Phototuts+

A Primer to Digital Medium Format Camera

Andrew Childress — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:50 +0000

Over the last few months, I’ve observed a trend among several well known photographers. No longer satisfied with crop factor cameras or even 35mm equivalent full frame digital cameras, more and more photographers are jumping to digital medium format. What are the advantages offered by digital medium formats, and will you be using one anytime soon? Read on to find out.

Technically Speaking

First of all, let’s take a look at what exactly digital medium format cameras are. The truth is that it’s all about the sensor. All things being equal, a larger sensor can allow for higher quality imagery. What separates your cell phone’s camera from your SLR? Besides the optics and other supporting hardware, the major player is that your cell phone manufacturer can’t shoehorn in an SLR sized imaging chip to a pocket sized device.

To help visualize the differences in sensor size, I put together this chart with the help of camera manufacturer Phase One’s website. The three cameras at left are digital medium format sensors, and the last sensor illustration gives you an idea for scale’s sake.

For top notch professionals, it’s no secret that the quality of their craft is not determined entirely by the gear being used. Their images are strong because of their knowledge, dedication to their artwork, and experience as a photographer. However, photographers with the budget to do so are inclined to gain any step up to elevate their work to the next level.

The Advantages

As more and more photographers make news by switching to digital medium format cameras, your interest may grow in the differences between standard digital SLRs and larger sensor offerings. Digital medium format brings to the table a set of advantages that continue to attract photographers. Let’s take a look at a couple of them.

Image Quality & Resolution

For many photographers, it’s all about the files themselves. They will sacrifice most anything else in a camera as long as it helps to improve the final product. When we talk about the advantages offered by digital medium format, this is the paramount point to consider.

Although traditional SLR manufacturers are pushing hard to catch up in terms of resolution, the top of the line digital medium format cameras are currently unmatched. Consider the flagship offering from Phase One, the IQ180. This camera packs 80 megapixels onto the sensor, better than twice the top digital SLR cameras.

In this 31 megapixel image provided by Hasselblad, it is easy to see the power of digital medium format. On top is the entire image, and below is a 100% crop of the massive image file. Notice that the photo holds its clarity and detail despite being such a relatively small portion of the original.

Does everyone need this image? No. However, those shooting the major ad campaigns and producing images at huge sizes will benefit greatly. Bidding on commercial projects is an intense competition and being able to offer something over others is the type of advantage that gets photographers hired – fairly or not. Also, being able to crop down an image to extreme proportions and still being able to resolve fine details is no longer a pipe dream with cameras of these proportions.

Flash Sync

The inspiration for this article was two of my favorite photographs blogging about their recent switch in formats. Although I had been familiar with digital medium format in the past, the migration of David Hobby (of Strobist fame) and Zack Arias (he of Onelight acclaim) have recently shared the details of their switch to a large sensor camera. If you are familiar with the work of Arias and Hobby, you may know that their work frequently involves the use of flash. Given the advantages of strobes with digital medium format, it’s not hard to realizes what they were thinking.

As you may already know, cameras have a “sync speed”. This speed is the fastest shutter speed at which the camera can use strobe type flash units. On many SLR’s, this top shutter speed is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1/160th of a second to 1/250th of a second. There are some technologies that help us to bypass this limit, but often times, the flash units lose power.

This is a photo from an article that I wrote about the use of flash. In this photo, you can see what happens when the flash sync speed is exceeded – we get a cutoff portion of the image. With a much higher sync speed in digital medium format cameras (many as high as 1/1600th of a second or 1/2000th, versus the standard SLR range of 1/200th) you are unlikely to encounter this effect.

With many digital medium format cameras, these technologies are unnecessary, as the cameras do not suffer from the same type of sync limitations that SLR’s do. The leaf type shutter is more apt to sync, even at high shutter speeds. If using flash and maintaining shallow depth of field is a key part of a photographer’s look, the removal of this limitation is absolutely game changing.

What They Say

As mentioned above, David Hobby and Zack Arias have both blogged in the last month about their switch to digital medium format. Both are highly successful working photographers, as well as dynamite instructors. Here is some insight that they shared on their switches to digital medium format.

David Hobby – Strobist – Phase One P25+ Back

On image quality:

“The bigger individual pixels offer twelve friggin’ stops of dynamic range, and suffice to say noise it not an issue. This is not a high ISO camera, at all. But it shines in the types of conditions in which I want to use it. You can even make a one-hour night exposure without noise.”

On slowing down his image making process:

“In fact, I am trying to slow things down. More conscious thought, less spray and pray. The Nikon chip looks great. But rather than also paying for speed and ancillary tech that I will never use, I want to put all of my dollars into the chip.”

Zack Arias – OneLight, Usedfilm Studios – Phase One IQ140

On the intangible look of his IQ140:

“I can’t properly convey how gorgeous these digital files are. It’s not just the amount of megapixels that matter. The size of the imaging sensor comes into play in the final quality of the photo. I’d rather have a 20 megapixel medium format camera than a 30 megapixel 35mm based DSLR because the physical sensor is much larger. The larger the sensor the higher the quality.”

They’re Not Perfect

Although digital medium format cameras seem to represent a growing market among professional photographers, they are by no means all purpose cameras. Besides the fact that many are cost prohibitive, there are a number of factors that make them a non-universal choice.

First of all, the high ISO competition is no contest. These cameras are meant to be shot with ample light at low ISO settings. If you are the type of photographer shooting in low light scenarios and are needing to shift in ISO frequently, digital medium format is not the choice for you.

These digital image files also require processing much like RAW images from your current SLR. However, proprietary software is often used in order to maximize the power of the image files. Not all image processing software is made equal. Software provided by manufacturers is often more capable of pulling the most out of the images a camera produces. Phase One produces Capture One software that is the choice of many Phase One shooters for handling their images.

Consider also the massive image sizes. Right now, I’m shooting a 5D Mark II, a camera with a native 21.1 megapixel resolution. Most often I’m shooting in sRAW 1 mode that reduces the image to around 10 megapixels. I rarely need more resolution than that, and the file sizes of a 21 megapixel camera are sometimes more than I have space for. Before selling the farm to finance a 50 megapixel or more digital medium format, the question you have to ask yourself is: do I need this resolution? Although certainly not a disadvantage to these cameras, the massive amounts of resolution will be practical for only small portion of all photographers.

When it comes to ergonomics, the digital medium format offerings are certainly different than SLR’s. The cameras certainly lack the ruggedness of the standard SLR format. Although perfect for the studio, most digital medium format cameras aren’t quite suited for adventure photography. The menus aren’t always as friendly to everyday use.

The truth of the matter is that each photographer has his or her own demands. These cameras are increasingly finding their way into the kits of working professionals, but it hardly means that they are the right choice for every photographer.

Ready to make the jump to digital medium format? You might want to check out the offerings that are out there first. The big manufacturers are Hasselblad, Mamiya (Leaf), Phase One, and Pentax. As you may already know, these cameras don’t come cheap!

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This is a Hasselblad H4X body with a Phase One IQ140 back attached. Digital medium format cameras are modular systems that allow for mixing and matching bodies and sensors.

Conclusion

Digital medium format seems to be an increasingly popular choice among professionals. Although the price of a setup may seem out of reach to you, consider that full frame cameras were once reserved for those with big budget assignments and jobs.

In any industry, those at the top of the game help to shift paradigms and create the demands that drive the market. Is a digital medium format setup in your future anytime soon? Let us know in the comments.

Erik Johansson on Impossible Photography

Cameron Knight — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:30:22 +0000

Just because you didn’t get to go to that awesome photography conference doesn’t mean that you can’t learn something from the pros! Occasionally, we’ll be featuring a recommended photography lecture or interview on Phototuts+.

In the editorial world, we call what Erik Johansson does photo illustration. It can be more simply described as art. He takes multiple photos of different subjects and combines them to create fascinating images. Sometimes ironic or funny and sometimes more poignant, Johansson tries to capture ideas and not just moments. Learn about his process in a recent TED presentation.

To see more of Johansson’s work, visit his website, alltelleringet.com.

Quick Tip: Show Your Valentine Love with Light Painting

Simon Bray — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:00:12 +0000

Valentine’s Day is soon upon us, and we all know that loved ones like to receive homemade gifts. Here’s a simple but fun idea that’s perfect for creating a gift, and you’ll learn a new photographic technique along the way!

Getting started

The basics of light painting are easy to grasp. Once you have the correct settings selected, you can have a lot of fun with waving torches around! All you need is a dark place, your garden, a closed room or even on the street will be fine.

Try to avoid any rogue light sources, such as street lights, that may detract from your image. You’ll need a light source to paint with, such as a torch, flashlight, glowstick or a bike light. Even a torch app on a smart phone can work quite nicely. Using a selection of coloured lights can also create some really nice affects.

Camera equipment

You’ll need a few pieces of equipment before you get started including a camera that has variable shutter speed or a bulb setting. All DSLR’s will have this feature and some compact or bridge cameras will as well, although you may have to go searching through the menus to find them. You’ll also need a tripod or something to rest your camera upon. Sometimes using a small beanbag can be useful to help keep your camera steady.

It’s also useful to have a remote shutter release. Without one, it’s still possible to gain the desired exposure. This just be sure to make your exposure long enough to walk into the scene and back out again.

Be careful that you’re actually working within the frame, it’s good to take note of the surroundings, or better, just mark the floor with tape. Alternatively, get a friend to control the camera, whilst you paint the light.

Photo by ash-brown

Settings and using bulb mode

The best option for light painting is bulb setting, which is usually found when in manual mode. Simply scroll all the way through the shutter speed options and at the end of the options (usually just after 30 seconds), you’ll find Bulb. The functionality of bulb varies depending upon the manufacturer, so you may either need to hold down the shutter button for the duration of the exposure, or depress the shutter button to begin the exposure and then depress the button for a second time to end the exposure.

As far as exposure settings are concerned, it’s a good idea to have a nice tight aperture, something between f11 and f16, as you’re relying on the shutter speed to let enough light in and will provide a deep depth of field to ensure that everything is in focus.

You can also select a low ISO such as 100, as again, you’re relying on the shutter speed for light. Focusing will be tricky due to the lack of light and your autofocus may struggle, so manual focus is usually a good choice.

Photo by louish

Inspiration

For this Valentine’s project, there’s are a whole variety of subject matter to choose from. You could try drawing a heart, for which it’s best to use two similar torches and draw a half with each to get the shape nice and even.

You could also write a message with lettering, something along the lines of ‘I Love You’ would be suitable or if you’re feeling adventurous ‘Will You Be My Valentine?’. It’s essential to remember that you’ll need to write the letters backwards, starting from right and going left. This isn’t as difficult as it sounds, just visualize the shapes you need and make sure you leave plenty of space between letters by taking a sideways step after painting each one.

Photo by montaleast13

Step 5 – Now It’s Your Turn!

So now it’s over to you to give it a try! Start out with an easy shape and progress from there. Once you’ve capture the shot you want, consider making it into a print or a card for your partner or alternatively you could email it or send it within a picture message, whichever format you think your partner will appreciate most!

As far as other light painting projects go, there really aren’t any limits on what you could try, so get creative! You could try including other people or even have a group of you painting complex patterns within a frame or try using props or buildings in your shots. When done well, you can create some really eye catching images. The more practice you get, the better you’ll get. Remember, you can be as inventive as you like!

Photo by ngmmemuda

Photo Critique #123

Cameron Knight — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:16 +0000

Friday Photo Critique is our weekly community project, where we publish a photograph submitted by one of our wonderful readers, then ask you all to offer constructive feedback on the image. It’s a great way to learn more about photography, express your viewpoint, and have your own image critiqued!

Quick Ground Rules

Play nice! We’ve deliberately chosen photographs that aren’t perfect, so please be constructive with any criticism.
Feel free to offer any type of advice – composition, lighting, post-processing etc.
You can also link to photographs that you feel offer a great example of this type of image shot exceptionally well.

Without further ado, here is this week’s candidate for Friday Photo Critique!

The Photograph

Photo Details & Inspiration

Yashica FX-2
35mm
f/6.7
1/1000
ISO 200

I love to take pictures against the sun. In this particular case, I like the position of the shadows and the subtle sun glare. Anyways, I think that maybe if I had closed the diaphragm a little more (let’s say f/11) it would look better. What do you think?

Photographer: Paul M Dorr

Please let us know what you think in the comments – how would you have approached the scene or taken the photo differently? A massive thank you to everyone who commented last week.

The most constructive and helpful comments will be featured on the site. Interested in submitting your own photo? You can do so here!

A Step-by-Step Guide on Planning and Completing a Personal Photography Project – Tuts+ Premium

Simon Bray — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

We have another Photo Premium tutorial exclusively available to Premium members today. In this tutorial, we’ll give you look into create what is arguably the most reward thing a photographer can undertake. Learn more at the jump!

Do you ever feel like you’re at a point with your photographic work where you’ve run out of ideas? Sometimes it can be difficult to keep thinking of fresh ideas without going around in circles, but one of the best ways to make progress with your photography is to undertake a personal project. Here are a few simple tips and inspirational ideas to set you on your way with undertaking your project.

Determine if you have the time and will for a project

A personal project is the perfect way to develop your work. Professional photographers are usually working to a brief, maybe set by an editor or an agency. But they they have a clear focus as to what each photographic project should involve, so why should your work be any different?

Giving yourself a strong conceptual focus will increase your artistic drive and help you keep motivated, and you’ll be able to observe the development of your work as you undertake the project.

Your project could take a few days, weeks, months or even years. It’s totally up to you, but ensure that you set yourself a guideline at the start for the amount of time to spend on the project so you’ve got a clear idea of how long you have to achieve your targets.

Photo by Simon Bray

Choose a good subject

It’s vital to choose a subject that you are interested in, as you’ll be far more willing to invest time and energy into the project if you are enjoying yourself! Consider what you have enjoyed photographing in the past and write down ideas based on those subjects. What aspects could you explore further? Are there new locations which you could explore based on that theme?

Think about whether there are any particular causes or events that you’d like to cover, or whether you want your images to have a particular purpose. It’s much easier to work if you have a strong conceptual idea of what you want the images to portray or represent, so picking an engaging theme is important for both you and the viewers.

For example, Ukrainian Boris Mikhailov shot a series titled “Red Serie” consisting of images of Ukrainian nationals living and working within Ukraine, but within each image was something red that signified the influence of Soviet Russia’s control over the country. Obviously this has a very strong political and cultural element and will connect with a lot of people affected by that situation.

Photo by Simon Bray

People

A specific group of people makes for an extremely strong focal point for a project, even if you’ve constructed the theme by which they are all connected, for example, people who work in agriculture. They may not know each other, but for the purposes of the project that have a common trait that you can exploit to demonstrate the people involved and how they work.

If you’re nervous about getting started, then practice portraits with friends and family before approaching others. Most people love to take photos of their kids, so maybe you could develop a project in which you photograph your children in the same spot every month over a period of years, so you can capture their growing up. Another very popular personal project is to take self portraits, which doesn’t take any demands on other peoples time and space, and gives you the freedom to try out different scenarios and locations, although a remote shutter release is advised!

Areas of beauty

Another option is to find a particular geographical area to work within. Being in Manchester UK, I am surrounded by breathtaking scenery with the Peak District to the East and the Lake District to the North, either of which would be ideal for a landscape photo project. The beauty of this type of project is that the scenery evolves through the year, so you can capture the changing scenery as the seasons pass from crisp frosty winter months through the flourishing springtime, the glorious summer months and then into the autumnal reds, yellows and browns of the fall.

Abstract ideas

Don’t feel bound by conventional project ideas, take time to think about potential project ideas, possibly something that you don’t think has been done before or a point of personal interest that isn’t often covered photographically.

There really isn’t a limit upon project ideas, so as you engage with the world around you, consider ways in which you could represent certain elements of it as photographs and look for themes or points of cohesion that could tie it all together.

Photo by Simon Bray

Tune In for More

Didn’t hear about Photo Premium? You can find out more here. It’s an additional, in-depth article, published each week just for our Premium subscribers (on top of all our regular free content!)

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Lightroom 4 Beta: Packed with New Features

Andrew Childress — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:01 +0000

In six short years, Adoble Lightroom has changed the way many photographers manage their images. With powerful cataloging and developing features, Lightroom offers photographers the ability to customize their photo management workflow and manage the thousands of images more efficiently than ever before. Adobe’s innovation continues with Lightroom 4, which is currently in Beta. Today, we’ll be taking a look at some of the new features of the latest iteration of Lightroom.

Adobe’s Lightroom 4 is now in Beta, and you can download it here. The beta is free and is a great opportunity to test the software and hopefully contribute to its development by giving feedback given to Adobe. Forums are available to share your experience with the beta version.

There are a number of exciting innovations built into the latest version of Lightroom. Let’s take a look at some of the major changes that you can take advantage of with the Lightroom 4 Beta.

The Develop Module

For photographers most interested in the way that the new version of Lightroom will impact their images, we need to look no further than the Develop module. As you may already know, Lightroom features various modules, each of which allow us to interact with our images differently. The Develop module is where much of the heavy lifting of the editing process takes place, and the list of changes in LR4 will excite many photographers.

The develop process of LR4 has been radically changed in the way that it handles images. Image editing controls are now more powerful and provide for a greater level of control that past versions. After a couple of weeks of testing, I can say that the changes to the develop module have improved my editing by allowing for precise control of the digital development of my images.

One of the more confusing aspects of the earlier versions of Lightroom was what seemed to be redundancy in controlling the exposure of your images. There was not only an Exposure slider to shift the exposure of your images, but also a brightness slider. This was a major point of contention among those that discussed the application and it was often unclear about the differences in the two adjustments. Many felt that exposure and brightness were redundant settings and were unclear about which slider to use in certain situations.

This issue has been eliminated in Lightroom 4. The exposure slider now controls the overall exposure of the image, while three new sliders are found for precise image control over varying regions of the photo.

At left is the develop process for Lightroom 3, known as the 2010 Process. The right side illustrates the more streamlined 2012 process; one of the major changes in Lightroom 4 is the addition of the highlights, shadows, and white level adjustments. These sliders join the “blacks” slider to provide for precise control over the exposure of different regions of your images.

The new sliders allow for shifts in individual exposure “ranges”. These sliders are the shadow, highlight and whites adjustments. Using these three new adjustments, we can independently control the exposures of the shadow and highlight regions. This can be extremely useful for photos with large amounts of dynamic range.

I created this image to demonstrate the ability of the new process to recover dynamic range. At left, the 2010 process utilized the recovery slider to attempt to recover the blown out sky. At right, I used the highlight slider featured in Lightroom 4’s new process to bring the sky back into the photo.

Also, I have found the new clarity slider to be a refreshing update. Sometimes, I felt that the clarity slider of Lightroom 3 would cause my images to take on an almost HDR look. I would rarely use the slider simply because I didn’t feel it was an overall pleasing look to apply.

In Lightroom 4, the clarity slider has become one of my go-to tools. It’s hard to quantify the differences of the new slider, but the clarity slider is designed to really enhance the fine details. The new version of the clarity slider does just that.

At left, the image was adjusted with the clarity slider using the Lightroom 3 process. The clarity effect at right, a part of Lightroom 4, is a more appealing look and is more fitting of the “Clarity” name in the way it adjusts the look of the image.

Here, we can see an image with the same amount of clarity adjustment for an image; the difference is that the photo at left is adjusted with Lightroom 3′s development process, while the right half of the image is processed with Lightroom 4.

The Develop module is certainly a changing experience with the “recovery” and “fill light” sliders now being exchanged for the exposure range controls. Personally, I believe that the new process allows for tighter control of the way we develop our images.

New Modules

In addition to the changes to the Develop module, Lightroom 4 brings to the table two entirely new modules that will excite many photographers; the Maps and Books module are two entirely new parts of the Lightroom digital workflow.

Map

The first of these is the new Map module. Tightly integrated with Google Maps, the application can now place map markers that note the location at which your photos were made.

Although I do not yet own a camera with automatic image tagging, I imported my iPhone photo collection into Lightroom to check out the new Map functionality. It was interesting to visualize some of my travels around my native East Tennessee over the holiday season. Any of the markers can be clicked to display the images from those locations.

As long as your images contain associated geographic data, Lightroom will automatically map the locations of where the images were made. As more cameras gain this geotagging functionality or optional GPS add-ons become even more popular, the excitement of being able to visualize your photo taking adventures will spread to more and more photographers. Photographers can also manually drag and drop images onto the map, or use a tracklog to geotag photos.

Book

Another feature that has had me excited about Lightroom 4 is the Book module. With this module, it is perhaps easier than ever to publish photo books. This is now possible entirely within the comfort of your Lightroom workflow.

The Book module handles the book creation process from start to finish. With many layout, size and publishing options and in-depth customization, photographers may find themselves sending their work to print than ever before. The full edition of Lightroom 4 will include over 180 professionally designed templates and layouts.

The new Book module makes it incredibly easy to layout books. Pricing information automatically updates as options to the book are altered.

It’s easy to visualize how your book fits together in the Book module.

Adobe partnered with one of the leading publishers, Blurb, to provide this seamless experience. A feature that wowed me was that pricing for the book you are designing automatically updates as you add pages and alter your book design. The fact that this all takes place within Lightroom is astonishing to me. This seamless experience is unrivaled in any other photo software. We can now take our image from the memory card, review and tag images in the Library module, make changes in the Develop module, and send it straight to a printer in the Books module.

Other Features

Besides the major changes discussed above, Adobe added a treasure trove of other useful alterations in Lightroom 4. Let’s take a look at just a few of them.

Video Editing

In the past, Lightroom has had the ability to include videos as a part of your catalogs. You could quickly preview videos and tag them as a part of the catalog, but control over the video file itself was very limited.

In LR4, Adobe has taken major steps to add some of the features of Lightroom to video. Although the entire Develop module is not available for use on our video clips, we can tweak the clips to an extent. Furthermore, we now have the ability to make changes to the lengths of clips, as well as basic color and visual adjustments.

I recently used Lightroom 4′s brand new video features to tweak some video I shot for a contest. I adjusted white balance, vibrance, and shortened the length of the video. Given that I also used stills in the construction of the project, I was practically able to produce the entire video within Lightroom.

One of the main focuses of the LR4 Beta that caught my attention was the ease of exporting the altered videos. As someone whose background is in still imagery, I have to admit that video is something of sore spot with me.

In my limited experience with video, perhaps the most frustrating part of the experience is outputting the completed video. With so many formats, codecs and resolutions to choose from, full featured video editing applications can be daunting for many users. Outputting video from Lightroom is simplified, and for me, that’s a feature I’m very thankful for.

Email Photos

Call me old school, but I was excited when I found out that Lightroom 4 featured the ability to email a photo directly from the application. Often times, I need to take an image or two and send it over to my client for an early review. Now, I don’t have to export the photo, open a web browser, attach it and send it. Emailing a photo can now be done entirely within the application, and has saved me from the distractions of the Internet several times already.

The new Lightroom 4 email option allows me to attach an image and send it, all from within my photo catalog.

Soft Proofing

If there’s one feature that really proves that Adobe is listening, it’s the soft proofing functionality of Lightroom 4. This oft-requested feature allows the user to preview the image as it will appear in print. Again, this all takes place within your Lightroom workflow, so comparing the “on-screen” version to the soft-proofed version is a breeze.

The red areas of this image help us to illustrate and visualize the areas that will need adjustment for printing; these regions show us what is “out of gamut” and what won’t translate to a print version of our photo. With these guides, we can make the adjustments to images necessary to get the print perfect the first try. Adobe’s Julieanne Kost has much more about soft proofing.

Conclusion

Now that the Lightroom 4 Beta is readily available, it’s easy to see that Adobe has not been resting on its laurels with the development of the application. The Lightroom workflow is more powerful than ever with new modules and extensions of the already existing modules.

Not only have classic features been greatly improved, the new edition of the software has introduced some new features that are sure to become favorites of photographers of all types. Make sure to head over to Adobe’s website and give it a try today.

How to Become a Writer for Phototuts+

Cameron Knight — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:00:13 +0000

Are you an expert in photography? Do you have lots of tips, techniques, and industry advice that you’d like to share? You sound like the perfect person to contribute a tutorial to Tuts+!

We’re always on the look-out for new writers and contributors, so read on to find out more…

What We’re Looking For

This month, we’re putting out a general call for expert writers who are experienced with photography. Whichever specific area of expertise you have, it’s likely that you’d be able to contribute a few valuable ideas for our readers.

You must also be comfortable with the English language. We can proof your content, but we can’t rewrite everything for you. To put it simply, if you struggle when deciding whether to write its or it’s, this might not be the gig for you.

Pitch a Tutorial!

We pay a fantastic rate to our all writers, ranging from around $50-$75 for a Quick Tip, right up to several hundred dollars for an in-depth Premium tutorial.

The details vary depending on the piece in question, so get in touch with us to pitch your tutorial:

We have a strong belief at Tuts+ that everyone has unique ideas to share and techniques they come across as they work and experiment. We’d love to hear your creative content ideas and look forward to potentially working with you.

Sibling Rivalry: The Canon 1DX and Nikon D4

Daniel Sone — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:00:23 +0000

There are tons of articles and videos comparing and contrasting Canon and Nikon cameras more than I would personally like to recognize both by mindless fanboys/fangirls and credible sites. The new Canon is now available, and the Nikon can be pre-ordered with a expected ship date of later this month. We’re about to see some real world comparisons.

Ever since the Nikon D3s and Canon EOS 5D Mark II made their star-studded debuts, there has been one feature that has dominated the conversation: high ISO performance. However, what a lot of readers and even reviewers forget that a camera is not just the sensor, it is the whole package.

Here I’ll take a side-by-side look at the stats on each of these flagship models and let you know who these cameras are for, and if you own a previous generation flagship, is an upgrade worth it? I won’t go into which one will be the better camera. But I will focus on who is ahead on what aspect regarding these new releases, how much is just marketing smoke-screen, how much would be useful to photographers.

Marketing Tit for Tat

Nerdgasms aside, new model releases for Canon and Nikon are pretty consistent and follow a similar 18-month product cycle. November and March seem to be pretty popular months as they’re just far enough outside the holidays to sneek past those pesky 30-day return policies. So, if you watch the pattern, a new version of whatever camera you own is almost always around the corner at around the same time.

Another trend is that both camps have been distributing useful features amongst differing camera classes rather than being more integral. This split in both video and still camera features peaked in 2010 through 2011, especially in the prosumer and professional categories. And only after everybody invested heavily in these systems, they release cameras that have the best of the three photography worlds: speed, resolution, and video.

Aside from – in my opinion – the somewhat illogical distribution of useful features, it is good to see that both Nikon and Canon have learned from one another in their latest flagship releases.

I’m going through this marketing stuff to quell that little voice inside of all us that drools, “I gotta have it” and that these jumps in technology and product releases are carefully plotted by companies to make that little voice as loud and powerful as possible.

Any photographer, no matter how financially blessed, needs to mitigate the “wow” factor with an honest analysis of themselves as well as their business.

So, lets take a look at these phenomenal cameras from these two phenomenal companies.

Canon EOS 1DX

A lot of Canon users have wondered for years why Canon kept the superb image quality of their full-frame sensors separate from their high-speed performers for nearly a decade. Their middle-ground solution was the 1D line with their APS-H (1.3x crop) sensor that melded the two worlds fairly nicely. However, the price-point, $5000.00, was hard to justify by anyone other than well-worked sports shooters. The issue further complicated itself when the 5D exploded into massive popularity. Then their APS-C (1.6x crop) cameras had the speed an surprising image-quality too. By the time the 5D MarkII and the 7D came around, Canon users were growing tired of having to choose between full-frame and speed, especially in the shadow of the Nikon D3.

The Canon 1DX is definitely overdue and does answer a lot of the questions Canon users have been asking for years. They’ve combined the rugged speed of their APS-H line, the image quality of their full-frame lines, and innovative AF options from their APS-C line into one body. Finally, but at $6800.00.

Here are the major highlights:

18MP full-frame sensor
12fps with 14fps with mirror lock-up
RGB light meter
61-point AF system with its own processor
Dual DiGiC 5+ processors

Here are the minor highlights:

Dual joysticks
Video compression controls
Audio controls during recording
LAN connectivity

I divided these features into two categories because I feel it better represents the improvements the 1DX offers in context with the 1D Mark IV. The major highlights point to more significant improvements while the minor highlights address features that were mainly pet-peeves.

Firstly, kudos to Canon for not over-loading their new sensor with pixels. Although it is only a 12.5% jump in resolution from the Mark IV, it is potentially a 14% improvement in image quality over the 21-MP 5D Mark II, simply from the physics. Tack on the improved processing and Canon is reporting a 1.5 to 2-stop improvement in noise. Additionally, Canon’s amazing EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens gets its full dues on a 1D body.

Next is the incredible 12fps rate of the 1DX. It isn’t much of an improvement in terms of numbers, but now the camera is moving a full-frame mirror faster than it’s cropped predecessor. From an engineering standpoint, that is impressive given how slow Canon’s full-framed cameras used to be.

The new RGB light meter is a long overdue improvement that I cannot understand why Canon didn’t put it into the 5D MkII or the 1D MkIV. Nikon had this technology for years because they realized that the color of an object is related to its luminosity. It is also critical to the AWB decisions the camera makes. So, now the 1DX will make better AWB and metering decisions in more challenging situations because it is now taking into account the colors of scene and not just luminosity; a decision usually left to the photographer.

The AF system of Canon’s 1D line has been perhaps the best in the business for years, even beating out Nikon’s AF year after year. And I believe it is the top reason a photographer would upgrade to a 1D from an APS-C camera. The 1DX’s system keeps with that tradition of reliable, responsive AF and melded it with the AF customization of the 7D. This may not sound like much, but I dearly wished they put that kind of ingenuity into the Mark IV.

The Canon 1D Mark IV locked on quickly and accurately in this very low-light situation (1/25sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400). I expect the 1DX to meet and exceed the great AF tradition.

The new DiGiC 5+ processors are major players in the 1DX as they’re responsible for image throughput and image quality. It’s the processors that make the 12fps useful because it determines the buffer size for RAW and JPEG shooting, as well as tonality representation and noise control. Even with the increased resolution, the 1DX buffer should be larger than the Mark IV.

The minor improvements have answered quite a few of the complaints Canon’s many professional users and Canon cinematographers have had. Canon has given videographers increased control over video compression as well as live adjustments and monitoring of audio controls without the need for 3rd party gear or software. This helps resolve a lot of the audio monitoring and syncing peeves HDSLR users have been complaining about. The refinements in the 1DX regarding video capture is going to set a new benchmark in DSLR film-making … which I’m sure will be upped by the 5D Mark III and/or 7D Mark II.

Finally in the 1DX minor features line are related to workflow. The dual joysticks make selecting AF points in either orientation faster, useful when photographing action and quickly composing both vertically and horizontally. And for those shooters working for a wire service, the LAN connection provides extremely fast and more reliable transfer rates than USB or wireless.

Nikon D4

Even though I have been a Canon user since I got my first DSLR, I have been continuously impressed with Nikon’s D3s. With that camera, I feel Nikon listened to professional photographers even more than Canon listened with their fantastic EOS 7D. And with the D4 ($6,000), it looks like they’re poised to do it again.

The D3s is an impressive camera with its high-ISO performance and sports-worthy fps. It made Canon photographers wonder why they couldn’t have a full-framed speed demon themselves. By comparison, Mark IV users only had the higher resolution, better AF system and 1080p video to boast about. However, with magazines, newspapers, and wedding albums still being the same size the additional 4MP didn’t mean that much.

To answer the Canon 1DX, Nikon followed suit in many areas to deliver an awesome new tool for its professionals. The D4 is faster and better than the D3s in nearly every major area.

The major highlights:

16MP full-frame sensor
10fps
51-point AF system
1080p video

The minor highlights:

Backlit buttons
dual joysticks
1080p video
1/8stop aperture control in video

In the D4, Nikon addressed the main complaint of D3s users: pre-2005 resolutions. Although the superlative image-quality of those pixels strongly mitigated that downside, photographers still wanted the ability to crop more aggressively especially since their cameras lacked the 1.3x crop of the Canon EOS Mark IV. The Nikon D4 upped the resolution on their sensor by 35% with a new processor, EXSPEED3, boasting a 2-stop improvement in noise.

The D4 also addressed it’s other weakeness to the Mark IV and its predecessors by matching it with a 10fps full-resolution capture. The D3s could only surpass the Mark IV in DX-mode (cropped) at 11fps. The loss in resolution for the minute gain in speed doesn’t seem to be something to boast about when Canon has been able to do 8 and 10fps at full-resolution since the film days of the EOS 1V.

In the AF system is where this new camera starts to get really interesting as it appears to make some serious incursions into what has normally been Canon’s dominion. Nikon has maintained its 51 AF points, but has upgraded the system to be able to focus better and faster than the D3s, up to -2stops. Personally, I cannot wait to see a 1DX vs D4 “real world” AF test.

This is just to give you an idea of what -2stops looks like. According to Nikon, it can focus in moonlight.

Due to the Nikon only enabling 720p recording for so long, nearly all DSLR movie-makers use Canon cameras. The Nikon D7000 does provide 1080p video, but it came a little too late as the 5D MkII and 7D already dominated that section of the market. What Nikon did is finally provide what it should have (1080p video) and add a lot of workflow functionality. The full hi-def video to the D4 is what the full-frame sensor is the 1DX: long overdue.

Backlit buttons are a tiny detail that are a stroke of genius. Although most pros know their buttons by touch/heart, there is always a frequent chance of pressing the wrong button. With the backlit buttons you don’t have to feel around for the right press or commit tons of muscle-memory to your layout. This will make the seldom practice of “chimping” faster.

Like the 1DX, the Nikon D4 has dual joysticks for easier AF functionality and access to menus in both orientations. These little details add up during an assignment and cutting precious fractions of a second can be the difference between missing a shot or not.

The video improvements are the largest departure the D4 has made from the D3s, but the ability to fine-tune the aperture by 1/8stop is amazing. Now, you can compensate for the small differences in brightness different lenses have, even when the same settings are used. It also make transitions while film more smooth.

The 1DX vs D4

Now, in a side-by-side comparison it is easy to see that each camera has advantages over the other, but it won’t be until these bodies are released and fully evaluated and compared that a conclusion can be made. What needs to be made abundantly clear is that at the flagship level, comparative capabilities don’t matter so much as the photographers who would buy these new cameras are already heavily invested in one brand or the other.

Also, a direct comparison is further complicated since both the 1DX and D4 are now full-framed cameras and the problem of “too many pixels on too small a sensor” has disappeared. Theoretically, the disparities have reduced significantly. Both Nikon and Canon have 20+MP full-frames that are amazing and both have found their respective middle grounds and added better processors too.

Also, it appears that both Canon and Nikon have taken a serious look at their competitor’s strengths and added it to their own cameras. Nikon has made a serious-looking movie DSLR while Canon has made a serious-looking still DSLR. They’ve also taken improved connectivity and remote control very seriously too.

Even with the gap (on paper) to be even smaller than before and the practical application of this information to a photographer who already owns a MarkIV or D3s to be nearly pointless, I’ll still propose who will leap-frog the other.

Feature	Canon 1DX	Nikon D4
Resolution	+
ISO Performance		+
AF Performance	+	+
Speed	+
Ergonomics		+
Video	+	+
Compatibility	+	+

These are just possible scores based upon the pre-release specifications and a little history on the performance of each manufacturer’s previous generation cameras. Things will most likely change once actual comparisons are done.

Canon wins the resolution game, as it usually does with the 18MP sensor. This gives sports shooters nearly 5D MkII cropping abilities.

I expect Nikon to continue to top Canon regarding high-ISO performance, especially in the really, really, really, high settings. However, I expect the gap to be slimmer due to both cameras being full-framed. I think it won’t be pixel density that decides this, but processor performance.

I tied Canon and Nikon in AF performance because both have introduced dramatically improved AF systems that promise more intelligent AF-tracking and improved low-light focus reliability and speed.

Canon wins the speed race again with 12/14fps full-res capture over Nikon’s 10/11fps. It’s not a huge deal as both manufactures only added 2fps to this new line-up.

Even though I own a Mark IV, a Nikon does feel better in the hand. I also like that Nikon kept physical dials and buttons for common settings. And the backlit buttons are just smartness.

Although the D4 may not dominate the video market due to Canon’s longer presence, I think the new D4 features it could really give the 1DX a good run. Maybe even beat it. Like the AF systems, I’ll wait and see.

Both manufacturers have betrayed Mark IV and and D3s users respectively with their new releases in terms of compatibility. The 1DX has gone with dual-CF card slots, making those SDHC cards pointless. The D4 introduces a perhaps a too-new card slot, XQD, making redundancy impossible without buying the new cards and a new reader. Another fault of the D4 is that the D3s batteries will not fit into the D4. Canon’s 1DX has maintained compatibility with the Mark IV batteries, but the newer charger won’t work with the old batteries.

These changes are not insignificant because the cost of new batteries, cards, readers, and lost investment (i.e. SDHC cards) adds up very quickly to an already expensive upgrade. I believe Canon should have gone dual-CF with their MarkIII/IV like the D3/D3s did in 2007, and Nikon should have waited until the XQD was popular enough before it had it as a feature. This would have saved buyers some pain after dropping over $6000.00 for each body.

To buy or not to buy?

These cameras, like any pricey professional piece of gear is aimed at professionals doing consistent work. It is not of sound judgement to spend that kind of money when the kind and amount of work does not justify it. Remember, it’s over $6000.00 for just the camera.

If you’re covering the Olympics, nocturnal animals or nighttime combat for a major client or publication (AP, Getty, NatGeo, etc.) then these cameras may be a great idea to deliver images using the best and latest tools out there. But unless you’ve pushed the Mark IV or D3s to their conceivable limits, stick with them.

I’m not bashing these new releases, butin my experience DSLRs have a longer life than the product cycle the manufacturers place upon them. This is especially true since online and print media haven’t advanced as much in either quality or physical image size as DSLRs have. Both Nikon and Canon have realized this in these new cameras as both have made even smaller jumps in improvements than before.

I don’t believe either camera is an upgrade that justifies the expense for 1D MarkIV or D3s owners. Upgrading would be a better idea for early D3 or MarkIII users as the ISO performance and AF will be vastly better.

It may also be a good idea to upgrade if your current bodies are approaching their end at approximately 300,000 cycles. Otherwise, I cannot imagine the majority of well-equipped professionals ordering these up by the pallet like when the 5D Mark II or D3s hit.

Conclusion

Even though I don’t think that the Canon EOS 1DX and the Nikon D4 cameras are very justifiable upgrades, I think they’re still impressive and exciting cameras. It is great to see two companies listening well to their photographers and taking a hard look at each other to produce cameras that improve upon their previous model’s weaknesses.

There is a lot of fanfare surrounding these cameras, but I hope this article provided some context to these new releases and may guide you to a wiser decision if you’re in the market for a flagship camera.

The Stock Market: Exploring Stock Photography

Andrew Childress — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:03 +0000

Creative professionals all over the world frequently require high quality images, but often don’t have the budget to hire a photographer for small projects. Enter stock photography: an industry where awesome photographs are out there and ripe for the using. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the wild world of the stock market – stock photography, that is.

Why stock photography?

If you aren’t already familiar stock photography, most often, these images are royalty free, meaning that a flat fee is paid for usage of the images – not a “per-use” fee.

For the photographer, stock photography certainly creates some excitement from a business perspective. As a portrait or wedding photographer, my earning potential for an event typically ends after my clients pay me in full.

For stock photographers, the transaction is an open ended event; after posting it to a stock sales website, purchases (and therefore income) can be generated at any time. Because market needs are constantly shifting, many stock photographers may shoot an image one year and not experience significant sales until that image becomes more culturally relevant.

Stock photography is equally opportunistic for the buyer. If you are building a website or constructing any other multimedia project, it’s not hard to see the value that stock photographs offer. As opposed to employing a photographer on your staff or commissioning a freelance photographer for any small project that needs photos, you can instead browse massive catalogues and purchase inexpensive stock photos.

Stock photos of cars are a great choice if you can’t afford to rent one for a day to photograph it. Source: Gunter Nezhoda

In the Internet era, the stock photography market is phenomenal. With dozens of sites offering low cost and royalty free photographs, companies and organizations now have the power to put together top quality media. The web has opened the door in both directions, both allowing stock photographers to achieve greater success than ever before, and allowing designers to use high quality, low cost images.

If there’s one message to take away from this discussion of the business of stock photography, it’s to get in on a marketplace early. Recently, Envato (parent company of Phototuts+) has launched a brand new stock photography marketplace, Photodune. If you’re considering jumping into stock photography for the first time, this could be a great place to get started before many of the top stock professionals jump on board.

For this article, I got in touch with a photographer with items listed on Photodune, Gunter Nezhoda. Throughout this article, I’ll be sharing some insight that Gunther has to offer on how to get started in stock photography, having recently tackled the same feat himself.

With the recent shifts in the American housing market, this image could be very relevant for a journalist writing an article about the situation. Photo by Gunter Nezhoda.

What will you sell?

Basic business principles tell us that if we want to enter an already established market, our product (in this case the stock photo) must be one of two things: unique or priced below its competition.

Marketing a stock photo that is “unique” doesn’t mean that it has to be a photo of something exotic or wild. In this sense, “unique” means only that our photo differs from the current market offerings. Let’s consider two ways that our stock photographs can be different than what is already available:

Higher quality – Consider that one option is to provide similar imagery, but in superior quality offerings. Selling images of higher resolution is one way to persuade users to choose your image over a competing, similar one. Also, other technical aspects such as more flattering lighting and superior color is one way to set your images apart.

PhotoDune photographer Gunther Nezhoda says: “Commercial Stock photography has high requirements on sharpness, focus and low noise. I always shoot in RAW and always ISO100. You will find that the best investment lies in your lenses. If I had to compromise, I’d rather do that on the body than on the glass. Crop sensor will work but full frame is better.”

Different material – You know, many stock photographs have a certain “look”. I can pick out most stock photographs of people from a mile away, and you probably can too. The generic faces with the nondescript clothing are dead giveaways that an organization used stock photos.

In some of my design projects that involved using stock photographs, I did my best to choose photos that looked as little like stock photos as possible. Studying the “look” of common stock photographs helps you to understand how to differentiate your work.

Many of the stock photography veterans like to perpetuate the myth that the stock photography market is oversaturated, or that being profitable with stock photography is no longer possible. I would have to disagree with this notion, simply because the market’s needs continue to evolve and shift.

What will you shoot?

Stock photography encompasses nearly all subjects. With the choices being almost endless, it can be a difficult choice to decide what your stock photographs will feature. People are always a popular choice for subjects placed in a variety of settings and featuring different clothing choices. the combinations are nearly endless.

In contrast, remember that we are looking to offer something unique with our photos. Shooting what already exists is hardly a roadmap to being successful.

There are some style guidelines that can be followed to increase your chances of making a sale. Often times, stock photos are shot on a white background. For the person who will be working with the stock photo, this provides them with the most freedom in the editing stage. Your stock photos will almost never be used directly, so when shooting an image, remember to leave enough room for design moves like cropping or placing text over the image.

This image of trucks made by Photodune photographer Gunther Nezhoda is a perfect example of how to make a great image for stock photography. This type of image appeals to a number of different buyers and leaves enough room for text or modifications.

In shooting stock photographs, avoid basic mistakes like photos of models with shirts featuring writing. Often times, graphic designers that will be working with stock photos will need to flip your images, and thus render the image useless.

PhotoDune photographer Gunther Nezhoda says: “a person in the image can sell the photograph. No matter how many business people with laptops are in the collection, every person has different looks, expressions, charisma and so on. Ten photographers can shoot the same subject and each image will have a different vibe. Same than in wedding photography, you have to capture that special moment and this will get you the download.”

It’s nearly impossible to quantify what goes into making a successful stock image. Remember that as with any type of photography, doing your due diligence in researching the market is a necessary step to finding out what buyers are interested in.

Don’t seek to copy what already exists, as you won’t succeed in selling a product that people have already purchased. Instead, research, recognize trends, and fill the voids of the marketplace.

One reason that the window to stock photography remains constantly open is our society’s desire for things that are modern and up to date. Styles and fashion change, and so do the subject matters that are in demand.

Even though a stock photo of a man in the grocery store from four years ago could be technically excellent, the products on the shelf and the now outdated cell phone clipped to his belt make the photo almost useless to a modern designer.

Success in Stock Photography

Building a good stock photo portfolio can increase your success exponentially. If a stock photo buyer likes your work, they may come back to your portfolio later to see if your images fit a future project. As with any creative industry endeavor, some of your best clients will be the repeat buyers who will turn to you as a reliable source of high quality images.

Consider that if you have repeat clientele, they are probably buying photos that correspond to a certain industry. If you know who your buyers are, it’s also a great idea to drop them an email to find out their needs, and how your images can fit those needs. Consider commissioning shoots based on the feedback of your valued buyers.

This image, also by Nezhoda, is a perfect example of the type of photos that graphic designers love to purchase. It’s ready to be used as soon as it’s downloaded.

I think that one of the most important aspects of succeeding as a stock photographer is balancing the line between being a generalist, and a specialist. As we’ve discussed above, you must offer something unique that isn’t already out there. This requires exploring the untapped niches – the photos that haven’t been taken yet. However, you have to keep your photos general so that they’ll appeal to enough buyers.

PhotoDune photographer Gunther Nezhoda says: “Advice for newbies: I don’t know if I’m qualified to give advice, but what always worked for me was dedication and persistence. Don’t get discouraged. Many of your photos will be rejected, especially at the beginning, don’t blame the agency, they are happy to approve every shot they can, because that’s how they make their money – with good pictures.

“Browse the forums and learn from established photographers, browse the agencies and look at as many top selling images as you can and read the EXIF data. Don’t settle for less, learn how to use your equipment and push it to the max. Don’t upload just everything. An image has to be clean, has to have a message and a vibe. I learned a lot about composition since I do micro. Learn all you can about light. That’s all we do, we capture light. Produce the highest quality you can.”

Conclusion

Stock photography may be one of the most competitive niches of imagery today. With many talented stock photographers, it may be daunting to attempt to enter an already populated market. However, as with any market, niches of success are always open to newcomers. With enough perseverance and enthusiasm for expanding your stock portfolio, you can attain success in the stock market.

A Beginner’s Guide to Shooting in Low Light

Simon Bray — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:00:43 +0000

As photographers, we’re always being told that light is the most important element of our work, that the shots we produce are dependent upon the light available and the artificial light that we bring to a situation. Whether we’re tired of hearing it or not, it’s true.

However, photographers are often posed with tricky situations in which the lighting is less than adequate and doesn’t match with their intentions. This tutorial will hopefully offer you some creative ideas for dealing with low light scenarios and making the most of the light that you have to work with.

Why low light?

Many photographers avoid dealing with low lit situations because it often doesn’t make sense to work without adequate light. If you are a produce photographer, there are no demands upon your work to shoot in situations where you don’t have the correct light sources on your chosen subject. However, as a photographer who works with a large variety of subjects, I am met by a whole array of situations that require me to know how to work best with the light on offer.

As you read through these tips, consider how they might be best applied to the photographic work that you undertake, whether any of the creative ideas might be worth considering for your own work. Hopefully this practical advice will come in useful when you are next confronted with a low lit situation.

Photo by jliba

What about flash?

I can hear you saying it already. In this modern age, we have a vast array of lighting options so that we no longer have to struggle with a lack of light. I don’t want to detail here how to approach a low lit situation and compensate for that by using artificial light.

Obviously, in any given scenario you have the option to use flashguns, studio style lighting or even something basic such as a torch to make up for the lack of natural light, but I want to focus on the ways in which we can use situations with limited light to our advantage and make the most of the scene we are faced with.

Photo by lightknight

Dealing with low light by using camera settings

So first things first, when confronted with a low light situation, there are means by which you can alter your settings in order to get the shots you want. One of the main things you can do is make the most of the ISO settings. Turning up the ISO will let in more light, the only downside being that it will increase the noise in the shot.

You can also work with the shutter speed in order to let more light in, select shutter speed priority on your camera and experiment with the settings according to the situation and the light available. It can also be beneficial to try using bulb mode on your camera, a feature that will keep the shutter open for as long as the shutter button is depressed. When using bulb mode, it is very beneficial to have a remote shutter release so as not to apply any pressure or vibration to the camera while the shutter is open.

Photo by yazmdg

Step 4 – Equipment to help with low light

If you are working with long shutter speeds and bulb settings, then it is essential to use a tripod. If you try employing shutter speeds of anything under around 1/50, then you’ll begin to see the deterioration and lack of focus in your shots if you’re just holding your camera.

However, if your shutter speed doesn’t require it, then please don’t feel bound to your tripod, I often find my tripod stifles my photographic eye and is a hindrance to my creativity, so if you can, pop the ISO up another notch, select your shutter speed at around 1/125 and go handheld!

You may also have heard the term ‘fast glass’ in reference to lenses that have wide apertures. My favorite lens to use in low light situations is my Canon 50mm f/1.8, which was amazingly affordable, is very light and is extremely ‘fast’ with it’s f/1.8 aperture.

For me, this lens makes the difference when it comes to working in low light scenarios. It can let in a lot of light and I don’t have to worry about noise by turning the ISO up quite so high.

Photo by linh_rom

Urban evening shots

It’s a common presumption from photographers that as soon as you start talking about low lit situations, they will automatically starting thinking about night cityscapes and urban shots with neon lit streets. Now I’ve nothing against these types of shots, they just have to be taken tastefully and creatively.

When you head out to shoot a night cityscape, go out before it gets dark, just before sunset. This way, the light will be low enough to look dark, and the lights will be on, but you’ll have enough light to highlight the necessary detail in the buildings and architecture.

Photo by simonbray

Working with landscapes

I’m sure you’ve read many times that the best times to take landscape shots are during ‘The Golden Hours’, essentially, the time around sunset and sunrise, in which the golden sunlight is poured sideways onto the subject matter. Well, utilizing the extremes of the golden hours, just before sunrise and after sunset, can also prove extremely rewarding.

The low lit hours before sunrise are filled with an air of expectancy for the day, as light begins to seep through the sky and light your subject matter. However, my favorite time of day to shoot is twilight, having watched the sunset, and just for a short while, the atmosphere changes, as the diminished light becomes less adequate, visual judgement reduces and everything looks slightly unreal.

For me, it’s all about picking your moment. Be sure you have plenty of time on location, firstly to appreciate the amazing natural surroundings, but also to take in the details of the scene. Don’t wait too long before getting your camera out, as where sunlight is concerned, the scene and the light will be changing constantly.

Try utilizing long exposures for your low lit landscape shots, especially when involving water, in order to smooth out the scene, you could even use a low grade neutral density filter to enhance this affect.

Photo by simonbray

Try black and white

Low light shots naturally lend themselves to black and white processing because without the color distraction, the focal point of the shot changes. The importance of the light involved in the shot increases as the light and dark draw the attention of the eye without the intrusion of the color.

Working in black and white also draws more attention to the composition and subject matter of the shot, I wouldn’t recommend shooting directly in black and white, but it should be an important consideration for when you come to process the shots. This can be particularly useful if you’ve had to crank up the ISO in order to achieve the correct exposure and are suffering with a lot of noise in the shot. The increased ‘grain’ may lend itself to the atmosphere of a black and white shot rather than intruding upon a color shot.

Photo by justinmclean

Working with people in low light

It is often assumed that working with portraits and trying to capture shots of people in low lit situations isn’t going to work, but there are in fact ways to capitalize on this scenario.

Try using motion creatively, especially when looking to capture a crowd of people. Experiment with shutter speeds and find a setting that’s long enough to blur those moving, but short enough to capture those standing still. Also, consider any jobs or scenarios that involved people working in situations with a light source. For example a welder provides his own light source.

Photo by dk_spook

Use HDR

Another option to make the most of shooting in low light is to try merging two or more shots taken with different exposure settings in order to ensure that none of the shot is under or over exposed. This way you are using the atmosphere of the low light situation without compromising the quality of the exposure of the shot.

Photo by kennytyy

Over to you

So hopefully you’re now well equipped practically and are full of creative ideas of how to work in challengingly lit scenarios. I think it’s a real shame when photographers shy away from low lit shots. Some of my favorite photographic work is quite sparse and shot using minimal light and there is an awful lot of potential within low lit scenes for creative and eye catching shots.

If you’re not sure where to start, why not begin with a simple personal project such as capturing light trails from stars using long shutter speeds, or possibly using minimal lighting for a portrait project, maybe using a solitary lit match or a single lamp.

Photo by benny4bs