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Posts Tagged ‘technique’

Event, Photography, Technology | 0 comment

Rename Photos – Tech Thursday

Flowers in Bon Air Park - ©TimeLine Media

Photo Processing

This is a simple idea for a blog post, but one that I think is very important for many reasons. Digital cameras are small, very advanced computers that specialize in making images. The computers run an operating system that conforms to the Design Rule for Camera File Systems or DCF. This is the reason that in any digital camera, your images are stored in a file folder named “DCIM”. After that level, camera manufacturers can change the default naming conventions for images captured by your camera. For Nikon, Fuji and Sony cameras, the default is “DSCXXXX.jpg” while for Canon cameras, the default is “IMGXXXX.jpg”.

Flowers in Bon Air Park - ©TimeLine Media
Flowers in Bon Air Park – ©TimeLine Media

In the menus for your cameras, you can change the default name for your images. When I am setting up a new camera body, this is one of the first things I change for two reasons. The first is so that I can easily identify which images are from which camera, or photographer if I am covering an event with multiple photographers. The second is that in post-processing, I can more easily keep track of photos that I am editing.

Rename Photos

For example, I rename all my images W2A for one camera, W2B for another camera, etc. When at an event with other photographers where we are collecting all the images on one workstation, I can almost ensure that there will not be any accidental rewriting of images since the filenames will likely be different. If I kept the default DSC names, there is a danger that copying files from 2 different Nikon bodies will be overwritten if the user is not careful in copying images. During a busy event, something like this can definitely happen!

Field of Buttercups - ©TimeLine Media
Field of Buttercups – rename example – ©TimeLine Media

Before posting images online, it is also important to rename your images. This makes it easier for search engines to find your images when people search. It is much more likely that someone online will find my image of the “Washington_Monument.jpg” when searching for images of DC when it is renamed rather than if it was posted as “W2A7879.jpg” as it was named straight out of camera. Come up with some naming conventions for your images. Especially as your image collection grows, it helps to keep organized and will help you to recall the images later if/when they are needed. Perfect for #TBT Throwback Thursdays!

Washington Monument at night - ©TimeLine Media
Washington Monument at night – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

Personal, Photography, Technology | 0 comment

Photography Practice

I am a medium sports fan. Overall, there are teams that I follow closely, and some sports that I follow as they get into their playoffs or get ready to crown their new champions. On the sporting-related channels, there is no shortage of behind the scenes shows that tell the story of the athletes and coaches away from the playing field. They detail their preparation, work, and practice that they do long before the games.

Dachshund laying in grass - ©TimeLine Media
Dachshund laying in grass – ©TimeLine Media

Honing Skills

Practice is what separates the professionals from the enthusiasts. The same is true in photography. The value of the equipment can only be fully realized by those that have taken the time to experiment. Emphatically, you need to test, and repetitively work the action until it becomes natural. In looking through my portfolio, it is easy to see how you progress as you work.

Storm clouds - ©TimeLine Media
Storm clouds – ©TimeLine Media

This also applies to when you do the practice. Doing this on a paying job is not recommended! You need to practice this before you are in front of a client. You can really test the limits of your equipment, and see what is possible with different setups. If you are at a wedding, or you have a corporate client waiting for you to make an exposure, you need to have all the technical details worked out. They do not have the time, nor are they interested in waiting for you to test when they have guests to see, or work that needs their attention.

Cupcake photographs - ©TimeLine Media
Cupcake photographs – ©TimeLine Media

Any opportunity that you have your camera can be a time to test. You do not have to have a personal project in mind, but have a piece of equipment, or a specific technique in mind. This will make your effort to “take your camera with your wherever you go” more productive. You already have the basic, automatic settings down after a few shoots with your gear, so push yourself to try something different. It has made me better prepared when faced with different shooting situations.

Pet portrait - ©TimeLine Media
Pet portrait – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

Photography, Technology | 0 comment

Outrunning the Curtain – Tech Thursday

Fashion Show with off camera flash - ©TimeLine Media

Testing

Flash photography is different, not difficult! Natural, or available is easier in the way that Microsoft Word is an easy as a text editor. With available light, what you see if what you get. There is no guessing as to the effect that the light will have on your subject in the photo, because you can see it even without looking through your camera. I am trying to step away, and attempting to use flash in every situation that I can. It is a challenge, but I think the results can be much better, and the files much easier to work with in post. This post is about the first lesson is using a flash off the camera. This can be a speedlight that you attach to your camera with a cord, or wirelessly – it does not matter which for this article.

Every camera has a set flash sync speed. This is a fastest shutter speed at which the flash can illuminate the full frame of the camera with light. Any shutter speed slower than that will also light the frame fully, but any speed faster will start to darken the frame. As an example, here are some photos where I attempted to keep the same exposure, only changing the shutter speed. The settings are in their captions:

1/60 sec, f/6.3 - ©TimeLine Media
1/60 sec, f/6.3 – ©TimeLine Media
1/125th sec, f/5 - ©TimeLine Media
1/125th sec, f/5 – ©TimeLine Media
1/200th sec, f/5 - ©TimeLine Media
1/200th sec, f/5 – ©TimeLine Media

Shutter Speed and Flash

All of the above photos have shutter speeds slower than the sync speed of 1/250th of a second. This sync speed will vary with your camera, so consult your manual to find it for your particular model. Now the next photo is at 1/320th of a second, and the frame starts to darken from the bottom.

1/320th sec, f/5 - ©TimeLine Media
1/320th sec, f/5 – ©TimeLine Media

This darkening is from the curtain that covers sensor. Its movement determines the shutter speed settings on your camera. It moves faster across the sensor as you increase the shutter speed. When you make an exposure with a shutter speed that is too fast, you start to catch the curtain in the frame when the shutter speed is too fast.

1/500th sec, f/5 - ©TimeLine Media
1/500th sec, f/5 – ©TimeLine Media
1/800th sec, f/5 - ©TimeLine Media
1/800th sec, f/5 – ©TimeLine Media

So if you are just starting to experiment with off camera flash, make this your first options to set on your camera. Conversely, check this setting if you are on a shoot and seeing something strange on the image. I’ll bet it is the curtain. This will save you a lot of frustration especially in bright settings! Give it a try with your camera to find your flash shutter sync speed.

Fashion Show with off camera flash - ©TimeLine Media
Fashion Show with off camera flash – ©TimeLine Media 

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

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