One of the most essential pieces of knowledge to understand in order to attain sharp images, particularly for landscapes, is the principle of hyperfocal distance.
Phil Davis put it best in Photography, 1972
“When the lens is focused on the hyperfocal distance, the depth of field extends from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity.”
The general tip to burn into your memory is focus 1/3 of the way into your photo with a smaller aperture setting to maximize your depth of field.
image courtesy of DOFMaster
A great online resources to reference when researching hyperfocal distance for your gear is DOFMaster’s Depth of Field Calculator. In addition Vividlight Photography also has a great article on this subject What is Hyperfocal Distance and Why Should I Care? were they provide an Excel or PDF Hyperfocal Distance Chart that can be put in your camera bag.
View more photos of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)
Technorati Tags: photo, term, terminology, Hyperfocal Distance, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Arctic Refuge, ANWR, landscape, photo, photography, Alaska, wildflower, stock photo
29
Jun
Posted in Links & Articles, Photography by Jim |
The Internet has proven to be a blessing and a curse for photographers. This week video related content takes the top two spots of this weeks Speedlinks. Interviews that would not have been as easily accessible only a couple of years ago are now only a click away…
What Make’s Photographers Click? - PixChannel (via A Photo Editor)
A collection of interviews from a variety of top notch photographers. A must watch/visit.
PhotoCycle’s Rare Glimpse into Ansel Adams Work at Yosemite - Fast Company
The inaugural episode of PhotoCycle with a very interesting interview with Michael Adams, son of legendary Ansel Adams, who gives some great background and insight to his fathers famous photos.
As mentioned the Internet as proven to be a blessing and a curse for photographers. One of the often discussed topics reflective of the changing winds of creative work online has been the Orphan Works Legislation and this week I bring you the perspective of an animation producter/director whose points ring true for all creative artists. In addition I also want to share with you the story of Momoko Sudo whose rights were infringed by a Coral Gables police officer who forced her to delete her images of him. Again both articles emplore you to know your rights and to stand up for them.
Mind Your Business: You Will Lose All The Rights to Your Own Art - Mark Simon is mad as hell and, in this month’s “Mind Your Business,” he tells you why you should be too.
Coral Gables Police Officer Destroys Takes Photographers Camera and Erases Her Images - Momoko Sudo
On to something a little lighter… in fact as light as air and incredibly inspiring…
Cameras That Float Through the Air - QUEST
In relation to photography related blogging and politics I found the following posts of interest and I think you might as well…
“Compromise, Hell!” Wendell Berry + As I was saying, we are getting robbed! And to why McCain flipped on the drilling issue! Watch this new MSNBC report. = Photography, politics, blogs…oh my!
California Sea Otters certainly have an air of relaxation about them. As relaxed as they seem they’re actually quite active eating 20% of their body weight in food per day. Their constant pursuit of food is a reflection of their fast metabolism that helps them survive in the frigid northern California water. Their diet includes mostly invertebrates such as sea urchins, mussels, abalone, clams, scallops, crabs, sea snails, chitons, octopus and squid. You might say they have similar taste to humans. Sushi anyone?
California Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
Technorati Tags: California Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris, photography, wildlife
This fall I will be leading (2) two California Sea Otter photography tours near Monterey, California and you’re invited!
From the comfort of a pontoon boat those in attendance will have the ability to photograph the natural behaviors of California Sea Otters and potentially other species including Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions, Cormorants, Pelicans, Grebes, Surf Scoters and many other shore birds. Each tour will be limited to 5-8 people to ensure everyone has the opportunity to get great photos and interaction with my assistant and I.
Learn more about the September 7th, 2008 and September 14th, 2008 California Sea Otter Photo Tour. See you there!
California Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
Technorati Tags: California Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris, photography, wildlife, tour, workshop
Invariably when you visit a photography forum these days you’ll find active discussions centered around camera gear whether its Canon vs. Nikon or the merits of medium vs. 35mm formats. At the root of these and many other debates on photography forums is the underlying question…
Do high-end cameras make you a better photographer?
The answer might surprise you…
Yes! Unequivocally high-end cameras do make you a better photographer.
Wait isn’t that counter to my comments in the most recent episode of PhotoNetCast? It certainly is, but don’t plan on blowing your savings on a high-end camera just yet. There are numerous factors that play into making someone a better photographer and certainly a top of the line camera is one of them, but not necessarily the most heavily weighted factor. One could argue either of the following two factors is more important than the other in taking great photographs… technical skills/knowledge and creativity. As I mentioned in PhotoNetCast episode #6 a camera whether top of the line or entry level is just a tool. How you choose to use that tool makes the world of difference.
High-end cameras in general offer a variety of technological advantages through expanded functionality, increased rates of frame capture, greater resolution, mirror lockup, improved build quality/weather sealing, expanded color ranges, etc. In this regard it’s easy to get sucked into camera gear envy, but what really makes the biggest difference is what is in your head. Great photography remains dependent on expanding one’s knowledge and experience, a much more difficult process than saving up for and buying the best camera on the market.
Garbage In, Garbage Out (GIGO) - Learn it and remember it!
No matter what you use whether the best camera in the world or not if you’re photographing junk you’re going to get junk. This speaks to so many levels of photography whether discussing choice of photographic subjects, lighting, technical settings, creative vision, use of a tripod, lenses, reliance on Photoshop or other software applications, etc. Certainly a top of the line camera has the ability to give you superior image quality, but sub-par photography will result in sup-par photographs regardless of the camera body used.
The Mystery of Creativity
Creativity is by far one of the most elusive subjects when discussing photography. The creative process is a personal one and is often unpredictable. Two things are consistent when it comes to creativity and that is vision and ingenuity. Great photography seldom happens randomly. It begins with a vision of what the photographer wants to create and is followed by ingenuity, in the sense of problem solving, to map a course to achieve that vision. That course can face infinite obstacles, but the more knowledge and experience you bring to the table the more likely you as a photographer will be able to achieve your vision.
In that regard becoming a better photographer is as much about “It’s got to be the camera!”, as being a great basketball player is as much about “It’s got to be the shoes!” (a la the classic Nike Michael Jordan/Mars Blackmon Commercial).
Technorati Tags: photogaphy, photo, gear, camera, dSLR, philosophy
24
Jun
Posted in Photography by Jim |
Episode #6 of PhotoNetCast is out with a healthy discussion on the merits of Analog or Digital photography. Back in the day most of these types of discussions centered around trying to get film photographers to try and migrate to digital photography. Now that digital photography is the dominant format the tables are turning. Many photographers are now discovering film photography after years of learning photography through the digital format. Whether you’re an experienced film photographer or just thinking about experimenting with it you’ll find many of the discussion points in this episode of interest. For the experienced film photographer who has been using the digital format almost exclusively as of late you’ll find this discussion full of flashbacks that you may have blocked out the past few years. 
Thanks to Brian Auer, Antonio Marques and Martin Gommel for being part of a great discussion.
PhotoNetCast #6 - Some Thoughts on Analog and Digital Photography
Technorati Tags: Digital, Film, Photography, Podcast, Analog, Digital, PhotoNetCast
23
Jun
Posted in Photography by Jim |
This past weekend my sister’s family was visiting and I got a chance to experience San Francisco with fresh eyes with my niece, age 5, and nephew, age 3. Having lived in San Francisco now for nearly 10 years opportunities to see and experience San Francisco in new ways is increasingly rare. As you can only imagine we had a great time. One thing of note this weekend was that I finally took a ride on a cable car for the first time… now I really need to firm up plans to visit Alcatraz. That is the only thing left I haven’t done here. Anyhow one thing my weekend experience has reminded me of is that it’s easy to ignore many great photo opportunities in your own backyard (even if you live in San Francisco).
My nephew doing his best to make use of some idle time before our cable car ride.
Taking a Segway tour of San Francisco is one thing my family would never do as we prefer to walk, but we all got a good laugh out of seeing these people stream by. My brother in-law was quick to drop the comment, “Only in San Francisco”.
Cable cars are serious business in San Francisco. Not only are they one of the most iconic symbols of the city they are carefully run with safety being a top priority. Truly a fascinating form of transportation. Next time I have a chance I’ll have to visit the Cable Car Museum here in town.
View more photos of San Francsico
Technorati Tags: San Francisco, California, Cable Car, Segway, Tour, Travel, Photography, PhotoStock
22
Jun
Posted in Links & Articles, Photography by Jim |
Chris Jordon discusses his socially conscious photography and photographic art installations.
Chris Jordon Presentation Video - TED
Just when you thought you had the kick-ass setup at home or in your office Chase shows off a pimped photography van he had the opportunity of using on one of his last photography assignments.
Chase Jarvis SHORTS: Pimped Photography Van - Chase Jarvis
Another reminder why being prepared and having a pre-shoot checklist can make a huge difference in your photography and sanity.
Another Episode of “Scott’s School of Hard Knocks” - Scott Kelby
A reminder to the importance of filing Copyrights with the Library of Congress.
Photographer Gets $12 Million Verdict!!! - Photo Attorney
