DigaPixBlog

I think the only time a photographer should not shoot is in a pitch black room.  The rule is to only shoot during the golden hour at sunrise and sunset.  But with that attitude we will miss twenty two hours each day to make images.  Even at high noon, with deep shadows, you can convert to black and white and get stunning images.

The image presented here of the fog shrouded pond is a good example of an unexpected time to create.  The mist is so dense there are no blacks in this photograph.  One of the most interesting details about this scene is the one bird off to the right.  Without this single detail we would not know the other birds were on an island surrounded by water.  Once again we have an epiphany element (see Balboa Lake Feb 18th).

The fog takes away our perception of depth.  This gives the image feeling of a magical landscape.  You can almost hear the muted sounds of the bird calls across the water.

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Photographing formal portraits of children can be a challenge for any photographer.  They often do not want to cooperate or they are stiff and unnatural.  I have heard of photographers that will shoot a number of shots, without film in their cameras, so the children get used to the camera and relax.

This young lady appears to be at a dance studio where she was asked to pose for the camera.  I like the subject placed off center to the right. The unusual posing against the large mirror gives a feeling of two girls standing back to back.  The lighting is soft and very flattering to this young subject.  Her eyes are beautiful, so expressive.  The catch light is perfect.

As I said earlier it is difficult to get young children to relax.  Her smile, though nice, appears to be a little forced.  I don’t know what the secret is or how they get the young professional models to relax and be natural.

This is a lovely portrait of a beautiful young lady that will be treasured by her family.

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Night photography opens up a whole new world of image making to the photographer.  This time without the sun as our light source gives us a new personalities to subjects we take for granted.  But it requires us to learn new skills and techniques.

Photographed at night this architecture lit only by manmade lighting gives this structure a feeling of importance.  I think this is achieved by the light being concentrated on the center of the building and falling off to either side.  The photographer has done a good job of controlling the exposure on the light colored subject.  The dramatic perspective adds drama to the photograph.

I would like to have the photographer look at re-photographing this scene at a slightly different time of day.  You will note the pure black sky.  The palm trees disappear into the blackness.  Consider photographing about twenty minutes after sunset.  Meter on the lighting on the building and wait for the sky exposure to be the same or a little darker then the lit falling on the building.  Experiment and do this again every five or ten minutes until the sky is completely black as shown in this photo.  You will get, I think, more interesting detail in the sky and still have a dramatic night shot.  You benifit by geting a feeling for balancing natural light and manmade illumination.

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We have discussed the difficulties of photographing theater performances; lack of control, inability to get up close, disturbing the audience, etc.  And we have pointed out the advantages; professional lighting, interesting subjects and costumes, dramatic poses, etc.  It all boils down to it’s hard to get a wonderful image but it can be done.

This charming photograph demonstrates that with luck, persistence and the willingness to keep shooting lots of images it can be done.  These three young ballerinas display grace and charm as they perform to their doting patience and grandparents.  The lighting is excellent while the photo-artist has captured the subjects at a charming moment.  There is nothing forced in the posture or expressions.  I particularly like the amount of space the photographer has left around the girls.  You get a feeling of their dominative size on the big stage.

There is one modification I insist the photographer correct.  In the lower left hand corner here is a dark brown bluer that must be removed.  Other than that this is a perfect picture.

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There are days when you just want to get outside and breathe the air and feel the sunshine on your shoulders.  There are those perfect days.  People living in Southern California have the good fortune of experiencing many days throughout the year like that, particularly during what is winter in much of the rest of North America.

This photograph captures one of those days.  Can’t you just feel the sun and the genital sea braze when you look at this image.  This scene consists of two colors; blue and white.  The sky is a perfect blue; clean, clear and inviting.  While the sail boats say take me to sea, what am I doing here?

I like the selection of the horizontal crop.  This would be an excellent image for the Ventura Chamber of Commerce. 

The one suggestion I would make, and it is a small thing, would be to crop down just a hair more to eliminate the fraction of a cloud on the top center of the frame.

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The female human body is the hallmark of classical art in western culture.  What makes the difference between pornography and art?  Why would we not want to show one to our mothers and hang the other proudly on our wall?  I would say taste and graphics.

This photograph of a nude has natural grace.  The photo-artist has selected a high key illustration of a graphic which we recognize immediately but with a fresh perspective.  The diamond pattern in the center of the photograph draws us in while at the same time tells us that we are barred from coming any closer.  I like the negative space in the upper quarter of the image.

This graphic is about balance in repeating patterns.  The strong contrasts from the dark shadow to high tones with few mid grays helps to accentuate the graphic elements.

My only suggestions to the artist would be to add a thin black border around the image to help contain the light tones.

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I am constantly saying; get in closer, crop down, isolate your subject, which is particularly true of flowers.  Finding a new way of seeing a common object is one way the photographer can create their own vision and style.  There are times when this is taken to such an extreme that we get either a graphic abstract or an object we cannot identify.

This unusual photograph falls into the category of “What Is It?”.  It looks like a macro image, but of what?  It has good definition in the subject and a blurred two color background but what is it?  The lighting is natural and the subject is colorful but do I know what it is?

This is an interesting image but the photographer may wish to select different color combinations.  The four colors in the image are most unsettling.  There are strong graphic elements but they don’t work together harmoniously.

Should I guess what it is?  I will take a stab at it and say it is an Anther for a Lily.   Do you have any ideas what it is?

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With the amount of data being captured by the latest digital cameras we have an abundance of detail in our images.  This allows the photo-artist to rethink their final image after they get it back to the computer.  If they are not satisfied with the look and feel of the scene they can crop down to the area of interest.

These images were sent in by one of our contributors with the suggestion that I talk about cropping.  My suggestion is that you experiment with your images on the computer.  Crop out things that are not important and isolate your primary subject.  Have you ever played the game in the back of the magazine where you try to find the hidden objects within an illustration?  Cropping is the same thing.  There are a lot of good images hidden within most photos and most photographs could use a little cropping.  Don’t be too concerned about the final format size.  You can make it a long horizontal or a perfect square.  If you are printing and mounting you can cut the mat to fit and if you are showing it on the Internet who cares?

Here the photographer started out with a relatively large scene with the bee in the center.  The original is not a very interesting composition and the primary subject is lost in the clutter.  Then the photographer cropped the picture three different ways.  Which one do you like best?  It’s your call but they are all better than the original picture.

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Crop #1    Crop #2    Crop #3

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In commercial photography and shooting movies there are a number of tools used to alter light falling on a subject.  You start with the light source.  Then to alter the direction and quality of light you might use one of the following: 1. a “Scrim” (a filter material used in front of the light to reduce the intensity) 2. a “Reflector” (a white or reflective surface to bounce light back on the shadow side of an object) 3. a “Black Card” (a non reflective surface, generally black, to reduce light on a surface) 4. a “Gobo” (a card or filter with cutouts that is placed in front of the light to through shadow or light patterns across a subject).

This close up still life shot of the Cadillac hood ornament is almost a macro image.  The photographer has done a good job of getting the detail in the Cadillac logo.  The lighting across the hood of the car has interesting color striations.  The subject, the logo, is placed in the upper third of the image on the center line giving it the maximum amount of importance.

I have no idea if the photographer had any control over this shoot but I would like to recommend a couple lighting technics he might try in the future.  First the light source is a pin point light, or sometimes called a single source light.  This is a very strong light, like the sun during the day.  You might want to place a scrim of white nylon in front of the light.  This will reduce or eliminate the harsh shadow across the left side.  Like a thin layer of clouds over the sun.

The second thing I would suggest is to use a reflector in front of the subject to bounce some light back into the logo and give it more pop.  If you wanted some additional ‘black highlights’ in the chrome you could place a black card on the left side.  The last thing that would be possible, it you felt a need for it, is to place a gobo over the light to change the light and dark patterns on the hood.

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There is a whole world out there of creatures from another world.  If Hollywood ever needs inspiration for alien life forms they need look no further than the insect and arachnid world.  They are so foreign to us they frighten most of us, thou only a small fraction would ever do us harm.  These small creatures demonstrate the versatility and adaptability of life.

This photographer has presented us with an araneae with a whimsical side.  Its markings represent to our mind a smiling clowen’s face.  Why these particular markings, only nature knows. 

The spider was photographed on the surface of a plant which I assume is its natural environment.  This gives us a feeling for the adaptability of this small wonder of nature.  You will note that the legs appear to be semi transparent.  I like the way the photographer has cropped the image so that the ends of the legs are not seen.  This helps to take the subject out of the text book recording category.  Without a reference point we have no idea how large this fellow is. 

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Different types of light can make all the difference in the world how we see the world through the camera.  The golden hour, just before sunset and just after sun rise are generally considered the best times of day to photograph.  But once the sun goes down don’t but your camera away.  There are better things to come if you know where to look.  The afterglow or twilight can bring a whole new damnation to your photography.

Here Sand Pipers on the wet sand come alive as darting silhouettes.  The sand and the sea pick up the reflected light of the sky shortly after sunset to display colors not seen during the rest of the day.  The water brings out the texture and patterns in the sand.  There is something magic about these few minutes of afterglow.

The photo-artist may wish to consider the stone in the lower right hand corner.  The highlight draws our attention away from the subject the shore birds.  This could be toned down and still get the idea of a reflection.  The sea and the sand are interesting but if the photographer were too crop the image into a long horizontal we may be more intimate with the birds.

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We are all looking for that image that is both an artistic and a commercial success.  For that to happen you need a story being told by the image.  What do I mean when I say a story?  Can the viewer, who was not there when the photograph was taken, create in their mind what is going to happen next or what has already happened? This is not required of all images but the ones that sell are the ones that talk to the viewer on some level.

This image has movement, drama and most differently it has a story.  The dust hanging in the air filtering the sunlight on the horizon gives the story drama.  Can you imagine what this photograph would be like if it had been taken at mid day with the sun directly overhead?  The man on the horse is captured at just the right moment with the lariat suspended in the air about to be released.  You should note the layering of dark and light bands going back into the image until they reach the hills and the sun in the distance.  There is just enough light reflected back on the cowboy to give good detail in his shirt and face.

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One of the problems with wildlife photography is getting close enough to the subject to get a good tight photograph.  Most animals are difficult to find and when you do they are so skittish of humans that you can’t get close enough.  The closest most people get to these creatures are the scavengers and badgers of the animals world.  However there are still a few, a very few, places in the world where nature has not learned to fear man, such as the Galapagos Islands.  There you have to be careful that you don’t accidentally step on the birds while they are sitting on their nests.

This little fellow, or in this case this little miss, appears to be sitting on her eggs doing her best to ignore the photographer.  She appears to be completely unafraid of the person taking the photo.  I like the way the photographer got down and shot up hill to isolate the subject agent the blue sky.  This gives us a good clear image of the bird.

There are a couple things the photographer may want to take into consideration.  There appears to be something going on with the digital image.  The pixels are starting to block up in some of the sky and the shadows under the bird.  This may be caused by over processing in the computer or cropping in to tight on an image that does not have enough information in the original data file.  The lighting is nice but not outstanding.  It would have helped to bring the subject alive if there had been a catch light in the eye.

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Macro photographs can be archived using a number of tools; macro lens, extension tubes or extension bellows.  The macro lens comes in sizes from 50mm to 200mm.  I recommend the 100mm macro.  This is one lens where you want to get the highest quality you can afford.  Extension tubes are just that, hollow tubes that move your normal lens away from the camera and create a macro type effect.  This is less expensive but results in lower quality images.  The last method, the bellows, is much like the extension tube but the distance from the normal lens to the camera image plane can be adjusted.

This example of macro photography shows some of the capabilities and limitations of the technique.  You will notice the fine detail on the back of the weevil. But the focal distance falls off so fast that the right antenna is differently out of focus.  The lighting from the left is excellent.  I believe the photographer added a reflector card to the left or a leaf bounced light in order to give shape to the gloss black creature.  The photographer has included just enough information about the plant without losing our attention on the primary subject.

I think the solid black background works with the bright green plant however it tells us that this shot was taken under controlled conditions.  This image would make a wonderful text book illustration.

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Selective focus is the conscious decision by the photographer to draw our attention to certain elements within an image.  In this way they are able to say this is important and that is not.  This technique requires a good understanding of the operation of the camera equipment and the principles of f-stops and focus.

This photograph of the single point perspective railroad tracks utilizes selective focus to keep our attention on the vanishing tracks and away from the foliage at the top of the scene.  The strong focus creates a strong graphic of the track and ties disappearing in the distance.  With the curve at the end of the leading lines we are given a destination for our attention.

The dappled shadows over most of the scene work nicely to enable  control of the exposure.  Tilting the image (starting to become a gimmick) gives the feeling we are going uphill.

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There are some geometric rudiments that generally do not work out as compatible graphic elements.  They are the pure geometric shapes; the circle and square.  They are complete in themselves and tend to dominate rather than facilitate the image.  So be careful when incorporating them into your scene.

The model in this image is in an interesting pose. Her back is to the camera and she is looking over her shoulder directly into the lens.  The lighting is soft, all most high key.  Her hair has texture and high lights making it quite appealing.  She is placed one quarter of the way in form the left edge of the frame which adds to the tension in her face.

As noted above I caution the photographer on the use of the full circle as an element in the scene.  I think it has a tendency to become its own subject and with this propensity it has a tendency to pull us away from the subject.  However I will admit that this composition does have a certain feeling of experimental graphics, which is a good thing.  The photographer may wish to experament with cropping.

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      Crop #1     Crop #2 

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Sometimes we find a tool or a technique that we like and are successful with so we try to use it on everything.  What do you think a house would look like if the carpenter decided that he would only use a pipe wrench to construct an entire building because that tool had worked so well when he put together some pipes?  Innovate, but don’t get stuck in a rut.  Experiment, try new things but use the right tool for the job.

This photograph of some interesting architecture has nice dappled lighting  that adds texture to the surfaces of the facade.  There are also shadows of palm trees which tells us something about the local.  The woman on the cell phone and the Starbucks sign tells a story about modern life.

The photographer may want to ask themselves why the image is tilted.  Perhaps it is because they wanted the man to be walking across the bottom of the frame rather than the side walk.  Rather than giving the composition tension or movement the tilted image just looks tilted. 

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Sometimes when we break the rules and do something unexpected we get an interesting or even a wonderful photograph.  I love to see photographers break the rules.  But remember if you find something that works for one photograph that everyone likes, and you use that trick too often it will become a gimmick.

The image of this ordinary street scene of a mini bus has been invigorated by tilting the horizon which adds tension and drama to photograph.  The selective tinting of the image that allows the reds to come through punches up the illustration and prevents it from becoming an old timie photo.  The cropping of the street on the right side gives us just the information we need to know to tell us where the buss is headed.

I know this in nit picking but perhaps the photographer could get rid of the foot and leg coming out of the side of the trash can.  A small thing to be sure, but it bothers me.

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When we look through our view finder often we become so intrigued with our subject that we don’t notice the area around and in back of the model.  When the final image comes out we say to our selves **#@ I didn’t see that when I was shooting.  Take your time and see what’s in the view finder not just look at what’s there.

This image is a classic study in depth of field.  The photographer is done an excellent job of keeping the first object sharp while the repeating pattern becomes even more out of focus with distance.  The lighting is flat but for this exercise that works ok.

I would like the photographer to consider the horizon in this scene.  You will notice it is almost tangent with the top of the poles.  If you had gotten down just a little they would have been above the horizon and that would have given you a much stronger image and avoided the distracting near tangency.

I wish the photographer had also done a study of the tangled plant and the foreground post as a detail subject.  Along with the sand this may have made an interesting abstract image.

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It is very difficult to get your image just right in camera.  The computer has made it possible to make corrections and alterations to images in a matter of minutes that would have taken hours in the darkroom just a few years ago.  The digital camera and the computer, unless you are a purest, have given us tools that expand our horizons and allow everyone to correct their faux pas’.

The photograph of these blossoms consists of flowers that are ever increasing in size from background to foreground.  This repeating pattern gives the impression of growth.  Each visible peddle appears to be fresh and desirable.  The original image (see below) had a large white area in the lower right hand corner that was quite distracting however the photo-artist removed that disturbing element to his credit.

I would like to recommend to the photographer to bring up the whites and increase the contrast. This will brighten up the image and make the flowers more luminescent.  The photo-artist must have considered removing the branches in the upper left hand quadrant, but I would ask them to consider it once again.

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Recently while judging at a photo club I was asked what I meant by the term graphics?  I don’t think I gave a coherent answer at the time.  It is amazing how we take some terms for granted and just assume we know what they refer to.  Graphics are those lines and shapes within an image.  If the image were of a different subject the same pattern of lines and shapes could be present.

The image posted here is a good example of strong graphics.  If a different person were to mark up this photograph into its graphic elements they would probably dissect it into similar patterns of lines and shapes.

I like the conversion of this digital image to black and white.  I think it may have also been converted to infrared.  Normally a blank sky is undesirable but in this case I think it balances well with the dark infinitesimal detail of the tree.  There appears to be good detail in the deep shadows of the tree trunk and excellent exposure of the foreground grass.

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I have seen a number of photographs over the past few years and have come to the conclusion that every artist needs to know the rules of aesthetics and then break them.  When it works you have something unique, when it doesn’t you have broken the rules.  How do you know if it works? Your own judgment will tell. 

Someone may criticize your work but if you like it that’s good enough.

This photograph of the Santa Barbara pier has a certain mood caused by the cloud filtered sunlight.  Not quite overcast but low key and homogenous.  The waves rolling in from the pacific are captured just at the end of a curl falling onto the sand. 

I feel the photographer has an over abundance of riches.  There is a wonderful sky and wave action that he is trying to capture and for that reason has placed the subject on the centerline of the photograph.  The photographer may wish to consider that this is one of those times when the rule of thirds should apply.  There are two ways to approach the problem, if you are unhappy with the current composition.  The sky can be cropped or the beach and water reduced. 

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       Cropped Sky     Cropped Sea 

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Southern California has a reputation in the rest of America as the capital of the crazy nuts.  I don’t see why.  We may be the first to start the next hot trend, and the last to give up the twenty year old fad.  But we are not crazy.  It’s just the weather.  I was told once that more offbeat religions are started in So Cal because it is one of the few places in the country where you can ware a robe and sandals all year long.

This comical image tells about a person that is just a little different.  The old van painted with the kaleidoscope of colors, the license plate and the sign in the window all say welcome to Southern California.  This photographer is narrowed down the information in the scene to just enough to get the point across.  There is nothing I can think that could be added or taken away from this illustration.

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Barrel Racing is a timed rodeo event where the horse and rider have to complete a clover leaf pattern around three barrels in the center of the arena.  It was originally a contest for women only first organized by the GRA (Girls Rodeo Association) in 1949.  They have since changed their name to the WPRA (Woman’s Professional Rodeo Association).  Men can compete but they are not eligible for the national champion ship National Finals Rodeo.  You’ve come a long way baby.

This is a photograph that captures the excitement of the event at the peak of action.  You will note that both of the horse’s hoofs are off the ground as it turns the barrel.  The background is clean and yet has enough information to tell the story.  The subject is placed off center giving them room to move into the scene.

Do they have to advertise on everything with a vertical surface?

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Capturing the feeling of an old time photograph is more that applying a sepia tone to the image.  First you need something in the scene that tells us this is a different time and second you should always try to tell a story.

The photograph presented has fulfilled these requirements.  The photographer has eliminated any reference to the modern world by isolating the corner of this 1920’s hotel and only showing us just enough information to set the mood.  The sine and the palm trees are a dead give away that this was not taken in Kansas. This image gives me the feeling of a summer day fifty years ago.

There is one small item I would like the photographer to modify.  I know it’s natural but it’s also distracting.  And that is the one small palm frond sticking out of the side of the tree.

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The Californian Hotel in Santa Barbara opened one week before the 1925 earthquake. 

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When photographing any subject remember the rarity or the notoriety of the subject does not improve the quality of the image.  If you have to travel half way around the world and clime the highest mountain to get a photo of the last snow leopard in the world, if the composition is bad and the lighting pore it’s still just a so so picture of a cat.

I am told the woman in this photograph is a celebrity.  That’s nice.  But does it change the image in any way? 

I like the position of the horse and rider in the frame, off to the left of center with lots of room for the subject to move into.  The lighting appears to be low to the horizon which gives us softer shadows and more even illumination.  The fact that the photographer cropped off the hoofs of the animal works just fine.  I also like your soft background created by dust and a shallow focus.

There are a couple of items the photographer may wish to consider.  The first cannot be controlled.  I believe the lighting on the horse is uneven and causing the allusion that the horse changes color or sheen from the rear to the head.  I think this may be the angle of light on the nap of the hair.  The second is a small thing.  In the back ground there is a phone pole that could be removed.

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Some images have one small element that the scene turns about, one element that if it were not here it would be telling a different story.  I call this turning point the epiphany element. 

This photograph is a pleasant scene in the fog shrouded park with very good composition, and excellent exposure.  But would it be the same scene without the one falling leaf off to the right?  Would we have the feeling that an exact moment in time was captured without the leaf hanging between heaven and earth?  Without this epiphany element the image could have been taken ten minutes earlier or ten minutes later.  But this one small falling leaf tells us that a unique moment was recorded and these exact elements will never come together again.  The photo-artist has created one unique snowflake.

I’m sorry to go on about such a small thing, but also note that the photo-artist placed the leaf so far off center that it has not become the subject.  If it had been centered we would have said “How nice, a picture of a falling leaf”, but it is not about the leaf but the captured moment.

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      Photographer’s Original 

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When we find an interesting stationary subject too often we take the first photograph that comes to mind and walk away satisfied with what we have.  I have found that working the subject, looking from a number of angles and versions to shoot; will result in more images to select from.  My experience is that the last version or the first version are more often than not the ones we end up selecting but we learn what worked and what did not.   Take lots of versions, pixels are cheaper then film. 

Another thing to consider if you don’t want to do a lot of computer processing later is to bracket the exposure by at least one half stop, if you have time also bracket using a full stop.  This will give a number of exposures (lighter and darker) images to select from.

I like the near sanitary the photographer selected and the use of the plants in the foreground to give depth to the image.

I would suggest that the photographer work the subject and take the time to develop a number of options to select from.  They may also want to look for details within the scene to concentrate on.

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On early automobiles the radiator cap was outside the hoot.  A die cast ornament was used to decorate this cap.  They continued to be popular on cars through the 1950’s but discontinued because of pedestrian safety in accidents.  As you can imagine these suckers could cut you in half.

This image presents this feature of a classic auto as detail of art deco.  The graphics are simple, clean and dynamic.  The selection of the blue gray background color works well with the gray of the ornament and the tan hue of the paint.  The upward lift of the face has the intended purpose of the original designer of giving the feeling of forward motion.  The line of the hood travels from the center of the frame on the left to the lower right hand corner.  Normally you would not expect to have a graphic line terminate at a corner but in this illustration it works very well.  I like the photo-artists selection of the narrow horizontal format.

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John Paul Getty was one of the first in the world to amass a fortune of over one billion dollars.  With his fortune he collected art from all over the world.  Much of his collection is found at the Getty Museum and the Getty Villa both located in Los Angeles.  In 1957 he said “A billion dollars isn’t worth what it used to be”.

This image is a study in symmetry.  The statue in the foreground appears to be contemplating the sky as she reclines.  The cloud formations add texture to the sky and there is a hint of sunset in the distance.  The lighting of this photograph is very dark and moody.

The photographer very well may want the overcast feel to the lighting of this image however it does make the photograph appear to be under exposed.  It is a shame there was not a stronger sunset to reflect in this wonderful pool of water.  Technically it appears that the saturation was pushed just a little too far.  The highlights in the clouds and the water have started to shift to a magenta color.  This could be caused by sunset afterglow.   I may be wrong about this but on close examination it looks like a color shift.

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