Angel Oak, Johns Island, SC—This massive tree is a tourist attraction, but none the less, one of the most photogenic live oak trees in the area. It’s easy to get lost in all of the green and brown in color, but in infrared, it was easy to separate tones to truly show the spread and rhythm of this great tree. The longest branch is 180 feet long. For scale, there is a car parked to the left of the base, about 50 feet away.

The Other World of Infrared Photography

I remember the first infrared image that captured my imagination. It was when I was ten years old and in the fourth grade. I saw a LIFE magazine with red palm trees on the cover. This was before Photoshop®. There was always a photo caption in those magazines. I read that the image was color infrared, which I learned renders greens as reds. Many years went by, as I didn’t get to a photography career until age 44, but I never forgot the excitement of seeing that first color infrared image.

After researching color infrared film processing, I decided to start with B&W infrared. I was set up to process B&W film and BW infrared could be processed in the same tank. It was more convenient and much easier to process (in the wet darkroom in those days).

When digital came in, it took a few years for conversion companies to begin switching out sensors to get an infrared camera. At that time, I got my first digital infrared converted, a Nikon D200.

Let’s have a look at several discussion points, infrared properties, and image examples.

Why would one choose to shoot infrared?

#1: It’s Different

The number of good photographers and outstanding images makes finding a new and exciting way to self-expression a bit daunting. It’s easy to give up, thinking that everything has been done. This is a common path to cynicism, which can be stifling to creativity and to “out of the box” thinking. Even with its growing popularity, infrared is still in the margins. However, B&W infrared is an interesting look, different, and popular with fine art photographers and galleries.

#2: Shooting Times

A common misconception is that infrared is the domain of bright sun and trees with full green leaves. Although, it’s true that the aforementioned is a great situation, it is only one of many viable conditions. I photograph infrared at dawn/early morning, late afternoon/dusk, bright overcast/ dark overcast, in the rain, in fog, mist, midday, and during a full moon.

#3: Qualities of Light

Front light — Light source is behind you
Side light — Light source 90 degrees to the right/ left
Backlight — Light source is behind the subject
Top light — Noon
Overcast/ diffused — Soft light spreading evenly over the subject
Rain — An unexpected time for infrared. Bright overcast/ soft drizzle, and just after a storm are both excellent times for infrared.
Fog — Bright/ crisp early morning fog is outstanding
●●● Low angle front and side light can be quite dramatic in IR.

#4: Ethereal/Surreal Look

One of the great appeals of infrared photography is what many people refer to as the “other worldly” look. Infrared is literally re-visualizing your world

#5: Compared to B&W Photography

Infrared can capture greater cloud detail (not visible to the naked eye), and naturally adds glow to highlights.

Hardware/Software Conversions

You can dedicate a camera to be an infrared camera by getting an infrared filter installed by a company specializing in infrared conversions (http://kolarivision.com and http://lifepixel.com)

What do the number designations mean?

• 590nm and 650nm — The lower the number (nm = nanometers) the closer to the visible light spectrum and the easier it to introduce color. Advantages: ability to introduce faux color, softer blacks.
• 720nm (Standard infrared) — Creates high contrast black and white infrared, yielding puffy white clouds and dark skies. Advantage: Creates high impact, black blacks, and white whites.
• 830nm — Higher contrast than 720nm. Best used in flat or subdued light conditions. Advantage: Increases contrast on low contrast days.
• Full Spectrum — Basically, a clear filter is inserted in the camera allowing you to add external infrared filters on your lens to achieve any and more of the aforementioned designations: 590 filter, 650 filter, 720 filter, and 830 filter. You will have to purchase each filter separately. NOTE: The eye piece is blacked out when using filters. Live view is essential. Recommended for mirrorless cameras.

Singh Ray 690 infrared filter — Designed to be used on a color camera to create true B&W infrared images. Note: The exposure time will be a little longer than on a converted camera.

Backroad Barn, Eastern WA State — Normally, clouds are desirable, but blank skies, as in this image, can give us a clean palette for texturing

Here’s the way it works:

All sensors have a hot mirror to block infrared for cleaner/ sharper images. However, all hot mirrors leak small quantities of infrared. It takes time to gather enough infrared leakage to create an image. Hence, a normal exposure of 1/30 sec may result in a 2 second exposure. Exposure times will vary greatly depending on the amount of light. You can raise the ISO and lower the aperture for a faster exposure using the filter. But, you will need Live View as the eyepiece will be blacked out when the filter is added.

Spot light, Badlands NP, SD — A single ray of light spot lights this single cottonwood tree, the effect enhanced by the use of a radial filter, bringing out the tree and single cloud and darkening the edges.

Focusing

There is slight disparity between the normal focusing point and the infrared focusing point. Live view focusing AF is more accurate than thru the eye piece focusing. However, the disparity is small enough that stopping down to f/16 or f/22 will cover the difference. As a general practice, we focus through live view on our DSLRs.

Underwater Ballet, Acadia National Park, ME — The underwater stems were pronounced by the infrared, causing me to change the subject focus from the lily pads to the undercurrent of the flowing stems.

Lenses and Hot Spots

This is a known issue and there are lists of lenses that create the hot spot, which is a bright spot (BW infrared) or a discolored spot (color infrared) in the center of your infrared image. The intensity of the hot spot can be more pronounced at higher apertures.

In addition to the list of incompatible lenses, you can easily determine if a lens creates the hot spot by taking a properly exposed image of a clear blue sky, using several different apertures. The hot spot will be visible on incompatible lenses, and not there on compatible lenses.

If you currently have images with the hot spot, it can possibly be corrected. Depending on the image, the hot spot can be fixed in many cases by adding contrast by any number of techniques: NIk’s Viveza (now owned by DxO), brush contrast in the area, try the burn tool and cloning at a very low opacity. It is a time-consuming process.

The easiest fix is to have a compatible lens.

Time Warp, Badlands National Park, SD — The long exposure and spires exemplify what many refer to as “the otherworldly look” of infrared. I needed 15 stops of neutral density to achieve the 4-minute exposure in the late morning light.

Processing

What is that red cast?

The red cast shows up on the image on back of the camera and when imported. It has no effect on the infrared image, but can be a bit distracting when viewing on the camera. If you would rather see your images in infrared on the camera, you can go into your respective camera menu and choose to view in monochrome. However, the image will still input with the color cast, which quickly goes to infrared when processed as B&W.

My Infrared Set Up

Main Camera: Nikon D800 converted to standard infrared, 720nm

Second Camera: D800 converted to 590nm, which enables introducing color into the image.

I use a Singh Ray 690 infrared filter* which has two functions:

It can be added to a color camera to create a true BW infrared.

1. Image. The exposure can be a bit longer, depending on the ambient light. However, in bright sunlight, the exposures are shorter
2. The way that I use this filter to the greatest effect is to take a color and infrared image of the same scene (tripod needed), have both images open as layers in Photoshop, then adjust the opacity. Consider masking in / out certain areas. It’s pretty much up to you at that point.

Arnistapi, Westfjords, Iceland — Photographed from the pier, this is a favorite image from this area. The low tide opens up a wonderful, large boulder foreground, lush with kelp, which renders glowing white in infrared.

Is a tripod always needed?

No, not always.

If the exposure is fast enough (shutter speed > 1/ longest focal length (e.g. for an 85mm lens, the shutter speed has to be 1/85 sec or faster (1/125 sec) to successfully hand hold the camera.

Personally, I use a tripod as a matter of course.

What camera mode to use?

It depends on what you’re used to, as all metering systems work the same in infrared.

Experiment with all modes. To get the quickest and most accurate histogram, try shooting in program mode, but you will need to remember to watch the aperture, as P mode resets to the widest aperture when turning the camera off and on. I will shoot on P mode for street shooting, as things can happen quickly, and taking time to set anything could result in missing a shot. I switch between Aperture priority and Program modes in all my work.

Turf Church, South Coast, Iceland — An example of photographing infrared in the rain where the whites become bright and tree bark goes dark when wet.

Since my first exposure to infrared as a child, I’ve developed and maintained an affinity for infrared. It wasn’t until recently that a point was reached to where hardware and software came together to help me achieve the look and feel to my work that I’ve been seeking. Enjoy your fantastic voyage into infrared-land.

Pot Hole, Greenbriar, Great Smoky Mountains, TN — Image made during a persistent spring rain, making the rocks very dark and increasing the brilliance of the whites. Glow was added to the highlights using the NikDXOs Glamour Glow filter. A 10 stop neutral density was used to slow the water.

Hill Street, Whidbey Island, WA — I added a 10 stop neutral density filter to create the 4-minute exposure. Obviously, there was no wind, which is a rare event at this location.

Tony Sweet

Coming from an artistic background as a professional jazz artist and professional close up magician (sleight of hand artist), Tony has always sought creative, deeply personal endeavors.

The transition from jazz artist to nature photographer was a seamless transition as both require an improvisational nature and an ability to adapt to quickly changing conditions.

Tony was named as a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens and has been published worldwide for over 35 years. He has authored 8 books, contributing to many others, co-produced an educational DVD series, and teaches and lectures throughout the US, Canada, Iceland, and Cuba.

Tony is co-owner, along with Susan Milestone, of their Visual Artistry Location Workshops Series, Creativity Seminars, and 1 ON 1 virtual training sessions and ZOOM presentations to photographic societies worldwide.

Please visit URL: http://tonysweet.com
Email: tony@tonysweet.com

The post The Other World of Infrared Photography appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.

First we have to understand what is RAW?  A RAW file is the unprocessed data coming directly from the camera sensor; and “raw” truly means what it says—without any processing or manipulation what so ever.  You might have noticed that when you take a photo and then bring in the RAW file that doesn’t look like the image that you saw on the back of your camera.  That’s because that image on your camera is a jpeg and has been processed using the settings you have in your camera at the time.  If you tell your camera you want to shoot in B&W, it will show you a B&W image on the back of your camera, but if you are shooting RAW and then bring it into your processing software—like Lightroom—you will notice it starts out B&W and then changes to color?  Why? Because it displays the raw data—as in everything the camera sensor saw, and it saw the image as color.  RAW files preserve the most amount of information about an image and generally contain more colors and dynamic range than other formats.  When you edit a RAW file you aren’t actually changing that file; a side-car file called an XMP file is created to hold all of your scripted changes—think of this a layer that has your changes on it, while the base layer, the RAW file, is untouched.

Every manufacturer has their own RAW format which is why some people like the idea converting their RAW files over to DNG (Digital NeGative) files—an Adobe open source format at was created specifically to eliminate the anxiety of multiple camera manufactures proprietary formats and to “future-proof” your files.  According to Adobe DNG files are RAW files, but are 10-15% smaller than your original RAW files and do not have the need for a XMP file; all the changes are stored within the DNG file—making backups take longer, but makes file handling much easier—especially if you want to move your files around.  The DNG format has checksum information that is used to scan and prevent file corruption.  This is a feature not available if you are using RAW files.  The metadata can be written directly to the DNG file meaning that when using image management software such as Lightroom, you do not need to export the file with a separate sidecar file in order to maintain the metadata.  Just in case you want to do both, keep your RAW file and go DNG there is a way to imbed your RAW file into your DNG file—though you lose the space savings by doing so, generally doubling the finished file size-before you begin to do the conversion.

Sounds like DNG is a great alternative to RAW—no one wants to be left out in the cold when their file format is deemed too old to be backwards compatible.  The question is why aren’t more people flocking to this open format?  The answer maybe be for two basic reasons—(1) Time: When you do a DNG conversion the time it takes to convert from DNG to RAW, especially with large imports of data, can be irritating, and when you  to backup up your database it takes more time as it has to as it has to rewrite the entire file not just the XMP every time you make a change; (2) Compatibility:  The adoption by other software manufacturers, such as your favorite plug-in or third-party software, hasn’t really taken off.  Add to that if you enter photo contests for which DNG files are not generally excepted, even with the RAW files embedded (which may not be able to read by the recipient), and you may find that the advantages in converting to DNG diminishing.

What are some of the other reasons for not going with DNG?  Once you convert to DNG and wipe out your original RAW files, you are at a point of no return – there is no way to convert a DNG file back to the original RAW file, even if you embed the RAW file into your DNG.  Also when you bring your RAW files into a RAW converter like Lightroom, LR shows you your files with the camera profile of Adobe Standard.  This may not be the best representation of your image—you might want to explore another camera profile such as: portrait, landscape, standard, or faithful.  Possibly the best reason not to ditch your RAW files in favor of DNG is that in the conversion from RAW to DNG the camera profile will be baked in to Adobe Standard.  This may not be the best way to display your image and if you convert and ditch, you don’t have a way to go back.  Another point to note that nobody really knows how to interpret a manufacture’s RAW image.  It’s just a guess, so the “RAW” file that Adobe can imbed into your DNG file isn’t really the RAW file that you started with; if it could be pulled out you would find that the manufacture’s software would no longer be able to read that file—hence it’s not really the RAW file that is being embedded.

When the debate first came up I took a wait and see attitude, not wanting to spend the time to convert my Terabyte+ library of photos to a new format.  In revisiting this issue now years later, where professional photographers are now returning to RAW, I’m glad I didn’t

The post RAW vs DNG appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.

Take A Step Away From Your Comfort Zone

You read that right folks, step out of that zone as soon as possible. The moment you feel you’ve mastered something is the same moment you have to venture into the horizon to conquer new territory when it comes to your photography skills. Whether you’ve already taken a thousand portraits or you’ve achieved that long-exposure night-cap image, you should never settle down and rest on your laurels. Otherwise, you’ll stay stuck on that photography plateau with no hopes of going up.

Why not try to cover a wedding? It’ll challenge your creativity and your skill in coming up with pictures that will last a lifetime for a couple. Why not head out to the busiest part of the city and shoot people walking along the streets? It’ll help you master the art of capturing that decisive moment. Why not take your friend out to the park for a quick portrait session? This experience will aid you in posing people properly.

Whatever you’re doing with your photography right now, it’ll be a big boost to just go out and do something you have never done before.  

Get out of that zone you’ve known for so long and shoot something that does not fit with your style.

Let The Internet Inspire You

If you’re gonna get lost, better get lost in the works of other photographers and their work. This tip will definitely fill up your mind with concepts and ideas you can adapt and make your own. Plus, as you try new things you’ve seen from others, it can help you create your own distinct style that will set you apart from the crowd.

All you need to do is search for photographers on social media, browse galleries found on their websites, or stalk their Instagram accounts for a quick fix of photographic inspiration. You can also join a forum or a group online so you can directly connect with other photographers, feed off from their ideas, and you can even share yours.

Experiment with Light

When the sun goes down and the light runs out, most photographers will call it a day and pack their bags. When that happens, be the one that stands out from among the rest. Just take out your flashes or video lights, ask for some assistance, and go wild in the dark. Experiment all you want, from the intensity of your light source to the different angles you can play with. There’s a good chance you’ll produce an image that will surprise the heck out of you.

There are so many things you can do with external light when the sun goes down. Don’t limit yourself and shoot away.

Do a Photo Challenge

Do you have a friend on social media who seems to post artistic photos every day? There’s a good chance your friend is accomplishing a 365 photo challenge and doing so can be good for you. First off, this task helps you be more resourceful in coming up with unique concepts for each day of the year. Second of all, it makes you more disciplined in shooting, sorting, editing, and posting your photos online. Last, but never the least, this practice will undoubtedly boost your creative skills and instill a new sense and style of taking photos.

Now, if a daily change may be taxing, you can modify the challenge to a weekly or a monthly one. Nevertheless, the same wisdom applies when it comes to improving your photography skills.

Socialize, Socialize, Socialize

What may seem so daunting at first can be the secret to a whole new world for you. Yes, that’s right folks. Getting out there and simply saying hi to that girl you’re sitting across the train can mean a new portrait session in your schedule. You can also go the extra mile and reconnect with lost friends, go to that party your co-worker was telling you about, or attend a seminar related to your hobbies. All of these and more can mean new connections to be made and more opportunities to widen your network. Believe me when I say that a simple acquaintance can produce 10 bookings for you when you make the simple effort of connecting on a personal level.

Getting out of that rut is never easy. At the same time, it’s not impossible to do so when it comes to getting inspired and finding new ways to take photographs. All you need to do is take that small, brave step, the world is yours. If you have other wonderful and simple ideas on how be more inspired when it comes to photography, hit me up in the comments below.

Get into the habit of talking to your subject and making them feel more comfortable because this will translate into the images you shoot.

The post How to Take Your Photography Skills To The Next Level appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.

I have been shooting from a time before digital photography started. When I shifted to dSLRs, the debate was already very heated. I have tried both and shoot both on a regular basis. Let me walk you through the basics on shooting RAW vs JPEG.

Most of my portraits are shot using RAW…

RAW vs JPEG Comparison

RAW is the file format that has all the image data captured by the camera. All the data is intact and uncompressed that the file is called a digital negative. RAW files store all the dynamic range and the highlights and contrasts. It is called RAW because you need to process it to get a final image as the images are not as sharp or has the contrast of a JPEG.

On the flipside, JPEG is, if you compare it to film, a developed image. A JPEG from the camera applies all the settings that are on the camera like sharpening, white balance and others to the image. The camera also strips the image of data that it does not deem necessary as it cannot be seen by the naked eye. The data is also compressed to make the file size smaller.

I also use RAW for macro to pull exposure and detail from the background…

Advantages and Disadvantage of RAW

The main advantage of RAW is that it has all the image data intact. On a camera that shoots 12-bit RAW image you can store upto 68 billion possible color combinations. Another good thing about RAW is that it has all the dynamic range and exposure data. You can change the exposure of the image to a certain degree. You can also change the Color Space, white balance and picture control settings on a RAW file as these are not final.

The disadvantage of shooting RAW is that it needs to be processed to see a final image. You also need a RAW photo viewer to see the image as it is not recognized by most operating systems. RAW files need to be processed by a dedicated RAW to jpeg converter like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. The files are also very large as it contains all the data. Shooting RAW will also be stored in the memory card slower than JPEG because of the file size.

When shooting street photography I lean towards shooting JPEGs since I don’t do much editing…

Advantages and Disadvantages of JPEG

Shooting JPEG is very convenient if you need the files in a hurry. JPEG is recognized by most devices and can be readily viewed. All the settings of the camera are applied to the image so it is ready for export to clients or stored in photo repositories. The files are generally smaller and more can be saved in the memory card.

The main disadvantage of JPEG is that it has already been processed by the camera. It means that it is not as flexible as RAW when being edited. Data that has been lost due to the compression cannot be recovered through editing. If you get a setting wrong while shooting, you cannot adjust it in post processing unlike RAW.

For events, JPEG is better for me as RAW won’t keep up with me shooting in burst mode…

So which is better?

Shooting RAW or JPEG is more of a preference than a necessity. It is much more related to the shooting style and the need of the photographer in the final image. It can also be related to what genre of photography you do.

I shoot RAW most of the time when I have portrait or macro sessions. I chose to shoot the RAW format for its flexibility. I can adjust exposure and white balance on my photos easily. I know most landscape shooters also shoot RAW most of the time as they need all the dynamic range they can have during post processing. Anytime I need the maximum data in my images, I will definitely go RAW.

I only shoot JPEG when I need to shoot a massive number of shots in a short time. When shooting weddings or events I tend to choose JPEG as there would be no buffer limit in my camera. I also shoot JPEG in street photography as I do minimal post processing on them.

So the reason for shooting RAW vs JPEG is down to what the photographer really wants. There is no one that it better than the other as both have advantages and disadvantages. The important thing to consider is that the file type you choose should fit your needs and your workflow.

The post The Debate: Shooting RAW vs JPEG appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.

Location and Timing

When it comes to photographing any sport being at the right place at the right time is a big part for success. For baseball you either want to be behind home plate or along the third base line. These positions give you the best angles to get top action shots. The main action for baseball is the pitcher throwing the ball. Getting a good photograph of the pitcher isn’t a challenge however you want more pictures than just of the pitcher. Other areas to focus pay attention to on the field, to get top action pictures of baseball players, is players running on the base path. Primarily from first base to second base and from third base to home. This is why the positioning of being behind the plate or along the third base line are top spots. From behind the plate you can get great pictures of the pitcher, and also still have the opportunity to get photos of players sliding into second. If your focus is plays at home though or getting batteries swinging, than along the third base line is where you want to be. Remember action sports photography requires moving around, during the game, to get top photos.

Top Action – Kentucky vs. Kansas

Finding Interesting Photos

One reason why baseball photography can be a challenge for new sports photographers is action doesn’t always happen. This is when you have to try to find as much action as you can. Instead of just taking a normal photo of the pitcher throwing the ball, try to get something interesting going on in the background like a runner trying to steal second base as the pitcher throws. Anticipating the action is a key skill in any action sports photography job if you want to get be successful, but it is especially important for baseball sports photographers since baseball is a slow game and sometimes so little action happens. Baseball being a slow game does make it a good game to practice photographing sports though, and the action is a lot more predictable than with other sports.

More than just pitcher – Louisville vs Cincinatti

Emotion

One last thing to keep in mind when photographing baseball, or any sport for that matter, is it doesn’t always have to be about the action on the field. A good sports photographer also catches the emotion of the players. When something big happens like a home run get photographs of the teammates on the bench celebrating. If a bad call is made, than get a photo of the player’s reaction to it. Action sports photography is great, but capturing the emotions of the players really brings them alive and makes them relatable.

Great Emotion – Louisville vs. Kentucky-1

Conclusion

Capturing the moments in a baseball game and getting top pictures of the baseball players can be really rewarding. Keeping in mind that you should move around to get different shots will help you have variety. Also, don’t just focus on the action on the field instead get players’ emotions, and lastly developing your anticipation skills will help you become a great sports photographer for any sport. Baseball can be a slow sport at times, but when the action hits it is fun, and since it is a slower sport baseball photography is a great way to get experience in the action sports photography realm.

The post Hitting your Next Baseball Photography Shoot out of the Park appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.

Use a Macro Lens

Shooting a ring and giving it justice can be extremely hard if you use a zoom or a normal prime lens. As such, it’s really important to have a macro lens in your bag to allow you to get closer to your subject. Anything that’s longer than 60mm will suffice to give you a good working distance when you are capturing ring shots.

Illuminate, Illuminate, Illuminate

Oftentimes, a wedding photographer might face challenging lighting conditions that will hinder the way towards the ring image you want. In this case, there’s no better way than to use a competent ring lighting system. You can simply use a flash mounted on your camera or go the extra mile and employ the use of slave flashes to brighten up those rings when ambient light won’t cooperate.

Apart from the use of flashes, going with a LED video light is also a reliable option. What’s good about these devices are you can instantly see how the light is gonna affect your image so you can just adjust accordingly. Of course, it would be best to employ the aid of an assistant to hold the video light when you are photographing ring shots.

Arrange Your Ring Shots For A Perfect Composition

Go for the Mood

Sometimes, the lack of light can be a good thing for those wedding and engagement ring photos. If you find yourselves shooting rings with little ambient light or without the aid of a lighting system, just go ahead and take your shot. Find the best spot possible, increase your ISO, open the lens at its widest, and shoot at the slowest shutter speed possible. After doing so, you might be surprised that the end result looks dramatic and artsy.

Go The Extra Mile and Decorate Those Rings

Let’s face it. Shooting engagement and wedding ring shots can be mundane when they’re all alone. Why don’t you look around and check for details that will highlight the rings to increase their beauty?

It’s simple actually. You can place those rings on a piece of clean, white paper to eliminate any distractions on your image. You can also find some leaves or small flowers and arrange them accordingly next to the rings to give your photo a livelier atmosphere. Furthermore, you can place those rings next to tiny and intricate details, like the beads of a wedding gown or a letter written by a groom to her bride. Heck, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can splash water on those rings or use sparklers for a unique shot.

Decorate your Ring Shots with Unique Details

Use Blue-Tak

Making rings stand can be next to impossible if you don’t use a handy solution like Blue-Tak. You can get a tiny piece of this putty-like substance, attach it to the bottom of the ring to make it look like it’s standing on any surface. This gives you the power to place those rings on walls, stylish surfaces, and detailed patterns without them tumbling over and over again. Just make sure to use the right amount of Blue-Tak for your ring shots so they won’t be seen in your photo.

A Simple Engagement and Wedding Ring Shot Using Blue-Tak

Every wedding photographer need not lose their heads over something so small and so beautiful. With the right gear and loads of creativity, you’re sure to shoot ring shots that will blow everyone’s minds away in no time at all.

The post How To Capture Amazing Ring Shots Right Away appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.

I remember that I was fairly new in the photography industry when I was asked to do my first wedding photoshoot. It was a nerve-racking experience that I thankfully got through. Over the years, I have learned lessons on shooting wedding portraits after the ceremony and before they enter the wedding reception. Here are some of the most important things I want to share with you about shooting creative wedding portraits.

Building Rapport

Wedding portraits, as with any portrait photography, is all about building rapport with your clients. Be their best friend in the most special day of their lives. Having the couple as ease during the portrait session would make your life as a photographer that much easier. Guide them through the process and be gentle when giving instructions about wedding poses that you want them to do. You also need to have the couple focus on the wedding photoshoot as they can be worrying about a million things like the reception.

In between takes the couple relaxes for that split second, be sure to capture it…

Scout the Location Ahead

It would be very wise to be familiar with the location of your wedding photoshoot ahead of time. You should check the condition of the area and see if it would be fit for what you intend to do. Scouting ahead would give you a rough idea of what gear you need to bring with you like if you need an extra set of speedlights and remote triggers because poor lighting conditions.
Also check if the area is safe for the couple especially with the bride’s expensive wedding gown if you plan to take things outdoors. The last thing you would want is to ruin the gown or having shoes soiled.

Scout ahead to know what parts of the location would be best for shooting wedding portraits

Have a Shoot List

Planning is key when shooting wedding portraits as there is a very short window of time to get everything done. Create a list of poses, scenes and unique wedding photos you might want to execute during the session. It would be good to go through this list with the couple a day or two before the wedding and see if they approve of your ideas or if they have their own fun wedding photo ideas that you can work on. Highlight the ideas that you like the most in your list.

Once on location, work through your shoot list starting from simple poses first to get the couple (and entourage if they are present) comfortable with you and also buy yourself time to get your camera settings right. Once you have the couple at ease then try the wedding poses you highlighted on your list but also be flexible as unexpected things can happen during the shoot.

Some moments are just too magical and unexpected

Capture Emotions

The things that most photographers miss during the wedding photoshoots are those moments when the couple candidly smiles at each other in between takes. The couple has just exchanged vows minutes before your shoot and surely still feel the butterflies in their tummies. One thing I noticed is that couples tend to let their guard down after they hear the shutter click and let out natural emotions. What I do is shoot the intended pose but also be ready to do a burst of clicks right after as the couple relaxes. Look for those moments as they will be priceless.
Wedding photography is a very challenging undertaking especially when shooting creative wedding portraits. The most important thing that a photographer can do is keep calm as it can really be chaotic at times. Remember to relax, have fun and keep a look out for the unexpected. Things can happen quickly so always have your finger on the shutter button. Lastly, be in the moment and connect with the couple and their emotions; it will help you get the most awesome wedding portraits.

I like to showcase candid moments in between choreographed wedding poses

The post Wedding Photography: How to Shoot Creative Wedding Portraits appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.

Camera Bodies

This right here, folks, is the very heart of a wedding photographer’s kit – the camera body. What you should go for is a camera with blazing autofocus speed and can deliver images in any lighting condition. At the same time, a rugged body that can take abuse and intuitive ergonomics are also a  must-have in a professional wedding camera.

Now, there are a lot of options out there in the market that can satisfy your needs. Whether it’s a traditional DSLR or a mirrorless camera, you won’t run out of competent options.

And don’t forget to get yourself a backup camera too. You’ll never know when your current body might fail so it’s imperative to have a camera ready to back you up in your time of need.

A Set of Lenses

Normal: This kind of lens is a default choice for your wedding photography checklist and the one you’re gonna use the most. Anything that falls within the 35 to 50mm range is considered normal and it’s best for capturing a wide range of wedding images without any distortion. With this lens in your arsenal, you can be ready to shoot portraits, details, and all the important moments right away.

Telephoto: Normal lenses can sometimes be limiting during a ceremony wherein you can’t get closer to your subject. When that occurs, a fast 85mm or a 70-200mm lens is your best bet to capture those shots without any intrusion on your part. Plus, you can be sure to capture flattering portraits that isolate your subject from the background with utmost clarity.

Wide: Of all the lenses a wedding photographer can use, a wide one is utilized the least. Although that’s the case, it doesn’t mean it’s less useful during a wedding. In fact, a 24mm prime lens can come in handy when you need to shoot large groups of people in tight spaces. Better consider this one if you want to cover all the bases when it comes to the essential equipment for wedding photography.

Macro: No matter what everyone says, a macro lens is a must-have for professional wedding photographers and their creative process. How can you ever give justice to that large diamond engagement ring or the intricate details of their wedding invitation if you don’t have a macro lens in your bag?

Lighting System

Flash: What would you do if you need to shoot wedding reception images when the sun has gone down and the lights are horrendous? Get a flash for your wedding photography checklist, that’s what. Once you’ve got one, set it properly, and go about your job in covering the big day.

That’s right. With a flash, you need not worry about bad light or the lack of it anymore. Just make sure to bring extra batteries so you won’t shoot in the dark.

Slave Flashes: Sometimes, images shot with a flash can be far from what you’ve envisioned. When that happens, get some some additional flashes you can slave with a wireless trigger and an assistant to help you out. You can get more creative with your shots and have more options when the lights go dim and people are dancing the night away.

Video Light: What may seem unconventional is rather practical when you get to use this. Just imagine having a steady and reliable source of light to illuminate your subjects softly. Compared to a flash, images shot with a video light look more natural.

Data Storage

Memory Cards: Get the card with the biggest amount of data you can afford. It’s always better to have too much memory than running out of it during a crucial time. Plus, choose a card with a fast read and write speed so you won’t need to wait that long when copying your files.

External Hard Drive: Backing up images is a responsibility every professional constantly does in his/her wedding photography checklist. And there’s no better tool to do that than a reliable external hard drive. Make sure to get the largest external hard drive you can afford. More space is always the best.

Post-Processing Computer or Laptop

When gathering wedding photography tips, using a competent computer or laptop is one of the top answers for every professional. That’s because you’re gonna use this machine to sort and edit countless images. It’s important to choose a laptop or computer that can handle those tasks so get one with a good processor and large amounts of RAM for your needs.

Complimentary Accessories

If the professional wedding camera and the lenses are the main attraction of your equipment, the batteries, chargers, light stands, bags, cases, and cleaning materials are the support system it direly needs. Having multiple batteries will save you the hassle of charging during a wedding while light stands can be helpful in positioning your slave flashes for that once-in-a-lifetime shot. Furthermore, using various cleaning materials can extend the life of your gear and having a reliable wedding camera bag can of great assistance if you need to move to a new location in a moment’s notice.

Not all photographers are the same when it comes to their equipment. Some prefer one camera brand while others are staunch advocates of a specific lens that suit their shooting style. If you want to add something to our wedding photography checklist, go ahead and let us know by commenting below folks.

The post The Quintessential Wedding Photography Checklist Every Pro Must Have appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.

Taking photos of your first concert photography gig can be daunting but we are here to share some tips with you to make it easy and enjoyable.

Bringing the right gear

The first thing you have to consider when shooting concerts is the gear you have to bring with you. The best cameras for concerts would be one that can handle noise well as you will be shooting in low light. Any camera that has low noise at high ISO would work well. If would also be of help if your camera focuses fast even in low light.

Lenses are also a big factor to taking good concert photos. Ideally, professional concert photographers take with them two zoom lenses: one wide angle and a telephoto. The lenses are typically built for low light with fast constant apertures of f2.8. Having the constant aperture would improve your experience as you won’t need to fiddle with the aperture controls as you zoom in and out when framing shots. It would also be good if you have two camera bodies for the lenses you bring as you don’t want to be changing lenses in the middle of a concert and miss important moments.

Lastly, it would be nice to have a flash. Any through-the-lens (TTL) flash would do especially when shooting wide angle shots of crowds and other candid moments.

A fast lens is important as you will shoot in low light during most night concerts…

Choosing the best settings

Now that we have the gear down, the next bit would be what settings to use. As with any event, it would be ideal to set your camera to aperture priority when shooting concert photos. Having the camera set to aperture priority would lessen the time fiddling with the controls and gives you more focus on framing and timing your shots while not worrying about getting the right exposures. The lighting also tends to change abruptly during concerts so having the camera decide the right exposure would be a big plus.

One other important setting to consider would be shooting RAW versus shooting JPEGs. With RAW photographs, you do not have to worry about getting the white balance right when shooting. The white balance tends to change fast during concerts and you wouldn’t want to be caught with the wrong WB settings. Only use JPEG when you need to send out photos immediately after shooting. The only downside of shooting RAW is running out of card space.

Telephotos help when you need to take photos of a far stage setup…

Timing your shots

Concert photography is about anticipation and timing shots. Get a feel of how the concert runs during the first few songs. This is especially true when shooting band photography where the musicians tend to go crazy during the chorus of songs. Get to know how the band / artists move around the stage and how the crowd reacts to certain portions of the show. Once you understand the subjects, you can then anticipate and time your shots accordingly.

It would also be good if you familiarize yourself with the band’s songs beforehand; it is music photography after all.

Time your shots well especially when there are a lot of lights…

Look for Candid Moments

Candid moments are a must when shooting concerts and music festivals. The band may have a touching moment in between songs or people in the crowds may do crazy things. Always have one eye open for the other things going on during the concert. When you know you already have good photos of the artist, you can then focus on looking for those moments that would make viewers feel the vibe of the event.

Concert photography is and should be fun. But there are times that you might at times get caught up in shooting that you will forget to enjoy the moment. Remember to focus on the artist(s) and the crowd but it should also be important to enjoy the music as well. Having fun will bring out the best in your photography.

Have fun, take lots of photos and feel the music.

Candid shots help the viewers get the vibe of a music festival…

Play with the lights and the crowd. Turn off your flash to get silhouettes…

The post Tips for Concert Photography: Shooting Your First Concert appeared first on SlickPic Digital Photography School.