Sullivan J Photography

Hello everyone,

Today I would like to talk about ways to change the look of your subject by using various lighting techniques. Shooting macro style is fun but sometimes it can become monotonous. The subject is in your face…yes, and it’s cool to see it up close, but how can we make it POP?!

Of course my subject today will be a flower because I LOVE flowers! I used a pink Gerber Daisy to show you various lighting techniques to change the way your subject looks.

My last two photographs show you that you can light your subject as if you were outdoors but you’re not. You can work indoors during that snow and rainstorm!

Just a reminder, if you want to view the photo up close, you can click it and then use your back arrow key to get to the blog again.

All of these pictures were shot indoors.

Figure 1

As you can see in Figure 1, I placed the light in the middle of the flower. This gives the flower an inner halo effect. Your eyes automatically draw you into the middle of the flower.

Figure 2

In Figure 2, I adjusted the photo with curves in Photoshop to add just a bit more pop to the image. Play with the curves and see what you can do.

Figure 3

With Figure 3, I decided to add light behind and below the flower… with the black background this image looks totally different from Figure 1.

Figure 4

I cleaned up the image and played with the curves in Photoshop.

Figure 5

Figure 6

With Figure 5, I only lit under the flower and with Figure 6, I back lit the flower just a tad. You can see that these are the same flower but with the light it dramatically changes the way the image looks and feels as you view it. Also, if you notice, Figure 6 was not cleaned up. If you are working with organic subjects I highly recommend you photograph them fresh so you don’t have so much post work to do!

Add some water and add light for a dramatic look, get up close and personal, and POP! Your photo can really stand out and say, “Hello I’m Here!”

Figure 7

I decided that with all of the crazy weather most of us are having….why not show you that you can light your subject as if you were out on a beautiful sunny day! Let your creative juices flow inside your home!

I bet you thought that Figure 8 & 9 was shot outside…nope! I put this flower in a vase and lit it from above!

Figure 8

Figure 9

So have some fun and change your subject’s look by playing with light; any kind of light you have available.

Cheers,

Janice

Hello everyone,

I started this blog to give people information on macro and close-up photography.  The posts began with the basics but now we must move on to discuss more complicated techniques to improve your work.  If you need help with the basics go back to the beginning of my blog and read on…

Click here to start you off with the basics.

Remember… always feel free to make a comment or email me at info@sullivanjphotography.com with any questions, I’ll do my best to help you.

Today’s post will be about HDR (high definition range) photography.

Basically, your camera cannot read dramatic contrasts.  In the future I’m sure there will be a camera with built in technology to be able to produce HDR photographs, but for now, in order to achieve a correct exposure from extreme darks (black) and lights (white), you must work on the photo using your computer.

Today’s lesson is about photographs that are not too complicated to work on.  Later I’ll talk about more difficult photographs.

When we photograph macro we use a tripod to focus on the subject, this makes it easier for you too when processing an HDR.  I always suggest you photograph in RAW, so you can easily change the photograph using software like Photoshop & Lightroom.  When photographing macro you must tell the story of a subject, this is your focus, think about why you want your pic up-close and let everyone know about it.  HDR can give you that extra technique to tell your story!

I will show you two steps that I have used today to correct the following pictures.  I would like you to read the articles by Harold Davis. He’s an excellent writer and will give you more details about this process.

My first example is working with a variety of exposures.  When you work this way keep your ISO and aperture the same… only changing the shutter speed to achieve the variety of exposures needed.

To view the Figures up close click on them…  to go back to the blog use your back arrow key on your browser.

Figure 1

You will need to decide what photographs work the best to merge together.  I decided to start with the best exposure of the petals and then work on the middle of the picture outward.   The photo on the left is the correct exposure for my petals but the middle of the flower has lost some of its clarity because it is underexposed.  Also, you run into noise when you underexpose, which looks really bad, especially if you enlarge your photographs like I do.

Figure 2

Next, move the second photo onto the original photo. Again, I decided to work from the middle of the flower to the outer part of the flower (see Figure 3). I also suggest working with the RAW format pics because it’s a smaller file…unless you have an amazing computer with the latest and greatest everything on it goodies… ☺

Figure 3

Now it’s time to mask…go to Layer>Layer Mask>Hide All.  You will see that the mask is black.  When you mask a photograph everything in black will not show and everything in white will show.  Next, pick a soft brush and paint the area with white to reveal the new photo that you just added to the file.

Figure 4

Figure 5 shows you how I masked the second photo and only revealed the middle of the flower.

Figure 5

I decided to add one more photo to the original to enhance my exposure. Once I completed this I saved it just in case I needed to make changes to the mask later on. Once I am happy with my masking, I merge the layers together (to make a smaller file) and work on it with more detail, removing spots, dust, etc…

Figure 6

Figure 7

This is the final image:

Figure 8

For this next image I used one RAW file to expose certain areas of the photograph to merge them together.  I could process this picture like this because the photo itself wasn’t too under or over exposed.

Figure 9 is exposed for the top part of the red carnation.  I wanted a rich red color…

Figure 9

Figure 10 is exposed for the bottom of the photo… I wanted the stem and the background very light to help POP the red on the picture.

Figure 10

Just like the previous photographs I had both raw files opened, I moved one photo onto the other holding my shift key at the same time.

Figure 11

Just like the previous example, mask your photo by clicking on Layer>Layer Mask>Hide All.

Figure 12

Next I painted in white what I wanted to be revealed in the combined photographs.  If for some reason you paint too much that’s ok you can change to black and paint over or change the opacity/fill.

Figure 13

The ending result is a beautiful photograph of this carnation.

Figure 14

Today, I gave you two examples on how to process your photographs to achieve the dynamic range and beauty the camera cannot capture.   The first example is to photograph a variety of exposures and merge them together.  The second example is to develop one RAW photograph into a variety of exposures to merge together. Both techniques must be masked and painted with white to reveal what you want on your new photograph.

When you photograph up-close use a tripod… this makes this whole process easier.  So have some fun, play with HDR, and tell your macro story!

Cheers,

Janice

Hello everyone,

Today I wanted to post some of my fine art macro photographs.  I have been really busy so I won’t write much but I still wanted to post some of my recent work.

When I work on my fine art photographs I put on some music, make myself comfortable, and start the process of using the camera, lens, and various lighting techniques to express my creativity.  Remember, if you want to see these photographs larger, click on it…  to get back to this blog use your back arrow key.

This photograph was backlit and worked on using Adobe Lightroom to manipulate the color a bit.  I like the explosive feeling to it. I only wanted minimal light to express the dark mood I was in at the time of exposure.

Many of my fine are photographs have most of the subject blurred and a small part in focus.  This style is my favorite because they are printed 24″ x 36″ and look amazing hanging on your wall.  Many people ask me if I painted the work instead of photographing it…I really like that quality of the pieces and I love it when people are not sure if it is a painting or a photo.  Most of these are shot at f2.8 and I always, always, use a tripod because I want the area of clarity to be very sharp!

Most of these are shot at f2.8.

Sometimes, my mood is to only work with the color of the subject.  I’m not concerned about what is in focus.  I really like the way the pink pops between the green in this shot.  It has a soft appearance, which I like because at that time I was feeling out-of-it and tad insecure but I also felt that my life will be better in the future and the bright pink states that (at least for me it does).

Sometimes I don't want any part of the photo to be in focus.

So today I briefly discussed how I approach my fine art work while I’m shooting Macro Style.  I hope that I have helped you start expressing yourself by using the camera, lens, and playing with light!  It’s a lot of fun!

Cheers,

Janice

Hello everyone,

I receive a lot of emails from artists asking me how to photograph their work because they can’t afford a photographer.  I understand how hard it is to start marketing your business especially for a new artist.   So I decided to help you all with the basics.

With the holiday’s, many artists and crafters want to photograph their work, but it can be hard to photograph small pieces if you don’t know what to do, so let’s talk about what I did with this really cute Christmas treat.

GETTING READY FOR THE SHOOT

First, I stabilized the piece and thought about the background.  You definitely do not want your background to take away from the art piece.  I planned to change the background so I will shoot a black, white, or gray background to make it easier to pull the image out and place it on my new background in Photoshop.

Use your back arrow key to return to blog  :0)

Stabilize your work.

Second, place your camera on a tripod and use a cable release so you have minimal movement to your camera.

Third, photograph in RAW format so you can color correct easily.

Fourth, definitely get a macro lens. See the difference of a standard canon zoom lens on 90mm shot compared to a 100mm macro lens, below:

Standard Lens 90mm

FYI…I didn’t move my tripod or the Christmas treat.

100mm Macro Lens

I suggest if you don’t have a macro lens now then you should start with my favorite macro lens, the Canon Telephoto EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro. For more information on macro lens’ check out Canon.  If you’re not a Canon user no worries, just purchase a macro that will work with your camera. Macro lens’ are made for “Close-up Photography” as you can see from the photograph above, a macro lens purchase is worth it!  Your work will look sharp and clean.

Fifth, use a tent if your work has a shiny surface.  Tents are awesome!  You can use them with any style of lighting…sun, flash, etc…

PROCESSING YOUR PHOTOGRAPH

I mentioned previously that you should photograph RAW. It is easier to white balance (correct your color).  You want your potential clients to see what your work actually looks like.  Normally, I use my Adobe Lightroom software if my lighting is the same, whether I photograph in a studio or use natural light, if I have a segment of many photographs with the same lighting conditions, Lightroom is much easier to process.  But with this piece I wanted to play with the lighting a bit so I decided to use Adobe Bridge to rename, apply copyright info and to view all of my pictures.

Adobe Bridge

Once I decide to develop a photo, I’ll double click on the image, see below and to the right:

White balance, Exposure, Recovery, Fill Light, Blacks, Brightness, etc…  Also, below RGB you will see boxes to click on and adjust even more to your photo.  Check out Amazon to see books out there for your software.

Develop your photo in Photoshop from Bridge.

I photographed this cute snowman in various positions and lighting.  I knew that I was going to change the background and because the snowman had light and dark colors in it I shot my photographs with a light and dark background.  This way I could play with both types of photos to see which one would be easier to select my subject.  Just trust me…it doesn’t take long to change a background but it can take forever to select your piece in Photoshop!

Black Background

Light Background

SOME ADDED TOUCHES

I decided to use the shot below so I used the lasso tool to cut out the Snowman treat.  I opened a new file and made a background that matched his nose and reversed the gradient tool because I wanted you to see the snowman : )

Select Subject

Work on your background.

Next, I used the move tool to cut the snowman out from the selected area and placed it on top of my new background.  To make the snowman fit go to Edit>Free Transform.  Hold your shift key while you proportion it to the background so you don’t distort your work.

Once you select your work move it to your background.

If you are happy with the photo…next clean it up, viewing it at least 100%. Sharpen your image by clicking on Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask.

Remove dust spots or anything that takes away from your work.

This is then end result

Happy Holidays to you all!

So all you artists, crafters, or anyone that would like to photograph their small pieces of work, remember:

• Stabilize your art piece.
• Use a tripod and cable release.
• Photograph in RAW format.
• Use a macro lens.
• Use a tent if your work has a shiny surface.

If you want to go a step further to enhance your work you can change the background in Photoshop.  I did:

• Select your art piece from the photograph.
• Make a new file concentrating on your background.
• Move your artwork (photo) to the background with the move tool. (drag & drop).
• Clean up your photo – remove dust and other distractions.
• Sharpen your image.

Hope this article has helped you learn how to photograph your work. Good luck and as always feel free to email me or add a comment to this post.

Cheers,

Janice

Hello everyone,

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving….I did  :)

Today I would like to talk about how to photograph Macro in Black and White.  I really enjoy printing my B & W (black & white) photographs, they have an elegant quality to them; but there are several factors you must pay attention to while photographing macro.  Let’s talk about these factors so you can produce a beautiful & elegant photograph.

When I was taught to shoot B & W, we didn’t have digital cameras.  The requirement was that we must have full tonal zones and shoot corner to corner in focus with no over or underexposed areas.   Well, if you have read my blog posts and seen the photographs I produce now, you will see that I have changed a bit on my educated style of photography, but, and I stress the “But”….I do believe that you must learn how to photograph correctly and then play around and be more creative.  Back in the day, we used to dodge and burn areas of the photo in the darkroom to fix the photo, but today most of us shoot digital and use the computer to fix pictures.  I must say that software has improved so much and I’m happy for that.  When I was researching for this post, I went back to some of my info on how-to-photograph digital B & W.  I couldn’t believe how outdated the info was!  So always, always, research and see what’s out there…the photo field is changing constantly now that we are in the digital age.

So I’ll stop talking about the past and now talk about today’s info and what I do to create that spectacular, awesome B & W photo

First, I want you to read up on the Zone System.  It’s important to this post that you understand the tonal range of a photograph in B & W.

Remember, to look at the photos click on them and to get back to the blog use your back arrow key.

Second, when you photograph digitally you must pay attention to noise, especially when you want a black and white print and it’s a macro shot.  We have a double whammy when it comes to noise!! (Long exposures and the look of the close up print.) So please pay attention to this and take the time to add light to your subject, if needed and change your camera settings. My camera has a noise control for long exposures; if you have this on your camera, enable it. If your camera has the capability to shoot B & W and you’re not sure how the picture will look then go ahead and change it to photograph B & W. I don’t recommend this…only do this if needed because you can change a color photo to B & W but you can’t change a B & W to color!

Third, when photographing macro, pay attention to the balance of the photograph. The photo below is a standard shot of a family (my family), nothing spectacular about the photo but you do notice that my husband’s color is red compared to the rest of us. I could fix his face but I decided to make this a black & white photo for our Christmas card and to tell you the truth…I’d rather have this in B & W :0)

BEFORE

AFTER

Because you will be photographing macro…I want to stress that when you print you will notice imperfections more than a photograph that is like the example above and that I gave you this example of my family portrait because I want you to understand as we shoot closer and closer to a subject, the more going on in the photo, the more distracting it can be.  Unless you have some balance to your form, shapes, lines, textures & patterns, your photo can just be a picture with no meaning to it, just a blob of visual junk.  What’s nice about black and white photography is if you have that wonderful textured photo or any of the above styles I mentioned, B & W will enhance those styles. Color can be more distracting in a macro shot…when you’re in doubt change it to B & W, you may be surprised with the results.

Fourth, I recommend you take the time and photograph in RAW format.  This way you will have more control in adjusting your contrast and can achieve a full range of zones.

Of course to achieve a great macro you will be using a sturdy tripod and a cable release, correct….read my previous posts on How to Photograph Close-Up if you didn’t know this. Just be careful to take your time shooting your macro.  If you want all of your picture in focus you may need extra lighting or you can shoot a variety of pictures and merge them together (I’ll have an article on this at a later time).  If your exposures are underexposed you’re going to have problems, so even if you overexpose a bit that’s ok…. I feel it’s better to overexpose (not blown out) than to underexpose.   Check your histograms on your camera.    I found a couple of sites if you want to read up on Histograms (GOOGLE) to make sure you haven’t under or over exposed your subject.

When you shoot RAW you can adjust your white balance and exposure easier. I use Adobe Lightroom to develop my photographs. I absolutely LOVE Lightroom!!!! My post production is fast and fun

If you want to try this program for a month click here, it’s worth it!!

If you would like more information on Adobe Lightroom check out this link.

I decided to work with this shot…I like the soft feel of the candlelight. So I went to my Lightroom program and developed this picture to Grayscale:

I liked the lines of the pine so I played with the various tools Lightroom offers. The key is to play and learn from mistakes. Lightroom will not damage your photo, so play! You will acquire an eye for your own style of work and definitely understand what you’re doing. I read this great book on Lightroom by Scott Kelby, “The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers”. Check out Amazon or your local library and read up on the program.

Once I adjusted this in Lightroom I opened it up in Photoshop:

I wanted more contrast to the photo and I like the curves setting to work with this in more detail.  Next, I flatten the image and the last thing I do is sharpen the photo.  In photoshop I went to filter/sharpen/unsharp mask and made my adjustments:

This is the finished product… cropped a bit off the top. I like this in B & W, the lines of the pine draw your eyes up to the candle light.

Sullivan J Photography

This last example shows you how color can sometimes be distracting.   Unless you’re an interior designer and want the colors to match the floor plan, this could be a nice pic, but personally I like this photo in B & W.

Sullivan J Photography

My adjustments to this final photo were done exactly like the photo of the candle-light.

Sullivan J Photography

Today I discussed some important things to remember while photographing Macro B & W’s.  Remember, that a macro photograph/print will show more problem areas.

So:

• Learn about the zone system.

• Pay attention to Noise.

• Pay attention to balance; your textures, lines, shapes & form of the subject(s).

• Photograph in RAW format.

• Sharpen image.

I also would like you to try Lightroom for a month…  I promise you will absolutely love this Adobe product!  Of course if you have any questions or other info to add to this post, please feel free to comment.

Hope you all  have a wonderful holiday season this year!!

Cheers,

Janice

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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