Light Field Photography

This week I wanted to write about a new style of photography that I have recently started playing with, called Light Field photography.

A light field camera, also known as a plenoptic camera, captures information about the light field emanating from a scene; that is, the intensity of light in a scene, and also the direction that the light rays are traveling in space. This contrasts with a conventional camera, which records only light intensity.

In this image, the focus is on the mailbox.

The first light field camera was proposed by Gabriel Lippman in 1908, and he called his concept “integral photography”. Lippmann's experimental results included crude integral photographs made by using a plastic sheet embossed with a regular array of microlenses, or by partially embedding very small glass beads, closely packed in a random pattern, into the surface of the photographic emulsion.

In 2004, a team at Stanford University Computer Graphics Laboratory used a 16-megapixel camera with a 90,000-microlens array (meaning that each microlens covers about 175 pixels, and the final resolution is 90 kilopixels) to demonstrate that pictures can be refocused after they are taken.

Lytro Inc. was founded in 2006 by Res Ng, a graduate of Stanford University and inventor of the Lytro Light Field camera line.

In this version of the same shot as above, the focus is on the car.

Features of a light-field camera include:
    1) Variable depth of field and "refocusing": Lytro's "Focus Spread" feature allows the depth of field (depth of focus) of a 2 dimensional representation of a Lytro image to be expanded after a picture has been taken. Instead of having to set the focus at a particular distance, "Focus Spread" allows more of an 2D image to be in focus. In some cases this may be the entire 2D image field. Users also are able to "refocus" 2D images at particular distances for artistic effects. The ILLUM allows the "refocus-able" and "Focus Spreadable" range to be selected using the optical focus and zoom rings on the lens. The ILLUM also features "focus bracketing" to extend the refocusable range by capturing 3 or 5 consecutive images at different depths.
  
    2) Speed: Because there is less need to focus the lens before taking a picture, a light field camera can capture images more quickly than conventional point-and-shoot digital cameras. This is an advantage in sports photography, for example, where many pictures are lost because the cameras auto-focus system cannot be kept pointed precisely at a fast moving subject.
   
    3) Low-light sensitivity: The ability to adjust focus in post-processing allows the use of larger apertures than are feasible on conventional cameras, thus enabling photography in low-light environments.
   
    4) 3D images: Since a plenoptic camera records depth information, stereo images can be constructed in software from a single plenoptic image capture.

Wedding side by side, image from PetaPixel

 I have recently started using a Lytro Illum camera myself and I like the camera a great deal. Is it perfect for every situation, probably not, but one of the nice aspects of the camera is if you are shooting sports, you can shoot faster with the Lytro Illum as you don’t have to worry about whether or not the AF can keep up. Since the images can be re-focused in the camera or Lytro’s Desktop processing software, you can just shoot away at a football game and then put the images in proper focus later. Some wedding photographers have begun to embrace the Lytro camera as they can take one shot of a bride and groom like this sample image and shift the focus from him to her in a single shot and then export both versions for print.

I have had my Lytro Illum for a few weeks now and I can say that the camera is certainly worth a try, I have captured some really fantastic images with it. Is the Lytro Illlum for everyone? Of course not, but if you have the extra $350 to spend and want to take your creativity to the next level, go ahead and give it a try!



Comments/Questions

Don't Let Social Media Stifle Your Creativity

Social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, 500px.com and others can be a great way to share you work as a photographer, but they are not the end all be all. Many times photographers get discouraged with the results they find on these sites, especially if they don't receive a large amount of "Likes" or "Shares" or "Favorites".

These responses are not an accurate gauge of your creativity or ability as a photographer, they are more the results of Social Media popularity contests. I have talked to and see so many photographers become discouraged with these platforms because they don't gets tons of "Likes" or "Shares", they think their work is not good enough or that no one likes they creative flare.

When it comes to your art and your work, you have to be the one true judge of your creativity and always strive to try new things and think outside the box. I can personally tell you from experience that I have posted photos on 500px.com and even on Facebook that got very little attention, but that same photo on EyeEm.com and Getty Images is selling like hotcakes.

Tybee Island Sunrise - Not liked at all of Social Media, sold 50 copies on Getty Images

 On the other hand, images I have posted that got scored really high or gotten lots of "Likes" and "Shares" didn't sell at all even though they were fantastic images and very creative and visually pleasing. The point is you are the best one to determine your best work and you can also get a more professional, objective opinion from your professors while you are still in college or from other professionals you are friends with or network with in the real world.

Social Media sites and platforms can be great for getting your work out there and noticed by a wider audience of people and perspective clients, but if you go into Social Media with the wrong mind-set, it can also suck the life out of you creatively. I find that a good way aside from the ones I mentioned a moment ago to have your photos honestly critiqued is to join some of the larger photography groups on Facebook that have been around for a while and have a large number of pros and seasoned hobbyists that are very active on there.

I personally created a Photography Twitter account that is totally separate from my personal one and have picked up quite a few professional photographers as followers and some of them are even nice enough to talk to me on there via Direct Message on a regular basis and are even kind enough to give me honest feedback on my work that I post there all the time. Some of your more famous photographers like Chase Jarvis and Zack Arias won't give you the time of day on there and most of them won't even answer emails either but there are still some pros out there that are more than happy to talk to you and even critique your work, such as Jared Polin from FroKnowsPhoto.com, Josh Schmidt from PhotoTipsHQ.com, Ken Rockwell from www.kenrockwell.com and Leigh from www.snapchick.com.

Wall of Light - Got tons of Likes and Shares, was used by AI for publications, never sold a copy

 I have also had personal exchanges by email with David Hobby and Scott Kelby as well, but they are a bit harder to catch up with as they are always so busy and get so much email, and I have never felt like bother either one of them for a photo or portfolio review/critique.

The point I am trying to make is you cannot let these sites pull you down and make you second guess your abilities or creative abilities as a photographer or artist. Take most of the response you get on Social Media with a grain of salt, I don't even let myself get overly excited when people gush over my work posted on there, but I do make sure I always thank them for their comments.

Comments/Questions

Using Perspective for Better Images

One of the things that new photographers struggle with is shooting everything at eye level. You walk around taking in the scenery and see something that catches your eye and just point your camera at it and shoot. The problem is this can make your photos bland and boring and everything starts looking the same.

In order to make things for interesting and visually appealing, you need to move around and change things up a bit. Shooting a field of flowers with a windmill in the background? Use a wide angle lens and get down low to the ground, that way the flowers in your foreground are more prominent.

If you are shooting a redwood, get down low and shoot looking up into the tree, it will exaggerate it’s massive size even more and create a more interesting view. Or if it’s a small object like this antique Singer sewing machine, shoot standing over it and shoot downwards.

I shot this sewing machine by getting close and then looking down into it.

You can also shoot buildings or cars at an angle to get more of a unique look to them. I sometimes shoot my buildings for my project at the corner of the building just to make the scene more interesting and if the sky happens to also be really dramatic naturally it can make your image stronger.

For this Impala SS, I got down low and shot it at an angle from the front.

Great photographers never just stand and shoot everything at eye or tripod level, they move around and mix things up a bit to make for more appealing images. One of my favorites, Chase Jarvis, shoots a lot of sports, especially cyclists, snowboarders, rock climbers and he is always thinking outside the box on the view, angle and perspective he wants to get for his images.

I watched one of his shoots he was doing for Mountain Dew, and he was shooting a guy riding on a trail out in the woods and to get the perspective he wanted, Chase and his team made a dirt mount for the rider to go over and get airborne and then Chase actually laid on the ground on his back and shot up into the rider and bicycle to get a better angle to make the kind of strong image he was looking for. Now in a case like this, he could have potentially gotten hurt if something went wrong, but Chase doesn’t worry about stuff like that, he worries about getting the angle and view he is looking for to make that strong, visually appealing image and the folks at Mountain Dew loved that image and plastered it all over billboards, magazines, etc.

For this steam powered saw, I knelt down and got in close to make the blade bigger.

So keep these tips in mind next time you are out shooting. Change things up, make your images more compelling and more interesting. You will get much more dramatic and beautiful shots, and won’t have your professors nagging you to move around and make more visual variety!

Comments/Questions

Make Great Images in Bad Locations

One of the things I frequently recommend to students is don’t let your creativity become stale. What I mean is don’t use lame excuses like “If only I lived near Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, then I could make fantastic images!”

The thing is, if you lived near one of these remarkable places, then all you would do is take the same clichéd images we’ve all seen over and over again. A truly great photograph is taken anywhere that a skilled photographer happens to be.

Don’t be upset when I say you live in a bad location, but I have photographers frequently complain that they have nothing to photograph. It doesn’t matter if you live in Flint, Michigan, smoggy Los Angeles, California or a country town in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania as I did growing up, all making great images requires is opening your eyes. Open eyes even in the crappiest of locations leads to brilliant work and growing your skills as a photographer.

One of the biggest keys to taking great photographs anywhere is look for color in everything. Even a drab location has brilliant colors of some kind, such as neon signs, your camera will highlight these colors in low light, so shoot them at night time. Another interesting place to shoot is a local mall with varied lighting, your camera will accentuate the differences between tungsten, fluorescent sodium and metal halide light, which are invisible to our eyes.

Strawberry I shot Macro at a local Strawberry Farm near my home.

Look for objects out of place such as an old soda can sitting in a gutter along the street that still has brilliant colors. Make photos that highlight whatever it is that catches your eye, an old tire swing still hanging in a tree, a dilapidated barn in an empty field or a rusty old car that sits in the woods. Photography is about being able to “see” it’s not about the camera. The strongest photo is one that expresses itself most clearly, often the strongest photos have the least in them.

So, get in your car, drive around your area and look for things that stand out, look for details. If driving around doesn’t inspire you, go for a hike and take your camera along, there are always great images to be made in nature, especially if you have Macro capabilities.

Night time is another great option, grab your tripod and go make some long exposures, even the most boring street contains great images waiting to be made. Use a short tripod and a wide angle lens for some dramatic angles. Position along the street on a sidewalk and do long exposures of cars driving by, the taillights make for really awesome light effects, almost like the cars are moving at warp speed.

Shooting night time, long exposure along Hwy 78 in GA

Your studio is also a great place to make images and express your creativity. I am building my studio in the second master bedroom of my house this coming week. Many photographers create their own realities in their studio, anything from miniature cities or towns to model railroads and many other ideas can help you make fantastic images and spark your creativity. Great images come from within so get our there and get those creative juices flowing.

Comments/Questions

How to Keep Your Creativity Fresh

One of the many challenges for photographers when starting out as well as experienced shooters is how to keep your creative juices flowing?

We often times get bogged down with other things, children, day jobs, home and car repairs, or just plain everyday life in general and we can lose our edge. You might be shooting portraits most of the time because it is your ‘bread and butter’ or how you pay the bills but then you get into this rut of shooting the same stuff over and over again and next thing you know, you’ve lost your creative edge.

One of the things I do to try to keep myself creative is I constantly look at things with a ‘photographer’s eye’. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t but it helps to keep me from hitting a creative rut. I’ll look at things in my surroundings at my day job and imagine how I could photograph them and make them look interesting. I even go as far as to keep my Sony NEX 6 in my backpack all the time, not only so I can shoot any one of the hundreds of accidents I see on my way to and from work but to keep my creative juices flowing.

How would my keyboard look shot from this angle or that? What can I use that I have at my desk to create an interesting effect in my photography? I even do this when I am out shooting for my personal project, ‘Forgotten Pieces of Georgia’, I am never just shooting my project. I love railroad stuff and it’s usually popular on sites like 500px.com, so I take 3 or 4 bodies with me in the car with different lenses so I don’t have to mess around changing lenses, I can just grab a different body and shoot something new along the way.

                                   Plain RR crossing sign, I shot it and made it more dramatic

I know many students will say, “well that’s all well and good but I only have one camera body, I cannot afford to have two or three of them, they are just too expensive”. Depending on your situation, this may be true, but if you have a decent day job, I’ll bet you can afford more bodies. One of the best sources is www.craigslist.org or eBay but I prefer CL as I can meet the person face to face and test the equipment out. You need to remember what I told you in an earlier post, you don’t need the latest and greatest camera to make awesome images and I know the Professors here at AI will back me up on that one. Stop getting hung up on Mega Pixels and the latest bells and whistles and buy what works and is reliable.

I personally have technically eight cameras in my collection. I have the Canon 1D Mark II, Canon 50D, 2 Canon 5D Classics, a Canon 6D, a Sony NEX 6, the iPad Air 2 and my iPhone 6 Plus. Only a couple of these cameras are new models, the rest are up to ten years old but I still use them as they still work and take fantastic images. I also know from personal experience you can go on-line and find say a Canon T1i or T2i for next to nothing. I have seen them sell for as little as $100-$150 and whether you realize it or not, they have the exact same basic technology as the new T5i you got through the school.

If you ask anyone that is knowledgeable in cameras, especially Canon gear, they will tell you to this day that the 1D Mark II and 5D Classic take fantastic images, especially if they are clean and in good working order. The 1D Mark II is around 12 years old but is one of Canon’s first cameras with high frames per second for sports shooting and I also keep it for some studio work as I have the AC studio power supply so I can shoot without batteries for hours and hours. It’s only 8.2MP but anything 6 and higher is more than enough. I actually used it for several of my classes at AI and received compliments for my images shot with it not only from my Professors as well as classmates.

                                        Laotian ceremonial pray bowls, shot while kneeling

So shop around, pick up a spare Canon T1i or T2i or XSi for $100 or so, shoot some test images to see if the sensor is dirty, if it is clean it yourself or take it to a shop and pay $30-$50 to get it cleaned and *BAM* now you have two bodies to use.

Now that you are properly armed for anything, work on new ways to keep yourself creative. Have a 2 year old at home, get down to their level and take a look around. See things from their eyes and then shoot what you see, you’d be amazed and how you can use a simple idea like this to come up with some great new images and keep your creativity going.

Comments/Questions

Sunday Spotlight On: Editing

Once upon a time there was an art student who became undecided about her editing process. She was unsure if she should try color, black and white or the fancy filters that are sold online by the dozens. In the process of being undecided, she left images to sit and sit for days without any attention at all….

This character in this story sounds really familiar. Matter of fact, it sounds like me! I am so bad about creating images and once I pull them up onto my iMac I become so undecided about the editing process that I just walk away only to come back weeks or months later and still no process. Here is what my workflow consists of:

1.     Plan, plan and plan

I like to get a concept when I shoot for my creative psyche down to hair and makeup, styling, location and I always need to have a theme. It makes me follow through without having to continuously change the entire shoot. I always like to have control and know what I am doing so that I can just go in, set up and shoot.

Quiana P Jackson. Untitled, 2014

2.     Shoot

So today is the big day! After I already used up a lot of time when it came to planning, I just go in and jump right into it. Although there is more that goes along with this step such as checking the lighting and doing some warm up shots, it goes pretty smooth. Occasionally I have to tell the model how to pose if she is not use to it, but I have been lucky that these last past years since moving to Hawaii, these girls know their stuff!

3.     Transfer images to the computer

This is my giddy moment because I really want to see these on the “big screen.” After I back up the images in Lightroom, my external hard drive and then onto another hard drive, I pull the images up in Bridge and select the ones that I want to use.

4.     Halt

Okay why does my workflow always seem to stop here?

5.     Halt again (a week later)

Still stuck

6.     Halt again (a month later)

Still stuck

Quiana P Jackson. Untitled, 2014 

It seems that I can never just get past step four. This never happens when I am doing my documentary work nor my photojournalism work. It's always when I am shooting something for myself to remain creative. After this last shoot that I done in March, I finally got around to editing the photos and yes I know it is now May. My problem is postproduction because I can never decide if my work is good enough, or the direction that I want the image to go in. Due to being so busy working on my thesis, I finally put the finishing touches on the selected images and I must say that I am happy with the way that I went with them. I had to rearrange my workflow to include postproduction in the planning section. If I am shooting bright vibrant colors then I know that I will work in color, and if I am shooting an emotional image, then probably black and white. In the end the image will speak for itself and let you know what it should look like.

Since my time is winding down at the school I want the new students to know that the instructors are not just here for you when you are their students. I guarantee that if you reach out to them and ask for their opinion through a phone call or email, they will give you all the help that you need. All you have to do is reach out and ask for help. I was given advice on the images that I posted with this blog from an instructor that I had months ago! He was willing to help and I was willing to listen. 

I wish that you all could see the rest of the photos from this collection! Due to nudity I had to crop a lot from the above photo.

I am your Sunday Funday Ambassador!

Happy Shooting! 

Pinterest for the Creative Mind

Hi, my name is Carolyn and I'm a Pinterest addict. I remember being warned by a friend that, upon signup, "one gets sucked into the Pinterest void and may lose hours of one's life… maybe even days." Well, she was right. All of a sudden I could imagine myself as Martha Stewart, MacGyver, and Emeril all rolled into one. After a few crafty failures (aside from my rather decent wedding brooch bouquet, above) and the realization that I don't really like to cook, I started to be more realistic in what I pin, and have used it professionally as well. In the year or so since my first pin I've been able to take a step back and assess the ways in which it has helped and hindered my creativity as a photographer (expanding upon your skill set is great, but getting stuck in a Pinterest posing rut does nothing to enrich your creativity!). This week on my photography blog I address how Pinterest can actually cause rifts between photographers and clients, specifically in the wedding industry. I offer some suggestions on how to use the medium successfully in  conjunction with couples, but here I'd like to share some ideas on how to use it to continue your education and be organized in your professional life!

1. Inspirations: When you find someone or something that affects you, pin it to a special (perhaps secret) board with notes on why and how you find it inspirational. You may not have the time to follow up on that inspiration now, but better to pin it for later than to forget it altogether.

2. Location Research: Create a board devoted to places you'd love to shoot (and would realistically be able to do so). You can make it a secret board and include notes on the best times to shoot and what to watch for at places you've already been. It is far easier to carry along a smartphone with the location pin board than a physical binder full of printouts!

3. Outfit Suggestions: Clients often ask about what types of clothing will work for portrait or engagement sessions. You can create outfits on sites like Polyvore and then pin them onto a board that you can share with clients, suggesting styles, colors, and patterns that will show up well in photographs.

4. Sharing Your Work: Some people choose not to allow their images to be pinned, but with weddings being such a popular topic on Pinterest I decided to select some watermarked images to share. Pinning your blog posts or watermarked website images can draw traffic. With proper tagging, your next client might just find you this way!

5. Tutorials: If you follow photography educators on social media, you probably see tutorials popping up all the time. For me, videos are not always convenient to watch, so I collect those that interest me on a photographic education board. I find it so helpful to be able to look back when I do have the time to focus!

While those are some of the main ways I've used Pinterest to continue my photography education and help in my professional life, I know there are TONS of other ways to use it. Do you see anything missing from my list that you find helpful? Please share in the comments!

Sunday Spotlight On: Shooting For Your Portfolio

What greater time to fill up your portfolio then now? As a student we are constantly shooting and reshooting, but fail to shoot a lot of those images for our portfolio. Here is where the lines of technicality overshadow creativity. We want to know that we can do the assignment and in the end we forget that we had a chance to use the image for our portfolio. 

Art school is a different entity from your more traditional schools. Here creativity is what sets us apart from your traditional colleges. Creativity is limitless and there are many things in this world to photograph as well as many different ways to capture it. Having the knowledge and the skills to create memorable pieces where you can break out of your shell is something that no one can take away. 

Many have seen this image in some class that I have posted in the first week of class. I always mention that this is one of my favorite photos that I have done because it is very different from what I usually shoot. I teamed up with some amazing students and we had a massive production with this shoot. It enabled me to test my skills in other areas and I found that I do like to shoot something other than documentary or photojournalism. 

Day of the Dead, 2013. Quiana P jackson

Let each assignment become motivation to apply the techniques that we learn in class. After all, tuition is something that some people would dream of having but cannot afford. Here at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, the instructors are always willing to help and I am sure they are willing to provide feedback on how they got to where they are now. This upcoming week is your chance to create an image for your portfolio from a classroom assignment. What are you waiting for? Get started! 

I am your Sunday Funday Ambassador. Happy Shooting!

The End Is Near!

Saturday Ambassador

Greetings, Constant Reader! I have been your Saturday Ambassador since the program began last June, but graduation draws nigh, and it is time for me to relinquish my role to another creative and dedicated student.

Plains Escalante Generating Station, Prewitt, New Mexico, Deva Mayorga-Malone, 2013

My name is Deva Mayorga-Malone: Photographer, writer and adventurer. I am 44 years old and embarking upon a completely new career at this point in my life. The prospect is at once terrifying and exhilarating, but it is definitely worth the risk.

Please allow me to offer a few parting pieces of advice:

· Punctuality:Whether you are meeting your friend for lunch, turning in your assignment or showing up for work, be on time! This is so very important, as it not only avoids inconvenience to others’ schedules, but also demonstrates respect for others and that you care about your commitments.

· Consistency:Developing a workflow for your life is no different than generating one for your photography. Although you should absolutely be creative and explore new possibilities, some form of consistency will allow you to cultivate a recognizable brand. Determine which font styles, colors, graphic elements, layouts, et cetera best represent you and use them in every document you produce.

Be consistent in your approach to everything else, as well; produce work at a high level, turn it in on time and critique your peers with honesty.

· Organization:Create a filing system for your important papers, your computer files and your images; few things are more frustrating than not being able to find something important when you need it. In addition, get your priorities in order and plan your day accordingly. That sporting event you wanted to see on television is on right now, but is it really worth ignoring your current assignment? The homework you do prepares you for your future career, and your approach to your academic commitments sets a precedent for the level of success you will achieve.

· Professionalism: There is no time like the present to begin developing the attitude that will define your business persona. Be polite – a little courtesy goes a long way toward maintaining good relationships. Be honest, as well. Untruth breeds all manner of unpleasantness, including misinformation, distrust and a poor public image, no matter how well-intentioned.

· Creativity:Although this sounds rather obvious – we are art students, after all – it is very easy to get into an artistic rut. Survey the direction of your work from time to time to determine if it is becoming stagnant. If you are producing the same compositions, poses, lighting setups, et cetera because you found something popular that works, that is great…to an extent. However, your viewers will soon become bored and move on. Change is exciting, and true innovation will set you apart in a very crowded field.

As you move forward in your academic pursuits, consider the things you expect from others and strive to exceed these expectations in yourself. The level of greatness you can achieve is dependent upon how hard you are willing to work and how dedicated you are to your goals. Strive for excellence in everything you do!

~Saturday Ambassador