Photography Education (Page 4)

by Sean Setters

From a technical standpoint, any lens from 8mm to 800mm can be used to photograph people, meaning that every lens could be classified as a "portrait lens." But just because a lens can be used as a portrait lens does not necessarily mean that it should be utilized as such for general portraiture. There are two primary characteristics which make some lenses ideally suited for capturing flattering images of people. Let's explore those characteristics in more detail to determine why they're so beneficial to portraiture.

Medium Telephoto Focal Length (or Focal Length Range)

Typically speaking, lenses with a medium telephoto focal length (or focal length range) tend to work best for general portraiture. While the ideal range can vary with personal preference, generally speaking a lens featuring a focal length in the 85 - 135mm range on a full-frame camera (55 - 85mm on a 1.6x crop sensor camera) will provide a compressed view which mitigates or eliminates the foils of perspective distortion.

Why is perspective distortion a problem in portrait photography? Because when using a relatively wide focal length, combined with a close working distance, facial features nearest to the camera – typically noses – become enlarged in the frame.

Wide Aperture

Another key element prized by portrait photographers is a very wide aperture – in the f/1.2 to f/2.8 range – allowing for subject isolation via shallow depth of field (DOF). Of course, the wider the aperture, the shallower the DOF. With background elements unrecognizably blurred, distractions can be eliminated and viewers' eyes can be drawn precisely to the subject.

Portrait Lens Recommendations

I considered listing several lens recommendations in this section, but really there's no need. We already have that covered in our Portrait Lens Recommendations section (at least as far as Canon shooters are concerned). For Nikon shooters, check out the Portrait Recommendations and substitute a comparably-spec'd Nikon (or Nikon-mount) lens.

Wrap Up

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, any lens can be used to record photography's most important subjects, people. However, lenses with a medium telephoto focal length (or zoom lenses that encompass such focal lengths) coupled with a wide aperture can aid in capturing flattering imagery that can make your friends, family, or clients look their best.

Did I miss something important? What do you look for in a portrait lens that we didn't cover?

The Canon Digital Learning Center has added several articles on the newly announced EOS 77D and Rebel T7i DSLR cameras as well as an EOS M-series overview.

CDLC Articles

• What's New: EOS 77D Image Quality Enhancements
• What's New: EOS 77D HD Video Features
• What's New: EOS Rebel T7i's built-in Wi-Fi
• What's New: Expanding the EOS M-series line

You can find preorder links for the relevant gear here.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Written by Ken Sklute and Dave Henry

North America will experience a wonderful astronomical event on August 21, 2017 - a total eclipse of the sun. This hasn’t happened in the United States in 38 years and is the first one to race across the entire country since 1918! This will be the first total eclipse in North America in the digital photography era, and that means that everyone from novice to professional photographers will be able to photograph it.

We are embracing this rare phenomenon and will publish articles, photos and videos between now and August to give you the necessary photographic skills and background information to capture this eclipse.

Considering the path of totality and partial eclipse phases, almost a half billion people will have the opportunity to view at least a partial eclipse. Millions will undoubtedly travel to the narrow path of totality stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. It’s estimated that about 225 million people live within a day’s drive of the path of totality.

Areas north and south of the totality path will see a partial eclipse. The partial eclipse will be visible as far north as the Arctic, and to the south as far as Ecuador and Brazil.

You don’t need to be a seasoned pro. Anybody will be able to shoot this with the proper precautions but if you really want to do it up right, you’ll need to plan ahead.

From the Canon Professional Network:

The EOS-1D X Mark II has won rave reviews since its launch back in February 2016 and to help users get more from its incredibly advanced focusing system, Canon has produced a handy downloadable AF Setting Guidebook for smartphone and tablets.

Update: Whoops! We previously posted the guidebook's availability when CPN made it available back in November. For some odd reason, the Guidebook available via CPN is only 12MB compared to 100MB for the CDLC version (maybe the CDLC version is significantly higher in resolution?).

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Rick Sammon

Photographers are storytellers: we tell a story within the frame of a still image.

What we include in the frame depends on our mood and feeling, as well as the mood or feeling we want to convey. The technique we use to tell that story often depends on several factors, including making a color or black-and-white image (a black-and-white image perhaps looks more creative because some of the reality of the scene has been removed), using a fast or slow shutter speed to freeze or blur the action, choosing a wide or small aperture to minimize or maximize what is in focus in front of and behind the focus point – and perhaps most important: the lens we choose.

In this article I’d like to share my story about a recent trip to the bottom of the world, which included stops in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica. To illustrate my story I’ll share with you the Canon zoom lenses I used and my camera settings on my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and EOS 5DS. My goal is to give you some ideas on how you can tell your story when traveling.

From the Canon DIgital Learning Center:

Welcome back to our “Introduction to Shooting Stars.” In Part I we covered the essentials of getting you ready to shoot. In the second part we are going to cover what to do when you are on location and ready to shoot.

Since we are talking about shooting at night, pulling focus is a little harder than during the day, so this will take a little more time and explanation to cover.

Harvard has published their Digital Photography course on Alison, a free certified learning website.

Here's the course description:

Digital photography technology is continually changing, however, the principles behind good photography don't. ALISON's free online photo course gives you the opportunity to gain extensive knowledge and understanding of digital photography including topics such as exposure settings, how to read and use the histogram, how light affects a photograph, how the camera sensor and lenses work, and how to process a photograph using computer software. You will also learn tips and techniques on what not to do when taking a photograph.

ALISON's free online course is ideal for those who wish to increase their understanding of digital photography and want to know how to process and produce photographs digitally.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Richard Curtis, Adobe Systems UK Principal Solution Consultant in Digital Imaging, writes exclusively for CPN on how to get the best from Adobe’s Lightroom for mobile app.

B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

In recent years, Canon has expanded its high-end, G-series compact camera line. What was once a line of a single upper-end, full-featured camera, has grown into a line of five distinct, premium cameras. All take advantage of significantly larger imaging sensors than we typically see in compact digital cameras, as well as extensive user-control features which target the enthusiast user who (at least occasionally) wants control and input over various camera settings.
...
NEW: PowerShot G9 X Mark II
The most compact model in the premium G-series. An expert’s compact camera, with numerous user controls, but in a pocketable size and form-factor. 3x (28–84mm equivalent) zoom lens; still has the large 1-inch sensor size, for superior low-light imagery (compared to majority of slim, compact digital cameras).

Preorders
B&H | Amazon | Adorama | Canon USA Store

From the IAMNIKON Blog:

@TastyAsHeck, she has made a big splash on the platform with her colourful and enticing food photography.

Heike’s channel has grown incredibly over the past three years and she has learnt a lot along the way. She now reveals how to boost your channel following, improve your social presence and those little food photography tips and tricks to help you succeed when posting food pics on Instagram.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

By Ted Hesser

This article will detail practical lessons learned in the vertical pursuit of rock climbing photography. Special attention will be paid to the task of carrying a DSLR around in the mountains and up on the rock wall.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center.

By Michael Joseph

Earlier this year, Canon published my two-part series of articles geared toward photographers that are either working pros or aspiring to eventually make a living in photography, “Photographing People & Pets for the Advanced Amateur or Aspiring Pet Photographer” and “MJ's List of Top 10 Professional Tips on Photographing People and Their Pets.”

This article is geared to help an even larger segment of the population… sharing some practical tips with anyone that would love to do a better job at photographing their four-legged members of the family!

Let's say you have a camera or two and you obviously love your pets just as if they were members of the family. And try though you may, you have the toughest time getting the results you would ultimately like to have. You try and try and your patience runs short… so, you throw in the towel and just give up. Or, maybe you haven't completely given up but you would admit that you are not totally satisfied with your results and realize that there is plenty of room for improvement. If you fall into either one of these two categories or even somewhere in between, please read on and you just might eventually find yourself doing a much better job at photographing your four-legged members of the family... and creating better images without having to accumulate a bundle of equipment, attend classes or apprentice with an expert! Sort of a no fuss-no muss, approach… here we go!

From the LensRentals Blog:

By Chase Reynolds

If you’re at all like me, you’re the designated photographer for your family and friends. If there’s a family photo, you take it. At some point on New Year’s Eve, you’ll have 4 or 5 random iPhone in your hands at once, taking the group shot for everyone to post on social media. Have you ever been invited to an event, or even a wedding, and it’s casually suggested that you bring a camera along? If they ever refer to you as the one with the “nice” camera, it can be a little annoying. Most of the time, though, people are asking because you know stuff and they trust you to do a good job. You are the photographer. This means that eventually you will get asked to build a photo booth.

One of the popular questions we get asked from customers that call and email us, is that they need to build a photo booth for an event they’re either working or hosting, and want our expertise on how to create an effective booth using some of the gear we have available. It’s a tough question because there is no right answer, but we wanted to give you a headstart on how to go about it, for any upcoming holiday parties you may have planned.

I’ll pretense, and tell you that I’ve never made the same exact photo booth twice. There are a hundred ways of doing it and I’m constantly changing my mind based on the location, type of event, gear at hand, or maybe a fleeting creative inspiration. At the core, however, all photo booths have the same basic requirements. It’s a camera, locked off on tripod or stand, taking photos of people standing in front of a backdrop. So I’d like to start by describing the different areas of setup you should think about.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

December is a great month to photograph bright, festive decorations. One of the most eye-catching decorations is also the most challenging: holiday lights. There are many different tricks and techniques detailed below to capture the beguiling colors, glitters, and twinkles – pick the one(s) that work best for you and your equipment, and make the most of this beautiful holiday season!

Apple added the ability to edit RAW files in its iOS 10 update released earlier this year. This left many asking, "What's the easiest way to transfer RAW files to my iPhone/iPad?"

According to photography Brian Worley, the answer is to use a Lightning 8-Pin to USB Female OTG Adapter and your camera's USB cable to transfer files directly to your mobile device.

Directions

• With the camera turned off, plug the USB cable into the camera's USB port and attach the OTG adapter.
• Unlock the smart device and plug in the OTG adapter.
• Turn on the camera. At this point the Apple Photos app will open and an import icon will be visible.

iOS Devices with Lightning Connectors

• iPhone 5
• iPhone 5C
• iPhone 5S
• iPhone 6/6 Plus
• iPhone 6S/6S Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 7/7 Plus
• iPad (4th generation)
• iPad Air
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Pro (9.7-inch and 12.9-inch models)
• iPad Mini (1st generation)
• iPad Mini 2
• iPad Mini 3
• iPad Mini 4

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Laura Morita

ou've scrimped and you've saved. You've researched and planned. And the time has finally come: VACATION. Unfortunately, vacation doesn't happen often enough, and when it does come, you want to have nice photos. Sure, you'll take plenty of pictures with your phone and maybe even a point and shoot, but is there room on your vacation for your more professional gear? Well, I say “yes.” As a somewhat "expert" vacationer to Hawaii, there's no way I could imagine traveling there without packing at least some of my gear. This article will outline some of the considerations I make in deciding what gear to pack, when to bring my camera with me on outings, and knowing how to not completely ruin a trip for my kids with an overabundance of pictures.

Interested in underwater housings? You may want to check out Bryan's review of the Ewa-Marine U-B 100.

From the B&H YouTube Channel:

Joel Grimes has traveled the globe creating award winning images making his subjects look larger than life. Whether it is a celebrity or an everyday person, Joel believes that lighting plays a huge role in that process. The biggest challenge for photographers, learning lighting, is two fold: First, with so many options on the market, choosing the right strobe, modifier, etc… can be so overwhelming. Second, lighting is generally taught from a technical approach, making it way too complicated. We have engineers trying to teach artists, totally overlooking the creative process. This is a recipe for disaster. Have you ever heard the acronym KISS, keep it simple stupid? Joel has this saying, “You can rock the world with one camera, one lens and one light”.

To learn lighting, you have to start by using one light. Master one light, and you can master ten lights. Follow Joel as he shows you how to create amazing portraits by using just one light.

Joel Grimes Photography: http://joelgrimes.com

B&H carries lighting equipment.

From Nikon USA:

Nikon School Features a Variety of Ways to Help Educate and Inspire Photographers

MELVILLE, NY – Nikon Inc. recently shared their full Nikon School program schedule, which offers a variety of classes designed to educate and inspire those with a passion for improving their photography with new interactive experiences. Nikon School has expanded its curriculum to include both online courses and destination workshops, in addition to local photography seminars, that invite beginners and enthusiasts to explore new creative possibilities.

Starting in January, Nikon School will host a variety of in-person programs in select cities across the country, each uniquely tailored to cover a diverse range of topics. Among these classes will be a new Wedding and Portrait Photography Workshop held at the luxurious Santa Monica seaside in early March. At this workshop, Nikon Ambassador Jerry Ghionis will guide attendees on how to create memorable portraits using high-quality Nikon gear. Following this hands-on experience, Ghionis will lead an exclusive seminar, sharing his wisdom on posing and lighting techniques. Nikon ambassador-led programs fill up quickly, so interested photographers are encouraged to visit the Nikon School webpage and promptly reserve their spots for upcoming offerings as they become available.

In addition to these destination workshops, Nikon School Online allows users to develop their skills from the comfort of their own home. Nikon School Online will expand its curriculum with a new Fundamentals of Photography Featuring Reed Hoffmann class, allowing even more photographers to master the basic principles of photography through in-depth explanations and hands-on demonstrations in real-world scenarios. The class will cover a range of topics including ISO, shutter speed and aperture, low-light and fast action shooting, exposure compensation, autofocus and the basics of composition, that will help to unleash each participant’s creative potential and take their photography to the next level.

To complement these new offerings, several of the industry’s finest photographers will be returning to Nikon School to offer their expertise to aspiring photographers nationwide. Photographers Michael Schwartz, Bob Pearson, JC Carey, Andy Dunaway and Reed Hoffmann will lead seminars and workshops in local markets across the country detailing the basics of photography and teaching the complexities of lighting to create stunning portraits. Classes will continue to offer technical expertise in camera exposure, controls and video capture, in addition to creative inspiration in topics such as Travel and Landscape, Action and People, as well as Elements of Photography.

With the Holiday season quickly approaching, Nikon School will be offering special packages and discounts through the end of the year, please be sure to visit www.nikonschool.com/holidayoffers for more information. To further encouraging users to share the gift of photography education, users can purchase a two-class package including online courses, Fundamentals of Photography and Photographing Children & Pets, for only $39.95. Furthermore, Nikon School is offering a special $75 saving to users who purchase all in-person classes in a specific location.

For more information on Nikon School, including local workshops and courses as well as online classes, please visit www.NikonSchool.com.

From the TIME YouTube Channel:

We don't know their names, nor the photographer who immortalized them, but these men lunching 800 feet up show the daredevil spirit behind Manhattan's vertical expansion.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Eric Stoner

In my last article “Top Tips for Small Product Photography” I shared with you some very simple techniques and ideas centered around making your product photography stand out from the pack. Whether you’re selling your products online or in person, it’s helpful to have great product photos. The problem for many is that hiring a professional photographer to do this type of work can be costly, time consuming and even more importantly, the final images may not convey your artistic vision. So the old adage of “if you want something done right, do it yourself” comes into play.

The focus of my last article was predominantly based on the premise of using natural light to illuminate your product. It’s free and you can accomplish a lot by simply using window light and reflectors.

This time around I want to expand your palette by introducing flash into the mix. There are several advantages to using flash over window light including the ability to work just about anywhere, anytime and shape the light in limitless ways to enhance your product. There’s no need to rely on daylight so for those of you who “burn the midnight oil,” this is a perfect option for you. In addition, using flash will significantly reduce the chance of blur from camera shake and with the wireless flash options that exist in the Canon system and a plethora of light modifiers available, you’ve got plenty of opportunity to be creative with your lighting.