Shutter Mike Photography

One problem I have had with my photography, that I have never quite been able to correct no matter how much on concentrate on it before clicking the shutter, is a slightly skewed image.  My horizon is just slightly off at an angel.  I am not sure if I ever so slightly shift the camera when I click or if I never get it perfectly straight to begin with.  But whatever the cause it has resulted in me having to go through the additional steps in PhotoShop to rotate the image and then adjust or crop of the extra white space this causes around the edges.  It is not a big deal, but a minor frustration that I was not sure how to correct until recently.

I was reading Adrian Schulz’s Architectural Photography(side note: this problem can be particularly noticeable in architectural photography because the horizon and parallel lines in the structures are so important to the overall image) and he mentioned a device called a “grid screen” (or focus screen) – page 37 if you’re interested.  In the simplest terms, the focusing screen is the piece in the camera that allows you to view what the lens sees through the view finder.  They are often etched with lines or guides that are then visible as an overlay on top of the image as you view it through the view finder.  I had known that some cameras had grid lines when you look through the viewfinder to help with composition (think rule of thirds).  But I did not know that on many DSLR cameras the focusing screen was interchangeable.  But a quick search on my favorite camera supply site, B & H Photo, revealed that for my camera, the Sony Alpha 850 DSLR, the focus screen was indeed interchangeable and a grid version was available.

For just over $30 (free shipping too) I ordered the Gridded Type L Focusing Screen.  (Note: I have seen these for as much as $56 elsewhere – yikes) This is such a simple solution to the tilted image problem I was having I cannot believe I never came across it before or did not search it out.  But once I switched out my standard screen with the gridded screen I instantly had multiple points to reference to make sure everything lined up just right before I click the shutter.  Is it a crutch?  Maybe, but I look at it more as a tool to help me do my job better -a “work smarter, not harder” thing.

I do have a few tips on installing one of these based on my own experience.

1) Steady hands are important.  The screen comes as a kit with a storage case and a specially designed tweezers to remove one screen and install the other.  But they are tiny parts and you have to be very careful not to touch the mirror or the sensor in the process.  So no coffee immediately before the operation.

2) Make sure you are doing the switch in as clean and dust free of an environment as possible.  For one you are working on your camera with the lens off so you wan tot keep dust off your sensor.  And two, anything that gets on the focus screen will show in your view finder.  I peak from experience here.  I had to do this twice because I got a speck of something on the screen and although not on the images it was very obvious through the view finder.

3) Watch the very detailed and well done video below.  It is for making the switch in a Sony Alpha 900 or 850 but there are similar videos out there for Canon, Nikon, etc.

A photo safari in Kenya ranks right up there with Machu Picchu and the Galápagos Islands as my ultimate dream travel photography destinations.  Thanks to iExplore, a world adventure travel company, your (or my) travel photo could win a 7 day Kenya safari trip.  iExplore is hosting a photo safari contest and is looking for your amazing photos from around the world.  Entries are being accepted until April 15th.  The top 20 photos as determined by user votes will make it to the final round for judging by a panel of travel and photography experts.  The top two win one of the following:

Grand Prize: $9,000 Kenya Safari

Second Prize: His and Her ExOfficio® Storm Logic™ Jackets and a $500 travel voucher for an iExplore adventure

The other top 18 finalists get a $250 travel voucher.

In the ongoing saga over photographers rights; who can shoot what, who owns the rights to the photograph once it has been shot, can this or that be shot at all; Lady GaGa is weighing in when it comes to photographs taken of her at her concerts.  Having recently scoured the internet for a photography licensing agreement for my own photography I am very familiar with the complexity of these documents and this issue.  Although my familiarity in no way implies authority, it is not an easy topic for the novice or non-legal mind to comprehend.

In general, when a photographer photographs a subject, he or she owns the copyrights to those photographs.  Then through various degrees of complexity and legalese he or she can license, grant, sell, give away, the right to use those photos for a myriad of purposes while still retaining the copyrights.  Models, celebrities, and sometimes the average Joe/Jane also sign photography release forms stating that the person appearing in the picture has authorized consent to be photographed.  In the case of architectural photography the property owner will sign a release authorizing consent to have their property photographed.  So in the end the person being photographed grants permission to be photographed, the photographer grants someone the right to use those photographs for various purposes and the copyright remains the property of the photographer.

So after the signing of a few legal documents and all the basic agreements shooting can commence.  In the recent case of pop singer Lady GaGa however, she has thrown a wrench into the standard photo release form for professional photographers at her concerts.  The main difference is that GaGa’s release signs over all copyrights to Lady GaGa, taking what has traditionally been owned by the photographer or their employers and giving it to the artist.

There are valid arguments on both sides of this issue, with the definition of validity taking on different meanings depending on which side you take.  The artist and their representatives argue that being the subject of the photo entitles them full ownership.  The photographer community argues that the hard work and creative license on the part of the photographer,a long with the free press the photos generate for the artist, should keep full copyright in the possession of the photographer.

This is a debate that is going to rage on for some time.  It may seem simple that as an art form, the artist owns the rights to the work they create.  But as photography has moved into the digital age and “photographers” are more and more prevalent the gray areas are becoming more hazy.  Lady GaGa was not the first and will not be the last to get involved in this argument.

Note, I kept all photographs of Lady GaGa out of this post, just to be on the safe side.  But you can read more about this story and see the photos to go along with it at Live Music Guide.

I have loved architecture since before I really even understood what architecture was.  I built countless houses and structures out of Lego-like interlocking blocks as a kid (it was only recently that I got the real thing).  I sketched plans for very elaborate houses on my father’s accounting ledger paper.  And eventually I applied to and got into the architecture program in college.  And long story very short I got a degree in psychology.  But the love of architecture never faded.  I focus on architectural photography quite a bit in my photography and have had the opportunity to actually be paid for some of my work lately.  As a result I have picked up a few tips on improving your architectural photography.  Here are five quick and simple ones that can have a great impact on the final image.

1. Lighting – This one applies to more than just architectural photography.  But lighting can make or break an architectural photograph.  So pay attention to how the light is interacting with the building you are photographing.  Watch for shadows too.  Some lighting mistakes can’t be fixed in post processing no matter what you do so it is better to be aware while you are shooting.  As a general rule, the best times of day to photograph are often right around sunrise and sunset.  The “golden hour” light can show a building in a whole new light, so to speak.

2. Move – The first position you pick to shoot may not be the best.  Move around the building and check it out from all perspectives.  Where possible get up high and get down low to see how the architecture looks from various vantage points.  Step across the street and even go around back, you never know what the building might offer from a lesser viewed perspective.   If there is an obstruction often times it can be eliminated from the shot if you move over a few feet.

3. Rearrange – Keep an eye out for things that could be a distraction in your shot.  Garbage cans, traffic cones, trash, even people can either just look bad in a nice clean architectural photograph or be a real distraction depending on their placement.  But if you scout out your scene first  you can easily spot the distractions and move them out of your shot.  Just be sure to put them back once you are done.

4. Be Aware – Sometime you so focused on the architecture itself that you are blind to the surroundings.  Just like the small distractions mentioned in number 3 above things like light posts, signs, vehicles and even other buildings can ruin an architectural photograph, especially if you did not intend for it to be there.  These things are much more difficult to just pick up and move.  So this is where you have to incorporate tip number two and move yourself or reframe your shot to eliminate these elements.   Worse case scenario you may have to figure out a way to make something you did not intend to be there just work.  Work it into the composition of your photograph.

5. Shoot – Depending on who you ask, some photographers will say to not push the shutter until you have composed the perfect shot and then just shoot once.  Others will say to shoot as many shots as it takes.  Given the flexibility of the digital format I follow the later school of thought.  Especially in a  field like architectural photography for a subject that can have infinite angles and perspectives.  I believe you should strive to perfect your shot as much as possible in the field (sometimes there is no going back) but when even a few minutes can produce an entirely different lighting effect or a few step in one direction and present a whole different perspective I say shoot as many images of your subject as you can.  You can easily sort through and delete the bad ones in post processing.

I think I have become a bit of a collector of camera bags, on a small scale at least.  I am up to four bags, but in my defense, each serves a unique purpose.  My latest acquisition was the Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home Camera Messenger Bag.  I just got it the other day and have not had an opportunity to do much beyond transfer my equipment into it.  My initial thoughts are “very roomy” and love the style.  But I will post a full review once I have had a chance to take it on a few shoots and test it out.

I’ll see if it lives up to the reasons I selected this particular bag as the next one in my collection and pass on the details of how it measures up.

1) Style – I wanted a messenger type bag both for the look and the easy access.

2) Space – I need the room to hold a lot of equipment.

3) Laptop vs iPad – I have a bag big enough for my laptop and one just for the camera.  But I wanted something not as big as necessary for a laptop but still big enough for my iPad.

4) Versatility – I wanted a bag with lots of compartments, pockets and way to divide up the space.

So I’m going to take this bag out for a test drive this week and will report back my findings.

I had the opportunity to do some architectural photography of Ironwood Hall at Chandler Gilbert Community College in Candler, AZ recently.  The building was designed by the Tempe, AZ based architectural studio Architekton.  It is an LEED Silver building that serves as classroom, lecture hall, ceramic studio and office space for the community college.  It is also a great building  to photograph.  The colors, lines and geometry not only make it a great work of architecture but make capturing it in photographs fun.