I Learned Something New Today

It seems like I learn something each day I use my camera. Usually I use Mannual mode but today I decided to try Aperture priority mode. I was doing a shoot during an outdoor tent covered event starting slightly before golden hour to just before blue hour. Challenging lighting conditions.

I thought flash might be useful in back light situations. So I attached the flash and ass-u-med it was working. It wasn't but I didn't take time to figure it out. Well I found that flash will not fire when using electronic shutter. Lesson 1.

When using Manual mode the front dial adjusts Aperture and the rear  dial adjusts the shutter speed. However when using Aperture or Shutter priority the front dial adjusts exposure compensation while the rear dial adjust the Aperture or Shutter speed respectfully. Lesson 2 I don't need to press the stupid exposure comp button.

Save Your Camera Settings

I have an OM-D E-M5 iii camera and it doesn't support using Olympus workspace to save settings that you can reload following a firmware update.

To at that end I created a spread sheet to c capture my settings. This is Google sheets format.

Exposure Compensation

Why? I've decided to use manual mode. Many will say that the go to setting is to use Aperture mode. Ok seemingly a good idea but you give up control of shutter speed. This may result in motion blur. Maybe for artistic reasons you want motion blur but not as a side effect. 

Ok use Shutter speed but give up depth of field. Why do you want that side effect? A Nikon eBook    says "Although it is possible to use the exposure compensation feature in the manual mode, it is more practical to use it with the P, S, or A modes because the camera will make the exposure adjustment automatically. In the manual mode, it is much easier to simply shift the aperture or shutter speed by the desired amount directly if you wish to deviate from the metered exposure."

Yes exposure composition may help but I ask why? Use Manual mode and do exposure composition by changing Shutter speed or Aperture. My camera is set so that 1 click is the Shutter speed or Aperture dials is a 1/3 stop change of exposure. 3 clicks = 1 stop.

Google Photos

Several years ago at an FMCA rally at Syracuse I was introduced to Google Photos. Prior to that I had used Picasa, a Google program. I was disappointed when Google removed it. 

Now I use it on my phone and me wife in her phone and iPad. It is useful in editing, organization, search and creating albums.

You may find this youtube channel useful, 

Information detail

Watch What You Read UP-DATE

Yes I have a new M43 camera. So I that that I would look for some Why M43 camera. I didn't get far. The first, and maybe my last, article didn't show a published date in the header. Ok not a big deal I thought. Wrong. The author started to give the usually favorable comments, weight, 2x crop, ... Then the negatives., Lack of lens line up, slow auto focus, low light ability, noise, ...

But wait, there are a lot of lenses, not as many as Nikon, Cannon, Tamron, Sigma to be sure. Low light ability to be sure, noise ok I'll give you that.

I stopped reading because I don't see many of the shortcomings in my OM-D E-M5 iii, and he started discussing Olympus OM-D. I skipped to the end to see if his review had a date. He didn't, the comments were closed and the last comment was 2013. 

Seven years is a long time in camera years. Most, maybe all previously shortcomings have been eliminated except ISO performance and bokeh. But do you really need that?

So when you look at a review make sure it is current.

Bard, Google AI, doesn't always get it correct but in this case I think it is. I've seen FB posts that are dated regarding photography. 

Eye Glasses Photo Glare

In viewing some Photoshop/Lightroom/Photography Facebook groups or pages in seen several "... How do I fix ..." posts. This causes me wonder, why didn't you fix it when you took the image. Yes we all make mistakes in composition, exposure and similar.

Some things are difficult or time consuming to correct in post. Les, Randy and others have said something like, "you are responsible to all that's in the frame".

Basically we need to slow down when we compose our scene. Look for unwanted reflection's, glare, litter, signs, weird, etc.

Ok Larry what brings this on? Glasses glare/reflection's in a post where the question was how do I fix it in PS?

To me the real question is, how do I eliminate glare/reflection's. Of course Google has answers. Here's on, https://www.colesclassroom.com/3-easy-tips-avoid-glasses-glare-photos/ and this for fixing Transitions shading, https://www.colesclassroom.com/how-to-edit-transition-lenses-lightroom/

Olympus Bracketing

I have an OM-D E-M5 iii and was playing with Bracketing, menu, camera 2, Bracketing. There are several choices and I tried. ART BKT. Turning that option allows you to choose the ART filter to apply when you take a shot.

This results in a raw, SF jpg, and each ART choice jpg image.

That's a cool thing.

Olympus OM-D in camera processing

I just learned a feature in my OM-D cameras. Well not so amazing really. Since all sensors record a raw data file. But new to me is I took an image, M/auto ISO, and then processed in camera a JPEG using an art filter. Kind-a-cool. No need to change the mode dial. Just select the RAW image and apply the settings. I chose the are filter but I could have selected to adjust, wb, exp, shadow, bright, ...

Then upload to my phone and get 

Only Show Your Best

In a group I'm in we're often reminded by Randy, the group leader, "... only show your best ...". To often many more images than necessary. I too fall into that trap. But several images showing the same scene with slight changes in position is boring.

I stop viewing whenever I see that a person has posted 30 or so images. What's the point? When I go to shoot wildlife, action our similar, I may take offer 300 images. "Film" is cheap. Just a few a worthy of showing. That said when I shoot a sporting event I'll try and get a better than good image of each participant.

I recently read in Photography Life

"Be Diligent about Which Photos You Display

Let’s say that you made 1000 smoothies, and you only ever let people taste the ten best. They’d think that every smoothie you make is amazing.

In landscape photography, the same thing holds true. Even Ansel Adams said that one successful photo a month is a good crop. So, don’t feel pressured into showing as many photos as possible. Instead, put a lot of care into the work you display. A couple of bad photos can drag down the quality of an amazing portfolio."

Get It Right

I subscribe to Light Stalking and this came into my inbox and thought I should share it; 

"Hello there!

Get it right in camera.

If you have been around a while, you will hear this little piece of photography canon.

And it’s right. 

You should absolutely do everything in your camera to get as close to the end result as you possibly can while you have the camera in your hands.

But here’s where things go a little wobbly.

Invariably in these conversations about getting it right in camera, “that guy” will wade in with the gem that “I don’t need to do post processing because I get it right in camera.”

**sigh**

Sorry, but you do need to do post-production and you absolutely do not “get it right” in camera in 99% of cases (especially if you’re photographing complex exposure scenes like landscapes or dynamic scenes like sport or wildlife).

Nobody does. Sure, you can snag the occasional unicorn, but it’s very rare. It’s probably more possible in scenarios where you control everything (studios), but it’s still rare.

And in any case, “not doing post” is simply leaving it up to your camera to do the post for you. The very act of transforming a raw file to jpg ***IS*** post production.

Do it yourself, or leave it to the German/Japanese engineers to choose your settings, but it IS post production one way or the other.

Ansel Adams did post processing and even wrote a book on it. James Natchwey spends days in the darkroom for his famous shots. Steve McCurry famously got caught out doing a little too much post production and telling fibs about it (don’t do that). 

So “that guy” who claims everything they shoot is “right in camera” is better than those photographers?

Sorry, I don’t think so.

And in ALL of the cases I have checked out (because I usually look for their portfolio when they make the claim), literally 100% of them could have been improved with some skilful post—production. Some of them by a lot.

Here is a fact.

Good photography requires good shoot skills AND good post-production.

You should be trying to master them both because both require a lot of skill.

Get it right in camera. Then get it right in post too.

If you need a start, take a look at Steve Arnold’s very popular Photoshop 101 course for photographers here. (The video on this page is worth a watch, regardless).

Cheers,

Rob
 

608 Harris St
Ultimo NSW 2007
AUSTRALIA

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"

Lightroom Shortcuts

Thought some may like this, https://www.phototraces.com/lightroom-tutorials/lightroom-keyboard-shortcuts/

Don't Ask Me ...

Often I heard a photographer ask, "what settings should I use?"

How do I know,

  • what are you trying to accomplish?

  • what camera are you using?

  • what lens are you using, zoom, macro, prime?

  • any lens filter

  •.What camera mode, A, S, P, M, custom modes?

  • mirrorless

  • Bokeh, 

  • ???

You need to define your objective, composition, your camera capabilities, your capabilities.

So the settings? In that simple question that I can't answer.

What's your answer?

Read more from Robin Wong

And Jared Polin from where I have learned a lot.

Also you should review It's All About Stops

Auto ISO

This is my go to manual, ok semi auto, setting. But there are times that I choose a specific ISO as low as possible to meet the shooting situation.

Auto ISO

Additional information

   Auto ISO, 

   Backcountry Gallery

BUT if you want to take HDR or similar composite shots it's not for you.

Often it is recommend to use exposure compensation to make quick exposure changes. My choice is to use AUTO ISO. Oh but the grain the grain. Yeah? What of it? You're post processing your RAW data aren't you? Who will see your image? Phone, tablet, laptop screen.  That's a different post.