ASSIGNMENT #1: From Above

As The Family Photojournalist grows, we will continue to add features to assist in your journeys in documenting family life!

Our latest addition will be The Family Photojournalist Assignment. The rules are very simple. We will provide you with an assignment and a deadline. You shoot, edit, and send us your favorite photo from the assignment. Photos must be resized to 800 pixels on the longest end (I crop my images to 8x5.33x100ppi in Photoshop). We will feature some of the exemplary examples in a blog post.

The Family Photojournalist Assignment #1 is called "From Above". This is an exercise in composition. All too often we take photos while standing up or on our children's level. This assignment requires you to look at things a little differently. You must take the photo from an above perspective. So get out your ladders, climb balconies, or peek out windows in order to get your shots! Your examples should be sent to thefamilyphotojournalist @ gmail.com by June 22, 2010.

Below are two examples (which happen to be two of my favorite all time images):

1. Ocean City, New Jersey. Neither my wife nor I vacationed as children. So we made a pledge that every year, we would do some sort of vacation with our children. This particular year we did a long weekend stay at a hotel in Ocean City NJ. My wife and oldest child were swimming in the pool as I was lounging on a chair taking photos. I only had a 35mm lens and I wanted a wider shot of them, so I started looking for options to back up. The only option I had was a balcony above me. So I climbed the stairs, observed the scene, and waited for the 'decisive moment'.

2. Ocean City, New Jersey II. We rented a very small 1BR apartment (about 400 square feet) that was ocean front. Our thinking was that we wouldnt spend much time in the house and loved the idea of being on the beach. Well, it rained almost all week! And we were stuck inside more than we hoped to be. This was one of the few moments where my boys were outside. I was sitting in the empty chair snapping shots as my children played in the sand. Again, I thought an above perspective would tell a better story. So I climbed up to the second floor and snapped the photo. I decided to leave the chair in the frame to illustrate where I was sitting.

Have fun with the assignment! We cannot wait to see what you all come up with!

Chuck

Critiquing Chuck

Thought it would be fun to pick two of Chuck's images that I really love and talk about WHY I like 'em. It helps to be able to analyze a shot (that you like or are inspired by) and know what you like about it. If you're able to break a shot down, it will help you to use the same techniques in your own work. I would encourage you all to think critically about the photography you love and use those images to grow your own photography.

Back to Chuck. Here are two of my favorites and my critique of them.

First up: "Five"-chuck has composed the image beautifully
1. the children are nicely spaced, good separation between layers (children, houses, etc)
2. i love how carefully he included aspects that tell us something about the neighborhood such as the stop sign and street signs, houses, cars, etc-he didn't try to hide some of these elements and it adds character and back story to the image
3. the timing is perfect-the bat is cocked back, ready to swing-his little brother is waiting behind him, eager to see candy fall out-chuck snapped at the height of anticipation and it's palpable here
4. the composition is simple and very effective-it places the pinata on the right third, the birthday boy close to center but just to the right and the other children on the right third-there's great spacing around everyone in the frame
5. the wide angle exaggerates the distance between the birthday boy and the other children, an isolating effect, though the shot contains a lot of warmth



next up: "peepee"-the composition uses the urinals to frame the scene very effectively and doesn't cut into any of them
1. the tiptoes are part of what makes this shot so perfect-it highlights the smallness of his son compared to this adult sized bathroom
2. shots from behind can take on a conceptual quality such as "slices of childhood" that a shot from the front can't do since it becomes a shot about a specific child rather than the idea of childhood things (if that makes sense)
3. he uses the 35L so well here (which is really the best PJ lens every manufactured-so versatile)
4. this shot is wonderfully humorous as well-you can't help but smile at the situation because it's very true to life-that's the beauty of capturing these kinds of unique family images, they're universal and personal at the same time




try this type of analysis/critique on another photographer's work some time-try to figure out what you like about it-is it the composition, the lighting, the timing/moment, or is it just the person who was photographed? or all of the above, of course? have a good one, guys-hope you enjoyed this

daniel

Composition: Layering

This is one my favorite subject to discuss about photography: layering. It incorporates a variety of subject matter into levels and results in more dynamic and complex photos. It incorporate the dynamic of foreground and background elements, rather than a shot of a single subject, alone. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this and we'll briefly discuss them.

The idea is to balance the image, using inanimate and animate (people, animals) things to frame your subject (as mentioned above, in the foreground and background). Here's an example:

In this shot, notice that I was careful to achieve separation between each layer. If I were to overlap my wife or father-in-law with my mother-in-law (who's in the background), I would lose the layering and end up with an unbalanced picture. Remember that as photographers, we can't imply layers or depth, we have to show it. If you're not getting enough separation, change your angle until it's achieved. Separation is very important to achieve true depth in a photograph.



This is very simple layering. Rather than a two-dimensional shot of my youngest crawling outside, I framed him in front of my oldest son. Layering, even when simple, creates a more 3-dimensional look and balances out a composition.





I love complex compositions like this. Each individual is doing something different, looking in a different direction. One of my favorite compositional tools is placing a face or body in the foreground (off to one side) and using that as a natural frame, leading the viewer into the shot and offering some context. (by the way, these are my cousins-we'll touch on expanding FPJ from immediate family in future posts)






In this shot, my oldest (Henry) was eating icicles. Nothing groundbreaking. However, my wife began to photograph him. I chose to take a lower angle, using them to frame one another and tell part of the story of that afternoon through simple layering.





It helps when there are multiple areas of action at once. Layering (or creating levels in an image) is not always enough to take a shot to a more interesting level. Sometimes, the action has to be there. In this shot, you'll see both my son and my wife playing. There's a type of parallel motion between them as well (you'll notice they're both reaching forward with their arms, both leaning to camera right).



I included this shot as an example of using this compositional technique with telephoto lenses. Rather than capture a headshot of my youngest, I chose to frame him with his grandfather behind him, incidentally providing context to where they are and who is present.



This is one of my favorite shots because of the way everyone is spaced. You just have to be ready to capture it when it happens IF you're waiting for it to happen naturally (which as a family PJ, we usually are). I used my youngest (as he looks on) to frame the action in front of him. I also used the doorway to frame them, making this photo more complex than if I had stepped into the bathroom and grabbed a tighter shot of what was happening.



Layering takes time and practice. It takes forethought but the results are well worth it. It's a skill I admire in the most gifted of photographers. By using it, it will take your compositions to a higher level, create a visual dynamic, take images from two to three dimensional, and add complexity to what might be otherwise flat images. Not to say that simple isn't good (I love that, too). As always, thanks for stopping by, guys and girls.

daniel

Using Doorways to Frame Your Subjects

A very simple way to help a composition along is to frame it with an object. As family photojournalists, we are often shooting in our homes; therefore, finding frames for our subjects can be a challenge.

The simplest way that I have found to add a frame to your subjects in the home is by using a doorway! This compositional element is one of my favorite ways to compose a shot. It is simple and very effective.

Try this: Set your child up with a favorite activity by a window in a room with a doorway. Let your child get good and engaged in what he is doing. Step outside the room and frame the subject with the doorway. The major advantage of this is you get a 'real' moment...your child being your child without adult influence.

Here are some examples:

Try it, I think you'll like it :)

Thanks for checking in! Contact us at thefamilyphotojournalist @ gmail.com with any questions or suggestions!

Chuck

Telephotos Can Do the Job, Too

Historically, photojournalists have shot wide to normal focal lengths (ex. 20mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm). Things have obviously changed but 35mm and 50mm are still very popular lenses and get a great deal of usage in order to tell a story visually. However, there are times that photojournalists are unable to get near the action or they are unwilling to disturb their subjects. In that case, a longer lens becomes necessary. You might find them limiting and feel they're only good for headshots or portraits. When used the right way, though, you can create some wonderful storytelling images.

This post will briefly address using telephoto lenses (TLs) to tell stories. Many of the same rules of composition apply with wide angle and TLs. Rule of thirds. Using leading lines and natural frames to draw interest into the photo and then direct the viewer toward the subject . Finding patterns and symmetry and so on. As with wide angle, include any important visuals in the frame that will help tell the story; leave any unnecessary visuals out. There's no right or wrong way to capture a story, so use the lens that will get the job done best. Sometimes, my 85 or 135mm lens is the better choice.

Benefits of using telephoto lenses here:

1. the subject may be less aware or wary of your presence-they may not play up to the camera as much, which will allow you to capture more natural behaviors out of your kiddos

2. compression-longer lenses make things appear closer together than they really are (you may already know this)-consider how this could help you layer your compositions in a more interesting way

3. longer lenses have shallower depth of field (DOF) at wider apertures than wide angles, allowing you to isolate your subject from the background more easily

4. in addition to isolating your subjects using shallow DOF, you can isolate elements that tell the story and simultaneously, eliminate clutter (sometimes, clutter works and sometimes, it's one of those elements you should eliminate)-it's all the judgment call of the photographer

Here are some examples taken with either the 85 f/1.8 or the 135 f/2L lens.

Taken with the 135L at a local fountain. It was nice to be able to frame him against the water from a comfortable, seated position, some 20-25 feet away. The telephoto also compressed the scene, making the shoots of water appear to be closer together than they truly were.



Taken with 85mm.



Taken with 85mm.



Since I used the 85mm lens, I was farther away from Henry than if I had used a wider lens and framed similarly. It gave me more time to wait for the moment I wanted (with a wider lens, he wouldn't been on top of me in a couple seconds), when he looked up at me. I was also able to track him easier at that distance using AI Servo.



Taken at 85mm.



Taken at 135mm.



Here is an example of how short telephotos can still be used to show context. I liked the moment my son and father-in-law were sharing and shooting from afar allowed that to continue, uninterrupted. Taken at 85mm.



Taken at 135mm.



I don't give a second thought to pushing my hands holds to get a shot (this means, I frequently shoot below the suggested shutter speed of 1/focal length). This shot was taken on a subway train and the softness doesn't bother me. The moment's there. Taken at 135mm.



Don't limit yourself to just one lens. Learn to see which lens will work for the shot you envision and grab that one. You'll appreciate the point of view it will give you, which is very different from that of a 24 or 35mm lens.

Email us with comments and questions. We want to cater this blog to our readers. Thanks for continuing to visit us.

daniel

Natural Light Shooting in Backlit Conditions

Spring/Summer is one of my favorite times of the year to shoot! My children LOVE being outdoors after months of being crammed inside due to frigid temperatures. They are all too eager to jump on a slide, ride a scooter, and play in water. To me, these are the things childhood is made of! On top of it all, the light is fantastic this time of year.

One way I like to enhance these warm/whimsical moments is by shooting in backlit conditions. Backlighting creates such great tones and adds energy and warmth to an image. Backlighting, simply put, is when your light source is behind your subject. So basically, it is when the photographer shoots 'into' their light source.

Backlit scenes can be challenging for the family photojournalist for a few reasons: 1. we are often shooting wide, so if we go by our light meter, we will often underexpose our subject. 2. we have been told to look at the histogram and not to 'blow the highlights'. when shooting backlit with natural light, you will blow the highlights.

So how do we shoot backlit scenes?

1. Expose FOR YOUR SUBJECT. I shoot in M (manual) mode 95% of the time. So I will often times get really close to my subject (fill the frame with your subject) and dial in the exposure using my in camera light meter. When you step back to recompose your scene, your light meter is going to lie to you! It is going to read that the scene is overexposed. But we know that our subject is exposed perfectly!

2. Work the sun! We are generally shooting into the sun. However, you can place the sun just off to the side so that its just outside of the framing of the photo. Also, I like to put the sun just behind the subject's head. A lot of time this will yield lens flare. Sometimes this is desirable other times it is not. So it really depends on your intentions! So move the sun around in the frame to play with different effects.

3. Post processing a backlit shot. Shooting backlit will often cause your subjects to be less contrasty. I try to capture back some of that loss of contrast in a few ways (I use Photoshop CS4): a.) Using ACR (Adobe RAW Convertor), I will often increase my blacks from a +5 (the default) to about a +10. Obviously, this is arbitrary and will vary from image to image. b.) Using ACR, I will often adjust the clarity to about a +10 (again, vary from image to image). c.) After any editing I do to an image, I will often 'dodge and burn' the photo for any 'local' tonal adjustments (to see how I dodge and burn, go to my tutorial on 'seeing in black and white').

Below are a few examples of shots in backlit conditions using the techniques above:



























Quick recap: Meter your subject, not the background. Position the sun in various locations. Recapture some contrast in post processing. Have fun with it!


Thanks for stopping by! Contact us at thefamilyphotojournalist@gmail.com if you have any questions!

Chuck

Using Flash

While most everything Chuck and I shoot utilizes natural light/ambient light only, there are times where flash is called for. Flash can be used for numerous reasons: fill (fill in the shadows), main (light light, overpowering existing ambient lighting), or blending (a mixture of flash and ambient). While you may not use flash often, as I don't, it's certainly a skill that is vital to getting the shot no matter what the circumstances. After all, f/1.4 lenses are great but not everyone can afford them and even if you can afford them, they may not be enough. This post will be the first in a series (will post on flash from time to time) about on-camera hot shoe flashes. We won't discuss built-in flashes, since there's very little you can do creatively with them.

Most times, when I pull out my flash, I'm shooting impromtu, informal shots of my boys. Here are a couple examples:





But The Family Photojournalist is about more than just portrait documentaries, though this is certainly a reasonable aspect of it (see Steve McCurry's head shots of Afghanis, etc). Flash can be used to light or augment your subjects in a very pleasing way. One negative is that the burst of flash can draw attention to you, but if you are careful with your compositions and take your time getting the shot, you shouldn't be firing away every few seconds anyways.

First, let's discuss bounce. Shooting on-camera flash is usually frowned upon and for good reason. It's flat and dull. Anyone with a point and shoot can do this. You bought an SLR, why not enhance them with flash instead of kill them? By bouncing your flash off a side wall, for instance, you turn your living room wall into a giant softbox. Example:



This shot was taken by bouncing my canon 580 exII off of the far wall, directly to camera right (which is about 15 feet away). The quality of light improves dramatically, rendering a softer, more pleasing light on your subjects. Also, by bouncing it from the side, it shapes my wife and son's faces nicely. By shaping, I mean that it creates pleasing shadows which outline the face and add a more 3-dimensional aspect to it.

Side note: Light modifiers have their place but if you can find a place to bounce your flash, you won't need a modifier (I never use one).

Here's another using side bounce off our front door, which is white:



Flash is also great for shooting in your house at night. Overhead lights cast those raccoon shadows. By bouncing flash, you get to choose the quality and direction of the light. In other words, you decide which direction your light is coming. Instead of overhead or from a nearby lamp, it can come from the side, from 45 degrees up, etc.

My usual settings will vary depending on how I want the image to look but generally, I'll get an ambient reading and then underexpose between 2/3 to 1 2/3 stops and allow the flash to fill in. This keeps makes the flash the main light but allows some of the ambient light to remain. The more you underexpose, the more subdued your ambient light will appear. I usually use full evaluative metering mode and overexpose the flash exposure by 2/3 to 1 full stop. Remember, though, that flash exposure works the same as a camera meter (exposing for neutral gray) so consider if your scene is mostly light or mostly dark which will change things.

Things to consider when bouncing flash:

1. lighter walls are preferred-colors such as white, light blue, yellow, and even tan provide a good bouncing surface-darker colors will eat up your flash
2. be careful of white balance when bouncing-if you shoot black and white, as chuck and I often do, it won't be much of an issue but if you're shooting for color, your flash will take on the color properties of the wall itself (and it's tough to fix)
3. watch the direction of your bounce-you usually can't go wrong when pointing the flash directly to the left of right-avoid pointing it straight up at the ceiling, which results in shadows around the eyes (i.e., raccoon eyes)-you can even point your flash 45 degree up and behind you (which allows you to use the ceiling but the light does not hit the subject from directly overhead)

Here's an example of the 45 degree flash position (I actually used this same 45 degree position to light the shot below):



4. if you don't have a wall, look for something to bounce flash off of-it could be someone's white shirt (that they're wearing), white furniture, window blinds, etc-try this sometime, you'll be surprised that it works (esp. when you don't have another choice)
5. experiment-learn how to use your flash-you can read all you want but if you don't slap on your flash and use it a bit, it won't be worth using when you need it

I wouldn't recommend one flash brand over another for family photojournalism. I use Canon professional flashes since I shoot professionally as well. It makes sense for what I do. There is also the Sigma DG series (which i used to own and liked), Sunpak series (which i've also owned), and others. The important thing is that your flash has E-TTL capabilities (meaning, it can sync with your camera which helps it determine how to properly expose the shot) and has tilt and swivel capabilities (for bouncing flash off stuff).

One other benefit of using a hot shoe flash is that it provides an AF assist beam, which helps the camera focus in very low light. You can get focus on something in near darkness with that beam and that can come in very handy.



Even though this shot has been posted before, it's the only shot in the birth series that used flash and I felt it was appropriate for this post.





I hope this has been useful. Please send us emails if there are things you'd like to be explained better or want us to go into more depth. I don't plan to go into technical stuff like lighting patterns, etc., but I'm glad to help you via email if I can. Your thoughts and ideas help us shape upcoming posts and the emails we've received so far are greatly appreciated, guys.

daniel