire)
Then in the early 19th century, an incandescent light bulb came into existence, followed by fluorescent tube by the end of century, followed by halogen bulb, and flash tubes around 1930s.   It is fascinating, to me, that the human brain has the ability to automatically tweak any light source to a white point. This is why people are able to observed the environment around them without any dramatic change. If our brain was set to a fixed white balance setting, Thomas Edison would have died a poor man.

Sun:
The color temperature of the sunlight on a clear day generally varies from 2000 degrees Kelvin at sunrise to 5400K by noon and back to 2000 degrees at sunset while in the shade color temperature stays at about 8000 degrees. As human brain itself is set to (AWB) automatic white balance we do not notice the change so dramatically.
Incandescent bulbs (the famous clamp lamp) project the light at color temperatures ranging from 2650 K to 3200 K degrees, depending on wattage
Flash Strobe projects light at 4800 to 5500 – depending on the brand and power settings. High end professional strobes maintain the same color temperature of 5400 K (daylight)   at any power setting.

2. Substances the Light Goes Through Before It Hits the Object.

For example, the sun emits the light at 5780k. That light then passes through layers of gasses of the atmosphere and clouds and changes to the color from 2000 to 30000 K. With artificial light sources color or color-correcting gels can be used to alter the temperature of the light.

3. Properties of the Object.

Texture determines how much light is being absorbed and how much light will bounce off a surface. While pigments and other properties determine the wavelengths of the bounced light and thus determines the color in a spectrum.

4. The substances that light goes through on the way from the object to the eye (or lens).

When photographing outdoors there are various factors that can alter the color such are Haze, Evaporation, Humidity, and Air pollution (in big cities). This can be further adjusted by on lens filters. A “UV” filter is most commonly used.

5. Type of lens and its quality.

Better quality (more expensive) lenses allow the light to travel through the glass without farther fogging or softening and provide additional filtration of ultra violet light.

6. Receptors / Digital Sensor.

When the light finally passed through our eyes receptors pass the information to the brain. About 5% of population (mostly males) lack certain receptors and are blinded to certain colors.

7. Brain / Computer:

Our brain processes information received and balances colors to a white point. It can also alter some colors and saturation if it is under the influence of psychedelic substances….oh good old days…. On a computer or in camera the data that corresponds to color can be altered by the camera settings or if shooting RAW by raw processing software or pixel editor (such as Photoshop)

Conclusion:

Since many variables influence the color of light, the light temperature will vary and be inconsistent and thus camera’s automatic white balance or predetermined settings (daylight, shade, florescent, incandescent etc..) might not provide accurate results. Custom White Balance allows the photographer to tell the camera, what is in truth, the white point.

How do you color-correct your images? please share your tips.
Assignment: try to color balance your images as accurately as possible. If you run into trouble just post your image here (using share your shot feature) in comments and we will help you out.

Forced Perspective Technique for Still Life Photography

Sep 20 2010 12:12 pm

_{^{Video by Robert Grant. Article by Sasha Gitin}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn photography technique of forced perspective.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Optical Illusion:

Visual illusion is a tremendous tool in the hands of an artist. When she creates something that is not aligned with reality such process of creation rewards the artist with a sublime feeling of being a unique creator. Reality itself is a relative term. Our perceptions about the world around us are based on points of reference that we create for ourselves. Points of perspective, in our society are based on religion, constitution, laws of science and our personal set of beliefs. Discord of these points is what generally creates unrest in the world. It’s often impossible for two individuals to agree if each one is looking at the same thing from two different points of view.

Dual Perspective:

In photography, perspective is a constant variable that becomes a universal point of reference for all spectators. Altering the perception of a vanishing point creates a dual perspective. Dual perspective is a fourth dimension that can set its own rules upon the universe within the image.

^{Photo by Robert Grant}
When I look at Robert’s image, the unity of two perspectives allows distinctive subjects to create harmony and balance within the space, while complementing each other.

Use of Forced Perspective:

Forced perspective often is used in architecture and landscaping to create desired illusion of space. Greeks made their columns narrower towards the top to create an illusion of a greater height. In cinematography and theater force perspective is often used in making the set to create a feeling of vast space.
Adelbert Ames Jr. Was An American Scientist and artist who dedicated much of his life exploring the philosophy of perception. He is most known for constructing the Ames Room, the Ames window.

Ames Window:

Tips for creating a forced perspective still life Photography:

1.   Place your camera on a tripod.

2.   Use a wide angle lens. Wide angle lens visually expands perspective remember that telephoto lenses force perspective to compress (See our tutorial on perspective compression) Using the wide angle lens is not mandatory to create forced perspective, but using wide angle will make it much easier.

3.   Use adequate f-stop to ensure that depth of field is deep enough to maintain subjects in focus (f/16, or f/22).

4.   Use Aperture priority or manual mode to make sure the camera will not change your f-stop automatically.

5.   Alter the shape of the surface or any other element within your composition to create an illusion of perspective.

6.   Keep some elements real (in our sample we used a geometric shape; human mind subconsciously gives priority to a square over trapezoid when it comes to judgment which shape is more real). Everything is relative only to a point of perspective. If you never wake up from your dream how would you know it wasn’t real? If your intention is to force perspective to create an illusion of size then use two subjects that are universally recognized.

Clip from HBO movie Temple Grandin:

What other examples of forced perspective photography have you seen? (you can post links in comments). What do you think about reality itself is it something subjective or objective?

Assignment Challenge:

Create a Visual Illusion in your image using Forced Perspective. Use "Share your shot" feature in comments box to post it here

Related Tutorials:

Photography Tips For Shooting Overhead

Sep 10 2010 10:38 pm

_{^{Tutorial by Robert Grant. Edited by Sasha Gitin}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn photography technique to photograph overhead images from above.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

For me shooting from above is a very unique image making experience. It almost feels as painting a design on a flat surface. Everything evolves around a two dimensional composition. There is no prominent perspective, no depth of field (unless shooting aerial images), the photographer is automatically directed to pay complete attention to the subject , style and design aspect of the composition with respect to the edges of the frame, negative space, and color.

I was in NYC and looking for my second studio when a fellow photographer had heard of a great space on 17th and 5th avenue. At the time it was in the heart of the photo district. That was a terrific location so I went straight over. Walking into the space I was overwhelmed with excitement. You stepped into a full kitchen with lots of natural light. Then there was a great office and storage, plus a dressing room, bath and full darkroom. But the real surprise was the studio shooting space. I walked through double doors into a large shooting area with a 24ft. ceiling. I realized that I could build a high camera platform and shoot from directly overhead onto just about anything! Well I did take that space and build the shooting platform. Then I got one of my art directors to come over to show him how I could shoot directly overhead on products.
The next project he had we did just that. It was a domestics catalog of bedding. We shot most of the catalog from that platform. It gave a whole new perspective to my photography and it was a fun way to shoot. Below are pages from a catalog we did at that studio shooting from overhead.

Tips for Photographing Overhead

Allow some working space: Place your subject on the floor level or on a low table.

Use Tripod: To free your hands and maintain consistent frame use a tripod.
If your tripod legs get in the frame you can use a Tripod Side Arm. Arm is attached to the column of the tripod and the tripod head can be attached to the side arm.
Some tripod brands offer rapid column design, where the central column can be positioned horizontally. If you are looking to buy a new tripod choose the one that has rapid horizontal column, it will come in handy in many situations. (macro, food, still life etc..)
We often get emails asking to recommend a tripod so I'd like take this opportunity to recommend one which is suitable for advanced photographers and offers rapid column design: Manfrotto 190XPROB 3 Section Aluminum Pro Tripod Legs or a more beefier version of the same tripod Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod Legs Please note that these tripod legs will also need a tripod head (to mount the camera). Here are a few appropriate heads for tripods listed above Manfrotto 322RC2 Joystick Head Short or Manfrotto 496RC2 Ball Head
In General when choosing the tripod Consider the Weight, Extended Height and Supported camera weight to suit your needs.

The common problem when shooting overhead is that the camera is high above the surface so looking through the viewfinder is not an easy task here are some basic solutions:
Solution A: If the camera has a live view function: connect it tethered to the computer. The software that came with your camera should have a live view feature. This way you can see your composition directly on the screen.
Solution B: Connect your camera to a television set and see the image on TV screen while composing.
Solution C: If you camera does not have a live view mode: Use a wide angle lens (as we did in the video) so the distance from the camera to the subject is short and you can easily look through the view finder.
Solution D: If the above are not possible simply use a step ladder. Just be careful up there.

Here is our final Shot from this tutorial:

Related Tutorials:

Assignment for you: Create an image photographing from above. Use any subject: People, Architecture, Still Life. Pay attention to the composition. Use “Share your shot” feature in comment box to post it here.

Color Infrared Photography Technique Step By Step

Aug 30 2010 12:14 pm
Tutorial: by PhotoExtremist
Watch this digital color Infrared photography tutorial video to learn how to create amazing images.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Infrared Light:

Infrared Light is not visible to the human eye. However, digital camera censors are capable of seeing the whole spectrum. The reason we cannot see infrared light in our photographs is because digital camera manufactures place filters over the censors that fully or partly prevent infrared light from contaminating the image.

For the purpose of making creative images and experimenting, there are two ways to make your digital camera read Infrared light:
1.   Use Infrared R72 filter over the lens
2.   Convert your digital camera sensor to dedicated infrared
Let’s explore the infrared filter option first:

Using an R72 infrared filter over the lens:

This is a great solution to try out digital infrared photography. Prior to investing in infrared filter it’s a good idea to test if your camera can read infrared light, first.

Steps to test your camera for IR sensitivity:

Put your camera to manual mode
Set the exposure to approximately 1 sec shutter speed and f10
Take a test shot of an infrared remote (tv remote control), while pressing and holding any bottom on the remote.
The brighter the dot, the more sensitive your camera is to infrared. Try different remotes, lenses, and cameras if you have them.

Steps to photograph with R72 filter:

Use Tripod: Place you camera on a tripod to avoid motion blur. IR filter lets in very small amount of light so your exposure will be too long for hand held shooting.
Focus prior to attaching the IR filter. You need to do this because the camera can't 'see' the scene with the black filter on and therefore can't focus properly. Once desired focus is achieved switch to manual focus.
Attach Filter. Screw on your R72 filter
Push the button. Take take the photo.
Experiment with Exposure. Try various shutter speeds. Start with 15 seconds at f8, iso 100
White Balance: If your camera offers a custom white balance preset, take a picture of a gray or white card with the filter on. Make sure that direct sunlight is hitting the card. Refer to your camera menu for how to set custom white balance. If everything is still coming out red, you will have to adjust the white balance in Adobe Camera RAW or any other raw editing software of your choice. This is probably the trickiest part when working with infrared filters.

Image by PhotoExtremist

To get more information on how to adjust color when working with IR filters, visit PhotoExtremist's Color IR Tutorial.

Another option of taking Infrared Images is to permanently convert your camera censor to dedicated infrared.

Converting your camera to dedicated Infrared.

Permanently converting your camera to infrared is a great solution if you have an extra camera body. The procedure consists of removing the hot mirror filter directly from the sensor and replacing it with clear or custom infrared filter. The main advantage of having your camera converted vs. using infrared R72 filter is that you no longer grounded to using long exposure and can take infrared photographs of people and other moving subjects. You can have your camera professionally converted at Life Pixel Conversion Service.

This tutorial was brought to you by our regular contributor Evan Sharboneau (bottom left). Evan just released a pretty cool eBook: “Photography Tricks and Special Effects” it’s packed with unique techniques and mind-bending photographs: if you happened to be interested, grab a copy here.

Related Tutorials:

Have you tried taking Infrared shots in the past? Can you share your tips for taking infrared shot? Try this tutorial and post your shots for review (use share your shot link in comments box).

How to Open and Edit Images in Adobe Camera Raw

Aug 25 2010 10:53 am
Tutorial: by Carl Hebert
Watch this Adobe Photoshop CS5 tutorial to learn how to edit your photos with Adobe Camera Raw.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can ! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Editing images in raw mode allows you to optimize the quality of your photographs and prepare them before editing in Photoshop. Raw edit with produce a file that has been adjusted non-destructively with the option of changing it in the future. Consider Photoshop a tool to work on your photographs and Adobe Camera Raw as a tool to work on your digital negatives.
There are various image and raw converting programs available out there. our tutorial video explains the basics step by step how to Prepare your images in Adobe Camera Raw.

2 Reasons why we chose Adobe Camera Raw:

Adobe Camera Raw is a powerful tool that is used by advanced and professional photographers alike
It comes as a free plug-in with Photoshop and Photoshop Elements and works great with Adobe Bridge.

Edit RAW, TIFF and JPEG in Adobe Camera Raw

When working in raw the matter (pixel data) is not being created nor destroyed. Adobe Raw allows you to adjust images without loss of quality and you can edit not only RAW files but TIFF and JPEG as well. However it is recommended that if you have the option [to shoot Raw] always use your raw file as it has the most information to adjust.
Using the sliders in the basic panel will open a whole new world of editing before you even have the image in Photoshop.
You will be able to adjust:
White Balance
Exposure
Brightness
Contrast
Clarity
Vibrance
Saturation
As well as use High Dynamic Range (HDR) functions such as recovering Details in Highlights and Filling-in the Shadows.
Also if you have no plans to retouch a particular image, Adobe Camera Raw allows you to save an image as a TIFF or JPEG for immediate use.
While we emphasize Adobe Camera Raw and Adobe Bridge Combo (because these apps are good and free) there are other great products available that might suit your needs better:

Top 6 Raw Processing Applications:

Most camera manufactures include their own raw converting software that probably came on the disk with your camera. But there are more powerful third party programs available as well: Top 6 Image Editing and Raw Converting Applications:

Adobe Camera Raw: a free plug-in for Photoshop and Bridge and Photoshop Elements
Adobe Lightroom: uses exactly the same raw processing engine as Adobe Camera Raw
Aperture (mac only)
Bibble
Capture One
DXO Optics

Which one is better? You can read a good article by Armand Niculescu: RAW Processors – an extensive review of Aperture, Bibble, Capture One, DxO and Lightroom

If you haven't tried using raw editing yet give it a try and it will take your image quality to the next level.
Related Tutorials: How to Import and Organize Your Photos with Photoshop CS5 via Bridge

Do you shoot Jpeg or Raw? Which application do you use in your digital work flow?

Photography Lighting Technique to Show Texture

Aug 14 2010 5:51 pm

_{^{Video: by Robert Grant. Article: by Sasha Gitin}}

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn photography technique how to photograph texture.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

If you ask me which single lighting technique you can learn to become an overall better photographer? I would definitely recommend “lighting for texture”.
Absolutely everything around us has texture, ranging from very smooth to extremely coarse surfaces. Objects can range from shiny metal to coarse stone. People's faces can also range from silky smooth skin to wrinkled aged skin. Whether you are photographing still life, portraits, architecture or landscapes, this photography lighting technique to show texture will help bring your images to life.

Learn From Observing:

The very first time I started paying attention to lighting for texture was during my visit to Egypt. What quickly came to my attention was that when photographing decorations on ancient temples, the hieroglyphs became almost unnoticeable in the final images. It took me a while to realize that the reason why my images were turning out flat was because the light was falling with equal intensity on the hieroglyphs relief and in the carved spaces in between making the images to appear uninteresting. When I came across the temple of Esna, (located about 1.5 hours south of Luxor) I was very determined to get some good detail shots and later display the prints at my newly built tea bar back home. So my solution was simply to wait until the sun came around to project the light at the desired angle: skimming over the reliefs and producing deep shadows to emphasize the texture.
Columns. Luxor, Egypt 17-40mm lens, iso 100, f6.3, 1/40 photo credit: Sasha Gitin

4 Steps for Lighting to Show Texture (outdoors scenario):

Look at your subject to analyze what kind of texture it has.
Observe the direction of light that is falling on your subject. The light should skim along the top creating highlights on the edges and shadows in reliefs.
Position the camera: The shadows should be directed towards the camera (angle may wary)
Position of the light source: Sun moves around throughout the day. Not only it moves around (east to west) but also up and down (dawn to dusk). Analyze what time of the day the sun will project the light on your subject at the desired angle. As a rule of thumb the lighting for texture is best early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Note: Hard light (direct sun) will create darker shadows while diffused light (cloudy overcast) will create softer shadows.

3 Steps for Lighting to Show Texture (studio scenario):

Look at your subject to analyze what kind of texture it has.
Light against the grain. Position the light source at the angle so that the light skims across the textured surface. Make sure the shadows are falling towards the camera and not away.
Push the button. (well it a bit more complicated than that but the video above explains the details)

Advice:
When photographing people:
Most people do not want to see the texture of their faces (wrinkles) so the opposite technique should be used, the light should be more frontal and fill in the shadows. However if emphasizing on wrinkles, let say to highlight the fact that old age has its beauty, the same light skimming technique described above can be used.

Assignment for you: Find a subject with interesting texture and photograph it to emphasize on texture. Use “Share your shot” feature in comment box to post it here.

How to Import and Organize Your Photos with Photoshop CS5

Aug 25 2010 10:53 am
Tutorial: by Carl Hebert
Watch this Photoshop CS5 tutorial to learn how to import and organize your photos with Adobe Bridge CS5 photo downloader.

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Importing your images:

You probably take thousands of photos. Downloading your images from camera or memory card into your computer is a simple task but doing it right is art. The initial steps of importing images are very important and will insure that the files are organized for editing, backed up, and properly named while minimizing the time and effort spent to complete those tasks.

Tips Using Adobe Bridge Photo Downloader.

In this Photoshop CS5 tutorial video we take you step by step through the import process and cover options in the import menu, making them less mysterious. This leads into the next video where we further organize the images with bridge to prepare them for Camera Raw. Look out for next tutorial "Processing Raw files with Adobe Camera Raw" – coming up soon!

Do you find this importing technique efficiently working for you? What is your way of Importing and organizing your photos? What other topics of Photoshop CS5 would you be interested in learning?

Telephoto Lens Perspective Compression and the Angle of View

Jul 22 2010 7:17 pm

_{^{Video: by Robert Grant. Article: by Sasha Gitin}}

^{Watch this photography tutorial video to learn the technique of perspective compression using telephoto lens.}

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Photography is a magical science driven by a creative spirit. Today we would like to get into both the science and the creative part and even top it off with some magic.

Is the phenomenon of perspective compression when using telephoto lens true or myth?

When I was 12 years old (back in Russia) I hollered to my friend Vasily to come over. His reply was rude but clever “Hay doesn’t come to the cow.” I have never heard that expression before and never heard it from anyone else after but it stuck with me forever.

When photographing, one could bring the background closer to the subject without moving either the subject or the background.

There you have it: telephoto compression phenomenon -- background appears closer to the subject when you increase the focal length of the lens.

Notice the change in images below.

So, the question is: does the perspective actually gets compressed?

The scientific answer is NO.

What actually happens is that the Angle of View changes.When the focal length of the lens changes, the angle of view also changes. The shorter the focal length of the lens the wider the angle of view. The longer the focal length of the lens the narrower the angle of view.

Notice how neither the size of the barn nor the size of the glass changed. Only two variables changed: (1) The focal length (and simultaneously the angle of view)and (2) the distance between the subject and the camera. So the fact that the barn visually appears closer to the subject is not because perspective has gotten compressed but simply because in the viewfinder we see a smaller portion of it.

Here is a good visual example: Telephoto Perspective Compression.

Back to the original question again - Is telephoto compression Truth or Myth?

Let’s take a look from Creative and Magical perspective, and bring along the relativity theory:

From the point of view of the spectator, who is looking at a 2-dimensional image – the perspective was compressed and thus in my opinion the phenomenon is also TRUE.

Try applying this technique when you photograph people as well as still life and share your shots! What is your opinion on the telephoto compression theory? Do you use telephoto compression in your work? Can you post samples?

Long Exposure Photography with Sparklers and Fireworks

Jul 04 2010 10:39 pm

Video: by PhotoExtremist

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how use long exposure to capture sparklers and fireworks.

One way to enjoy sparklers and fireworks is to simply observe them as a spectator. It might also be fun to blow a few things up yourself, but as a photographer one can do what photographers do best and that is to create beautiful images using time exposure.

Evan, from PhotoExtremist.com, shared his amazing video and tips:

8 Steps to Create Long Exposures with Sparklers:

1. Tripod:
Put your camera on a tripod.

2. Manual Mode:

Put your camera in manual mode and get ready to set all the variables: Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, and maybe flash.

3. Shutter:

Adjust the shutter speed to BULB mode or a slow shutter speed of your choice. You could also try using a remote or a shutter release to reduce camera shake, if you wanna go totally pro with it.

4. Aperture:

Adjust your aperture. You can experiment until you get the result you like, and then you can just leave the aperture alone if you are using the same sparklers. California candles are much brighter than sparklers though, so make sure to tighten up your aperture somewhere around f/11.

5. ISO:

I like to leave my ISO number as low as possible to eliminate noise.

6. White Balance
Use a cool white balance because sparklers are very red. Try using Tungsten or Florescent, or the lowest number in Kelvin if your camera allows it. Mine goes down to 2500.

7. Flash
Using a flash will freeze your subject while preserving the long motion of the sparkler trails. If you do not use a flash, you will only see the sparkler trails. If you use no flash and also use a very wide aperture with a high ISO, then you will be able to see the sparkler trails AND the environment will be illuminated from the sparklers.

8. Post- Production:
You can also post process your images to make psychedelic patterns in Photoshop. Visit my Sparkler Long Exposure Tutorial on my blog to find out more about this secret trick.

Here is of the final Shots:

This tutorial was brought to you by our regular contributor Evan Sharboneau (bottom left). Evan just released a pretty cool eBook: “Photography Tricks and Special Effects” it’s packed with unique techniques and mind-bending photographs: if you happened to be interested, grab a copy here.

What Long Exposures have you created during this festive season? Post you shots! (using "Share your Shot" ^beta link in comments box below.

How to Photograph a Portrait in Direct Sunlight with Pop up Flash

Aug 01 2010 8:31 am

_{^{Video: by Robert Grant.}}

^{Watch this photography tutorial to learn how to photograph a portrait outdoors in direct sunlight using on-camera or pop-up flash.}

Wish you could take gorgeous photos? now you can! see our Review of a New Educational Resource - Tools and Techniques for Creative Photography - eBook

Self Portrait:

We decided to make a photography tutorial with a little bit of you in it. Yes, a self portrait. By setting your DSLR camera on timer you can set up a shot and run in to be the star. Then adjusting your mode dial to aperture value or aperture priority you can easily throw the background out of focus and keep the subject, you, in sharp focus. This can be a lot of fun. You can just be yourself or create a character. In this photography lesson we also show you the effect of using the on camera or pop up flash. Give it a try and send us your self-portrait.

To post your image: simply click on Share your shot link in comments box below.

Here is mine:

Related Tutorials:

Flower Photography with Natural Light using Extension Tubes

Jun 07 2010 8:49 am

_{^{Video: by Robert Grant. Article: by Sasha Gitin}}

^{Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to photograph flowers outdoors using macro extension tubes..}

Photographing Flowers:

Flowers are a subject matter that is fascinating to so many people. So there is no surprise that with one quick glance you can become captivated and inspired by their beauty. The fantastic rich array of colors seem almost surreal. The variety of flower types and sizes and shapes are too many to count, from the simple daisy to the sophisticated and fragile orchid.In this tutorial we use the Iris as our subject. It's a very beautiful flower with many colors and interesting shapes which create interesting focal points or photography.

There are a few important elements to consider when creating a beautiful photograph of flowers:

Lighting:

Flowers are very sensitive to light. Avoid hard, direct sunlight. Since clouds create a natural diffusion, an overcast day might be all you need.

Getting Closer: While macro lenses are specially designed for extreme close-up photography they carry a heavy price tag. That is why using extension tubes is an inexpensive and yet effective alternative.

Extension Tubes:

Extension tubes allow any lens to focus closer than it can naturally do so. Extension tubes do not have any optics, they simply move the lens farther apart from the digital sensor or film plane. Tubes come in various lengths depending on the manufacturer. Focusing closer to your subject will result in a higher magnification. For example 31mm tube will produce greater magnification then an 11mm tube. Tubes can also be combined. For example the combination of a 31mm and an 11mm will produce a 42mm extension and will allow for an even closer focusing.

See our earlier tutorial: Marco photography with Extension Tubes.

Please Note that extension tubes can greatly decrease Depth of Field

Depth of Field:

When photographing flowers, it is often highly effective to separate your subject from the background. Please note that when using extension tubes your Depth of Field will become really shallow. You might need to compensate by increasing your aperture to reach a desired focus effect.See our earlier tutorial: How to photograph using selective focus.

Focal Point:

Is the point of your focus that will draw the viewers’ eye to. When photographing people, a photographer would generally focus on the eyes. When photographing a close up of a flower, simply focus on the most attractive element “the eyes of the flower”.

Here is one of the final Shots:

This photography technique can be used on any subject that requires close up focusing. Please give this a try and share your thought and images with us.

How to Photograph Wine Bottles on White Background

May 22 2010 1:36 pm

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN

Beverage photography is one of the most technical specialties in commercial photography.

In this tutorial we would like to focus on the most essential technique of: Photographing Bottles on White Background. Different beverages require unique approach based on consistency and color of beverage and the shape of the bottle. In this tutorial we selected a group of classic low shoulder red wine bottles.

Breakdown:

Red wine is dark in color with very limited translucency thus creating a glow of the liquid inside the bottle is relatively pointless. However an effective technique to make the wine bottle visually more appealing is to emphasize the highlights reflected in the glass.

The glass of the bottle is highly reflective so the same law of angle of reflectance is applied to shooting the bottle as it does to photographing any reflective object. For additional info please see our tutorial: How to Photograph Shiny Reflective Objects.

What is reflected? The bottle will reflect everything that is in front and adjacent to it at about 180 degrees. What will show up the most is your light source. Studio light is probably not the most appealing detail in your photograph. One of the solutions to make your light source more appealing is to suspend a roll of diffusion in front of the light which will create long vertical reflections to emphasize the shape of the bottle.

Here is one of the final shots:

Hasselblad 6x6 with 50mm lens, f22 iso 50, Strobe Lights. Photo by Robert Grant

Equipment Used: Hasselblad with 50mm lens, (equivalent to 21mm on 35mm sensor), 3 –strobe heads (2 side lights and one background light) Tripod, 4 foot seamless background paper on the roll, 2 rolls of drafting vellum attached to 40 inch Hollywood arms on stands.

Give this technique a try and let us know how it worked out for you.

This is our first commercial photography tutorial using strobe lighting so please share your thoughts and critique to help us make it better.

Projecting Light for Creative Effect

May 13 2010 10:21 pm

Video by Robert Grant, Article by SASHA GiTiN

Watch this photography tutorial video to learn a technique of projecting light.

Projection “Cookie” light is widely used for creative effects in photography, film and theater.

Gobos: are generally black foam board card that are used to block out the light.

Cookie Cards: are basically Gobos with cut in shapes to allow partial light to be projected onto background, surface or onto the subject.

There are numerous ways to use projected light for visual impact. One of the more common uses of “Cookie”light is to create a feeling of sunlight penetrating through window or plants.

Two images below were created inside the studio for commercial assignments one for a wallpaper ad and the other for a soft goods ad, respectively.

Cookie light was projected to simulate window sunlight. Photo by Robert Grant

Cookie light was used to suggest sunlight passing through the tree leaves. Photo by Robert Grant

Projection light can also be used creatively not only as a graphic element but also as a main light source. Here is our final shot:

"Retro" Photo by Robert Grant

Give this technique a try and let us know how it works for you.

Related Tutorials: