Magnolia and Infrared

March 26, 2019

I just returned home from Charleston South Carolina, the azaleas at Magnolia were in full bloom and we hit it just right!

I used my small Olympus camera (courtesy of client/friend Tom Wester) that I had converted to infrared at 720nanometers. I love the hint of color and playing around in Photoshop I was able to color tone each image in different ways.

I mostly used Nik Color Efex-Bleach Bypass and the Midnight filter along with Kolari Visions False Color Action (you have to search their site for it), sometimes mixing them together or using them individually. It was a lot of fun, my favorite is the very top image but I enjoyed working on them all.

Olympus OM-D E-M1X

March 25, 2019

Olympus has a new pro level camera-the Olympus OM-D E-M1X with a pro price tag of $2999.00. My friends at B&H asked me to review this camera so they sent it to me last week. I have been reading a lot on the new camera and I have to say I am impressed with all of the specs and capabilities of this Micro Four Thirds (2x Crop Factor) body.

I own the Olympus OM-DE M1 Mark II (jeepers-can they make the names any harder to remember!), it is a fantastic camera and Olympus leads the way with their 5-Axis Image Stabilization and fully articulating screen and I am happy to say that the new camera has both. The new OM-D E-M1X boasts 20.4 Megapixel with 15fps in high mode and 10 fps in low mode. The camera uses Intelligent Subject Detection AF, which is an algorithm that uses technology to automatically detect specific subjects, focus on them, and track them.

This new model also has best-in-class weather protection -splashproof, dustproof and freezeproof down to 14°F / -10°C . On my recent trip to Norway my Canon body was frozen solid after a pounding wind and ice storm-it is still working, but yes, weather sealing is very important.

Another interesting thing is if you look at the image above, the camera looks like a pro model, it also has an Integrated vertical grip- I hate the integrated vertical grip-it doesn’t come off and in my opinion adds weight that is not wanted. The OM-D E-M1X has a lot of the same shooting modes and features as my Olympus OM-DE M1 Mark II, and also a couple of new features like Live ND and Handheld High Res Shot mode(see below).

I love Olympus for it’s lightweight lenses and bodies. I also love the ability to handhold at low shutter speeds. But why are they making the bodies larger with each new design? I know they are adding more and more features, but I signed up with Olympus only because of their ultra lightweight gear-not to get another large bulky camera.

I did try the camera out in Magnolia Gardens, South Carolina. I thought that the camera was user friendly, in that it was very easy to find my way around the menu-probably because I have shot with Olympus before. I liked the handheld high res feature and used it successfully, you do need to choose tripod or handheld before taking the shot.-it does not detect for you. The live composite feature in my other Olympus is fun to use and I am glad they kept it in for this one. I do wish that they offered a 9 image multiple exposure feature, their current 2 image multiple exposure feature doesn’t do it for me-even with image overlay. But, I am sure this model is being marketed to the folks that miss their larger beefier camera bodies.

The HDR is just like the OM-DE M1 Mark II, you can choose to set it up as you like. I prefer 3 images at +2-2 and combining my images in post. Thier in-camera combined HDR image is flat and lifeless. Battery life was good, I used only one all day but I have been in the habit of turning it off when shooting landscapes and garden scenes. You can also put a second battery in the grip so you most likely won’t be changing batteries often.

Overall it’s a nice camera, no need for it in my gear bag though as it is not a system I will be using for my bird photography or wildlife photography. However, if you have made the transition to Olympus and you are all in and you shoot birds and wildlife, it may be a nice upgrade for you. It looks and feels like a mini- Canon 1DX.

I should mention that I am currently using the Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital Camera for landscapes. Canon for birds and wildlife and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera for flowers and travel photography-like Venice Italy, etc...

Key Specs (from the Olympus site):

Sensor Effective Resolution / Type
20.4 Megapixel Live MOS
Processor
Dual TruePic™ VIII Dual Quad Core Processors
Focusing System
Dual F.A.S.T. AF (Contrast & Phase Detection AF) 121 Point (All Cross Type) On-Chip Phase Detection
Image Stabilization System
5-Axis Image Stabilization with up to 7.5 Shutter Speed Steps Compensation
Viewfinder
2.36M dot LCD Electronic Viewfinder
Rear Monitor
3.0" Vari-Angle Touch LCD
Weatherproof
Dust, Splash and Freezeproof (IPX1 Rated)
Sequential Shooting Speed
15fps [H] mode 10fps [L] mode mechanical shutter
60fps [H] mode 18fps [L] mode silent electronic shutter
Special Features
Intelligent Subject Tracking AF
Live ND (Neutral Density Filter)
4k Video Capture (30/25/24 fps) with OM-Log Mode
PRO Capture Lag-Free Electronic Shutter Mode
Dual Battery Slots with USB Type C In-camera Charging
Integrated Vertical Grip with Ergonomic Controls
Dual UHS-II SD Card Slots
400k Shot Shutter Life
SHOOTING MODES (from B&H):
Live Composite is a unique long exposure mode that allows you to gradually build up an exposure over time without overexposing key elements within the frame. This mode works to only record newly detected light sources over time, and allows you to watch as an image develops, making it ideally suited for photographing star trails or other moving light sources.
Pro Capture Mode is a unique setting that starts recording and buffering full-resolution JPEG or raw images prior to fully depressing the shutter. As soon as you press the shutter button halfway, frames will begin to be recorded, and once you fully press the shutter, the image will be saved in addition to the previous 35 frames. Additionally, you can hold the shutter button in this mode to keep shooting continuously using the silent electronic shutter function.
Live Bulb and Live Time settings can be used to produce creative long exposure imagery. Live Bulb lets you hold the shutter open for up to one minute and Live Time lets you press the shutter button once to open the shutter and then press again within a minute to end the exposure.
Live ND-Simulating the effects of a neutral density filter, Live ND results in blurred subject movement by compositing exposures to replicate the look of a single image taken at a slower shutter speed. Particularly suitable for photographing moving water, five modes are available—ND2, ND4, ND8, ND16, and ND32—to vary how movement is portrayed.
Tripod High Res Shot mode offers the equivalent output of a 50MP JPEG image or 80MP raw image by combining eight sequentially recorded frames into a single, larger image. In between each of the exposures, the sensor-shift stabilization mechanism moves slightly in order to acquire more information than in a single exposure and these frames are then composited into a final image with greater resolution and color detail. The dual TruePic VIII processors aid this process by compensating for any subject movement blur and this feature can also be configured to record 25MP images for file size flexibility.
Handheld High Res Shot mode, like the Tripod mode, produces a 50MP JPEG or raw file by compositing sequentially recorded files into a single image. The Handheld High Res Shot mode differs from the Tripod mode by recording 16 independent frames, opposed to eight, and the slight movement caused by hand-holding provides the range of movement needed to produce the larger final image.
In-Camera Focus Stacking will automatically record eight images of a subject while shifting the plane of focus slightly, then composite these exposures into a single frame to exhibit an extended depth of field. Alternatively, Focus Bracketing allows you to record between 3-999 frames with adjustable focus steps in a 1-10 range for manual compositing during post-production. These modes are only available when working with M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro, 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO, 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO, 30mm f/3.5 Macro, 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO, 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO, 300mm f/4 IS PRO, and 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lenses.
Keystone Compensation allows you to correct for convergence when working in live view. Similarly, Fisheye Compensation allows you to use the M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO lens as a rectilinear wide-angle lens by correcting and eliminating distortion.

Working the Whites

March 16, 2019

When I am photographing a white subject I am careful during the capture not to over–expose my whites. I do however want to properly expose for them. A big misconception in photography is that if the meter is to the right of the center mark than you are over-exposing. That is not necessarily true. The right exposure for the subject is the right exposure, no matter where the hash mark on the meter is.

On a sunny day I am very mindful of the shadows that can fall on my subject. This is the time that pointing your shadow at your subject is important. This will help decrease distracting shadow lines that can look like sharp edges, and FYI, they are virtually impossible to get rid of in post processing. I am also concerned about flashing highlights, and working in mixed lighting makes that even more difficult.

On cloudy days it is easier to photograph white subjects as the clouds will eliminate strong shadows and the chance of over-exposing is less. But this is when a lot of folks get into trouble. They grossly under-expose their whites and they will then appear very dingy. When bringing up those under-exposed whites in post processing there will be noise causing fine detail to be lost; especially since they will most likely be working with higher ISO’s. The combo of a high ISO setting and an under-exposed image can be the kiss of death.

No matter what the available lighting conditions, you will need to watch your histogram carefully and have your highlight alerts set to ON. Using both of these will help you keep your exposure in check. Remember, ETTR (expose to the right) making sure that you push your histogram all the way to the right without hitting the right wall. Well, almost to the wall as I back off of the right wall just a bit when working bright whites.

Next you will need to tweak your whites in post processing. I use Lightroom aka LR for most of my global tweaks. Once in LR, I go to the “Develop Module” and adjust the White Balance. To do so I go to the tiny drop down area that says “As Shot”, it is located next to the WB above the temp setting. I click on the dropdown arrow to reveal a selection of white balances. I am usually toggling between “Auto” and ‘As Shot”. This gives me a chance to evaluate the difference in color temps against each other which is a good way to spot a color cast. I then choose one of them and tweak it if needed. When working with whites your image can have all kinds of color casts; it can look blue, pink, beige or grey. You need to make sure that your whites are white.

Next I set my Black and White points by sliding both of them (white slider to the right and the black to the left) until they are near the edges of the histogram. You can hold down the Alt/Option key or enable the triangles at the top corners of the histogram to keep an eye out on when you have gone too far. Then I adjust the shadows and highlights a touch if needed.

Once I am done with my LR adjustments I bring my image into Photoshop for any selective tweaks I may want to do. The whites may also lack detail, I use detail extractor in Nik sometimes to bring out more detail and I apply it selectively. I will also use a contrast mask and/or curve adjustment. Every image is different but I will try a few before settling on one.

* If I still have color cast issues, I use my color cast quick check found in my Photoshop Quick Tips II file.

Image Critiques...

March 14, 2019

Many times during my workshops, the discussion of image critiques comes up. We discuss everyone’s thoughts and feelings and many times I hear how some people have not submitted images that they like, to their camera club because it is not an acceptable image for the club. They have even stopped taking those types of images because they are frowned upon. The thought of this makes me ill. I can’t imagine anyone not following through with their vision because someone else told them not to.

What is the value of an image critique? Critiques should be helpful, they should not be nit picking and they should be given gently. Critiques should offer ways to improve but not change the image content. They should be given only when asked and critiques should not carry the personal feeling of the person giving them. For example, if I don’t like the color red, I should not allow that feeling to interfere with my critique.

When are critiques helpful? For me, when someone is starting out with photography and they would like to learn the guidelines to understand what may be appealing to others; this is a good time to listen to critiques from photographers that are more experienced. When you are at the beginning stages in your photography; it is also a good time to try to critique other folks images, this will help you look at an image more carefully and allow you to see flaws within the image and decide for yourself if they negatively affect the photo. Critiquing should be a learning process on both ends. I spent years on an online forum listening to and giving critiques in an effort to learn. And I have learned a lot through that process, but most especially I have learned when to walk away from those type of forums.

When are critiques stifling? There comes a time when the artist/photographer no longer needs to learn those guidelines and would like to step outside of those lines to create something out of the ordinary. An artist can express whatever they like and there is no right or wrong, it is art and it is subjective…photography is art even if some don’t agree with that thought-it really is art.

Do I care about or listen to critiques? Absolutely not, it matters zero to me if someone likes or dislikes my photograph. My image or art needs to touch my soul and never needs to appeal to others. That said, yes, I want others to like my work and connect with it. But it is not what guides me. If you follow guidelines to the nth degree then you will most likely never stand out from the crowd or create something unique. There are so many things to consider when creating an image, other than placing your subject in a rule of thirds, correct head angle or bright spots on the edges, etc.. For me, it is far more powerful to think about the flow of the image, the visual impact, the statement that the photo may convey, the connection between the subject and the viewer, the overall feel and artistry of the image.

Go out and create, worry not what others may think or say, be free to be yourself. There is only one you-show the world what you have…

The above image was created in Japan. It is snow drifting on reeds. It does not conform to many of the rules that some impose. However, it is in the final round of Wildlife Photographer of the Year. I suppose because it’s different.

Amazing Aurora On Our Last Night!!

March 12, 2019

On my recently concluded Norway Photo Tour my group and I had only photographed two photo sessions with the aurora, we were all hoping for one last chance. Then it happened, on our very last night in Norway, we were treated to our third photo session with the aurora. Our guides took us to a remote location that we had all to ourselves. The evergreens and mountain backdrop were exquisite to me. I love trees and snow so I was instantly happy, plus the aurora had already started illuminating the sky. The activity was not intense at first, which was fine, as we all had to get our compositions and focus worked out.

As soon as we had all gotten set up, it was as if mother nature knew and started the show. We were all gleefully jumping for joy when the first wave of beautiful colors danced across the sky. At one point we were turning around and photographing front and back every few minutes! It was magical. No it was epic!

Because the light was so bright and filled the sky I was able to reduce my ISO from 3200 to 1600. When photographing in conditions like this it is important to keep an eye on your histogram and evaluate the light so that you are not overexposing or underexposing the aurora.

If you don’t raise your ISO high enough and you let your shutter speed get really long, the stars can be blurry and the aurora may lack definition. If you underexpose your image with high ISO—I call that the kiss of death; when you bring up the light in post processing on a grossly underexposed image you will introduce a lot of noise. It is better to use a higher ISO in the field and nail the exposure (ETTR-expose to the right). It is also important to use manual focus. For an image like this, I start off with my settings: Manual mode, manual focus, ISO 3200, F/2.8, 8-10sec. exposure, 3200Kelvin, then make changes where needed depending on the light.

For the above image, I used my Canon 5D 4 and Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 III lens. I also brought my Sony ar7III with me to Norway but the buttons are very close together making it hard to fumble around in the dark with bulky gloves, so I used my Canon gear. Mostly because I needed to help others and would not have as much time to set up as I would have liked and I haven’t used my Sony gear that much. It is extremely important to know your gear very well when trying to photograph in the dark, especially with a group as you can not put on your headlamp or flashlight as often as you would like.

Sometimes, you will find that a vertical composition will work best with an aurora. It is good to have an “L” bracket on your camera so that you can easily switch from portrait mode to landscape mode depending on the shape of the aurora lights. I like to take a shot, look at it carefully on the back of my camera to check all corners of my composition making sure what I want to be in the shot is, and what I don’t want is not—like someone’s tripod legs or body.

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