How to Photograph Up Close – IX: Alternative Lighting Techniques 3

Posted in How To Macro, Photography, macro photography with tags , , , , , , , , on August 13, 2009 by janicesullivan

Introduction / II: Cameras, Lens’ & Tripods / III: Fun Gadgets for macro Photographing / IV: Basic Macro Shots using Natural Light / V: Digital Darkroom Basics / VI:  Creative Techniques using Natural Light / VII: Alternative Lighting Techniques 1 / VIII: Alternative Lighting Techniques 2 / IX:  Alternative Lighting Techniques 3

Hello all,

I have enjoyed sharing my knowledge of Macro & Close-Up Photography with you.  I have placed links above so you can have easy access to the various articles posted previously.  This way you can read up on the materials I gave you and work on some of the techniques to improve your macro mode experience.  Today, I will be discussing umbrella lighting and the use of tents for high reflective surfaces.  

Also, I wanted to let you all know that my husband will be having surgery next week so I won’t  be able to post new articles for several weeks.  I do plan to post information on the software I use for digital darkrooming (Lightroom & Photoshop) when I return.

So let’s start…

Umbrella Lighting

I found Mark Bowers’ video on umbrella setup, etc… check it out here.   Click around his site to check out his videos, I enjoyed them, I think you will too.  What I like about using umbrellas is the variety of usage I get from them.  I can use them with a flash or with my Speedotron equipment and they come in a variety of colors that can be used to bounce  light or you can purchase a white umbrella to defuse your light (kind of like a softbox).  Umbrellas are light and easy to use.  When shooting macro, position your umbrella close to the subject and then go from there; adjust the light/umbrella to your liking.  Like I always say,  ”play, play, play, with your equipment”,  this way you learn what the umbrella will do for you.  Below is a kit for you to check out.  I personally use a variety of umbrellas (but one at a time) and sometimes a reflector with it.  Just as an FYI…my future posts will focus on various subjects and how I photographed them.  But for now, click around B & H or a company of your choosing to see the variety of umbrellas out there, buy one (or two) and play with it.

 

Click on photo to see up-close and or go to B & H for more info.

Check out B & H for a variety of umbrellas.

Check out B & H for a variety of umbrellas.

 

The picture of the cute doggy was shot using the umbrella below with my bracket and flash unit…that’s it.  I placed the umbrella/flash unit behind me and above to simulate the sun shining down…don’t go too high or you will need a reflector to remove harsh shadows below your subject.  This technique works well for close-up shots.  I used the silver umbrella to bring out the highlights on the dog’s fur.  

 
umbrella shot 

 

This is the umbrella I used to photograph the adorable dog above  :)

umbrella

 

Place an adapter (see below) to a light stand…you can check out light stands from the link I gave you on the umbrella kit from B & H.  This is a great way to light your subjects when you’re on a budget and cannot afford expensive lighting equipment.  

 

adapter

 

Tents

I found a site that has reasonable prices on tents check them out: EZ cube Light Tents. Click around…they show you various ideas for lighting and provide a variety of light drops to place inside your tent.  One word of advice… don’t purchase a small tent because you are macro shooting.  I have a medium size tent and love it…if my subjects are small I place them on a box and shoot away.  You really need to think about the subjects not the style of photography.  For example, the doll below needs to fit in the tent but the photograph may only be her face to see the details of the painted features.  I really like my tent and feel that it was a good investment.  When you have shiny subjects that reflect, I believe that a tent is the best way to photograph them.  My tent has Velcro doors, so if needed, I can leave one area open to put around my lens, this way you all don’t see me or my lights in the picture.  

 

Provided by EZcube Light Tents

Provided by Table Top Studio Store

 

 

The balloon character was giving me problems even with natural light.  Sometimes I do want highlights on the subject but I was going for a flatter look.  As you can see from the picture below, the balloon mouse had too many hot spots.  So I decided to use my tent.

 

reflection

 

As you can see from below…the tent helped and I was very happy with the results.  If you don’t have the money to purchase a tent,  check out this link to make one.  

 

tent non reflect

 

I always like to give you reading material pertaining to macro photography but today I would like to give you magazines that I enjoy reading.  They may not always focus on macro but the more you read the more you will understand the craft of photographing.  

One of my favorite magazines is Shutterbug.  They give you a multitude of information to help you decide on your photography purchases.  If you haven’t already noticed…you will,  photography is expensive!  I always hear, “Why do photographers charge so much!”  Many people do not understand that we don’t just point and shoot the camera, it is a craft that we must learn and invest in.  Learn from me…I have bought equipment (because I love the toys)  and have kicked myself after because I didn’t research enough and found better quality equipment at a cheaper price!  

Another magazine I like is Outdoor Photographer.  If you want to get out of the studio, check this magazine out.  I have enjoyed many trips with my husband due to the articles in this magazine.  Macro is fun when you’re in the natural environment!

I also like Rangefinder.  This magazine has a variety of professional photographer’s work & articles about them. Reading the various articles gives me ideas with my own creativity…they may help you too. 

One more for you to check out is AfterCapture.  If you’re serious about photography then you will need to learn about digital darkroom techniques.  This magazine is great for that!  You can read about other photographer’s techniques to again help you be more creative.  

So today I talked about using various umbrellas to light your subjects.  You can use umbrellas with your flash or your studio lights.  When shooting up close move your light(s) close to your subject and then go from there, if you don’t like what you see change the position of your umbrella/light kit.  I also showed you how a tent can help with reflective surfaces.  Remember, before you purchase a tent think about the subjects you like to photograph, that will determine the size you need.  I also gave you a link to show you  how to make a tent, just in case you don’t have the money to purchase one.  Last but not least, I gave you some suggestions on magazines to check out.  It’s fun to sit down a bit and read articles on all aspects of photography…I enjoy them and I think you will too.

Of course if you have questions while you’re playing with the various techniques/toys, please feel free to email me at info@sullivanjphotography.com or ask via a comment on this blog.  See you all in a couple of weeks from now…well, it depends on how the hubby is feeling, but I will be back!!!

Cheers,

Janice

12 Comments »

A Few Tips to Become a Good Macro Photographer

Posted in How To Macro, Photography, macro, macro photography with tags , , , , , , , on August 6, 2009 by janicesullivan

Hello everyone,

I’m back from my vacation and I’m happy to introduce Adrienne Carlson as my guest author for today.  If you’re interested in various photography colleges, email her or check out the link she provided in the by-line.  The photographs are provided by me using my daughter’s Nikon point and shoot camera set on Macro Mode.  If you want a better view of the pictures, click on them. To get back to the blog use your back arrow key.  

 

My Daughter's camera. Photo from B&H.

My Daughter's camera. Photo from B&H.

 

See you next Thursday!

Enjoy…

 

A Few Tips to Become a Good Macro Photographer

If you’ve never heard of macro photography, now is a good time to educate yourself – this form of photography is nothing but the close-up shots of simple things that seem so beautiful because of the depth of the picture. If you have always admired this form of art and have wondered how you, an amateur photographer, could also create works of beauty from seemingly innocuous objects and life forms, here are a few tips that will help you become a good macro photographer.

  • Check your digital camera to see if it has a macro mode. If so, you can use it to shoot pictures at a distance of 3 to 10 cm from the subject. If you’re an amateur, you don’t need to shell out money on more expensive equipment when you can play around with the one you already have. Once you think you’re ready for more professional shots, you could buy a macro lens that provides more than 1:1 ratios or choose to use a close up filter on a 1:1 macro lens.
  • You need to have immense patience when taking pictures in the macro mode because it is harder for your camera to focus in such depth as required for close up shots.
  • If you want a sharp photograph with a handheld camera, you need to use equipment that has fast shutter speed. So if your lens has a focal length of 100 mm, your shutter speed needs to be at least 1/100th of a second if you’re using a handheld camera. On the whole, it is better to use a steady tripod for most of your shots.
  • Lighting is very important in macro photography, so you need to be skilled at using external flashes or artificial lighting to set up the shots you want. The more the light, the better the shot.
  • While most macro photography focuses on micro objects like insects or inanimate objects, some photographers concentrate exclusively on photography water and the exciting shapes it makes as droplets. If you want to showcase water in all its glory, try using extension tubes on your camera. To do this, you’ll have to switch to focusing manually because most equipment does not focus automatically when these plastic tubes are attached.
  • As with any other kind of photography, keep practicing and experimenting with angles, lighting, frames and shots till you achieve the one that you think is perfect.

 

Hand held Nikon point & shoot macro mode.

Hand held Nikon point & shoot macro mode.

 

 

Hand held shot of Liken on rock - Nikon point & shoot camera.

Hand held shot of Liken on rock - Nikon point & shoot camera.

 

 

Example: Hand held - should have used a tripod - has some blur to the flower.

Example: Hand held - should have used a tripod, has some blur to the flower.

 

 

By-line

This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of photography colleges. Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com

4 Comments »

How to Photograph Up Close – VIII: Alternative Lighting Techniques 2

Posted in Photography with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 16, 2009 by janicesullivan

Hello all,

Hope you had a nice week practicing with your camera flash (off the camera).

:)

Just to let you know, I didn’t have time to show you techniques using umbrellas and tents today, that will have to wait for another post, but I would like to talk about some other alternative lighting techniques that work well with macro photography.  Before I start, I wanted to let you know that I will be on a well needed vacation for a couple of weeks.  I may have a guest article next week, I’m working on that now… hopefully, you will have that post up next Thursday, July 23.  I’m hoping to have my next article ready for you on Thursday, August 6.  I could talk about more lighting techniques, for example, photographing shiny objects in macro using a tent and umbrellas?  Or I can talk about processing files using Lightroom and Photoshop?  How about you all letting me know what you would like the next post to be about… I’m happy to discuss any of them.  Just send me an email or a comment on this post and I’ll go with the majority.  Thanks! 

So let’s get started…

One of my favorite tools is the flashlight.  There are so many fun flashlights out there for you to choose from.  I personally use Streamlights but if they are too expensive try  Maglites, see below:  the mini is wonderful for macro work, click on the photo for a better look.

mag lights

Remember, if you’re photographing in RAW format you can manipulate the white balance and change the color of your picture.  If you want to have your photog true to life then so be it, or if your looking for a more dramatic look then play with your white balance.  For more technical info on color temperature click here.   I found this wonderful article discussing light & color in photography on Photography.com that you can also read.  I highly recommend that you do read these articles because it will help you understand the tech side of lighting.  

The photographs below were shot with a small Streamlight, I adjusted the white balance to my liking. 

gernanlight

With the photograph above I am holding the flashlight above and to the right of my camera.  Look at your camera’s exposure level the first time you use your flashlight and adjust the f-stop & shutter speed to achieve the correct exposure, read my previous post IV if you don’t know what an f-stop or shutter speed is.  You may need to play with the exposure levels a bit depending on how close/intense the light is to the subject.  On the picture below I focused the light high above the flower to give it a softer look and to have the stem pop right were it meets the flower, my focal point.

backgern

One of the fun things to do is to stop motion macro style.   I found a wonderful article for you to read up on before you start your macro mode on water drops, just click here to read.  You will need your flash and either continuous lights or strobes for this.  My photographer friend said that you can try this outside with a reflector under your glass tank and a white cardboard behind the tank to achieve a good exposure, but I was in my studio so I used my flash and two hot lights, at least that’s what the lights used to be called before fluorescent light bulbs were around.  First let’s talk about continuous lighting.  Shortcourses.com has information on this style of lighting, they have some interesting reading on continuous lighting.  What I like about this type of lighting is that what you see is what you get.  You shoot the photograph and look at it on your LCD from the camera or your computer (if you have it synced) and make changes instantly.  The kit below is an awesome set!  It’s small for macro and all ready for you to work on.  The Plexiglas can add some creativity to your shots, you have an instant backdrop and you can also set your lights under table to diffuse the light for more fun creative shots.   You can purchase this kit at B & H or you can purchase the equipment individually, if you don’t have the money now for a kit.  


product kit

To make the picture below, I used my continuous lights on each side of the water shot and used my flash above the drop with a ratio of 3:1.  Chuck McKern has a great article, “Understanding Lighting Ratios” if you want more detailed info on ratios.  I also suggest you read your manual that you received when you purchased your flash so you can play with the various ratios.   Tooooo much fun playing with water!!

 

water drop with 3 lights

Water shot: F3.5  @ 1/250

Another way to photograph macro is using strobe lights.  I don’t expect you to have these lights, they are very expensive but I want you to see what I use on a lot of my product shots. If your subjects do not like continuous lighting… then this is the way to go.  I like the quality of Speedotron, for more details on this brand you can click here.

 

studio light

Because we are shooting macro I like using honeycomb grids and snoots.   If you want more directional lighting this is the equipment you should use for macro. The degree of the grid will determine the amount of  light you want on your subject.   If you would like to research grid information check out B&H and other companies like Adorama.  

 grids

 

Some of my photographer friends have used Calumet and have been happy with this company…check out this snoot from Calumet:

 

snoot

The photograph below was shot with the Speedotron equiment I just discussed.  I placed the snoot behind and a bit to the left to hit the lid of the can and I had my grid 20 on the lower right of my camera to really bring out the bubbles against the mirror.
 

I would like you to read this article by Urs Recher, posted on Digital Photo Pro on Light Lessons, focus on Image 6.  Just remember the more research you do on lighting techniques, the better you will understand how to light your subject.  Another excellent book on lighting is by Robert Morrissey, “Master Lighting Guide”, check it out at Amazon.  I would like you to focus on his lighting basics.  

Today, I talked about my favorite tool, the flashlight.  I would like you to play with various flashlights to see what you can create.  I also discussed continuous lighting (see what you get lighting) and strobe lights for the subjects that can’t handle continuous lighting.  I showed you some really cool toys for directional lighting that work well with Macro & Close-up photography.  When playing with lights remember to always move them around to get a feel for your equipment, it’s like putting a puzzle together…at first it can be difficult but if you put it together more than once you’ll know where to put the pieces to complete your project. 

I would like to leave you with another shot I did using the Speedotron equipment I discussed today.  You can photograph anything macro…this is my husband’s hair gel, lol!

Just have fun and be creative…

Cheers,

Janice

2 Comments »

How to Photograph Up Close – VII: Alternative Lighting Techniques 1

Posted in Photography with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 9, 2009 by janicesullivan

Hello all,

As I thought about this post I realized that there is a lot of information to talk about on alternative lighting.  My goal in these posts is to have you all learn something new on macro photography,  have projects for you to practice on during the week, read material to help with these projects, and if you have questions ask me via comments or email.  I don’t want to overload you with homework because I remember those days…. LOL!

So I decided to have 2 posts on alternative lighting (maybe 3) :)

Let’s talk about exposure for a bit.  When we photograph we want to be careful not to underexpose or overexpose the picture, read up on it again, it’s important.  Sometimes the subject can give us exposure problems and the only way we will be able to fix this problem is to use alternative lighting, reflectors, or working in HDR (I will have a post on HDR later). 

When I’m outside photographing macro I realize that I need to wait for the wind to stop and pay attention to the sun/light hitting my subject.  Sometimes I ask my husband to stand over the area so I can remove the harsh shadows.  I have a very nice husband!!  But he’s not always available so I use reflectors to help me diffuse the area (see below).  B & H has a variety of reflectors/diffusers that you can choose from:  

You can use a reflector to help shadow problems.

You can use a reflector to help shadow problems.

I also use reflectors to help eliminate shadow problems.  I use tinfoil most of the time when I shoot 1:1 macro, but when I’m focusing on close-ups, I work with the above reflectors.  

Your flash is also a wonderful tool to add drama to your subject or to control the zone levels.  To learn your flash and any alternative lighting, I would  like you to photograph indoors first, then step outside and have some fun too.  Shooting indoors will help you understand your flash unit better, try a time when the light indoors is soft, maybe in the morning or in the evening.  Read your manual and play with the various adjustments. I realize that most of you do not have a macro flash.  If you get into the macro mode, you should definitely purchase one. Post III has an example of a macro flash.  One thing for sure…if you have a built in light on your camara…well, it won’t work for macro, sorry.  There is a variety of ways you can use your flash but you will need to take it off the camera,  click here to view some ideas and on here for more.   I used the system below with a flash diffuser to soften the light, check out Amazon for some excellent prices on diffusers.    

This is an awesome kit if you use Canon products, check it out at B & H.

flash kit

flash kit

Check out this link to read up on various diffusers.  Sometimes you will want a more dramatic look to your photo so take off the diffuser and go for it!

In this post I used a diffuser like the example below:

Used this diffuser off the camera for macro photographing.

Used this diffuser off the camera for macro photographing.

I figured I would explain what I did for this macro mode of photographs. First, I went out to my back yard to grab some flowers. I decided to use natural light and my flash to show you what happens when you photograph in macro. My sliding glass door is on the left of the subject. As you can see from below:

Prominent natural light to the left of subject.

Prominent natural light to the left of subject.

Below are the geraniums from my garden that I used for this post.  You can use any subject to practice on except shiny objects.  We will work on reflective services in a later post.  I decided not to clean these up, except for sharpening, so you can see the difference between natural and flash lighting.

 
severalflowers
I start my macro mode by deciding what I like about the flower. Keep things simple, too much in the foreground and background can be distracting, especially in macro photography.

without flash

without flash

I have my camera on my tripod and I’m photographing with my cable release.  I sprayed this flower with water for fun.  Even with water drops the flower has a flat look to it (see above), which is fine if that’s what you’re going for but I want the photo to pop,  so I set up my flash on 1/1 ratio.  Yes, I’ll have a post just on ratio’s too but for now let’s just play with the basics.  (You can click on here to read a discussion on ratios from photo.net, which is a wonderful networking site for photographers.)  I did several shots on the flower with my flash.  An easy way to achieve a good exposure is to check your setting you used in natural light and then set it to underexpose using your shutter speed by 2 stops, when flash is on 1/1 ratio, the flash will compensate for the underexposure.  If you feel the photo is over or under exposed by looking at your LCD screen, then change your shutter speed until you’re happy.  ”The power of digital photography”  Instant views!!

This flower was shot with the flash and diffuser:

with flash

Both photos below where photographed with a flash. Can you see the difference?  When you photograph macro and you need long shutter speeds to achieve a good exposure… you will see that the long shutter speed will need more direct lighting to create a more dramatic look. It also goes the other way, if you have prominent shadows on your subject you will need to increase your lighting intensity.

flash at a shorter shutter speed f8 @ 1/6s

flash at a shorter shutter speed f8 @ 1/6s

Notice that the above photo is at a faster shutter speed than the photograph below.  When you play with this technique this week you may be frustrated if you want most of the photo (or flower) in focus (longer depth-of-field), no worries…I’ll show you next week some photos of the same flower using different lighting techniques.

flash with long exposure f22 @ 3s

flash with long exposure f22 @ 3s

I always like to give you reading material on macro photography. Read, “Closeup shooting” by Cyrill Harnischmacher’s book in your local library or purchase it for your own macro library.  I will be discussing in our next post some of the techniques in this book.  

Today, I discussed the various ways to reflect and diffuse light.  When using your flash, you MUST take it off the camera and play with it by photographing around various locations on your subject.  Play with this technique indoors first to learn how your flash works.  Read your manual because next week we will talk about ratio’s a bit more.  We also discussed the difference on the way your flash will work on short shutter speeds compared to long speeds while photographing macro.  

Next week we will talk about more lighting techniques using a flash light, umbrellas and tents.   I would also like to try and talk to you about hot lights (tungsten) and A/C strobe lights.

I’d like to leave you with a fun shot from the day:

sidegeranium 

Cheers,

Janice

3 Comments »

How to Photograph Up Close – VI: Creative Techniques using Natural Light

Posted in Photography with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 2, 2009 by janicesullivan

Hello everyone,

If you have been reading the steps on, “How to Photograph Up Close” then you should know how to process your photographs and have some basic knowledge on macro equipment.  Did you do your homework and photograph in natural light?  Did you notice that the closer you got to the subject, the depth-of-field shortened (less in focus)?  Did you also notice that when you used apertures that ranged from F14 – F22 gave you more depth-of-field (more in focus) and that you had to let more light into the camera by making your shutter speed longer?  Also, did you notice that the auto focus on your lens doesn’t work well with macro photographing… setting the lens on manual gave you more control of what you wanted focused in your picture? Now that you have practiced… let’s have some fun with some creative macro techniques.  If any of you reading this haven’t done your homework…no worries just click here and start from the beginning.  

:)

First I would like to give you some basic art terms so you will understand what I’m talking about in the future posts.  One of the main design techniques I learned in school was the, “Rule of Thirds”.   Trust me, this rule works… be creative and photograph on all intersecting areas to see what you like. All of the photographs below have the focal point on one of the intersections.

 

 

 

 

rulethird

The photographs above may not be exactly on the intersections, but they are close and do make an impact on the photograph.

I would like you to also read up on Color Theory.  It’s important to understand how colors work together, you will use this more when I talk about advanced digital darkroom techniques.  Today, I want you to pay attention to complimentary colors. When you see the color wheel (click on Color Theory), whatever is opposite to the color you’re looking at always works well when you combine them in a photograph. This is why, I believe, sunsets and sunrises are such beautiful pictures.

 I have mentioned this before and will again, Depth of Field (DOF) is important when photographing Macro. Take a look at this photo of an eye (below). We see eye photos all the time but when you tell a story in the photo like this one, showing us that this person is dreaming about something….makes this photo powerful, DOF made this possible.

Let’s talk a bit about telling a story.  Most photo editors, art reps, etc… say that we must tell a story. I agree, but…when you first begin to photograph Macro, I feel you should photograph anything anyway, use a variety of views and techniques. Once you understand the basics of exposure and composition, you will then start to look at your photographs differently. Play, play, play…this is how you learn. Yes, reading books, magazines, and my blog help, but to really learn you must photograph up close to understand the whole process of Macro photography. Ok, now that I have lectured you again, lol…let me show you some creative techniques using natural light.

Because we are focusing up close, water drops can be a lot of fun! The viewer can enjoy the photo composition and then a whole new composition in the drop of water.  Definitely play with water drops!

Another creative technique is photographing a variety of textures.

Pay attention to the repetitive lines and shapes. Not only are you having fun playing with this creative technique you also will have the fun of seeing what our eyes normally cannot see.  

Let’s end with my favorite technique, back lighting. Macro back-light is really exciting…especially when you focus on leaves and flowers. You can see the details in the life of the subject. You can also silhouette your subjects just be careful of lens flare but try it, you’ll be happy with your capture.   I found this great site that talks about back-lighting, check it out for more info. 

Backlight using Natural light.

Backlight using Natural light.

Today I talked about some of the various compositions of visual arts; Rule of Thirds & Color Theory.  I also would like you to shoot waterdrops, textures, and play with back lighting.  I would  like you to read a great column that photographer Harold Davis posted, “Focusing on What Matters”.   He has various projects for you to work on but what I like best about this post is that it will help you think about what you are photographing.  Have fun playing with natural light this week.  Next week we will discuss alternative lighting techniques. 

Cheers,

Janice

5 Comments »

How to Photograph Up Close – V: Digital Darkroom Basics

Posted in Photography with tags , , , , , , , , , on June 25, 2009 by janicesullivan

Hello all,

Today we will talk about basic digital darkroom.  When you received your DSLR camera you most likely received software to fix your photographs.  Before digital cameras, we would process our photographs in a darkroom.  I had so much fun playing with the photographs back then.  Because of digital photography, the craft has changed, I now process my files using Adobe Lightroom and to detail the photo I use Adobe Photoshop.   I always photograph in RAW  format.  Shooting RAW gives you more flexibility to change your picture.  I will show you later how to batch process but today is an introduction to correcting your photos with the CD/DVD you received with your camera, so let’s start…

 Your steps may be different if you do not use Canon but what I discuss in this post, 3 basic ways to fix your photos, should be on the software you received. You will be fixing your color, spot removal, and sharpening the image.   

(If you want to see the images below up close click on them, when you want to go back to the blog, use your back arrow key.)

Open your software…I did from my computer clicking on the CameraWindow:

from my computer to upload canon software

from my computer to upload canon software

Next, I downloaded my photographs to a file in my computer:

Canon download options.

Canon download options.

After the completion of my download the Browser window came up:

Canon Browser Window

Canon Browser Window

This is where you view your images.  You will have other options to play with, depending on your software.  Once I have the photograph I want to process, I will go to my Digital Photo Professional file (see first image above) and start working on my photo:

fixing photographs

fixing photographs

 It’s time to fix your photographs…   Click the white balance icon at the top and double click the photo you want to work on (see above).  Once you’re in this area click around all the goodies your program has to offer.  You wont mess up your original, just don’t save it until you’re happy with what you have done.  

Here is an example of what the canon software looks like when I white balance (color correct):

view of white balance info

view of white balance info

Next, it’s time to clean up the photograph, remove dust, scratches, or any other areas that you feel need to be cleaned.  Under my tools area there is the image stamper…basically, it’s a tool that you can use to fix your photo.  See below:

for canon it's called stamp tool to clean up photo

for canon it's called stamp tool to clean up photo

What I did is  click an area that I want to copy (holding down my alt/option key at the same time)  and then stamp it to the area that needs to be cleaned, and wala…it’s perfect!  

canon's stamp tool

canon's stamp tool

Now sharpen your image:

I had to leave my photo and start up again later to fix it.  I saved my changes but left it RAW, so if you don’t have time to finish your project, no worries… just keep your file in the RAW format.  When you open your photo, click on the upper left to change, ” main window” to “edit window”.

In this area you can sharpen or make any other adjustment needed.sharpen your image before you save as a TIFF

sharpen your image before you save as a TIFF

After you have sharpened your image, you need to save your file:

save your file to a tiff

save your file to a tiff

I always save my photo to TIFF’S to preserve the quality of the photograph.   See above to view the screen that I used.  You can change the name of your file here and make other adjustments…play with your software to learn it.  

So today we discussed how to view your photos, color correct with white balance, and clean dust and scratch marks from your photos.  I recommend you save your file as a TIFF to preserve the quality of the photograph.  JPEG files depreciate every time you open and re-save them.  If you want to get a jump start on our future discussions on digital dark-rooming, read this book, “Digital Macro Photography” by Ross Hoddinott.

With the techniques I discussed today, see the before and after pictures below:

lily before I fixed with software provided by canon

lily before I fixed with software provided by canon

after color correction and spot removal

after color correction and spot removal

I went drastic on the color correction because I wanted you to see what you can do with the basic software you received with your camera.  To tell you the truth, I would change more on this photograph, but I don’t want to overload you just yet. One thing I want you to remember, always, always, sharpen your photographs when you’re done, or at least before you print or post on the web.

Your homework this week is to play with the digital darkroom software and read the book on Digital Macro Photography. Next week we will discuss some creative techniques to achieve an awesome Macro Photograph.

Cheers,

Janice

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