I'm going on Auto Pilot

After some serious burning of the night oil, I’ve got the last Newsletter of the year ready for release – if you want to get it, the push goes out at 10:30am eastern time.  This means subscribers will also get a sneak peak of the final 5 items on the 25 for $50 gift guide list for 2010.  That final list will be released here on the blog tomorrow with full photos and write-ups of each, so if you miss the newsletter, be sure to stop in on Wed. for that.

The final podcast for 2010 is recorded and in the gates, ready to be run on Thursday too, so this is going to be a week with lots of multimedia and distributions for everyone to download and enjoy as we head into the holiday season.  On that note, I’ll be enjoying the rest of this week off (so no blog post on Friday), and hopefully get the rest of my own family and friends shopping completed in short order.  What is it – ten shopping days left?  If you’ve not started yet, time’s a wastin!

And, oh yeah, one last item to note…Lightroom has had it’s latest update to 3.3, and Camera Raw (for CS5 users) to 6.5!  You can grab the downloads here for Lightroom, and on the Raw Converter the downloads are Windows and Mac specific.

So, on that note, I am going to let the powers of scheduled posts and media distribution do their work while I catch up on a few Z’s and other things!  I will check in periodically for comments, questions, and other feedback items, but for the rest of the week, this baby’s on auto-pilot!  Happy shooting, and we’ll see you next week…..unless of course anyone has any questionszzzzzzzzzzzzzzz?

Meeting Your Goals…with help!

Did you meet your goals in 2010 photographically speaking?  It’s an interesting question, especially for me because as I started to move in toward the holidays, with a new job ramping up, had felt as though work in the photography arena had stagnated for me to a degree.  It really was not the case actually – and the back story here is what is important.  None of us are an island – we all need help to both keep ourselves motivated, and to keep the fires and energies burning.  Sometimes we recharge from a break other times it’s from a good kick in the…well, you get the idea!

The Back Story

Colleagues, mentors, tutors, and others in the field can be a hugely helpful influence, and one sage such associate recently told me to shoot more and talk less.  The whole idea of “shut up and shoot” had come back to haunt me!  This is advice I give to others when they approach me – how dare he suggest that.  But then I considered…and in all honesty, the last month or so of photo production had not been as productive as I had wished.  I had excuses of the new job, sure…but the bottom line was that my colleague was right!  I needed to get out and shoot more! So I did just that.  In doing so, I got a few good decent photos together, including one for the desktop download series…

Then, another industry association (although I use that term lightly), is none other than Mr. David DuChemin.  You may recall he paid a visit to the podcast a while back, and occasionally we have had a few exchanges on Twitter, but it’s definitely a one-sided relationship where I learn from him and not vice-versa! 🙂  (There I go again with the self-deprecation – someone needs to shock me so I stop doing that!)  Anyway, he reminded me that the whole point of our craft is to share our vision and work with others.  It came through a Twitter exchange when I was giving a compliment to his work by also using my well-known tactic of self-deprecation.  It stuck with me so much, that I’d rather just share his exact words:

Sage Advice from David DuChemin
Sage Advice from David DuChemin

– and that is exactly what I had not been doing photographically.  Oh sure, test shots from lens reviews, a few sample photos here and there…but nothing really from the inner core that had apparently been needing some voice.  So, with that I decided to go ahead full force – not only with capturing more images, but completing the last of the Desktop Downloads for the year!

The 2010 Desktop Downloads

What’s that?  You don’t know about the Desktop Downloads?  Of course not, because I had been neglecting to share the information with everyone on the regular monthly basis that a new photo for inspiration and enjoyment had been uploaded.  For many months of the year, I was capturing photos and  content to share, and not sharing it!  The legwork behind it was lost in the business.  So, I owe the audience an apology and 12 downloads for the year!  No worries though – you know why?  Because I met my goal for the year!  In going back through each month for the image I had selected, I realized that this was also tied to a “project” I gave myself for 2010 – to shoot more often, and take on more projects.  The goal was one a month, and I did it!  With my personal success finally realized, it’s high time to share that success with everyone else.  For the monthly desktop image for December, you can get click the appropriate link and download for your own inspiration and enjoyment!

Colorado Sunset
Colorado Sunset

1280×1024 px

1024×768 px

To get the rest, simply hit the Downloads page and save for your own desktop wallpaper or screen saver as you prefer… As an aside, there are a couple months I had done the download as a calendar, thinking it would be more functional (May and June), but after toying with the idea for 2 months, decided it detracted too much from the image for my tastes (all due respect to Jeffrey Friedl and his PS plugin that helped produce those months though.).  Nevertheless, with the year far from over (most of December is left for us), I can officially say I met my goal for the year with 12 photo projects.  Already, I’ve shot nearly 20% more than I did last year, because of directed projects and diligence.  Have you met yours?  There’s still time, so get out there and shoot!  Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow…

Editor Note: (Who am I kidding, that’s still me…)  I know the Monthly Newsletter is still not out as promised and I expect that to be out tomorrow as well, so if you’d like to still sign up for that, there’s still time!

To sharpen or not to sharpen

I was having a conversation recently with a fellow photographer and the discussion turned to taking the sharpest possible photos with your camera, and what was needed for it.  Inevitably, post production came into play, and being very much a purist, he claimed that he does no sharpening in post production.   It struck me that this sounded odd to run no sharpening algorithms in a digital world, as my understanding was quite different.  I tried to make the case orally, but was hard-pressed to really make a convincing argument for it without supporting documentation.  Given my penchant for writing, the resolution was my advice to “read the blog in a few days…there will be a post on sharpening”!  So, for Paul (and for others who may be interested, here’s my take on whether or not to sharpen your images, and when!

The way I understand the digital photography landscape (no pun intended), is that there are three phases in which you can (and should) sharpen your images:

  1. Capture Sharpening – This type of sharpening is done on initial import from your camera to your image editor.  Whether that is through ACR in Photoshop, in Lightroom (which has ACR built in), or any other application.  This initial one is of utmost importance because of the inherent softening of images during the demosaic process when interpreting raw sensor data.  As I understand it, the settings used here are relative to the camera you are using, but not so much the specific image.
  2. ACR Sharpening
    ACR Sharpening
  3. Creative Sharpening – After import, this would be the time when selective and subjective interpretations are done on images.  Whether you choose to apply USM (unsharp mask) in Photoshop, a High Pass overlay layer, or some other means, these types of effects are always done to taste, and very much open to interpretation.
  4. Creative Sharpening using High Pass Filter
    Creative Sharpening using High Pass Filter
  5. Output Sharpening – Last, but not least, output sharpening is when you apply sharpening effects specific to your output device.  These settings are dependent on the output device, such as a printer, the web (screen), as well as the size and resolution of the output image (smaller size requires less sharpening than larger files).  Even within output sharpening there are settings specific to the printer you are using, and to the paper you are using,

Again though, these are just my impressions on whether sharpening is needed in a digital age or not. I know someone is going to ask, so should probably state here that an entirely different set of criteria should be used when talking about film sharpening techniques…but I digress! 🙂  Back on topic, there’s actually a couple really good resources (from my biased perspective of course) that discuss sharpening in much greater detail than I did here.  First off, a book called “Real World Sharpening” by Bruce Fraser and Jeff Shewe is one I would highly recommend.  For those with an online reading preference, here’s another good article on the subject, also by Bruce Fraser.

Am I off base?  What are your thoughts on sharpening?  Is it needed in a digital world?  When and how do you sharpen your images (if at all)?  Sound off in the newest poll (also in the sidebar):

[poll id=”14” ]

25 Gift Ideas for 2010 – Part 2

Last week began the grand-tastic gift guide for 2010, where I shared 5 of 25 great gift ideas for the photographer in your life.  I keep the criteria simple.  First, I must either own or want it!  Second, It must be $50 or less.  To read the first five in part 1, feel free to hit the archive for it here.  Otherwise, today, we continue with Part 2:

1.  Wireless Trigger System:  Pocket Wizards, Radio Poppers and Cybersyncs are great if you’ve got the moolah, but for those on a budget, there should be some happy medium to get reasonably reliable triggers.  I had tried the Cactus triggers myself, and they were a good point of entry, but really just were too unreliable.  My buddy Kerry Garrison from Camera Dojo has researched the heck out of this and knows his stuff on lighting.  He’s put together a great kit that includes everything you need from transmitters to receivers, and PC Sync cables too, all for the budget-friendly $50 rate!  Check out his demo video here and get your photographer a set of these.  I can’t wait to get my own set!

Wireless triggers from Camera Dojo
Wireless triggers from Camera Dojo

2.  Lexar Memory:  Everyone could use an additional memory card, and with prices dropping rapidly, the 8GB UDMA CF cards are now within the budget-conscious range, so pick up a spare (or two) of these as we never have enough in our bags…this one is linked from B&H but pick your own vendor of preference as the deals are across the internet.

Lexar CF Cards
Lexar CF Cards

3.  Black Rapid RS7 – Okay, so it’s 8 bucks over the limit, but for the portability and easing of camera holding during extended sessions, the Black rapid RS 7 is a godsend.  If you don’t have one – get one, plain and simple.  Visit here to buy one today!

Black Rapid RS-7
Black Rapid RS-7

4.  Online Training – a month or two from either Kelby Training or Lynda.com is just the ticket to help the photographer in your life help themselves.  Whether it’s a refresher on Photoshop, boning up on Indesign, or even learning how to set up a WordPress blog or website, these are great resources for online training.  Monthly rates are $25 on average, and with the holidays approaching, you could easily find discount codes or bonus offers for signing up, so consider this valuable option.  It’s all part of the mentality of helping people advance in their craft through education!

Online Training
Online Training

5.  Light Stand – I have been procrastinating getting a second light stand for some time now and there is just no excuse.  The primary is an Impact stand I got from B&H and it has served me well, so I just need to add this to my own wish list, and encourage you to add one to yours (if you don’t already have enough that is…but then again, do we ever have enough lightstands – it’s a VAL you don’t have to feed or take out for beers after a shoot!)!.  Here’s my own preferred one:  10′ Impact Lightstand (Tracy, are you reading this?) I should probably note here that I am linking to the 10′ tall heavy duty one – well worth the extra investment in my opinion, but for the super budget-conscious, these can get as cheap as $20 for a light duty 6′ one!

Impact Light Stand (6' to 10')
Impact Light Stand (6' to 10')

Okay, so consider it 5.5 suggestions today.  I’m sure you have your own ideas too, so feel free to throw your own suggestions in the mix.  Remember, with two down and three to go, keep the ideas coming as I do have some room open for a few more!  Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!

How Much to Charge…

So many people ask me this question, or at least some variation on it.  The answer I always give is, “It depends…”  Then, I go on to list the various criteria that factor in to determining an equitable pricing guide for your work.  Here’s a couple of the factors that I’ve always considered when setting prices for work:

1.  Location – Are you in New York, Colorado, South Carolina, or California?  The cost of living varies greatly in each of these areas, and what might be a good rate for Colorado would barely pay the cost of gas in California.  Consider your geographic market when pricing because the market can be a huge factor in how to set pricing.

Where are you?
Where are you?

2.  Competition – What are others charging?  Here you have to be careful because there is always going to be someone who can undercut you.  I see ads on Craigslist and other places all the time where photographers trying to build a portfolio will offer to work for peanuts – or even free, just to get the experience!  It’s kind of hard to compete with that, so consider the “competition” as those who are in the same boat you are in.

The Competition
The Competition

3.  The “Target Market” – Tying all of this in is the target audience that you want to market to.  If you want to bring in as many clients as possible, then you will have to market differently than if you only want to work 12 events or sessions a year.  So, consider who you want to be your client list as this can be a huge determinant in your pricing strategy.

4.  Type of Work – Are you a portrait photographer or an event photographer?  Architectural photography?  Magazine photography?  How specialized is your field or niche?  Different types of work can garner different rates, and rates can also vary based on hourly or flat rates depending on how you prefer to work.  I know some photographers that charge based on the event, and others who charge hourly rates.

5.  What’s included? – Are you talking about just the rate to capture the images or does this also include post production?  What about image usage?  Is licensing a factor and if so, what type of license is being delivered?  if not, are you producing prints, is the cost of the capture time built in to expected sales, or are the resulting images going to be transferred to the client for their own use.  This can have a huge impact on pricing because licensing fees can get pretty extensive, as can re-prints.

Costs
Costs

This is just the tip of the iceberg too…I’m sure others can offer particular insights and considerations to take into account when building out your price sheet.  There’s a lot to take into consideration…and you know what’s coming – the reader question:  What are your own considerations when building a price sheet?  Do you charge by the hour or by the event?  Have you included gear depreciation in your pricing?  What about your hourly rate that you would like to actually earn versus that which goes to paying overhead?  Sound off in the comments – I’d love to hear what others have included in their own formulas!  Happy shooting and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow…

25 Gift Ideas for 2010 – Part 1

We are officially into the holiday frenzy, and with Black Friday sales creeping up quickly, it’s time to start thinking of some gift ideas for the photog in your own family…or to drop subtle hints to others (if you want it for a present)!  Over the next few weeks, I’ve got 25 great gift ideas to share with you.  I’ve tried to keep true to some principles with these gift selections, so just to let you know, here’s my barometer for inclusion:

A.  I either own it or want it!  If I don’t own it, how can I say it’d be a great gift?  Only if it’s something I want!

B.  Let’s be realistic, the current economic trials are hitting us all hard – and throwing $100+ ideas on a gift guide is too rich for the blood of many photog-types in the trenches, so it’s gotta be cost-effective (nothing over $50)

To keep this manageable, it’s been parted out into five posts – each with 5 items.  These are in no particular order, with no favoritism or affiliation to the actual products or vendors.  So, without further ado:

1.  Ditty Bag – My brother had some of these on our canoe trip earlier this year, and they proved invaluable in keeping my gear dry.  $27 for a three-pack of dry ditty bags is a steal!  From REI:

 

REI Ditty Bags
REI Ditty Bags

2.  The Photo Mug – What can I say?  I want one of these muchly.  With my own expenditures being withheld to ones that are needed versus wanting, and not splurge items, I just have to hope someone in my family sees this:

Photojojo Lens Coffee Mug
Photojojo Lens Coffee Mug

3.  The Battery Caddy – I know, this was in last years showcase, but that should tell you how much I love this.  Mine was won in a photo contest online about three years ago and it has never left my camera bag.  Brilliant idea, and worth its weight in gold!  More options available than the AA clip shown here.

Battery Caddy
Battery Caddy

4.  Flickr is probably one of the most recognizable photo sharing sites.  With a pro account ads are banished and you are not limited in your daily uploads nearly as much.  Only $25 gives the gift for a year!

Give the Gift of Flickr
Give the Gift of Flickr

5.  Pocket Rocket from Think Tank.  A sponsor of the Lightroom workshop, Think Tank gave us a bunch of these to include for each participant.  I had to have one myself too, so out went the $17 – totally worth it!

Think Tank Pixel Pocket Rocket
Think Tank Pixel Pocket Rocket

Number 6-10 will be out soon, but I still have room on the list for some late additions, so if you’ve got some ideas, feel free to share (sharing is a good thing) either here in the comments or with me via e-mail.  Happy shooting and we’ll see you tomorrow (or possibly Friday)!

Is HDR really cheating?

HDR, or High Dynamic Range, imagery refers to the process of representing a wider range of colors and light in a photo than what can be traditionally captured in a single image with a camera.  There are several ways to produce this HDR-effect.  The most common way to produce HDR imagery is to take several exposures, by both under and over-exposing the same scene by several stops, and then combining them in post-production.  This process brings out details that would traditionally be lost in both highlights and shadows from normal photography.  There are two schools of thought here really on HDR:

1.  The first school of thought is that we should adhere to the accuracy of what it is the sensor is capturing.  By allowing for interpretation and manipulation of the pixels, photography is no longer the means of reporting things – life, as we know it!

2.  The other school of thought is that pixels and cameras are simply a means of capturing a limited portion of the world around them, and that even the human eye is capturing more in a single instant than any single still image could ever hope to capture.  With that in mind, it is the job of the photographer to bring to life what it is they see, and use the tools available to them to bring that image to life, whether it means performing HDR, sharpening, white balance corrections, or anything!

Now, keep in mind that there are always exceptions to the above two schools of thought.  Journalism for instance, requires accuracy and not making adjustments as it really is meant as a reporting mechanism not an interpretation or individual perception of what is scene.  While I am not sure where my own line of thinking really ends up on this very polarizing issue, it does seem that perhaps there is a time and place for it.  Again, with all subjective work, there is a certain degree of personal preference and bias – and this also speaks to the second point, because some HDR can be really really good, while others can be really really bad.  Nevertheless, for my two cents, it does seem that occasionally, there is both a time and a place for HDR.  During such times,  I’ve tried a variety of approaches to utilize HDR while also keeping some measure of reality in my photos.  Take for example, the three images below taken at different shutter speeds, while keeping ISO and aperture constant – thus creating several different exposures of the same scene:

HDR base Images
HDR base Images

By combining and basically “stacking” each of these images inside our post production work flow, we can bring out the details in the shadows from the first image (down in the golf course area), bring out the details from the highlights (the clouds), while maintaining the clarity of the neutrally lit areas in the middle of the photos (the rocks and pool).  While there are several ways to do this, including Photomatix, HDR Pro (the one native to CS5) and several other Photoshop and Lightroom plugins like what Topaz Labs, Lucis, and OnOne’s plugin Suite), here I am using the HDR Pro function inside of Photoshop CS5.

HDR Pro Sample
HDR Pro Sample

I did choose the option inside the HDR Pro menu to select a more saturated image than what was originally created in camera, and it is more reminiscient of what I actually saw.  So, am I cheating at what I created?  Is this a “real” photo?  What if I were to take another approach, and simply make some adjustments on a single image?  Back to the digital work flow I go…and here is a single shot edited in Lightroom:

Lightroom HDR
Lightroom HDR

Now, while there are clearly some slight differences in tonal range, saturation, and such, there are two things to keep in mind:  1 – I was making these edits pretty quick, and 2 – this is the Internet, which makes color accuracy a difficult thing to achieve.  It does serve to illustrate that you don’t necessarily have to stack images in Photoshop to achieve the HDR look.  Simple slider adjustments in Lightroom can approximate the same thing.  As mentioned above, there are also a number of third-party plugins and add-ons that can bring this effect to life.  Regardless of what the consensus is, HDR is likely a technique that is here to stay, and it’s simply a matter of experimenting and finding a technique that works for you, and that your clients, or colleagues, or friends and family, will find appealing.

This is, of course, just my personal take on HDR.  What about the rest of the readership?  Any thoughts on the legitimacy or validity of HDR?  Does it work?  Can it work?  Or should we stick to trying to capture it all in-camera – on a single frame?  Sound off in the comments or via email!  Thanks for sharing your own thoughts, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

ETA:  Don’t forget – a couple contests are going on through November and the rest of the year:

1.  Monthly LDP Giveaway – Share your own “POP” themed photos for a chance to win a pack of pearl metallic paper from the folks at Red River – this paper is awesome for HDR-styles of work!

2.  The Nations Photo Lab Family Photo Day – Upload your images to their Flickr Page for a chance to win a pretty impressive set of prizes including autographed books, free printing certificates, and much more!