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The Second Comprehensive Guide to Vintage Film and Cameras

Cameron Knight — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:00:14 +0000

Today, we’re hopping back in the Delorean for another trip to the days when megapixel wasn’t a word and Google didn’t make special glasses that allow you to photograph with your mind (or whatever it is they do).

In the first installment of this article, we covered the classic film vs. digital debate, film speeds and sizes, black and white film, slide film and color negative film, along with a bunch of cameras.

Today, I hope to build on the knowledge and give you a snapshot of what is actually still available. Some may argue that film is an obsolete medium, but some cameras are far more obsolete than others.

Rest in Peace (Unless You’re Resourceful)

If you want to actually use them, not all film cameras are worth buying. The most common problem people face when purchasing a vintage camera is determining whether it takes film that is still available.

There are three film formats that were wildly popular back in the day, but are no longer practically available. Due to the prevalence in their own time, that means tons of these cameras are still lying around. They may look cool, but you should think twice before diving in.

127 Film

127 film was a roll film like 120 is today. 35mm film is considered a “cartridge” film. While 120 is a 6cm wide, 127 is 4cm wide. There were literally hundreds of different cameras that used 127 film. Kodak made a lot of them. Yashica made a great little twin lens camera that used the format (pictured above).

You’ll find these cameras everywhere today, and usually for cheap. Some may even look like they take 35mm film. They don’t. If you want a mantle piece, feel free to grab up these cameras, but know that it’s not a practical shooting choice.

If you already have one of these cameras, you can get film for them. Rollei/Agfa and Efke produce a few different types. Regardless of what you buy, expect to spend about $10 USD per roll.

Getting the film processed is a pain, too. You either need to hunt down some 127 reels and do it yourself or send it off where it will cost you $5 USD just to get your negatives back, and more for prints.

620 Film

At a certain point, Kodak was getting fed up with people using their film in some other company’s camera. So they said, “let’s create a new format, slightly different than our popular 120 format, and start making cameras for it.” They were such a goliath in the market that it worked. The format was called 620.

The actual film on a 620 spool is exactly the same as 120. The spool itself is slightly narrower. Kind of annoying right?

Film on 620 spools is still produced, but expect to spend $12 USD or more per roll. If you already have a 620 camera, you can attempt to bend or remove some of the pieces in it so it can accept 120, or you can respool. To respool, get your hands on some 620 spools, then buy some 120 film. In complete darkness, removes the 120 film from its spool and wind it on to a 620 spool.

16mm and other miniature formats

Miniature spy cameras, most famously the Minox and the Minolta 16, are just awesome. Many are smaller than cell phone. The cool factor makes you want one, bad. The trouble is the film. Minox film is just 8mm wide, but can cost $15 USD per roll or more, and that’s if you can even find it.

The slightly bigger 16mm film used in the Minolta and other clones is just as hard to hunt down. For years, people repurposed 110 film, respooling it into the 16mm cartridges. There’s now a new steady source of 110 film, so that may become an option again. You just have to find cartridges to put the film into.

Another option for “sub-miniature” shooters is cutting your own film from rolls of 35mm or 120. There are some commercial cutters available, but with some careful measuring, a good razor blade and some patience, you can make your own cutter.

Several very small cameras and point-and-shoots were made in the aforementioned 110 format. Lomography.com has begun to sell new 110 film in black and white. I suspect that 110 camera prices will rise because of this. If it catches on, Lomography will start producing different types of films as well.

Batteries

Another pitfall of buying vintage cameras is that some originally took mercury batteries that are no longer produced. Some of the compartments for these batteries look like they should accommodate a modern button cell, but just because it fits doesn’t mean it will work.

If you find yourself in this situation, you’ll need to look for Wein batteries. Wein produces some batteries that meet the original voltages and sizes of old batteries. They’re a little pricey, but it most case will last a year or more. A better solution is to by an adapter. These are small metal devices which hold an even smaller modern button cell. They control voltage problems and are designed to match the original sized compartments.

What’s Left

Many film cameras in traditional formats are still easy to feed with film. 35mm is obviously the easiest, but 120 is also widely available. As I mentioned, 110 film is now being produced by Lomography. Large format film is also available, though I won’t really be covering it in this article. The Impossible Project is producing a variety of Polaroid-type films, and Fuji is also still making instant films that fit in some older cameras.

If you stick to these formats, you’ll actually be able to use your camera the way it was intended to be used. Film is far from dead, and it is still capable of outperforming digital cameras in some ways. More than that, there are so many different film cameras out there, that the variety alone makes me keep shooting. Unlike modern digital cameras that all seem to look the same, these are different and in most cases way cooler!

Like last time, I’m going to outline a few cameras for you. These are all cameras I have personal experiences with. I currently own and use all but a couple of them. They range in price from a $10-$600 USD. There’s no doubt that each one is worth every penny.

Point and Shoots

We all know what point-and-shoot cameras are, right? Small auto focus cameras with few, if any, manual controls. We take these on vacation, to birthday parties, out to the bar. These are the cameras we always have with us in our pocket or purse. They make you concentrate on moment and composition instead of whether you need +.03 EV exposure compensation and a little less depth-of-field.

Nikon L35AF

I love Nikon cameras. I’m not a diehard fanboy, but back in the film days, they really were top notch. The L35AF is Nikon’s first auto-focus camera. It was introduced in 1983. It’s built like a tank and takes AA batteries (wooo hooo). It has a filter thread and meter cell inside of the thread so you don’t have to compensate.

The 35mm f/2.8 is tack sharp. The focus is fast, and not only that, you can verify it. Instead of just trusting the auto-ness, when you depress the shutter button halfway, a small needle will point to where the camera thinks you want to focus. If it looks right shoot, if not try again. The half-press is also a focus lock, so you can focus on your subject then recompose.

Prices for this camera are hard to predict. In an online auction, they can bring upwards of $75, but if you shop around you can score one for $20 or less.

Olympus Mju

The Mju or Stylus Infinity is an all around classic. It is small enough for a front pocket and utilizes a sturdy and protective clamshell design. There you have a button to control your flash, a button for the self-timer and a button for your shutter. That’s it.

Subsequent versions of this camera are even nicer. Some have zoom lenses or weather sealing. Some have an f/2.8 lens instead of an f/3.5. Your pictures will be sharp most of the time, just don’t shoot subjects too close to the camera.

These cameras are popular, so the prices can be a little inflated. Don’t pay more than $100 for one, even if it’s a later version with more bells and whistles. A typical original version should be around $40 USD. Look for the Stylus Epic as well.

The Rangefinder

Cartier-Bresson, W. Eugene Smith and Garry Winogrand. Do these names sound familiar? Each of these iconic photographers utilized the rangefinder camera to make some of their most influential images. The ability to see through the viewfinder as you do in real life, without the shallow depth-of-field created by lenses, forces to think different and gives you time to anticipate.

Leica III

Photo by Rei Shinozuka

What can I say about the Leica that hasn’t already been said. They’re well-built, classic cameras that support the best lenses in the industry. Too bad their so expensive, right? Well, not really.

The Leicas we all know and love are from the M series. The most recent being the M9 and its spin offs. Before the M series, there was the Leica I, II, and III. These take screwmount lenses instead bayonet-type M mount lenses.

They sport separate viewfinder and rangefinder windows, which can take a bit of getting used to, but what really counts is the excellent glass you can put on them.

Most Leica IIIs, with the exception of rare collectible editions, will run you between $160-350 depending on how nice of an example you want. Add a 50mm lens to that for an additional $250-450, and you have yourself I nice kit. Even at the top end you’re talking $800 or less… for a Leica!

Olympus XA

This is actually the predecessor to the aforementioned Mju. It’s the smallest rangefinder camera ever made. It sports a fixed 35mm f/2.8 lens. It has an electronic metering system and allows you to control it via an aperture priority system.

The cameras are a blast to use. They’re easy to focus and have a super light shutter release. In exchange for the fixed lens, you get an extremely small package, and Olympus’ favorite clamshell closure.

When buying one, please check the foam seals around the film door. Olympus didn’t use the best foam. It can become sticky and work itself into the camera gumming things up.

These cameras have held there value well. Expect to pay around $100 USD for a working one. Don’t get sucked into the later version of the camera. The XA2, XA3 and XA4 are all fine cameras, but they do not have a rangefinder and rely on scale focusing. They do not demand the high prices of the original XA.

The SLR

The single lens reflex camera is the gold standard for photography. It allows for precision of focus, composition and even depth-of-field. There’s a reason why the design has lasted as long as it has.

Pentax K1000

Through the 1970s and ’80s, photography classes in high schools and colleges across the globe had Pentax K1000 cameras for their students to use. What made them so desirable? They had no fancy features to confuse people. They were basic and easy to use. They were cheap. And most importantly, they were strong. A photography nerd could wallop 10 bullies in the head with a K1000 and still take photos with it.

The K1000 has everything you need in an SLR and nothing you don’t. You can buy one in “like new” condition for $160 USD. For slightly used example, expect to pay about $100 USD. I haven’t seen a single Pentax mount manual focus lens sell for more than $200, most are less that half that.

Leica R Series

Photo by Robert Couse-Baker

In the mid 1970s, Leica was starting to feel the burn of advanced automatic SLR sales. So the teamed up with Minolta to create an SLR with some technology in it. The result was the R3. The R4 followed, but was fraught with bugs. The R5 fixed those the bug. The R6 returned to being all mechanical. The R7 was much like the M7 in terms of electronics. There was also an R8 and R9.

The cameras themselves are very affordable for a Leica ranging between $200 and $600 USD depending on the model. The point of buying any Leica camera is to put great Leica glass on it. Most of the lenses for the R series are $400-600 USD.

These cameras might not be the best value for any SLR, but they’re great value for Leica.

Medium Format

When you want it bigger, there’s nothing that compares to medium format. It’s still highly portable, but offers you HD resolution. There’s nothing that beats the thrill of getting back your negatives from a medium format shoot. Instead of squinting at tiny little squares through a loupe, you can take in the image as is.

Bronica SQ-A

Medium format SLRs are impressive. With modular film backs, viewfinders and focusing screens, it’s hard to get a more customizable system. Hasselblad is the legendary maker of these cameras, but there were a few others in the game.

Bronica also made a variety of the hunky camera. The one I own is the SQ-A. Some had built-in meters and motor drives, others didn’t. That’s the main different between the different SQ models.

The electronic shutter makes it less finicky than the mechanical Hassies, and the multi-coated glass is wonderful. The best aspect of it is the price.

You have to buy a lot of pieces when you buy a Bronica. You need the body, a film back, a lens and a viewfinder. If you go for the cheapest combination of those things, you can get kitted out for less than $300 USD. Additional lens are relatively cheap running between $100 and $400 USD. The film backs are what really get you. Some of them can cost as much as $200 USD. Be patient if you want to buy several.

Vintage Folders

In the last installment of this article, I mentioned a Zeiss Nettar 120 folding camera. Those are, in fact, vintage folding cameras. Since that time, I’ve found many other great versions of 120 folding cameras.

The basic idea with all of them is that they have fixed lenses and collapsible bellows. When purchasing these, note the frame size. Some will be 6 x 4.5cm which will typically give you a vertical photo when the camera is oriented normally. Some will be 6 x 6cm, others 6x7cm or even 6x9cm.

If possible, use a flashlight in a dark room to test the bellows for light leaks. Many times, you’ll need to gamble on these cameras, but often they’re so cheap that it’s ok.

Zeiss remains a good option here, but Agfa and Kodak were also major manufacturers of folding cameras. There were also dozen (or likely hundreds) of independent manufacturers that went into and then out of business. Some of these cameras are quite good. My current favorite is a 6×4.5cm Korelle camera. The struts for this camera are in a unique configuration, and it folds up small enough for a back pocket.

Oddities

In this category, I’ve decided to feature two cameras that fall in the “alternative” format category. If you choose to shoot with either of these cameras, you’re bound to fall in love. There are hundreds of great, viable cameras out there that don’t fall into the formats above just like these. Just be sure to do your research before buying.

Pentax 110 Auto

Photo by skagman

As I mentioned at the top of this article, 110 is now being produced by Lomography for about $8 USD per roll. Not a great price, but not so high that you’re worried about each and every shot.

I’d argue that the best 110 camera ever made is the Pentax 110 Auto. It’s most likely the smallest true SLR camera ever made, meaning a camera that allows you to look through the lens. It also has interchangeable f/2.8 lenses. 100 film is about half the size of 35mm, so you double the focal length of the lenses to get a 35mm equivalent.

Since the film is so small, you’re not going to get fantastic results by today’s standards, but you should have no trouble making 4×6 prints from your negatives.

The Pentax 110 Auto with three lenses could fit in a big coffee cup. If you’re concerned about portability, this is the camera for you.

Polaroid EE100 Special

Thanks to the Impossible Project, Polaroid instant films are not being made again. Unfortunately for users who remember the real thing, it doesn’t seem like Impossible has managed to create something that’s as stable and true-to-color as the original films. For some that’s fine, for others, maybe not.

Never fear, there is another option. Fuji has been making instant film for years and some of it fits in old school Land cameras. Their FP-100C and FP-3000B films both fit Model 100 through 450 Land Cameras and the EE100 Special.

The reason that I’m electing to feature the EE100 is that the other Land camera models take weird 4.5 volt batteries that are no longer widely available. The EE100 and two similar cameras called The Reporter and the Pro-Pack all use normal AA batteries. But that’s not to say the other Land cameras are unusable, but more trouble.

They make images that are 85x108mm. Keep in mind that these cameras are folding cameras, so they require the normal check of the bellows.

Go Get One

I think it’s pretty obvious that I love old cameras. And I think you should, too. If you hope to find one of these gems, head to your local thrift shop or Goodwill. Antique stores may be a good bet, but can sometimes be over priced. Ebay is an option, but you won’t usually find great deals. In my city, there’s a camera swap every few months that always yields something. And finally, don’t forget grandma’s attic or basement. Good hunting!

A Poor Man’s Guide to Budget Macro Photography

Josh Johnson — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:00:51 +0000

Macro photography can be an absolutely stunning way to view the world as you’ve never seen it before. However, high equipment costs represent a formidable barrier to entry in this particular field, leaving anyone without a large lens budget left out. Today we’ll discuss how to bypass these costs with some cheap and crafty tricks for getting up close and personal with your subjects.

May of 2010

Don’t Break Your Camera

The methods and devices discussed in this article are exactly what the introduction claims: cheap. Using these will most likely get you decent results, not amazingly professional photographs (though it’s definitely possible to get stunning results!).

Some of the methods below, if implemented poorly, could even result in damage to your lens or camera. For this reason we recommend that you proceed with caution and avoid anything that you think could harm your equipment.

Ultimately, the best way to get great results is to purchase a nice macro lens. If you want high quality professional shots, there’s simply no substitute. However, if you’re just looking to get started in macro and want to have some fun, check out the options below.

Reverse Mounting

This method is by far the most bizarre. It turns out one of the easiest ways to get a lens to shoot close-up is to flip it around backwards! There are plenty of high-level technical explanations for why and how this works, but unless you’ve got a strong grasp of the math behind focal lengths and diopters, it’s enough to make your head spin.

What you need to know is that reverse mounting can yield high magnification. It’s actually a fairly popular technique and can be accomplished in a variety of ways.

DIY Reverse Mounting

As you can see in the picture below, DIY reverse mounting can get pretty crazy.

This method actually uses an extension (which we’ll discuss below) and a reverse mount. What you’ll need to do is to take the lens hole cover that came with your camera and cut a big hole in it to give you a fitting that will attach to your camera’s body. Then insert a PVC pipe securely into that fitting and place a rubber coupling over the pipe.

Finally, flip your lens around backwards and stuff it into the rubber coupling. Make sure everything is nice and snug so that nothing falls out and smashes to pieces on the ground.

Additional optional steps include sanding everything down and painting it black so that it doesn’t look like you’ve got a giant PVC pipe sticking out of your camera.

For a more detailed set of instructions, check out this step-by-step guide: DIY Macro Lens Reverse Mount Extension Tube

Of course, if you really want to mess up your equipment, you can forgo all that complicated coupling stuff and just use a ton of tape:

Reverse Mounting Adapters

An easier and much safer way to go is to just pick up reverse mount adapter, also known as macro coupler.

These handy rings contain two male ends: one that screws into the tiny threads on the front of your lens and one that screws into your camera’s body. This makes it easy and relatively safe to reverse mount your lens without fear of it falling off.

Reverse mount adapters are actually really cheap; you can usually pick one up on Amazon for less than $15.

Rather than reverse mounting a lens directly onto the camera body, you can combine it with another lens using a similar adapter. The rig below uses a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens mounted onto a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro lens.

Reverse Mounting Example Shots

So you can get a true feel for the quality of results that reverse mounting can provide, here are some shots taken with various reverse mount rigs.

Reverse Lens Macro 001 – Edge of a Canadian Quarter!

My Eye: Take 2

The Cozy Eatery

Your basic US penny

Crawling Around

Wheat Husk

Water Drop

Extension Tubes

Extension tubes, which can be used alone or in conjunction with reverse mounting, essentially serve to extend the length of your lens. Normally, your SLR won’t allow you to take a picture if you’re too close to your subject due to focusing issues. By using an extension tube you can get the lens a lot closer to what you’re shooting while maintaining focus.

Extension tubes are generally sold as a set with varying tube sizes. The longer the extension tube is, the closer the lens will be able to focus. A typical set might contain a 12 mm, 20 mm, and 36 mm tube.

Extension tube sets are a lot pricier than reverse rings but still plenty cheaper than a nice macro lens. Most good tube sets will run between $100-200. Here are some links to a few sample tube sets:

And of course, you can just build one yourself with some PVC pipe and a few couplers. Here’s a good breakdown of the process: Diy Macro Extension Tube With Pictures And Instructions

Extension Tube Example Shots

Again, so you can get a sense of the magnification quality, here are some example shots taken with extension tubes. Remember that results will vary drastically depending on the setup and equipment.

Canon with extension tubes

Macro test shot with Extension tube

Extension Tube Experiment

Testing the hacked extension tube

Day 12 – Extension Tube

Face of a Southern Yellowjacket Queen

Bellows

Bellows are bizarre devices that look like they came from the 1950s. Bellows use the same exact principle as an extension tube: by extending the length of your lens they allow you to get closer to whatever you’re shooting while remaining focused.

However, bellows are different in that they have an accordion-like body that allows for a highly controllable range of lengths. Modern bellows allow a great amount of control and very minute adjustments for precise focusing. Further, bellows allow you to reach a longer extension without having to worry about bending your tubes or breaking your camera mounts.

It looks like you can grab a decent bellows for around $50, whether you’re shooting Canon or Nikon.

Bellows seem to have a fairly wide range of prices and quality, so be sure to shop around and decide whether your goals and budget are better suited by a basic or expensive set to really ensure you’ll be satisfied with the product.

Bellows Example Shots

Finally, here are some photos taken with bellows.

bellows-macro-experiment

Stamen, Zeiss Flektagon 35mm f2.4 + Macro Bellows

Anterior Median and Anterior Lateral Eyes of a Phidippus princeps Jumping Spider

Close Encounter

Celtic Knot Macro

RIB

Salticidae

Pros and Cons

The techniques and devices above provide photographers with some of the cheapest ways possible to take decent macro shots. Reverse mounting is a crude but effective may to increase your magnification and extension tubes and bellows allow you to overcome focusing problems when trying to get physically close to your subject. You can even mix and match these techniques to really push the limits of what you can achieve.

However, there are definitely downsides. As stated before, all of these methods represent a compromise in quality when compared to an actual macro lens. Further, the DIY procedures can and will fail you if you aren’t careful and confident in your ability to create a solid finished product. Finally, many of these devices, especially the DIY versions, will eliminate any of the automatic functions of your lens. Focusing and adjusting your lens settings can therefore be quite tricky (especially with reverse mounting). To add to focusing issues, your DOF can become very shallow at high magnifications and close ranges, making it hard to get a crisp shot. You’ll also want to be sure to invest in a good tripod as macro photography tends to require long exposures.

Beyond these global limitations, each method has it’s own pros and cons. The reverse mount is simple enough with a converter and can provide great magnification, but you’re leaving the inside of your lens exposed to all kinds of dust and foreign debris that can quickly reduce or ruin its functionality. Be sure to keep the lens cover screwed on at all times when you are not shooting to help prevent this.

Extension tubes are easy to install and don’t expose your lens to dust but provide extra length and weight that could possibly lead to damage on the mounts of your camera’s body. Bellows can be safer and lighter but are considerably more bulky and awkward.

Conclusion

The key takeaway here is that you don’t have to possess a large equipment budget to try your hand at macro photography. The solutions above might not result in the highest quality photos, but they get the job done and can be a great point of entry.

Let us know in the comments below which of these solutions you’ve tried and what you thought of the results. Also be sure to drop in any links you have to example shots you’ve taken with reverse mounts, extension tubes or bellows.

How to Shoot a Time Lapse Video of the Sun – Tuts+ Premium

Andrew Childress — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:00:20 +0000

We have another Photo Premium tutorial exclusively available to Premium members today. In this tutorial, we’ll teach you all about time lapse photography. Learn more after the jump!

Time lapse photography is a great way to express the passage of time. We can combine the best of photography and video in order to show viewers how time can impact a space. Today, I’ll share my ideas on how best to use the technique, as well as a total walkthrough of how to get the best results. We’ll go from scouting to camera settings to editing it all for a great final product.

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This is a really interesting technique to perfect, and you’ll be really pleased with the result! This Premium tutorial will help you get started with ease.

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An In-Depth Guide to Effectively Capturing Dereliction and Decay

Simon Bray — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:00:29 +0000

Sometimes as a photographer I get overwhelmed by the thought of the amount of subject matter that is out there for me to capture. There are always new sites and exciting people to photography, but for me, there is just as much interest in capturing what has been left behind. New subject matter is exactly that, new, it’s not had time to develop, grow, gain context and a history.

What’s the Attraction

You may well be asking at this point, why on earth would you want to drag yourself around a crumbling and decaying wasteland. To some extent, you’ve got a point. It’s not the most glamourous of locations to work in.

However, there’s a lot to be said that as photographers, it’s up to us to document the world around us. In the case of dereliction, it’s important that we capture it while it is still there, to preserve it in time. In the majority of cases, the location will have seen much better days, so in that case, the point of interest is in how and why it has ended up this way.

Photo by Kalart97

Finding Locations

Finding suitable locations when working on this type of project can be tricky. It’s often hard to tell what you’re going to find behind crumbling walls. There may be buildings such as old churches, factories, mills or warehouses that you pass each day on the way to work that might have just been left to waste away.

You might be able to gain access to a local historian you might know of interesting buildings and locations in the area that have a long and varied history, but have now been deserted. Take your time and do some research before you start exploring. You’ll have a better chance of finding somewhere suitable for your shoot.

Photo by Peter Castleton

Permission

Before we get to the photography bit, there are a few points that I want to make from the start. It’s of paramount important that you don’t trespass on private property just to get a photo.

If you’re unsure about the location and whether you have access and the right to be there, please check. In writing this article, I am encouraging you to go exploring derelict buildings, but only if you have permission from the landowner!

Photo by Paul Tomlin

Safety First

Derelict buildings can be treacherous places and it’s essential that you don’t enter into any dangerous situations or put yourself or anyone else at risk. If you can, explore during daylight hours to avoid any mishaps in the dark.

Ideally, take someone with you so you can look out for each other during your visit. If not, ensure that you tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back. A torch, even during daylight hours, as you never know the dark depths you might find. A pair of strong boots is also advised.

Photo by Kalart97

Getting Kitted Up

For this sort of trip, there isn’t any requirement to have a particular type of camera, simply something that you are happy using and preferably has manual controls. You don’t want to be carrying around vast amounts of gear, but I would recommend taking both a flashgun and a tripod.

A flashgun can be particularly useful as old buildings can often be quite dark and dingy without much natural light and very little chance of any electricity for artificial light. A tripod is always useful when working with larger scale shots and will enable you to open up the shutter for that much longer if need be.

Photo by Robbieredball

Know the History & Tell the Story

It’s important that before embarking on your trip, you understand the location and it’s context. It will certainly have a history, which may be interesting, or may be very dull. Either way, know what the building was used for and why it was left as it has will inform the photographs that you take.

Having that context and background aids your creative process and allows you to construct the story of the place using your photographs in order to portray the location in the way you want.

Photo by Kalart97

Capturing the Main Attractions

So now we get on to actually taking some photos. Like with any architectural or landscape style shoot, it’s important that you get some wide angle establishing shots. These will help paint the scene for the viewer and put everything in context, allowing them to gauge the atmosphere of the place before delving deeper.

Ensure that you pay attention to any particular features, for example, a mill may have a large water wheel, which will be important to make a point of.

Photo by Blinkingidiot

Detail Shots

Once you’ve put everything in context with your large scale shots, it’s important to remember the details that make the place what it is and give it the character that it possesses.

Aspects such as flecks of ancient dried paint, chipped woodwork window frames, cracks in the glass, that moss or lichen growing up the wall, all make for very engaging close up shots. Keep your eyes peeled as you explore. Details that one might usually ignore can make for great decay shots.

Photo by Windy

Get Creative

When on your visit, it’s important to take your time. The inclination is to get excited and rush into the shoot, but I find it far more fruitful to enjoy exploring at a slow pace, taking it all in.

It’s likely that all this subject matter is new to you and you’re seeing it for the first time, so not only will there be a lot to take in, but you’ll have that fresh enthusiasm which will aid your photographic creativity.

Don’t be afraid to try some more experimental photographic techniques, working with angles and vantage points, but also long exposures and HDR, it all depends upon the context.

Photo by Robbieredball

Now It’s Your Turn

Getting the opportunities to photograph derelict buildings can be difficult, but once you get the chance, it can be an extremely rewarding project to undertake.

The ability to turn something old and forgotten into something artistic and give it new life should be relished. There may be opportunities to undertake projects if a particular building or area is celebrating an anniversary.

You may even be able to gather together people who worked or lived there to photograph them alongside the derelict buildings and tell the story of years gone by.

Photo by Mike McSharry

Building a Narrative Through Photojournalism

Jose Antunes — Mon, 28 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Telling visual stories is the work and craft of the photojournalist. I remember it from the first hard news story I covered, back in 1980: a bank robbery that completely defined my future.

The images on this page tell the story of a man saved from the sea, the same day a preeminent Portuguese pianist died when falling from the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic outside Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, while taking photographs.

Rock fishermen on the Portuguese coast take risks to get to the best places for fishing. And in the act give photographers some amazing pictures.

The pictures for this article were taken on the same coast and line of cliffs, but a few miles north, and cover a situation that had a happy end. There is a story in these images and there’s a lesson for all those that want to cover news, either hard news or simply to tell the story of a day out with the family.

Here are some general tips on how to organize your picture taking, define what is important, and do the best you can with the gear you have in hand. But first you have to seize the moment and also be watchful of things happening around you.

A Bank Robbery

It had been a long day out, photographing on the coast of Sintra (check on Google to have an idea of this coastal area), and I was already moving towards home, but still not sure if I would stay around for sunset. The ambulance that dashed by me on the opposite direction made me alert.

A second siren echoed closer to me from a fire department van with the letters DIVE RESCUE painted on the side. This forced me into a decision. I went after them. I was tired, but if you’ve been covering news for years, there’s an “itch” that stays inside you forever.

Once you define that you have a story you want to tell, you need to get the general shots that will be the foundation of it. They need to be technically sound, but also show content that matters.

I had that first experience some 32 years ago, on the 5th of May 1980, when a Portuguese terrorist group called FP-25 robbed a bank and killed a police officer. I was close by, always with a camera, and was the first photographer on the scene.

I took all the pictures I could at the bank, contacted a newspaper in Lisbon, agreed they would publish the story, and went on to interview people at the police station to get some more details. I made the front page of the newspaper the day after.

Adrenalin Flowing

I had dabbled in writing and photography since the end of the seventies, even had some work published, but that moment defined the years to come and most of my future. The idea of writing and photographing was exciting. It still is today.

A picture of the fisherman waiting to be saved pairs with another image that shows the Navy dinghy flying over the waves. There’s no doubt to the reader of the meaning of the two images.

From a terrorist assault to an embassy to police stations blown by bombs, I’ve lived through some situations that force you to define your priorities in terms of picture taking. And although I’ve used those skills for other kinds of more calm imagery, this recent story got my adrenalin flowing high again.

While the dive team was preparing to enter the water, a Navy dinghy appeared in the horizon, further down along the coast. Flying – it’s the right term – over the waves, the boat was close to the fisherman in a few minutes, saving him from the water. A happy end.

Firemen on a plateau, near the water, point the dinghy pilot the right direction to the fallen fisherman. A picture that helps to tell the story

Keep Shooting!

I never stopped taking pictures. I started by taking a picture of the fire department cars and people close to the cliff’s edge. Then I followed by some images of the fisherman. Even my 400mm on a crop APS-C body could not get closer. The approaching Navy dinghy was next in my priorities and I had time to glance at some firemen that had reached the base of the cliff, and were signaling the dinghy people the direction of the man waiting – and wanting – to be rescued.

Soon it was over. But I still got pictures of the fisherman being taken onboard, and the moment he raised his arms to the audience on the cliff. Some people on the cliff even clapped their hands. Slowly the dinghy started to move way to the nearest port. Life was getting back to normal, again.

The moment the fisherman is taken from the water. The position of the dinghy helped to get a good image as there was no way to move to another angle.

Practice, Practice, Practice

News like this happens every day, everywhere. You don’t need to have a lot of gear. I just used my 100-400mm for all the pictures. You just have to know your camera well, so you can define exposure and all the rest without hesitation. The other side of the story would be contact a newspaper and offer to sell them the images. Don’t give them away, it’s the giving that has made photojournalists poorer. If the photos are good, even if you’re an amateur, you should get paid, not with a credit line in the newspaper but with real money.

Be fast. Think fast about which shots you need to create the narrative, do those first and then keep shooting. And don’t stop when all seems finished. If I had I would not have the two images that make the difference.

The fisherman with arms raised on one picture and the man taking a snapshot of the dinghy while a woman member of the fire department uses her cell phone. Those images show exactly one thing: human nature. They’re important to make your readers stop and look again, and again. And maybe smile, especially because it all ended well.

The final two pictures help the reader put the whole story together, human elements and all.

Practice building narratives with anything that happens around you. Don’t just shoot single images, try to build stories. This is a tip that I learned back in the eighties and managed never to lose grip of.

Get your images as things happen, try to build a narrative, because there’s no second time in news gathering of this kind. If I can do it, you can do it. After all it is just like riding a bike. Even if you’ve not done it for years, you still know the essential aspects of it.

Greg Weight on Portraits and Landscapes

Cameron Knight — Sun, 27 May 2012 14:00:59 +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+.

Today, we’re featuring Greg Weight, an Australian landscape and portrait photographer. He began work at the Yellow House in Sydney in the 1970s. For many years, he took insightful photos of artists due to his respect for them. His night landscapes and portraits of Aboriginal Australians are also not to be missed.

You can see more of Weight’s excellent photography work at his website, www.gregweightphoto.au.com.

Quick Tip: Balancing ISO and Aperture to Achieve the Results You Want

Andy Wright — Sat, 26 May 2012 14:00:02 +0000

Shooting action requires a photographer to be quick on his feet and with his settings. It takes more than the speed of the shutter to capture the moment. ISO and aperture are two functions that can dramatically change the result of an image.

Know the Best Action Technique

Keep in mind that one of the most important techniques to learn as an action photographer is to keep one eye in the viewfinder and the other eye tracking the action. That way, you can anticipate your subject’s next move and be prepare to change the settings accordingly.

But thinking so quickly doesn’t come without first knowing which choice of settings are going to achieve the image you want.

Photo by DoudD

To Raise or Not to Raise (the ISO that is)

Setting a higher ISO is typically used for low-light situations, as it makes the sensor more sensitive to the available light. But it’s also a crucial setting when it comes to shooting action. A higher ISO – anything from 600 to 6400 – also means an image with more grain. Some photographers like the look of more grain as it makes the image more film-like in appearance. But others prefer their action shots to be as sharp as possible.

Choosing to raise the ISO instead of widening the aperture will affect the background of the image. Set a higher ISO and a small aperture if you want the background to stay in focus. Especially in low-light situations.

A deep depth-of-field is great for photojournalists who need to keep the background in focus for the story of the photograph. Is the name of that building your subject is walking out of important to the story the image tells? If so, you may want to consider ISO the priority in a situation like that.

A benefit to shooting with a higher ISO is that it’s much easier to focus on your moving subject. A wide aperture (shallow depth-of-field) makes it trickier to stay focused on the action.

Photo by Steve-h

Or Open the Aperture

The biggest benefit to widening the aperture is a more compressed image. The effect can be very artistic, as the subject or point of interest is sharp but the background isn’t. Many photographers prefer the shallow depth-of-field in shooting action because it makes the subject pop out against the location.

Whether you’re shooting wildlife or sports, think about what it is you want to highlight. What would the audience of this photo be most interested in? For many sports photographers, choosing a wide aperture is a great option because it puts the focus directly on the athlete.

Photo by Fadzly @ Shutterhack

It’s also a good idea to widen the aperture and blur the background when there’s an eyesore in the background. An aspect to shooting action is that you aren’t in control of the action itself. You can’t control where your subject is going or what they will do. All you can do is be prepared and think ahead.

For example, if a bird suddenly starts eating a fish too big to swallow, but is standing on top of a trash can, you probably want to widen the aperture. That way, you can disguise the fact there’s a trash can there while preserving the interest of the image – which is what the subject is doing.

Photo by Paul Coster

Ready, Set, Settings

Action photographers pay very close attention to their subjects. Remember to keep one eye following the subject and the other framing the shot in the viewfinder. The trick is to anticipate where your subject is going. That way, you can quickly decide and change your settings and not miss the shot.

Choosing between ISO and aperture priority is a balancing act. Practice setting a high ISO for some shots and a wide aperture for others – and then compare the results. Eventually, knowing how and why to change your settings quickly and it will become second nature.

Photo Critique #138

Cameron Knight — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:34 +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 D7000
78mm
f/25
1/50
ISO 100

Taken at sunset after a thunderstorm, I tried to get the ethereal light sometimes seen in that situation. My photography teacher kicked himself because he was caught without a camera when the storm happened.

Photographer: Maria Schnell

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!

Easy Tips to Get Great Travel Portraits

Simon Bray — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:00:05 +0000

For many of us, visiting somewhere away from home can feel like just that, somewhere that isn’t our home. There’s often so much for us to engage with, so much to take in, that it’s easy to forget that it’s someone else’s home. Travel portraits enable you to engage with the people that call that place home and can not only give you a greater understanding of the country you’re in, but also make connections with people who you’d otherwise have never had the pleasure of meeting.

Why Travel Portraits?

As a tourist, it’s very easy to get carried away with visiting attractions, photographing architecture and famous landmarks. As a photographer, I always enjoy trying to delve a little bit deeper.

To really try to understand a place, you need to be there for an extended amount of time, but during your short visit as a tourist, there are ways in which you can go further than just photographing the surface and actually try to capture the essence of the place.

For me, interacting and photographing the locals gives me amazing insight into the place I’m visiting. It gives a greater sense of what the place is actually like and helps to engage with the daily life to see it from the natives’ perspective.

Photo by Zigg-E

Facing the Fear of Asking

Getting past the fear of asking someone if you can take their photograph is a very important step to take if you want to succeed at taking travel portraits. If this is something you do at home anyway, then you’ll find it far less intimidating when abroad.

it’s all about having confidence and understanding that the worst that will happen is that the person will say no! It may be the case the person you’re asking is far more intimidated by you, being a stranger with a camera, than you are of them. If language is an issue, then simply smile, point at your camera and gesture taking a photo. It’s amazing how far basic body language, a thumbs up and thumbs down will get you.

Photo by Liv Unni Sodem

Getting Kitted Up

As far as equipment goes, there’s aren’t any requirements for anything in particular, as long as you have a camera that you’re happy working with. A DSLR will give you the greatest capabilities, but if you’re traveling light, a camera such as the new Fuji X-Pro1 would be ideal.

Lens wise, something like a 50mm prime lens is great for portraits, nice and quick, allows you to get nice and close to your subject and offers you the required shallow depth of field.

Some photographers also like to carry a flash or reflector, but again this depends upon space and personal preference. It’s also always a good idea to carry spare batteries and memory, especially if you’re traveling for days at a time.

Photo by geezaweezer

Portrait Technique

The usual portraiture tips apply. The most important thing being that you focus on the eyes, which will give you the strongest possible connection to the subject.

In some cases, it can be a good idea to use manual focus over autofocus to ensure that you do get the eyes pin sharp. Use depth of field to blur out the background to avoid any distractions behind the subject.

Photo by Daniel Gorecki

In Context

It’s important that you’re not overly intrusive into someone’s day. It may the case that you photograph the subject in a situation and then move on, in which case, there’s no need to over organize or stage manage anything.

Having them in context can often be the best and most natural way of getting the shot you want. However, in some situations it can be nice to work with your subject to photograph them in a specific scene or context. So maybe finding a nice textured background to stand them in front of.

Sometimes it works nicely to shoot your subjects head on, but don’t feel restricted to one vantage point, maybe side on or with a slightly tilted head will work nicely.

Photo by Jez D

The All Important Lighting

With travel portraits, it can be very difficult to get the ideal light for the shot you want. In most scenarios, it will be a case of utilizing the available light as effectively as possible.

Making the light work in your favor can be the difference between a good shot and a great shot, so take your time to assess your options before diving in with your camera. If you’re outside, avoid harsh direct sunlight. If you’ve got no choice, have your subject move so that sunlight is hitting them side on. If you’re inside, use light from a window or open doorway.

Photo by Dave Watts

Act Quickly

It’s important that with all the factors that I have detailed so far that you’re able to make quick decisions and think fast. This will come with time and practice, but in order to capture natural reactions, smiles, interactions and people working and living in context, you need to be able to make snap decisions in order to get the shots you want.

Show People the Photos

Photo by Silas Dich

Many of your subjects won’t have access to the photographic technology that you’re using, so the opportunity to see their faces on a screen will be a real novelty. If applicable, you can ask for an email address in order to send the subject the photo.

Be sure you take note of the shot number or time/date next to the email address, so you get the right person. However, ask sensitively, as in many poorer countries, email isn’t something they’ll have access to. Mailing prints is always a good move as well.

Photo by geezaweezer

To Pay or Not To Pay?

The customs regarding payment to subjects for having their photos taken varies from country to country. In places like Morocco, it’s seen as obligatory, where as others will be slightly less inclined to demand payment from you.

There is a line of thought that suggests payment encourages begging, so if you’re not sure, ask a guide or someone at your hotel. At the end of the day, it’s up to you. It doesn’t have to be much, just a few small coins will be a sufficient contribution.

Whatever you do, don’t agree to pay and then just leave after you’ve taken your shots, not only will this cause tension at the time, but it will teach the locals that they shouldn’t trust tourists and photographers.

Photo by Liv Unni Sodem

Over to You

So there we have it, a simple guide to taking travel portraits. A lot of the process comes down to confidence, not necessarily in your ability to take the right shot, but to grant yourself the opportunity to get the shot.

It may be worth trying it out somewhere closer to home, even in the local town centre, to gain a bit of confidence in asking people if you can take their photo. Some people will say no, some will say yes, but you’ll come away with some shots and hopefully feel far more prepared for the next time you’re on your travels and want to dig a bit deeper and capture some of the natives.

Photo by Dave Watts

How to Shoot With an Extremely Shallow Depth-of-Field

Cameron Knight — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:00:21 +0000

So you’ve saved every penny, and your piggy bank is full to bursting. It’s time to cash that in money and buy a new lens. And what better choice than a fast prime lens? These offer plenty of benefit’s, and we’re going to dive into one of those benefit’s today: that shallow, professional and silky shallow depth of field.

June of 2010

Getting In-Depth with Depth-Of-Field

I’m about to get all Mr. Wizard on you, so hold on tight. I’magine a lens in profile. It looks sort of like football or a pointy oval. If you cut that shape in half between those two points, you would have two shapes that look like triangles. Now think back to those early school days. What are triangle-shaped pieces of glass called? If you said “prisms”, you get a gold star and a extra five minutes at recess. Check out what I’m talking about in the illustration below.

Now think about what a prism does. It creates rainbows from white light. It essentially “pulls” light apart. That’s almost the opposite of what a camera is trying to do, it’s trying to focus light and keep it together.

Using a wide aperture reveals those narrower, pointy parts of the lens. When you’re stopped down, you’re only using the center part which isn’t shaped as much like prism. The more your lens looks like two prisms, the more things will be out of focus, and the less depth-of-field you’ll have.

And who doesn’t want that shallowness? In fact, we pay big bucks to get it. By understanding how depth-of-field works and the concepts above, you’ll really be able to handle that pricey lens. And you’ll be able to better understand the other topics we’re going to cover.

From A Distant Land

There are three things that affect your depth-of-field. The first is aperture, which we just talked about. The second thing is distance. If you have an old manual focus lens with distance markings on it, you’ll see that the short distance markings cover much more area than the longer distances.

The 1 meter marking might be two centimeters away from the 2 meter marking, but the 10 meter marking might only be half a centimeter away from the 20 meter marking. The reasoning behind this is hard to explain and involves a graphing exponential curves, but it’s connected with the fact that the further away you are from something, the more depth-of-field, you’ll have.

If you’re shooting a lens at f/2 and your subject is 1 meter away, the distance your depth-of-field is covering may only be 15 cm. But if you’re focusing on something 10 meters away, you might have a range of 50 cm. Basically, the greater the distance, the greater the depth-of-field. You can see an illustration of this concept below.

The Two-Thirds/One-Third Rule

As I hinted at above, depth-of-field is a definable range. At a certain distance with a certain f/stop, you might have 30 cm of depth in focus. Keep in mind that two-thirds of this depth extends behind your subject (the thing your focusing on), and one-third extends in front of it.

For example, lets say you’re focusing at 90 cm and, due to your lens, you have a depth-of-field of 30 cm. Everything from 80cm to 110 cm will be in focus. 20 cm behind of your subject, 10 cm in front. Two-thirds, one-third. See the illustration below to visualize this idea.

Sidenote

For those of you who have advanced degrees in physics, you may have connected the two-thirds/one-third rule with distance. You get less depth-of-field at closer ranges, which is why the depth-of-field doesn’t extend as far in front of your subject as it does behind.

This isn’t an important connection to make or understand, it’s just interesting. If you look at the chairs in the photos below, you can see how this idea might affect your images.

Length Matters

The last thing that affects your depth-of-field is the focal length of your lens. The longer the focal length, the less depth-of-field. If you have a 50mm lens set at f/1.4 and an 85mm lens set at f/1.4, and they are both focused on thing at the same distance: The 85mm lens will have a shallower depth-of-field. This phenomenon is related to how optics are set-up and again, physics.

It’s just important to note that a longer lens inherently has a shallower depth-of-field than a short lens. The image below was made with an 85mm lens set at f/1.4. I was pretty far away, and yet the depth-of-field was shallow enough to create a cool effect.

Chromatic Aberration

Back to the prism issue for a moment. Because lenses with wide apertures are shaped more like prisms, they are more likely to suffer from chromatic aberration. Chromatic aberration is literally the “pulling apart of colors that I mentioned early. Modern lens coatings and aspherical lens shapes help cut down on this, but it’s still a risk, especially in older lenses.

Chromatic aberration can make things on one color appear foggy or sometimes make them appear slightly shifted in position. The pinks of the flowers and the light green leaves at the top of this image have a slight haze around them due to chromatic aberration. They are not out of focus, but they are a much different color than the surrounding background color, which emphasizes the aberration.

Flare

Lens flare is a little more commonly encountered than chromatic aberration. Flare occurs when a light source is directly hitting your lens. It might not even be in the image, it might be just out of frame. It cause circles or streaks of light to appear in the final image. Point a wide angle lens at the sun, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

This problem is also related to the prism issue, and wide aperture lenses are much more prone to flare than lenses with smaller apertures. Lens coatings help, but the best solution for flare is a lens hood. While hoods dont help if the light source in your frame, they do a great job of blocking that light coming from just outside the image.

A completely unrelated benefit is that they protect you lens from unintentional bumps and drops as well. The images below has a huge amount of flare, this is due to the wide aperture of the lens, and the wide angle of the lens. Wide angle lenses are more prone to flare as well.

Focusing in Brackets

Focusing a lens at f/2.8 can be difficult. The ultra fast lenses, like the f/1.2 and f/1.4, can be so touchy that autofocus systems can have trouble with them. Autofocus works best in high contrast situations, so in low contrast scenes it might be necessary to do a little bracketing.

Most people know about exposure bracketing, and the perfectionists among us might even dabble with white balance bracketing. Focus bracketing follows the same process. This technique will only really work with stationary or mostly stationary objects. Just use your autofocus to start. Once it’s locked on, just turn it off. Manually back the focus up a little, shoot, and then go a little past where it was before, and shoot again.

We are talking about half a millimeter in both directions. Less is more with this one. If you look closely at this photo, the nose of the dog is in focus, but the eyes are just a little off. If I bracketed my focus, I probably could have corrected this.

What Do I Do With It?

There are many reasons for using a shallow depth-of-field. The most common is a compositional technique called selective focus. This brings attention to something in a cluttered situation by making it the only thing in focus. This can be used to clean up cluttered backgrounds. But using a shallow depth-of-field while it’s snowing or raining, allows you to essentially make the precipitation disappear.

Another thing is using a shallow depth-of-field when there are small light sources in the background like traffic lights or holiday lights. The depth-of-field will turn these lights into beautiful glowing orbs. But using a shallow depth-of-field can also give your images a dream-like quality or make them appear nostalgic like the image below.

Some Gear Recommendations

Most of the photos shown in this tutorial were shot with a Nikon 50mm f/1.2 and a Nikon 85mm f/1.4. These are both manual focus lenses and, needless to say, they are a pain to focus on a Digital SLR.

If I had unlimited funds, I would purchase a new ground glass screen for my camera. If you’re camera allows you to interchange these, you can buy one with split-screen rangefinder patch or other good focusing aides. If you have manual focus lenses, read through your manual to decide what the best settings for focusing your lenses.

When you purchase your lenses, I highly suggest getting the brand-name, dedicated lens hood. Most lenses come with them, but the high-end lenses always at least offer them as an accessory. An after-market lens hood will usually involve using your filter threads, which will make it hard to use filters.

So if you havent made the plunge, start saving your pennies, because it is totally worth it. And after reading this, you won’t be dummy about using shallow depth-of-field…