My new toy - Fujifilm Finepix XP20

A lot of people I know will turn their heads and stare at a flashy sports car or a nice boat.  Not that I don't appreciate those fine items, but maybe they just don't catch my eye as much as a couple other items do: Guitars and cameras.  Since this blog is about photography, I'll dispense with my feelings about guitars... for now.  And as far as cameras go, I'll usually ignore the compact, or point-and-shoot cameras.  If you'd compare them to cars, they'd all be like the conventional economy cars like a Toyota Camry... there's a million of them and nothing really exciting about them.  But then, along comes something radically different like a Scion Cube.  It's certainly not a sports car, but it is a head-turner.  

That's the way it was for me with this camera:

I was invited on a hike to Mount Constitution for Girls Camp this summer and one of the girls was using one of these.  Immediately, I saw that it not only didn't look like a conventional compact camera, but it also looked solid.  I asked to see it and found out that it was waterproof, shockproof, dust and freeze proof.  Now that really caught my interest.  I asked her where she got it and she said it was at Costco.  Costco?!?!?!  Why didn't I see that there when I bought my point-and-shoot?  I was envious!  I asked how much it cost and it wasn't much more than I spent on my Nikon S220.

I did my research on this camera and found that it was designed for underwater use (not just weather and dust resistant, as some cameras claim).  It is sealed from the elements.  The lens movement is contained within its protective casing.  I also found out that the camera is capable of 14MP, has a wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom and takes HD 1280 video.  Now I was REALLY interested (and still envious).  

Well, I didn't have to be envious very much longer.  Rather impetuously, I bought one of them.  I was walking through Costco and they happened to have a $40.00 rebate on them that expired that weekend.  At that point, the only decision was: What color?  The camera comes in several flashy colors: black, silver, blue, green and orange. All the ones I could see were black, so I dug underneath the top box and found the ones with color.  Blue... it was definitely going to be blue for me!

So, after using this camera for about a month now, I have some good things to say about this camera and maybe a few concerns.  First, I will say that the video function, especially underwater video, was a major attraction.  Check out this video where I dropped it in while in a rubber raft in Lizard Lake (video quality is diminished because I compressed it to upload it):

Now, how cool is this?  Now, I not only have a camera that I can truly take anywhere, but it can fully function underwater as well.

As far as photo quality, it is about on-par with any typical point-and-shoot camera in its class.  It still doesn't have the capabilities of a DSLR, but that shouldn't be expected either.  I shoot in 640 video because it is jittery when I play it back on my computer and I really don't need widescreen for most of what I do anyway.  I would rather be able to play it back without problems.  

Now the concerns:

First, the camera takes some getting used to.  Being where the lens is located, I can almost guarantee that you will get your fingers in front of the lens for some shots.  The zoom control is kind of weird.  It is a little switch on top of the camera that is awkward to use.  You don't want to zoom while you are shooting video because the auto-focus lags and your image will be blurry for a half a second or so and the lens motor is noisy and you will hear it in the audio.  The video button is conveniently located to where you can just press the button to start the video.  It is also kind of awkward, especially when you go to stop the video (using the same button).  

The camera makes annoying beeps and clicks when you use it.  The problem is that if you turn it to "silent" mode, you can't use the flash or some of the other important functions.

The camera is rated for underwater use.  I took many pictures and videos on a trip to Deception Pass.  I had it in the lake, in the salt water and it went with me while I hiked, kayaked and jogged.  Towards the end of the day, I noticed that the protective lens was starting to fog up on the inside.  I don't know if this is a common problem, but it could be a major concern.  That means that there is possibly some moisture getting inside the camera.  I opened it up and used the hand dryer at the public restroom.  That seemed to clear it up.

The neoprene carrying case holds the camera snugly and securely, but getting it in and out is kind of a pain.  The cover wraps over the end, going through a hole in the case.  I expect this to break soon... just based on the way it is designed and the amount of stress it goes through to pull the rest of the case through this hole.  

Aside from those concerns, I still love this camera.  It was worth what I paid for it.  I hope to enjoy this camera for years to come!  Unfortunately, there is no $40.00 rebate anymore.  Currently, they have a $20.00 rebate off the $179.00 price, but even still - without the rebate, I think I would still buy it at full price.    

My next DSLR camera...

Choices, choices... mostly dictated by $$$.  I've been trying to save my money for awhile now and I've been approaching the critical point of making a decision as to which camera to buy.  I'm about halfway there if I want to get a Canon 60D kit with an 18-200mm lens.  A decent starter kit in the Canon line... and doable.  I really had my sights set on a Canon 5D Mark II with a pro-quality zoom lens - or better yet, a Canon 1Ds Mark III body, BUT then reality sets in.  Sigh...

Then, I start looking at Nikon.  There are some other bodies and lenses that are comparable in price to the Canon 60D kit like the D7000 - with comparable features.  I then start looking at the D300, which edges more into the pro arena, yet is considerably less than the Canon 5D Mk II.  The D300 kit (with an 18-200mm lens) will keep me saving my money for a little while longer, but then it's getting closer to what I really want.  Then the next big jump would be the Nikon D3s or D3x.

I guess, the bottom line is whether I want to start in the Nikon or Canon line.  Eventually, I'll probably want to have two camera bodies anyway.  It just makes good sense when you are on a shoot (like a wedding) to have  two different cameras - one for one lens and one for another type of lens... or one with low-light settings and the other with a flash.  It's almost like having two photographers there (but not quite).  It's also wise just to have a backup camera in those type of events just in case something happens (and I've had some pretty upsetting stuff happen to my cameras and lenses recently).

Well, I still have a little time to work with... but until then I'll keep wracking my brain and teetering back-and-forth.

Take Time to Photograph the Flowers!

Cherry blossoms

... or anything else, for that matter.  Which means, bring a camera (a real camera) with you EVERYWHERE.  Look at your surroundings and see things as you would through the lens of a camera.  If this is difficult for you, just take pictures of random stuff.  Try different angles, heights and dimensions.  Use wide-angle lenses and telephoto lenses.  Experiment with your photography and look for things that often get forgotten.  I have a penchant for vintage and abandoned machinery and buildings.  Some of this stuff is half-buried in bushes, mud or moss.  It may be considered ugly by many people, especially in its context but when isolated from the surroundings it becomes a work of art.  Your photography work may never be worthy of glossy magazine-type material or stock photography, but perhaps it means something to you.  If nothing else, follow your passion for you, the photographer... because those flowers will wilt, old buildings get bulldozed over and old cars get towed off and recycled.

Old car with lichen growing on it - Oak Harbor

The Exposure Triangle

The exposure triangle (as it is known) is a very important concept in photography.  It is not a hard and fast adjustment graph, but simply a way to better understand exposure.  The earlier a person can learn this, the less frustration there will be in having properly exposed photographs.  I have hesitated to post this article for a couple of reasons. 1) Because I feared that I may not have been able to bring this concept down to a level that is easily understood, since there is a balance between providing just enough information and in the right context to make it meaningful vs. possibly confusing the readers with too much information presented in a complex fashion. 2) There were some questions that I had still... some gaps that needed to be filled in order for me to understand it fully and more accurately in order to present it properly.

Let me first show the diagram and then explain how it works.

In order to fully understand exposure, it will be necessary to study each of the elements that make up exposure.  For this article, I won't go into extreme detail.  I intend to break each of these down later though.  For the time being, it is important to understand that each of these elements (ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed) affect exposure in a different way.  What is exposure?  Exposure, in photographic terms, could be described as the amount of light that is used to capture your image.  Each of these elements controls the existing light entering or affecting your camera's image sensor.

ISO
ISO stands for: International Standards Organization.  It's really meaningless, as pertaining to photography, so don't get hung up on why it is called that.  ISO is also interchangeable with the older and much less frequently used ASA (American Standards Association) which is equally meaningless. There is also another even less frequently used term: DIN (which you may or may not come across) is an older German standard.  Most (if not all) modern cameras use ISO as a standard.  The only thing you need to remember is that ISO is a measure of sensitivity.  In film cameras, it was the measure of the sensitivity of the film to light.  In digital cameras, it is a measure of the image sensor's sensitivity.  The lower the number, the less sensitive and the higher the number the more sensitive.  ISO "stops" are normally incremented by doubling starting with 100 and going on up from there.  So a conventional camera will have: ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600... and so forth.  Your camera may have less than 100 or more than 1600.  Each of these "stops" will effectively either double or halve the overall Exposure Value (EV) or in other words there is twice as much exposure (light) or half as much light that is used in exposing the photo.  Increasing the ISO will allow you to take pictures in darker situations, but there is a trade-off (there is always a less-desirable trade-off).  In digital cameras, the trade-off is with higher ISO pictures you get what is called noise.  In film, we had a similar effect which was that it made the picture grainy.  Noise makes your pictures "fuzzy" and therefore tend to lack sharpness.  Noise is also manifest in microscopic colored specks, especially in the shadows where there is no detail.  If you increase ISO, it will allow you to use a higher aperture setting and/or faster shutter speed (refer to the exposure triangle).

Aperture
The word "aperture" literally means hole - and that is what it is.  Your eye has a visible aperture (the iris) that automatically adjusts to lighter or darker conditions.  In a camera, there is a device that functions exactly like the iris in the eye.  The hole or opening can be adjusted to allow more or less light through.  The thing to remember (which may be confusing to some) is that the lower the number, larger the opening or the more light is allowed to come through but the higher the number the smaller the opening and less light is allowed to come through.  The term "f-stop" is interchangeable with aperture.  The aperture is a function within the lens, not the camera itself.  The overall Exposure Value (EV), which is measured in "stops" effectively doubles or halves, based on full f-stops of the aperture.  Typically, these values range as follows: f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16 and f/22.  Some lenses have a greater range.  The lower number (or wider aperture), usually the higher quality the lens.  Most lenses will close down to f/22 and is not a challenge to do so, but to have a wider aperture (or lower f-stop number) it is more challenging and the expense goes way up with those higher quality lenses.  A lens with a wider aperture is also called a "fast" lens.  The reason being is that it allows a photographer to use a faster shutter speed.  It will also allow you to lower your ISO.  The trade-off of using a lower f-stop (wider aperture) is that your depth of focus becomes shallower.  This can be a good effect - when used properly and in the right context - but it is not always desirable.  Understanding when and in what applications to use different aperture settings (rather than only for the convenience of optimal lighting) is a trait of a seasoned and skilled photographer.

Shutter Speed
The time that your shutter is opened, allowing your image to "burn" into the image sensor, is determined by the shutter speed.  Shutter speed is determined in seconds or fractions of seconds.  Standardized settings for shutter speed are: 1 s, 1/2 s, 1/4 s, 1/8 s, 1/15 s, 1/30 s, 1/60 s, 1/125 s, 1/250 s, 1/500 s and 1/1000 s.  These indicate full "stop" or allowing your shutter to effectively expose your image either roughly twice or half the value of the former or latter setting.  Most cameras will have settings in-between and outside the boundaries of these standard settings though.  The shutter speed will potentially have the most dramatic (or damaging) effect on your photograph.  With slower shutter speeds (the commonly accepted speed of 1/60 s is the cutoff) you will most likely need a tripod.  With longer lenses, the need becomes greater.  The reason for this is that you move while you are taking pictures and even the slightest movement will cause your picture to be blurred.  Motion blur can be used as a positive effect, but it is necessary to learn how and when to use a slower shutter speed (and what shutter speed to use) to get the best effect.  So, the trade-off for adjusting to a slower shutter speed is possible blurry pictures.  When using lower shutter speeds you can decrease your ISO setting and/or close your aperture (higher f-number).  When using higher shutter speeds, you may have to use a lower ISO and/or wider aperture (once again, refer to the exposure triangle for better understanding).

Exposure Value
The overall Exposure Value (EV) is expressed in positive or negative numbers.  The positive numbers are overexposed, while the negative numbers are underexposed.  When the principles of exposure are properly applied (as shown in the exposure triangle) the photograph will be properly exposed.  A properly exposed image will measure "0" on on the EV scale.  Digital SLR cameras have built-in light meters that will show something that may be a variation this:

A light meter will appear either on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder, or both.  On the light meter, the exposure is usually expressed in increments of thirds.  Sometimes the exposure is expressed as a positive or negative decimal number.  Notice that in this example the diamond is at 1-2/3 - or in other words it is 1-2/3 stops overexposed.  In order to adjust this to proper exposure, it will be necessary to either: decrease ISO, close your aperture (smaller f-number) or decrease the shutter speed - or perhaps an adjustment of two of them or all three.  This light meter is usually measured Through The Lens (or TTL) so the light is as the camera sees it.  There are some things that can affect the overall Exposure Value (EV).  If you use a lens hood, it will prevent unwanted light from entering the lens, thus allowing you to have a more accurately measured EV and providing you with not only a properly exposed photo, but one that is clearer with less probability of lens flare or an overall bright haze or fog.  When using attachments such as filters, teleconverters or other lens glass, you also reduce the EV.  Some of these will significantly reduce your exposure - even by one or two stops - so when you are shooting in lower light conditions you may want to remove any of these attachments.

This is a general overview of exposure using the exposure triangle - without going into too much detail.  There are some conditions where the rules get complicated or may not even apply - such as when you are using a strobe-type flash (strobe is momentary light flash).  There are some "smart" flash units that will compensate for existing EV so you don't have to calculate to adjust your camera settings and flash manually.  It is also important to note that your camera can often be "fooled" into improper exposure settings.  This is why it is valuable to understand proper exposure and what makes up exposure.  When using an automatic setting, your camera takes an average of what it senses throughout the entire field of view (everything within the viewfinder).  When there is a large area that is either very bright or very dark, your camera will add those to the summation of the average and give you a false exposure reading.  By learning how to shoot in either manual mode or a semi-automatic mode (such as Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority - "A" or "S" respectively, indicated on your camera's Mode dial), you will not only be able to properly expose your photos, but you will be able to fine-tune your camera for capturing images the way YOU intend to - not as a generic automatic setting.  You will unlock the true potential of your camera... and YOUR artistic ability.

One last note.  I used the word "stop" numerous times in this article.  In the literal sense, a full-stop means one full increment in Exposure Value - or a multiplier or divider as to how much light enters the camera.  The word itself is a throwback from the film days of photography - where dials and lens rings actually had detents on them that "stopped" at a certain value.  Even though most cameras now either have screen menus or variable adjustments that don't have such detents, it is still a significant and important term that has not given way to obsolescence.  You will find that there are many such terms in photography.  You can either choose to ignore the original meaning and just commit these terms to memory or if you so desire you can look up the original meaning, if that helps you to further comprehend what it means.   

Read the Dreaded Manual!

I don't know how many times I have dealt with frustrated and exasperated people who ask for advice on how to operate a device or how to fix a problem after it has been messed up - whether the problem deals with amateur radio, computers, cars, cameras or just about any technical issue.  Somehow, I have been pegged as the "guru" of technical advice in my circle of family and friends.  So recently, in order to minimize my frustration of taking on someone else's problem, I will ask a question or two.  When I ask the person if they have read the instruction manual I usually get one of two responses: 1) The person acts like I am insulting their intelligence.  or... 2) The person claims that the manual is "too complicated" for them to understand... and they want a simple explanation of either what went wrong or what they are doing wrong.  I can confidently say that in the majority of these cases, the person has not even attempted to read the manual... not even opened it.  I'll have to confess that I am one of those people who have abandoned the dreaded manual and searched elsewhere for the answers.  Why do we do this?  Maybe there is a mental block... an aversion... something negative about manuals and texts where we tend to shun the manual unless there is absolutely NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE.  I will have to say that I am proud of myself.  When I got my DSLR camera I actually opened up the manual and started reading it.  I've actually read through this several times.

So without further ado: READ YOUR MANUAL!  No... study your manual.  Study all four languages that it came in if it will help you to understand your camera better.  Carry your manual with you wherever you bring your camera.  If there are terms, procedures or words you don't understand, take notes on them and then you can Google them for further answers because it's likely that if you didn't understand something, there are thousands of other people out there that didn't understand as well and some of them have actually gone out on the Internet and posted that question for others to answer or perhaps there is an explanation on Wikipedia that is easier to understand than the way it is presented in your manual.

As you go through your manual, fiddle with the controls on the camera to experience first-hand what they do. Open the menus and make adjustments... take pictures using the different settings.  Compare and contrast how the different settings change and learn why they changed.  Experience these things for yourself with your camera and your manual.  And, if you find yourself in a situation where you think you have changed the settings on your camera to where it is unusable or too weird, there is usually a setting within the menu that will restore your camera to factory settings... just like new.  So don't be too concerned that you are going to do something to it that is going to permanently change the way your camera operates.

Your camera manual is the key that unlocks the features of your camera and helps you to understand your unique camera make and model.  Your camera and manual fit together... like TV... and TV Guide.  Without it, you are just guessing and it's hit-and-miss.  With it, you can use your camera to its fullest extent.  If your camera didn't come with a manual (say, you got it used at a pawnshop or yard sale)... no worries!  With most cameras you can go online and download the manual.  Print up a manual... staple the pages together to make a booklet and take it with you.  It's THAT important.  Really.

One final note: There are some things that you can do that will really mess up a good camera.  A camera is a delicate instrument and certain parts require a degree of care and protection.  All these protective measures and cautionary statements are clearly explained in the instruction manual.  If you do nothing else, don't ignore any of these warnings or you are just asking for trouble.  Trust me on this.

It's In The Glass

A chain is only as good as its weakest link.  Often times when people are getting a camera, they think about all the features of their camera (body) and skimp on perhaps THE most important component: the lens.  A good lens will often cost as much or more than a camera body and those good lenses will have a tendency to hold their value - or should I say a used lens will hold its value.  Once you take the lens out of the package it will devalue slightly but as a "used" lens, it's like money in the bank.  In other words, a lens is an investment - so don't worry too much about plunking down a huge chunk of cash for a reputable piece of glass, because you can always resell it (unless you have destroyed it).  On the other hand, a camera body will depreciate dramatically for two reasons: 1) Technological advances "obsolete" your camera body in a short period of time. 2) Your camera body is subject to failure a lot faster than lenses typically are.  This is not always necessarily the case, but it holds as a general rule.

You might look at the long lists of lenses available with befuddlement - wondering why there are so many and which ones are the best quality or best value.  

First, I would say that before making any major purchase (it is not uncommon to pay a couple grand for a good lens) that you go to a dealer's website and read the reviews from other users.  This may give you an indication of whether or not there are problems or if the lens is worth buying.  The thing I do when reading these reviews is to first see who is the user and what their level of expertise is.  Often, one of those writing a review simply does not know how to use their equipment and so they will write a negative review and discredit the product based upon their lack of experience - not the quality of the product.  If there seems to be a consistent problem with the product, then you might look at similar products... or the competition.  

The next thing to consider or action to take is to educate yourself on the types of lenses and the purpose for them.  There are several main types of lenses: 1) There are fixed focal length lenses (some have called these "prime" lenses because they are typically sharper than any other type) of various sizes.  There is a range for lenses (and depending on the sensor magnification of your camera) where each of these lenses falls and is considered in that classification.  This is not necessarily a hard and fast rule because there are different magnification factors for digital SLR cameras.  In the 35mm (film) days, this was a fixed value, but many cameras now have sensors that will magnify the value of the lens typically by 1.5 times.  So in other words, if you get a lens with a 50mm focal length, the sensor will magnify that by 1.5, so in essence you are getting a 75mm lens.  There are some cameras like the Canon 5D Mark II that have a full frame sensor.  This means that the sensor is 1:1 or in other words, there is no magnification factor.  A 50mm lens is a 50mm lens.  By the way, a 50mm lens is what would be considered the normal focal-length lens or one that best fits the magnification of the human eye.  It's pretty much the "vanilla ice cream" lens of photography.  Some have considered this a "portrait" lens - but a more widely accepted lens for portrait photography is 85mm.  There are various other focal lengths within the type of fixed focal lengths - with different purposes.  I would say that unless you are a professional (and meticulous) photographer, you would be best to steer clear of the fixed lenses because you are going to get a better value by purchasing a zoom lens.  2) A zoom lens is one with a variable focal length.  There are numerous ranges of zoom lenses.  Some of them are medium wide-angle lenses (generally around 18-50mm), telephoto lenses (50-300mm) and either end of the spectrum (less than 18mm or greater than 300mm).  Generally, the bigger lens (the greater the focal length) the more expensive the lens, but this is not always necessarily the case.  3) Special purpose lenses: macro lenses, fisheye lenses,  extenders and so forth.  There is often the confusion that the term for an extreme wide-angle lens is a "fisheye lens."  While a fisheye lens IS an extreme wide-angle lens, that doesn't mean that all extreme wide-angle lenses (even for the same focal length) are fisheye lenses.  It has to do with the way the image is distorted.

Lens selection

One thing that is not even possible with a point-and-shoot camera or even a so-called "bridge" camera, is the selection of lenses.  You are stuck with whatever lens came with it - and normally the lenses in these types are not that great.  With DSLR cameras, you have an overwhelming selection.  When it comes to lenses, this is one area where you get what you pay for.  However, sometimes you can get third-party lenses that are just as good as the brand of camera you have (and they are designed to fit them) and I have heard that they are just as good - if not better.  So these resources should also be considered when shopping for a lens.  Another good indicator of the quality of the lens is its f-stop.  Almost invariably, the lower number of the aperture, the higher quality of the lens.  You should also note that in the higher priced lenses, that the lower aperture throughout the entire travel of the zoom is the same, while lower priced lenses have a variable number.  This does not necessarily mean that it is a cheap lens, but just that this a quality of the best lenses.  If a lens starts out with an aperture of say f/3.5 and ends with a number of f/6.3, that is quite a variation of aperture.  You are going to have markedly different exposure when you zoom in your lens - whereas, if you have a lens that is capable of a fixed aperture throughout the entire range, you won't be sacrificing any exposure for closer zoom.  The trade-off is the cost of the lens.  

Beyond providing a wider aperture (the smaller number, the wider the aperture, or hole), the higher quality lenses produce a sharper image.  One of the reasons for this is that the lenses use higher quality optical glass.  This adds clarity simply because the glass is of a higher grade, but also because better lenses are less prone to chromatic aberrations.  These aberrations occur because the makeup of the lens is such that it separates the spectrum of light (like a rainbow) because the light travels at different speeds through the glass.  Higher quality lenses are able to use different materials to compensate for this anomaly and thus you get sharper images with more accurate colors and greater depth.     

The purple aura (chromatic aberration) can bee seen above the horse's head and in the trees.  Part of the reason for this is shooting into bright sunlight.  The other reason is that this is shot with a low-cost lens.  

Some of the other features or traits of lenses that add to the cost (and quality) are: image stabilization, ruggedness, rotating zoom ring (as opposed to sliding-type), faster and more accurate focus, versatility and reputation.  As I get deeper into the subject of lenses, I will break these down further.  

It is entirely possible to get an "all-purpose" lens now.  Nikon makes a pretty good lens that goes from 18-200mm with an aperture of f3.5-5.6.  This is definitely not their best lens, but it is one that is great for travel photography where you don't have to keep changing lenses.  Other than that, most photographers will have two or three good lenses that they take with them: a wide-angle zoom lens and a telephoto zoom lens.  It would also be a good addition to have a macro lens - if you like to shoot very close-up (like insects, flowers and small animals).  Many photographers will also include an extender.  These usually come in 1.4x or 2x magnification.  A 2x extender will turn a 200mm lens into a 400mm lens.  You will sacrifice some quality and exposure potential and will subject your images to vignetting though.  Vignetting is where the corners of the photo are darker than the overall picture.  

When I get ready to actually make the purchase of my lenses, I will post the exact make and model of the lenses that I have selected as well as those that I have researched to be the best lenses.  I will also post any lenses that I find have either had poor reviews or those that I have personally had trouble with.  I will also go into greater depth with lens types, what they're used for and how to properly use them, since there is a LOT more information than I can put in one article - and a lot more that I have to solidify in my mind.

Hocus Focus

One area where photographers may get lazy about is focusing the camera. Most digital cameras do a pretty good job of auto-focusing now, so for many people it’s not something we even think about… unless there is a problem. Let me just say, though, that knowing how to focus – or what to focus on – is very important.

My very first camera was a Brownie camera that took 127 roll film. It was a hand-me-down from my mom. I don’t remember if I ever developed any of the film from that camera, but what I do remember was that it was very simple to operate. There was a film-advance knob and a shutter release. I didn't even know the concept of focusing. The next camera… the same thing. It was even simpler yet: A Kodak Instamatic that took 126 cartridge film. It was a no-brainer to take pictures with this thing. You pop in a cartridge, snap a picture, advance… and repeat until the little window said 12 or 24 (depending on how many exposures your film cartridge had) and then pop the cartridge out and develop the film. Developing the film was perhaps the most difficult task in the whole process because then I had to come up with the money to get it developed, send it off (which required actually writing things with a pen) or bringing it to a local store to have it developed. On these types of cameras, apparently the aperture was a very high fixed setting, so just about everything was in focus. For now, don’t worry too much about aperture (also called f-stop – it is the number after the f on your camera) because I will go into further detail later. Just store that in the back of your head and remember two things about it: 1) Aperture affects exposure and 2) aperture affects depth of field (where the focal point is – in other words where the camera is focused). Right now, I just want to concentrate on simply focusing the camera.

When my older brother got an SLR camera, he gave me his old 35mm camera… and I do mean old. What made it seem old(er) was that it had all these dials, levers, switches and stuff with numbers, settings and abbreviations that I didn't have a clue what they meant. One of the things that I did figure out was that the ISO (or ASA) setting corresponded to the film I was using. What I understood about that was that you could take pictures indoors with 400 ASA film (ISO and ASA mean the same thing, by the way – I’ll go over it in detail later… so don’t worry). The other settings and dials I didn’t know much about though. This camera was a non-SLR camera, so I had to frame everything through the viewfinder and hope for the best. The focus was pretty much guesswork. I had to estimate how far away the subject was and set the focus ring accordingly. After getting my pictures back from processing, I could tell that I was probably way off on some of them. It was quite disappointing. Here I had these high-quality blurry photos.

I took this photo in 1980 at Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle) of a hippo. I used an old 35mm camera with a manual "guess and click" type focus. I guessed wrong (as in almost all my photos with this camera). Notice how the branch to the right is almost in focus though, so there was nothing wrong with the camera.

Later, I got 35mm cameras that would indicate through the viewfinder as to whether or not the subject was in focus. This meant a lot to me. It was then that the quality of my photos started to get better – at least as far as being in focus was concerned. I had become more conscious about focusing and it became second-nature to me. I had then spent almost two decades shooting with 35mm SLR cameras. When we talk about “manual” mode on our cameras now, that is the way that all SLR cameras operated until fairly recently. There was no auto-focus or any automatic shooting modes. Every photo was set up manually. The best helps were the focus indicator and the light meter that was built into the camera. It was impossible to get by without using them.

I stopped shooting with film abruptly in 2002 when I bought my first digital camera (an Olympus D-40 point-and-shoot). The pictures on that camera were better than most of my pictures using any of 35mm film cameras. The only disappointments that I started to encounter were those encountered in low-light. What I really loved about the new digital cameras was the auto-focus. I learned that in order to lock the focus, all I had to do was to center the subject I wanted to focus, press the shutter button halfway and then recompose the shot. It was so simple. This is the way that the majority (if not all) digital cameras work using autofocus. You press the button halfway while viewing your subject in the center of the viewfinder and then you recompose (reframe) your photo the way you want and then fully press the button. These are the things that make us lazy and complacent. But things don't always work the way we had hoped, so then it is back to dissatisfaction and that cycle should take a person to wanting to do something about the problem. So, we have these wonderful cameras that do all the thinking for us, but there is that 10% of the time where the camera doesn't work the way we hoped it would.  This is where it is necessary to stop, think and intervene.

There are several instances where autofocus will not work or may not be appropriate, therefore you will have to either lock the focus using the aforementioned technique or manually override the focus (using the focus ring): 1) Sometimes there is an object in the way (say, a tree branch, a microphone stand, a chain-link fence or some other barrier) that the camera focuses on rather than your subject. 2) The surface of what you are focusing is not well defined. Some good examples of this would be: water, a shiny car hood, snow or negative space such as the sky (try to focus on a flying bird or an airplane sometime). 3) Your subject of focus is smaller than what your camera’s ability to focus on (like a person’s eyes… you almost ALWAYS want to have your subject’s eyes tack-sharp in-focus). 4) You PURPOSELY want to focus on something other than what is in the “crosshairs” of your viewfinder – and most of the time you DO (remember the “Dead-Center is Dead article). 5) The lighting is so dim that your camera may not have the capability to focus properly. Your camera relies on a certain amount of light in order to autofocus.

Here's a picture I took as an example. I wanted to try to "frame" my subject within the tree branches, but oops! The camera focused in on the tree branches instead. Ruined a good shot! Nice looking leaves though.

Here's an example of what I was trying to shoot. Even though in my opinion, this picture is less than ideal (because the branches are such a distraction) you can clearly see the face of the subject... and the branches (which are less important) are out of focus. I had to manually override the autofocus to get the shot the way I wanted it.

The rule to remember is that whatever you want to be most important in your photo will be what is in focus. Like any rule, that can be broken, but for the sake of following the rules (which is what you'll want to do 99.9% of the time) just remember that... for now. We'll go over creative composition and alternate focusing later.

Photography as a profession

Our rock band was interviewed by a local radio station one day and the interviewer (who has a show devoted to interviewing local bands and giving them exposure) told us something off-air that I will never forget - and it could be applied to other areas as well (such as photography). He said: "The best thing that has happened in the music industry is that now anyone can record their own album." He then asked the rhetorical question: "Do you know what is the worst thing that has happened in the music industry?" He then answered his own question by saying, "Now anyone can record their own album." He was saying this on several accounts. The point he was making was that now, anyone with talent can showcase that talent and get it out there for people to listen to, yet there are people out there with little or no talent that have no business cutting a record... and that is diluting (or polluting - whichever way you want to look at it) the music industry. In this way, the listeners (and music industry A&R reps) have become inundated with music... or perhaps overwhelmed with music or "music" from unknown artists. While in some ways it is a double-edged sword for the general public, this has a secondary effect to the industry in itself. It has had the effect of diluting the craft of music - not only that, but changing the entire music industry and the way major record labels do things. An artist not only has to compete with other professional musicians, but now that artist has to compete with a slew of other amateurs within the same genre. I will have to say, that as a listener and as one who has recorded some local talent in my studio, I've heard some talent that is on-par with some of what we consider professionals.

At this point, you might be wondering, "Well, that is fine and dandy, but what does this have to do with photography?" Well, I will tell you: The exact same thing that has happened in the music world is happening in the world of photography. Digital cameras have become so pervasive now that even though many amateur photographers are still amateurs - taking amateur "snapshots" - that it is undercutting the careers of professional photographers... those that have been earning money with their craft for many years. In this way, the photo industry has taken a blow, especially those who do freelance work. For example: In the past, a couple would hire a professional photographer to shoot their wedding. Nowadays, there are a lot of people who skimp when budgeting for a photographer and will hire out a friend or family member that simply "has a good camera." So rather than shelling out a thousand bucks for a professional photographer, you've got a friend that can do it for a couple hundred... or for free. What a savings! I know firsthand. I've shot several weddings this way. People don't know my credentials. They just see that I have camera with a big lens and instantly think I'm a professional. Just the other day I was at Stanley Park in Vancouver shooting pictures of the totem poles and a total stranger came up to me and handed me her camera and asked me to take a picture of her and a companion with the totem poles in the background using her point-and-shoot camera. I gladly obliged and snapped a shot for her. I asked her if she wanted to look at the photo to see if she liked it and she said, "No, I trust you... since you have such a nice camera you must be a good photographer." I can't remember if it was those exact words, but that was the gist. See, a lot of people think that if you have a camera with a big lens that it is a "professional" camera and if you have a "professional camera" than you are a professional. I know this was using a lot of words to come to this conclusion, but the bottom line is this: You are going to have a tough time out there earning money as a professional photographer because there is so much competition. You will not only have to compete with other professionals, but you will compete with all the amateurs as well. You will have to work for less, simply because the industry has become diluted. That's just the way it is. If you are getting into photography simply for the money, perhaps it is the wrong reason and I would suggest diversifying your talents or changing your career altogether. Do it for the sheer joy of the art and if it is your passion, follow that passion and see where it goes!

As for the photo... since I mentioned the totem poles at Stanley Park, I figured I would throw one in there! ;)

Rotate!

This should go without saying, but time and time again I see photos posted online or on people's computer screens that are not oriented properly. From a viewer's standpoint, this looks even less than amateurish... and from the standpoint of one who does not have a very flexible neck - this is literally a pain in the neck... straining to try to see the photo as it was originally taken. It is a simple step that takes only a second but will mean a lot to those viewing your photos and one that lets people know that you care about them. If you are working in windows (thumbnail view), you can right click on the photo and in the menu you can choose "Rotate Clockwise" or "Rotate Counterclockwise." It's as simple as that! If you are actually in a viewer or photo editor, there are also ways to rotate your photo, depending on the program. Do your viewers a favor and reduce this major distraction and just rotate them before publishing.

Dead-Center is Dead

Composition:

Dead-Center is Dead

Ok, so I’ll admit this right off the bat… I probably have hundreds of sunset pictures where the horizon is right smack dead-center. Maybe you wonder “what’s wrong with that?” After all, I think it’s a safe bet to say that MOST people will try to center their subject in the frame. Why? One reason that comes to mind is that the autofocus on your camera will focus on whatever is directly in the center of the viewfinder. The other is that in our efforts of perfection, we try to make things perfectly concentric. It all goes back to kindergarten… where we were encouraged to keep our coloring within the lines and being neat and orderly in everything we do. Perfectly centered works well with so many other things – shooting a rifle for example. In order to shoot our target, it is necessary to center the crosshairs exactly dead-center of where the target is. Thus – our target is DEAD! But we’re not killing our subjects here. We are making an aesthetically pleasing image of what we see, and putting your subject dead-center makes for a lifeless photograph. I suppose we could get in the psychology of why we like our images off-center (and I’m sure you can find plenty of articles on that) but I like simplicity. Let’s just suffice it to say that you don’t want your subject dead-center, and leave it at that. Now, there are some instances where you do want your subject to be centered – like on your driver’s license, passport pictures or mugshots… but since when are mugshots aesthetically pleasing or in any way artistic? Seriously though, there are some exceptions – which I will likely cover later – but in most cases, you will want to follow the rules… and here is one of those:

The Rule of Thirds

In photography (and in video) it is common practice to use what is called “The Rule of Thirds.” Once you have this rule impressed in your mind, you will wonder why you ever took dead-centered pictures in the first place. It may take some practice to un-learn what you have been doing (in my case for decades) and get into the mindset of thirds. Here’s how it works:

Imagine your photo frame divided up like a tic-tac-toe game. Basically, it is divided into thirds (or in 9 sections). Our goal in this rule of thirds is to line up our subject with one of these lines – to avoid centering our subject within the center-square. Where the lines intersect is very important. These are your power points. If you can center your subject in one of those points, it has the most dramatic impact in your photo. For reasons I’m not going to get into explaining, your eyes are drawn to those points. One thing also to keep in mind is not to get hung up on trying so hard to keep this as a hard and fast rule that it kills your creativity. Even though there are goals, it’s ok to simply be close. For the sake of helping to “see” these lines, I’ve superimposed this grid onto some photos I’ve taken.

When doing landscape photography, we want to emphasize either the sky, or the landscape. Give more emphasis on one or the other – don’t try to do both. One of them is going to be more interesting than the other. If either is the case, take two pictures. If neither is the case, why bother taking a picture? Notice in this picture how the horizon is right at the bottom third line. The clouds weren’t amazing, but they weren’t boring either. It was the golden light shining on the trees that made the shot. The pond was a bonus, but there wasn’t anything interesting about the water that day. A couple of months later and the water is filled with lilypads… now that might make me change my mind about where to line up the horizon. Notice also how the tree on the left kind of draws you in. There are a couple of reasons for that 1) It is one of the brightest objects in the photo (and I’ll cover this more in detail later when discussing lighting) and 2) it is within the third on the left. There is also a geometric “triangle” pattern with the trees that gently guides you up to that tree. Your eyes could also go the other way too – as generally, our eyes go from left-to-right. Ideally, you might want a picture to be composed opposite of this, but on the other hand in this manner it keeps your eyes on the picture longer because your eyes wander within the picture.

This sofa is textbook – centered directly on one of the power points. You may also notice that it is framed between a tree and a fence. Framing is also an important element that I will go further into detail with.

In this “ninja” you’ll notice that multiple parts of the subject intersect these lines (the eyes and the fingers). There are two things that make the hands the most important subject in the picture: 1) They are the brightest objects and 2) they are in focus, whereas everything else is intentionally blurred (using aperture settings).

Here are some other examples:

Skunk cabbage runs right along left third line

Left line runs through center of Chelsea's face with her eyes near the "power point" intersection.

Naturally, we want to keep the subject in the left third, if we centered Steven, we cut off his fishing rod. His eyes are centered in the "power point."

Here, I’ve taken the rule to extremes. The clouds were most interesting, so I wanted to only keep a sliver of the expanse of farmlands in the photo. Even though the sky is amazing, without showing some land, the photo would look awkward and unsettling… pointless.

One of the challenges you may have with trying to work with the “rule of thirds” is that your subject may be out of focus. Here’s a little trick that works with autofocus cameras: Center the most important part of your subject in the viewfinder (for a person, it will normally be the eyes… with some exceptions). Push the shutter button halfway down and lock your focus. Keep the button halfway pressed while recomposing your photo and then fully depress the button. Another way is to switch to manual focus. You lock the focus the same way, only manually (by rotating the focus ring) and then it doesn’t matter if you take your finger off the shutter button to recompose because on manual it won’t try to refocus automatically.

I would not only recommend playing around with your camera to work with the “rule of thirds” but to look as if your eyes (or some other frame – like the windshield of your car) were the viewfinder. Look at other examples of how this rule is used. See it on television and on the movies. Look at examples in magazines, books, paintings – even architecture or in nature. This rule is very pervasive! Learn it… make it a part of your photographic toolbox.

Types of Cameras

Let’s go over a few types of popular cameras, why we would (or wouldn’t) use them and some opinions about these types of cameras.

35mm Film Camera.

Yes, people still use them. We have two types of people who still use film cameras: 1) You or I may have an “Auntie May” who has still not latched onto the concept of computers… or anything in digital domain. She brings her film camera to the family gathering and shoots a few pictures until the roll is finished and then brings the film to Rite Aid to get her photos developed and then puts them in a photo album or scrapbook. You might laugh, but she is probably more efficient (and conservative) with her photos than most people who have made the conversion to digital photography. It costs her about $10-20 a year for her photos and processing. How much do you spend on photography? 2) The other type of film photographer would be the “high-end” photo purist – a professional. In a way, kind of like “Auntie May” because these people are not willing to make the conversion yet. There are reasons why. There ARE some situations where digital cameras – even high-end cameras – do not capture the same way the film cameras do. Many of these people also still have a darkroom with an enlarger, chemicals, photo paper and all that other stuff. There are some professional film cameras still on the market today.

Phone Camera

By far, this is the most popular camera. Whether they are the most popularly used camera or not, I don’t know, but MOST people who own a cell phone have one with a camera on it. So far, the images on a cell phone camera can’t even approach the quality of Compact Cameras or Digital SLR cameras. There are two main reasons why: 1) The image sensor is very small. Generally, the larger the image sensor, the higher quality the images will be. 2) The lenses are not high quality. High-quality lenses are big and bulky – not something that would or could fit on a phone. No matter what your opinion is about your phone camera, I will state flat-out that the quality of phone images is ALWAYS going to be inferior to most Compact Cameras and all Digital SLR cameras. Period. You just can’t get a high quality image from a camera. I use my phone camera as a last resort… say if Bigfoot shows up and I had somehow forgotten to bring some other camera… or if my vehicle catches on fire and I hadn’t thought to bring along a real camera. So there you have it: Phone cameras, in my opinion are toy cameras. They can’t be taken very seriously in the photographic world.

Compact Digital Camera (also called a “Point & Shoot” camera)

There are many professionals who don’t take Compact Cameras very seriously – and their reasons are valid. Yet… many professionals also own them and carry them with them just about everywhere. Why? A few good reasons: 1) You can’t lug your DSLR everywhere with you, but you can take your Compact Camera just about everywhere. Having a Compact Camera is better than having no camera at all. 2) A Compact Camera is good for practice shots – you can go in without all your gear and compose your shot with your Compact Camera and then review your pictures and come back later when conditions are optimal for setting up all your equipment. 3) It is a backup – just in case something happens to your main camera or gear. So many things can happen… so many variables. Being on an important photo-shoot and having a disaster happen with your camera can be somewhat salvaged by a decent point-and-shoot. A knowledgeable photographer can set up a Compact Camera to still get some OK photos. Can you get good pictures with a Compact Camera? Well, it depends. I’ve gotten some surprisingly good results with my Compact Cameras – provided conditions are ideal (mostly lighting). The thing to realize is you should’t get fooled by the numbers or specifications. Just because your Compact Camera is capable of 10 or 12 megapixels, doesn’t mean squat. There are reasons why a DSLR costs many times more than a Compact Camera. Once again, it goes back to image sensor size and lens quality/size.

Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) Camera

Many amateur photographers upgrade to a DSLR (or have experience using them) and are initially disappointed with the results – compared to what they have come to expect with their Compact “Point & Shoot” Cameras. The reason why is that to operate a DSLR properly, it takes knowledge and skill that is not necessary to employ using their fully automatic camera. It may take many weeks… months… or even years to master the controls of a DSLR camera but once a photographer has reached that point, the quality of photos is MUCH higher than and the camera is MUCH MORE versatile than any other type of camera. There are a number of attributes that make this difference in quality. Among them are: 1) The image sensor is larger and much higher quality. 2) The lenses are higher quality and on most DSLR cameras you can exchange lenses with various types – depending on their purpose. 3) You can manually change the settings for many of the functions of the camera (and this is where a lot of amateurs get lost or befuddled) so you can optimize the conditions that you are shooting in, in order adapt to those conditions or to be creative. 4) The DSLR actually has numerous settings that are often either not present or are very limited on other cameras. 5) Most DSLR cameras have capability to connect to an external flash or to trigger other lighting sources. 6) Most DSLR cameras will shoot in RAW format – which allows you to adjust some of the settings (such as White Balance and Exposure Compensation) using software in your computer. 6) DSLR cameras use a viewfinder – as opposed to a back screen for viewing and framing your shot. There are good reasons for this (which I will discuss in detail later) Suffice it to say, that this is one of those “noticeable quality” features that is only possible using cameras with the viewfinder. Many of the earlier Compact Cameras had a viewfinder (some still do) but we’re seeing more and more of them that only have the LCD screen in back – no viewfinder. You can normally use your DSLR in the same way you use your “Point & Shoot” camera by shooting in “P” (preset) mode. Your pictures will still be higher quality than you could get using any Compact Camera, but you won’t be optimizing your DSLR to its fullest potential.

From now on, when I talk about cameras, you can assume that I am talking about Digital SLR cameras. There are some functions and ways to use other cameras that may work, but let’s just assume that I am referring to a DSLR.

Think before you click!

So you have your digital camera and it's great because you can take as many pictures as you want... for free! But wait a minute. Are those pictures really free? It's true that you no longer pay for film and processing, which if I took as many film pictures on 35mm film as I currently do with my digital cameras, I would go broke - but in the long run, digital pictures are not really free. Here are three reasons why:

1. Equipment life. It's the law of physics, I suppose. Anything with moving parts or that uses light/heat eventually wears out. You computer equipment, has a limited life based upon hours of usage or activations. Your camera shutter, for instance, typically has a life of about 100,000 activations. Lights burn out (including flashbulb lights), computer hard drives fail and things get dropped and worn out... usually as a result of active usage.  And batteries - whether "one-use" alkaline batteries or even rechargeable, they still all have a limited life.
   
   
2. Storage. Whether you are storing your photos on a hard drive, CD- or DVD-ROM disks or memory cards - all these storage mediums cost money. The more mega-pixels your camera has, the more storage it takes and some people believe in storing TIFF or RAW images, which take up a HUGE amount of space.
   
   
3. Time. I don't know about anyone or everyone else, but my time is pretty much directly equal to dollar - or potential dollars. My time is precious! If I am sitting there editing mediocre photos in all my spare time, it's taking time away from doing other things that could be more valuable. This is why I may either choose to not take a picture or to delete one while it is still in my camera. Why bother with pictures that just won't make the cut?

I am in no way discouraging anybody from taking pictures. I consider my first DSLR (the one that I own now) my "practice" camera... the one I am learning on. So I'll do a lot of experimenting and trying to get things right. When I'm ready to move up, I'll move on to a better camera and sell my old equipment on eBay or use it for backup. I have taken a LOT of pictures just to practice with, but recently I have been more discriminating about what I shoot or at least how I shoot it. The bottom line is this: If you are going to go through the effort of doing something, you might as well do it RIGHT. Make it worth your while. Think... compose your photo... set up your camera properly... take a little time BEFORE you push the shutter release to ensure that the quality of pictures will be what you will want to keep, or that a higher percentage of them will be "keepers." After all, we're trying to get away from ordinary snapshots, right?

By now, I am anxious to get to the "nuts and bolts" of photography, so the next posts will start to be practical information that you can start using.

17 Reasons Why Your Photos Are Disappointing

I came up with a list of things off the top of my head why a person may be disappointed with his/her photography skills (or lack thereof, whatever the case may be). I will likely cover each of these in greater detail, whether I actually have them titled as such or cover them subtly in other articles. So here they are. Feel free to add to them, dispute them, ask for clarification or comment on them:

1. Lack of goal/purpose. What story is the photo telling?

2. Little or no technical knowledge relating to photography

3. Photos are devoid of artistic expression or appeal.

4. Photos have little or no “darkroom” attention or finesse.

5. The photos are unoriginal or possess very little personality (has this subject been photographed a million times before… from the same position/location?).

6. Amateur equipment – professional expectations

7. Professional gear – “snapshot” mentality

8. You limit yourself… you haven’t developed a sense of “seeing” artistic shots or framing good photos.

9. You are a part-time or occasional photographer.

10. Lack of passion or interest in photography. I’ve learned that “passion begets pain” in virtually any situation, hobby or profession.

11. You have interest, but don’t know where to begin.

12. Minimal computer skills of the photographer

13. You don’t believe you are in need of training, improvement or criticism. A few compliments by friends and family on your work and you think you’re good enough. In my book, when “the skills pay the bills” then you’re good enough. The ultimate compliment is a steady paycheck or a huge windfall.

14. You can’t afford necessary training. Let’s see… $1500 in camera gear… Maybe $150 in books and classes would be a good start.

15. YOU are interested and amused in YOUR work, but…

16. Technology marches on… do you?

17. There’s much more to photography than fun, cute and scenic. Expand your horizons. For instance, commercial photography is where the money is.

Everybody with a camera is a photographer... right?

I've been "taking pictures" for about 35 years or so now. I have literally taken tens of thousands of photos over the years. The thing is that, like a lot of people, even though I keep trying and keep trying to figure out why my photos don't look professional, I haven't been able to quite get it right. NOW, I am starting to get there. I've been reading different books, blogs, and taking classes on photography and there are many common threads in the photography world. I would like to share them publicly. I just want to document my journey for a couple of purposes 1) Maybe it will help somebody else learn along with me and to become better photographer and 2) It helps to solidify things for myself.

So, to be blunt I will state that just because you have a camera doesn't make you a photographer. Just because you have a GOOD camera - a professional camera - does NOT make you a photographer! It's like saying that anybody with a set of surgical tools is a surgeon or anybody with carpentry tools is a carpenter. Photography is a skill that takes not only practice, but it requires some form of education. I had had years of practice, but little education. I was ignorant or "vaguely familiar" at best with the NECESSARY elements of photography. I was just like any other person wielding a camera: the photos that I took were hit-and-miss as far as quality and aesthetics goes. I did not understand what went into making a good photograph. One thing to understand from the beginning is that the camera doesn't make the picture. It is the photographer that makes the picture. Your photo is a reflection of your artistic nature, much in the same way a painting is a reflection of a painter. My ultimate goal is to reach the level of professional photographer - where my photos are consistently the way I envision them to be in my head. That's what it's all about - taking what you see or what you envision and "painting" exactly what is in your mind.

I will post on many different subjects relating to photography. I will cover the technical as well as the artistic sides as these work together to make the skill of photography. There is a lot to cover... so let's get started!

photo courtesy of Julie Drake