Note: Looking at the photographs of others is a valuable way to improve your photographic skills. But where to look? Like most of you, I have my favorite photography magazines that I read regularly. This is different. This is not a list of the best magazines about photography. Rather, it is a compendium of magazines that, in my opinion, make the best use of photographs. These are magazines who, in some way, shape or form, have made the advancement of photography a part of their mission. Had I not been limiting myself to titles that you can buy on the newsstand, I would have included classics like Life and Look. Sadly they have gone by the wayside. So, without further ado …
1. National Geographic.
Since 1888, National Geographic has been educating people about the world around them through the use of photographic images. From portraiture to sports photography, from Hutus to hummingbirds, you can probably find an image in National Geographic. In addition, the magazine has always been open to innovations in imaging, like color photography. For years now, to be associated with NG is the pinnacle of many a photographer’s career and as time goes by the magazine just keeps getting better. Amazingly, it has never given into one type or style of photography. Just when I think they’ve covered the bases, they spring something new – from cowboy tintypes to colored scanned electron micrographs. Simply the best.
2. Sports Illustrated
Launched in 1954, Sports Illustrated documents the ever widening world of sports. A recent article on homing pigeons is an example of the variety that can be found in SI’s pages. As its name implies, the magazine makes liberal use of photographs and some of its images have become iconic. The cover photograph is the basis for the SI Cover Jinx and images can range from action to portraiture. And then there’s those girls every February. Yep, SI is a photographer’s delight.
3. Vanity Fair
VF is in it’s third incarnation since 1868. The current version, born in 1983, hit its stride when Tina Brown took over the magazine in 1984. She established a top notch stable of photographers, including Annie Leibovitz, Harry Benson, Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts. VF’s strength is portraiture and its portfolios can sometimes be quite stunning. Suffice it to say that the cover shot is always interesting.
4. Rolling Stone
Since 1967, Rolling Stone has been perfecting its own style, both written and photographic. I first saw the work of Annie Leibovitz in its pages and that tradition continues to this day. When it comes to portraiture or entertainment it doesn’t get much better than this. I also like the childhood snapshots RS publishes in its profiles.
5. Field & Stream
F&S? You mean my father’s F&S? Yes, but it isn’t your father’s F&S. Since 1873, Field & Stream has been publishing the work of some very fine writers and has been nominated several times for National Magazine Awards. In the Nineties, F&S started to make greater use of photography and today features great images throughout the magazine. Recently, F&S began publishing thematic portfolios by various photographers. If you’re into outdoor or wildlife photography, this is the place for you.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Big Shake Up At Leica
Today Steven K. Lee was dismissed as Chairman of the Board of Management of Leica Camera AG with immediate effect. Dr. Andreas Kaufmann was named as his replacement until at least February 28, 2009.Mr. Lee joined Leica after serving as a Vice President at Minnesota based Best Buy Co.
It is hard to say what, if any, impact this will have on Leica. Mr. Lee was an advocate of change for the oft times stodgy Germany company. Keep an eye out as Mr. Kaufmann promises that “I think this year 2008 will give us some more surprises...”.
Variables
Lunar Eclipse and Saturn, 2008Since photography’s inception, becoming a better photographer has required mastering a set of variables. Traditionally, in addition to film speed, shutter speed and aperture, one also had to consider lighting and composition. With the advent of digital photography the list of variables one needs to keep track of gets longer and longer every year. Do I set Live View or Continuous mode? How many AF points should I use? Should I use focus point wraparound? The list goes on and on. Since most of us are only human, we have a tendency to forget things. Therefore, the longer the list of variables becomes, the greater the risk that we will miss something.
The image above is an example of one of my bigger mistakes. The skies were clear and the eclipse was beautiful. I had prepped my camera hours in advance. I was using the best that modern technology has to offer, Nikon’s D3. This was going to be a killer shoot. Or so I thought. Unfortunately, I had forgotten one small thing. On the advice of another website, I had set Auto ISO on. I had set maximum sensitivity at ISO 6400 and minimum shutter speed at 1/30. So far, so good. Except for one thing: I forget to turn it off for this shoot. So, despite the fact that I had set my ISO at 200 manually, the camera overrode that and shot everything at 6400.
I was puzzled when I opened the images in Lightroom and saw the noise. I was horrified when I looked at the EXIF data and discovered everything was shot at 6400. No amount of sharpening or noise reduction could help overcome this error.
The image above is an example of one of my bigger mistakes. The skies were clear and the eclipse was beautiful. I had prepped my camera hours in advance. I was using the best that modern technology has to offer, Nikon’s D3. This was going to be a killer shoot. Or so I thought. Unfortunately, I had forgotten one small thing. On the advice of another website, I had set Auto ISO on. I had set maximum sensitivity at ISO 6400 and minimum shutter speed at 1/30. So far, so good. Except for one thing: I forget to turn it off for this shoot. So, despite the fact that I had set my ISO at 200 manually, the camera overrode that and shot everything at 6400.
I was puzzled when I opened the images in Lightroom and saw the noise. I was horrified when I looked at the EXIF data and discovered everything was shot at 6400. No amount of sharpening or noise reduction could help overcome this error.
Lessons learned? You will make mistakes. For every great shot you get, there will be many pieces of crap. Modern photography has almost too many variables to remember. Try to reduce the number as best you can. Look, I like auto as much as the next person. I like to focus on subject matter and composition. But this kinda makes me long for my Nikon FM and the big three: film speed, shutter speed and aperture.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
My Face Froze, But The D3 Didn’t
Last night I stepped out into my front yard to take a few pictures of the total lunar eclipse. In Minnesota the skies were crystalline and the temperature was a balmy -3°F. The heavens put on quite a show. In addition to the eclipsed moon, I could photograph Saturn (just to the southeast of the moon) and the bright star Regulus (just north of the moon).
Despite the frosty temperatures, the D3 performed flawlessly. The camera sat outside for over an hour with no malfuctions. Very surprising since I was using Live View mode. I manually focussed using a magnifying glass and spot metered the moon, adjusting with the exposure compenstion button. I will post a few images as soon as I process them.
Overall, an impressive performance for the D3. I am becoming convinced that this will go down as one of the classic cameras. So far, I am wowed.
Despite the frosty temperatures, the D3 performed flawlessly. The camera sat outside for over an hour with no malfuctions. Very surprising since I was using Live View mode. I manually focussed using a magnifying glass and spot metered the moon, adjusting with the exposure compenstion button. I will post a few images as soon as I process them.
Overall, an impressive performance for the D3. I am becoming convinced that this will go down as one of the classic cameras. So far, I am wowed.
Everything I Wrote Was Wrong (Part Two)
The negative can now be compared to a musical score. It's ready for its performance -- the print.
Ansel Adams
Recently, I wrote the first piece in this series which related how printmaking had changed my views on the craft of photography. That article was meant to be an introduction and wasn’t terribly specific. Here I hope to tighten up those views and be more explicit.
Today, digital photographers have many different outlets for their work. Nevertheless, I believe that the ultimate end product is and needs to be, the print. As Ansel Adams states above, a photographic negative (or digital file if you prefer) is like a musical composition, while each print made from that negative is an individual performance of that composition. It is only through preparing an image for printing that you can really come to grips with your photographs. It is only by seeing your mistakes on paper that you can develop techniques to avoid them. Printmaking stretches your imagination and causes you to see things very differently.
Here’s what my printmaking experience has taught me so far.
1. Begin by looking at photographs you admire. I alluded to this in the first part of this article. After surveying the field through several fine books, I settled on a handful of photographers that I really admired. I didn’t worry about becoming a cliché, I thought about what I liked. I studied the photographs I liked and I really looked at them. After awhile I noticed that I had made some very similar images. I was on my way to discovering what worked for me.
2. Make good images. I know this sounds simple, but a lot of folks get so wrapped up in wanting to make “art” that they forget to make a good photographs. Beginners, in particular, need to pay attention to this. First, learn how to take a well composed, in focus image. When you’ve mastered that, then worry about “art”. No amount of Photoshopping can turn a poorly framed, out of focus image into something usable, much less “art”. A really good book on this subject is George Barr’s Take Your Photography to the Next Level
.
3. Think critically. This is harder than it sounds. We have a natural tendency to fall in love with some unacceptable images. Fight it. Compare your work to that of those you admire. Is it up to snuff? If not, save it for another day. At the same time, don’t forget to go through your rejects from time to time. Your view may have changed and you may see an approach you didn’t notice before.
4. Develop a collection. Once you’ve gone through a group of photos, create a collection of a few you want to print. In creating this collection imagine your images on a gallery wall somewhere. You will be amazed at how quickly that collection shrinks.
More ideas later.
Ansel Adams
Recently, I wrote the first piece in this series which related how printmaking had changed my views on the craft of photography. That article was meant to be an introduction and wasn’t terribly specific. Here I hope to tighten up those views and be more explicit.
Today, digital photographers have many different outlets for their work. Nevertheless, I believe that the ultimate end product is and needs to be, the print. As Ansel Adams states above, a photographic negative (or digital file if you prefer) is like a musical composition, while each print made from that negative is an individual performance of that composition. It is only through preparing an image for printing that you can really come to grips with your photographs. It is only by seeing your mistakes on paper that you can develop techniques to avoid them. Printmaking stretches your imagination and causes you to see things very differently.
Here’s what my printmaking experience has taught me so far.
1. Begin by looking at photographs you admire. I alluded to this in the first part of this article. After surveying the field through several fine books, I settled on a handful of photographers that I really admired. I didn’t worry about becoming a cliché, I thought about what I liked. I studied the photographs I liked and I really looked at them. After awhile I noticed that I had made some very similar images. I was on my way to discovering what worked for me.
2. Make good images. I know this sounds simple, but a lot of folks get so wrapped up in wanting to make “art” that they forget to make a good photographs. Beginners, in particular, need to pay attention to this. First, learn how to take a well composed, in focus image. When you’ve mastered that, then worry about “art”. No amount of Photoshopping can turn a poorly framed, out of focus image into something usable, much less “art”. A really good book on this subject is George Barr’s Take Your Photography to the Next Level
.3. Think critically. This is harder than it sounds. We have a natural tendency to fall in love with some unacceptable images. Fight it. Compare your work to that of those you admire. Is it up to snuff? If not, save it for another day. At the same time, don’t forget to go through your rejects from time to time. Your view may have changed and you may see an approach you didn’t notice before.
4. Develop a collection. Once you’ve gone through a group of photos, create a collection of a few you want to print. In creating this collection imagine your images on a gallery wall somewhere. You will be amazed at how quickly that collection shrinks.
More ideas later.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Return Of Jericho!
Last Spring, I and a few thousand other nuts saved our favorite show, Jericho, from cancellation. This was an almost unprecedented decision on the part of CBS. Nevertheless, if the show doesn’t get good ratings it will be gone.
The New York Times has an article about the show’s return here. You can go to the Jericho website here and catch up. The first of seven new episodes airs tonight at 10/9 Central. Please watch.
The New York Times has an article about the show’s return here. You can go to the Jericho website here and catch up. The first of seven new episodes airs tonight at 10/9 Central. Please watch.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Got Yer Sigma DP1 Right Here
Get yer Sigma DP1 right here. Price: $799 (too high). Release date: March 25th. Since my usual dealer won’t be carrying it, this is a good option. If you’ve got questions about Sigma’s Foveon sensor and how it stacks up against a Canon 5D, I suggest that you peruse this piece by Mike Chaney.
Update: After sleeping on it, I think I’ll pass on the Sigma DP1. By the time you add the optional viewfinder and hood you are at nearly $1,000 for a camera with a fixed focal length lens and a somewhat slow aperture. My perfect pro point and shoot still has interchangeable lenses. Maybe Leica or Nikon will come up with that perfect rangefinder for Photokina.
Price: $799 (too high). Release date: March 25th. Since my usual dealer won’t be carrying it, this is a good option. If you’ve got questions about Sigma’s Foveon sensor and how it stacks up against a Canon 5D, I suggest that you peruse this piece by Mike Chaney.Update: After sleeping on it, I think I’ll pass on the Sigma DP1. By the time you add the optional viewfinder and hood you are at nearly $1,000 for a camera with a fixed focal length lens and a somewhat slow aperture. My perfect pro point and shoot still has interchangeable lenses. Maybe Leica or Nikon will come up with that perfect rangefinder for Photokina.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
What Is The Best Lens For My … ?
I see this question asked over and over again on various Internet forums. The answer, of course, is: That depends on how you use your camera. Not a very helpful response I know, but it is true. If you are a wide angle shooter than a wide angle zoom lens may be the best for you. If you shoot most of your stuff at 200 mm, than a 200 mm prime is the best lens for you. The problem, up until now, has been sifting through all that EXIF data to determine how you really use your camera, rather than how you think you use your camera. That problem has now been solved, at least for users of Lightroom.
Thanks to The Online Photographer’s article here, I discovered a piece of free-ware entitled ImageReporter. IR works with the EXIF data in Lightroom to generate a report which allows you to see your most used focal lengths, amongst other things. I recently downloaded IR to try it out and it works like a charm. In order to get the best possible data, I did have to upload all my images (around 2500) into Lightroom which took some time. A side benefit I did not expect was that I rediscovered a couple of images I want to use.
After analyzing the data from over 2500 images taken over the period of the last three years, I discovered the following about myself.
1. My “best” zoom lens is a 20-60 mm (rounded to the nearest 10 mm)
2. My “best” prime lens (after considering the zoom) is a 300 mm.
3. I very rarely crop in Lightroom and when I do it’s no more than 90%
After using IR I can honestly say it’s a great piece of software. Considering the price (free) if you use Lightroom (and if you don’t, why not) you need to have it. I am certain that it will change your views about the “best” lens.
Thanks to The Online Photographer’s article here, I discovered a piece of free-ware entitled ImageReporter. IR works with the EXIF data in Lightroom to generate a report which allows you to see your most used focal lengths, amongst other things. I recently downloaded IR to try it out and it works like a charm. In order to get the best possible data, I did have to upload all my images (around 2500) into Lightroom which took some time. A side benefit I did not expect was that I rediscovered a couple of images I want to use.
After analyzing the data from over 2500 images taken over the period of the last three years, I discovered the following about myself.
1. My “best” zoom lens is a 20-60 mm (rounded to the nearest 10 mm)
2. My “best” prime lens (after considering the zoom) is a 300 mm.
3. I very rarely crop in Lightroom and when I do it’s no more than 90%
After using IR I can honestly say it’s a great piece of software. Considering the price (free) if you use Lightroom (and if you don’t, why not) you need to have it. I am certain that it will change your views about the “best” lens.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Good News For Leica M8 Owners
In an email dated January 31st, Leica rolled out a perpetual upgrade program under which, “every LEICA M8 will forever be a state-of-the-art digital camera”.“It is our aim to secure your investment in the LEICA M8 for the future. ‘While other digital cameras quickly become outdated and are replaced by newer models, our new concept extends the value retention and resistance to obsolescence embodied in the Leica ethos. Over time, we will gradually offer new product features and developments as upgrade options,’ declares Steven K. Lee, CEO of Leica Camera AG. ‘Our customers can therefore still invest in the photographic tools they need without worrying that they will miss out on improvements and technological developments along the way.”
The first upgrade kit includes:
• Scratch-proof sapphire glass cover for the LCD monitor.• Noise-optimized shutter with a fastest speed of 1/4000s.• Health-check and complete adjustment of the camera, testing all its functions.• Installation of the newest relevant firmware.• New factory warranty of two years covering the same conditions as for a new camera.
Kinda makes me wish I hadn’t let mine go.
Update: Initially, I thought the Leica upgrade program was a sweet deal and a sign that the company really cared about its customers. I have since learned that the first upgrade will cost you 1200 Euros or about $1800 in today’s market. That’s about a third of the retail cost of the entire camera itself. I guess Leica does care about their customers; about picking their pockets.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)