Using a flash + daylight

Holly, originally uploaded by joseph brewster photography.

Natural light is abundant and easily available for most situations, and many fine portraits have been taken using nothing but sunlight. There are numerous tutorials that advise you to employ your pop-up flash for added fill, but I went a step further in this shot, and I wanted to share with you how I did it.

This shot was taken with a Nikon setup. I used the Nikon SC 29 off camera flash cord to move my SB800 Speedlight below and to the right of the camera. I under exposed the image by about -0.3 to avoid blown highlights since I was standing so close. I had the manufacturer's standard snap on diffuser attached to tone down the severity of the light. All these elements together allowed me to achieve a good exposure with detail and even lighting.

TIP: Shoot in the shade if you want an image like this. Shade can provide a more even and diffused light as a base for the exposure. Beware of unwanted shadows/highlights from leaves and such.

Framing the mundane

Sometimes art and design is all about the perspective. A good image can make a normal object look appealing. A great image can make a boring object look divine. This image of a crumby table was taken with my Blackberry (hardly a professional camera by anyone's standards) with no editing. The initial framing and colors are as is. Think about how your perspective is affecting the dynamics of your image. Try doing one of the following to add spice to your shot:

.Shoot wide - Zoom out, back up, take in the scene
.Move in - Walk in close, get up on the subject, don't be afraid to crop close, consider investing in a set of close up filters or buy a macro lens
.Get low - Lay down and look at your subject from a different perspective. Low perspectives sometimes add drama and grandness to everyday subjects
.Get high - find a ladder or a chair and elevate your vantage point. This may allow you to better fill the frame or to eliminate unwanted background clutter
.Twist and turn - Who says you have to hold the camera straight? Who says that images are either portrait or landscape? Break a few rules. Get creative!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Traveling Again

Loading gear, originally uploaded by joseph brewster photography.

After meticulously loading this luggage cart with my gear, I decided it deserved a picture. On this cart are two full Nikon setups, 4 studio lights, 8 stands/tripods, a 8x14 backdrop, a laptop, 4 umbrellas, a change of clothes, bottled water, a lightbox, various extension cords, surge protectors, utility clips, and 2 5 foot panel reflectors. I'm sure there is more I cant remember right now, but I thought it was worth sharing. God bless the people who invented luggage carriers!

+4 Close-up Fliter & Walmart Bag

unknownspider, originally uploaded by joseph brewster photography.

This little spider was perhaps a half an inch long, and quite small to capture with a lens that does not have macro capabilities. In a pinch like this, I had a set of Close Up filters. This shot was taken with a standard 18mm-80mm lens with a +4 Close Up filter screwed on. The results are not as clear as shooting through the lens glass alone, but the outcome is still acceptable.

I shot in extreme low light, and I needed to use a flash. Again, I was limited to what the camera had, but popping up the flash on-camera would blow out the subject since I was shooting literally inches from the insect. It is a sad commentary on our environment when I can be out in nature and find a wal-mart bag lying around, but I did find one. I snagged a piece of the white (relatively) plastic and hand held it over the built-in flash to diffuse the light and create a warmer glow to the image. Make use of your surroundings and be resourceful.

Allowing Scale

kickflip-bench, originally uploaded by joseph brewster photography.

Some images are better up close, others are better farther away. How do you decide? In this image, a major factor in my choice of framing were the background observers. It was important to see the height of the trick, but I also wanted to show the onlookers and their expressions. This image could be cropped closer. I tossed the rule of thirds out and did what I felt like needed to be done to provide drama, scale, and still represent the action accurately.

In a similar vein of thinking, take into account the height of people when deciding what angles to shoot them from. Shooting a chubby person from below will emphasize their weight, while shooting from higher angles will be more flattering in most cases. Shooting a tall person from above will de-emphasize their height and lose the scale of their legs. Shooting them from below will give a towering effect, and so on and so forth. Just another element of art to consider when expressing yourself through an image.

Porting your studio

Since I shoot on location and travel to my shoots in most cases, I specialize in setting up on location. My stripped down travel gear usually includes the following:

2 AB800 Strobes
SB-800 Speedlight
2 shoot through white umbrellas
2 reflective silver umbrellas
a set or two of multi-colored gels for the strobes
A few light-sensing slave attachments for my hotshoe mount flashes
48" pop out reversible reflector
24" pop out reflector
A bunch of heavy duty light stands
As many heavy utility clips and small plastic clips as I can carry
Rope (just in case)
Plastic bag (I don't like my camera getting wet)
A C02 compressed air cleaner
A grey/white/black card
A Lumiquest flash attachment to hold gels for the SB-800
Misc little tools and clamps for modifying and holding gear

That's a rough overview, and it has worked well for 1-2 person shots. For groups you might want a little more power and light, but it will do in a pinch.

Adding Texture

Heather
Originally uploaded by Joseph Brewster Photography

Some images are meant to be clean and smooth, and some look better with a bit of scratch and dent. This portrait was modified by placing a zoomed shot of a lizard over the layer containing the model and setting the lizard layer to "Multiply" in the layers palette. There were numerous tweaks for lighting and modification, but starting with a little texture may spice up your image and give you some ideas. Create vintage looks, dirty skin, rusted metal, and more with textures.

TIP: Carry your camera! When you see a good shot of rust, dirt, concrete, or, in this case, a lizard's scales SHOOT IT! You never know when that texture will come in handy!

Adding extra Spark to your image

Adding a dynamic element to your image immediately creates interest. Anything moving and active gives a vibrancy to standard photography that helps models pose better and makes shots stand out from the crowd. Here are a few elements you should consider throwing into your next shoot to spice up the mix:

Sparks
Fire
Smoke
Water
Wind
Confetti
Bubbles
(what else can you think of?)

This image was shot in a welding shop with a real welder throwing sparks at the model throughout the shoot. It was fun, exciting, and added an element of adventure to a shoot that might have otherwise been a bit mundane.

Scanning your hand drawn images

Angel
Originally uploaded by Joseph Brewster Photography

This image was created from a scan of a pencil drawing done on textured art paper. Levels adjustments, shading, and some color hinting was done in Photoshop. Don't let the digital technology steal your hands on art. Do some art with real brushes and pens, then scan it in and see what you can do with it.

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Transforming an image

zombie girl
Originally uploaded by Joseph Brewster Photography

With our current technology, the only limit to your photo is your imagination and your skill on a computer. This image was taken from a set of boring shots we messed around with while waiting on a makeup artist. I loved the look the model had and the angle of the image, but I hated the background. The image on the right was accomplished by layering makeup, lighting effects, and brush strokes. The arms are actually ine, shot against a white wall and patched into the image.

Spend some time challenging yourself for no other reason than to improve. This one was done purely because I wanted to see if I could do it. Allow yourself some time to create without deadlines or client revisions. See an image for what it can be and not always just what it is!

Emphasizing Shadows

In the sunset
Originally uploaded by Joseph Brewster Photography

Here's a thought: Let a strong shadow dominate your image. Don't be afraid of giving the shadows space to create drama and emotion.

Light Play

Abstract light images are stunning and fun. Thankfully, the technique is a simple one, but can spend all night experimenting with the results. I played around in my car on a trip between Pueblo and Colorado Springs, and ended up with some lovely abstracts. These modern art styled shots can be achieved with a slow shutter (I used a 1 second exposure at f8 with a 28-80mm lens for most of these shots) and a little creativity.








TIP: Shake it! The general rule when shooting is to steady the camera as best you can, but in this case, the more shaky it is, the cooler the shots will look! Find a light source to point at, and fire, then, while the shutter is open, use sweeping movements to create the light trails you see in the images above. Set your camera to manual if possible for that you control the shutter speed. You don't want to expose for the entire scene and you want to keep the image dark. These images were shot at 200 ISO with a Nikon D90

In the line of fire

In an attempt to provide an outlet for my ever-driving creativity, and, at the same time, educate those who are interested in the strong kung fu of photographing anything and everything, I have initiated a blog. Abracadabra! I will be posting images up frequently with brief explanations of how they were made. Hopefully this will be a largely visual dip into good photography and design with no limits. Creativity will run high here, and techniques will range from traditional to "what the heck?"

NOTE: All images will be posted within 48 hours of being taken, just to prove that I am constantly growing and experimenting with my art. I encourage you to read these posts, grab your pic maker, and go do something with it! If it is really cool, I will post it up in here!

Round 1: The traditional trip to the zoo

TIP: When shooting fish in a tank, or anything behind glass, it is a good practice to press your lens flat against the glass to avoid unwanted reflections. Another option is to purchase a rubber lens hood (I got one for under $10 from a local store) which flexes. This allows you to maneuver a bit to get the right angle and still have a black out around your lens.


TIP: Shallow depth of field is nice at zoos to prevent the more unattractive features of technology from ruining a nature shot. This was shot with a 70-300mm zoom lens at f5.6