Author Archive
11 Lessons Learned in my first 9 weeks.
Life is about balance and the first thing I figured out when I started this photographic journey is that life’s lessons are hard enough without adding complexity and introducing risks that put us in situations that are are at best lost opportunities and at worst costly or dangerous. So far in my explorations I’ve come across decidedly angry dogs, mentally unstable dumpster divers, testosterone fueled security, rotten and weak floors, rusty tetanus inducing nails and skin splitting razor wire. Those were the more dangerous aspects thus far.
When I was younger a neighbor of mine always used the maxim of, “Measure twice. Cut once.” Wise words to say the least and ones which echo the Scouts’ motto of, “Be Prepared.” I’ve been revisiting and reflecting on these two pieces of advice repeatedly over the last 2 months. Being prepared and organized eliminates many self-imposed challenges. During the past 8 weeks I’ve learned a lot about photography but even more about realizing how stupidity and lack of planning can cost you more than just a great photographic opportunity.
Here are 11 pieces of advice to eliminate some of the self imposed challenges I’ve created for myself:
(1) Always get intimate with every piece of equipment you own. Struggling with knobs, settings, buttons and switches is a sure recipe for missing that perfect moment.
(2) Always Use your camera’s ‘Saved Settings’ to store regular or favourite camera presets for specific situations. I now use mine for Auto Exposure Bracketing and Jpg/RAW switching after a card full of mistakes.
(3) When changing lenses Always do it close to the ground and not when standing up. Lenses do NOT bounce.
(4) Always take extra batteries and storage cards. This should NOT be thought of as an option but as a definite rule.
(5) Always Double check your exposure setting and depth of field before you push the button. Many times there will NOT be a second chance to nail a shot.
(6) Understand when to use manual focus and when to switch to Auto. The camera can NOT read your mind or know what you want to stay in focus.
(7) Always ensure your camera’s vibration control is off when using your tripod. This was NOT mentioned in either of the manuals.
(8) NEVER hike to a remote place and not have a map and flashlight to find your way back. See #8
(9) Always pack a first aid kit with your gear – No Exceptions!
(10) Always Bring a lens cleaning kit and dry micro-fibre cloths with you. Do NOT use your T-Shirt if you can avoid it to remove water drops, grime or grit. Lenses cost $$$$
(11) Always listen to your Mother and use the washroom before you leave home.
Photography is fun. Filled with arrays of colour, unique visual opportunities and feelings reflecting a rainbow of emotion. Ensure that you are ready for whatever situation you are in and be prepared.
All I Wanted was a Faster Horse
Disappointment. That was how I felt on January 27th, 2010. The iPad did not come close to living up to my expectations. This wasn’t some new technological AWESOME. It wasn’t a new computer that would change the World. It’s an iTouch with an injection of growth hormone. How could Steve Jobs get something so wrong? #FAIL
It’s now been 6 days and 4 solid hours that I’ve owned an iPad and been forced to reflect on how wrong my initial impression was. Between January 27th and Sunday, April 11 I developed a different perspective on Apple’s newest information device that allowed me to stretch my mind and consider a different viewpoint. For many, including me, the iPad seemed to miss the mark. This was not what people wanted or were asking for. How would this device make their lives better, easier, more complete? It wouldn’t it was simply lacking too much of what everybody expected. How can less equal more?
When Henry Ford created the Model T he was asked about what his customers wanted. His response was, “If I would have listened to what my customers wanted, they would have asked for a faster horse.”
What I wanted and was expecting on January 27th was Apple to unveil a faster horse. I did not realize however that what I needed was a more convenient device to connect me with the content I use and consume daily when I’m away from my computer. The iPad delivers that convenience. It’s small enough to not be a hindrance. Big enough to deliver impact. Portable enough to be taken anywhere and useful enough to be used in spare moments when you don’t want, need or have access to the full power of a computer or laptop.
For photographers the device provides some great out of the box functionality. Loading your visual assents onto the iPad is flawless and the Photo Application allows you to deliver dynamic presentations to clients effortlessly. The fact that they can hold the device and interact directly with your artwork delivers an intimacy that is sorely lacking in any laptop or computer interaction. The tactile interaction delivers an experience with no comparison except for traditional album page flipping or the loose photo shuffling experience when you used to bring your 3″x5″s home from the drugstore photo counter.
When your customers hold the iPad they are holding their pictures. The psychological difference is substantive over simply viewing them on a computer screen. Emotionally they have bought in. Powerful stuff and part of the reason a car dealer wants you to test drive a vehicle and the pet shop allows you to hold that overly affectionate puppy or kitten.
If you have not had an opportunity to play with an iPad or like me if you are in Canada and have just heard the news that the iPad has been delayed an additional month then take the time and make the effort to go to your closest Apple retail outlet and spend an hour wrapping your head and hands around a device that was never meant to replace your computer. It was created to provide a different way for you to interact with the information and content that we want, need and consume every day. This could be the single most important shift in how we interact with information since Gutenburg rolled the first book off the press.
It isn’t the simple fact of the information being available on a new device that is important it is how we now can gain access to and interact with that information in such a natural way that will revolutionize how we move forward.
In retrospect, I am glad that I was not simply presented with and sold a faster horse.
April’s Showers
The first two weeks of April have seen me make some important psychological advances towards my 5 year goal of becoming a professional photographer. When it rains it pours it seems.
I’ve been submerged from life during the past month shooting like a madman every chance I get. Most of my recent captures have been multiple exposure RAW images for use with HDR related post processing. Sink or swim is the perspective I’ve taken and basically thrown myself in some deep water right off of the pier.
My efforts have already resulted in a few minor but emotionally important achievements. One of my pictures was selected by a German private photography club as their picture of the week. A couple of pictures have been used on a few local blogs in and around Vancouver, BC (where I’m from) and the local 24 Hour Vancouver daily newspaper ran this image as their photo of the day.
I also managed to make my first sale. 3 of my images were bought this week and are being printed on stretched 18″x18″ canvas for use in a local politician’s office. While I’m still a long way away from my $10,000 per month target it gives me hope that I have some measure of a chance.
I’ve also made a lot of contacts with people on Flickr and Twitter who share my passion for photography and are actively following my progress. I’ve been asked several times now for an article describing my process for creating my HDR images and I will make an effort to document my process so that others can try and learn along with me as I go.
My followers on Twitter are now up to 178 and I’ve been listed 13 times. My regular and constant posting to Flickr from April 1st through April 16th has resulted in 17,845 views, 398 comments and 212 being selected as favourites. This creates an average so far this month of 1,115 views, 25 comments and 13 favourites per day. If I keep up this pace I expect to see an approximate 500% increase in traffic for month 2.
These may be small steps but they have been important ones for me personally since I have very little to measure my progress along my chose path. I’d like to again thank all who have provided encouragement and inspiration for my journey. The have included other beginners, more advanced students of photography and a few very well established professional photographers who I never thought would notice a project of this nature.
Happy shooting the weekend is here and I’ve got a new 32Gb Sandisk waiting to be filled with images.
High Dynamic Range
As part of my ongoing escapade I have been playing with a number of photographic techniques that have caught my eye. One of these creative approaches is High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI) or HDR for short. HDR is a set of techniques that allow for the merging of luminance values across several images. The range of detail in the lightest to darkest areas of an image are merged giving a wider range of detail and luminance to the entire scene. This wider dynamic range allows HDR images more accurately when representing actual scenes.
In many instances this creative process simply allows an artist to bring out details that would be lost in a scene with large ranges of luminescence such as inside a dark room looking out into a sunlit scene. In a more creative and expressive way details can be made to pop with almost an electricity and depth that is not realistic or possible without extensive manipulation.
There are numerous ways to create HDR images using standard image manipulation like Photoshop which provides an automated mechanism to merge the luminosity values with RAW images. There are also plug-ins such as Hydra and Photomatix that streamline the process and allow you to save combinations of settings so that once a satisfactory effect is achieved you can replicate and apply to future images.
Software alone is not enough to create a punchy and otherworldly HDR composition. To start it is best to have a series of RAW images. RAW images are like traditional photographic negatives and typically have a wider dynamic range and maintains most of the information captured by the image sensor. This makes RAW images the best place to start but it is possible to use JPG files if that is all you have available. With that said I’ve pulled off a few selections with only two photos as a luminous base with great results. Many cameras allow you to set your camera for Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB) which automatically produces a burst mode of images set with + and – values around your base exposure setting.
For best results the series of images must be perfectly aligned with each other so that the luminance values are able to be manipulated during the process. If an image is misaligned then the effect is lost and significant haloing and color aberration ruin the resulting final production. For this purpose I’d suggest a tripod or monopod to assist if you’ve had too many Starbucks or if you are running a slow shutter speed. I purchased my Vanguard Alta Carbon Fiber Tripod for my long exposure night exploration and am glad because now I can get more use when I’m shooting low light HDR destined captures.
For the really eye popping ultra surreal HDR images try and ensure a wide range of tonal and luminescent range in your subject of choice. Brick, Cloudy Skies, Rusty Metal, and heavily textured types of materials seem to work great for these types of creative effects.
Once the core HDR photo is created other creative methods can further be applied to generate truly magnificent works of art. HDR is undoubtedly a trend more than anything but for those that love the evocative nature of the images it can produce it is one that hopefully will be around for a while.
Happy Shooting!
If you’d like to see some great examples of HDR from two photographers that I respect for their HDR work check out Clayton Perry Photography and Andrew Kuznetsov
View my Collection of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography
My Top 72 Images for March
Take a peek at my top 72 images on Flickr. Please feel free to leave comments either here or on my Photosteam – I can also be followed on Twitter. Please share.
Rookie Photo’s First Month Report
The fist month on my journey from Rookie to Pro has been fantastic! I’ve learned so much and made a good many connections in the photographic community that so far have been not only encouraging but very flattering in their praise for some of my images. 20 Years of design experience obviously has been a significant help not a hindrance. I’ve been neglecting the Rookie Photo blog and my level of traffic has not been what I had hoped. This in part is because I’ve not been pushing too hard due to my lack of content and because every spare moment has been dedicated to learning and understanding my new addiction.
I have two Twitter accounts @Rookie_Photo and my ‘day job’ Twitter account @DaBigCheeze. Currently Big Cheeze drives most of my traffic to Flickr mostly because that account has 3,000 followers while Rookie_Photo currently only has 75+/-. I have not seen as much ‘friendly chatter’ within the photographic community on Twitter as I thought. Flicker seems much more conversational and supportive so far. Perhaps I have not found the right voice yet on Twitter although the conversations I have had have all be extremely valuable. Quality over quantity I’m hoping.
My Flickr traffic has been steadily improving. The first two weeks saw between 2 – 5 view of my images and the last two weeks it has increased to between 400 – 900 with weekends dropping down to around the 150 mark. The more photos I add and post to various groups drives a variety of traffic. I’ve uploaded 471 photos so far and in just over two weeks my views have increased from 1 or 2 a day to regular counts between 400 – 900. Traffic drops down on the weekends to 150 or so visits but over the month of March I’ve had 6,868 total views. Between 50% and 70% of my traffic is coming from within Flickr and 20% – 40% originating on Twitter.
This photo
to the right is a Blue Heron silhouetted against a multi-colored reflection of the lights from Vancouver’s Lions Gate Bridge is my most popular photo with 254 views, 22 comments and 7 favorites in only 3 days. The photo below is my second most popular photo is of a Red Breasted Robin that was enjoying a Springtime meal of earthworms on my front lawn. 
It has been up for ten days and been viewed 216 times but with only a single comment. 118 views of this image came on a single day which surprised me and made we wonder why and or how to replicate that success. It still remains a mystery to me.
Overall the first has been great. Filled with learning, going out regularly and taking shots, trying different techniques and making more mistakes than achieving successes. The second month has begun and aside from a weekend of shooting graffiti in and around Greater Vancouver the rest of the month will be reviewing and deconstructing the shots I’ve taken and that have received the most comments, bookmarking and discussion.
As always, I hope you will visit, make contact and create favourites of any of my Flickr photos. Happy shooting.
Old dog…New tricks!
The first week of Rookie Photo is now behind me. I’ve learned a lot in a short time. The blog, such as it is, is now up and functional. I still have lots of work to do to get all the information that I want published organized so that it is easier to work with. I’m used to bigger and more flexible content management systems so this will take some time. I love WordPress but using a jumble of third party plug-ins, widgets and miscellaneous tools does not make for a completely smooth learning curve. Luckily I have smart friends.
I’ve been using my Flickr for most of my picture posting over the past week and invested in their Pro option so that I can showcase more than 200 pics. My Flickr stats were all but non existent prior to starting my Social Media campaigning (Twitter, Flickr, Facebook) but the past week has seen a steady rise in view of my photographs. So far I’ve had 586 views of my pictures, added 10 or 15 contacts and received a few comments and requests to add pictures to specific photography groups.
My Twitter account is growing slowly. I’m following a 160 +/- photo enthusiasts and just hit my first milestone of 50 followers with Mr. Daniel James deciding to follow my posts. Please check out his photography blog.
I still need to create a bit more of a strategy for how to use social media more effectively to ensure Rookie Photo’s success. Right now the plan is to simply post regularly and often to see where I get the most traction. I’ve also created a bookmark listing at Delicious so that I can share any interesting photo portfolios, tutorials, service providers and industry connections with everyone.
As well I’ve created a few affiliate links to several suppliers who I’ve used for services or who provide exceptional or unique photo related offerings. This will be limited to a very few select providers and hopefully will not impact my viewership. If you don’t like me having the advertising or if you’d like a special place for me to post your link let me know and we can discuss options.
This week I also purchased a Canon flatbed scanner so that I can digitize the box of negatives I have from ancient family rites and rituals like birthdays and funerals. That should be a crazy process. I’m thinking that once I have a handle on it I’ll dump the task t my 13 year old son who is also developing a passing interest in photography. I’m guessing that this photographic interest will be used for evil once he figures out what girls are for. Let’s hope he is a but more high brow and not a typical caveman like his father.
I’ve also been investigating adding a Canon 10mm – 20mm f3.5 lens to my bag. I currently have a 17mm – 85mm f4-5.6 but I want something with more distortion and usefulness in low light. It is on my watch list for new gear as is some entry level lighting gear for an exploration in portrait photography. If you know of any good entry level kits for portrait lighting please point me in that direction.
Summing up the week’s report I think I have to call it a success. It has taken up every extra minute of free time that I have had but it has been immensely enjoyable.
Thanks to all of my early followers, viewers and the encouragement that you have given. I look forward to meeting and discussing photography and my journey towards pro.
Kyle 
What’s your Lucky Charm?
A small collection of Flickr Images that represent talismans of luck and good fortune. What’s your lucky charm?
Alisa Cooper
Dattho
Sean Dreillinger
HayneZ
Nicholas T
Meg
Katie Tegtmeyer
In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day think of concepts that represent luck or good fortune. Build a personal collection of photographs that crystallize in your mind the things that you are grateful for and represent whatever good fortune that you have or perhaps hope to have in the future.
Luck Favors the Prepared
Occasionally an opportunity for a unique photo presents itself. If you are that lucky and prepared then you get a chance to shoot something special. I’ve missed a number of special shots in the last two years and so I’ve taken steps to try and stack the deck in my favour. I now keep a fully charged Canon Point and Shoot in the glove box of my car and I rarely go anywhere anymore without my iPhone close at hand.
I missed an opportunity to get a stunning shot of an apartment building thrusting majestically out of early morning fog as the top 8 floors were bathed in light that was reflected back into the shadowed foggy of the lower floors. The shot was priceless and there I was without any gear to snatch that moment in time. The fading memory of that scene haunts me. Every morning since I hope for time to repeat itself so that I can make up for my lack of foresight.
This afternoon caught in a torrential downpour with quickly clearing western skies I saw the most amazing double rainbow that I have ever seen. One was lovely coloured miracle but the second was so alive with colour and vibrancy that I was awestruck with the fortune presented to me.
My vantage point was poor and my skills are not honed to a very sharp point but I managed to capture a dozen pics that will allow me to remember the event for the rest of my life and keep a visible reminder of this lucky day.
Sometimes luck favours the prepared. Take your gear with you wherever you go and increase your odds.
My Aunt Edna thinks I’m Handsome.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My Aunt Edna throws ‘Handsome’ around like a farmer feeding grain to his chickens. To her, every male ever born into our family is on par with Brad Pitt or John Kennedy. Even my 6 toed, web footed second cousin gets ‘Handsome’ and he’s got eyes so crossed he looks like Mad Eye Mooney from Harry Potter. Her standards are obviously not quite as stringent as most when it comes to defining handsome. As a future professional photographer I need to keep in mind that not every shot is going to have an Aunt Edna to love it unconditionally.
I’d imagine that most of the photos that I’ll take will be poor. A few may be downright awful and if I’m lucky 3% will be OK and if I’m really really lucky 1% will be good. Not Aunt Edna good but Joe Consumer good. Good enough to hand over copious amounts of cash so that I hit my $10,000 target. This in no way, shape or form means that only the good ones will result in financial rewards. I’ve seen plenty of bad art sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. I personally bought the ugliest limited edition Andy Warhol print you could imagine of Wayne Gretzky for $3,000.00 and it is in no way any better looking now that it has quadrupled in value.
I find Quentin Tarantino’s non-linear storytelling awkward and annoying but millions of his fans think he is God’s gift to the cinematic profession. The only exception for me being Inglourious Basterds which I found very entertaining and one of the best films of the year. Ultimately, one man’s treasure is another man’s trash and while there are hundreds if not thousands of technical rules that can and perhaps do define what makes a “Good Picture” I’ll keep my definition as simple as one that people like – even if it is just people like Aunt Edna.
Don’t let anyone tell you your pictures aren’t good. You only need one person to say they are to prove the critics wrong.