Photography and Arthritis

Jan 262012
 
 January 26, 2012  Posted by Habenero at 10:30 pm Photography , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  No Responses »

I used to think nothing much of hiking out with a 60 lb. pack and an additional 25 lbs of camera gear just to enjoy the great outdoors.  I made it to some fantastic places that few others have gone and only a small number of those had a camera with them.  I would take a couple of prime lenses, several zooms and 2 bodies when I shot film, as that enabled me to shoot nature in all her glory at the scales I found most pleased my eye.  Since my interest was piqued by the macro world,  landscape, seascape, cityscape, any size animal or plant and people, I felt most comfortable being prepared for anything.  I would take backgrounds and studio lights to shoots.  I never thought anything would get in my way or slow me down.  I carried most of the same lenses when I switched over to digital photography.  My interests were still the same, so keeping the ability to choose on the go seemed logical.  About 5 years ago, my knees announced to my body, “ENOUGH ALREADY!!!”

I was about half a mile from “The Wave” hiking out of Paria Canyon when my right knee buckled for no apparent reason.  I sat down for a few minutes, then pressed onwards.  My pace was about half that of the hike in and I had enough water to make it out with no problem, but I knew from the way my knee was feeling that something was not right and getting worse.  By the time I got to the halfway point, both knees were letting me know that they were not going to be kind to me.  Although I had left “The Wave” in what ordinarily would have been plenty of time to be back to the car by sun down, this time it was about an hour after sunset before I managed to reach my truck.  Such was my introduction to the wonderful world of Arthritis!  Each day has been a battle ever since then.

It has forced me to make sacrifices in my approach to photography.  The first to go were my kayak and canoe which I had used for capturing whitewater action.  It was no longer practical to carry either one and I felt as if that was a change I could deal with, besides with a right shoulder that was getting accustomed to being dislocated at least 2 times a year and a left one that had already been rebuilt, they were becoming a bit of a drag.  My knees demanded more.  I sold my heaviest lens.  That was not enough!  I stopped doing most of the glamor shoots, as the lighting equipment was getting too heavy for me to set up, shoot and take down.  Still my knees were not satisfied!  I stopped carrying prime lenses and reduced the number of zooms.  My knees were still angry with me!  I now use a bag that holds either the camera and a lens or the camera and a flash.  It hasn’t helped reduce the pain.

My battle with Arthritis has been fought using everything I could find that had a greater than 50% chance of providing relief and could back up the claim with actual peer-reviewed science.  I do not like pseudoscience.  I tried some of the “remedies that others swear by, but found them useless at improving my symptoms and a drain on my wallet!  The RICE principle (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) provided the best outcome early on, but due to the nature of the disease it is not as effective these days.  I have used Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen Sodium and COX2 Inhibitors over time and found them to be wanting in both actual relief and more irritating to my stomach.  I do exercises to keep my range of motion and try to maintain as much strength as possible.  The only medication that has actually provided relief, although only for a 2 month period at a time, has been Synvisc (Hylan G F 20).  Unfortunately it is only given at 6 month intervals, which means that I get to suffer for 8 months out of the year!  At least with Synvisc, I do not need to take pain medication!  The downside of Synvisc is that each time it has worn off, my knees seem to hurt more than they did the week prior to the injection.

Since photography is the art form I used to use to alleviate stress, I find it very stressful these days when I pick up my camera during the 4 month period of pain I am forced to endure.

Play With Your New Camera!

Dec 242011
 
 December 24, 2011  Posted by Habenero at 11:47 am How To, Photography , , , , ,  Comments Off

There are several ways in which you can become familiar with your camera; read the manual and study it carefully, put it in automatic or program mode and shoot without ever learning about its other features, talk to other people who have a similar camera, or pay somebody to teach you to use it. My way to learn about a new camera is to go out and shoot things I have shot before but change the camera’s settings so I can get an idea of what it is capable of doing. In other words, I play with the camera.

Paying someone gets you further ahead than shooting in auto, but you must follow the lessons with lots of shooting on your own to really learn the camera. Reading a manual can teach you lots about the camera, if you can manage to stay awake while reading it. Talking to others with similar cameras, may or may not help you, as most of the people I have encountered do not use the advanced features of their camera. So that leaves playing as the most practical way to learn how to use it.

It is by shooting with your new camera that you become comfortable using it. When you revisit familiar settings, you place yourself in a situation where relaxation makes you more receptive to play than a formal setting. I used to consider the first 10 rolls of film (with digital technology, the first 8 gigs of images) as my way of learning what the camera is able to do. Every shot afterward would be better than the first ones as I could then concentrate on composition and lighting.

Get out and shoot!

Getting the Most from a Point and Shoot Camera

Jul 092011
 
 July 9, 2011  Posted by Habenero at 1:24 pm How To, Photography, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , ,  Comments Off

With the advancements made in technology, point and shoot cameras are able to produce images that far surpass images made in the film world by what would be considered their equivalent! Often users of these cameras assume they are just a point and shoot device and never take time to read the manual or change the settings for optimal shooting.  This leads to pictures that are well made, but often could have been better.  Here are a few tips to ensure you get the best images possible from any camera without regard to make or model:

1:  If you can control the aperture, try shooting in aperture priority mode.  This allows you to control the depth of field.  A wide open aperture creates a shallow depth of field, which is often used for portraiture.  When only the subject is in focus, it will stand out and be notice better.  A closed down aperture creates a very wide depth of field with as much of the scene as possible kept in focus.  This makes for a better landscape image.

2:  By controlling the shutter speed, you can decide whether to capture single drops of spray from a fountain, or to create a milky texture from the water.  You may be able to stop the action of a race car, or let it blur a bit to indicate a fast object.

3:  In the days of film, ISO was set strictly by the film maker and could be manipulated through processing.  Modern cameras allow you to change the ISO on the fly.  The ISO determines how sensitive the sensor will be to the light hitting it.  A high ISO charges the sensor so that it responds faster and with more intensity and noise than a low ISO at the same light level.  IT is by manipulating the ISO that one can make the adjustments of aperture and speed fall into a range that creates a good image.

4:  White Balance is probably the most misunderstood adjustment modern cameras have.  In short, it adjusts the sensor’s idea of what white looks like.  The human eye can recognize a white object at many different light levels.  The films sensor can not do this.  A bright day with lots of sunshine has a color temperature of close to 5000 degrees kelvin.  An object that looks white in that light will look more yellow-red than white if viewed under tungsten light.  It might also appear a bit green under older style fluorescent lights.  A white balance control enables you to compensate for the lighting conditions at hand.

By taking the time to learn about these controls on your camera, you can start creating better images.

Using Adjustment Layers

May 082011
 
 May 8, 2011  Posted by Habenero at 12:31 pm How To, Photography , , , , , , ,  Comments Off

The control freak in me likes to be able to exercise absolute authority over my images.  As part of my regimen,  I shoot in camera raw in order to maintain as much control as possible and save the initial camera files on their own hard drive.  The first sort is copied as a PSD file to a different drive, and JPG files are derived from the PSD drive and stored on yet another drive.  Yet even when shooting this way, I do not always capture a scene the way I envision it.  That is where Photoshop comes in.  The power of Photoshop lies in the ability to manipulate an image as much or as little as you desire.  But if you do this recklessly, you can easily destroy your image.  You have a couple of ways to preserve your image, copy the original file or work in layers.  I choose to work in layers.

When working in layers, there are a multitude of adjustments you can make without harming the background image directly.  Levels, Brightness, Contrast, Hue, Saturation, Vibrance, and more can be applied either through a layer or directly to the background image (the latter is not a wise choice because you can not undo it if you decide you don’t like it at a later date).  To further enhance your ability to play with the image, one can also add masks to any layer so that the adjustment made only affects those parts you intend it to (a feature far more powerful than dodging and burning in the chemical darkroom).

Adjustment layers are made by either going to the drop down menu for layers and selecting “New Adjustment Layer” or by clicking on the half filled circle icon at the bottom of the layers pallet and selecting the style of adjustment you want.  You can use many layers and mask them as needed to create the image that satisfies you.

Masks will be discussed in a later article.

Do Megapixels Matter?

Apr 172011
 
 April 17, 2011  Posted by Habenero at 10:03 pm General Notice, Photography , , , , , ,  Comments Off

Digital cameras are constantly evolving.  One of the most prevalent ways the public sees is through the megapixel count published by the camera manufacturers.  Is a 6Mp camera good enough for you or do you need something considerably larger?  The correct answer is, “It depends”!  If you are shooting primarily for web use and have no intention of creating an image that is going to be printed larger than 4″ X 6″, you can probably get by with nothing more than the same number of pixels found on a high end cellphone (about 4Mp).  The problem is that cellphone cameras do not have interchangeable lenses and are mainly good only for fairly short distances. If you never print larger than 8″ X 12″, or shoot mostly jpeg files for web or newspaper publishing, a 6Mp camera will do.

As with film cameras, serious photographers are not satisfied with something that is adequate for the average user or the press.  There are “gadget freaks” who buy only high end gear because they have the mistaken idea that owning a high end camera makes them a better photographer.  Camera manufacturers take these things into consideration and create new cameras for these people and the race for the highest pixel count is one of the ways we get to see results.

The biggest advantage of a high pixel count is resolving power.  The higher the pixel count, the finer the detail the camera will be able to record.  Of course the disadvantage of very high resolution camera bodies is that if your lens is not also of high quality, you may not be able to take advantage of the better sensor.  If you have higher resolving power, you give yourself room to crop out more of the image and still retain enough detail to make a decent print.

The most important factors in deciding how many mega pixels you need should be how large of a print do you plan to make and how much cropping do you plan to do to the image before you make that print!

Has Your Camera Gear Gotten Too Heavy?

Apr 032011
 
 April 3, 2011  Posted by Habenero at 4:31 pm General Notice, Photography , , , , ,  Comments Off

When shooting images in the field, the control freak in me insists upon taking as much equipment as I can just in case.  I am one of those guys that has come to the conclusion that if I have all my lenses and flashes at my disposal I will be sure to have the right lens for anything I want to shoot.  At least I used to be.  The biggest danger in thinking that way is that invariably, thanks to Murphy, the wrong lens will be on the camera for one of those once in a lifetime shots.  Is there a solution, no.  Does it mean one has to carry each lens on its own camera, no.  Why is that not a solution, because if you have each lens on its own body, at the precise moment you need a particular lens, it will not be the one in our hand.

Aside from the selection of the wrong lens at the right time, weight becomes an issue.  My camera gear without the tripods and extra flashes weighs in at over 25 pounds!  Even using the best possible distribution of the weight to enable the most flexibility and ease of access, that weight has contributed to the deterioration of my knees.  Back pain is another insidiously rampant problem for some photographers.  I guess I am lucky that only my knees are hurting, because at least I do get considerable relief when my Synvisc injections take hold.  Unfortunately for me, that leaves me with the ability to carry equipment safely for only 2 to 2.5 months out of every 6.  Or to essentially risk overdosing on pain killers just to be able to get the equipment to the shooting location (not a viable option, nor one I would recommend, long time use is also not good).

By careful planning, pain can be avoided or eased.  Careful research into where I am going when planning a vacation can eliminate the need to take the majority of my equipment.  If shooting models, Rarely will I need to carry my longest or shortest lenses (but increases the likelihood I will need extra flashes batteries and reflectors for a net increase in weight, but spread among other bags that someone else may have to carry).  Bags are out there that can handle your equipment and provide a platform to sit on if needed (http://www.walkinbag.com/ and http://www.seatkase.com/ come to mind).  Putting wheels under your equipment makes traveling much easier and always having a place to sit enables you to become less fatigued.  It is important to find a solution to the weight burden your equipment places on you so that you can enjoy taking photographs as long as possible!

Should Professional Photographers Be Licensed?

Apr 012011
 
 April 1, 2011  Posted by Habenero at 6:17 pm General Notice, Photography , , ,  Comments Off

Arguments for and against licensing schemes for professional photographers have been going on for some time.  Based upon what I have been reading, some people are trying to blame the influx of cheap digital cameras and easy to use software for damaging their income as pro photographers. They seem to think that having a set of standards for licensing will miraculously improve the public’s perception of their work.  Even more oddly, some of them think they would automatically be granted a license even though they have been working as a professional for a long time.

Is Colt, Kalashnikov, or Beretta  to blame for the proliferation of guns?  Not really, guns are merely tools that some people enjoy using.  The manufacturers make and sell the public items that the public has expressed a desire to own.  Licensing the weapons and their owners has done very little towards keeping them out of the hands of people that should not have them.  All that has been accomplished with licensing requirements is that it is more difficult for sensible people to get them and much easier for criminals to get them.

If licensing worked to improve standards, please explain to me why there are so many abysmal drivers?  Barbers and beauticians are licensed, but I still see people that look atrocious leaving those establishments.  Licensing does little or nothing to make an industry improve.  Only individuals that care will take time to improve their work regardless of standards.  If the general public doesn’t think your work is better than they can do themselves. it is your problem and no license will make a difference in that.

If those that are currently working as professional photographers are grandfathered in, you have just guaranteed that licensing will not work.  Based upon some of the work being touted as professional, the current standard is pretty damn low.  It is no wonder some pros are not making a living with their camera.

Photography is a profession that evolves based upon improvements in technology and the artistry of the photographer.  As an art form, you get to develop a style of work that is uniquely yours.  If the public likes it, you get to make a living doing a thing you enjoy.  If you watch the trends in photography that are catching on with the public, you can adapt your work to stay in business.  It is people that insist upon limiting the profession to “standards”  that see licensing as a boon to their business.  The reality of licensing is that you create an entity that sucks money out of your pocket and gives you a piece of paper that will not necessarily endear the public towards your work.  Photography needs to be kept free from the intrusion of bureaucrats!

Sports Photography, Spray and Pray vs. Click on time!

Jul 242010
 
 July 24, 2010  Posted by Habenero at 1:07 pm How To, Photography , ,  Comments Off

Sports photography requires one to know 3 things, where to set up for getting the shot, which lens gives the best view of the shot, and the time delay of your camera.  A knowledge of the time delay gives you an edge over the guy next to you that is shooting in multiple shot mode.  If you have lots of opportunities to work with and only need one shot, go ahead and spray and pray. The trouble with that method is that a little timing errors, delays in writing, and the exposure itself,  over rides the accuracy of your camera’s shutter button.  That means that even if you know that you started the camera far enough in advance for the 3rd frame to be perfect, there is no way to reliably predict that the camera will expose that frame when you thought it would.  Think it out, if you are shooting in a multiple frame mode, at best you are shooting 10 frames per second (30 frames per second if in high def video mode).   That gives you a 10% chance of capturing the exact moment (33% for video) you want, and a 90% chance of missing it (67% for video).  The odds of getting exactly what you are aiming for are not in your favor and are much worse when you reduce the frame repeat rate.  Do you still want to spray and pray?

By shooting in single frame mode, you learn to adjust your own timing for the shutter delay inherent in your camera.  When your own timing is honed to a high level, you will know when to hit the shutter for best results.  You are no longer basing the timing of your exposure on the false assumption that the camera will be lucky.  You are in effect creating your own luck.

Has Your Photography Become A Four Letter Word, WORK?

Jun 302010
 
 June 30, 2010  Posted by Habenero at 9:57 pm General Notice  Comments Off

Photography is a passion of mine, a labor of love.  The thought of creating images directly for others has never lingered long in my mind.  The reason for this is quite simple, as a control freak, I do not want anybody telling me what or when I should pick up my camera.  I like to consider myself as a fine art photographer.  I shoot subjects of my own choosing and create images that I find appealing.  My images are often created as a means of relieving my tension.

When I do consent to shoot for a client, there are several reasons for it.  If I find the task interesting, for instance the images are of an industrial nature (I am always interested in how things are done).  When the location is exotic or close enough to a place I have always wanted to go, I will be glad to shoot.  Or if the client is somebody I would like to shoot, It is almost impossible to say no to them (unless they want me to shoot a wedding, in which case I would refer them to my wife who is a much better wedding photographer).

Work is a four letter word.  I prefer to do a job that I am interested in.  Life is way too short to spend long hours doing things you don’t like, just for a pay check.

Long Exposure vs. High ISO

Jun 242010
 
 June 24, 2010  Posted by Habenero at 8:31 pm How To, Photography , , , , , , ,  Comments Off

Shooting in low light can be a challenge.  One has to strike a balance between using a high ISO, or a slow shutter speed to capture an image.  The choice you make can make all the difference in getting a memorable image.  Using film, a high ISO meant 400 most of the time, and in the late 1980′s, the limit crept up to 3200 (if you liked large amounts of grain in your image).  I tended to keep my film selection to the finer grained ISO’s.  I rarely shot at 400 ISO, preferring to shoot with 25 to 100 for most of my early images.  A heavy tripod was an essential part of my equipment.  Now that I am shooting digitally, I tend to keep my ISO around 400 and I like to hand hold most of my shots.  My gear is lighter, and my knees appreciate the lack of excess weight.

The biggest advantage of long exposures is better color saturation.  Slot canyon photographs are prime examples of what long exposures do best.  Notice the colors and richness that a long exposure provides.  This image was shot using 100 ISO film, f-16, and about 37 seconds for the exposure.  I would probably use similar techniques had I shot this using digital equipment.  The most important thing to keep in mind when making long exposures with a digital camera is that longer exposures introduce more noise in the image.  This is because the longer the sensor is energized for capturing an image, the more it heats up.  The extra heat is seen as Gaussian distributed noise in your final image.

Images made using higher ISO’s in digital cameras also have a larger amount of noise.  It is caused by a sensor that is being driven at a higher potential (voltage) than the lower ISO images.  Thus you will see more noise in the lighter areas with a high ISO than in the darker areas.  This non random noise is similar to that of film grain and can be exploited in the creation of old style images and Sepia tones.  This image of some swing dancers is indicative of a low light level, short exposure, high ISO digital shot.  

Your selection of ISO and exposure should always be made so as to achieve your desired image.  Get creative and play around with them.  Nikon, Canon, and every other camera maker out there do not have your vision in mind when they set their camera’s Auto settings.

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