The Poetry Of Light Blog

ISO...

2009-06-07T14:58:00.003-04:00

ISO, short for International Standard for Organization, really pronounced "eye so" but more commonly "eye- S- O" ( so much so I personally have never heard it pronounced eye so but who am I to argue with ISO).

In photography, when you talk about ISO you are talking about sensitivity to light, how sensitive to light is your film or digital sensor ? ISO speeds with a lower sensitivity to light such as 100 or 200 mean you need a lot of light to use that setting on your camera and have a correct exposure. You can do this either by shooting where there is lots of light, IE outside on a bright day, or opening your aperture ( IE f2.8, f4) to let in more light or going with a longer/slower shutter speed. ( IE 1/30, 1/15 ). Conversely, ISO of say 400 or 800 lets you shoot in areas of less light, ( maybe the inside of a house) or use a smaller aperture( bigger f number IE f22) or faster speed. So as you can readily see, correct exposure depends on these three factors, ISO, aperture and shutter speed.

So why not just jack up the ISO as high as you can then you can use the smallest aperture and fastest speed on your camera and forget about ever changing it ? Because higher ISO, like everything in life it comes with a price, namely more noise( that speckled, grainy looking stuff you notice in the shadows of that photo you took of Auntie Rose in the darkish living room a few weeks ago). You can use a noise program to reduce the noise( Noiseware Community is a good freebie, other programs such as Noise Ninja are available for reasonable cost. Some editing programs include a noise reduction setting as well.) BUT noise reduction comes at the cost of image detail...so rule of thumb is use the lowest ISO you can.

Cameras today are much better with noise than they used to be ( my Canon Rebel xt was pretty bad at ISO 400, unusable at 800 while my 40d is pretty good up to 1600 when I might need to remove a little noise, might not depending on the situation, some like the Canon 5d and upper line Nikons are even better) so the good news is with a newer camera you might be able to use a higher ISO /higher shutter more routinely..When? Why? Weally? Even on bright days an ISO of 100 or so might not allow me to raise the shutter speed high enough to take a photo of a flower when there is a stiff breeze blowing but a higher ISO will allow me to stop the action. Great!!!

So generalities...use as low ISO as you can go . If your subject is stationary, you don't really need a large dof , have a flash, or want to be able to print out some nice sized photos, a low ISO might be just the ticket. If you have a moving subject, a large dof, using natural lighting, don't mind a little artsy grain in your 8x10 or won't be printing bigger than a snapshot( noise is little and won't show up much in a small photo), move up the ISO....

But don't forget to lower it again next time ..sure sign you forgot is you will have a shutter speed of 1/8000 instead of 1/200...been there ;)

Aperture: What it is and how to use it

2008-08-05T14:53:00.008-04:00

Aperture refers to the opening the light will pass through to get to the sensor or film and is used in conjunction with the shutter speed to determine the exposure of your photo...a "fast" shutter speed usually would require a larger opening to get enough light to the sensor and a "slow" shutter would naturally require a smaller opening...

When you hear the word "f stop" or see" f number" in relation to a lens , that is telling you the diameter that lens can open to, such as f1.8, f28, f4, f8, f11,f16,f22 and are really ratios so the smaller the number ( IE f2.8) the larger the diameter of the opening or the larger the aperture. If it is given as a ratio IE f3.5-5.6 that means at the widest angle( the shortest focal length such as 28mm) it has a top aperture( biggest opening) of f3.5 while at it's narrowest angle (the longest focal length such as 100mm) it has a top aperture of f5.6. Any lens would have a set amount of f stops, such as f2.8-f22, depending on the lens

Why should you care? First a "fast" lens, one with a large aperture or small f number such as 2.8 allows you to shoot in lower light situations since it allows a faster shutter speed due to the larger opening. I f you recall to keep a sharp photo you need to be able to set a shutter speed at least the approximate length of the lens, IE a 200mm lens a 1/200 shutter speed. At f8, you may not be able to get that fast a shutter speed due to the smaller amount of light going through the smaller aperture. That is one reason lenses with a larger aperture IE F2.8 are more useful, they can help you have a larger range of light conditions in which you can get a good photo.

Another benefit is, in general, apertures allow you to control the amount of the image that is in focus in the photo. If you want to take a portrait you want to have a smaller "depth of field" ( or "dof", the area of the photo that looks sharp front to back). Say you station the subject in front of a large bush to take their portrait... If you use a small f number ( IE f2.8, f4, so a large aperture) rather than a detailed, sharp set of leaves behind your subject you will get a nice bokeh, or blurred background which will make your subject stand out better and reduce any distraction behind him. Conversely, a larger f number is great for landscapes where you want clarity front to back.

More on depth of field some other time but in general, for something like a portrait or when you need a smaller dof...( as in second photo above,"Faded Rose " , f 3.5) you can decrease the dof by using a larger aperture and increasing magnification either by moving closer or using a longer focal length lens( IE 100mm). For something like a landscape(as in top photo, "Going Home", f11) you want a larger dof so use a smaller aperture( ie f11+), and a shorter focal length such as 28mm to give you more front to back sharpness.

The last camera setting you really need to know about to determine exposure for your photo is ISO...so next time.....

Photo Basics 101: Shutter Speed

2008-07-29T13:00:00.004-04:00

Many digital cameras have a mode for "creative" features such as setting your shutter speed, aperture etc. Should you use them? What are some of the benefits? What exactly are the things like shutter speed and aperture you might want to set?

Read on as the next couple posts will help you jump into the deeper end of the photography pool ..

First what is shutter speed? Plainly put it's the time the shutter remains open, letting light into the camera to hit the film( film camera) or sensor ( digital camera). It is measured in seconds such as 1, a slow shutter speed, meaning the shutter remains open a long time or a fraction of a second such as 1/1000 meaning the shutter is fast and remains open for a very short time..

With Canon cameras the mode on the "creative" side of the dial that allows you to set what shutter speed you want the camera to use is called the time value or"TV" mode. That mode lets you choose the shutter speed while the camera will set the aperture to hopefully give you a nicely exposed shot. Other manufacturers may call it something slightly different but it should be in your manual.

Why would you want to choose the shutter speed instead of letting the camera choose? Two common scenarios....

Maybe you want to freeze the action , if so, set the shutter speed as high as you can, over 1/500 and it should stop the action without blurring. First photo, "Into The Sun"1/400 shutter speed. Useful for nature photos such as a bird in flight, sport photos, anything where the object is moving but you want to stop it so it will be sharp in the photo.

At the opposite end of the scale, maybe you are taking a photo of a waterfall and want that soft silky blurred water instead of seeing the water drops. Place your camera on a tripod, choose the slowest shutter speed you can, under 1/30 if possible and take your photo...nice silky water should result. Second photo, "Coffee Creek" , Shutter speed 1/13 of a second. camera. You can also use a slow shutter speed to create a motion blur to show speed, such as a car zipping past, or in dim light such as at night or indoors...BUT....

As a rule of thumb you can only hold your camera steady for a shutter speed that is the same mm as your lens length...for example if you have a 35 mm camera and a 200 mm lens ( or your optical zoom on a point and shoot goes that far) without any kind of image stabilization you need a shutter speed of at least 1/200 to get a crisp sharp shot. If you have a camera with a crop factor ( which would include most dslrs in the entry and prosumer lines) you have to use that crop factor in addition to the lens mm to expect a great sharp shot...for example if you have a camera with a 1.6 crop and a 200mm lens, you need a shutter speed of at least 1/320 ( 200x1.6). Of course if you have some kind of image stabilization built into your lens or camera or you use a monopod or tripod to stabilize your camera, you can achieve a sharp shot with a slower shutter speed than the rule of thumb, usually a few stops slower with the image stabilization or a monopod, many stops with a tripod and a timer or remote switch.

Of course there are other things to set to make your photo turn out how you want it so next we'll talk about aperture.

Do You Need Photo Editing Software?

2008-05-08T20:33:00.003-04:00

Probably not, short answer ;)
long answer
I really think for many if not most, the editor that came with their camera will be enough..especially if you are the type that sometimes just downloads straight from the camera, maybe crops and makes prints or emails to Grandma.
But say you want to be more creative? I have and use a bunch of different programs but the one I think would be most usable for the majority of basic camera users is Photoshop Elements. I have 5, 6 is out, not sure how much it's changed.... It has most of the features of the full version ($$$$$) Photoshop but at around $80 won't break the bank. It allows you to do the basic crop, clone out the odd person's stray head* that you didn't notice, adjust exposure, saturation etc. I do think it has a learning curve, just like most everything in life, but if you want to get a little fancy with some of your photos it is a good buy. Some like Corel photo pro( think that is the right name) but it is not as user friendly to me but if you are in the market for a bigger badder editing software than what came with your camera , down load the free trials both offer and see which makes things easier for you. They are about the same cost.
If you have a dslr and would like to start shooting in raw, you can still come out ahead in the wallet if you get elements and Lightroom...the Beta addition that is out now( new release due in June) is great. I love it for converting raw files...but if you don't shoot in raw it's worthless to you. Elements can be used with a raw processor via the free download of Camera Raw by Adobe that is pretty much the same as the present Lightroom but not as good as the new edition( unless they update Camera Raw as well). You don't really have a lot of batch processing though and since you have to process raw files, that can be a pain if you just want family snaps.
If you are a relatively dslr newbie, maybe we'll talk about Raw vs Jpg, next blog so you can see what you have been missing.
* they could be really odd and sensitve about getting their photo taken if they have a stray head so cross over to the other side of the street and don't take their photo...but if someone sticks their head in your photo at the last second, use the clone tool to clone that out.

We Have A Winner!

2008-05-01T11:06:00.004-04:00

Jennifer K. won an 8x10 of "Last Man Standing" just for visiting my site and entering the contest for April. Congratulations Jennifer!
You could win an 8x10 or 8x12 for May! Just visit my site and sign up on the contest/blog page.

win something !http://thepoetryoflight.net

2008-04-22T16:59:00.001-04:00

visit my website for a chance to win a free photo!

Swhooooo

2008-04-16T12:30:00.003-04:00

Haven't had time to write anything as been working on hubster's faux finishing site( check it out at http://interiorillusionsfx.com but did put on the slide show which i hope you enjoy!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-04-14T12:35:00.001-04:00

Off the topic of photography for the moment

2008-03-29T13:06:00.010-04:00

Brainfog

since a picture says a thousand words.....

I have alluded to the fact I have "health problems" and so want to take just one post to help make others aware of the lack of accurate knowledge about one of those problems..Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Vertigo

Not to be confused with "chronic fatigue", being fatigued, "burnt out" or any of the myriad other stress induced or illness induced "normal" fatigue states many might find themselves in, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a disabling disease or collection of symptoms that as of today has no effective treatment, including no medication to treat it, no cure and no end. It is as disabling as MS, RA, much more disabling than many other diseases and in fact in studies it has been found the only illnesses that cause more of a negative impact on one's life are terminal cancer and a major stroke. While fatigue is certainly not the only symptom, the fatigue is so great with CFS it can make it impossible to do anything but breath..not chew, not walk to the restroom, not move an arm or leg, not shower or dress,just lay in bed and hope your heart keeps pumping and your lungs keep expanding...Some researchers feel it is mitrochondrial dysfunction with secondary cardiomyopathy, some feel it is neurological but no one really knows. Many people have some kind of infection( I had a case of bronchitis) and simply never are healthy again. I got bronchitis, developed a rash and hives, a month later pain and neurological type symptoms( ie couldn't move my legs or they would drag if i could, weakness, double vision,profound weakness, ie couldn't hold a cup of soup and my jaw muscles were to weak to chew anything, bladder control problems, sore throat, headaches, swollen glands, the list goes on and on) within a matter of weeks I was bedridden, that lasted for 6 months, I slowly improved for the next 5 yrs till i regained about 50% of my pre illness energy, then relapsed and was back to square one. That continued for 10 yrs then i had another bad relapse and since have had only about 2 hrs of energy a day ( on a normal day) for the past 10 yrs. Some days are a little better and those are the days I take photos but usually spend the next few days to tired to do anything but lay on the couch.

Pain

I have had this illness for 20+ yrs ( as well as 2 other chronic illnesses) and have yet to find a Dr. that has any really knowledge of it. I have been insulted, dismissed and condesended to by more doctors than many probably see in a lifetime, in part i am sure by the lack of interest in the govenmental health agencies interest in this illness except to exploit or mock it.( Millions of tax dollars ear marked for CFS research were misappropriated by those agencies as public records show)

The only way I can pursue any interest I have in photography is due to my husband's help( he drives me around, I take shots from the car or close to the car when possible, if we walk anywhere he carries all my equipment).

I am not posting this to gain pity, just to make people aware there is a terrible disease known as CFS that is being ignored and what little information the CDC/NIH puts out is slanted toward it being a "psychological illness" even thought literally thousands of studies have been published that prove it is a physical illness..If you want to find out more about that read the book "Osler's Web"

So next time you read about CFS and the slant is "lazy crazy people who want a free ride" I hope you reconsider and help us help others understand that is not the case so maybe someday there will be some kind of health care that really helps people like me have their life back.

Thanks for listening and next post will be back on topic, I promise

More information about can be found at
http://www.co-cure.org/
http://www.cfids.org/about-cfids/symptoms.asp

2008-03-23T16:14:00.003-04:00

rule of thirds, woman is roughly 1/3 vertical line and head close to 1/3 horizontal line..doesn't have to be exact, just close

Tip 3 For Better Snaps

2008-03-23T15:21:00.002-04:00

Tip3...Since you have now mastered your camera and know what setting to use for any situation, you can think a little about composition. We've all looked through someone's photos and been bored to tears by 100 shots of a person/people sitting on a bench followed by a slightly different person/people sitting on a slightly bench followed by those same person standing against a brick wall followed by the second person plastered up against that same wall..don't you want to just scream "I can't look at one more shot!"? How can you make your photos something interesting? Composition would help. Don't put the bench in the center and the person sitting on the bench in the center. An easy rule of composition to remember is called "the rule of thirds".

Imagine your photo is divided equally by 2 horizontal and 2 vertical lines,(into 3 rows of 3 equal squares in other words)and try to put your subject on one of the intersecting lines, hopefully looking into the photo. ie if your subject is on the farhest left line he should be facing toward the right, even slightly. So little Johnny's face would be on the top/ left intersection, looking right. It makes the photo less static and lots more interesting!

This works for any subject not just people. see the example

Frame Your Photo

2008-03-13T16:16:00.000-04:00

As we left off, you had the mat or planned on getting one in a neutral color or at least the dominant color of the photo...a double or single or even triple, according to taste but any mat is better than none, right?

Same reasons apply for frames as for mat...S.A.P...Supportive, Artistic, Protective.

What are the important parts of a frame? Well naturally part 1 is the molding...usually wood, plastic, ceramic, sterling silver, whatever suits your decor and wallet and is at least somewhat cohesive with the photo. For example, a simple flower in black and white probably needs a simple mat and simple wooden, metal or plastic frame, also in black , white or a combo of the two. Ahhh, unity and peace, at least on your wall. And a teddy bear frame that looks great in a baby's room might be a little curious in your 20 yr old son's room. You get the picture, err idea. Get a frame you like that wil enhance not detract from your art and it's surrounding.

Ok part 2 would be the backing, usually cardboard included in many frames...you can get acid free backing if you want to pass the photo down to your great grandkids some day.

Part 3 would be a mounting board, which is duh, a board the photo is mounted on. In my opinion, get the photo mounted when you buy it. It's a few dollars and worth it. It saves you from doing it and since it 's done by a pro, it should be wrinkle free. That actually can make or break your photo since little ripples and wavy bits can reflect light in odd ways making you wonder if you need to visit the eye doctor. The mounting board naturally gives your photo support and helps it lay flat.

Part 4 probably is not used as much as it should but it's good to have some of that brown paper they put on the back of art that acts as a dust seal. Hopefully your frame will have some kind of a protective back.

Part 5, almost done, is the glass. Plexiglass is fine as is real glass. Plexiglass is lighter but scratches easily so take that into account. You can buy reflective or glare resistant glass. The normal reflective glass is probably most widely used and will be fine unless you put your photo right where you get strong light from a window, or (if you are a Seinfield fan), live across from a Kenny Rogers Chicken shop. And a bright light is pretty much sure to fade your photo so maybe choose another spot and get regular glass. Some of the less expensive glare resistant glass can make your photo look less sharp and less vivid so could actually be a negative. ( Ouch! no photo pun intended)

Okay put the frame together in the following order...clean off 5 and let it completely dry ...completely dry....repeat after me....completely dry! Some spray cleaners and their vapors are reported to actually fade and stain photos instantly so to be on the safe side do it someplace away from the photo...fill Part 1 with part 5 and set aside. If you listened and got your photo mounted, good for you, put in the mat, next to the glass that is all clean and dry then lay your mounted photo on top . if you didn't want to spend the extra couple bucks go buy a mounting board, and ask your local art store/craft store/framer what he would recommend you use to mount it with, then kick yourself for not having it mounted when you bought it since you probably spent more than you would have and now have to hope you don't bend or wrinkle the photo when you mount it....we'll wait right here and have some coffee and cookies and chat till you are done.... ok , now everybody check and make sure the picture is not upside down , then put on the backing board, the back of the frame and a dust seal if you are using it and shwoooo...finished!

Now you have to hang it..some tips on that next.

Mat Your Photo

2008-03-08T16:18:00.000-05:00

So you picked out the perfect photo for your living room and decided all that framing stuff was a waste...why not just go to a dollar store and buy a frame?

Other than the obvious quality of the frame you might get at a dollar store, a good frame and mat are really protection for your photo. They are not a ploy to get you to spend more money.

Mats serve a few purposes. Probably the most obvious is it creates a nice little bordered off area for your photo. You didn't buy a photo to have it blend into the wall and a mat and frame help do that. It creates more of a "presence" on the wall. Which leads to... "What color mat ?" NOT the same color as your wall or sofa but either black, white( or off white) or the dominant color in the photo. If you want a little color, use a double mat and pick the dominant photo color for the bottom mat, the one with the smallest opening. Only a little will show when you put the white or black mat on top of it. Another nice option is a single mat with a core of another color. When cut, that mat has a thin bevel of the core color, such as a white mat with a black thin stripe next to the photo. Very elegant and understated. Take your photo along when you shop for a mat and see what you like best. That way you can be careful the mat isn't so colorful it overwhelms the photo.

Have you ever gone through a box of old photos and that one of Uncle Harvey and Aunt Penny on their wedding day is stuck fast to the glass? Or maybe it has some funny blackish moldy looking stuff growing on it? Willing to bet it didn't have a mat. Reason number two for a mat is since a mat creates a little air space, it helps cut down moisture and keeps the glass and photo from touching.
Purpose number three is protection from handling. Never ever ever touch the photo front with your fingers. You may not see the fingerprints then but the oils in the fingers of even the cleanest hands leave traces that eventually will degrade your photo. So be careful to only touch the edges or back, never the front surface. If you want to go crazy about it, or you just are a little klutzy and don't want to take a chance, you can buy special white cotton gloves for framing but at least be careful where you touch the photo.

Imagine this disaster...you have an unframed, unmatted photo. In comes little Fredricka, ice cream cone in hand , and naturally runs right up to your photo..Yikes! So before you display it, get it in a mat and frame. The mat also helps keep it nice and flat. You might want to save all the packaging your photo comes in and keep it there till you get it matted and framed. Easier to transport it to the store to check out mats and frames without spilling coffee on it, bending it, whatever your choice of calamity might be.

Ok, ok you'll get the mat, now what? ( cliffhanger music plays in the background) You'll have to stop back and see;)