Zone Focus

Many articles discussed sharpness. Yes it's important and many may will disagree with me. 

But do you need to track the eye and spend money to purchase new cameras, "gun site" accessories? IMHO No.

Consider zone focus. 

For me with moving subjects I use Photopills DoF pill to decide will the subject be in focus.

When I'm using my 75-300mm glass wide open at f/6.7 and estimated distance of 100ft my DoF is over than 6 feet. That's enough for me to capture many subjects with acceptable sharpness. At f/8.0 DoF is 8 ft. That works for me. YMMV.

For those not M43 shooters need to consider the sensor size. Using a full frame at 600mm it would cut the DoF about half.

 DoF Simulator

PhotoPills DoF Pill

Choose your aperture

My DoF Rant

Getting Started With Lightroom

 Don't purchase a subscription, install the application and start using it!

Take an online course.

Mattk https://mattk.com/lightroomsystem/

Tim Grey https://www.greylearning.com/courses/mastering-lightroom-classic-2023

Lara Shoe https://laurashoe.com/lightroom-5-6-classic-cc-the-fundamentals-beyond-video-tutorials/

Anthony Morganti https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLllFqBuTM0WJTD4rpvf748Um9MMmbo4r9

In the words of Thomas Watson "THINK".

I started using Lightroom sometime in 2016. At a recommendation, a helpful friend, I purchased a $30 book. Yes it got me started but not the best way. I then found an online course which I purchased. It made sense and it was quite good and through. But led me, I found later, a some of a rabbit hole.

What's the hole?  Basically I didn't THINIK. I just had images on the 'C' drive on my PC.

FIRST THINK about your folder/volume structure. An  early course suggested year, month, day structure. That worked but... Use a large, 2 to 3 terabyte, external drive. Consider an SSD, Solid State Drive. Get another one as a backup drive. 

Second Understand that Lightroom is a DAM, Digital Asset Management application. A relational Database. It uses a Catalog to know where your on your filesystem your images is with the metadata about your camera, serial, lens, Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, Focal Length, and other information, 

The important is to what makes sense to you. Based on recent  videos I have landed on Categories. So I am  moving to;

CATORGIES

   TRAVEL

name of trip followed by date. For example Alaska Trip 2016 or yyyymmdd Alaska

    PEOPLE

    WILDLIFE

    LANDSCAPE  

 what works for you.

IF or when YOU INSTALLED LIGHTROOM CLASSIC AND STARTED USING IT 

DON'T MOVE YOUR FILES USING THE COMPUTER'S FILE SYSTEM 

 Finder or Explorer 

Now if you want to avoid the Lightroom Classic catalog and a few features that Classic has install Lightroom, which was call Cloud. Lightroom is basically a image browser in the Local tab.

Watch this video by Brian Matiash about Lightroom

Also my blog post here about how I am moving to Lightroom

 

Am I Getting Better?

How am I getting better?

Using the following criteria;   composition, focus. lighting, exposure, sharpness, would print and show them on your wall?

Go through the photos you took 3 years ago and select 20-24, no more, that you consider are the best. 

 This is your base line. Create a collection or album of that collection.  Perhaps give that album/collection name "Improvement Baseline"

Next go through your photos taken in the last 12 months  and select the 20-24, no more, of your best. 

Now on the last best which, using the same criteria when selecting the  baseline which are better than the first best. If you have 0 you haven't progressed. Now since you progressed use the one's better than you baseline and replace best of the new selection in the baseline. That is the new baseline. 

Replace this process in the next 12 months to note your improvement.

18% Gray

We were in a store and i saw black and white poster board. So I grabbed my pocket camera and took a couple of shots. I believe that there's florescence lighting.

White posterboard 

Black poster board 

Our cameras are created to average reflected light to middle, 18%, gray.

No this isn't scientific study just a casual couple of photos.

Become a "Bad Photographer"

 In 2020 I became a "bad photographer" and wrote on my blog

Yes over the years I've purchased several camera Bodies. Not for improved picture quality but for improved features, weight, dials and buttons, articulated screen.

In 2016 or 17 I asked Randy Saffles about what camera to buy he said glass. It's more important.

Get the shot!

This video provide additional information

If you're interested

I have a online group where we can share images, discuss photography, the digital darkroom and related.

This uses phone and tablets. There is no native app for computers.

You can join here: 

Larry Kurfis wants you to join the group, Practical Photography By Larry in the TeamReach App.

Instructions:

Install TeamReach on iPhone (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/teamreach-team-management/id1101253705?mt=8

Install TeamReach on Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teamreach.app

Enter code: PGL_M541

Thanks

Get more from your Cell phone camera.

 Cellphone camera users may find this useful from Picture Correct

I use the special features on my Pixel 6s as well as the camera in lightroom mobile and open camera app.

Following this Blog?

 I have added a feature where you can follow this blog. It is on the upper right. 

Please consider following my blog. Thank you.

My Lightroom Desktop Workflow

1. Insert camera card to computer reader.

2. Select the images you want to save to your "image library" and copy them. 

3. Paste to the desired location. 

4. Using Lightroom Desktop review and select your picks and select those selections and create a subdirectory and move the selections to that directory, which I label it to PICKS. 

5. Review the PICKS and those I choose to edit and give them 4 stars.

6. When it is ready to publish I got to Photoshop to add my signature them make those 5 stars.

7. Optionally copy the best to the cloud.

How I got the Shot

The Shot

I use an Olympus OM-D E-M5 iii and the cellphone app oi.share.

I put a rag on the ground to rest the camera on. With the fully articulated screen I arranged the camera for the shots, enabled wifi connection then to closed the screen.

With my phone I set wifi for connect to the camera. Opened the app oi.share and used remote control function. I selected live view so I can control camera settings and press the shutter. 

Now set in a chair and wait for the action and trip the shutter.

An example of the phones screen

That's how I got the Shot.

Larry's Photography Hang out

I have a Discord server called Larry's Photography Hangout . You are invited to join by following this link, https://discord.com/invite/4dbE6GYpXa

At my hangout we can discuss all things photography, exchange information, ask the community for assistance. Discord server is an interactive text and video community.

Moving from Lightroom Classic to Lightroom (Update 20240923)

 Some may ask Why? Well I've hedged my bets so I can go back. I created xmp sidecar on every imported image. I changed so that xmp sidecars are created for each import and edit. Since lightroom desktop any edit there will also use the xmp. When you use Lightroom Classic you get an indication that the metadata was changed by outside of LrC choose to use the metadata on the disk.

First I created a folder under me master photos folder called Lightroom Desktop. In Lightroom Classic Library folders I changed my folder name to Lightroom Classic.

Now all new images will be copied from my camera to Lightroom Desktop. I have a folder CATAGORIES  and under that I have folder for ANIMIALS, PEOPLE, LANDSCAPE,  and others. Each subcategory I will further refine to others as needed. 

I can use my camera microphone to record a short description of the shoot and other information as needed. The import dialog in Classic ignores that information.

Yes there are some "short comings" but none are show stoppers. 

When I wanted to create a slideshow I select the images and moved them to a subfolder, Slideshow-name.

Why use Lightroom Desktop? No catalog, basically the Local tab is a browser and when you have your best images you can add them to the cloud and use web, mobile, portfolio and other that the Adobe Ecosystem.

Name Change

 I have changed the name of the blog. Practical Photography by Larry where I want to provide practical and useful information. I use an Olympus OM-D E-M5 iii camera and 12mm f/2.0, 60mm Macro, 14-150mm and 75-300mm lenes. I'm not an expert and my opinions are based on my actual use. From time to time I will get technical so just pass over the tech stuff if you want. If you have questions on my camera send me a note to larrykm5iii@gmail.com