PHOTO ANTHEMS BLOG

08 July 2016

On the Question of Greatness

Let me just break convention here and start right off with my premise that staying in your comfort zone will preclude you from being better in your photo work. At least that's what I believe. I'm unconvinced that you can do the same thing over time and improve your overall skill set. You may not want to be great. In fact, to my recollection, I don't think I've ever heard anybody say they wanted to be great at photography. Its always "I want to be better". Either way, I'm going to say I'm certain you won't do so by simply "shooting the things you love"...without stretching yourself.

Let me get a little deeper with that. I shoot the things I love. I shoot the things that make me feel good about what I produce. However stagnation occurs in photography when you ONLY shoot the thing you are most comfortable with the same way you've always shot it. You don't grow and you don't expand your horizons to Betterland. I don't care what it is that you shoot, you can always add a little twist to it. Do the same thing but utilize a more involved process. Want to shoot landscape? Cool. But how about getting out more than just 20 miles from home? How about doing it at night? Pull out the tripod and cable release and get some stars involved. Ever head out when every body else is heading in from inclement weather? Maybe some light painting. Get creative. What else can you do at night. Leave the steel wool alone for a while though. In full disclosure, I've used it to some great achievements. But I'm sure as hell tired of dumb butts not being safe with it and stupidly destroying landmarks and local monuments.

How about a different lens perspective? You do portraits? Okay, well maybe stop shooting wide open on that 85mm f/1.2 and utilize a wide-angle lens intead. Switch it up to some environmental portraiture. Get out of the studio and bring in the subjects surroundings that may tell a story of where they live. I mean, after all...are we not trying to tell stories with our pictures? Ever try light painting? Maybe some figure work utilizing a slow shutter and dragging your flash? What about seeing how to implement that stroboscopic feature on your Canon flash (Repeating Flash for Nikons) and seeing how you can creatively incorporate it into your favorite genre of work.

I mentioned that I don't hear many photographers ascribing to be great...only better. I can't say I know why that is. And I would imagine there are different definitions to the concept of "greatness" and maybe most photogs only aspire to be the best they can be as opposed to being recognized as the best in their field. And then I guess you'd have to find a way to measure greatness. Is it an attribution to how well-known you are? How popular you are? How much money you make or what you drive? And then can you define it by their greatness in photography or maybe their greatness in business. There are certainly those who are great at photography education. As well as those who are excellent in photography marketing. Do these go down in the annals of great photographers.

Peter Lik has sold the most expensive photographic work to date at $6.5 million. The New York Times makes the case that he is more of a businessman (to paraphrase mildly) who does photography in that despite selling an estimated $400 million in fine art sales, his work rarely fetches the original sales prices on the secondary market. So then those who buy his work as investors are purportedly in for a shock should they choose to reappraise their investments in the future. Don't get me wrong. I ain't hating on the guy. I'd love to have his business model. I can't fault it by a single shot.

"Arguably, the person best versed in Peter Lik comparables is David Hulme, a fine-art valuer based in Australia for a company called Auctionata. For years, he has been getting calls from Lik owners around the world, and he finds the calls depressing.

“People tell me all the time, ‘I’ve been in touch with the gallery, and they say my photograph is now selling for $150,000 a copy,’ ” he says. “So they want to know what they can sell theirs for.”

A tiny fraction of that sum is the answer. A subscription service called Artnet — which bills itself as the most comprehensive database of its kind — captures the resale value of Lik photographs by cataloging auction results, and the most anyone has ever paid for one his photographs is $15,860, for a copy of an image called “Ghost,” in 2008. (It’s a color version of “Phantom.”) After that, it’s a long slide down, to $3,000 for a copy of “Eternal Beauty (Antelope County, Arizona)” in 2014. Fifteen images have sold for between $1,000 and $2,500, and four have sold for between $400 and $1,000. Another handful failed to sell. And that’s it."

So does he go down as a great photographer? You can't deny the man makes bad ass imagery. The only real question is is it worth what its selling for. I can't give you any advice on how to be great. I'm for damn sure not great, myself. I can tell you and teach you how to be better. I can do that. I can also define who I believe are great to me. Well, let me at least say who my favorites are. Everybody agrees Ansel Adams is the Michael Jordan of photography. Particularly for me, greatness is epitomized in Edward Weston, Harry Callahan, Gordon Parks, Sally Mann, Alfred Stieglitz, Man Ray, Carrie Mae Weems, Diane Arbus, Jerry Ulesmann, Spencer Tunick, Helmut Newton, and Imogen Cunninham.

Of those, my personal faves are Weston, Callihan, Mann, and Parks. Of course, there are other photographers I like and many more who have taken iconic images, but I can't say I follow their overall work. I'm not a Steve McCurry fan, but who can not be a fan of "Afghan Girl". Of my aforementioned list, (of which, is not exhaustive nor comprehensive), only Spencer Tunnick is of a more recent ilk. For me, I think greatness is defined over the career of the photographer/artist, although I do include Mr. Tunnick as an exception.

Who knows? I guess if you're always striving to be better then greatness will take care of itself. At the very least, I think any photog owes it to themselves...NAY, even to US...the viewing public, to put out their best work. Anything less is cheating yourself and ME!

02 July 2016

Protection: MACK Extended Warranties for Camera Gear

Continuing my reviews on the question of protection, I think extended warranties are another good one to cover. So what's an extended warranty? Most of the items you buy will come with some form of guarantee that the product will function and operate as specified. They will usually offer this guarantee for a year with most newly purchased electronics. That's not too bad when you consider that if the product makes it that long, chances are it will perform similarly over the next few years with proper maintenance and care. At least, that's the usual case unless you are one of those people who's products last until the month AFTER their warranty expires.

An Extended Warranty can do a couple more things. It can extend this same level of guarantee by a third party, other than the manufacturer, OR it can also add more coverage not provided by the manufacturer warranty. For instance, in addition to the manufacturer's warranty, an extended warranty might also add ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE, which means the product is covered if it malfunctions for some reason, but ALSO the product is covered for repair/replacement if YOU damage it. So in this case, if you happen to be out shooting your camera and you damage if by dropping it, running it over in your car, (I have seen this), or because your inconsiderate numb-skull friend decided it would be funny to give you a shove while you were taking pics by the pool (seen that too).

So should you buy or risk it?

I'll say it depends. If you already have insurance for professionals on your gear, then maybe not. However, if you DO have pro insurance and don't want to pay the deductible if there is damage AND don't want your rates to increase...buy the extended warranty. I would be extremely leery of using homeowner's insurance. Just last week, I had a gentleman explain to me that he initially thought his camera gear was covered, however the insurance company denied his claim for the camera gear, insisting that he used it commercially. It didn't matter that he made no money at it. The gear he lost was of professional quality. Had he tried to recover damage on a $599 Canon Rebel T3i, maybe his insurance would have covered it. But with a Canon 5DMarkIII, 2 more bodies, lights, etc...they said no.

If you know you are prone to mishandling gear, get the insurance. When you know you have a history of knocking things off the table or dropping things onto the floor, save yourself the heartache and spend the few extra bucks to protect yourself.

It also depends on what you are getting the extended warranty for. For an item that does not get handled much or carried around, I may not be as inclined to purchase it. A camera or a lens, yes indeed, I am in favor of it. Because like my last post about UV filters, it has to do with who's handling the warranty claim as well as how responsive is the warranty issuer. B&C Camera has at least two people at all times who submit and monitor MACK extended warranties.

I've seen worried consumers come in the store with busted gear. Maybe they don't have the receipt, but they can look up your gear by serial number and find out if you are covered. When these guys realize they we can reproduce their proof of purchase, well, you should witness the sense of relief in their faces. They chose to purchase the 3-Year MACK Diamond Extended Warranty when it was offered. These are the ones that the B&C Camera owner chooses to use because it's most beneficial to the customers and it makes the most sense.

The warranty doesn't protect against loss or theft. They can't help you if your gear has been in a fire. The warranty is for manufacturer malfunction and accidental damage. A lady drove over her camera and crushed it. She brought all the pieces back that identified the camera make, model, and serial number. She got a new camera as it was not repairable. Same model...brand new. How happy do you think she was? What happens if your camera is not repairable and has been discontinued for the upgraded model? You get that upgrade. Here is an excerpt from the MACK website:

Diamond warranties include standard coverage as well coverage for malfunctions due to accidental damage from handling (ADH).

This includes malfunctions due to liquid damage that were the result of an accident. All types of accidental damage, including liquid damage, will be covered at the discretion of Mack Worldwide Warranty.

Benefits:

Impact Damage
Manufacturer Defects
Sand/Grit Damage
Accidental Damage and Unintentional Abuse
Mechanical Malfunctions
Normal and Abnormal Wear and Tear
Lemon Protection
2 Free CCD Cleaning for the life of the warranty (USA Only)

See there? That's 2 free sensor cleanings over the life of the warranty. That's anywhere from $120 to $200 in cleaning right there. B&C Camera charges $60 per sensor cleaning, BTW and its done right there in the store by a specialist, named Kris. Depending on the value of your camera that's either the full cost of the insurance or at least half of it in most cases. So is the peace of mind worth it? I think it is. A one-time payment and you're protected for 3 years. That's a good deal. Do it.

30 June 2016

Protection: The Age Old UV Filter Debate

Most photographic accessories are designed to aid you in your photographic endeavors in terms of improving or increasing your ability to take a photo. Protection measures are implemented in order that you may continue your photographic endeavors or at least compensate you when you suddenly can not do so.

So lets start with an ongoing argument on the polarizing viewpoints of the UV filter. Should you put a piece of glass that was not originally factored into the lens' design over the manufacturer's precision-ground and chemically-coated lens elements? Good question.

Exactly what is a UV filter anyway? UV stands for Ultraviolet. This is the radiation from the sun that makes you need sunscreen when you're outside for extended periods of time. Its the same stuff from the sun that you soak up to get a tan. However for cameras, its a little different. The ultraviolet rays from the sun could indeed affect the chemical composition in film from the film camera days. In some cases, UV radiation could cause slight color shifts, as well as affect the overall quality of the image as it hit the exposed areas of film while you're taking a picture. You can see why this might be a problem for pro photogs who shoot film.

Well, most of us don't use film in our cameras. So why is there still some who insist on UV filters for digital cameras? Okay, let me admit. There are several reasons why. First let me say I am a proponent of UV filters. All my glass has them. But this question as to "why" has been severely distorted over the years by two main factors.

During the early age of digital photography, this was still a means of making money for camera store owners. These owners don't make a lot of margin on cameras and lenses. Some of that margin could be made up in photography accessories and UV filters were part of it. So you had camera store owners pushing these filters onto consumers.

The next part of the mix-up has to do with manufacturers. Profits are still the name of the game. And when you can stamp out cheap circles of glass at varying diameters and sell them to new and unsuspecting consumers who need cameras, well it can set a bad precedence for the industry. They called it PROTECTION. You need to protect that brand new lens you just bought (or that comes with your camera).

To be honest, there is actually some elements of truth to what store owners and manufacturers think in this regard. However the answer to this protection question was NOT to make cheap glass stamp-outs and put them on the front of your lens. The real fact is that even the cheapest lens out there currently is still likely a good lens. They still channel light down to a specific point on the sensor with accurate precision. Cheap and inferior UV filters affect how light passes through them and hit the actual lens. A defect in the in poor quality UV filters can result in poor light refraction that can cause light rays to hit the front element of the lens at bad angles, striking the sensor in a way not designed or intended. Next thing you know, you're searching Google for a photoshop technique to quickly remove chromatic aberrations and lens flare.

So here's the deal via my experience as a pro shooter AND from working in a camera shop with an owner who's more interested in making profits the RIGHT way moreso than BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.

B&C Camera in Las Vegas, Nevada has a plethora of UV filters. Some of them are inexpensive but NONE of them are poor quality. But even with that said, here's the deal. You don't go all in on high end lens gear and then use the least expensive UV protective filter. And nobody there is going to talk you into ceramic UV filters when you buy an entry level camera that comes with a $200 lens. Neither of those cases make much sense and an educated consumer paired with a knowledgeable salesperson, at a camera store run by a fair-minded owner will equal out to more satisfied customers who come back for more gear later.

I see a lot of broken UV filters come through the store. I also see many lenses coming in for repair from drops. Every last one of the customers coming in with a busted UV filter is MORE than happy to let the guys behind the counter use special tools and expertise to remove a UV filter that's busted, bent, and won't come off by traditional means after a serious drop. You should see the look on these guys' faces when the lens is revealed to be okay. They buy another UV filter and leave the store much happier than when they came in.

My advice? Get a high quality UV filter. Spend $70 to $120 on a good one comparable to the lens you are placing it on. Again, you don't buy a high end sports car and go to Wal-Mart looking for the cheapest tires you can find. I absolutely love the HGX UV filters by Promaster. These come in a red case and are guaranteed against scratches. That's how hard these things are. Special coatings on on these filters, front and back, made from hardened glass, with a flat black coating on the barrel ring to absorb stray light so it isn't reflected into your lens at bad angles. I have high end Sony glass and all my lenses have the Promaster HGX UV filters on them with zero color shift.

They also make other UV filters of varying quality. If you have an entry level lens, feel free to get the green-case multi-coated UV filter. A mid-range lens would benefit from the orange-case Digital UV filter. If you're paying a $1000 or more then get the red-case HGX UV filter with the guarantee. Scratch it...bring it in and get a new one. Simple as that.

Indeed you will hear about those who have had their lenses for YEARS and have never dropped, banged up, or had an accident that resulted in sending in a lens for repair. That's good for them. I personally, don't like taking the chance when a simple, but QUALITY UV filter can extend the life of the lens. They may not break the lens, but I can assure you that over time, that glass will get pitted from sand, grit, and acidic elements in the air that will degrade the coatings on that lens. So to me, its worth it to protect my good glass, especially when there is ZERO quality loss in the process.

15 April 2016

Why the Camera You Already Have May Be Better Than You Think

[For my wonderful friend and muse, Leslie. Girl, I think you are happiest when you are shooting! Am I right??]

I'm a Sony shooter. I started out years ago with Canon. And when Canon no longer suited my needs, I sold about $25K in Canon gear...all of it...and switched to Nikon. Three years after that, (#switchhappens) I made the plunge again into the Sony line of camera systems and will likely be here a while. I welcome the moniker, "gear-head", but I can objectively say I made all my changes based on need. When Canon's next line of cameras came out and it didn't give me what I needed, I had no qualms about dropping that line and investing in another. Nikon's switch had more to do with dropping the DSLR line because I was sold on mirrorless systems, namely Sony, but originally Fujifilm (XE-2, remember...).

But here's the deal. Not everyone wants to drop camera lines like that, especially if you have a huge investment in the lenses. Or, getting another camera simply isn't in the budget at the moment. Its sorta like my car. I've put so much effort, money, and time into traveling and photography that I've neglected my need for a new car. So for the moment, I've gotta get the most I can out of the car I have. I think it might help a few of you to know that the camera you have right now, is probably better than you think. You may not have the same photo demands or feature needs as I do and if you don't require all that then here are a few things you can look into.

If you have purchased a camera in the last 6 years, namely a DSLR, then chances are, its actually a really good system for general purpose use. I've met PLENTY of people complaining that they can't get a good picture from their camera, when in fact, all they need is a little bit of knowledge on how the camera works. Take a look at Auto Focus. I think this is likely the most frequent issue I encounter. Blurry Images are next in line. This may sound like the same thing, but bear with me.

With the Auto Focus situation, its usually a case where the camera is set to full auto. So in this setting, its automatic everything. The problem here is that sometimes the camera will automatically focus lock on the object closest to the camera or to a subject that is moving. The camera operator has an image with SOME things in focus, but not the thing or subject that they wanted to take a picture of. So in this case, taking the camera out of Full Auto mode should be the first step. If anything put the camera in Program or "P" mode. Then take out your manual (download it from the net if need be) and look up info on your camera's Autofocus, and Continuous Autofocus. If you're brave enough, check out Manual Focus. Camera manufacturers my call each thing something different. Canon is AF-Single and AI Servo/AI Servo-Continuous. Nikon is AF-S, or AF-C. Then they may go into autofocus zones or groupings in some way.

The Blurring I mentioned is when the subject is blurred or the entire picture is blurred. This has more to do with the shutter speed setting than autofocus. There are two things that determine this. First could be the shutter speed itself. If the camera perceives that it doesn't have enough light, it will extend the amount of time the shutter is open and expose the sensor to light for a little longer period of time. Well, unless everything is absolutely still, there will be blurring. A single second is actually a LONG time when we're talking photography. Its nigh impossible to hold your camera still that long and not get blur just from camera shake, much less have your subject be still enough. Try shooting a baby with a one-second shutter speed.

If this is the case, look to your ISO speed and raise it til you are at least 1/60th of a second on shutter speed. You'll usually have this issue when it begins to get dark and you're still trying to shoot pics of the kids outdoors. Sometimes, if you're in full auto, the flash will pop up and blast everything with light and that doesn't look good in most cases where you want to get a wide area in your shot. Raise that ISO to 800 or maybe even 1600 and try again. Go higher if need be. But there is a catch! The higher the ISO, the more grainy or noisy the image looks.

This is when I had to make my first camera upgrade from the Canon 40D (2007) to the full frame 5D MarkII (2008). I required better low-light performance. The 5D MarkII had a bigger sensor which means bigger light-gathering pixels. It also had the ability to handle higher ISO much better resulting in high-ISO images, but with less noise in the image. Today, I work in much darker situations that still require speed and I can reach ISOs of over 100,000 and still look clean in my Sony systems.

Sometimes, a better lens can be your limitation. If you still rock with the kit lens your camera came with, its likely not going to be the best quality and is likely not fast glass. If you're Canon, try the Nifty Fifty, the 50mm f/1.8 lens for a little over $100. And for zoom lenses, I absolutely love Tamron's line-up whether you are Canon or Nikon. Tamron makes a 17-50mm f/2.8 (for crop sensor cameras) or a 28-75mm f/2.8 (for full frame or crop sensor cameras) of which both are excellent pieces of fast glass. Those lenses have wide maximum apertures that help let in more light. If you have newer cameras, I'd even suggest the all in one Tamron 16-300mm lens (not made for full frame cameras). Just make sure you get the Tamron lens specific for your camera, either Canon or Nikon.

In any case, learning a little bit more about your camera outside of the full auto mode can work to your favor and get you better shots. When your demands surpass the camera's capabilities, THEN look to a better system. Getting a camera with numerous Phase-Detect Auto focus points because you often shoot moving subjects is a reason to upgrade. Having a system with superior low-light performance because you do a lot of low-light work is a reason to upgrade. Or maybe convenience features like built-in WIFI for the ability to control the camera or download your images from your camera straight to your smart phone, swivel the LCD screen around for selfies, have a touch-screen LCD, you have a 4K TV and want to shoot 4K video, or you want to be able to continuously autofocus while doing video. It could be that you like your friend's ability to autofocus using Face-detect/Smile-detect/Eye-detect. Or you love shooting manual focus and heard how cool the Sony system can use Focus Peak to assist with manual focus. These are all reasons to upgrade. If your camera is simply not taking good pics, then chances are you could benefit from reading the manual, because cameras these days are actually bad ass.

You can definitely consider taking my One-on-One week-long photography course. We'll go over your camera, its capabilities, and how to use it in a variety of settings, indoor and out, as well as covering light with speedlights and studio lights. Not from Las Vegas, not a problem. Give me a week, and you'll go home a better shooter. Want me to come to you, we can talk about that too. Think it over. Give me a hollar!

23 March 2016

Don't Be Afraid

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

~ Nelson Mandela

Don't be afraid.

You know I can honestly leave this post at just those 3 words, but anybody who knows me, knows I am never that succinct. I like to use my words, so let me articulate my meaning here. Elocution would serve better, but since I have not as of yet published my work via podcasts, the written word will suffice. As a former Staff Sergeant in the Army, my voice can deliver the intended affect with inflection and tone that deliver my meaning more accurately, but I will try to get my point across, nonetheless. Maybe one day I'll do a speech on the matter. For now...the written word.

We all fear. Its inevitable that something will arise that will cause fear at some point in our lives. However, as you may already know, its how we respond to the fear that makes the difference. As a kid, I used to get my ass kicked just about daily, until I decided to make some changes. Since I was already taking a beating, how would striking back and defending myself make matters worse? So I learned to hit back...hard. Interestingly enough, the beatings stopped. Correlation? You tell me.

Today, I live differently. I don't have to fight like that so much. There are other things in life that make me afraid, but those early years, along with some military refining has helped me control fears better, (but not eliminate them, however). Now, I almost have fun with it. Fear lets me take on life challenges that can be rewarding times ten more when you overcome them. I tend to run towards things I fear, which may not be wise at times, but I'm not altogether stupid either.

Don't be afraid of the opinion of others. This is especially so, concerning those who should have little influence on your well-being, income, or health.

Don't be afraid of being the only one. It can be lonely to go it alone but you will find out more about yourself, your capabilities, and thereby boosting your confidence. Not everyone has your vision or wants to do what you want to do. That doesn't mean you have to flow with the status quo. Do you.

"Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. It's where all the fruit is."

~Shirley MacLaine

Don't be afraid to lose things, people, or money. It's bound to happen and you'll have to accept that fact. Its supposed to be that way when you think about it. People will come and go, but that's not always a bad thing. Things are temporary and you'll always be getting more stuff.

Don't be afraid to try new things. This is how you learn and experience the world.

Don't be afraid to fail. I've heard is said, "Failure is not the opposite of Success. It is PART of it." You'll make mistakes. Get up and learn from it.

Don't be afraid of the unknown. You don't know everything. In fact, you know very little. Hence, most of the universe is unknown to you. Think about how much you didn't know 5 years ago. The things you know today were unknown to you then. You don't always need to play it safe. Be smart. Get outside the lines a little bit. You'll thank me.

Don't be afraid to start that adventure. Old people don't brag about how many overtime hours they spent at the office. That shit doesn't make for good stories.

"An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose."

~ Langston Hughes

Don't be afraid to be hated. Not everyone will like you, especially when you start getting good and succeeding. That's just a fact. It means you're likely enjoying yourself. Don't sabotage your own happiness worrying about somebody hating on you.

Don't be afraid of bad circumstances. It happens. Its going to happen again. How you respond to bad circumstances is what makes the bad circumstances permanent or not. And if they are not permanent...why worry?

Don't be afraid to trust yourself. In all actuality, you can't trust yourself, but you should. You're going to fail. You're going to let yourself down. However all that matters is the fact that you still control you. You 100% can't control anyone else. You CAN control you. So that makes you the most trustworthy person alive. Having some self control issues? Well, stop that shit.

Don't be afraid to keep learning...from anybody. I learn as much from an 80 year old as I can from an 18 year old. I can't say what I might learn from an 8 year old, but I'm sure its possible, somehow. You won't know it all. Ever. So keep soaking up information and tidbits of wisdom where you find it. Keep your mind open because you'll likely come across it in some of the most unlikely places. Age, social status, economic class, race... if you limit where you can accept learning because of these dividing lines, you limit the potential you can evolve to. Cut that shit out.

Now go handle your business.

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.

23 February 2016

Five Things I'd Like to Tell My 20-Year Old Self

Camping at Kolob Reservoir, Zion, Utah

"13 Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor."
~ Proverbs Chapter 3, verses 13 through 16

Oftentimes, you'll hear somebody say, "If I knew then what I know now..." followed by some proclamation of forecasted success. But the question might then become would your self back in the day listen to your self of today and heed that advice. I don't know if I'd have been hard headed or not, but this is what I'd like to say to 20-year old me:

Germany, 20 years old.

1. Listen More/Talk Less
Right before you turn 21, I believe this to be the second childhood in your life. I know old age has been rumored to be called that, but it ain't so. Twenty-One is. Why? Well, when you think about the earliest days of your childhood, its likely when you intake the most amount of information in the least amount of time. They say children learn at a faster rate between birth and 5 years than they ever will for the rest of their lives. The older you get, the more you think you already know. Until you become a brand new adult and now you're back at the bottom of the generation pool.

I'd tell myself to spend more time listening and observing. At this point, there is a lot of information coming your way in becoming an adult. I'd wish I'd paid attention to the things and people around me more. What was going on in my world? What were the issues, politics, and world events that might impact my well being and life choices. How could I contribute to the causes, campaigns, and movements that would help give me much needed advantages in life. But also, I'd learn to observe and study the systems in place that might exploit my naivety and learn how to avoid those things that would serve to undermine my interests or better yet, learn how to play the game.

Modeling days, 1998

2. Money
I'd tell myself to get to know and understand how money works. Where it comes from. How it moves. Who has it and controls it. What taxes are and how tax dollars are used. I'd study the history of it. Learn when it moved from a gold standard and what that has resulted in. I'd learn how it is created. Learn how you can work for it, or make it work for you. I would definitely learn to master the markets and how human emotion may control buying and selling instead of common sense and logical analysis. Then I'd get into understanding the entrepreneurial experience, and not focusing on the corporate world so much. I would definitely be more of a saver during my learning and formative years. I'd tell myself that half the things I bought that I thought I'd need, I didn't.

State Treasurer's Office 2009. Last corporate/gov't job.

3. Figure Out What Matters Most
Many of the things I thought were important when I was a kid were important to me as a kid. The problem was that I carried much of this over into my early adulthood as well. I mean, I still watch cartoons and know my comic books like a nerd. That's not what I'm talking about. I'd tell myself that it wasn't so important to keep up fashion trends. I'd ask myself to re-evaluate time spent with family and exploring the world as a priority over bigger salaries, newer cars, and bigger homes. I'd try to get myself to focus more on experiences than things.

4. Record Family and Friends
I'd say get into photography sooner, you idiot!! YOU love this shit!! Don't worry about how much a camera costs. Get a good one and learn to expose. ESPECIALLY get your portraiture work down and start doing portraits of Mama Carrie and Bubba! Capture those candid moments of them sitting around in the living room watching Adam 12 and Emergency. Get those shots at church. Get it all, shooting constantly.

How I shave. Magic Cream...not the power that stinks up the house!

5. Self-Improvements
This is where I'd have a sit down with myself. "Terry. Listen. I know you want to be a good dad, husband, and friend. I know you want to serve people. I like that you have a great and generous heart. But I also want you to serve yourself. Be a better you. Make it a priority to master Spanish and French. Then get two more languages down well. You'll get photography down fairly well, but start now on music. Get some good practice on a piano. I think you'll like it. You are already an avid reader. But start in on some of the classics. You don't have to just focus on business books. You can read some non-fiction sometimes too. And you don't have to wait til you're 40 to read the Bible in its entirety. I think you'll be a much better person much sooner if you start learning about your planet and the cultures that inhabit it now."

"And hey...everybody ain't like you. So drop some of the expectations. Especially with women, particularly the ones you're in love with. Be a little bit more easy on them. Life is already hard. I know its been important to be hard and tough, both physically and mentally while you're serving your country. But maybe get some counseling to help deal with balancing that shit out with your family while you're still in the military, so it doesn't kick your ass long after you're out. Lead your soldiers, teach your kids. But you can be softer with your women."

Last one's a bonus:

6. Relax and Travel
Traveling the world is not the purview of white people and you don't have to be rich to own an expensive camera or travel the world. You probably don't have to be so hard all the time. Try to balance the soldier better with the real world people you have to interact with. Relax more. Take more time off. Travel with the kids, camp with them, and go see some national parks out west. They'll like it.

The Narrows at Zion, in Utah 2008

Oh, and one last thing. Protect that left knee a little better, dog. Make sure EVERY single injury is documented and reported. DO NOT tough it out. I re-friggin'-peat!! DO NOT TOUGH IT OUT AND SAY NOTHING! Don't let them keep feeding you Ranger Candy (Ibuprofen). A Ranger Tab does not translate to invulnerability. Cuz later on, when you're REALLY feeling that shit, the VA will need clear and concise documentation that there was a problem during your service time and that you didn't just injure your knee last week on the basketball court. Okay? Be good. And don't be so hard on your son when he steals your VALUABLE comic cards, takes them to school, and then gets them taken away by a bigger kid. They are just cards. Its not worth it.

29 January 2016

8 Things You Can Do NOW to Improve Your Photography

Okay. So you know that Spring time is coming around soon. Its the middle of winter and before you know it, the snow will have melted and green grass and flowers will be budding and blooming. You've seen it before. Every year its the same thing. So why not, while you're holed up in the house to stay out of the winter storm, get to cracking on learning your camera so you can be better prepared to take advantage of these great pics you're gonna wanna take in the Spring? Sorta like working out NOW to have your summer body by end of May.

1. Pull Out the Manual
Chances are you have never done this. Not once. Well find it and dust it off. Put down the morning paper for a change and review your camera manual. If you can't find it, then look it up online. Its there. Trust me. Check out the specifications that your camera is capable of and become familiar with them.

"Smooth seas have never made a skillful sailor"

2. Go Shoot!
Find out what you like to shoot. THEN SHOOT SOMETHING ELSE! In other words, get out of your comfort zone a little. Again, comparing this to working out... if you just stick to shooting what you are familiar with, its like hitting that plateau when you know you want to lose that last 20 pounds. Develop your photo muscles by exercising different ones you are not so familiar with using.

3. Test the Limits of your Camera
Another familiarization drill! See what your images look like at the highest ISO it can achieve. If it has expanded ISO, check it out. Maybe that noise is doable or maybe you'll need to back it off a stop or two. Test out the high frame rates and see if the Auto Focus misses on any of those shots. If it shoots 5 frames per second. Test it. Maybe all of the shots are in focus, but if not, it will be better to test this before you actually need to use this feature.

4. Play with Flash and Long Exposures
You'll really have fun with this one. Flash can be intimidating, but its really not. Its just light. You use light every day. Play with the flash sync speed. Practice with the Rear Curtain Sync feature. See what it might be good for by checking out YouTube. Use a speedlight OFF of the camera. Pick up some inexpensive trigger/receiver combo to make your flash pop wirelessly. And do this without using the automatic features or TTL. Got a cable release for your camera? Ever use a shutter speed as slow as 15 minutes? What do you think you have that tripod for? Try it out!

5. Go Look at a Lot of Pics
You can better see what's possible when you start looking at other photog images. I'm not talking about copying other people's intellectual property. I'm speaking to looking at the work of others do get ideas for better lighting concepts. Better perspectives. Better inspiration to maybe shoot outside at night. If you want people to appreciate your work, check out other photog's work. Make comments on their work on Instagram or 500px.

6. Change Perspective, Lenses, Locations
The majority of lens kits are there are of the middle focal length range and this will be the only lens most people will own. Take a look at some wide-angle perspectives. See where this might come in handy. I recall the first time about 10 years ago that I experimented, at the suggestion of a friend, with wide-angle for a model shoot. Didn't think I needed it and why use wide-angle glass for anything other than landscape of photographing large groups. That shoot changed my life! And again with getting out of your comfort zone, take a road trip and shoot someplace new. Make it fun and get up early and do a day trip somewhere 200 miles away.

7. Limit to 36
I did this back in the film days. The idea behind it is that film has a much more limited number of exposures available compared to a SD card which can give you thousands of exposures. Limiting yourself to just 36, or the number of exposures you can get on a roll of film will make you more deliberate. You tend to make sure that the compositions you see have better subjects, are more developed scenes, and will be composed of more photographic fundamental elements that make a good picture. You'll take your time to really begin to see. You train your eye to attain a desired goal that first formulated in your mind. Today, people tend to "spray and pray". They take a bunch of shots and statistically, they are more apt to have at least one good one. The problem is that this great shot is still challenging to reproduce. You got a good shot, but you don't really know how you got it. It just happened. Let yourself be challenged. Do this exercise every now and then of limiting yourself to 36 shots for the day.

8. Commit
And this is as self-explanatory as Nike's slogan, "Just Do It". Committing is doing these 8 things plus more. Its leaving your familiarities and going out to that new location. It's heading over to B&C Camera (if you're here in Las Vegas) and rent a wide-angle lens, some studio lights, or a new camera you want to try out. Check out Sony's A7sII and play with its ISO to see what 409,600 looks like. Use it with a 16-35mm lens to go shoot the milky way. Rent out a Panasonic GH4 and practice some video work. Need some studio lights? They have plenty. Practice. And commit yourself to this effort. By the March, you'll have that perfect Spring photography body that you'll need to get the best shots and you'll know you have the best shots because you put in the work and preparation to achieve these goals. Have fun!

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