PHOTO ANTHEMS BLOG: Christina

Showing posts with label Christina. Show all posts

08 December 2016

Alternatives for Shooting When it Gets Cold

The temps dropping fast here in Las Vegas. I can only imagine what things are like in New England or the Midwest. Actually, I don't even want to imagine it. I'm having my own difficulties handling these frigid temps where its hovering around the mid-40's at night. (Don't judge me.) But the more important question is this:

What's a photographer to do when she/he is used to shooting outdoors and is partial to late evening and night time shoots?

Good question.

Well, you're going to have to get smart about it. As well as get out of your comfort zone. You can't stop shooting. Let's get that established as priority one. Photogs don't go into hibernation until the spring. If you try that, you'll start the spring off with some major suckage...and nobody wants to suck that bad. So don't get out of practice.

Instead, when things get cold outside, you bring all your business inside. I know...that likely means studio and you're going to throw out the "natural light" card. Well, if you want to be a shooter, you're going to have to learn ARTIFICIAL LIGHT. Okay, so the first thing you're going to need is artificial light, obviously. Take a look at some flash options. You're either going the speedlight(lite) route or studio (mono) lights. And then you're going to need some space to shoot in, which is the easiest part. You can temporarily move your furniture around to get that needed space.

Lighting might be tougher. First it depends on your budget. Well, actually it all depends on your budget. You can buy what you need or rent the lights you need. Fortunately, you can do both at B&C Camera here in Las Vegas on West Sahara. They've got some excellent beginner kits as well as some advanced 2-light kits that'll get you started. Here is the top flash monolight kit I recommend:

The Promaster SM300 Digital Display 2-Light Studio Kit for about $450.

You may need to purchase some additional softboxes, but you can get that later if you want. It comes with flash sync trigger that attaches to your camera's hot shoe, as well as light stands, reflectors, and a carrying bag. I've recommended this kit to several of my clients and gave instructions on their use. They are very simple and easy to use. This is a middle ground beginner kit at 300 watt-seconds which should satisfy the majority of everything you'll need. While it may be easier to go with LED lights, which are constant light sources, but your best options are going to be with flash.

You can purchase speedlights for your specific camera brand, (Canon/Nikon/etc.), or you can go with some manual flashes, also by Promaster which are way less expensive. You can also rent studio lighting from B&C as well. Check out their rental options for your needs online or visit the store and let one of the associates help you determine your best option for what you are looking for. Anyone up there can help you figure out exactly what will do the job for your budget.

Another option you have at your disposal is hotel rooms. I've done this plenty of times. Sometimes its actually too hot outside or your model doesn't want to be around nature. I've packed up studio gear and rented a room in several of these hotels in and around Las Vegas. The best option is to shoot during the low occupancy times of the week, like Monday through Wednesday. Thursday begins to pick up in business which is reflected in the room prices. You can literally pay $20 a night on a Tuesday and that same room will go for $120 a night by Saturday. At the very least, use the opportunity to explore options for your own stay-cations or to help with recommendations when your friends/family come to Las Vegas and you don't want them staying with you! Try to use discount sites like Travelocity, Priceline, or Booking.com rather than the actual hotel website.

Shoot in your OWN house or apartment. You'll be surprised what natural settings can do that don't have to look like a 4-star hotel. If need be, use a lenses with really wide apertures. Prime lens with f/1.8 or f/1.4 apertures are excellent for this. They give you the shallow depth of field that blur out clutter in your background. Shoot compositions that are tightly cropped in to your subject or model to further reduce clutter in your background.

Finally, go get yourself a hardy model who can handle a little bit of cold. Pack some warm blankets, a thermos of hot chocolate/coffee/tea, and keep the car running with the heat on close by. I have actually done ALL of this. I've had some great models who braved that cold and sacrificed comfort for the sake of art, including getting in cold water! Yes. This is true. Be smart. Always stay conscious of the risk. Often times, I'll brave that water WITH my model, just so I'm aware of what my model is experiencing so that I don't ask them to be wet too long. Model safety is priority one at all times. Always stay conscious of your model's comfort and health. Outside of that, keep shooting!

21 March 2016

Things to Consider when Selecting Your New Tripod

I get asked on a regular basis about choice of camera...Nikon or Canon? Mirrorless or DSLR? Can a micro four-thirds system compete with larger sensors? Do I need to be full-frame? These are questions I tend to address on my blog quite often, but I haven't paid the same attention to tripods, so maybe its a good time to get into that now.

I have time allotted to tripods during my One-on-One photography course right before I get into night time photography. I also cover this material just about every day I work at B&C Camera, which isn't much nowadays. I've elected to reduce my time there to concentrate on my own photo business. Somehow, I still end up there more than the time I actually clock in. Hanging out at camera stores and all that gear can be addictive.

Costs
Anyhoo, in selecting a tripod budget is the primary concern with most people. Too often, amateur photogs are willing to spend $1500 to $3000 on a good camera, but are totally content to put it on a $30 set of legs. Personally, I'm not letting them do it. You can go cheap with a lot of things, but a tripod ain't one. You don't have to get all Gitzo, but finding the cheapest Sunpak on Amazon is NOT the right answer.

Load Capacity
Next factor? Consider two things: the weight of what you're going to put on it and whether or not you'll be traveling (carrying on your back or flying with a carry-on) with the tripod or not. I've got 3 or 4 tripods and 2 of them are my work horses depending on what I'm doing. I have a heavy duty Manfrotto for the majority of my work, but I also have a Promaster XC525 series for travel when I need to hike or fly with smaller by sturdy support.

If you are not having to carry your tripod around on your back or in luggage, then you can stand to get something sturdy and durable. I'd say a good target budget can get you a good kit (legs and head) for under $300, and likely around $200. Look up the weight specifications on your camera and the heaviest lens you have. Consider a good system that can handle at least triple that weight. You never want your support system to be straining. And you want to consider the possibility you may rent a heavier camera and lens in the future for a special project. Both my tripods have a max load of 22 or more pounds. In addition to all that, think about how tall the tripod extends up to. The taller you are, the more consideration you'll need to give to how much you want to have to bend over to see through your viewfinder.

Tripod Head
Next, consider the head. Ball heads are most commonly used, but pan/tilt heads can be less costly. Feel out what's most comfortable and natural in your hands. You also need to think about what quick release plate your tripod uses. I have had plenty of people coming in asking if we have quick release plates for their tripods for a lesser known economy brand. Unfortunately, those guys can thrown their tripods away. Get a tripod that has either a standard Manfrotto quick release system or one that utilizes the Arca-Swiss style. Vacation anywhere in the country and realize you forgot your quick release plate, you can visit just about any camera store and you can get replacements. That's not true of the proprietary brands. They usually have a plastic plate made strictly for its own head and if you lose it, you can either contact the manufacturer or trash it. A good head simply can't be taken seriously enough. In fact, you can get two different ones for different reasons. Get a ball head for your primary photo work, but you can do a fluid head for video.

Tripod Legs
Sturdy support is the main consideration here. Everything else is convenience. Do the legs wobble at all? Do they look and feel like they'll hold up for years to come? Do they spread out a full 90 degrees and lay flat? Consider which locking mechanism you prefer. Tripods will either come with twist type or clamps to lock the legs in place. Do they feel like cheap plastic? They'll have to hold up to repeated locking and unlocking. What are the legs made of. I prefer carbon fiber legs, but expect to pay likely twice what the aluminum legs run. (HA! I said "Legs Run"!) They are lighter than aluminum and stronger, but the main reason for my choice is that they look better. I confess that. Carbon Fiber will also not get as uncomfortable to hold in cold environments as aluminum does. Good legs are hard to beat.

Features
Everything here is mainly convenience, although you can make an argument for some pros or serious enthusiasts that some of these features are necessary requirements.

Many of the good ball heads come with three separate controls for locking the ball head, adjusting the tension/friction for the ball head when its not locked in place, as well as locking your panning position. The tension control is good thing to have, especially if you have a heavy camera system. This way the ball can be adjusted so that when you unlock the ball head, it doesn't suddenly tilt forward. Economical ball heads might eliminate this feature all together.

Tripods might also come with built-in levels, sometimes as many as 3, which can be handy. However my main feature I look for is a quick release plate assembly with a Double Locking mechanism. For me, this is absolutely essential. I don't want to bump or snag my camera and unlock the quick release accidentally and then watch as my takes a spill. A double locking mechanism require two actions to unlock the plate. So ask for this, dare I say, insist upon it!

Lastly, the center-post or neck of a tripod can be a feature. Most tripods allow you to use the center neck to adjust the height and raise the camera. I personally do not use this feature and will traditionally keep it locked in the lowest position. I don't like raising my camera up and thereby alter the center of gravity. I like it balanced and stabilized. However, on my main Manfrotto system, the center posts can be adjusted to lay horizontally. This has proven to be a true added benefit in this feature when I do macro photography. Some center posts have a hook on the bottom to attach a weight of some sort for more stability. There are also reversible center posts that hang your camera upside down. Other tripods like the Gitzo Ocean Traveler can withstand sea salt with its anti-corrosion feature, but it'll also run you north of $1100. Some might have spiked feet or padded ones depending on the surface you'll be shooting on.

So while there's lots to consider, its basically getting the fundamentals down and then choosing specific features that may benefit you. Here are a few extra tips. Make sure you have the lens pointed out over a tripod leg for stability. Use a cable release connected to your camera as well as the mirror lock-up feature on your camera for those long exposures to help eliminate blur. If the situation you wish to shoot in forbids tripod use, consider a good monopod. My Promaster XC525 has one leg that's detachable to act as a monopod. Got questions, thoughts, gripes? Leave'em in the comments.

28 May 2014

"Implied Nudes"? No..Not So Much

Nude — adj

1. completely unclothed; undressed

2. having no covering; bare; exposed

So this latest few series of blog posts have gotten a little attention. First, I started out with Why I don't do nudes for money. I followed it up explaining how I'm waiting on the right time, venue, and circumstances. I then covered details about my private sessions because I do charge for those. And after this I got a few questions regarding implied nudes, but presently I felt it necessary to decline those requests. Work for hire gets you whatever you want, of course. But integrating it into my regular artistic nude work for no charge is not as doable for me at this time.

Implied nudes are just what it sounds like. These are images of women taken that give the appearance the the model is nude, however they are still covered...just not with clothing. This can take the form of using the hands to help cover the goods or strategic angles to keep everything hidden. Sometimes models might use a boa, fabric material, or any type of prop that can be used to cover the breasts and genitalia. I've seen some great work from several photographers who do implied nudes. They are Facebook friendly and can be used in more widely acceptable venues. They can still be considered adult in nature, so placement should still be a consideration. You can see this all over the Las Vegas strip and downtown area, but you'd be less likely to see it on a billboard next to a school.

I just choose not to do it. At least not for free as I might my other art nude work. I shoot the nude. I have a dislike for hiding or censoring my work. I started out doing this with my own work and it was actually a model, Sara, one of my original art nude models, who practically scolded me for my own self-censoring practices. She articulated to me that there will be enough people in the world who will do this for me that I need not add to their efforts. She reminded me that I am an artistic nude photographer and that is where my passion lies. So why then should I take pictures whereby the elements that qualify a work as art nude are eliminated from the composition?

“It’s the invention of clothes, not nature, that made “private parts” private.”

― Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Over the years, I have received negative feedback and foul opinions for my work. I like to think that I respect people and their opinions about me. Sometimes I take it personally. In some cases, people may criticize my art, which is fine. Other times, they take it a step further and form an opinion about me personally because I am the author of what they feel to be obscene, improper for moral consumption, and otherwise simply disgusting. At times, I can't say I blame them. Artists have historically pushed and challenged the ideals that society hold dear. I have been disgusted myself by some expressions of artists who use the "art" moniker very loosely. Who am I to define loose, though? Some of my work is way more explicit that what many would be comfortable with despite my artistic editing techniques.

However here is my deal. We are talking about the human body. I have never understood why society needs "protection" from depictions of a penis, a vagina, or breasts especially when these depictions are non-sexualized. Our most famous art pieces and artists we consider to be masters utilized the nude form as the norm in their work and kids can see this in a museum anywhere. I take issue to the fact that we can be subjected to advertisements that imply nudity or are sexually sensationalized, but breasts in art are morally unlawful. Since when did boobs become taboo? I don't want to use this blog as a soapbox to debate why America would be better off if we were not afraid of the naked body. That's not even the purpose of this post. But I feel like I've addressed well enough on my particulars on why implieds are of less interest to me. I mislike the notion of being afraid of the nude. And if I have any last issue with the implied nude, it is simply the fact that I enjoy shooting the nude...the whole you. The nude you. I would much rather be inclined to shoot a clothed model than an implied nude.

16 July 2013

Riding on Top of the Wave

"There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse! As I have often found in travelling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one's position, and be bruised in a new place."

~Washington Irving

There is a lot of stuff going on in this business of photography. I can spend the rest of the month in constant discussions without taking a rest and still never touch on half the issues. This is definitely an interesting time in photography...a new paradigm shift, possible devaluation of the services, and trends that will, in all likelihood change how we capture and manipulate light. There is enough to make you wonder whether or not you even want to venture into this thing. You may even contemplate what gear you decide to purchase, and the brand or format. As with all times of change, transition is a definite challenge. My goal is to ride it out like a surfer on a wave. In which case, it is highly important to be on top of said wave, as opposed to being under it!

What do I mean with all this? Lets look at a couple of points. If you've been reading my blog lately, I've touched on problems for the pro photographer. Look at the news and you can see the Chicago Sun Times firing its entire photo staff. You can read about copyright infringements for photographers in record numbers. There is an increasing expectation of free/cheap services from photographers. Many wedding planners will spend big on food, flowers, the dress, and the venue, but when it comes to the photography, they look for the deal or find the cheapest person holding a camera they can. Let their house catch fire and the first thing they grab is the photo albums. I've been in situations where I've watched a client pay huge sums for everything else to cater an event, then call me and ask me to photograph it for credit and exposure. There is not one event or situation I have worked where the "exposure" ended up as a future gig that made me money. And until they start taking photo credits in lieu of cash for my rent, I'll continue to charge my regular fees, thank you very much.

What about the future of DSLRs? Are these big cameras gonna last? Are they still necessary? I'm predicting that within 2 years, a major camera manufacture will introduce a mirrorless full-frame DSLR. I think its inevitable. Some include the almost 3 times crop sensor like the Nikon 1 system, the 2 time crop Micro Four/Thirds format like the Olympus OM-D, or my fave, the Sony NEX system, particularly the NEX-6 with the APS-C sensor found in DSLRs. Canon is still trying to find its way into the mirrorless market. Some of these gimmicky features like built-in wireless/GPS may be handy for some, but not the masses. But mirrorless technology? Yes, this is coming to a DSLR real soon. Big and clunky will be a thing of the past and that's okay.

Times are a-changing. I'm not stopping my photography, so I want to be on top of this wave, hanging ten. I can even tell my own tendencies have adjusted. With travel becoming more and more important to me, weight is of a major concern. I want smaller gear. While I'm still partial to my Nikon D800E for fine art, I don't really want a DSLR second body like I used to have when I shot Canon, along with almost every L-series lens out there. There's not another full-frame to complement my 800e (that I like) and I don't want to duplicate that platform. The D7100 may be close, but I still prefer full-frame. Depending on the money, I think I'd opt for the Sony RX-1R (for $3000) when becomes available, as my second body.

"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory."

~W. Edwards Deming

What I would really like is the Leica M Type 240. Now we're talking about a SYSTEM here. Check out this review. If you don't read all of it, skip to the end. Spoiler: He buys the camera! The Leica is the Mercedes of 35mm format of cameras. Its a rangefinder and is definitely not cheap at just under $8 grand. I would love to travel with just a rangefinder and a single lens, probably the 35mm prime lens. That set up would put me $11,000 in the hole. I can do a lot of traveling on $11,000, or actually $7,000 (the difference between the Sony and the Leica). The thing is that, I just feel like I need to be a Leica owner. There are just some things you need to do at some point in your life. If you haven't done it yet, I think its a must to fly first class on a good airline. I always thought it was trivial. I mean, everybody gets there at the same time, right?

No. First Class is the shit. Even if you only experience it once, you need to do it. In addition to that, get behind the wheel of a luxury car on an extended trip...not just a test drive. Whatever you have to do, make that happen. You'll never look at cars the same after that. And in the same light...I think I need to be a Leica owner. You don't have to own the plane you are flying First Class in, nor the Mercedes for your road trip. The same cannot be said of this Leica M Type 240. Renting it would not be the same. You must own it.

I'm certain there is still room on top of this wave, but as any surfer will tell you, you're going to have to practice, get to know your way around a board, and understand the water. In photography, understand the light. Get to know your way around the new technologies. And practice, practice, practice.

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