FOCUS
Edenvale Photo Club Newsletter - MARCH 2021
Sharing Visual Art since 1950 CERPS WINNERS 2018 AND 2019
02 / MARCH 2021 COVER IMAGE BY STEPHEN KANGISSER The story behind the shot. Robbie, my mentor, invited me to join him and a few other photographers to photograph two beautiful Friesian Horses at the Kyalami Equestrian Park, on the 6th March. Goddox lighting was used, and this certainly proved to be a great photo shoot, and memorable experience. These horses are truly amazing.
CONTRIBUTE TO FUTURE ISSUES ANY MEMBER CAN SUBMIT MATERIAL FOR CONSIDERATION IN FUTURE PUBLICATIONS PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IMAGES HAVE A MINIMUM RESOLUTION OF 1080 x 1925 pixels. Of course, we also have to adhere to the regulations for data protection and the rights of use according to the copyright law, therefore, we ask you to supply a declaration of consent of the person or website that you extracted your submission from. Please use the following email address to send contributions and consent letters hanlis54@gmail.com Proof reading of this magazine Kindly done by Heidi Broschk
EDENVALE PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA
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DEAR MEMBERS
I often just scroll through my Facebook newsfeed to just catch up on what is going on out there, but lately it is to be inspired. The amount of quality imagery that is posted is just astounding. This ranges from images from fellow photographers to images from photographic groups and images that have international attraction. Looking at other people’s work is always a source for inspiration and learning. Its not just the beauty or impact of the image that attracts, but looking deeper, trying to work out how it was taken, when and how it was processed, if at all. There are two main genres that grab my attention; landscapes and composites. This a very beautiful world we live in and most landscape captures just blow me away. I often think “if I were there, would I have taken the same shot or done it differently?”. I’m not saying the image can be improved or is flawed. Everyone has a different view point and a different eye. It can be a learning experience to look at an image, look at the elevation from which it was taken, the time of day and the composition. Look deeper. Is this a wide angle shot or an extract from a larger vista using a longer lens, has the image been well processed? More importantly, what can I learn or take away from this image? Broadening your mind can, and will often lead to you having more to think about and draw on when out photographing. Strive to make your photography an art, not just an act. Think, plan, change perspective, wait and imagine. There is no coincidence that image and imagine are almost the same word. The dictionary definition of imagine is “form a mental image or concept of”. Your photography is defined by your imagination. Use it, expand it, grow it and let your photography reach new levels. I cannot wait to see your imagination on screen. Dave Chairman: David Wolstencroft 083 229 8066 davewol@gmail.com
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Committee Members
BI-WEEKLY MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTED VIA ZOOM DUE TO COVID REGULATIONS Chairman:
Treasurer:
Scoring & Promotions:
Ted Kinsman 083 461 2350 tkinsman@global.co.za
David Wolstencroft 083 229 8066 davewol@gmail.com
Marketing and Secretary: Natasha Bird 082 920 8898 mnktrad@mweb.co.za
Newsletter Editor & Graphic Design: Hanli Smit 083 253 1034 hanlis54@gmail.com
Certificates & Awards Des Alexander 083 226 1452 neoncomp@webmail. co.za
New Members, Social Media & Website Clare Appleyard 083 234 0247 clare.appleyard@gmail.com
MEETING TIME AND PLACE 2ND AND 4TH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH AT 18H30 FOR 19H00 EDENVALE COMMUNITY CENTRE COR. VAN RIEBEECK & 2ND STREET, EDENVALE
Salons, Judges and Outings: Heidi Broschk 079 886 8515 heidib@uj.ac.za
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IN THIS ISSUE Page 6 Page 14 Page 20
PAST MASTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY --George Hurrell
10 MARCH CLUB NIGHT WINNERS
RULES FOR NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Page 36
CELL PHONE WINNERS 10 MARCH
Page 37
CELL PHONE WINNERS 24 MARCH
Page 38
INSPIRATIONAL WEBSITES
Page 40 Page 42 -47 Page 48 Page 58
SALON CLOSING DATES
CUT OUT CHEAT SHEETS BASICS OF NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOSHOP TIP TO ENHANCE A SUBJECT’S EYES
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PAST MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
G E O R G E HURRELL Early life: Born in the Walnut Hills district of Cincinnati, Ohio, Hurrell originally studied as a painter with no particular interest in photography. He first began to use photography only as a medium for recording his paintings. After moving to Laguna Beach, California from Chicago, Illinois in 1925, he met many other painters, who had connections. One of those connections was Edward Steichen who encouraged him to pursue photography after seeing some of his works. Hurrell also found that photography was a more reliable source of income than painting. Hurrell was an apprentice to Eugene Hutchinson. His photography was encouraged by his friend, aviator Pancho Barnes, who often posed for him. He eventually opened a photographic studio in Los Angeles. Career in Hollywood In the late 1920s, Hurrell was introduced to the actor, Ramon Novarro, by Pancho Barnes, and agreed to take a series of photographs of him. Novarro was impressed with the results and showed them to the actress Norma Shearer, who was attempting to mould her wholesome image into something more glamorous and sophisticated in an attempt to land the title role in the movie, The Divorcee. She asked Hurrell to photograph her in poses more provocative than her fans had seen before. After she showed these photographs to her husband, MGM production chief, Irving Thalberg. Thalberg was so impressed that he signed Hurrell to a contract with MGM Studios, making him head of the portrait photography department. But in 1932, Hurrell left MGM after differences with , their publicity head, and from then on until 1938, ran his own studio at 8706 Sunset Boulevard.
07 / MARCH 2021 Throughout the decade, Hurrell photographed every star contracted to MGM, and his striking black-and-white images were used extensively in the marketing of these stars. Among the performers regularly photographed by him during these years were silent screen star Dorothy Jordan, as well as Myrna Loy, Robert Montgomery, Jean Harlow, Ramon Novarro, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Rosalind Russell, Marion Davies, Jeanette MacDonald, Lupe Vélez, Anna May Wong, Carole Lombard and Norma Shearer, who was said to have refused to allow herself to be photographed by anyone else. He also photographed Greta Garbo at a session to produce promotional material for the movie, Romance.The session didn’t go well and she never used him again. In the early 1940s Hurrell moved to Warner Brothers Studios photographing, among others Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ida Lupino, Alexis Smith, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. Later in the decade he moved to Columbia Pictures where his photographs were used to help the studio build the career of Rita Hayworth.
08 / MARCH 2021 Post-war He left Hollywood briefly to make training films for the First Motion Picture Unit of the United States Army Air Forces. . When he returned to Hollywood in the mid-1950s, his old style of glamour had fallen from favour.Where he had worked hard to create an idealised image of his subjects, the new style of Hollywood glamour was more earthy and gritty, and for the first time in his career Hurrell’s style was not in demand. He moved to New York City and worked for the advertising industry where glamour was still valued. He continued his work for fashion magazines and photographed for print advertisements for several years before returning to Hollywood in the 1960s. After 1970, his most prominent work was as a photographer for album covers. He shot the cover photos for Cass Elliot’s self-titled album (1972), Tom Waits’ Foreign Affairs (1977), Fleetwood Mac’s Mirage (1982), Queen’s The Works (1984), Midge Ure’s The Gift(1985) and Paul McCartney’s Press to Play (1986).
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In the early 1940s Hurrell moved to Warner Brothers Studios photographing, among others Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ida Lupino, Alexis Smith, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney.
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Hollywood glamour was more earthy and gritty, and for the first time in his career Hurrell’s style was not in demand. He moved to New York City and worked for the advertising industry where glamour was still valued.
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ONE STAR CELL PHONE WINNER ONE STAR NATURE WINNER 10 March 2021
Watching Carefully Hitesh Daya
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ONE STAR PICTORIAL WINNER 10 March 2021
Zebra head
Peter Fine
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TWO STAR NATURE WINNER 10 March 2021
CattleForest Egret Enchanted
Peter Fine Linda Carter
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TWO STAR PICTORIAL WINNER 10 March 2021
Scary night
Tony Wilson
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THREE STAR NATURE WINNER 10 March 2021
Beautiful Moment in Time Stephen
Kangisser
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THREE STAR PICTORIAL WINNER 10 March 2021
Morgan and her Bonsai Tree Stephen
Kangisser
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POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU ENTER NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY The Most IMPORTANT aspect of Nature Photography to remember is that
NO MANIPULATION IS ALLOWED WHAT IS CONSTRUED AS MANIPULATION? Manipulation shall constitute any or all of the following modifications to the original image: •Adding an element to the image that was not contained in the original capture; •Removing an element from the image that was contained in the original capture; •Moving or repositioning an element of the image that was contained in the original capture. In the categories Nature and Photojournalism, manipulation is not allowed.
In the Open category, there is no restriction whatsoever in the way authors choose to post process an image. The following actions are allowed, and are not seen as manipulation, and therefore may be used with Nature images: •Cropping •Correction of lens distortion, chromatic aberrations, purple fringing, lens vignette and vertical/ horizontal perspective adjustments; •Removal of dust spots or scratch marks from sensor or scanned images; •The blending of different exposures of the same scene to broaden the dynamic range e.g. High Dynamic Range (HDR); •Photo stacking to overcome the limitations of the digital sensor heat artefacts in long exposures. • Focus stacking to widen the depth of field especially in Macro photography. In the case of Nature and Wildlife, HDR and focus stacking will not be considered as manipulation and may be used provided that the end result is a faithful representation of the original scene. Please note: HDR and Focus stacking are not allowed in Photojournalism. Study the rules for each competition or Salon as they will be unique.
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FOUR STAR PICTORIAL WINNER 10 March 2021
Getting some air
Des Alexander
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FIVE & 5 STAR HONOURS NATURE WINNER
10 March 2021
Make a Wish
Natasha Bird
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FIVE & 5 STAR HONOURS PICTORIAL WINNER
10 March 2021
The Mad Hatter
Vicki Street
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SET SUBJECT WINNER 10 March 2021
Sunflower Beauty Vicki Street
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SET SUBJECT WINNER 24 March 2021
Woman in Black robe Natasha Bird
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ONE STAR NATURE WINNER 24 March 2021
Lion head
Peter Fine
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ONE STAR PICTORIAL WINNER 24 March 2021
Motorcycle Soup
David Morris
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TWO STAR NATURE WINNER 24 March 2021
Do not mess with me Gavin
Duffy
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TWO STAR PICTORIAL WINNER 24 March 2021
Misty Canyon
Linda Carter
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THREE STAR NATURE WINNER 24 March 2021
Ibis with Building Material Brian Kleinwort
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THREE STAR PICTORIAL WINNER 24 March 2021
Portrait of a Beautiful Friesian Stephen
Kangisser
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FOUR STAR NATURE WINNER 24 March 2021
Playful
Christa Smith
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FOUR STAR PICTORIAL WINNER 24 March 2021
Colourful house
Christa Smith
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5* & 5 Star Honours NATURE WINNER 24 March 2021
Common Pigeon in Flight
Gary Andrew Peck
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5* & 5 Star Honours PICTORIAL WINNER 24 March 2021
Cape Town Sunset
David Wolstencroft
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CELL PHONE WINNERS 10 March 2021
3_CP_balanced zaine_Caryn Wilson 1_CP_Doi Inthanon Temple Scene_David Morris
5_CP_Vanrhyns Pass_Clare Appleyard
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CELL PHONE WINNERS 24 March 2021
1_CP_Vista at the Point_Peter Fine
3_CP_rose heart_Caryn Wilson
5_CP_Ghostly Hallways_Clare Appleyard
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If you are looking for some inspiration, visit a few of these photography websites of international photographers. https://www.talsilverman.com About Tal Tal is a London based photographer, shooting advertising and editorial content for global brands. Specialising in studio still life and drinks photography, he is inspired by the architectural structures and patterns in design and nature. http://nicholascope.com In his striking and unsettling photographs of his adoptive hometown, Los Angeles, resident Nicholas Alan Cope signals the acute societal contrasts of the city by rendering its facades as graphic planes of searing white and velvety black, a series of solids and voids, exemplified by Studio City, June 2007 (2013). In both his work as an artist and as a commercial photographer—for the likes of Nike and Dior—Cope treats other subjects to similarly uncanny effect: trees become studies in texture against flat, blown-out skies; lipsticks are bloodred obelisks; muslin-draped models transform into statues of Greek marble.
https://www.barrymakariou.com Barry Makariou has been awarded Gold for UK Photographer of the Year, by One Eyeland. Just announced, he has been ranked #3rd in The World’s Best Still Life Photographers 2020. For over 20 years he has been specialising in Liquids and still life and is also renowned for his creative watch photography.
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https://www.laurastevens.co.uk/portraits https://www.laurastevens.co.uk/ portraits
https://www.rachellsmith.com
Laura Stevens’ practice lies at the intersection between the female gaze and the personal in narratives of relation and transformation. In quiet, cinematic compositions, she illuminates a psychological state and an interior drama in her subjects. With a painterly eye to light, colour and gesture, she uses photography to reveal emotional depth. In both the still and moving image Stevens creates studies of vulnerability, solitude and intimacy through a darkly, tender lens. https://www.rachellsmith.com EDITORIAL + Porter Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar (Russia, Asia, Middle East), Stylist, Glamour Magazine, Vogue Italia, Jungle Magazine, 5 Eleven Magazine, Wonderland Magazine, Harrods Magazine, Stella Magazine, Cosmopolitan UK, Country and T ownhouse Magazine, Cosmopolitan Russia, ELLE (Asia, Europe), August Man Magazine, NY Post, Fault, Red Magazine, GHK, Great British Brands, The Glossary Magazine, You Magazine, Interview, Women’s Health (UK & US), L’Officiel Italia, L’Officiel Singapore, Allure Magazine, The Rake Magazine, Hunger Magazine, Glass Magazine, MOJEH Magazine. https://www.avedonfoundation.org/the-work RICHARD AVEDON Richard Avedon (1923–2004) was born and lived in New York City. His interest in photography began at an early age, and he joined the Young Men’s Hebrew Association (YMHA) camera club when he was twelve years old. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, where he co-edited the school’s literary magazine, The Magpie, with James Baldwin. He was named Poet Laureate of New York City High Schools in 1941.
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Closing dates for upcoming Salons 2021 find the information brochures on the PSSA website www.pssa.co.za 2021-04-03 2e Kosmos Nasionale Salon (Brochure available) 2021-04-10 1st Creative Camera Club National (Brochure available) 2021-04-17 4th Hibiscus National (Brochure available) 2021-04-24 2nd Klerksdorp National (Brochure available) 2021-04-30 Jurassic Coast International AV Salon (Brochure available) 2021-05-01 7th Tygerberg National Salon (Brochure available) 2021-05-08 Durban 100 Year Anniversary National (Brochure available) 2021-05-15 5th Vanderbijlpark National 2021-05-22 SASOL Highveld National
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This article was prepared for FOCUS by Heidi Broschk
NATURESCAPES.NET
The Basics of Nature Photography by Cindy Marple | August 1, 2006 Are you new to nature photography? Feeling a little unsure of how to get started in your quest to make beautiful images? If you want to consistently make good photos, there is a lot to learn. Fortunately, there are a tremendous number of resources out there to help you, but these can also be overwhelming to sort through. Here is an overview of the topics you will need to learn about from a nature perspective, and some guidance on the different resources available. Let me start with a very basic statement. There is a difference between making a photo and taking a snapshot. Maybe it’s because most of us have had access to a camera for taking family snapshots since we were young, that it can take a while before that realization and transformation occurs (and sometimes it never does!). Making good photos is a “whole brain” experience. A technically perfect (left brain) image can still be unappealing if the artistic part is overlooked. But to achieve your vision (right brain) you need to know how to make the tools work. And it takes time to thoughtfully put all of it together to make the photo. Simply pointing and clicking will rarely get you there. The Left Brain Stuff Equipment: Cameras In selecting a camera, first define what you want to do with it. Nature is a broad genre and different subjects may require different equipment. Some categories to consider are macro / close-ups, scenics, wildlife, and birds. Fixed-lens (point and shoot) cameras can be used for the first two but are generally not well suited for wildlife and birds, and will have limitations for any subject that you may find frustrating as you progress. A DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera with interchangeable lenses will give you versatility and the ability to grow and upgrade over time. The instant feedback provided by digital as opposed to film will vastly accelerate your learning curve. Here are some features to consider when comparing DSLR cameras. Sensor size or “Crop factor” (field of view multiplier) DSLRs have physically different sized sensors. Sensors smaller than one frame of 35mm film have a multiplying effect on the focal length of a lens. On a camera with a 1.6 field of view multiplier, a 100mm lens would be equivalent to 160mm. For landscapes, where short focal lengths are used frequently, less magnification is desired. For birds and wildlife, greater magnification will extend the focal length of your lenses.
49 / MARCH 2021 Frame rate This is how many frames per second the camera is capable of exposing. This is useful for action but not important for still subjects. The buffer size in a DSLR is how many images are stored in the temporary memory before being written to the card. Generally this goes along with frame rate; the faster you can shoot, the bigger the buffer you need. Mirror Lock Up In an SLR camera, there is a mirror in front of the sensor (or film) which reflects the scene into your viewfinder, and moves up out of the way when the shutter is tripped. The mechanical vibration of this movement can cause blurring of your image at slower shutter speeds. A “mirror lock up” mode allows you to move the mirror out of the way first, and then trip the shutter to eliminate this vibration. This is a highly desirable feature for close up and scenic photography but is one that many current cameras do not include. Equipment: Lenses For an overview of what the difference is between lenses, two good resources are Canon Lens and Photo.net. Another tip to figure out what you need is to browse through the NatureScapes.Net forum featuring your favorite photographic subject and check the lenses and focal lengths people are using. Equipment: Tripods A sturdy tripod is a necessity for the serious nature photographer. For macro and scenic work, you need the stability for fine-tuning compositions, as well as for long exposure times. For wildlife and birds, you need the support for the weight and size of the lens to achieve the sharpest images. Look for a tripod that is capable of going low to the ground, i.e., that has no (or short) center column and no supports between legs that limit this ability. Ball heads are generally preferred for shorter lenses and gimbal-type mounts, such as the Wimberley head, are generally preferred for super-telephotos. There are times for handholding, such as when shooting from a motorized boat to avoid transferring the engine vibration to the camera, or for flight shots of birds. For handholding, a general rule of thumb is to keep shutter speed faster than 1/lens length. For example, with a 200mm lens, shoot faster than 1/200 second. With vibration reduction (VR) / image stabilization (IS) technology you can go a couple stops slower than this. To achieve best sharpness, support the lens with your left hand under the barrel, tuck in your elbows, hold your breath and squeeze the shutter gently using the muscles in your finger and not those in your arms or shoulders. Equipment: Filters The camera store sales person will try to sell you a Skylight filter for protection of the lens front element. The filter itself has essentially no positive affect on the image. A cheap (<$10) piece of
50 / MARCH 2021 glass placed in front of a good quality lens can degrade image quality. But it can also protect from blowing dust, salt spray, and an accidental drop. Best to get a good quality filter if you choose to use one, but ask yourself if you really want any glass at all in front of your good lens when you are shooting. Most nature photographers go without. Other filter types used for nature photos are color correcting, graduated neutral density, and polarizing. The first two can be replicated in photo editing software and are therefore not as useful as they were in the film world. There is also software that emulates polarizers, but many of us still use the filter; it reduces glare, deepens the blue of the sky, and enhances rainbows. Equipment: Flash The need for flash, and type of flash, depends on your choice of subject. It is not commonly used for scenic photography or many wildlife subjects. Most bird photographers carry a flash along with a “Better Beamer” Flash Extender to increase the reach of the flash. For macro work, there are specialty flashes and flash brackets that are used to get light into very small, close objects. The pop-up flashes found on some cameras are not particularly useful for most nature photos. Learning to use flash well is a study unto itself, more info can be found on Moose Peterson’s site and in the article in this issue by Ralph Paonessa. Flash questions are frequently answered in the NatureScapes.Net photography forum. Exposure: correct exposure Achieving correct exposure is fundamental to making good photos. Most how-to books will cover the facets of exposure in great detail. The camera’s meter assumes the scene is middle-toned, not light or dark, and will give correct exposure for mid-tone. But nature is full of subjects that are not middle-tone, such as sunrises and sunsets, polar bears in snow, blackbirds, or white flowers. You must learn to identify these situations and how to compensate from what the meter indicates for settings. Compensation is done differently depending on what you are metering: the subject itself, a middle-tone object in the same light, or if you are using an incident (handheld) light meter. Pay attention to this when reading about or hearing about compensation; it will help you sort out seemingly conflicting instructions given by different people. An incredibly useful tool on digital SLRs for validating your exposure is the histogram display. See Greg Downing’s article for more information. Exposure: latitude The other exposure problem you will encounter in nature photography is a scene that exceeds the exposure latitude of your film or sensor. If the difference in exposure from the brightest to darkest area of the image exceeds about 6 stops, a digital sensor will be unable to record detail in the entire scene because of the camera’s limited dynamic range. Either the bright or dark area will be rendered detail-less. If you can’t work around the subject to reduce this difference, in
51 / MARCH 2021 general you should expose for the brightest area and let the dark part go black. Artistically, it is more acceptable to our eye to lose detail in darks than in whites. This issue is commonplace in landscape photography at sunrise and sunset where part of the scene is still in shadow and part is brightly illuminated by the sun. With digital, you can make multiple frames of the scene, each one with a slightly different exposure to capture detail in different areas. You then merge the frames together in your photo editor. See Royce Howland’s article on HDR. With film, the solution is to use a graduated neutral density filter. This is a piece of glass that is clear on one half and darkened on the other; by placing the dark area of the filter over the bright area of the scene you reduce the difference in exposure value to one which may be handled more evenly. In some situations you may be able to reduce the difference with flash. If you have a subject in shade with a sunny background, you can use a balanced flash. With the camera in manual mode, meter the bright background and set the camera to underexpose it by 1 stop. Set your flash to no compensation. The flash becomes the main light to illuminate the subject, and the bright background is darkened by the underexposure, thus balancing out the difference in tonality. Exposure: controls Exposure is controlled in any camera by ISO, shutter speed, and f-stop. Lower end point and shoot models may not give you access to these controls but SLRs do. These control settings affect the appearance of your image, ISO to a much lesser degree, as it is a rating of the sensitivity to light of the sensor or film. You change the ISO depending on the amount of available light, to give you the range in the other settings that you need. You may wish to set the ISO to steadily increasing numbers to increase the light effects, for example, as the sun goes down. The biggest impact with digital is that you start to get noise (speckles) at higher ISOs (low light). Usually you want to use the lowest ISO that will give you the shutter speed and f-stop desired. Shutter speed is how long the shutter is open, and varying this controls the amount of motion blur of a moving subject. F-stop controls the depth of field, or how much of the image front to back is in focus. These are critical in all nature photography; you will want to make these choices consciously in your image. Make sure you know how to operate these controls on your camera.
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53 / MARCH 2021 Composition Composition is the purposeful arrangement of the elements of a photo. Although it is highly subjective, there are some basic rules of composition that should be learned. These are tried and true methods (some are centuries old painting rules) that will give good results. Once you understand these rules, intentionally breaking them can give dramatic results. This website gives an excellent overview of the basic rules of composition: Fodors.com. For nature photos, here are some additional considerations for composition. •
Focus on the eyes. If your subject has eyes, the viewer will be drawn to the eyes as a center of
interest of the image. As such, the eyes should be in crisp focus, even if other parts of the subject are not due to depth of field or motion. •
Give room for the subject to”move into.” If your subject is moving, and you place it near the
edge of the frame in the direction it is moving, the viewer’s eyes are taken right out of the image. Leave space in front of the subject, not as much behind it. An exception here could be if there is a trail behind the subject that is interesting, such as dust clouds or water splashes. Similarly, with a static subject, leave space in the direction the subject is looking, rather than having it looking out of the frame. •
Pay attention to the background.
•
Avoid white spots. The eye is naturally drawn to the brightest area of an image. If that is not
your subject, the eye will be drawn away from the subject to that bright spot. Look for white or bright objects in the background and try to eliminate them by changing your point of view. •
Avoid horizons cutting through the subject. When there is an abrupt color transition or hori-
zon line, try to place the subject entirely above or below that line or eliminate the line all together by raising or lowering the camera. •
Watch for unwanted objects in the background creating a merge with the subject. An example
might be a tree that appears to be “growing” out of the subject’s head. Try moving slightly, or waiting for the subject to move, to eliminate the merge. •
Don’t clip the edges of your subject. If you’re going to crop in on the subject, crop in far
enough so that it is intentional, don’t just leave the tip of a leaf or wing out of the frame. If your subject is standing in something where the feet are hidden, include enough space at the bottom to include the “virtual feet.” •
Shoot at your subject’s level. This is particularly true for animals or birds, and will achieve a
more intimate feeling than shooting down or up at the subject. It may mean getting down on your belly or up on a hillside. Of course the inverse of this can also be used! Dramatic angles, subjects
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Pay attention to the background. Avoid white spots, as the eye is naturally drawn to the brightest area of an image. Watch for unwanted objects in the background creating a merge with the subject. Light Light is another element that has a profound effect on the outcome and artistry of an image. The type of light and color of light are important factors in your image. Light can come from a point source such as the sun or a flash. This type of light has direction and casts shadows. The direction has a huge impact on your photo. When the light comes over your shoulder and directly illuminates the subject, it is called front lighting. This type of light renders the most detail in your subject and is commonly used for birds and wildlife. Light coming slightly from the side adds depth, dimension and texture and can be very effective for landscapes or to create a mood in the image. Backlighting is the trickiest to deal with in terms of exposure but creates drama and mood and can give very artistic results. (Backlit example, left.) Rim lighting, that bright outline of an object that can enhance fur, spines or other textures, is obtained with backlighting when the sun is at a low angle.
A starting point to expose backlit subjects is to underexpose a middle tone object by 1 stop. Then bracket (shoot at different exposures just above and below that) like crazy. Diffused light, such as that on an overcast day or in open shade, casts no (or minimal) shadows and so has no apparent direction. This type of light is ideal for a situation where you want detail,
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as nothing is obscured in shadow. Close ups of flowers, leaves and other objects, as well as waterfalls, forest and fall color scenes are a few examples where diffuse light works well. A more subtle aspect of light is the quality or color of the light. Light is constantly changing throughout the day, and can even change minute to minute in conditions where storms are a factor. You can greatly enhance your pictures by paying attention to the light and how it is (or isn’t) changing. The time of day also matters. In midday, cloudless conditions, the light is bright and harsh. There are few shadows. Pictures taken at this time of day tend to look flat and lifeless. However, at the more northerly and southerly latitudes particularly during winter, the sun may never get high enough for this to be a problem. Early or late in the day, when the sun is lower in the sky, more of the blue color is scattered by the Earth’s atmosphere and what comes through is more orange / reddish, or “warmer.” Between this warmth in the light and the dramatic shadows you get this time of day, photographers refer to these times as “magic hours.” The further away from the equator you are, the longer this special time lasts. Many landscape and nature photographers organize their day so that they are taking pictures early and late, and midday they nap, travel, or scout new locations. It may be a little extra effort to get up and get out early, but it can be well worth it. This has benefits if you like to photograph in popular parks or tourist locations, as these times will be much less crowded than midday! There are also some situations where the light is noticeably cool, or blue. This happens in open shade, in overcast conditions, and at higher elevations, for example. This cool cast can be an important mood setter for your image. However it tends to be less desirable than warmer light for many nature images. You can “correct” this blue cast out of an image several ways. A warming filter (81A, B or C) can be employed when you take the photo. On digital cameras, you can set the white balance for cloudy or shade conditions. Or you can correct in photo editing software in several different ways. Resources There are many resources available for learning about nature photography, from the basics to advanced techniques. Web sites Of course, you’ve already found the best web resource for nature photography here at NatureScapes.Net! Check out articles and the online forums. •
Fodors.com has short articles that cover the basics extremely well. It is travel photography
oriented but has plenty of information pertaining to nature subjects
56 / MARCH 2021 •
Photo.net under the Learn / Tutorials tab also has some good basic information. There is also
some information about more specialized nature subjects like underwater and star trails. •
Many of the pros have websites that offer articles and tips. They often also publish newslet-
ters that are full of current information and updates. Also look at the websites of your favorite NatureScapes.net contributors. Books •
John Shaw’s Nature Photography Field Guide. This is an outstanding basic resource. It covers
all of the subjects mentioned in this article in detail. •
Joe McDonald’s The New Complete Guide to Wildlife Photography. Another basic resource
with a focus on wildlife. This book includes an excellent section on flash. •
Arthur Morris’s The Art of Bird Photography. A must read for those interested in bird photog-
raphy. •
Joe McDonald’s Digital Nature Photography- From Capture to Output. A new book on cd,
intended for use in the field, it covers the basics with an emphasis on digital, including basic digital workflow. •
See also the books section on NatureScapes.Net.
Classes General photography classes may be available in your area. Check with camera stores, parks and recreation departments, and community colleges. Sometimes even zoos or gardens or other organizations in your area that provide adult leisure learning type of courses may include photography. These should be modestly priced but will not likely be strictly nature photography. There are also web-based classes available, here is one example: Betterphoto.com. Seminars A seminar is a lecture, typically to a large audience. Many nature pros put on seminars in major metropolitan areas from time to time. They are often day-long programs that cover all the basics. There will be a lot of information and examples but typically limited time for questions or personal instruction. Workshops Workshops are typically multiple day sessions with a low student-to-teacher ratio (less than 10 students per instructor, often far fewer). There will be both classroom time and time in the field. With digital there should also be ample opportunity for review and critique. This type of setting is probably the best for rapidly advancing your knowledge and abilities. Photo Tours Don’t confuse a photo tour with a workshop. A photo tour is designed to get you to a particular destination at the right time. Although the leader should be very knowledgeable and helpful, this
57 / MARCH 2021 is not typically intended to be an instructional event. The exception may be for some highly specialized technique to be employed. If in doubt, ask questions before you sign up. These are usually not cheap trips and you don’t want to be disappointed. Camera Clubs Most major metropolitan areas will host one or more camera clubs. Local camera stores may be able to help you find out about them. A few may be nature oriented but most will be more general. Clubs vary a great deal in terms of what they offer and their meeting format and frequency. Most, if not all, welcome beginners (new members are life blood!) Many will have field trips; some will have workshops or other instructional events. All will give you an opportunity to talk with other photographers in your area.
About the Author Cindy enjoys photographing a variety of nature subjects, but birds are a current favorite. She loves to travel to see and photograph the amazing sights our planet offers. To share her travels with others, she regularly presents programs to local camera clubs and other organizations. Cindy supports the education and outreach programs of her local Audubon chapter with photos for a variety of uses such as a “Bird Bingo” game for children to play on bird walks. She writes a regular column and contributes photo essays for their newsletter. Cindy has been an active member of NatureScapes forums from the start, and has published articles on the site. She is currently serves NatureScapes as a member of the Editorial Team and as a Moderator in the Wildlife Forum.
58 / MARCH 2021 The trick with portrait retouching is not to go over the top. While it’s now easier than ever to remove every wrinkle, change a subject’s shape and size and remove every imperfection, the real trick is knowing when to stop.
Boost the irises Eyes are the most important part of a portrait. Here’s a speedy way to make them stand out… One of the quickest and easiest ways to give eyes extra impact is to boost the contrast and colour in the iris. 1. Starting image, this model already has beautiful eyes but with a slight trick it may look even better. So duplicate the layer to keep the original in place. 2. I use the pen tool to make a selection around the iris of both eyes 3. Once you have both eyes selected, click inverse delete and you should have no backround on that layer only the irises of both eyes.
59 / MARCH2021
4. Select that layer and go to levels, push up the light side of the levels, careful not to overdo it. 5. Duplicate that layer and go to filter...drop down to “other” and select high pass, move the slider to about 2, anything more may create a halo. 6. Your layer will be set to normal, now change this grey high pass to “overlay”
BEFORE
AFTER You decide...before image on the left and the altered image on the right...
60 / MARCH 2021 PLEASE CONTACT ELISABETH IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE CAMERAS BELOW SHE IS HELPING A FRIEND AFTER HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY . THERE ARE MANY MORE ITEMS, PHONE ELISABETH @ 083 777 0050
PHONE ELISABETH @ 083 777 0050 FOR MORE INFO OR TO MAKE AN OFFER