Phototuts+

Build Your Own DIY Ringflash

Rob Taylor — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:00:07 +0000

Ringflash has a wonderful, unique look to it, whether they are macro or shoot-through portrait ringlights. You get a crisp, dimensional, almost hyper-real appearance which looks quite stunning when combined with backlighting or depth-of-field effects. They are, however, rather expensive specialist items and if you don’t know whether it’s worth the investment, what do you do? My solution is DIY.

If you decide to duplicate my build exactly, you’re looking at a budget of around $45. Why bother going the DIY route and not just pick up a generic-o-flash? Two main reasons. The light port is often not a full circle doesn’t really interest me in terms of specular highlights. I want a circle.

They are also big and bulky and seem to be free-floating around the lens, putting a lot of stress on the camera’s hotshoe. While my version isn’t the most slimline flash rig you’ll ever see, it packs fairly small and light. And I suspect, based on typical plastics used in cheap photography gear, mine is less prone to breaking if dropped.

My version has an optimal working distance of around 1-4″ based on diameter and speedlight output. The further from the lens your subject is, the larger the ring you’ll need.

As I say in the video, the idea is really more to fire your imagination than to give you a step-by-step guide, so the material list is easily modifiable to suit your purposes. Here’s the materials I used:

6×6″ 3mm white acrylic sheet
4 inch x 2 foot aluminium roof flashing
3 foot side-glow optical fibre (If you can find it for less than around $9 a foot, let me know in the comments!)
Aluminium foil
Duct tape
JB Weld

My essential tools list is largely stuff that most people should generally have around, I tried to avoid requiring special tools:

Thin-bladed saw (jigsaw, scroll saw, junior hacksaw…)
Drill
Tin snips/aviation shears
Razor knife
Ratcheting PVC pipe cutter or pruning shears/garden secateurs
Emery cloth/sandpaper
Ruler
Set square
Compass (“pair of compasses” for the pedantic ;) )

If you build one, feel free to show me in the comments. I’d like to see any modifications or tweaks too, if you push the idea further. And as always; questions? Comments? Hit up the comments below!

Watch the Tutorial

How to Use Your Phottix Odin Radio Flash Triggers

Jose Antunes — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:00:32 +0000

The popularity of radio for flash triggering reached a new level when triggers offering more than the “normal” flash sync opened new doors of experimentation to photographers. I’ll show you how to use the Phottix Odin, a product quickly gaining ground in the industry. Keep in mind that these instructions are adaptable to many other radio flash triggers.

The Phottix Odin radio flash trigger offer TTL functions and advanced functions for photographers.

Until recently there was only one popular name when it came to TTL (Through The Lens) radio flash triggers: Pocket Wizard. You would find other brands mentioned, such as Radio Popper, but in general terms Pocket Wizard was the way to go. It still is for many people, but since Eastern companies started to offer their cheap non-TTL solutions over eBay, the user demographics have expanded while we saw better and better systems appear on the market. Phottix is the evolution of this process.

Radio Trigger Sync Speeds

In terms of triggers, there are two different categories: the cheap, manual, non-TTL, which simply triggers flashes, and the TTL, which let you control remotely your flashes. Most people will buy the simpler manual models, which have a limit of 1/250 or below sync speed, enough for most uses and the needs of most people. But the most interesting triggers are those that offer TTL, because besides the option to remotely control flash units they’re can also be used with higher sync speeds.

Outdoors you can have problems to expose under the sun if your flash sync at 1/250 or under. With a TTL system you can expose iamges at values of 1/1000 at f/7.1 as in this example

When your flash can work at speeds up to 1/8000, a new horizon opens to your photography. You have to be aware that when you use shutter speeds so high, your flash will not be able to fire a full blast of light. It uses a lower power, shorter burst. In bright sunlight, this will translate to a subject no more than a few inches away from your flash, but these wireless triggers allow you to place your flash that close if you need to.

The Phottix Odin

This article focuses on the use of Phottix Odin radio flash trigger for Canon, which is the one I use. The Phottix Odin is also available for Nikon and Sony; most of the instructions presented here are the same for all brands. You just have to be aware that Nikon’s metering system and flash have a different philosophy than Canon’s, and adapt to it. The same goes for Sony.

Even when using a radio trigger system as Odin, many photographers prefer to work in Manual to control the exact amount of light emmited by the flash

There’s a good reason to rely on a flash radio trigger system, as I’ve outlined in my previous article, How to Use Your Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT: you have full time reliable communication between flash and camera, something you can not assure you’ll get using infra red, that needs line of sight and has limitation in terms of distance. If, like me, you work placing flashes in strange locations, like behind trees, rocks, walls, or use them outside under the sun, IR can be more of a headache than a working method.

Using a radio flash trigger will spare you for trouble. So, let’s look at the system.

A Complete TTL Radio Trigger System

The basic Phottix Odin kit is comprised of the TCU (Transmitter Control Unit) and the receiver. That’s all you need to free your flash from your camera. The TCU has a large LCD display that lets you control everything from the flash head zoom to flash ratio or exposure in 1/3rd stops.

The TCU sits in an upright position on your camera’s hot shoe. It doesn’t have as additional hot shoe on top of it, something some people want for a bit of fill flash.

You need to be careful with the TCU unit mounted on your hot shoe, so you do not knock it. Being big, though, means two things: you get a generous LCD and also big enough buttons to make the control easy. Also, you can use AA batteries to power the unit.

The receiver unit has no LCD, just a small LED light on the front, lighting up in different colors (red or green) according to the conditions. It has a sync plug for times when you don’t want to use the hotshoe.

My particular system has been built to work with Canon flashes, and is also be compatible with older units, like the Speedlite 420 EX and even the 430 EZ, offering possibilities when working remotely that you can not get within Canon’s own wireless system.

Mapping the Phottix Odin Radio Flash Trigger TCU

Understanding the interface on any piece of equipment is the best way to make it easier to work with. The Phottix Odin has a lot of functions available, but the interface is easy, once you get to know it.

The LCD displays all the information you need to adjust your flashes. You do not need to use the camera LCD as all the flash functions are available from here.
This area shows whether the flash unit is working in High Speed Mode or Second Curtain Sync. If no icon appears you’re working in normal first curtain mode.
The Odin TCU can control three groups of flashes (A, B and C) and adjust each of them independently. Here Group A is working in TTL mode with -2 stops exposure compensation.
The flash in Group B is working in Manual Mode with the power set at 1/8. The power setting in Manual can be adjusted all the way between 1/1 to 1/128 in 1/3rd stops.
The third flash, Group C, is working in TTL with +2 stops exposure compensation. The compensation can be adjusted between +3/-3 in 1/3rd stops.
The channel in use appears in this position. The system offers four channels so different photographers can be using similar systems in the same place without interfering with each other.
The battery charge indicator. The Phottix Odin TCU uses regular AA batteries and works well with recycled batteries.
Most buttons on the TCU do just one function so it is easy to learn. The Option button changes between the two main function screens: TTL/Mixed and Ratio. TTL/Mixed mode allows groups A, B and C to be set to TTL, Manual or OFF with adjustments to EV or power levels. Ratio mode is similar to Canon’s native TTL system. The ratio of groups A and B can be set from 8:1 to 1:8. EV levels can also be adjusted.
The Mode button lets you change the groups A, B or C between TTL, (M) Manual, or Off.
The Zoom button allows the zoom level of flashes to be set wirelessly. Zoom can be set as TTL or Manual. When TTL is selected the flash zoom setting will change as you zoom the lens. In Manual mode, the flash zoom can be changed to the desired zoom setting (as long as it is not pointing upwards).
The On/Off button does what it says but is also a way to get back to the main screen quickly. Just press it instead of the Set button. This option was enhanced through a firmware update, something the USB port on the unit (not shown on the image) allows.
The LED on the TCU turns green when the camera is focusing and red when a photo is being taken. The same happens with the LED in the receiver units.
The SEL button lets you choose between the different options present in the TCU. The +/- buttons on each side are used for adjusting values for different options.
The Test button fires, sequentially, all flashes connected to Phottix Odin receivers that are on the same channel as the TCU.
The Clear Button will erase any setting currently in the TCU.
To cycle between High Speed Sync, Second Curtain Sync and standard operations press this button. The correspondent icon appears on the LCD.
The Modeling Light Button will cause all flashes attached to Odin receivers to flash for one second. This is useful as a preview of lighting setups.

Mapping The Phottix Odin Receiver

The second half of the Phottix Odin system is the receiver. You only need one to free your flash from your camera, but you can buy more if you need to use more than one flash.

The Channel Selection Switch. Remember to set the same channel on the TCU and on each different receiver.
Shoe Mount / ¼” tripod lug with locking ring to place the receiver and flash on a tripod or any other support.
USB Port For updating firmware. This allows your system can be upgraded with new functions.
5V DC Power Port to use external power instead of the two AA batteries.
The Group Selection Switch lets you select which group the receiver belongs to.
Power Switch.
Battery Compartment.
LED. If your system seems unresponsive, check the light here. When the battery power on receivers is very low, the LED will flash red light every 2 seconds. Change the batteries.
Hot Shoe.
3.5mm Output Port to connect the receiver to studio lights.

With static subjects, like in portraiture, you can use the Manual mode. The option to adjust everything from your camera position is one of the assets of TTL systems.

Good Reasons to Buy a TTL System!

Although systems like the Phottix Odin are made with TTL in mind, you’ll find, once you start to use flash, that you might prefer to use the flash in Manual for much precise control, especially in situations where you know the distance between flashes and subject is not going to change. This could be in a studio situation or outdoors or even at sports events. Using Manual also lets you control the power of light in a way that makes your flash recycle faster.

I prefer to use my flashes in Manual, as I like to control the exact amount of light. I will use TTL for fast situations, when the distance to subjects changes drastically from one moment to the other. It’s not a matter of doing it the right or wrong way, it’s just my way of working, even with the Phottix Odin. Once you buy into a system like this you’ll define the working method you prefer.

Even if you do not need TTL, the zoom function of the head and the ability to set manual power directly from the camera is a good reason to buy the Odin or any system that has TTL and offers the same options. No more need to go to each individual flash to set the zoom and or power! And High Speed Sync, as I said, opens other venues. Give it at try and you will discover new horizons in your flash photography.

Adding Noise to Create Special Effects

Simon Plant — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:01 +0000

We often fight to eliminate noise, but in this tutorial I’ll use noise to add different effects to images. The technique I’ll show you can be used a many different ways, but in our case, we’ll be adding stubble to a portrait of a man and adding rain to a street scene.

Watch the Video

Some Other Uses for This Technique

Add haze to a photo taken at sunrise
Add fog to a photo taken on a cloudy day
Create a sandstorm with a photo taken on a sunny day
Add snow to a photo taken at night or during a cloudy day

What else could this technique be used to create? Leave a comment below!

Photo Critique #193

Cameron Knight — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:25 +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

Nikon D5100
22mm
1/800
f/5
ISO 500

I did a car shoot with a friend’s BMW. It was a sunny day with some clouds at the science center. The sun was around mid-noon with clouds helping my lighting angle. I upped the exposure rather than flash and the patterns of the floor and windows made a nice scene.

This was the first shoot I did where I didn’t expected the outcome of the area and lighting to match exactly what i was aiming for. The original already looked good, but after I edited it and got this look I was more than pleased. Since this being my was first unexpected right-place-at-the-right-time picture, I decided to frame one of the shots and hang it up on my bedroom wall. Photography is awesome!

Photographer: Rotha Bearng

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!

Understand How Autofocus Works: Part 2

Rob Taylor — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:00:27 +0000

This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Understand How Autofocus Works

After our first look into autofocus, we’ll now take a more technical approach. I’m firmly of the belief that the more you understand about your camera and how it interprets the world from an engineering perspective, the more you can get out of it to accurately create your vision.

The Quick Technical History

Leitz, now known as Leica, started patenting a series of autofocus system technologies in 1960, and demonstrated an autofocusing camera at Photokina (which started in 1950) in 1976. The first mass-produced AF camera was the Konica C35 point-and-shoot released in 1977. The first AF 35mm SLR was the Pentax ME-F in 1981, followed by a similar Nikon F3AF in 1983.

The 1981 Pentax ME-F with SMC Pentax AF Zoom 1:2.8 35~70mm lens. (Image from Wikimedia)

Originally all these early AF SLRs had lens motors, essentially a standard lens with a big ugly motor block stuck onto it. This continued until the 1985 Minolta Maxxum 7000 had the drive motor in the camera body along with the sensors.

This was the first AF SLR that met with reasonable commercial success. The previous attempts were slow, innaccurate and only worked under ideal conditions, which didn’t really make a case for the double cost compared to similar manual focus cameras. The Maxxum 7000 cost Minolta $130 million in 1991 after a protracted patent battle with the US company Honeywell over the AF technology.

Minolta Maxxum 7000 from a later production run; the X’s are uncrossed, the result of legal action from Exxon. Photo by teamgriggs

Nikon followed Minolta’s suit, but reverted back to lens motors in 1992, hence modern entry-level Nikons not having an integrated AF drive motor. Canon’s EOS (electro-optical system) AF system came about in 1987, where they annoyed many photographers by dropping the FD lens mount and creating the completely electronic EF mount.

FD with its mechanical linkages and collar-lock bayonet mount versus the EF with electronic contacts and on-body bayonet lock.

Well, that’s generally what happened and the order that it happened in. So what about the technology itself? Let’s dig a little more.

Physical Implementations

Phase Detection

Phase detect autofocus is the fast AF found on DSLRs (and increasingly mirrorless cameras as part of a hybrid AF system). In DSLRs, part of the main mirror is semi-silvered and passes about a quarter of the light from the lens to a small secondary mirror behind it and down into the base of the mirror box. In the base are small lenses which focus the light from the edges of the lens onto the CCD sensor array.

Base of a mirror box, with anti-reflective geometry and ports for AF light. The edges of the lenses down there are just about visible through the gaps. Looks a bit dusty too!

The array is generally made up of a number of one-dimensional strips of pixels in various orientations. Each strip can only see a feature that contrasts perpendicularly to it, as the only change it can see is along the line. If a feature in the image is parallel to the strip, it can only see any one particular aspect of the feature at once, rather than the “shape” of it.

Contrast Detection

Contrast detection generally exists directly on the imaging sensor itself, hence its use in live view on DSLRs. It’s usually the only detection system available on mirrorless and compact cameras. It’s a software implementation, so there’s no more real physical aspect to it, just the sensor and a processor.

Hybrid Detection

As the name implies, a combination of both systems. This can take the form of converting some of the sensor pixels to AF pixels, or having a phase detect array layered over the sensor, which then works with the contrast detect system in tandem to improve AF speed.

How Things Work

Ok, now we know the physical setup for each type of AF system, let’s cover how they use their respective implementations to do their job.

Focus And Distance

The compound lens (a single optical system made up of a number of simple lenses, usually called “elements” in the photography literature) system in your camera lens uses one or more moving lenses to focus the light rays at the image plane.

The distance to the subject dictates how far the corrective lens needs to move in order to focus. Consider it like a pair of glasses for the main optics, except instead of changing the lens power, its position is changed.

Let’s take a very simple example with just one simple lens, to show that as the subject moves, the image blurs, approximated by the thin lens formula:

$${1 \over f} = {1 \over S_1} + {1 \over S_2}$$

This equation assumes lenses of negligible thickness in air, so it doesn’t accurately translate to real-world lenses, but it allows me to get the point across more simply.

Very simple lens setup, just like moving a magnifying glass in front of your eye.

We use a point source of light with a lens of focal length 1m (1000mm). This gives a $1 \over f$ value of 1. If $S_1$ is two metres, $1 \over S_1$ is 0.5. Thus $S_2$ is also 2m when the lens is focused. If we move the point source subject back to 8m away from the lens, $1 \over S_1$ becomes 1/8. To compensate, $1 \over S_2$ must become 7\8, which requires an $S_2$ value of 8/7, or 1.14m. Of course, the $S_2$ value is fixed as the sensor is stationary, so the image is thrown out of focus.

If we insert a second, corrective, lens at distance $d$ from the first one into this optical system to create a compound lens, we can focus the image as the subject moves. The combined new focal length is, according to the compound thin lens equation:

$${1 \over f} = {1 \over f_1} + {1 \over f_2} – {d \over f_1 f_2}$$

So we have a new focal length. The distance from the new lens to the new focal point for the combined system is called the back focal length, which should be a relatively familiar term in photography, since it’s the distance from the rear element to the sensor. If I call the back focal length “$d_2$”, this is given by:

$$d_2 = {{f_2 (d – f_1)} \over {d – (f_1 + f_2)}}$$

Let’s try an example where the image is focused on a fixed image plane, then the subject moves. Adding diverging corrective lenses and crunching the numbers gives us this:

Compound system, more like a real photography lens. The focusing element[s] move a tiny fraction compared to the subject distance.

The math may not be flawless, but it’s good enough to get the point across! So as the subject moves, the corrective lens must move to compensate because the imaging plane is fixed.

In AF systems, the electronics calculates where the lens needs to move to and instructs the lens motor to move it there. How does it do this? This brings us to detection systems.

Phase Detect

The small lenses in the base of the mirror box focus the light from opposite sides of the lens. Because of the gap between these two points, a parallax is created where each one sees slightly different views of the subject, just like the two input lenses in a rangefinder camera.

The individual points are in focus, just like in a rangefinder; it’s the infinite combination of points across the two-dimensional image field that creates the focal blur in an actual image. This is why wide apertures create more blur; not through some kind of optical manipulation, but simply because more of the diameter of the glass is used, creating more points to overlap and create blur. Imagine AF to be using an f/22 or smaller aperture at each side of the lens, so the view remains in focus regardless of lens focal position.

A simplified look, without many of the additional lenses and focusing screen.

While the light comes from opposite sides of the lens, the split image going to the AF sensors is of the same part of the subject, where the AF dots in the viewfinder are.

Simplified view, without all the extra lenses, of inside the mirror box of an SLR camera, from the front and rear.

The CCD strips are read-out and sent to a dedicated AF chip, which performs a comparison between the two. While individual manufacturers, improving technology, patent-infringment-avoidance and various price points of equipment likely alter the exact algorithm used, the general point here is to perform a mathematical function called an autocorrelation, or similar.

Knowing the diameter of the lens (hence f/2.8 AF points being more accurate, not more light, but more width) allows triangulation.

Autocorrelation is a pattern matching algorithm under the umbrella of cross-correlation in signal processing, but instead of comparing two different signals, it compares a signal with a shifted version of itself. Essentially, it’s an integral (or more likely in this case of discrete value sets, summation) function which calculates, compares and maximises the area under the superimposed signal graphs.

The goal is to calculate how far it has to shift one of the signals in order to maximise that area and thus match up the two views. The mathematics involved is very long-winded (it would likely take several articles to work through a basic example) but the result of the overall final algorithm should fall between 1 and -1, with the camera looking to find the shift value where the correlation value is as close to 1 as possible.

By doing this, it sees and understands the same feature coming from each side of the lens, and knowing the physical spatial shift between them along the pixel strip tells it, with trigonometry based on known camera dimensions, how far and in which direction the lens is out of focus. It can then send a focusing signal to the lens, and check the focus after the move. That’s when your camera indicates focus lock and allows the image to be shot.

Similar setup to the 3D view above, showing the movement of the light paths as focus changes.

You may have heard of “dot” or “point” type AF points vs. “cross” type AF points. The difference between those is that point-type points are single, one-dimensional strips of pixels, whereas cross-type points are two lines arranged perpendicularly. Because an AF sensor is one-dimensional, it can only see luminance changing along its length. Dot-type sensors are thus only sensitive to detail in one direction, whereas cross-types can see across two dimensions.

If a dot-type sensor is parallel with a major detail feature, it cannot see the difference between it and its adjacent, contrasting feature, and thus has significant difficulty in focusing.

Same pattern, different angle of sensors. Clearly the cross-types can always see a pattern, irrespective of orientation.

Contrast Detect

This method reads off a few pixels at the desired focus position from the imaging sensor. The processor calculates the contrast value between these pixels, the difference in luminance over the pixel space being measured. By calculating the gradient of the curve along the pixel lines and columns, it can seek to maximise the value of this gradient.

Calculating the gradients of the joining lines gives the difference in luminance per unit distance (or pixel), essentially, a measure of contrast.

The lens focus is then fractionally moved, and the contrast is calculated again. If the contrast is lower, the system has moved the lens in the wrong direction, so it’s then moved in the opposite direction. The contrast is measured again, the lens is moved further, and this process repeats as the contrast value climbs until it dips. When it falls, the lens has gone too far and the algorithm moves the lens back again, making further microadjustments.

I’ve blurred this section of a real photo in Photoshop, simulating the iterative loop calculations of contrast detection.

The contrast detect method of AF has the potential to be extremely accurate because it’s on the sensor-level, no separate system. It just moves the lens until contrast is maximised. Unfortunately for the same reason, it seems unlikely to ever be quick; you could argue that it should only require a measurement at two focal positions in order to know how much the lens is defocused, but that requires the camera to know exactly how contrasty the subject is to begin with.

It has no way of knowing what the “true” distribution of luminance values being measured will be, because they depend on the subject. This is why there also cannot be a “threshold gradient” nor an “ideal peak luma value.” These things vary greatly from scene to scene.

Different subjects, different times of day, different lighting, all have an effect on the absolute contrast levels.

Thus, for the forseeable future, professional filmmaking will continue to use manual focus pullers as it always has, and mirrorless point-and-shoots will continue to be slow. Unless…

Hybrid Systems

What if you could get the best of both worlds? What if you could have the speed of phase detect and eliminate hunting, but combine that with the accuracy and simplicity of contrast detection? Well, that’s exactly what manufacturers are doing now.

Instead of putting the phase detection strips on the bottom of a mirror box, which is useless in mirrorless cameras and DSLRs in live view, they are instead being created as dedicated arrays onto the image sensor itself. But surely there’s nothing to phase-match on the sensor, because it’s getting blasted by all the light from the rest of the lens in a big blurry circle of confusion like I said earlier? Not so fast!

Because the pixels (technically “sensels,” since they’re sensor elements and not picture elements) on an imaging sensor are covered in microlenses for improved light-gathering, all we need to do is block off half of the pixel to get the image from one side of the lens. Is this ideal? No, the image will still be blurry, but half as blurry as it is when seeing the entire lens, and now we can use it to more accurately detect focus because there will be a parallax between the two images.

The green photosites are used because there are twice as many of them in the Bayer array, the half-lighting can more easily be corrected for without excessive noise.

In the Fuji X100s this technology is used to beef up the manual focusing visual aids with a split-prism-like EVF overlay, but Sony uses it as a true hybrid system in conjuction with contrast detect AF as “Fast Hybrid AF” in their higher-end NEX cameras. Canon and Nikon also use this concept in their lower-end cameras. In Sony’s A99, a second dedicated phase detection array takes advantage of the translucent mirror by being overlaid directly in front of the imaging sensor, known as Dual AF.

It’s slightly hard to tell on this diagram, but the out-of-focus image is both left-right shifted and blurred simultaneously.

So on-sensor phase detection low-light ability isn’t up to much, it tends to be limited to a center point to reduce the number of pixels taken out of imaging use, and the techology is in its infancy. But with more dedicated systems like Sony’s Dual AF arrays, and maybe some “sacrificed” image sensor pixels (using software interpolation) with more directional microlenses, this looks like the future of autofocus.

Conclusion

So we’ve come from the invention of autofocus, through its development and widespread adoption. We’ve looked at the fundamental optical mechanics of focus. We know what types of AF there are, where they are in the camera, and how they work, as well as how these attributes practically affect the performance of the camera. We’ve taken a look at recent developments in hybrid autofocus systems, and considered where they may continue from here.

When using AF, consider how the camera is seeing the scene and adjust accordingly. When shopping for cameras, take a good look at their AF systems and how well they can work for your style of shooting.

Well, that’s a wrap on this technical overview of autofocus. Questions? Comments? Hit up the comments below!

Understand How Autofocus Works: Part 1

Matthew Zhang — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:00:54 +0000

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Understand How Autofocus Works

Autofocus is easily one of the most useful advances in modern photography. In the majority of current camera systems, not having autofocus is nearly inconceivable. Learning to control this technology is a crucial skill for any photographer.

What is Autofocus?

To begin answering this question, we must first ask, “what is focus?” In photography, there exists this concept of being “in focus,” which refers to the image being rendered with high clarity, distinctiveness, and fine detail. Achieving precise focus on a subject is a goal that photographers generally aim for.

Having good focus in our camera systems is like having perfect vision, the object of interest is rendered with perfect detail. When we have less than perfect vision, or imperfect focus, the world seems universally blurry. Luckily, unlike our eyes, the focus on lenses can be adjusted so that focus rests at the distance where we need it, so perfect clarity is always possible, it just becomes a matter of being able to obtain it. This is how autofocus can help.

In the heart of it, autofocus is any technology which automatically (without the photographer) changes the focus distance of the lens. This feature can be more accurate than “eyeballing” focus and tweaking manually and can be used to drastically improve focusing ability for moving objects, which our eyes and reflexes, struggle to track.

Using Autofocus

Most people have encountered autofocus already. It exists on almost every modern imaging platform, from advanced medium format Hasselblads to knock-off smartphones, and is almost always the default mode of obtaining focus. Put simply, if you aren’t sure if you have autofocus, you do.

Doesn’t it seem strange that after going out and buying that fancy DSLR, the autofocus is less flexible that that on a cameraphone? With modern smartphones, the user can simply tap the subject with their finger, and a nice little box shows up, with the phone soon to adjust focus so that whatever we tap renders clearly. What a nice trick.

This is the viewfinder screen of a D3100 camera, which has an 11-point autofocus system. More advanced cameras currently employ up to 61 autofocus points.

Looking at a DSLR though, the viewfinder is limited to only focusing on a limited number of points on the viewfinder, such a hassle! Without going into too much detail, this is because DSLRs use a different method of autofocus than point-and-shoot cameras or smartphones, an advanced system which eschews the need to process what the lens sees using the digital sensor.

While it may seem like a weakness at first, this mode of autofocus is actually much faster and more accurate. This article will focus on the autofocus system in DSLRs instead of the one in smartphones (who needs instructions on how to tap somebody’s face on an iPhone?).

Now that we know that we rely on fixed points to focus, we are introduced two key problems. How do we choose which point is used and what happens if my subject doesn’t happen to perfectly rest on a predefined point?

Manual vs. Auto Focus Point Selection

First, we need to see what mode is selected on the mode dial. Most modes belong to the so-called “automatic scene modes,” where the camera attempts to changes its settings to suit the chosen environment. Naturally, these modes will choose their own focus. (There are some exceptions to this, such as the “macro” mode, but in general pre-programmed modes enforce automatic autofocus.)

For example, pull out a DSLR, and set it to the most basic mode, Auto. When you press the shutter halfway (which enables the autofocus), there will be a beep followed by a few randomly chosen autofocus points in the viewfinder being highlighted. These are the focus points that the camera thinks contains the subject. If that isn’t true, then tough luck.

In order to self-manage autofocusing on a DSLR, we must use one of the “manual modes” (typically P, A/Av, S/Tv, or M). In these modes, the autofocus point can be selected manually by a knob or pad of some sort in the back. The exact method varies from platform to platform.

DSLRs typically have a dial similar to this. The text-based “manual modes” will afford the highest level of control to the user, including manually selecting autofocus points.

Alternatively, Leave the Focus Point in the Center

Being able to choose the focus point gives much more flexibility, but some people prefer to just leave the point in the center. In order focus on subjects that aren’t in the center, the trick is to focus first and compose second.

This is the simplest and often first-taught method of obtaining focus, which works in the following three steps.

Step 1

With your camera in Single Servo or One Shot focusing mode. Set the focus point to the center of the viewfinder. The middle autofocus point is often a cross-type autofocus point, which makes it more accurate than the rest of the autofocus points.

Step 2

Place the point on the subject of interest, and press the shutter half way, in a process called pre-focusing. Once this is done, the “AF lock” of your camera will be engaged, effectively freezing the focus distance at the current distance, regardless of how you move your camera.

Step 3

With the focus distance locked, you are now free to frame the scene in any way you wish. Usually having the subject dead center makes for boring photos. Try the rule of thirds. Once you’re happy with the composition, press the shutter button the rest of the way down.

We wish to use the center autofocus point to focus on the subject at first, but are free to later compose as we wish after the AF lock engages. This is called pre-focusing.

This option is also available if Continuous mode with Nikon camera by using the AF Lock function. It can also be used with the technique called, “rear button” focusing where the half shutter press focusing is disabled.

Appropriate Times to Change Autofocus Points

It’s very rare that any focus point will be exactly where you want it, even with the newer 51-point systems. So if we have to recompose after pre-focusing anyways, what is the point of ever having more than one point?

The first reason is that there could be instances where recomposing is not a physically valid option. While the “focus first, compose after” method is great for a majority of situations, there are times where the framing must be exact, and cannot be eyeballed.

In these situations, where the composition has been painstakingly chosen and the camera cannot change positions, the order of operations has been changed to “compose first, focus after,” this is where having a flexible autofocus system with many points becomes very helpful.

The main purpose of having an advanced autofocus system, though, isn’t about saving time. It’s to give photographers the ability to properly photograph fast-moving objects. With obvious implication for wildlife and sports photographers, proper use of autofocus is crucial for anyone taking photographs with non-stationary subjects.

Say you want to take a photo of a running child. By the time the focus has been acquired, the child very likely moved on (forget about trying to recompose after pre-focusing in this circumstance).

Even with the very fast autofocus speeds in modern systems, there is no way you can take more than one shot at a time with this focusing paradigm. How can you take advantage of your camera’s fast frame rate to burst out a sequence of well-focused shots to choose from later?

Most DSRLs now support, in addition to the aforementioned one-shot autofocus, the option to engage a very powerful feature called focus tracking (named AF-C “continuous focus” in Nikon and Al Servo in Canon systems).

How this works is that after the subject has been first focused on, the camera will attempt to track the movement of the subject and automatically select the autofocus point which is closest to the subject, all in real time!

This will continue as long the shutter is half-pressed and held. When in use, the camera will adjust the lens to maintain focus on the subject by predicting where the subject will be using its current speed and acceleration information.

In this way, it’s possible to take a series of photographs in quick succession, without having to worry about focus, and maximize the likelihood of having a great shot.

Improving Your Autofocus

Tip #1: Aim For the Edges

The tip that had the most impact on my autofocus was learning to position the autofocus point. Because the autofocus sensors use contrast to determine whether an object is in focus, it only works well when the point is placed on something with contrast to begin with!

For example, when I aim my camera’s autofocus point towards the edge of an object, the focus is instantaneous and extremely accurate. But if I try to aim it towards the middle of an object, where the color and tone is constant, the sensor has no way of determining whether what it’s seeing is sharp or not.

Think about it, the autofocus sensor only has the information on that exact point to determine focus. It would be comparable to looking through a straw and trying to gauge whether you have perfect vision. It may be possible if you see the edge of and objects and it’s blurry, but it would be impossible if all you see is a white wall.

To reuse an old example, we can consider what would happen if I tried to focus on these two various points directly. The left image will focus easily because of the sharp color contrast of the USB drive to its background. The right image however, will fail to focus on the black-to-black background and result in focus seeking, where the lens zooms in and out without ever locking the focus. (By default, cameras will actually prohibit a shot to be taken unless focus is acquired, even if the shutter is pressed all the way.)

Tip #2: Turn on AF Illumination in Dark Situations

Most DSLRs come with some form of AF illumination, and turning it on differs between models. This helps by shining a small light in dark situations so that the camera can focus well. If everything is black, the camera runs into the same problem as the situation in tip #1, it has no idea if what it’s looking at is in focus or not.

Be warned though, having the AF illuminator is likely not appropriate in any situation where a flash is prohibited. You may not have the best time explaining the differences when confronted, so I normally leave it off.

Tip #3: Buy Faster Lenses

As much as this may seem like a fix-all solution to scam money, there is actually a very direct way faster lenses contribute to better autofocus. Faster means that the lens has a larger maximum aperture (smaller f-stop number, such as f/1.8), which means that the lens has a larger opening.

When the camera tries to autofocus, it will always open the aperture to the largest it can be, to allow in more light, regardless of what you actual settings are when you take the picture. So having a larger potential maximum aperture, regardless of what you actually use, will make it easier for the camera to autofocus effectively.

In fact, while using low-end DSLRS with small maximum apertures lenses, such as f/5.6 kit lenses, autofocus will simply not even work on any points except the center, and even pro-grade bodies with advanced autofocus systems can barely handle any lens if the maximum aperture is smaller than that. This is one of the main reasons large-aperture lenses are so sought after.

Richard Bernabe: My Best Work is Done when I Am Alone

Jose Antunes — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:00:24 +0000

Richard Bernabe is not just a widely published photographer and writer from South Carolina, USA, he also leads photography tours and workshop throughout the world, he has just published two eBooks. I caught up with the photographer recently and asked him a few questions for you.

Blood Sport – a Brown bear zeros in on a hapless sockeye salmon, Moraine Creek, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Two recent eBooks from the author, Essential Light and Essential Composition, paved the way for this interview. I knew Richard Bernabe work from Canon’s 2009 calendar, Portraits of Wind, which features 13 landscapes and wildlife images of the southeastern United States, but not much else. When I recently had the chance to read and review two eBooks published by the author, I decided it was time to explore some more work from the author.

Richard Bernabe passion for nature goes back to his youth. He remembers that as a kid growing up in suburban New Jersey, his idle time was spent “exploring the woods behind our house or the small pond two blocks down the road, learning the name of every tree, bird, or bug that I encountered.”

Moving to the rural southeastern United states as a young teenager would create the conditions that led to a career in outdoor photography and, in 2006, his first book, South Carolina Wonder and Light, which features the natural landscapes and wildlife of his home state, South Carolina.

The Lost City – Machu Picchu, Peru

Q Who is Richard Bernabe?

I’m a professional photographer and writer from South Carolina, USA.

Q How did you discover that you wanted to be a photographer?

It’s not so much that I “discovered” that I wanted to be a photographer, but instead I became aware over a period of time that it was my “calling,” for lack of a better word. When one is confronted with their life’s passion, they are either forever saved or ruined. Luckily, I was saved from a pointless corporate existence by the need to express myself and the things I loved through a camera and lens.

Midnight Magic – Mt Kirkjufell (463 meters) is a beautifully shaped and a symmetric, free standing mountain on the northern coastline of Iceland’s Snaefell’s Peninsula to the west of Grundarfiord Bay. Danish seafarers, who frequented this part of the country in the past, called Mt Kirkjufell “The Sugar Top”. Kirkjufellsfoss is a short but very well-situated waterfall near the distinctive mountain

Q Looking at the dates, it was 10 years ago you decided to go full time as a photographer. Do you regret your choice these days, when living from photography seems to be harder than a decade ago?

No regrets at all. Each year my business is stronger and more successful than the previous, regardless of what’s going on out there in the world. Getting through the first two or three years were by far the most difficult and it was touch and go for a while. It very easily could have been ruined instead of saved looking back at it now.

A decade ago, the business environment was different than it is now, but not necessarily easier nor harder. The marketplace is always changing and with those changes come opportunities. It’s a pretty awesome time to be a photographer, in my opinion. Plus, I’m doing what I love so what’s to regret?

The Tree Lord – The Angel Oak on Johns Island, South Carolina

Q You’re a photographer from South Carolina. It is not a name most people will associate with the word photography. From your photographs, though, it seems it is as good a photographic place as any other. So what is it that makes it special and what are the attributes needed to discover the beauty of places that are not in the “must see” charts for photography and most photographers?

South Carolina has a lot to offer photographers, but I just don’t spend as much time in my home state as I used to. There are mountains, cypress swamps, natural beaches and barrier islands, just to name a few features that might appeal to nature photographers.

Passages – Autumn maples captured with slow exposure and vertical panning of the camera

Q You’ve been to Iceland and Patagonia, usual destinations for photographers. And you mentioned you intend to visit other locations too. But if you were told you could only choose a place to photograph for the rest of your life, which would you choose? Why?

I’m not sure I could limit myself to only one place. I do admire those who choose to dedicate themselves to one particular geographic area or subject and sacrifice breadth of photographic expression to depth. I think I get bored too easily and would rather explore new places and things. There’s also the exhilaration of rediscovering old haunts that you haven’t visited in a while and feeling as if you were seeing it for the first time all over again.

On Earth as it is in Heaven – Iguazu Falls (Foz do Iguassu) at sunrise, Brazil

Q In 2006 your first book, South Carolina Wonder and Light, was published by Mountain Trail Press. You’ve recently launched two eBooks, Essential Composition and Essential Light. What does writing mean to you and how do you feel having launched two eBooks about essential aspects of photography?

Just as it is with photography, writing is a form of self-expression. It just happens to be a form of expression that is not as natural or intuitive to me as the visual arts. I have to work hard at writing and it takes me two or three times longer to complete a writing assignment as it would for a more accomplished writer.

But I am getting better and faster at this writing business and I’m always very proud of the finished product when all is said and done – Essential Light and Essential Composition included – even if it takes me more time than it should. I’ve received dozens of emails about these two books in particular and it’s very gratifying to know I’ve helped people with their photography that I’ve never even met in person.

Q As an author, photographer and writer, do you intend to publish more eBooks and traditional books? And is there a difference between the eBook and regular book process?

Yes, I’ll be publishing more photography eBooks through my eStore in the coming months.

The choice between eBooks and printed books is a matter of personal opinion and one’s comfort level with each particular media. However, printed books are costly, wasteful, and not very convenient to carry around if you want to take 4 or 5 with you on a flight.

As more and more readers become comfortable with the format and technology associated with electronic books, I think we’ll see the printed word become nearly obsolete in the not-too-distant future.

Ahwahnee Dream – Bridalveil Falls and Yosemite Valley floor in fog, Yosemite National Park, California

Q You’re leading workshops and photo tours. Still you say you had no photographic education, no workshops or classes. So, why should people attend a workshop with you?

I can only teach so many things. I can teach the “mechanics” of the camera and exposure, composition, etc.: the left-brain stuff. I can share my insights and thought processes that go into the image creation process. I can make in-camera corrections to a student’s composition and explain how or why moving three feet to the left completely changed the image for the better, for example. Almost anyone can teach this stuff and I’m convinced that anyone can learn it.

But there are some things that I cannot teach. Curiosity is one of those things that I cannot give or teach another human being. I can plant the seeds of curiosity in another person, however, and see if they germinate or just rot away.

I can gently push someone in a particular direction to see if they continue walking on their own or if they stop and look back helplessly for yet more instructions. Those who will ultimately be successful take guidance and keep moving on their own as passion and curiosity take over.

Under A Malbec Sky – Sunset clouds over Lago Pehoe and Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Q Workshops and lectures are activities with groups of people. But, I guess, your photography is mostly done without people around, right? How does it feel to spend so much time alone with your thoughts and aims, scouting locations, waiting for things to happen, readjusting to unexpected situations?

My best photography work is done when I’m alone and that’s how I prefer to work if I am serious about creating and not worried about teaching or guiding. Some people are not comfortable being alone, but it doesn’t bother me, at least for a few days or less.

During a canoe expedition in 2007, I spent much longer periods of time with almost no human contact and it surprised me how difficult it was. I did a lot of talking to myself during that trip and both of us concluded that we weren’t nearly as tough as we thought we were.

Q Are you photographing what you always wanted? I mean, sometimes photographers have two paths, their own work and what they do for clients, and they’re in distinct compartments. Is Richard Bernabe doing the photography he loves? Have you ever felt the curiosity and/or need to do something else? Is it possible to live from nature photography these days?

I’ll take care of the last question first: yes, I am living, so it is possible.

I do nature, landscape, wildlife, and travel photography because I’m passionate about those things. I’ve never photographed anyone’s wedding or baby or senior portrait. Kudos to those who do because they do have a passion for those things. I don’t.

During the lean years, I could have sucked it up and plucked the easy money that was being offered me to photograph these events, but I would have been doing it only for the money. Hey, I gave up a good job ten years ago because I was only doing it only for the money. Why would I want to do that all over again?

My philosophy on this is very easy. Do what you love. Period. Photograph only those things that you love and are intensely passionate about. You will be happier, you will create more insightful and meaningful art, and you will excel at what you do.

Glacial Flow – Bruararfoss waterfall, Iceland

Q This is a must-have question for many readers, so here it goes: what is your advice to people that want to pursue photography and specifically in the same area you are?

I cannot imagine anyone getting into the field of nature photography for the money. If the reason you want to do this is anything other than love, forget it.

Q Another classic question. What gear do you use these days? And what was your gear when you started?

Now I use Canon DSLRs and Canon lenses. I started with Nikon film cameras and a Zone VI 4×5 large format view camera as well.

Cadence of April – Spuce Flats Falls in spring, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

Q What are your plans for the near future?

Explore as much of the natural world as possible – both here at home and abroad and try my best to stay out of trouble.

Photo Critique #192

Cameron Knight — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

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

Canon 60D
130mm
1/160
f/4.5
ISO 1600

I wanted this to be focused on the dancer’s facial expression and the pose. She wore a bright red dress with nice artwork on it, so tried black and white to pull attention away from the dress.

Photographer: Thanashyam Raj

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!

How to Attract and Photograph Birds in Your Own Backyard

Tom Uhlman — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:00:02 +0000

If you’re interested in photographing birds, this tutorial is the one for you. After watching it, you’ll know what kind of equipment to use, how to set up a bird feeding station in your backyard, how to create a set to make your bird photos really pop, and how to actually make the pictures when the birds show up. You’ll have all the tools you need to get started.

Watch the Video

Thoughts or questions? Leave a comment below!

Making Your Digital Photo Look Like Film

Chris Swarbrick — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:00:13 +0000

Processing photographs is an extremely fun and important part of photography. It can help polish a flat looking raw file into something to be proud of and hang on your wall. Making photos look unique can sometimes be very challenging, and it’s no surprise that making photos look as if they were shot on film is really popular at the moment.

It looks impressive, and can give a sense of drama and authenticity. Most importantly, everyone has a different idea of how film looks, so it’s a great opportunity to create your own style, and give each photo a unique color, tone, grain structure and feel.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to process your digital photos, and turn them into cellulose acetate marvels. We’ll analyse the different ways you can use these effects in your photography, how you can emulate your favourite films, and the process involved in getting that film look.

If you’d like to follow along with the tutorial, you use some of the resources for other work, I’ve provided some assets to help you in this tutorial, including a texture, and an action. These should help you get you going.

The Film Look

There are many kinds of film looks that you can achieve through post-production. You can emulate your favourite film, or create a whole new look that defines you as a photographer. It’s this variation that makes the editing process really enjoyable. Almost like shooting film, you don’t exactly know what the end result will look like until you see it.

There are countless situations where the look of film can have such an effect on the emotions being portrayed and the mood. Wedding photography is an extremely popular genre that can benefit from having a film look and feel. It can be a way to give your clients special, memorable moments that appear timeless.

Street photography is also another example of a great genre of photography that film processing works well with. It gives a raw and realistic feel to photographs when done in a certain way, as it gives photos a documentary look that really compliments the genre.

It especially works when street photos are converted to black and white, focusing the viewers’ attention on what’s happening in the scene and taking away any distractions that can arise in built up areas.

Color or black and white, it’s your choice to decide which direction you take and what look you want to achieve, so let’s get started.

A Few Notes

While editing your photo, it is important to do so non-destructively, meaning you don’t permanently alter your original photo. To do this, I’m going to use adjustment layers and smart objects throughout this tutorial, so be sure to follow along.

It is also important that you use a photo that has been shot in a raw format, as this gives you the greatest scope for editing. Colors will be less likely to clip, and highlights and shadows are easier to control without bringing in any unwanted and artificial looking noise and banding.

1. Picking the Right Photo

As I explained before, there are many genres that work well with the film look, so experiment with a lot of different photographs when following this tutorial. I’ve chosen this photo of an urban landscape. I think this is a perfect candidate for some film toning due to the vibrant color and simplistic composition. I want to use the film look to give the photo a timeless feel.

Make sure when picking your image that it has a reasonable spread of shadows, midtones and highlights, as it is much easier to work with later on in the tutorial when editing tones.

Now, import your photo into new document in Photoshop.

2. Find the Look You Want

We’re going to be using a technique to try and mimic the tone and colors of an existing photo to get a look that’s close to an actual roll of film. First, find a photo off the internet or from your own photo collection that has been shot on film, and has a look you want to try and replicate.

I’m going to try and replicate the look of Lomography 35mm color film. The blue tones are quite strong and there is a noticeable magenta tinge in the highlights. There is also a noticeable lack of strong green tones throughout.

Next, import the photo you want to replicate into your Photoshop document, and place it above your own photo as shown in the screenshot. Name this layer ‘Replicate’.

3. Masking

Next, to make sure you aren’t affecting the photo we want to emulate, mask it out.

To do this, use the Rectangular Maquee Tool and drag a selection around the photo you want to emulate. Then press the Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Make sure when you start using Adjustment Layers later in the tutorial, that you place them in between your photo and the photo you want to replicate as demonstrated in the screenshot.

4. Exposure Adjustments

Film has an inherently wide dynamic range, so it is important to correct your exposure slightly first by bringing down the highlights, and boosting the shadows. This gives the photo a flatter contrast, but you will be correcting this later. First, create a new Curves Adjustment Layer by going to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves.

Then, make a reverse ‘S’ shape as shown in the screenshot below in the dialogue by clicking and dragging on the line. Different parts of the graph represent different parts of your image. The left side represents the shadows of your image, the middle represents the midtones, whilst the right represents the highlights. Notice how my image is mostly made up of shadows and midtones.

I’m also boosting the exposure of my image slightly with another Adjustment Layer, as it is slightly underexposed. Make sure you get a reasonable spread of tones across the range.

5. Judging the Tone

The next step is to adjust the tone of your photo, and try and match it roughly to the film image you want to replicate. I’m going to use Ben Secret’s method of tone and color matching.

First, create a 50% Grey Solid Colour Layer. To do this, go into the Adjustment Layer menu, and select Solid Color. Choose a 50% Grey, which is 128, 128, 128 in RGB values or the Hex value 808080. Press OK, and drag this layer above everything else in your Layer structure. Next, change the Blending Mode of the solid color layer to Color.

6. Editing the Tone

Make sure you have the histogram tool open for this next part by going Window > Histogram. Using the Rectangular Marquee tool, make a selection around the photo you want to replicate and look at the histogram.

Have a look at how the highlights and shadows are structured, and create a new Curves Adjustment Layer just above your other one in the layer structure. Use Curves to alter your own photo to try and get a similar Tone structure by clicking and dragging the graph line to alter the shadows, midtones and highlights. Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool over both photos to judge how close you are getting.

Notice how in my example, the image I want to replicate is quite flat in contrast, and the shadows and highlights aren’t very strong. In my image, I’ve achieved this by boosting the shadows, and pulling down the highlights.

7. Judging the Color

Now the photos are similar in tone, you can concentrate on the achieving a similar color.

First, change the Blending Mode of the Color Fill layer you made earlier to Luminosity. This shows you an accurate representation of the colors of the photos. Here, you can judge what colors to add, and what to take away in comparison. To do this, another Curves Adjustment Layer will be used to edit the individual Red, Green and Blue channels independently.

Notice how in my photo, the shadows are a brown/green color, and in the photo I’m trying to replicate, there’s a lot of blue and magenta tones. I’ve circled them in the screenshot to show you what I mean.

In other areas of the photo I want to replicate, the midtones have a slight purple cast to them, and the Highlights have a green/brown color.

8. Editing the Color

To begin, create a new Curves Adjustment Layer. Start by adjusting the shadows of your image to match the one you want to replicate, and go through each channel: Red, Green, and Blue.

To edit these colors, drag the end points of each color channel and adjust them by sliding them either vertically or horizontally.

In my example, a lot more blue needs to be added to the shadows, so I’ve pushed up the shadow base point in the blue channel, until the Output value is around 30. Then I’ve used more points to alter the Curve, and gradually pulled it back towards normal values towards the highlights region. I’ve then switched to the green channel and decreased the amount of green in the shadows, and then switched to the red channel and decreased the amount of red in the shadows.

Next, do the same for midtones and highlights, adjusting different parts of the curve in each color channel. It is an experimental process at first, but you will gain an understanding of curves and how colors mix between channels.

Notice how there is much more of a similarity between the color of the 2 photos now. You can see this clearly in the color map. Now, delete the Fill Color layer as you don’t need it anymore.

9. Vibrance and Saturation

Next, add a new Vibrance Adjustment layer. The Vibrance slider is used to adjust only the weaker colors in the photograph without affecting other colors that are already quite punchy and saturated. However, the Saturation slider affects the image as a whole, and all colors will be adjusted. Tweak these values to suit the look you’re trying to create.

In my example, the overall image is too saturated, but some of the weaker colors need to be stronger. I’m decreasing the value of the Saturation slider by around 10, whilst boosting the Vibrance slider by around 20. This gives the colors of my image a much more even look, and matches the film I’m trying to replicate a lot better.

10. Texture and Contrast

The next parts of the tutorial are for finishing process. You can start to get a little more creative and have some fun. To start off the finishing process and make the image look more authentic, the use of texture is a great way to add age. The method I’m going to show you also gives the photo a really flat contrast in the shadows.

First, scan a piece of black or dark grey card at a reasonably high resolution (300dpi or above). The more scratched and dusty it is, the better, as this will only add to the look of your final photo. I’ve provided my own scan as a file in the assets to use in your own photos.

Next, import the scan into your Photoshop document, and place it above all your adjustment layers. Set the Blending Mode to Lighten, and adjust the Opacity of this layer to suit to control the strength of the effect. I’ve adjusted the Opacity to 50% as it was too strong at 100%.

11. Film Dust and Additional Scratching

To add another layer of authenticity on top of the texture, I’ve added a dust and scratch texture created by DeviantArt user ChangDang.

Remember to give credit to the author when using it online, and always ask from explicit permission if you want to use it commercially.

Add the texture to your Photoshop document and resize it to cover the whole image by pressing Ctrl-T. Try and scale it proportionally to keep the shapes of the dust and scratches the same by holding the Shift while resizing. Now, set the Blending Mode to Lighten, and see the dust and grain appear. The textured effect looks fantastic in my opinion!

If the effect is too much for your taste, you can use a Layer Mask to paint out areas of the texture you don’t like. You can also use the Opacity slider to adjust how strong the effect is overall.

12. Grain

Film has a natural grain that is very hard to replicate authentically. The Noise filter is good enough for this job however, and I’m going to use it to add a natural looking grain.

First, duplicate your original photo layer by pressing Ctrl-J. This is being created purely as a fail-safe. Then with the new layer selected, go to Filter > Convert for Smart Filters. This makes all filters applied to this layer editable at any time, and does not permanently affect your original image.

Next, go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise. For the amount, choose around 7% for a fine grain, or more if you want a very gritty look. Make sure in the Distribution section the Gaussian button is checked, and at the bottom of the dialogue box, the Monochromatic box is also checked. This makes it look more like a fine film grain, rather than patchy sensor noise.

13. Vignetting

Finally, for a finishing touch, a vignette is also an excellent way to not only complete the look, but focus the viewers’ attention on the subject. With the duplicate photo layer selected (the one you just applied noise to) go to Filter > Lens Correction.

Click on the Custom tab, and look for the section titled Vignette. This is normally used to correct any vignetting issues when processing raw files, but we want to artificially add it. Drag the Amount slider down to a negative value. Around –45 to -50 is a strong enough effect.

Under the Midpoint section, use the slider to control how the vignette falls off towards the edges, and press OK when you’re finished.

Finally, hide the layer called you called Replicate, and save your image!

Alternative Methods, Software and Plug-ins

An alternative way to process your photos to look like film is to use standalone software, plugins and presets.

Though not as unique as creating your own effects and experimenting, using them can be a great time saver for when you want a fast way of producing decent results. They offer great flexibility in allowing you to tweak the effect completely too. There are a variety of packages that can do this for you, but I’ll show you two of my personal favourites.

A popular preset package called Film 03 comes from Visual Supply Company.

Available for Lightroom and Camera Raw, Film 03 is an excellent, editable set of presets that also includes a series of effects and camera profiles, which is available for $119. I think it’s one of the best sets of film emulation presets I have personally used, and the results speak for themselves.

VSCO Film 03

Another alternative is the Nik Software plug-in suite from Google. Available for Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture, the Nik Software suite offers a variety of editing options and is available for a reasonable $149.

Color Efex Pro 4 and Silver Efex Pro 2 are the stand out plug-ins from the pack, and offer extensive editing capabilities to help you achieve the film look. Silver Efex, in particular, has a selection of black and white film presets mimicking various manufacturers such as Ilford, Kodak, and Fuji. These are all editable and offer fine control over the grain structure, softness, and overall tints and tones.

Silver Efex Pro 2

Conclusion

I hope this tutorial has helped you understand how you can create an authentic film look to use on your photos. You should also now know what situations you can use them in.

Be sure to experiment with these effects and make your own versions of your favourite films, or create an entirely new look!

Thanks for reading! I’d love to see some of your own film inspired photographs, so be sure to put a link in the comments below

If you have any suggestions to share, please comment!

Phototuts+

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Some Other Uses for This Technique

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Quick Ground Rules

The Photograph

Photo Details & Inspiration

Understand How Autofocus Works: Part 2

The Quick Technical History

Physical Implementations

Phase Detection

Contrast Detection

Hybrid Detection

How Things Work

Focus And Distance

Phase Detect

Contrast Detect

Hybrid Systems

Conclusion

Understand How Autofocus Works: Part 1

What is Autofocus?

Using Autofocus

Manual vs. Auto Focus Point Selection

Alternatively, Leave the Focus Point in the Center

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Appropriate Times to Change Autofocus Points

Improving Your Autofocus

Tip #1: Aim For the Edges

Tip #2: Turn on AF Illumination in Dark Situations

Tip #3: Buy Faster Lenses

Richard Bernabe: My Best Work is Done when I Am Alone

Q Who is Richard Bernabe?

Q How did you discover that you wanted to be a photographer?

Q Looking at the dates, it was 10 years ago you decided to go full time as a photographer. Do you regret your choice these days, when living from photography seems to be harder than a decade ago?

Q You’ve been to Iceland and Patagonia, usual destinations for photographers. And you mentioned you intend to visit other locations too. But if you were told you could only choose a place to photograph for the rest of your life, which would you choose? Why?

Q In 2006 your first book, South Carolina Wonder and Light, was published by Mountain Trail Press. You’ve recently launched two eBooks, Essential Composition and Essential Light. What does writing mean to you and how do you feel having launched two eBooks about essential aspects of photography?

Q As an author, photographer and writer, do you intend to publish more eBooks and traditional books? And is there a difference between the eBook and regular book process?

Q You’re leading workshops and photo tours. Still you say you had no photographic education, no workshops or classes. So, why should people attend a workshop with you?

Q This is a must-have question for many readers, so here it goes: what is your advice to people that want to pursue photography and specifically in the same area you are?

Q Another classic question. What gear do you use these days? And what was your gear when you started?

Q What are your plans for the near future?

Photo Critique #192

Quick Ground Rules

The Photograph

Photo Details & Inspiration

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Making Your Digital Photo Look Like Film

The Film Look

A Few Notes

1. Picking the Right Photo

2. Find the Look You Want

3. Masking

4. Exposure Adjustments

5. Judging the Tone

6. Editing the Tone

7. Judging the Color

8. Editing the Color

9. Vibrance and Saturation

10. Texture and Contrast

11. Film Dust and Additional Scratching

12. Grain

13. Vignetting

Alternative Methods, Software and Plug-ins

Conclusion

Final Image