25
Aug 10

How to practice photography

Metronome

Keep Steady

Practice, practice, practice!

A Google search on the words “How to Practice” yields 188 million links. Million. (Yes, I read them all!) The three top groups in the results are 1) Musical practice methods, 2) Meditation techniques of all stripes, and finally 3) the many ways one can practice evidenced-based Psychiatry. Reminds me of the irony in what Doctors call practice and what I call practice.

The tenuous nature of practice, “I need a practice run here” seems to imply we need more of…something. Practice seems to hold promise of a better result, a goal to achieve, and a new and improved ability. Before I take a run at the dart board with my 16 year old son, I want a few practice throws. We are always learning, we all know deep inside that we can do better if we concentrate, apply mindful attention, and a word that comes up universally in all endeavors of practice…focus! Well what do you know!

It is interesting that musicians, yogi bearcubs, and budding clinical psychiatrists  regularly borrow this refined concept from photography. The magic of the lens to clarify vision–the ability to focus!

So there you have it folks, we photographers have a jump on easily several million of them. No need to drill through odd time signatures 20 times left handed and right handed (with a metronome), No need to battle against the mind’s raging background noise while your guru plays barely audible meditation CDs, and no need for Board Certification from an under funded government agency.

We get to wake up in the morning and grab the new lens we just got for the DSLR and play, be it manual focus, auto focus, selective-focus, hyper-focus. We even have focus points!  Work your lens. It is visual, non-verbal, cognitive and intuitive. In fact if you close one eye and peer over the lens you can become the lens. Know thy lens; Be the lens!

In all of the various ways of practice, or even the tricks we play on ourselves to get to practice, it boils down to one thing –give yourself the gift of time. I am concerned about coaxing people to do the very things I need to do myself. I hold myself to a fine line when teaching folks how to use cameras and the consequent making of photographs, or the practice of photography. This is how I practice what I preach:

• Put it on the calendar. Just you and the lens. Turn off the phone, tell the family goodbye, and get away. Same time each day, or week is good.

• Set the camera for Program mode and forget about aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and ISO for a while and see what your lens can do at minimum focus distance, getting real close to stuff. Move in and out instead of focusing.  Keep moving. When something rings a bell, change to Manual Mode and shoot it again. With a tripod if necessary.

• Then mess with the Depth of Field (apertures) a little. Do not worry, the metadata will remember.

• At my most  zoomed-in focal length, I shoot little things and separate them from the background; and conversely, at the most zoomed-out focal lengths shoot big stuff that just fits into the viewfinder. See how the lens effect differs.

• Do not look at the watch.

• Back up files right away. Look at them in a good file browser. Rate them.

Repeat.

TEU


24
Jun 10

Chronicle Takeouts

I often joke in class that when we used to shoot film we would often take the July film to be developed and find Christmas prints with the fireworks prints. Turns out I am not immune. My last blog post was right around Christmas Eve and lo and behold here is my next post on the longest day of the year. Having a blog is like having a pet – a lot of responsibility!

I want all of you in the PhotoTrainer sphere of influence to take a good look at the San Francisco Chronicle’s web showcase for their photographer’s out-takes. This is a veritable gold mine of information as the shot data is right there.  The exposure and ISO give you a little extra glimpse into the photographer’s mind set and approach. Mind you, these pros shoot three/four assignments a day thinking story and technique the way we think about driving down the block, or getting groceries. You can see how the constant photographing makes them really good at seeing color, details, use of foreground and elements to frame or off set subjects. I could go on and on but go look at these images instead, and tell us what you think.
TEU


Tom Upton

PhotoTrainer World Headquarters  •  Palo Alto, CA
(650) 325-8120 www.phototrainer.com


23
Jan 10

Buying a Camera –Question #10 (finally)

Pick a button, any button...

Pick a button, any button...

How do I know I’m not missing something?

~Don’t tell me you didn’t see this coming~

There is an explosion of resources for the digital photography buff out there—books, websites, podcasts, videos, and the like. There is an avalanche of books, DVDs, and god knows what. Book learning is time consuming, intense, and takes discipline.  DVD training and webinars are just the same in my opinion. It is common complaint that weekly courses do not really connect the dots of confusion as well.  Photography is an unholy alliance of Science and Art.  (The Pope didn’t jail Galileo on a whim. And it is no accident it took the church centuries to absolve him.) This is some dynamically dense shit –light, glass and opinion.  :)

There is no substitute for personal contact now and then. It can be profoundly helpful if you are just getting started and are paralyzed by all of the technology. Not to mention basic photography. We have carefully designed from scratch, a unique, small, hands on workshop method for regular people who want to know all about these mysterious little boxes. Since April of 2007, I have taught over 450 people how to own a DSLR. Nurses, accountants, professors, product managers, Moms, travelers, retired firefighters, CEOs and chefs. The rest for the most part are happy enough campers to leave these reviews for PhotoTrainer.

My Jumpstart Deluxe course is six hours and you are good to go. From that day forward…the more time you spend with your camera the better. That practice makes perfect is fundamental and formative. After my class, practicing photography is just downright fun. We are in Palo Alto, California, nevertheless, we have had people come from Ireland, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and even Modesto. If you live in the Boston area, you will soon be able to take PhotoTrainer there too… ‘Nuf Said.

–TEU

Tom Upton

PhotoTrainer

www.PhotoTrainer.com

www.tomstudio.com

–Learn form a Pro!

650-325-8120

©2009 Tom Upton. All rights reserved.


20
Jan 10

Buying a Camera –Question #9

OK, I got the camera, now what?

blog note: Hey I am back! The Holidays kind of took over and I got waylaid. Don’t think it matters too much because the analytics tell me that nobody is reading this, and the only comments I am getting in addition to Kala’s are from some nice foreign merchants who want to sell leather iPod cases from Russia and industrial solvents from Newark. But heck, that’s a start!
The Almighty Tripod

The Almighty Tripod

First…take it slow with your new camera…do something different, use a tripod. The decision to use a tripod can help make a good photograph into a great photograph. The tripod will be the best least expensive lighting tool you will buy. Tripods, unlike flash, let you preserve the beauty of natural light; this is one of the “secrets” of photography…

This three legged partner will keep the Devil of Photography (unintentional blur) at bay and powerless. More likely than not, half of the photographs you will want to take will make along life’s journey take longer than a 1/60th of a second. Furthermore you do not want to be confined to wide apertures all the time. Use a tripod or forever be cursed with amateurish looking photographs.

Tom’s Two Rules for a tripod:

1)  Buy a tripod that supports the weight of your camera properly

AND

2) holds it at eye level.

We like this one alot,  it is a great starter-pod; it won’t break the bank or your back, and has a ball head.

Take time to learn how to work with this guy. Keep it in your car! Get a remote release. Take time exposures. Shoot in the rain, at night. Pre meditate. Or as the 1970s photo-gurus used to say “previsualize”…Nah, just use the darned thing…

Make photographs, make mistakes, repeat.

Are we up to Question Ten yet?

TEU

–PhotoTrainer


26
Dec 09

Buying a Camera –Question #8

How involved can this get?

It is as bad as golf, but it is the lenses, not clubs. DSLR users will want to buy nice lenses in focal length ranges suited to their favorite subjects. In most cases you may only need two to three zoom lenses to cover your photographic needs. If you are a flower person a fixed macro will help. If you are a Birder, a seriously large telephoto will be in your future. If you are a tree person, like me, you will want to look at wide angle zoom lenses.  In photography the “fastness” of a lens is determined by it’s largest aperture setting. I know this is a bit arcane as is much of the terminology of photography that has been grandfathered-in from early days of photography. The faster the lens the bigger the glass is on the front element and the more it will cost.  We all know that with camera lenses the sky is the limit as to what you can spend…There are three basic quality categories for lenses as you might imagine, cheapo, consumer, and professional. Remember: the larger the glass the faster and sharper the lens. There will also be a significant magic in the image you get from a nice lens –completely different than a lens of low cost. Professional lenses also will take abuse that the others will not. You will get what you pay for, and because of the cost and magic of good lenses, there is a robust market for used lenses of all kinds. Ebay and Craigslist offers great opportunities to get great gear for the methodical, wise, and patient.

Bhodisattva

Bhodisattva

Remember this foray into photography is controlled by you and driven by your interests and curiosity. The idea is to have fun, and to explore our creative side, by making photographs. Avoid getting caught up in gear frenzy by doing your homework. Test the lenses you want to buy. Rent one from Borrowlenses.com. Photography has never before been so inexpensive, so responsive, and conducive to learning and improvement. Be your own determined Bhodisattva in the abundant visual Maya of the world. Tune out the Photographic Industrial Complex; tune into your own growth path.


23
Dec 09

Buying a Camera –Question #7

Ben039webBuying a Camera –Question #7

How long can I expect to use this camera before it is obsolete?

For the past 10 years now we have seen in consumer technology the need to replace our new things every eighteen months. It has felt a lot like we are burning money. Or paying for health insurance. There has been a maturation in technology in the past two years or so and we have the sensor quality, processing speed, memory, bandwidth, and bigger cheaper hard drives that we need to work efficiently. Cameras are better than ever, memory and hard discs are inexpensive, and software programs to use and manage images are finally robust with features we have been asking for the last 7 years. My advice is see if you can spend $50 to $100 more and get the next level in performance or features and you will probably be able to use that new camera for at least 4 years before wanderlust settles in again. Behold the itch to switch sneaks back in no matter what.  You have to examine the conundrum of Need vs Want. We are already way past film at this point. If you buy a PnS and become an avid photographer, of course you are going to want a DSLR sooner or later. As our interest is sustained so is the possibility of the next newest camera. But heck they are cheaper than cars!


21
Dec 09

Buying that camera…Question #6

amytips

Let's see now...

6) How much money am I willing to spend on a camera?

“A picture is worth…”

My chiropractor who knows I am a photographer, was ruminating on her new digital camera. I think she was actually thinking,  “While I have him on his back I will get some information out of him…” She bought a “bridge camera” (a frakencamera crossbreed PnS/DSLR with a fixed lens). While proud of her purchase, she let it slip that what she really loved her Nikkomat in college, for the lenses. However, $500 was all she could afford and the new digital had powerful zoom. I could feel the lament, –it was in her voice. I knew at that point she was a DSLR person not a P n S person. I had to intervene.

I told her to return it and get a Canon Rebel, and the lens she wanted, and yes it would cost more, and the money from the returned camera would be put to better use. A week later she called me from the store close to tears as the total for the camera I suggested and the TWO lenses she wanted was a thousand bucks. I encouraged her nevertheless. A moment later I asked myself quietly, “What have I done do this poor woman?” A month later, she emailed from Africa and thanked me. So yeah, a DSLR camera and a couple a lenses will cost you the same as 41 rolls of color film processed and printed with double prints cost back in the day. After 948 pictures your camera is free.

In photography, as in Life, you get what you pay for. This is why I have had you go through all these previous questions, trying to find you what you really want to do with your digital camera funds. The more you pay the more you have to work with/play with. You can get a lot of fun in a Point n Shoot these days for as little as $250 to $350, but do get a nice compact leather case for your Point n Shoot, as they are delicate creatures.

A remarkably decent starter DSLR will now run you $600. In addition to the fun you can also craft serious work with a DSLR. A $100 increase in price for the next model “up” gets you a significant increase in sensor performance, larger view-screen, and added functions. Go figure. The march of technology is offering up my Canon 50D for three hundred dollars less than what I paid 11 months ago. If you can wait a year to buy this year’s model you can get a lot of camera for your money. This is what assistant’s do. Using the internet, you literally can find a used Nikon D300 driven only on weekends and kept in the garage with only 5000 shutter actuations (that’s like 10,000 camera/miles) But do be wary or bring a camera savvy friend.

Keep in mind, you will want to get a number of accessories that will make your life as a photographer easier, save time and help you have more fun. Keep your camera save in a good bag or case, be sure to get an extra battery; and have an extra memory card, and a card reader. The card reader is much faster than transferring from the camera.


16
Dec 09

Buying a Camera -Question #5

Buying a Camera– The Ten Questions

By  Tom Upton

Question #5

Sutro Tower lens test

Sutro Tower lens test

What about lens quality in all of this?

The better the lens, the larger it tends to be, so bear this in mind as you test drive and explore your options. Lens quality gets lost in the fray in much of the buzz regarding buying digital cameras. When the digital buzz dies down, the lens is the thing! (apologies to the Bard). The lens is so powerful it got Galileo thrown into the slammer. (By his best friend, the Pope, who was torn inside out at the prospect of a telescope being able to see greater aspects of our existence….and the implications…oops, sorry!)

Pros spend serious cash on the lenses, far surpassing what they spend on the cameras. Sports photographers, are in deep. More than anywhere when it comes to lenses, you get what you pay for.

Lenses are carefully made Nikon, Canon, Carl Zeiss and Schneider are well known for their lenses. Look for these names. When buying your camera shoot a sample photograph of telephone poles with electrical wires. These represent fine lines. How they are resolved by the lens and sensor combination of your desired camera will be informative. Compare all images from all cameras being considered at 100% of the fullest resolution setting. This may not be easy as most salespersons do not want you to go that far, so find one that will, shoot out the window of the store, or look for lab test results on the web….www.dpreview.com…

Lenswork lies at the heart of great photography and great cinema; knowing your lens and how it behaves in darkness and light will serve you for along time. I often suggest to people to forego the kit lens and buy a better quality one if you can afford it when buying the first DSLR.


14
Dec 09

Buying a Camera -Question #4

Buying a Camera– The Ten Questions

By  Tom Upton

Question #4

Early Bloomer in March Light

Early Bloomer in March Light

Do I want to capture memories or create art?

Capturing life at it present itself is easy with a point n shoot. Creating lasting art with fine detail is the province of the DSLR these days. There are many new ways to show and share photographs. The world is now more than ever your Photographic Oyster. The camera is the first step.

For most online images you need less resolution and point n shoots work well if this is your realm. For most nice prints you will need more resolution. Point n Shoot cameras have smaller sensors of more loosely packed pixels. DSLRs will have larger sensors of more finely packed pixels.

As for working with the photos after you take them and load them into your computer, the first place to look is to the software that comes with your new camera purchase. When you get fed up with that software, Adobe is waiting in the wings for you! Photoshop will help you create master files and perhaps masterpieces to print. Photoshop Elements is fraction of the cost and may provide you a more flexible alternative to the programs that come with your camera when you are ready to go to the next level. There are many photo quality printers on the market today for under $300.00. Many of the commercial photo printing labs have given up the ghost because you, Costco and online services can now do a good job printing your photographs.

It is quite possible the explosion of Flickr is responsible for the ongoing controversy regarding the actual value of Yahoo. Flickr, Facebook, and many other online photo sites have changed the way we shoot view and use photography in our personal lives. We have also changes it by how we use our digital cameras…So lets all strive to become better photographers, OK?


12
Dec 09

Buying a Camera -Question #3

Buying a Camera– The Ten Questions

By  Tom Upton

The Fullness of Time

The Fullness of Time

Question #3

What do I like to photograph?

Think of this as you contemplate the right camera for you and whether this may be a point n shoot or DSLR. Do think about the circumstances around the activity…

Trains, waterfalls, ospreys, jellyfish, surfers, skateboarders, girls, boys, clothing, absence of clothing, artwork, housewares, tools, or furniture…

Your answers to this may just inform what kind of camera will be most useful. For example if you want to make landscapes, a low priced Point n Shoot may not deliver the resolution you need to make a quality large print. If you want to photograph kids playing, this same point and shoot may be just fine for 4×6 prints for Grandma to order from Flickr. Point n Shoot cameras do not have apertures smaller than F/8, and often do not yield bona fide manual control to the user.

Sports and fast action will require a DSLR for the fine control of stopping action.

If you want to shoot flowers you will need a tripod no matter which camera you choose and you will want to scrutinize the Macro capabilities the camera has to offer.

If you like animals the DSLR lens options (zooms) become important.

If you like photographing people you will want to look into the camera’s built in flash power controls; Point n Shoots are fixed and limited, DSLRs are robust and more flexible. But you have to buy into them!

Face it, the camera is the ultimate tool for exploring your bliss and fascination with the world; there are a lot of differences in the features used from person to person based on what one likes to photograph. While there is a lot to know about cameras, it is not complicated. Do not associate the abundance of information with the formidable. Use your curiosity with life and the things that fascinate you to find the camera that fits your hands and interests.