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Basics  /  Learning
The Mystical Histogram
December 30, 2024

The histogram on your camera is a visual representation of the exposure levels in a photo. It helps you understand how light or dark different parts of your image are, so you can adjust your settings for a better exposure. Here’s a breakdown of the basics:

  1. What the Histogram Looks Like
  • The histogram is a graph with a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.
  • Horizontal Axis: Represents the brightness levels in your photo, from dark to light:
    • Left Side: Shadows (blacks).
    • Middle: Midtones (grays).
    • Right Side: Highlights (whites).
  • Vertical Axis: Shows how many pixels in your photo are at each brightness level. Higher peaks mean more pixels at that level.

 

  1. What a “Good” Histogram Looks Like

There’s no one-size-fits-all perfect histogram because it depends on the scene you’re photographing. However:

  • Balanced Histogram: Often peaks are spread evenly, with no extreme spikes at the edges. This works well for most situations.
  • High Key (Bright Image): Peaks shift toward the right, indicating more highlights.
  • Low Key (Dark Image): Peaks shift toward the left, indicating more shadows.

 

  1. Common Issues to Look For
  • Clipping:
    • Highlights Clipping: If the graph touches or spikes on the far right, you’re losing detail in the brightest areas, which turn pure white.
    • Shadows Clipping: If the graph touches or spikes on the far left, you’re losing detail in the darkest areas, which turn pure black.
  • To avoid clipping, adjust your exposure by tweaking shutter speed, aperture, or ISO.

 

  1. Using the Histogram
  • Review Exposure: After taking a shot, check the histogram to see if it matches your intent. For example, if you’re shooting a bright, snowy scene, expect the histogram to lean toward the right.
  • Adjust Settings:
    • If the histogram is too far left (underexposed), increase exposure by:
      • Slowing the shutter speed.
      • Widening the aperture (lower f-number).
      • Raising the ISO.
    • If the histogram is too far right (overexposed), decrease exposure by:
      • Speeding up the shutter.
      • Narrowing the aperture (higher f-number).
      • Lowering the ISO.

 

  1. Practice Makes Perfect
  • Use your histogram to fine-tune exposures until it becomes second nature. Compare how the histogram changes with different lighting and settings to see how it aligns with creative goals.

A good, balanced histogram typically looks like a smooth, bell-shaped curve that doesn’t have spikes touching the far left (shadows) or far right (highlights). Here’s what it usually indicates:

Balanced Histogram

Key Features of a Balanced Histogram:

  1. Shadows (Left Side):
    • The graph tapers off as it approaches the far left.
    • There are no big spikes touching the left edge, meaning you’re not losing detail in the darkest areas (no blocked shadows).
  2. Midtones (Center):
    • The peak of the curve is often in the middle, representing a lot of detail in the midtones (the “average” brightness of the image).
  3. Highlights (Right Side):
    • The graph tapers off as it approaches the far right.
    • There are no big spikes touching the right edge, meaning you’re not losing detail in the brightest areas (no blown highlights).

What a Balanced Histogram Means

  • Proper Exposure: Your image has a good range of tones, from shadows to highlights, without clipping.
  • Detail Preservation: Most areas of your photo retain their texture and details, making the image more visually pleasing.
  • Neutral Composition: Works well for general scenes like landscapes or portraits under normal lighting.

 

Example Scenarios for a Balanced Histogram:

  • A landscape photo with a bright sky, dark shadows in trees, and plenty of midtones in grass or water.
  • A portrait lit with soft, even lighting, where skin tones are nicely exposed.

 

Important Notes:

  • Scene Dependent: A balanced histogram is ideal for evenly lit scenes, but some situations, like high-contrast scenes or creative choices, will lead to unbalanced histograms. For example:
    • Dark, Moody Images: The histogram might lean left.
    • Bright, Airy Images: The histogram might lean right.
  • Not a Rule: Use it as a guide rather than a strict rule. The look of the histogram depends on your artistic intent.

Histograms can vary significantly depending on the scene and the style of photography. Below are examples of how histograms look in different scenarios and what they mean.

  1. High Contrast Scene

Example: A bright sunset with dark shadows in the foreground.

  • Histogram Shape:
    • Peaks at both the left (shadows) and right (highlights), with a dip in the middle (midtones).
    • Looks like a “camel’s hump” with two peaks.
  • What It Means:
    • The image has very bright areas and very dark areas with minimal midtones.
    • This is common in high-dynamic-range (HDR) scenes where you might need to use bracketing or post-processing to recover detail.
  • How to Adjust:
    • Use exposure compensation or bracket your shots to capture shadow and highlight details.
  1. Low-Key Image

Example: A moody portrait with deep shadows and minimal bright areas.

  • Histogram Shape:
    • Peaks concentrated toward the left (shadows).
    • Few, if any, pixels in the highlights or bright midtones.
  • What It Means:
    • The image is intentionally dark, with shadow details dominating.
  • How to Adjust:
    • This is often intentional, so as long as your shadows aren’t clipped (spike at the far left), you’re good.
  1. High-Key Image

Example: A bright and airy photo of a snowy landscape or a white background.

  • Histogram Shape:
    • Peaks concentrated toward the right (highlights).
    • Few pixels in the shadows or dark midtones.
  • What It Means:
    • The image is predominantly bright, which can create a soft, clean look.
  • How to Adjust:
    • Ensure highlights aren’t clipped (spike at the far right), especially for subjects like snow or white clothing.
  1. Underexposed Image

Example: A night shot or an incorrectly set exposure for a darker scene.

  • Histogram Shape:
    • The graph is bunched up on the left with minimal midtones or highlights.
  • What It Means:
    • The image is too dark, and you’re losing detail in the shadows.
  • How to Adjust:
    • Increase exposure using a slower shutter speed, wider aperture, or higher ISO.
  1. Overexposed Image

Example: A brightly lit scene with blown-out skies.

  • Histogram Shape:
    • The graph is bunched up on the right with minimal shadows or midtones.
    • Highlights may clip (spike at the far right).
  • What It Means:
    • The image is too bright, and you’re losing detail in the highlights.
  • How to Adjust:
    • Decrease exposure by using a faster shutter speed, narrower aperture, or lower ISO.
  1. Flat/Low-Contrast Image

Example: A foggy day or evenly lit, low-contrast portrait.

  • Histogram Shape:
    • Peaks are concentrated in the middle, with little data on the far left or right.
  • What It Means:
    • The image has limited contrast, and most tones fall in the midtone range.
  • How to Adjust:
    • Add contrast in post-processing to stretch the histogram and enhance detail.
  1. Clipped Shadows and Highlights

Example: A poorly exposed image with both dark and bright areas losing detail.

  • Histogram Shape:
    • Spikes at both the far left and far right edges.
  • What It Means:
    • The image has lost detail in both the darkest and brightest areas.
  • How to Adjust:
    • Reduce contrast by adjusting exposure or dynamic range settings (if your camera has them).

Summary of Histogram Use:

  • Balanced Scenes: Aim for a smooth, spread-out histogram without spikes at the edges.
  • Creative Choices: For low-key or high-key images, the histogram will naturally lean left or right—just avoid excessive clipping unless it’s intentional.
  • High Contrast: Consider techniques like bracketing or post-processing to manage extreme histograms.
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Basics  /  Creative  /  Learning  /  Photography
The Exposure Scale
December 30, 2024

The f-stop scale is a sequence of numbers that represents the aperture settings of a camera lens. Aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that allows light to pass through to the camera sensor or film. The f-stop scale helps photographers control how much light enters the camera and also influences depth of field (how much of the image is in focus from front to back).

Understanding the f-stop numbers:

The f-stop values are written as f/n, where n is a number like 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, etc. These numbers represent the ratio of the lens’s focal length to the diameter of the aperture opening. Here’s a breakdown:

  1. Larger f-stop numbers (e.g., f/16, f/22):
    • Smaller aperture opening.
    • Less light enters the camera.
    • Greater depth of field (more of the scene is in focus, good for landscapes).
  2. Smaller f-stop numbers (e.g., f/1.4, f/2.8):
    • Larger aperture opening.
    • More light enters the camera.
    • Shallower depth of field (less of the scene is in focus, good for portraits or isolating a subject).

How the f-stop scale works:

Each step in the f-stop scale either doubles or halves the amount of light entering the camera. For example:

  • Moving from f/2.8 to f/4 reduces the light by half (because the aperture is smaller).
  • Moving from f/8 to f/5.6 doubles the light (because the aperture is larger).

Why it matters:

  1. Exposure: The f-stop is one part of the exposure triangle, along with shutter speed and ISO. Changing the f-stop affects the overall brightness of your image.
  2. Creative control: You can use the f-stop to achieve specific visual effects, like blurring the background in portraits or keeping everything sharp in a landscape.

A quick tip:

If you’re struggling to remember the sequence, here’s a simple guide:

  • The scale progresses in powers of √2 (about 1.4), so each f-stop multiplies or divides the area of the aperture by 2.
  • Common full stops are: f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22.

Interacting with the Exposure Triangle

Let’s dive into how the f-stop interacts with the exposure triangle, which includes aperture (f-stop), shutter speed, and ISO. Together, these settings control the brightness of an image (exposure) and influence its creative look.

  1. Aperture (f-stop)
  • What it does:
    • Controls the size of the lens opening, which determines how much light reaches the sensor.
    • Affects depth of field (area in focus in front of and behind your subject).
  • Interaction with the triangle:
    • If you use a wide aperture (e.g., f/2.8), more light enters, so you might need a faster shutter speed or lower ISO to avoid overexposing the image.
    • Conversely, a small aperture (e.g., f/16) lets in less light, so you may need a slower shutter speed or higher ISO to compensate.
  1. Shutter Speed
  • What it does:
    • Determines how long the camera’s sensor is exposed to light.
    • Measured in seconds or fractions of a second (e.g., 1/1000, 1/250, 1/60, etc.).
    • Affects motion blur—faster shutter speeds freeze action, while slower speeds blur motion.
  • Interaction with aperture:
    • If you use a small f-stop number (wide aperture, e.g., f/2.8) and let in a lot of light, you’ll often need a fast shutter speed to avoid overexposure.
    • If you use a large f-stop number (small aperture, e.g., f/16), you may need a slower shutter speed to let in enough light for proper exposure.
  1. ISO
  • What it does:
    • Determines how sensitive your camera’s sensor is to light.
    • Low ISO (e.g., 100): Less sensitive to light, produces cleaner images with less noise.
    • High ISO (e.g., 1600 or more): More sensitive to light, useful in low-light conditions but increases noise (graininess).
  • Interaction with aperture:
    • If you’re shooting with a small aperture (e.g., f/16) in dim light, you might need to increase ISO to achieve a good exposure without using an extremely slow shutter speed.
    • Wide apertures (e.g., f/2.8) often allow you to use lower ISO settings, reducing noise.

Balancing the Triangle

Here’s how changes to one setting affect the others:

Scenario 1: Bright environment (e.g., sunny day)

  • You might use:
    • A smaller aperture (e.g., f/11) to avoid too much light.
    • A faster shutter speed (e.g., 1/1000) to freeze motion.
    • A low ISO (e.g., 100) to maintain image quality.

Scenario 2: Low light (e.g., indoors or at dusk)

  • You might use:
    • A wide aperture (e.g., f/2.8) to let in more light.
    • A slower shutter speed (e.g., 1/60) to allow more light onto the sensor (but beware of motion blur).
    • A higher ISO (e.g., 800 or 1600) to brighten the image, accepting some noise as a trade-off.

Creative Control

  • Portraits: Use a wide aperture (e.g., f/1.8 or f/2.8) to isolate your subject with a blurry background (shallow depth of field).
  • Landscapes: Use a small aperture (e.g., f/11 or f/16) to keep everything in focus, from foreground to background (deep depth of field).
  • Action shots: Use a fast shutter speed (e.g., 1/1000) to freeze movement, paired with a wider aperture if light is limited.
  • Night photography: Use a slower shutter speed (e.g., 10 seconds), a wide aperture (e.g., f/2.8), and possibly a tripod to stabilize the camera.

Putting it All Together

Let’s say you want to take a portrait with a blurry background:

  1. Set aperture first: Choose a wide aperture, e.g., f/2.8.
  2. Adjust shutter speed: Use a fast enough speed to avoid motion blur but still expose the subject properly (e.g., 1/200).
  3. Adjust ISO if needed: If the image is too dark, raise the ISO to brighten it (e.g., ISO 400 or 800).

Would you like specific examples, or maybe tips for practicing with these settings?

Example Using the Exposure Scale

Here are some specific examples and practice tips to help you understand how to balance the exposure triangle while taking creative control of your photos.

Example Scenarios

  1. Portrait with a Blurry Background (Shallow Depth of Field)
  • Goal: Isolate the subject with a blurry background.
  • Settings:
    • Aperture (f-stop): Set to a wide aperture like f/1.8 or f/2.8.
    • Shutter Speed: Adjust to around 1/200 or faster to avoid motion blur.
    • ISO: Start with a low ISO (100-400) for better image quality. If it’s too dark, increase ISO.
  • Why it works: A wide aperture creates a shallow depth of field, making the subject pop while blurring the background.
  1. Landscape with Everything in Focus (Deep Depth of Field)
  • Goal: Capture a sharp foreground and background.
  • Settings:
    • Aperture (f-stop): Set to a small aperture like f/11 or f/16.
    • Shutter Speed: Use a slower speed like 1/30 or even longer if on a tripod.
    • ISO: Keep ISO low (e.g., 100) to maintain quality.
  • Why it works: A small aperture increases depth of field, ensuring the entire scene is in focus. A tripod is helpful for longer exposures to avoid blur.
  1. Action Shot (Freezing Motion)
  • Goal: Freeze a fast-moving subject (e.g., sports or wildlife).
  • Settings:
    • Aperture (f-stop): Use a moderately wide aperture like f/4 or f/5.6 to let in more light.
    • Shutter Speed: Set a fast speed, e.g., 1/1000 or faster.
    • ISO: Increase ISO if needed to maintain brightness (e.g., ISO 800 or higher).
  • Why it works: A fast shutter speed prevents motion blur, while a moderate aperture and higher ISO ensure enough light.
  1. Night Photography (Low Light)
  • Goal: Capture a bright image without using flash.
  • Settings:
    • Aperture (f-stop): Use a wide aperture like f/2.8.
    • Shutter Speed: Use a long exposure, e.g., 10-30 seconds (requires a tripod).
    • ISO: Start with ISO 800 and increase only if necessary to minimize noise.
  • Why it works: A wide aperture and long shutter speed maximize light, while a tripod keeps the camera steady during the long exposure.

Tips for Practicing the Exposure Triangle

  1. Start in Aperture Priority Mode:
    • Set your camera to Aperture Priority (A or Av) mode.
    • Adjust the aperture, and the camera will automatically set the shutter speed.
    • Practice with different f-stops to observe how they affect light and depth of field.
  2. Experiment with Manual Mode:
    • In Manual (M) mode, choose a starting aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, then adjust based on your results.
    • Example practice settings:
      • Bright Day: Start with f/8, 1/250, ISO 100.
      • Low Light Indoors: Start with f/2.8, 1/60, ISO 800.
  3. Use Exposure Compensation (+/-):
    • If your image looks too dark or bright in semi-automatic modes, use the exposure compensation dial to adjust.
  4. Shoot the Same Scene with Different Settings:
    • Pick a subject (e.g., a flower, building, or person).
    • Shoot it with multiple aperture settings (e.g., f/2.8, f/8, f/16).
    • Compare how depth of field and brightness change.
  5. Play with Motion:
    • Photograph moving water (e.g., a waterfall or fountain).
    • Use a fast shutter speed (e.g., 1/1000) to freeze the water.
    • Use a slow shutter speed (e.g., 1 second) to create a silky effect. Use a tripod for slower speeds.
  6. Low-Light Challenge:
    • Try shooting indoors or at night without a flash.
    • Practice balancing wide apertures, higher ISOs, and slower shutter speeds to get a well-exposed shot.

Apps and Tools to Help

  • Photography Cheat Sheets: Download printable guides or apps like “PhotoPills” or “Exposure Calculator” for on-the-go help.
  • Histogram Use: Enable the histogram on your camera to check exposure. Aim for an even spread, avoiding peaks on the far left (underexposed) or far right (overexposed).
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Basics  /  Learning  /  Photography
Exposure Triangle
November 2, 2024

Perhaps the most basic concept in photography is “THE EXPOSURE TRIANGLE” – this is a concept that helps balance three core elements—aperture, shutter speed, and ISO—to achieve a well-exposed photo. Each one affects the brightness of a photo and how it looks in terms of depth, motion, and graininess. Here’s how each part of the triangle works:

1. Aperture (measured in f-stops, like f/2.8, f/4, etc.):

  • This is the size of the lens opening. Think of it like the pupil of an eye—the larger it is, the more light it lets in.
  • Lower f-numbers (like f/1.8 or f/2.8) mean a wider aperture, letting in more light and creating a shallow depth of field. This makes backgrounds blurry, which is great for portraits.
  • Higher f-numbers (like f/16) mean a smaller aperture, letting in less light but giving you a larger depth of field. This keeps more of the scene in focus, ideal for landscapes.

2. Shutter Speed (measured in seconds or fractions, like 1/1000, 1/250, etc.):

  • This controls how long your camera’s sensor is exposed to light. Think of it as how fast your camera’s “eye” blinks.
  • Faster shutter speeds (like 1/1000) freeze motion, so they’re great for action shots or if you’re shooting handheld.
  • Slower shutter speeds (like 1/30 or even 1 second) let in more light but can cause motion blur. They’re useful in low-light conditions or if you want to create a motion effect, like with flowing water.

3. ISO (often between 100 and 6400 on most cameras):

  • ISO measures the sensitivity of your camera’s sensor to light.
  • A low ISO (like 100 or 200) keeps your image crisp and clean, but requires more light—perfect for sunny days.
  • A high ISO (like 1600 or 3200) makes your sensor more sensitive to light, so it’s good for darker settings. However, higher ISO levels can introduce “noise” (graininess) in your photos.

How They Work Together

If one of these settings changes, the others need adjusting to maintain the same brightness. Here’s an example:

Scenario: Let’s say you’re shooting a portrait and want a blurry background.

You might start by selecting a wide aperture, like f/2.8. This lets in a lot of light, so to prevent overexposure, you might use a faster shutter speed or lower ISO.

Balance: By balancing aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, you control exposure while also deciding on the visual effects, like motion blur or sharpness across a scene.

If you think of each element as one side of a triangle, adjusting one side always affects the others. The goal is to keep the “exposure balance” by adjusting the others in tandem, depending on the look and feel you want.

However, if you can imagine different types of triangles, its is possible to adjust these settings – in relation to each other – to form similar looking image. That is,  you can achieve a similar-looking photo with different combinations of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and this is one of the powerful aspects of understanding the exposure triangle. Adjusting each element affects not only the exposure but also the artistic style of the photo, like depth of field, motion blur, or noise. This is called an “EXPOSURE EQUIVALENT” – different settings that give the same overall exposure level.

Let’s go through an example:

Example Scenario
Imagine you’re photographing a landscape on a sunny day, and you want the entire scene to be in focus (sharp from front to back) with minimal noise.

1. Settings Option 1:

  • Aperture: f/16 (narrow, for deep depth of field)
  • Shutter Speed: 1/100 (lets in enough light with a stable exposure time)
  • ISO: 100 (keeps noise low)

This combination would give you a well-exposed photo with everything in focus and low noise.

2. Settings Option 2:

  • Aperture: f/8 (wider than f/16, lets in more light)
  • Shutter Speed: 1/400 (faster, to compensate for more light entering at f/8)
  • ISO: 100 (same, to maintain low noise)

With this set of settings, you’d still get a well-exposed shot, but the depth of field is slightly shallower. This might mean the extreme edges of your focus range are softer, but for many landscapes, this can still give a similar result.

3. Settings Option 3:

  • Aperture: f/11 (medium depth of field, still covers much of the scene)
  • Shutter Speed: 1/200
  • ISO: 200 (a little more sensitive to help balance out any exposure loss)

This setup again allows for a similar exposure level, but with slight compromises in depth of field and a tiny bit more noise due to the increased ISO. Still, the photo would look very similar in terms of overall brightness and clarity.

In each option, the “exposure stays balanced”, but the choice of settings subtly changes how the final photo looks.

Why Choose One Over the Other?

The choice between these settings often depends on your creative intent:

If you want maximum sharpness and are okay with a narrow aperture, Option 1 might be best.

If you want more flexibility in shutter speed (to avoid camera shake, for instance), you could go with Option 2.

If you’re in low light and need a higher ISO, Option 3 offers a compromise.

The more you experiment, the more you’ll see how these settings impact the style and feel of your photos.

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Creative  /  Landscape  /  Photography
What To Photograph in November
October 25, 2024


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Creative  /  Featured  /  Gear  /  Landscape  /  Learning
Long Exposures
October 11, 2024

I’ve been struggling with a block recently, constantly turning from one direction to another, not knowing what I wanted to do, photograph, learn or research. I’ve got my website to a good place (finally!) so its time to push on and build on that solid base. 

But, where do I go next and what should I learn?

I’ve got a stack of photography books waiting for me to read but I’ve been picking them up, casually leafing through the pages and putting them down again. There’s loads I want to dig deeper on, loads of eMails I’ve received from subscriber lists I’m on but everything is building up.  I’ve spent a couple of weeks not really getting anywhere…

So, I’ve finally pulled myself together and on the back of an eMail I received – which I actually read – I plucked long exposures from my long list of topics and tried a few things out. This is something I’ve tried before but mostly at night – where its relatively easy to produce great pictures from light trails in various places – city centre, a bridge looking down to a motorway, etc. What I though I’d do this time was try it during the day to make it much more challenging for myself. 

"Long exposure: the dance between stillness and motion." – Unknown

Taking long exposure photographs during the day can create stunning images, like smooth water surfaces, motion-blurred clouds, or bustling cityscapes that appear almost deserted. To do this, you’ll need a Neutral Density (ND) filter, which reduces the amount of light entering the camera, allowing for longer exposure times even in bright daylight.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started with daytime long exposures using an ND filter.

Choose the Right ND Filter

  • ND filters come in different strengths, measured in stops, which determine how much light they block. The higher the number of stops, the more light they block.
  • For daytime long exposures, you’ll typically need a filter with at least 6 stops (ND64), but for more dramatic effects, 10 stops (ND1000) or even 15 stops (ND32000) are commonly used.
  • Consider the level of light you’re shooting in. For very bright conditions, a stronger ND filter will help you achieve longer exposures without overexposing.

Set Up Your Camera on a Tripod

  • A tripod is essential to keep your camera stable during long exposures.
  • Ensure your tripod is stable and can hold your camera steady for extended periods, as even slight movements will blur your image.

Compose and Focus

  • Compose your shot without the ND filter on so that you can see clearly through the viewfinder or on the screen.
  • Switch your lens to manual focus to avoid your camera trying to refocus when the ND filter is attached. Manually focus on the part of the scene that you want to be sharp.

Calculate Your Exposure Time

  • With the ND filter off, set your camera to Aperture Priority (A/Av mode) and choose a small aperture (e.g., f/8 to f/16) to get a baseline exposure. Note the shutter speed your camera chooses.
  • Use an ND filter calculator app or manually calculate the new shutter speed based on your ND filter strength. For example, if your base shutter speed is 1/125 sec, and you’re using a 10-stop ND filter, you’ll need an exposure of 8 seconds.

Switch to Manual Mode and Apply the ND Filter

  • Switch to Manual Mode (M) on your camera and set the aperture, ISO, and calculated shutter speed.
  • Carefully screw on or attach your ND filter. Be cautious not to bump your camera, as this can change your composition or focus.

Take the Shot

  • Use a remote shutter release or your camera’s built-in timer to avoid camera shake when you press the shutter button. This is especially important for longer exposures.
  • Check your image. If it’s overexposed, reduce the exposure time or use a stronger ND filter. If it’s underexposed, increase the exposure time.

Experiment with Exposure Times

  • Long exposures are a bit of trial and error. Try different exposure times to see how they affect the look of your image, especially if you’re capturing moving clouds or water.
  • Remember that the light may change throughout the day, so you might need to recalculate exposure as you go.

Additional Tips

  • Use a Low ISO: Keeping your ISO low (ISO 100 or lower) will minimize noise and maximize image quality during long exposures.
  • Bracket Exposures: Take multiple shots at slightly different exposure times to ensure you get the perfect shot.
  • Mind the Weather: Wind can cause vibrations on your tripod, and changing light conditions may impact your exposure settings. Cloudy days often provide a more even light, which can be ideal for long exposures.

Daytime long exposures with an ND filter open up a lot of creative possibilities, so experiment with different filters and subjects to see what effects you like best. Enjoy capturing those dreamlike, silky smooth scenes!

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Creative  /  Landscape
Down By The Riverside
September 29, 2024

Riverside Mill Buildings
Riverside Mill Buildings
Riverside Mill Buildings
Riverside Mill Buildings
Riverside Mill Buildings
Riverside Mill Buildings
Riverside Mill Buildings
Riverside Mill Buildings
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Basics  /  Creative
Overcome Creative Block
July 16, 2024

Are you stuck in a photographic rut? Not sure where to go and what to shoot? Hopefully this article will help get you out and about shooting again.

There are plenty of times when I get creative block. I sit staring at my camera and I really struggle to think of what to photograph next. For me, photography is a release, something to turn to to relieve some of the stresses of our busy lives. I love being out in the open, warm or cold with my camera or drone and just having the freedom to look and when I can actually SEE too that’s a bonus. At times, I take lots of pictures and don’t appreciate at the time their quality. I can come home from a shoot and feel disheartened at what I think I’ve taken only to find that actually there are some great shots mixed in with the rubbish, I just didn’t realise at the time.

So you can see that the block can sit in there (especially if it digs itself wedged in!) right from home, out to the shoot and back again. What can we do to break it?

These images (from a much wider set) came as a result of being stuck on where to fly/capture my drone. Quite a few times this year I’ve driven along the Woodhead Pass from Barnsley to Manchester and noticed how low the levels in the reservoirs are. It came to me suddenly that I ought to capture just how low they were!

Woodhead Reservoir
Woodhead Reservoir
Woodhead Reservoir
Woodhead Reservoir
Woodhead Reservoir
Woodhead Reservoir
Woodhead Reservoir
Woodhead Reservoir
Woodhead Reservoir

Perhaps it isn’t a lack of inspiration that’s driving the brain block but something external to photography. Take a break from whatever you are doing and stop trying so hard. Listen to some music. Read a book. Cook. Bake. I do all of these to relax. Try it and the old creative juices might just start to flow again.

But, what if it’s not that and you need some inspiration on subjects?

The first and most obvious thing to do is just to pick up your camera and start shooting. Indoors or outdoors. Do you have a partner or children? Take them as they go about their business in the house, at work or play. Do you have a car? Go take some shots of that. Up close, far away, get up high (from an upstairs window perhaps?), get down low. Wait until its dark and switch your headlights on. Throw a star filter into the mix too (not sure what they are … look it up!!). Out in the garden I have found no end of interesting subjects to photograph, especially through the great lock down of 2020! Flowers, insects, birds, local cats.

I love long exposures, especially at night. The first time I stood above a motorway on a bridge (in safety of course), took my camera off auto and did some 5-10 second exposures to capture the light trails I was amazed!

Do you normally take pictures of similar things? Are you a landscape person – if so, try people. Or pets. Put yourself outside your comfort zone.

Go for a walk – either in your local area of take the car out – but no pictures whilst driving! If you are going out in the car, have a think about what is in the local area before you set off so you aren’t just driving aimlessly. Google Maps is great for scouting areas before you visit and it has perhaps the most comprehensive database of places and websites (as you would expect!) along with pictures posted from other previous visitors. Look up street photography – a massive subject but immensely popular.

Something else? What about a photo challenge? Do an online search and any number of suggestions will pop up, running for (normally) a week or a month or if you feel exceptionally challenged you can sign up to a 365 day challenge. I have another post about this.

Pick something in your house and challenge yourself to find as many ways as possible to take different images of it.

Perhaps you need to study some of our peers. There are countless photography websites out there waiting to impart their experience and knowledge. Do some searching. Find an amazing photographer and study their work. What makes their images stand out? What styles were successful for them?

Nip to the newsagents and pick up a copy of a great photography magazine – or not; get an online copy and you don’t even have to move.

I think you can see that there is (just about) a limitless amount of inspiration around us in the modern world. If none of the above is working out for you, just search for ‘photo inspiration’.

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Creative  /  Featured  /  Learning  /  Photography
Intro to Focus Stacking
July 10, 2024

Focus stacking is a powerful technique in photography that allows you to create images with an extended depth of field. This means that more of your image will be in sharp focus, from the nearest foreground elements to the farthest background details. This technique is particularly useful in macro photography, landscape photography, and any other situation where you want to capture a lot of detail across different planes of focus.

Why Use Focus Stacking?

In photography, achieving a large depth of field—where everything from the foreground to the background is in sharp focus—can be challenging. Using a small aperture (like f/16 or f/22) can help, but it often leads to issues like diffraction, which reduces overall sharpness. Additionally, even with a small aperture, there may still be areas in your image that remain out of focus. Focus stacking solves these problems by combining multiple images taken at different focus points into a single, sharp image.

The Basics of Focus Stacking

To understand focus stacking, let’s break down the process into simple steps:

  1. Take Multiple Photos: You start by taking several photos of the same scene. For each photo, you adjust the focus so that different parts of the scene are in sharp focus. You might take one photo where the foreground is sharp, another where the midground is sharp, and another where the background is sharp.
  2. Combine the Photos: Using software, you then combine these photos into a single image. The software picks the sharpest parts of each photo and blends them together. The result is an image where everything from the closest to the farthest elements is in focus.

Equipment Needed

To get started with focus stacking, you’ll need some basic equipment:

  • Camera: Any camera that allows you to manually adjust the focus will work, but a DSLR or mirrorless camera is ideal.
  • Tripod: Keeping your camera steady is crucial for focus stacking, so a sturdy tripod is essential.
  • Lens: A lens that allows for manual focus adjustment is necessary. For macro photography, a macro lens is preferred, but you can use any lens depending on your subject.
  • Remote Shutter Release: This helps to avoid any camera shake when taking the photos.

Steps to Perform Focus Stacking

Let’s go through the steps in detail:

1. Setting Up Your Shot

Before you start taking photos, you need to set up your shot. Here’s how:

  • Compose Your Shot: Set up your camera on a tripod and compose your shot as you normally would. Make sure your camera is stable to prevent any movement between shots.
  • Focus Manually: Switch your camera to manual focus mode. Automatic focus might shift slightly between shots, which can ruin the focus stacking process.
2. Taking the Photos

Now that your shot is set up, it’s time to take the series of photos:

  • Start with the Closest Focus Point: Begin by focusing on the nearest element in your scene. Take a photo.
  • Adjust the Focus Slightly: Move the focus slightly deeper into the scene, so that the next part is in focus. Take another photo.
  • Repeat: Continue this process, adjusting the focus a bit further into the scene with each shot, until you’ve covered all the important parts of the scene.
3. Combining the Photos

After you’ve taken all your photos, you’ll need to combine them using focus stacking software. Here are the basic steps:

  • Import Your Photos: Load all the photos into the software.
  • Align the Photos: The software will align the photos to make sure they match up perfectly. This step is crucial if there was any slight movement between shots.
  • Blend the Photos: The software will blend the photos, taking the sharpest parts of each image to create a final, composite image with everything in focus.

Recommended Focus Stacking Software

There are several software options you can use for focus stacking:

  • Adobe Photoshop: Photoshop has a built-in focus stacking feature. It’s a bit complex but offers a lot of control.
  • Helicon Focus: This is dedicated focus stacking software and is user-friendly with powerful features.
  • Zerene Stacker: Another dedicated focus stacking tool, known for producing high-quality results.

Practical Tips for Better Focus Stacking

To get the best results from focus stacking, here are some practical tips:

  • Use a Small Aperture: While you don’t need to use the smallest aperture, using a mid-range aperture like f/8 or f/11 can help improve overall sharpness without causing diffraction.
  • Consistent Lighting: Ensure the lighting remains consistent between shots. Any changes in lighting can make blending the images more difficult.
  • Minimize Movement: If you’re shooting outdoors, try to avoid windy conditions, as even slight movements in your subject can ruin the stack.
  • Overlap Focus Points: Make sure there’s some overlap between the focus points of each shot. This ensures that no part of the scene is left out of focus.
  • Practice: Like any technique, focus stacking takes practice. Start with simple subjects and gradually work your way to more complex scenes.

Focus Stacking in Different Types of Photography

Macro Photography

Macro photography is one of the most common applications of focus stacking. When photographing small subjects up close, the depth of field becomes extremely shallow, often just a few millimeters. Focus stacking allows you to capture the intricate details of your subject without sacrificing depth.

Landscape Photography

In landscape photography, you often want to have everything in the scene—from the foreground flowers to the distant mountains—in sharp focus. Focus stacking can help achieve this, especially when using wide-angle lenses and shooting at large apertures to capture more light.

Product Photography

Focus stacking is also useful in product photography, where you want the entire product to be in focus to show off its details. This is particularly important for items like jewelry or electronics, where fine details matter.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful preparation, you might encounter some issues when focus stacking. Here are some common problems and how to solve them:

  • Ghosting: This happens when elements move between shots, creating a ghostly double image. To avoid this, ensure your subject and camera are as stable as possible.
  • Alignment Issues: If your photos don’t align perfectly, the software might struggle to blend them. Make sure your tripod is sturdy and use remote shutter release to avoid any camera shake.
  • Lighting Changes: If the light changes between shots, it can create inconsistent exposures. Try to keep the lighting constant, or shoot in controlled lighting conditions indoors.
Conclusion

Focus stacking is a valuable technique for photographers looking to maximize the depth of field in their images. By taking multiple photos at different focus points and combining them using software, you can create stunning images that are sharp from front to back. While it requires some practice and patience, the results are well worth the effort.

Whether you’re shooting macro subjects, landscapes, or products, focus stacking can help you achieve a level of detail and sharpness that’s otherwise difficult to attain. With the right equipment, software, and a bit of practice, you’ll be able to create images that truly stand out. Happy shooting!

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