Don't Sharpen That Image!

Sharpening is a normal part of the editing process, but keep your eye out for the right image to "mix it up" a bit.

We all know the best process to follow - always sharpen last . . . right?  That's the way I do it (usually selective sharpening in Nik Define) - that is, until I stopped "always sharpening".  Depending on the subject, maybe sharpening would ruin a budding image.  Consider the mood and feeling of each shot to determine how best to complete it - let it "talk to you".

• In the opening image, I purposely softened the shot, along with "richening" up and warming the tones in Nik Color Efex Pro 4.
• The second image is a sharpened version with a little more contrast in the tones.  It's not a bad image (at least I don't think so) - it's just different.  Given the warm glow of the cloudy sunrise - I just liked the moody (unsharpened version) better.

Just something to think about!

Stay in Focus!

Mark

Don't Ignore the Mundane

There is beauty and great images to be found in everything - don't overlook the obvious just because "it's always there".

We can't all live where the fantastic shots are everyday occurrences - but we certainly can get creative with what we do have to work with.  Find what is regular and common in your particular area (for me it's gulls, Canada Geese and squirrels) and work on different concepts and techniques.  Work on identifying and photographing your common subjects on the "perfect" background.  Spend some time with these commoners and look for interesting behavior or quirky composition.

It'll help put the fun back in your photography - and that's the primary idea anyway, right?  Good photography is what you're able to find interesting in a subject - not the interesting stuff that just lays around for everyone to capture.

Who knows, the local squirrel may even give you the "thumbs up" for not overlooking him!

Stay in focus,

Mark

Make Lemonade!

---

It happens to all of us, amateur and pro a like, you think you have a great shot in the field, only to get home and find out it's just not quite right.  Maybe you blew the highlights a bit, or missed the focus, or . . .  take your pick, there's a whole bunch of possibilities.   So what to do now, trash it?

I don't think that should automatically be the next choice - at least not yet.  If the image has some character, let's get creative and try to save it.  Take a look at your image editor of choice (or plug-ins that work with it) and see what filters are available - just start playing around with the options - try black and white and go from there -  see what happens.  (Remember, you were probably ready to trash the shot anyway - so it's not like you are going to ruin it!)

The shot above was almost completely "bad lemons" (blown highlights and out of focus) but it had some character to it.  These fellows were having a gentleman's disagreement over a lady and the goose on the left seemed to be yelling directly in the other chaps ear.

This image was too cute, I had to do something to rehabilitate it.  My personal choice in filters is Nik Color Efex Pro and the primary effect in the goose image is an effect called "Glamour Glow".  Now it's still not a great image - but I like the personality it has.  If an image is technically perfect, but boring, there's not much you can do - but an interesting image will give you some latitude and allow some imperfections to be overlooked.

From the Soaring Artist’s Dictionary . . .

Bad lemons: all the sugar in the cupboard won't make these images sweet!  A really bad lemon usually has three or more critical flaws (the geese above have two) or a particular flaw that is exceptionally bad.  For example, if the focus was so terrible that you couldn't identify the critters as water fowl, than it probably wouldn’t qualify for lemonade!

Sometimes making lemonade isn’t about covering something up – occasionally it may be going with the flow.  The image above is an example of this, the in camera capture was out of focus.  Rather than try and make it “sharper”, I used a soft focus and a smooth portrait filter to accentuate the already out of focus image.  Once again, it certainly isn’t an award winning image – but I think it took and interesting image and made it pleasing.

Give it a try - the next time you end up with lemons, make some lemonade.  

Here are a few links to some creative filter packages, check out the trials and see what you think.

Nik Color Efex Pro

Nik Silver Efex Pro

Topaz Adjust

Stay in focus,

Mark

Rule of Curved Thirds

Most everyone has heard about the "rule of thirds" - but let's try something a little more flexible - how about "curving" the thirds for more creative control?

The standard Rule of Thirds divides the image into segments as seen below.  The theory is to place the element of focus (head, eye, branch, horizon, etc) so that it lands on one of the intersection points.  This provides very good guidance in many cases, but sometimes it just doesn't work very well.

Fourth Grid.jpg

Consider the image below.  The Rule of Thirds might suggest that you place the goose's head in the upper right quadrant, also giving the goose "room" to look into.

Domestic Goose.jpg

Since I wanted a tight crop and less "river" I placed the goose right in the middle of the frame, not only breaking the rule but doing what some would consider a "rookie" mistake by placing my subject right in the center of the frame.

Domestic Goose thirds box.jpg

There was a method behind the madness though, I placed the goose along curved lines.  Take a look at the illustration below, the curved red line was the point of emphasis that I was aiming for.  Borrowing from the Rule of Thirds, I identified a curved shape in my subject (from the left wing, down to the breast and back up to the right wing) and allowed the curve (not a particular point of the subject) to interact with the Rule of Thirds and the intersection points. In addition, one of the traditional points of focus, the goose's eye, is NOT in the center of the frame, it actually falls along the top grid line.

Domestic Goose curved line.jpg

Here's another example below.  The natural focus of this Snow Goose would be the head and eye.  Strictly following the rules would have you place the goose's head in the upper left or upper right intersections.  Neither would have worked very well in this case so I used a curve running along the goose's wings and upper legs.  The curve then becomes the item that intersects with the Rule of Thirds - it works for me!

single snow goose curved.jpg

The samples below give a few examples of a curved shape interacting with the grid,  give it a try on some of your photos and see what you think.

3rds Grid top curve.jpg

3rds Grid.jpg

Rules are good, but purposely breaking them can take the shackles off and open up your creativity.  Don't restrict yourself, let your eye naturally find the curves in your subjects - use those curves as your creative element.

Got an opinion on this or have other ideas, leave me a comment or shoot me an email - I'd love to hear what you think!

Stay in focus,

Mark T

Duck Bill Do's and Don'ts

---

2012-09-12-08-20-08-B65E0907.jpg

The Little Things Make a Difference

The opening image isn't perfect from a composition standpoint (I don't like the dark line running right across this Wood Duck's head or the contrast change running through his head) but the angle and position is pretty good.  Good eye and head position compliment the upright pose of the bill, turned slightly towards the camera and the gap between the beak and the body looks natural.

Discussed below are a few of the things to avoid.

Aperture-2.jpg

This first image is a non-starter, the top of the log cuts right through the head and bill.

Aperture-3.jpg

The second image has the bottom line of the bill "merged" with the top line of the body - doesn't appear natural and is a little disruptive.

Aperture-4.jpg

The third image is better, there is separation between the bill and the body - but just a sliver.  Again, this is a little distracting to the eye.  The composition (in the opening photo) has more separation and a more upright head angle, producing the best overall image.

As your photography improves, you should begin looking for these types of details in the field - and understanding when to pull the trigger.  It comes with practice and will naturally get better with the more images you take.  You'll notice things like eye contact and head angle - when the background is not working for you and when various elements are pleasingly separated.

Stay in Focus,

Mark

"Lemonade" Finch

A "lemonade" shot.

That's what I call it when a screw something up and it's destined for the trash can - but . . . it would have been a nice shot if I didn't screw-up!  So instead of trashing it, I decide to "make lemonade" out of it and throw some extreme effects and filters at it to see if I can be salvaged.

This shot was perfectly focused on the top of the branch (didn't anticipate him leaving) so I slipped the focus on the bird. I first blurred out the branch to make it match the rest and then started thumbing through Nik filters. This was a Polaroid (with a few changes).

So, did I salvage it to a keeper . . . or does it still belong in the trash!??