Hello friends! Things have been quiet around here lately, and I apologize for that. I am in the midst of a big life change, which has impacted our posting schedule. After living in Arizona for nearly twenty years, my husband and I will be moving to Maine this summer. We’re starting new jobs, and moving our household, and finding a new place to live, and basically re-establishing ourselves three thousand miles away from where we are right now.

What that means for Beyond Megapixels is that the summer posting schedule will be less frequent than I’d like. You can expect weekly posts until early September, at which time I hope to be settled into our new life and back to posting more frequently.

We’re very excited about this new phase of our lives, and this new adventure upon which we are about to embark. From a photography standpoint, I’m thrilled to be finally living in the place that has inspired me the most. I thank all of you for your continued loyalty and patience as we work through this extremely busy time in our lives!

Portrait photography is highly specific. To be successful, you need great understanding of aesthetics and the right equipment which is why many couples and families turn to professional photographers for their group photo shoots. Proper light is very important for capturing the best facial features and emotions of the person.

There are several lighting set-ups or patterns that result in the production of the most incredible portrait photographs. Loop, split, Rembrandt and butterfly lighting are all examples of appropriate patterns for portrait photography.

Loop Lighting

Loop lighting creates a rather interesting effect. It is one of the most popular set-ups in portrait photography. Loop light is suitable for people with oval-shaped faces.

The light gets positioned in a way that allows a small nose shadow to form on the cheek of the person that is being photographed. The source of light needs to be positioned above eye level, 30 to 45 degrees from the camera. Experiment with the light until you get the correct shadows. When loop lighting is used, the nose and the cheek shadow do not overlap with each other.

Split Lighting

The name explains everything about this portrait photography light set-up. The light is placed in a way that ‘splits’ the face of the person into a dark and a light half. Split lighting can be used for the creation of mysterious and very deep portraits.

Many celebrity portraits make use of split lighting. The pattern of light is mostly used for male model photography. Achieving the effect is easy – the light source should be positioned 90 degrees to the left or the right of the subject being photographed.

Rembrandt Lighting

Named after the famous painter, this type of portrait photography light set-up results in a more dramatic visual than the use of loop light. Shadows appear under the eyes of the subject and accompany the nose shadow.

Rembrandt lighting is achieved by placing the light higher and further from the subject than in the case of loop lighting set-ups. The use of Rembrandt lighting results in moody, somewhat melancholic photographs. It is perfect for a more dramatic effect and an emotional portrait.

Butterfly or Paramount Lighting

Paramount lighting is another very prominent and widely used technique. It became very popular among Hollywood photographers in the 1930s. The name stems from the butterfly-shaped shadow that appears on the face of the subject.

To achieve the effect, the photographer will have to position the camera underneath the source of light. The light should be above and slightly behind the camera. Shadows will form underneath the cheeks and the chin, which results in glamorous and very elegant photographs. Butterfly lighting is suitable for the portraits of ladies and for elegant, sophisticated pictures.

Experimenting with the lighting setups and comparing the results will help you understand the effects and the manner in which they change the portrait’s mood. Start with the basics and move on to more unusual, advanced portrait lighting techniques.

Hello friends! Just a brief note for those of you reading this via Google Reader, which will be defunct on July 1st, 2013. As a replacement feed reader solution, I have been using Feedly and I highly recommend it. The reader layout is similar to that of Google Reader, and it was as easy as pie to import all of my existing RSS subscriptions.

Just an FYI, I hope this helps! Be sure to switch your Beyond Megapixels subscription over before July 1st so you don’t miss a thing!

(Click on photos to see larger versions.)

Most weekends my husband and I head out to explore the many off-road trails that Arizona has to offer. We have seen hundreds of stunning sights from the safety and comfort of our Jeep. As our skills and confidence have grown, we have tackled more and more challenging trails. We rely upon maps and guide books such as Arizona Trails – Central Region (Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails) and the Arizona Atlas & Gazetteer, as well as our Garmin nüvi Portable GPS to keep us pointed in the right direction and to help us find beautiful areas of our home state that many people miss by sticking to the pavement.

We always encounter dirt and dust, sunlight that can be harsh in the desert, mud and strong winds. We traverse very steep grades and obstacles that make the vehicle sometimes tip precariously. We usually bring the dogs with us, adding pet hair and wet noses into the mix. And every time we go out, I bring a selection of camera gear with me. Usually it’s my Canon EOS 7D, my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens for wide-angle landscape shots, and my 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II for telephoto, wildlife, and faux-macro shots.

As you can expect, my gear can sometimes get a beating. It’s exposed to dirt and wind and pet hair, and subjected to the bumps and jars that accompany an off-roading experience. Now, Canon gear is great. The quality of the camera and lenses ensures that they are sealed against the elements and well protected from the abuse that I subject them to. But I do take some precautions to minimize the potential for damage.

It is very important remember that you never want to wipe your lens with a cloth after it has been exposed to dirt and dust. Wiping it when dirt is present may scratch the lens. To that end, I always protect my lens with a UV filter, and I clean the filter and lens thoroughly before we leave. I always bring my Rocket Air Blaster to blow the dust off of my camera and lens. I hit the entire outside of the lens with blasts of air before I remove the lens from the body, and I never wipe the lens with a cloth while on the trail. I’ve never come across an occasion when dirt was so thick on the lens that a blower didn’t meet my needs. If I did, though, I would probably remove the UV filter and rise it with water from my water bottle.

I always change lenses and filters while I’m sitting inside the Jeep with the windows rolled up. I bring a clean pillow case with me, so if I’m particularly concerned about dust I will perform lens changes from within it. While driving, the camera and lenses are secured in a camera case (lately my Think Tank Sub Urban Disguise 30 and ride on the floor between my feet so I can keep it from knocking around inside the Jeep. The camera bag would never be secure enough for my peace of mind riding in the back seat, we truly do bump around so much that no matter how carefully we pack our gear (camp chairs, a cooler, tools, first-aid kit, water jugs, and the pups) things get shifted around a lot. As extra protection against bumping and dust, I wrap the camera body and the lenses in hand towels. It cuts down on the amount of gear I can fit in the camera bag, but I think the added protection is worth it.

My husband is as much of a photography enthusiast as I am, and he’s always on the lookout for great shots. So he’ll often stop the Jeep and give me time to get my camera out so I can take shots from the passenger seat, or hop out really quick to get the composition I want. Often times we’ll park and hike for a bit. The terrain is usually very rugged, and it’s necessary to have both hands free for balance, so I’ve been using my BlackRapid RWS-1FB Woman’s Camera Strap (here’s one for guys). It keeps my camera secure and close to my body, rather than flopping around my neck and swinging into rocks.

Once we’re back home I clean up my camera gear IMMEDIATELY, including the camera case, so that everything is ready to go again when I need it. Then I get to enjoy several hours of post-processing, going through all of the shots from our trip.

If you’re interested in taking a look at the shots from our Jeep adventures, I maintain this set on my Flickr account for all of the photos from our trips.

Do you go adventuring with your camera? We’d love to hear about it and see your photographs! Please share with us on our Facebook Page, our Google Plus Community or our Flickr Group.

All photos copyright Tiffany Joyce.

As you may know, the camera’s shutter operates with two curtains. When you press the shutter button, the first curtain opens to reveal the sensor and expose the shot, then the second curtain follows to hide the sensor and end the shot. The lag time between the first curtain and the second curtain depends on the shutter speed – a longer shutter speed, naturally, results in a longer delay between the first curtain opening and the second curtain closing. Normally when you use a flash, it is synchronized to fire when the first shutter opens at the beginning of the exposure. This freezes any motion that may be present, either due to the subject moving, or the photographer introducing motion. With second curtain sync, the flash fires when the second shutter begins to close, at the end of the exposure. When used with a longer exposure time, second curtain sync shows the subject in focus on top of background motion blur. This is because all of the motion is exposed to the camera’s sensor while the shutter is open, and the flash fires at the very end to freeze the subject.

In a situation such as the band at the bar, the use of normal flash tends to bleed out all of the great colors and effects that are generated by the lighting arrangements. Here’s a series, shot hand-held with no flash. The ISO is cranked right up to 4000, and even 5000, and the aperture is 2.8. Even with image stabilization, a high ISO and a fast lens, the shots are still blurry. I could only get the shutter speed up to 1/8th of a second, when the rule of thumb is that the slowest you should shoot is 1/60th when shooting hand-held. But I love the colors!

Now, this shot was taken WITH a flash, at ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/60.

It’s fine. It froze the action, captured the band, caught the crowd enjoying the music. But it’s flat. You get no colors from the lights. No drama. No appeal.

So, I switched to 2nd curtain sync, and shot hand-held at f/5.6, ISO 200, and a shutter speed of 2 whole seconds. And got this:

I looked at it on the back of my camera, said, “Oh COOL!” and kept shooting. I could have reduced the shutter speed to around a second or so, but honestly the band members weren’t moving around a whole lot and I liked the ghosting effect that the slow shutter gave me.

Obviously, this is a very dramatic application of this particular effect. But I think it worked for the venue, and the band. Really, I just had a good time playing around with it.

Mark Wallace provides an exceptional video on the topic, so if you’re looking for more detailed information on second curtain sync, go watch it! And if you’ve played around with second curtain sync, we’d love to see your results! Share with us on our Facebook Page, our Google+ Community, or our Flickr Group.

All images copyright Tiffany Joyce.

(click any image to enlarge)

Soft focus effects can be achieved fairly easily in post-processing software programs such as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 or Adobe Photoshop CS6. However, I encourage you to practice achieving the look you want straight out of the camera. To that end, I recommend that you consider trying out a soft focus filter.

Soft focus filters come in a range of sizes to suit any lens, and are invariably inexpensive to buy. I purchased a Polaroid Optics 3 Piece Special Effect Lens Filter Kit which includes a soft focus filter, a warming filter, and a star filter, for under twenty dollars. Now, some people will protest that it doesn’t make sense to put a cheap filter on the end of expensive glass. I would agree in many instances. In the case of a soft focus filter, however, I would argue that since the whole point is to not achieve a tack-sharp photo, it doesn’t hurt to use a filter that does the job, even if it is inexpensive. I would also add that I have found these Polaroid filters to be surprisingly high quality despite their inexpensive price tag.

Soft focus filters are very easy to use, especially since “what you see is what you get.” With a soft focus filter affixed to your lens, what you see through the viewfinder is a true representation of the image you will get when you take the picture. Any time you put a filter on your lens, you will impact the amount of light that reaches the camera’s sensor. You may find that you have to use a slightly slower shutter speed, a wider aperture, or a higher ISO to compensate for this. The adjustment will be minor, though. For example, under normal circumstances I would use an ISO of 200 while shooting outdoors in bright light. On this day at the Renaissance Festival in Arizona, I chose to use an ISO of 400 to compensate for the soft focus filter.

It is also important that your diopter is in focus. When looking through a soft focus filter, you may not be able to clearly tell if your subject is truly in focus. I find this to be especially true the further away you are from your subject. I found that, in combination with my Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens and Canon EOS 7D, I was confidently able to rely upon my auto-focus, though sometimes I found the camera choosing the wrong focus point in full 19-point auto focus mode. I just switched to Single Point Auto Focus and moved the focus point around to compensate for this.

Finally, resist the urge in post-processing to over-sharpen the image. After all, the point of the soft focus filter is to achieve soft focus! Increasing contrast will help increase the depth of the image, especially if the photo was taken using a large, diffused light source (as in outside on an overcast day). I like to use the Lightroom general preset “punch”.

I’d love to see your results using a soft focus filter. Please share with everyone on our Facebook Page, our Flickr Group, or our Google+ Community.

Photos copyright Tiffany Joyce.

*The Author did NOT receive any products or compensation in exchange for mentioning the Provider’s products and/or services on this website. The Author purchased this product for personal use with personal funds. We will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. This is not an advertisement.

The Think Tank Airport 4-Sight responds to almost every requirement I have of a travel solution for my gear. I say “almost” because it has no room or compartment for my laptop, which if you want to argue semantics isn’t technically photo gear. So, my husband usually gets stuck lugging around a backpack with the laptop and accessories, while I wheel around the 4-Sight.

The 4-Sight measures 14 inches wide by 20.8 inches high by 8 inches deep and weighs about 8.5 pounds empty. The interior is comprised of customizable compartments, a zippered mesh bag, and two large zippered sleeves on the inside of the lid. A rain cover compresses into a nicely tiny size to be tucked into whichever nook or cranny is left after you’ve stuffed in all of your gear. Four rotating wheels allow you to push or pull the bag in any direction, even sideways. You can tip it to pull behind you on two wheels, but I usually find myself walking along with it right next to me, rolling along sideways on all four wheels. There is a handle on the short edge and another handle on the long edge for lifting, carrying, or pulling it out of overhead bins.

Here is what I’ve loaded into this bag:

- Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (Not pictured, but represented by my old Rebel camera body in the following interior photos, as I’m using the 7D to take the photos for the review)

- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens with lens hood

- Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens with lens hood (standing in for my trusty 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens)

- Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens with lens hood

- Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens with lens hood

- Canon EF 2.0X III Telephoto Extender

- Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash

- Canon BG-E7 Battery Grip for the EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera

- Two sets of Polaroid Optics 3 Piece Special Effect Lens Filters in 77mm and 67mm.

- Batteries for both camera and flash, battery chargers, card reader, lens cleaner, cleaning cloths, a Giotto Rocket Air Blaster, and a remote shutter release.

This amount of gear fits quite easily into the bag, with room for more if I wanted to reconfigure the compartments and apply a bit more concentration to the geometric puzzle of fitting everything in.

Obviously, I would have to put the lens cleaner into my checked luggage due to regulations, but you get the idea. If you have to work out of a camera bag for an extended period of time, I highly recommend the Think Tank Airport 4-Sight. It’s extremely handy when on the road, too – it often rides on the back seat of our truck, ready for me to pop back and conduct a fast lens change or battery swap. The large opening gives me ready access to anything I need, then zips up again quickly to keep my gear protected from the elements.

*The Author received complimentary products in exchange for mentioning the Provider’s products and/or services on this website. Such compensation received did not and will never influence the content, topics or posts made on this website. We will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

I went through the images that I’ve taken over the past several years, selected a whole bunch (over 200!) and printed them via SnapFish. My intent is to make some sort of wall-sized photo board. It’s just so much fun to see so many memories – places we’ve been, things we’ve done, views we’ve seen – spread out in front of me. Friends and family and pets, vacations and lazy weekends, all mish-mashed together. It will make for a great conversation piece.

I just have to figure out how to pull it together. I’ve been searching the Internet looking for just the right inspiration. Pinterest is helping me out, but I can’t seem to hit upon the exact thing I’m looking for. Probably because I haven’t really defined what it is, exactly, that I want! So, I’d love to hear your suggestions if you have any to offer. Hit the comments, our Facebook Page, or our Google+ Community.

My second project involves filters. I purchased a Polaroid Optics 77mm 3 Piece Special Effect Lens Filter Kit. Two sets, actually – one at 77mm for my 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II telephoto lens, and one at 67mm for my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS wide angle and 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lenses. Each kit contains a soft focus filter, a revolving 4 point star filter, and a warming filter. All for just $16.99 per kit at the time that I purchased them! I’ll be using each of these filters in various scenarios and posting reviews and tips in the coming weeks.

So! That’s what I’m working on! What new and exciting things are you doing with your photography? Share with us in the comments, on our Facebook Page, or in our Google+ Community.

“Waterdrop” by Pixel Boy Photography. In the description, the photographer explains that the drops of water were created using a syringe. I love the depth of field, the reflection in the large center drop, and the color cast used in this photograph.

“Up or down… or just stuck in the middle” by The Edge is a fantastic example of simplicity and composition. The minute striations on the snail’s shell are tack sharp. Great use of dual complimentary colors, too.

“Yellow Fellow” by G. Curt Fiedler is a great study in plane focus. From left to right you can see focus points along the outer and inner edge of the wing, as well as the compound eyes and jaw. It’s not easy to catch an action shot of one of these creatures!

“Balanced” by Sue McB shows a tiny frog contemplating a leap from his perch. You can even see his tiny little toe pads. The texture of his skin, complemented by the beaded water, is terrific too. Sweet shot!

“Bzzzz Crop” by Dennis Tolson is a great example of the color and texture that can be found in the contemplation of tiny creatures. That Dennis could focus in so tight on such a small insect such that the focus falls off directly behind its wings is a testament to the photographer’s skill.

“I see red” by Funky Helper Monk. Right away the subject and composition just grabbed me. There’s just so much to see in this photograph – the detail of the iris and lashes, the poise of the water drop with the eye focused on it, the use of color… it’s just a really cool shot. The photographer describes the use of extension tubes and a flash bounced from the ceiling to achieve this shot.

Yogesh Jadhav contributed this image of water drops on a spider web. The dark background works really well to highlight the individual drops and strands.

Rob C. Stanfield’s image of two flies getting frisky garnered the most comments on our Facebook Page. Timing is everything, right Rob?

Everyone contributed such great shots, I really wish I could acknowledge everyone with a prize. But with only one copy of The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Book for Digital Photographers to give away I had to decide upon a single winner. And that winner is…

“I See Red” by Funky Helper Monk! I just kept getting drawn back to the unique nature of the subject and composition, and the skill of execution. So, great job Mr. Monk! (And great Flickr name.) Please e-mail me with your mailing address so I can send you your prize!

Thanks again to everyone who contributed, this was one of the best contests we’ve ever held. Stay tuned, our next contest will be announced soon!

Hi friends! I seem to be on a macro kick lately, so for our next contest I would like you all to submit what you consider to be your very best macro shot. It can be of any subject, with any sort of post-processing you wish to apply. I will review all of the submissions and choose the shot that I think best demonstrates the contest topic.

The winner will receive a copy of The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby. As with all of Kelby’s other books, this one is full of incredibly useful tips and tricks presented in a clear, understandable, and entertaining format.

Post your photo on our Facebook Page, Google+ Community, or Flickr Group Discussion (please post to the discussion and not the group in general, so I can find your photo!). I will choose one photograph at random to be the winner.

The contest runs from now through March 8th, and the winner will be announced on March 11th.

Good luck, and have fun!

Photo copyright Tiffany Joyce.