DOF, SOOC, VSCO, OCF, CMOFS, OOF The photography world is filled with a particular vernacular that only those 'in the know' can understand. There are acronyms, terminology that can be confusing and slang terms for everything! I've put together a quick list to make it easier for you to understand, so you can smile with acknowledgement next time you are having a conversation with a photographer instead of nodding your head while wondering what the heck they are talking about. (I've totally done this before!) AcronymsLR: Single lens reflex. A type of camera that lets you view the image through the same lens that takes the photo. DSLR: Digital single lens reflex. An SLR camera that has a digital sensor, rather than film. P&S: Point-and-shoot camera. A small, consumer level camera that is easy to use, to the point of only needing to point and shoot. DOF: Depth of Field. Range of focus in an image (how much in front or behind the focal point is in focus) AF: Auto-focus. The ability of a lens, or camera, to automatically focus on a subject. OOF: Out of focus. OCF: Off-camera flash. External flash that isn't mounted on top of the camera. PP: Post-processing. Using software (like photoshop or Lightroom) to edit an image on the computer. SOOC: Straight out of camera. (Not edited) PS: Adobe Photoshop. PSE: Photoshop Elements. LR: Adobe Lightroom. CC: Constructive Criticism. TTL and ETTL: Through The Lens, refers to the metering system in regards to flash exposure Slang & TerminologyLENS SLANG Prime: A fixed focal length lens. For example a 35mm will stay at 35mm, a zoom lens can range between certain focal lengths. Glass: Lenses Sharp glass: A lens that provides clear, crisp images. Soft glass: A lens that doesn’t provide sharp images Fast/Slow: A fast lens has a low maximum aperture (like f1.4) A slow lens has a higher maximum aperture. This is because if you are shooting at f1.4 then you'll need a faster shutter speed than if you were shooting at 5.6 IMAGE SLANG Raw: A file format that captures all image data recorded by the sensor when you take a photo. When shooting in a format like JPEG image information is compressed and lost. Blown Out: Overexposed parts of the image that lose all definition. Noisy: Digital noise— if a photo is noisy it looks grainy. OTHER USEFUL SLANG Tog/Togger/Photog: Shortened terms for photographer. Magic/Golden Hour: The hour or so before sunset, and after sunrise, when the angle of the sun produces magical, golden light. Uncle Bob: A term used by wedding photographers to describe a relative with a camera who tends to get in the way of the hired photographer. REAL TERMINOLOGY (that you might not know) Chromatic aberration: In non-fancy terms, it's when there is a funny colours (often magenta and green) that fringe strong edges in an image. More common with wide angle lenses Kelvin: The measurement of colour temperature. The higher the Kelvin the warmer the image. Stopping down: Closing down the aperture to a smaller opening. Eg: going from f5.6 to f8. Bokeh: (pronounce “boh-ke" The 'ke' as in kettle) The aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image produced by a lens Hopefully that helps! Now you can talk to other togs about how much you need some fast glass so you can get some sweet bokeh. If you have any other terms you think I should add here, just let me know! Also if you haven't already, sign up to my newsletter so you can check out free tutorials as I put them out.
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There are quite a few different shots you can take at night. From sparkler shots, to slow exposures, from using rim lighting, or ambient light, the effects vary greatly. For this post I'll focus on rim lighting. I'll cover sparkler shots and slow exposures in another post. A few things to note before we get started. Rain looks super awesome with flash. Even a light drizzle shows up if you have your settings right. To save my couples from getting too wet, I run out and get it all set up before I ask them to come outside. Most gear is reasonably water tight, but I like to leave an umbrella over the gear if it will be outside for ages. Remember to protect your lens from the rain so you don't get water drops on it as it can ruin the shot. I chuck my lens hood on to help with this. You'll need the following equipment. - An off camera flash - A light stand or something to rest your flash on - A remote flash trigger I have attempted this shot with my video light, but it really needs the power of the flash to light the rain. My remote trigger wasn't expensive. I bought this one by Phottix as I didn't need one with all the bells and whistles. The Set-Up Place your flash (mounted on a light stand) about a meter away from your couple, directly behind them so it's hidden from the camera. Point it at the couple, at around 75% power. For this type of shot I think it looks best if the couple are facing each other as it provides a nice silhouette. Light the subject with a portable light or cellphone so you can get the focus sorted. Once you've got your focus, ask them not to move! It can be super tricky focusing in the dark, so you may need to manually do it. Live mode can be helpful for this. I often use auto-focus to get it just right, then switch it to manual afterwards so the camera doesn't refocus on my unlit subject. Then take the shot! It's pretty easy really! Take a few different shots, but remember you'll need to refocus if anyone has moved. Settings: Remember that the shutter speed will need to be less than 1/200 otherwise you'll miss the sync and you'll get only a half lit shot. You don't want it too slow though otherwise you'll need a tripod. I shot this at 1/160 My settings were: 1/160, f2.8, ISO 1600 My Canon 6D can handle a higher ISO than this without much noise, so I also could have shot with a higher aperture and a higher ISO if I was having trouble with the focus. Another cool shot that works for this is if you get the couple to hold an umbrella. I use a white one and the light bounces off it and back onto the couple. For this shot I'd angle my flash up towards the umbrella. Once you've got the basics down you can have a good play around and explore what your gear can do. PS: I'd love to hear your feedback about this post. Did you find it helpful? Did I give enough information? I'd love for you to join my newsletter so you don't miss any of the new tutorials and tips. I promise I won't spam you with tons of emails or sell your email address to anyone (do people still do that?) These days the skill of photography is often learned with online lessons. The freedom these courses can give you is liberating - no longer do you need to sit a two year course in a classroom. Now you can learn everything you need to know from the comfort of your home, chillin' out in your PJs with your cat. One of the best companies that I've done courses with is Creative Live. If you haven't heard of them already, you're in for a treat. With them you will learn creative skills from the world's top experts - Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Oscar Winners, and New York Times best selling authors, thought leaders, and legendary entrepreneurs. With over 1,500 curated classes in Photography & Video, Money & Life, Craft & Maker, Art & Design, and Music & Audio, there is something for everyone. Students can watch on-air broadcasts for free or buy a class and own the content for life. Plus, they can get your daily creative fix on the iOS app with 1 free lesson of their choice, each and every day. Check Out CreativeLive's Free On-Air Classes When I first started as a photographer I was flying solo, grasping for knowledge where I could get it, finding what worked for me and discarding what I thought was unimportant at the time. I wasted YEARS this way, with my photography skills staying reasonably stagnant for some time. I just couldn't find what I needed to get my work to the next level. I was stuck, uninspired and working hard, and it wasn't until I did a few simple things that my work and client base really started to improve. If you're just starting out, read on! This post is for you! Photo: Emma Louise Photography 1. Shoot RAWOkay okay. This may seem like a no brainer to some, so don't laugh...but I didn't shoot RAW for about a year into my job. I'd heard it was the better way to go, but that it needed a little extra work, and I was already working hard enough so I put it in my 'learn this skill later' basket. That was a mistake! If you aren't shooting RAW already, make the switch now! The editing process is a dream and sooooo much easier! Highlights can be recovered, deep shadows lightened, and white-balance is just a slider away from perfection. The tools available for RAW edits are amazing, and you can batch process similar lighting situations, which leads me to my next tip... 2. Batch process in LightroomI started out editing my RAWS in the photoshop plug in. It was the program I knew, so it was a safe start. And while you can batch process in the plug-in, trust me when I tell you that you want to be doing it in Lightroom. I had a photographer friend convince me to shift and I've never looked back. Once you've worked out how to edit in a style that you like, you can select entire sections of your wedding or family session that have similar lighting situations and edit a batch at once for a consistent edit. Not only does it lead to more consistent images, it also is a MASSIVE time saver. I cut my editing time down by about 80% when I switched to this method! 3. Invest in the best lens you can affordThis photography business can get super expensive! It's hard to invest more money into a business when you are barely operating in the black. However remember that when you are buying new gear, it isn't just because you want something pretty and shiny. It's because you need to invest in your business. When you have good lenses that are suited to your niche then your work will really improve. You will really struggle to get epic wedding photos if you are running with a kit lens with a maximum aperture of F4. Do you research first, then take the plunge. It's better to purchase a drool worthy lens (or two) now then buy a substandard one now and then invest again later when you've reached that lenses potential. 4 . Get out of the comfort zone NOW!If you have an idea or a newly acquired skill that you want to try with a client, SPEAK UP. Don't be afraid to try new things as you'll only grow when you are pushing yourself to learn new techniques. It may not always end up in the shot that you envisioned but you will never nail it unless you try. I found that once I got good at a certain type of shoot, I stayed in my comfort zone for a quite a while, shooting the same way over and over again. Not only is that boring but it's a sure fire way of hitting a creative wall. Challenge yourself often and without fear. 5. Join a communityThis one is my favourite! When I first started I didn't really know who I could talk to. Photography can be a lonely job, with many hours spent alone at your computer. You can spend heaps of time reading articles and doing tutorials, but unless you can ask questions, it is rather one sided. Joining online communities of Facebook or the likes is a huge game changer. You can bounce ideas off each other, get honest constructive criticism, and you can celebrate and commiserate with your fellow photogs. You can ask burning questions, and give advice that has worked for you. I have learned soooooo much from my communities. Even better than an online community is when you find photogs in real life that you can befriend! There is nothing like meeting up with a good friend after you've both shot long weddings for a few vino's to debrief and talk shop. Don't be afraid to reach out to a few local photographers. I did and this happened.... When you find someone who shares your work ethic and your level of weird then lifetime friendships can form! ,It's Saturday morning and my six year old is sitting on my bed watching me put on my make-up. She's alternating between telling me about her dream last night, asking what I'm doing now, and informing me that she's hungry. She asks what I'm doing today. I tell her I'm photographing a wedding. She sticks out her bottom lip and pouts..."agaaaaiiinnnn????" I tell that yes, I'm working today, but tomorrow we can spend all day together. At this point my oldest daughter comes in to tell me she's hungry. I tell them to both go get an apple. Twenty seconds later, my youngest comes in crying telling me that her sister stole the last apple. I sigh. I'm still on my eye shadow. I have 10 very valuable minutes left before I need to be in the car. My hair is a mess, the washing machine is beeping, the floor hasn't been vacuumed in days, the dog is looking at me sadly because I haven't taken her out this morning and the kids and husband are feeling neglected. If you're a working mother, then you understand. The balancing act of work and family is never easy though, I'm ready to admit that I have it easier that some. I can plan my own hours and I have a husband that helps hold down the fort. Two very important factors. On the flip side, when you are in control of your own business, the hours are never straight forward, and no matter where you devote your time, there is often a lingering, unpleasant odor of guilt. I should be spending more time with my family. I should be working right now. Our time is so precious to us, that every moment possible is filled with tasks. In our modern world, we fill in the gaps while ticking off the boxes. Standing in line at the supermarket? I'll just quickly respond to this email. Driving to a wedding two hours away? I'll plan my daughters birthday party details. Multi tasking has become a way of life - almost an art form for some. I wanted to put together this post for the mums out there. We are often the glue that holds a family together, an indispensable cog in the household machine. It's a list of ideas and tips that I've discovered and developed over the years that I hope you will find useful. Some are purely photography related, some are for the general public. If you find it useful please share it for other mums out there! We're all in this together ladies! For the Photographer mamma.AN EFFICIENT WORKFLOW IS YOUR FRIEND I thought I was efficient. I'd spent a couple of years balancing family and photography, so I thought I'd got the hang of it. That was until I made friends with a super talented photographer who also worked full time (shout out to Sarah!!) who would only take 5 hours to edit a wedding. It would take me at least FOUR times that to get through a wedding from beginning to end. So yeah. Turns out I wasn't efficient at all! Since then I've sped things up considerably. I don't get it done in 5 hours but I do work through it a hellavalot quicker. I get a sneak peek up the day after a wedding, the blog is up the following Friday and the photos are delivered the week after (I only work part time, so it is roughly eight - twelve hours total, depending on the size of the package.) I feel so much less stressed, knowing that the weddings aren't piling up behind the scenes! My tips for an efficient work-flow. 1. Cull! Then cull again. I prefer to cull in Bridge but I've heard amazing things about Photo Mechanic (which I will totally look up when wedding season is over!) 2. Batch process. I used to edit every photo one at time. Then I realised that that approach is too time consuming and just plain silly. Now I group together shots taken close together in the same lighting situation, make the edits to all of them at once and export at the same time (I use Lightroom for this) 3. Develop your own preset. I've got my own tweaks that do on all photos, a little sharpening, clipping the highlights, a little vignette etc. I also have my own black and white preset that I run. One click of the button and you're all set. Setting up your own preset in lightroom is super easy: Follow this link for a tutorial if you don't know how. 4. Multitask. While Lightroom is busy exporting twenty photos at time for me, I'm answering emails, blogging, hanging washing etc. I try to use my time as wisely as I can. Sitting and waiting while my PC processes something is not an option. INVEST IN TIME SAVING EQUIPMENT. There are a few things that also help speed up my work flow. I have a Wacom tablet that makes editing a breeze and reduces mouse induced RSI. My PC was updated and therefore faster. Hardrives with USB 3.0 speed up transfers. USE THE OFF SEASON TO GET AHEAD. For me, after the wedding season dies down I have a few months where I'm not super rushed. I use this time to restock, re-brand and tidy up my books. When the season starts up again I'm always relieved that I don't need to assemble each gift box or order more flash drives. KEEP YOUR FOLDERS CLEAN. I have one folder that contains sessions that need to be edited. When each session is complete it's moved out and backed up. Working mums tend to have a hundred little jobs that need completing - a never ending list cycling through our heads. Leaving only what needs to be processed helps it my New Pics To Edit folder is like writing a list and crossing off items as I do them. It helps to clear the space in my head. LEARN TO SAY NO (OR NOT RIGHT NOW). My husband would scoff at me for writing this, as I'll admit I'm really bad at turning down work. When you are running your own business and people want YOU to do their photos it's super hard to turn them down because you already have a full plate! This season I was meant to keep one or two weekends a month available for family time....I worked 8 weekends in a row, with many more either side. So that didn't quite work out. I did however commit to saying 'Not right now' and delayed sessions such as family shoots, or signing up new clients, until wedding season simmers down. I may not have managed to take as many family weekends as I'd planned, but I didn't overwork myself by booking tons of mid week sessions like last year. Progress! BREAK THE RULES. We all know that the golden hour before sunset is the best time for photos. The thing is, it's not the best time for my family. The kids have after school activities plus I'm headlining in the dinner/homework/bedtime show. Except for the odd occasion, it just doesn't work for us. Family comes first. It must, or it will all fall apart. So, I mostly book sessions when the girls are at school. Yes, the lighting isn't dreamy and romantic and at it's best. But I work damn hard to make sure my clients are happy with their photos regardless of lighting situations. When my kids are older and it fits in with their routine, I'll totally change it up, but until then, I'll break the golden rule, and any other rules that don't work for us as a family. For every mammaSOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE. We know there are only twenty four hours in a day. But that doesn't stop us from trying to cram twenty eight hours of stuff into one. This. is. LUDICROUS. Coming to the realisation that not all things need to be done today isn't easy. It's hard to let go. We want to do it all, achieve it all. However, I honestly believe it's necessary for a happy life. Prioritizing what is important to you is essential for this process. Each day the priorities might change, depending on what deadlines you have, and what's been neglected over the last week. Assess what is non-negotiable for you. Here are some of my non-negotiables (besides the obvious ones like husband and kid time) * SLEEP! If I don't get 7 - 8 hours I don't function efficiently, so this is pretty high on my list. * Running. Exercise keeps me sane. It makes me a better mum, wife, and keeps me fit so I can tackle long shoots without a problem. Carving time out the day for this is crucial to me. Plus I have a husky and she would get sooo crazy if I didn't run her! * Time for friends. This is one that can easily slip if you aren't careful. You're life is full with family and work and it's easy to say you are too busy. Being social is a huge part of what makes me happy, so I make time for them. So what do I let slide? Well, I don't have a luscious garden filled with home grown edibles and gorgeous flowers. I generally have a patch of insanely out of control weeds that hides lost toys without hesitation. My shower is often filthy, my windows have kid/dog prints smeared on them and my floors reaaaalllly need a mop. Also my clean washing piles up on the 'washing chair' until it's so huge it becomes a problem, at which point I throw it on the carpet like a lolly scramble and get my kids to find their own clothes and put them away. These things are not essential to me, so they don't get done as often as they should. Would I like a house that looks like it could be in NZ House and Garden? Absolutely. But it's not necessary to my happiness so I let it slide. This is actually a good lead to my next point.... LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS/YOU ARE YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY. Do you care if you go around to a girlfriends house and she has crumbs on her floor? Or if her mirrors are dirty? No, you don't. (PS, if you do, then you have a problem and should get a prescription for 'Chill the F out') Do my friends care if my lawns are mowed or my washing is away? I assume not, and if they do then they've kept that little gem to themselves like all friends should. The only person that cares about your housework is YOU (and possibly your mother/mother in law...) Before I was booked out for weddings and portrait sessions, I had a menu plan for two weeks in advance. The kitchen was well stocked, the toilet was cleaned three times a week and I vacuumed nearly everyday. Fast forward to the present and you'll find out that last week we had subway for dinner two days in a row and I haven't luxed in a week. Instead I have a ton of happy clients, kids that have fun after school activities and a husband that's stoked that he isn't subjected to my sub-par cooking and recipe trials as often as in the past. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting you throw away your cleaning supplies, and forget about basic hygiene. I'm just saying that I doubt I'll be laid out on my death bed, wishing I'd been more like Martha Stewart (sans arrest and public humiliation). CREATE A FAMILY ORGANISER. Keep it on your phone and add to it anytime something new pops up. Try this one. It will save your life. DROP THE GUILT. At the risk of generalizing and spreading my 'feminist agenda' I'm just going to put this out there: FATHERS DON'T FEEL GUILT FOR GOING TO WORK. So why should you? I happen to believe that when my daughters see me dress up and head to work, that I'm showing them that they can be whatever they want and that working hard is good for all genders. They also benefit from spending more one on one time with their father. Harvard agrees: check out this article if you are having trouble of letting go. MAKE TIME FOR YOU. You're juggling a lot of stuff. I get it. But it is sooo important to make time for yourself. Go for a run, read a book, meditate, enjoy a coffee at a cafe and people watch, go dancing... anything! You're kind of important y'know, so show yourself some love! MAKE YOUR TIME WITH THEM COUNT. It's so easy to have your mind on other things while spending time with your kids. Sometimes when a story that I'm being told has been going on forever, or I'm watching another swimming lesson, my mind will wander to what we will be having for dinner, or making an internal list of things I'll need during tomorrows shoot. I'm pretty sure it's natural and that every mum will do this. Again, we multi-task. I do however make the time to snuggle them on the couch with a good book, talk to them about their day, and tell them I love them about ten times a day. I play long games of Monopoly, get my ass kicked at Memory, colour in with them and do all the other mumsy things that go hand in hand with raising little'ns. I try to make sure that even though I'll be away all Saturday, or that I'm sometimes busy on the computer that they really are the centre of my universe, and that no matter how often I'm not there, they know they are loved and thought of. In the end that's the most important thing. Best of luck ladies. Tegan I've been wanting to write a blog for photographers for ages. I come up with an idea, get set to write it, fingers poised over the keyboard and then that nagging little voice pops up... "Just who do you think you are? Do you really think people want to take the time to read what you have to say?" I pause. Then I close down the blog and continue to quietly edit again.
Today I got to thinking. Well I know who I am. I know my strengths and weaknesses. I know I enjoy writing, that I love photography and that the online communities I've been a part of (albeit from a view of a non-participating, quietly learning witness) have been an important part of my growth. What got me thinking about this again a post from one of my photographer heroes Emma Brittendon. She shared a post about how to achieve a 'Vanity Fair' type shoot, and having been a Anne Leibovitz fan for years, I was super stoked for the tutorial. (see her blog here. She's totally amazing). She posted, not for the kudos, or for the 'likes' but to share her knowledge in a community where we should technically be competing against each other. She isn't alone. There are hundreds and hundreds of generous souls out there who offer their advice and knowledge to others for free, simply because they have a passion for photography, for community and for knowledge. So I started to think about that nasty little voice, that self doubting devil that catches a free ride on my shoulder occasionally. I thought about that rhetorical question she asks "Do you really think people will read what you have to say? Do you really have that much to offer?" And then I thought...maybe. Just maybe. I certainly won't know until I try. I don't expect a huge following. I don't have as much to offer as some of the suuuuppper talented people I follow and admire (Sarah Clements, Emma B, Johnathon Suckling, Pye Jirsa, Kelle Hampton) and I won't be as witty as some non photographer peeps I follow (Constance Hall, Eh Bee Family) but I might just be able to offer a little guidance to those wanting to begin in this crazy awesome lifestyle/job/passion of a pro photographer. I'll offer complete honesty, my downs as well as up. That's what I can offer, so that's what you'll you get. I've already got one in the pipelines about the balancing act of mum/photographer, that should be ready to post by this weekend. I hope you'll tune in! With love Tegan |
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