OCC Monthly Newsletter

Oshawa Camera Club Monthly Newsletter
Issue 29 - February 201 3
Time Warp! by Bhart Mistry
This image above is literally a step back in time – I’m talking Analog.
Many of you know that I still dabble in the black arts – yes, I still shoot “film” every now and then. The process
gives me a chance to slow down and reminds me why I got into photography (and I get to use some really cool
film cameras that I couldn’t afford before!) I have a few formats that are my favourite – 6x9 folders, 6x1 7
panoramic and 4x5. I’ll usually shoot and store the unprocessed film till I find time to develop them. Last weekend,
I decided to set a couple of evenings aside and process a pile that had been multiplying in the fridge over the past
7 months – a stack of 4x5 sheets and a couple dozen rolls of 1 20.
I think I have the best wife in the world to let me
commandeer a bathroom for a whole weekend!
After so many months, I couldn’t even remember what was
on these, so it was always a surprise as each piece got
developed. The above shot was one gem that jumped out
when I pulled it out of the fixer and dropped it in the wash. I
remember going out late last summer near Campbellford,
the water level was low due to the hot summer, so I was
able to walk out in the shallow river bed and catch the slow
flowing water cascading down the tiered rock bed. There is
nothing fast about shooting with a view camera as
everything is manual – right from opening and setting the
camera up on the tripod, analyzing the scene, mounting the
lens of choice, composing the shot, focusing through the
ground glass, taking the exposure readings with a light
meter, loading the film holder and making the final exposure
– so, yeah, you have plenty of time to think things out. I
think it’s not as much a procedure as it is a ritual in making
that one image.
Given the 4x5 format, shooting with a wide angle lens,
would have covered a lot of ground side to side, but would
have also included a lot of plain looking sky as it was slightly
overcast. Instead, I decided to go with a longer focal length
to give me a tighter composition and concentrate mostly on
one section of the waterfall. The scene had a wide range of
tones and textures ranging from the soft water to the rough
stone and was ideal for shooting black and white. Opting to
use a slow shutter speed gave me that silky water effect on
the cascades. I likely used a bit of front tilt to increase the
depth of field along with the small aperture to get everything
from the foreground to the back in focus.
I’m guilty as anyone else in taking images from our modern
DSLRs and putting in time, effort and money with software
and plugins to get the film look when the solution is so
simple – if you like the film look, just shoot some film! Over
the next little while, I’ll go over the other shots and get them
scanned in, but for now, slow down and enjoy a bit of analog
history.
Details:
Camera: Horseman 45FA 4x5 technical field camera
Lense: Nikkor 1 35mm, f3.5
Format: 4x5 sheet film
Film: TMax1 00, ASA 1 00
Shutter Speed: Not noted, but likely 1 -2 seconds to
blur the water
Aperture: Not noted, but likely f1 6 for depth of field
Mode: Manual (As if you had any other option!)
Metering: Exposure metered on the ambient light and
averaged for the highlights of the water
Film Processing: Developed in HC11 0, Dilution B
Film Scan: Epson V750 scanner with transparency
adapter
Final Image: Touched up for dust and frame added in
PhotoShop CS6
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Page 2
Time for Reflecting & Looking Ahead
I thought this newsletter installment would be a good time to reflect on a few 201 2 events and also to look ahead into
201 3/1 4.
For me, personally, it was quite a busy year: an early spring made for lots of early garden work and a continuation of
our outside 5-year plan; that was followed by a 3-1 /2 week trip to Norway and Ireland; back home long enough to catch
our breath and begin the 201 2/1 3 OCC season before heading off again for a 2-1 /2 week fall trip to India and Dubai;
finally, the 5-year plan was finished off with ripping up and replacing our entire lawn that had been infested with grubs
and crabgrass despite Dr. Green’s feeble efforts. It’s a bit early, but COME ON SPRING!!
The 201 2/1 3 club season saw us start off with introducing a new meeting agenda and education program that was, in
large part, a response to feedback from our member survey.
Emails and conversations since tell me that the changes have been
received very positively and enthusiastically, so I believe we’re on
the right track.
Contents
Page 1
- Time Warp
by Bharat Mistry
Page 3
- President's Musings
by Leif Petersen
Page 5
- Ten Lessions
by Anon
Page 6
- The Travelling Photographer
by Brian Greenway
Page 10 - First Steps Group
by Bharat Mistry
Page 15 - Education Program
by Bill Peel
Page 17 - The Nature Photographer's
Journal
by Norm Ullock
Page 20 - Clinic Hints
by Bob Bourke
Let’s reflect on a few highlights from the first half of the season:
- The
two fall club competitions saw an average of 220 entries
submitted by 47 members. Would we like to see more members
participating in the competitions? Absolutely! However,
considering that the attendance at meetings is approximately 65%,
that’s about a 74% participation rate, so I consider that pretty good.
Thanks to all who shared their photos.
- During
the ‘Two Members Sharing’ program, Mike Slade,
Catherine Starr, Elaine Howatt and Malcolm Parr did an excellent
job presenting their photographic styles and skills. I’m looking
forward to hearing from more members in the 2 nd half. Norm
Ullock finessed his way through an explanation of ‘Colour Settings’,
a very difficult topic presented in a very understandable manner.
I’m a little biased, of course, but I think that Bharat and I did a
credible job presenting Photoshop and Lightroom tips, in
November.
- Outside
guests have certainly added to our agendas. I missed
Juraj Dolanjski, but I was told that he was very entertaining. Once
again, we had a successful mock judging session with Rod Trider
and Gord Schmidt. I’m dipping into 201 3 now, but Richard Lautens
gave us a very entertaining account of his 26 year career with the
Toronto Star, at our first January meeting.
- The
OCC kicked off our new association with CAPA (Canadian
Association of Photographic Arts) by hosting their judging course,
which was organized by Bill Peel, with set-up help from Sharon and
Nick Janushewski. Besides being successful in terms of
attendance, with 45 people from several clubs around Ontario and
Quebec, including 1 0 OCC members, it was financially successful
for the OCC, since we received $740 from CAPA, for our efforts.
- Three
years ago, Valerie Williams, the OCC President at the time,
introduced the ‘President’s Award’. This discretionary award is
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presented to a member who the President feels has gone
out of his/her way to support, contribute to and represent the
club. In the past, the award was presented to Gerry Ernest
and Don Wotton. Although that award was traditionally
presented during the Annual Banquet, I departed from that
short tradition and recognized Bharat Mistry’s many
contributions to the OCC, during the December Members’
Night.
Several other activities have contributed to an excellent first
half – outings organized by GJ Baylon, bowling night
organized by Elizabeth Borysewicz, Members’ Night with
team and members’ photo essays, etc.
Last month I sent an email to all members with a brief
outline of our plans for a weekend event aimed at
recognizing the OCC’s long list of activities and contribution
to the community and giving the members’, and very likely
other club members, an opportunity to learn from some well
known photographers. If the Planning Committee and
Executive Committee feel that this would be a financially
feasible venture, it will likely be held in April or May, 201 4.
Part of that analysis will depend on whether our members’
will participate, which is something we can’t just take a
guess at. In my email, I asked you to let me know if you
would consider attending such an event; unfortunately, I’ve
heard back from only 1 4 members! We need your feedback!
Looking into the 2 nd half, we have a lot to look forward to:
- Of course,
- It’s
competition season – GTCCC, the Annual Club
Competition (ACC) and CAPA. They all seem to come due
around the same time, so this can be a challenge.
- The annual Spring Salon will be held in May once again. Rather
than holding the Salon on 3 consecutive evenings, we’re planning
for a Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening.
More to come on that.
75 th Anniversary Planning Committee has been
meeting to develop a program to celebrate this milestone,
which will, for the most part, take place during the 201 3/1 4
club season.
- The
our regular meetings will bring us more
members sharing, speakers such as Boris Spremo, on
February 1 3th, more team essays, more software tips from
Bharat and I and, of course, seeing your images on the
competition results evening.
- Last,
but not least, I plan to win LottoMax this year so that I
can carry through with my commitment to build a new,
permanent facility/gallery for the OCC. Of course, it’ll also
house Bonnie’s yoga studio. The only catch is that it has to
be a minimum of $23 million!
I’ll see you at the next meeting and, as always, don’t
hesitate to give me your questions and comments.
Leif
Courses in Photography Skills and Photo Applications
Clarington Older Adult Association with partner, Dolmen Digital, is pleased to offer the following courses of interest
to Photographers.
Adobe Lightroom for Photographers - An Introduction
Photoshop Skills: Parts 1 , 2 and 3
Digital Camera Controls - Parts 1 , 2
Creating Published Photo Albums
Travel Photography
Creative Photography - Creating images that have impact
(at various outdoor Clarington locations)
- - Courses are held at the association centre, 26 Beech St., Bowmanville, in the evenings and some mornings.
- - Workstations or Laptops with course software are provided, but personal laptops are welcome.
- - Dolmen Digital also provides personal one-to-one training in computer and photographic skills.
For more information on these programs and upcoming class dates and fees contact
Brian Greenway at [email protected]. or [email protected]
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TEN LESSONS RECENTLY LEARNED OR RE-LEARNED THE HARD WAY!
by Anon
1 . Steady As She Goes. When hand-holding a lens make sure that at a minimum the shutter speed is the reciprocal of
the size of the lens (e.g. 200mm lens, shoot at 1 /200 sec., 400mm lens, shoot at 1 /400 sec.)
2. Trade-offs. The larger the number (e.g. f22 vs. f5.6), the greater the depth of field. While using a smaller f-stop
provides more light, in the end it may not be worth it if the image lacks depth of field. Similarly, a slower shutter speed
provides more light, but if the image is blurred, it is just another image to be deleted. Try various combinations to see
what works in individual situations.
3. Size. Depending upon subject matter, size of lens often matters (wide angle or telephoto), but quality of ‘glass’
always does.
4. $$$ . Treat cameras and lenses with care as they can be very, very expensive to repair and it may take considerable
time to have repairs completed should parts need to be ordered from offshore.
5. Home Sweet Home. While it is wonderful to have the chance to photograph in new venues, don’t overlook nearby,
everyday opportunities.
6. Enlightenment. Morning and evening are some of the best times of day to photograph as the light is wonderful and
the wind in down, which is of particular benefit when undertaking macro-photography.
7. Silhouette. As a rule, when possible, stand with your shadow toward the image being photographed or, in other
words, with the light source behind the camera. However, there are times when rules are meant to be broken.
Experiment.
8. Preparation. Ideally, check out in advance the subject to be photographed. What is the best time of day to shoot?
What behaviour can be expected from wildlife? What time does the parade start?
9. Patience. When possible, take time to capture the image envisaged. What is the optimum shutter speed and
aperture? Let events unfold.
1 0. Re-charge. Make sure batteries are recharged and that snacks for the photographer are readily available.
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Putting the ‘Travel’ in Travel Photography
Traveling seven hours in muggy and dusty conditions
over very poor roads our van finally reached our
destination the beautiful Vieng Vang, Laos. The hotel was
modern and the evening view from the balcony was
simply gorgeous. Typically tourist-like we raced to the
balcony with our cameras, blown away with the view and
started making “snaps, myself included. All our creativity
disappeared and probably most of us ended up with
pretty representational photographs identical to everyone
else who has stepped out onto that hotel balcony for the
first time. “But isn’t this Travel Photography?” A record of
the fantastic places that you traveled to, the people
you’ve met, and all the other details of your experience
such as the food and daily life.
In many ways the answer is yes, of course it is.
However, Travel Photography is a genre of photography
that like landscape, portraiture, Street, Wildlife, or Black
and White can identified as being separate and
identifiable. Good travel photographs should be as well
constructed and complex as any other image created in
the other genres. Also, like the other genres, there are
always constraints, in the case of travel photography most
times you don’t have the luxury to hang around for days
at time to get the perfect weather and light conditions as
someone who is serious about a particular landscape will
often do. How do they make those incredible night shots
in Hong Kong? For the two days we stayed all we had
was fog and smog and did not even bother with a trip to
the Peak. Given the constraints of weather and timing
and the temptation to click at anything that is different and
wonderful what makes for good Travel Photography?
Essentially it is all about conveying rich context and story
Possibly there are three areas that set Travel
Photography apart from other genres of images.
Firstly, by specific intent there has to be a subject that is
fairly clear and understood but importantly be also part of
a larger subject. Travel images have, by conscious
intent contain what Michael Freeman calls “layers of
subject.” (The Photographer’s Mind, Focal Press, 2011 ).
Other genres may or may not have definable subjects
where such things as mood, colour, texture, or shape are
more in play.
Secondly, Travel images have a sense of place. In a
landscape for instance you could place people doing an
activity and this also provides a sense of scale. This is
often difficult to do in travel photography where a single
image cannot represent the meaning or feel of a place so
a series of images, like vignettes, can convey a mood,
passage of time, purpose or activity.
The final area which is particular to Travel Photography (
but certainly not exclusive to it) is often referred to as
“seizing the moment”. More
than any other genre
anticipation and fast reaction
are required to capture
something unique around you
which is happening in the
moment. You need patience,
planning and lots of luck to
capture a moment in time that
may never be repeated.
A few examples of these
three elements: layers of
subject, sense of place and
seizing a moment.
My first shot at this “meat
market” on Route 1 3, Laos
was an immediate “record” of
what was for sale -a reflection
of personal cultural shock. A
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clear subject rats, but no real context to explain
their presence.
Stepping back to include the women broadens the
“layers of subject” to include more ideas. Obviously
these rats and eels are for human consumption on
sale in a market. Do you like your rat fresh or dried?
This image of
the woman with
a basket from
the Bac Ha market, North Vietnam brings together a layer of subjects - the market, a
shopper, meat selling, and the cultural heritage
in the dress of the H’mong women. A close up
of just the woman would have been interesting
but not a “travel” image as such.
An image of the fisherman as a subject without
any background context has less impact and
information than when same fisherman is
included as part of the unique landscape of
Laos. The ‘subjects’ are now
fishing, landscape, and weather.
Conveying a “sense of place” tries
to capture for the viewer the
meaning and experience of the
destination through images that
can reveal what was this place
was like in the past (eg. a ghost
town ) or a sense of what is going
on at present in the daily lives of
the people. In this image of a food
stall in the Bac Ha market, Lau Cai
province, Northern Vietnam there
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is much going on. The weekly market is not just a central place for buying and selling but is also for meeting friends,
catching up on gossip, having a meal, re-affirming relationships or learning about new things and changes in the area.
This image contains a lot about what the weekly market means to the local community.
At the Can Cau, a massive rural market trading in water buffalo, horses and birds is quite extensive. A panoramic image
gives a sense of place (size, landscape, colour) by putting the buffalo market in the context of the landscape and also by
including the woman to provide a sense of scale to the subject.
Again, this image from Ha Long Bay is given some sense of place with the inclusion of the boat and kayakers.
Seizing the moment is a skill that maybe the hardest
to master as most street photographers will attest.
Not only do you have to anticipate what might happen,
but also be prepared in advance of what you want to
achieve and that your camera settings are appropriate
to the situation and in place too. The rewards,
however, can be high.
Patience and waiting are pre-requisite skills, but local
knowledge is crucial too. We knew that monks in
Luang Prabang awoke around 5 am for prayers,
followed by great Temple drums signaling the
beginning of their morning walk through the city to
receive alms from the local citizens. The time of their walks is never
precise. However, our local guide knew of a quieter intersection
(meaning fewer tourists) where we were more likely to see monks
coming from different directions due to Temple locations and thereby
have more than one opportunity for photographs. By 5 am we were in
place and were able to capture some good images.
But many times the opportunities are not anticipated but with good luck
and planned “best guess” camera settings images can happen that
become great travel images.
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Some examples:
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Meet some of our newest club members.
This month, we have a few more new members that I would like to introduce.
Tony Whillans
Tony is the proud father of three wonderful kids who have all graduated from University and in his words; he has
been married to the same outstanding woman for 34+ years.
Now that the kids are independent he says he has the time and financial funds to support all of his hobbies.
Tony and his wife Cheryl enjoy travelling. Tony is a certified Advanced Scuba Diver with over 38 years of
experience and likes to combine travel, scuba diving and his passion for photography.
Tony enjoys taking pictures of everything and anything. Tony can thank a fellow OCC member and neighbour of
26 years — Ron Siblock for introducing him to the OCC, reintroducing him to photography, by hanging up his old
35mm AE1 and for helping him spend his kids inheritance on new Digital SLR Camera’s, lenses and photography
accessories.
Flying Deep
Cuba
Sail
Dreaming
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Lest we Forget
View
Stella
Wedding Party
Wedding Shoes
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Sheena Williams
I originate from Prince Edward County,and reside in Oshawa. I have loved taking pictures since I could 'push the
button'. It is now a hobby that I find wildly enjoyable. I practice most of my stalking habits (I mean photography
skills, if you can call them skills) whenever possible on whatever is available; however the majority of my photos
are scenery, nature and some portraiture. Looking forward to meeting people and improving my "skills".
Football
Kayla
Antigua Sunset
Stormy
On the Lamb
The Louvre
Sunset
Back in Time
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FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE!
Who says you can’t get something for nothing. Thanks to Adobe and OnOne Software, they’ve released some of
their older versions of their popular software for your use – completely free and are fully functioning. True, that
these aren’t the latest versions, but a smart move on their part – it reduces software piracy and gets the consumer
introduced to quality industry standard software who can later upgrade to the current version if they like it. If the
software does everything you need to do, you won’t even need to upgrade. Check compatibility with your current
operating system first, being older versions, they may or may not work on your machine. You will have to register
with them to have access to the software, but registration is free.
Adobe: They're making available free CS2 versions of their creative suite, including PhotoShop, Elements and
Premiere. Available for both Mac and Windows. They are even supplying the activation codes, so this is legit and
completely free!
Download what you need at: http://www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/index.html
OnOne Software: They are giving Perfect Effects 4 free. Perfect Effects 4 Free Edition has over 70 professional
photographic effects that make it easy to enhance and stylize your images with popular HDR and vintage looks
and unique textures and borders. You can preview each effect on your image before applying and create your own
unique look by combining and blending multiple effects!
Get your copy at: http://www.ononesoftware.com/products/perfect-effectsfree/?utm_campaign=PE4Free_011 3&utm_source=41 &utm_medium=email
If you have Lightroom and Aperture, they also have free presets available on their website.
Really-Quick Lesson of the Month: EXPOSURE
I’ll see how this feature goes – it’ll be a quick and dirty explanation in 10 paragraphs or less.
This month, achieving the perfect exposure. Exposure decisions will depend on each situation and there are
basically three elements that factor in – ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed . All of them must be considered
together in setting your exposure. Underexposed images will be dark, flat and lack detail in the shadows.
Overexposed images will overly bright, hot and have blown out highlights. Let’s see how the three elements relate
to each other and what effects they have on your final image.
ISO: This controls the light sensitivity of your camera. A low ISO setting requires more light for your exposure
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which works great in bright lit situations and results in images with minimal noise/grain. A high ISO setting requires
less light for a good exposure which is well suited for low light situations but the image may suffer with having high
noise.
Aperture (Av): The aperture affects your exposure by controlling the amount of light entering through the lens.
(Note: all those aperture numbers on your lens are fractions of 1, so a setting of f2.8 is a bigger aperture
compared to a setting of f16). Therefore, the bigger the aperture (eg. f2.8), the more light reaches your sensor, the
faster shutter speed you can use. Using a smaller aperture (eg. f22), lets in less light, so you need to use a longer
shutter speed. You can also compensate, by adjusting your ISO up or down to balance your use of shutter speed.
The aperture setting also affects your depth of field which I will cover in a future article.
Shutter Speed (Tv): The shutter speed effects your exposure by controlling how long the sensor is exposed to
light. (Note again: those shutter speed numbers on your camera are also in fractions of 1, so for example. a
setting of 4000 = 1/4000 of a second, setting of 4 = 1/4 second). This is how long the shutter in your camera stays
open. In order to use a faster shutter speed, you would have to use a larger aperture and possible increase your
ISO sensitivity.
So getting the perfect exposure, you’ll have to consider the current situation and factor in how ISO, Aperture and
Shutter speed settings will affect your picture – by now, you may have realized changing one will affect the other
two and it will all depend on how much light you have to work with at that time.
Let’s go over a few examples:
Example 1 – Action Image: To freeze the action, whether shooting sports or birds in flight, you want to use a fast
shutter speed. If you have enough light, such as outdoors on a sunny day, you may be able to use a low ISO and
a small aperture. But shooting in low light such as an indoor arena, in order to use a high shutter speed, you would
have to use a wider aperture and if that still isn’t enough, increase your ISO until you get the action stopping
shutter speed that you need. Your solution could be: Fast shutter speed (1 /2000s), wider aperture (f4) and/or high
ISO (iso1 600).
Example 2 – Landscape Image: In general, most landscapes are static with very little movement in the scene
(except eg. a windy day, or crashing waves, etc.) and your main goal is getting everything in the scene sharp front
to back (depth of field) so you would likely shoot at a smaller aperture – f1 6 to f22. But since that limits the amount
of light entering the lens, you compensate by using a longer shutter speed. You could increase your ISO to give
you a faster shutter speed, but then you end up introducing noise in your scene. Your solution could be: Small
aperture (f1 6), low ISO (iso200), longer Shutter speed (1 /1 25s) and/or using a Tripod if you need a longer shutter
speed if you can’t hand hold.
Example 3 – Studio Portraits/Product Image: In this situation, you have control of the lights, whether using flash
or studio lights, you have the option to supply the quantity and quality of light – this gives you the freedom to use
settings that best suit your subject. Your shutter speed will be limited to your maximum sync speed of your camera
– this is the fastest speed you can use with a flash or studio light eg. 1 /60 to 1 /250 of a second depending on your
camera model. But, since you have control of the light, you can use a low ISO and whatever aperture that suits the
situation. Your solution could be: Set Shutter speed (1 /200), low ISO(iso1 00), variable Aperture (f1 .8 – f1 6),
Variable output light source.
I’ve just touched briefly on the subject to give you an idea on the basics here to show you how ISO, Aperture and
Shutter speed effect your exposure and what compromises you have to make. Once you understand the above,
you can get creative in your photography by breaking some of the rules such as using a slow shutter speed for
action to show motion blur, or using really, really, long shutter speed in landscapes to soften movement, or wide
aperture for a shallow depth of field to isolate a subject – it all depends on how you want the scene to look.
I’ve got a few topics in mind for future Quick Lessons, but if you have anything that you would like me to cover,
drop me an email with a suggestion.
Cheers, Bharat.
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The normal “winter blues” will no doubt be in full bloom
come February. What better way to tackle such moods is
to do exactly what our competition director Randy did
recently. (Ok...before Christmas) He got out in the cold,
managed his snow settings, took a drive and captured
some amazing images. His effort reminded me of
educational value of learning “how” to shoot an image in
less than favorable conditions.
It also encouraged me to look at winter in a “new light”.
Randy took his images and then “played with” them in
software packages to achieve his desired effect.
What a splendid effort.
Our special guest on February 1 3th will be Boris
Spremo. When I was able to contact him and ask him to
present he mentioned that he uses only slides to share his
“craft.”
Picture-of-the-Month Award. During his 37-year career, his
assignments have taken him around the world covering
wars, famine, politics and celebrities. He will honor us with
his images - certainly an evening we will never forget.
Spremo has had many exhibitions of his photographs and
Boris was born in the former Yugoslavia and immigrated to is a sought after speaker by photography classes at
Canada in 1 957. During his career he won over 280
colleges in Canada and the U.S. He has been interviewed
national and international awards for photography. He was by numerous radio and television talk shows and starred in
the first Canadian to win a Gold Medal in the World press a TV commercial for EverReady Batteries. Boris lives in
Photo Competition in the Hague. He is the recipient of
Toronto with his wife and has four grown daughters.
four National Newspaper Awards, 1 8 Canadian Press
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No doubt you may have seen some of the above images
to “wet” your appetite.
Thanks to Randy for co-ordinating the clinics this year.
Bill Peel
Boris has waived his normal appearance fee in recognition Educational Director
of small clubs like ours where he knows he will find those Oshawa Camera Club
who want to learn from his work.
February 27th will mark the end of the clinic
competitions for the year with Randy hoping that Clinic 4
entries will top the previous clinics. Please make an effort
to share your images with us and learn from each other.
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Making Panorama Scapes
Most photographers often find themselves looking at a
landscape, seascape or cityscape and what their eyes see
from the left to right horizon is a magnificent vista. But
when they see it through the camera viewfinder it doesn't
look so special. If only we had a lens that could take in the
same geography that our eyes can see. Well there are a
few lenses that can see wider than most lens that we walk
around with but they are usually quite expensive. So what
a lot of us do is take several single shots with a 24 - 200
mm lens then use post processing software to stitch the
single shots into one image and end up with say a 1 8 inch
by 48 inch image, or whatever size you want it to be.
When taking shots for a panorama you can also put your
camera in the portrait position to increase the vertical
height of your final image. Making single shots for a
panorama (pano) is not a difficult process to do but let's
look at some things we can do to improve our chances of
getting a better panorama image.
There are three components to making a pano correctly:
one is getting the exposure and depth of field correct on
the single shots that will make up the pano image;
second is getting the single shots geometrically correct
and
third is the post processing creation of the pano image
itself.
shooters) and pick the aperture you want to get the
desired depth of field and see what shutter speed the
camera sets. Then switch to manual mode and set the
same shutter and aperture values. Now with your camera
in static focus mode press your shutter button half way
down so the camera focuses on your landscape. Release
the shutter button and switch the lens / camera to manual
focus mode. Now you are ready to take your single shots
and they will all have the same exposure and depth of field
so when they get stitched together the single image will
look like it was one shot.
Getting Things Geometrically correct or Finding the
Nodal Point
I hear some photographers talk about shooting multiple
shots to make a pano by hand holding their camera and
others that just put their camera on a tripod and shoot
away. They say Photoshop or other pano software just
blends their shots together and they get a pano. Well I am
sure this might work sometimes and even if it does you are
likely getting a pano using less of your single shots than
you might otherwise get. This is even more true if you put
your camera in portrait position on your tripod vs
landscape position. Doing it handheld or without finding
the nodal point will often give you broken lines in your
pano where things don't quite line up.
So let's look at these three components one at a time.
To illustrate what happens, let me use an example of
taking a compass, like the one you used in geometry class
Exposure and Depth of Field
in school, to draw a circle. To use this compass we would
stick the sharp point into paper, then decide on the radius
If we use any automatic camera mode to take single shots of our curve, then use the pencil end to draw a curve, let's
that will become a panorama a couple of things will
say 6 inches long. You now have a clean smooth curve
happen and none of them good things. Each of your
drawn because the nodal point was the pointed end of the
single images will very likely have a different exposure and compass and therefore eliminated any parallax errors.
quite possibly a different depth of field. This will happen
Now take a pencil and divide the 6 inch curve into 6 one
because you are covering a wide area and your camera
inch pieces by drawing a perpendicular line at each inch
light meter will meter on different objects in each frame
mark along the curve, imagine you now have 6 single
and create a different aperture in each shot. The different pictures (represented by each of the 1 inch curved
aperture will give you a change in depth of field. When you portions) to make your pano.
stitch shots together to create your pano your individual
frames may have a different color of sky and/or trees with I hope I have not lost you yet. Now try doing the compass
others that are sharp where all is in focus or a frame with exercise again, in your mind, without sticking the compass
some components out of focus. When this happens, you
sharp point into the paper and imagine the mess you will
are done and the only tool that can help you is the little
have trying to draw a curve as clean and smooth as the
icon that looks like a trash can.
one above. When you try to stitch your pano without
knowing the nodal point of your camera / lens you are
To avoid this you should set your camera in manual mode drawing the curve without the point stuck in the paper,
before you take your first single frame shot. If you prefer,
good luck!
put your camera in Aperture priority (Av for Canon
In Focus - Issue 29
Page 17
Each camera or in the case of SLRs the lens, has a
unique nodal point location. It in fact may be in a different
spot for a zoom lens depending on the focal length you
use. If you just plunk your camera on a tripod in the
landscape position you may get lucky and be fairly close
to using the nodal point. But if you are using a ball head
and you switch to the portrait position then each shot will
be using a different rotation point and you will are not
likely to be successful in creating a pano without using
the nodal point
So how does one find their lens' nodal point or if you are Our willing test targets are set firmly (they're taped down!)
on a table.
using a P&S camera the bodies' nodal point? Well first
Initially, they
there are a couple of pieces of hardware that will help
should line up
you. One is an L bracket for your SLR body. They are
perfectly while
about $1 20 - the one I use is the JOBU L bracket but Kirk
your camera is
and Really Right Stuff also make them. The second piece
pointed straight
is a nodal slider. I use the JOBU Surefoot clamp plate
ahead. One is
which is about $89.
very near; the
other about a
Now I have borrowed some images from a Professional
meter farther
Photographer, Dave Watts who shows how to find the
away. The rear
nodal point of your lens. If you have a P&S camera it
target should
should still work. It is quite a simple process and although
be
propped
up
one
inch
higher,
so
you
can
see both in
it make look complicated, it will likely take you about 5
the
viewfinder.
Beer
bottles
would
work
as
targets.
minutes to do.
F i n d i n g you r Len s ' N od al P oi n t
To eliminate the possibility of parallax errors (things not
lining up properly) when stitching individual frames into
panoramas, it is necessary to calibrate your panoramic
head for the lenses and focal lengths you frequently use.
Loosen the lock on the PCL-II panning clamp and swing
the upper rig left and right noting the alignment of both the
front and rear targets. In this case the slide is too far
back. The bad alignment is caused by parallax error (what
In this example Dave will
calibrate a Really Right
Stuff MPR-CLII nodal
slider for a Canon 1 0-22
lens at 22mm in portrait
orientation for use with
the RRS L-bracket, and
PCL-II panning clamp
atop a BH-40 ballhead.
The basics described
here should apply no
matter what equipment
you use. I should
mention this tutorial is
meant as a guide for single-row panoramas. Note this
procedure will likely be accurate only for the lens and
focal length your are using during the calibration.
we're trying to avoid). Note how the rear target seems to
move left and right of the front target. Let's try another
slide position...
M ake s u re th e h ead i s l evel .
First, place a couple of test targets in front of the lens
and adjust the slider forwards and backwards using trial
and error to eliminate parallax.
In Focus - Issue 29
Page 18
This isn't good either. The nodal slide is too far forward
and we have the opposite problem. See how the rear
target moves inside the front target
Success! No parallax error here. This setting is a winner.
The front and back targets line up exactly no matter
which way we swing the rig. Write this setting down
somewhere. The location on your lens above the centre
on your ballhead is the nodal point for this lens at this
focal length. Make a note on a label and put it with the
nodal slide, indicate camera body, lens and focal length
for future use.
You should do this procedure for each lens and focal
length you may want to use for making panoramas.
Using these techniques will improve your success making
panoramic images. If you follow the simple instructions
discussed in this article the entire process will become
second nature to you very quickly. I will look forward to
seeing some of your results.
In Focus - Issue 29
Page 19
The Value of Positive Critiques – A Lesson in Judgment
Not everyone is comfortable with subjecting their work
for suggestions or critiques. Some people are averse to
inviting comments while others are confident in their own
judgment. Still others who seek critiques might simply
seek either validation or flattery. None of these approaches
however take full advantage of the benefits that can be
learned from good positive critiques. A positive critique,
done well, will offer suggestions for improvement and not
simply pick out weaknesses.
Quote: Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize
me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not
forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. -William Arthur Ward
Some time ago the OCC Newsletter (March 2011 ),
carried an article titled “Maker’s Blinders”. This discussed
a condition where photographers, the makers, look at their
own images with a filtered view. The ‘maker’s eye’ can be
unconsciously predisposed to focus on certain favourite
features in an image while remaining less sensitive to
some other things. Independent viewers who do not have
the same mind filter will likely not see the image in quite
the same way. They might perceive say a different-thanintended mood or be sensitive to certain features that
escaped the attention of the maker.
I turned to some friends and sought feedback. I
respected the opinion of these friends as being able to
make good independent photo critiques. They did not
disappoint. Each gave me some great feedback. The
comments however were all somewhat different. Where
each commenter recognized the positive aspects of the
image, they, at the same time picked up on some different
things and suggested different ways for the image might
show better. All comments were honest and valid. I had
entertained some changes similar to the suggestions
however I had not chosen to work them into the draft.
Some of the comments confirmed that I was indeed
influenced by ‘Maker’s Blinders’. This had not been a
drastic oversight but, none the less, I had not effectively
dealt with some subtle but important aspects of the image.
Some additional rework was needed.
As of this writing I’m working on a few versions of the
image. I’m confident the input by the others will guide my
decision on how to present the image in an even better
way. It remains unknown however if I will actually be
successful in creating an image with as much universal
appeal as I initially hoped for.
Critiques can be revealing. If you have not sought this
type of positive feedback you might be surprised at how
others perceive your images in different ways. I
This situation was reinforced recently when I had a new encourage everyone to seek feedback from others at least
image that I believed could have potential. The shot
occasionally. It is a good exercise to see how your selfhowever presented a challenge. It was a rather candid
critique judgment might, to some degree, be influenced by
and unplanned shot but it did capture a facial expression
‘Makers Blinders’. This situation is a recognized but
that was interesting. It would need perhaps some creative unconscious cogitative process that is summed up by the
processing to feature the look in way that presented it in a following:
more compelling way. I took an initial stab at the
processing and came up with a draft version that was a big
“. everything that we perceive is filtered through our
improvement. I still however had reservations that it was minds, and our minds are filled with unique and personal
not approaching its full potential. You should understand
memories and emotions, so each of our minds perceives
the image featured a personal subject but I was interested the world differently”. (author unknown)
in crafting it so it might appeal to a wider audience. Often
subjects with a personal interest do not translate well to
others. I felt I needed a second opinion.
In Focus - Issue 29
Page 20
Oshawa Camera Club
email:
[email protected]
web: www.oshawacameraclub.ca
Marching Soldiers by Randy Nickerson
The Oshawa Camera Club is now
in its 75th year of continuous
operation. It serves the
photographic community of
Durham Region and the
surrounding area. We meet on
the second and fourth
Wednesday of each month at
6:40pm from September to May,
at The Woodview Club, which is
located in Oshawa at 1 51
Cadillac Avenue North, between
King and Adelaide.
Visitors are always welcome at
our regular meetings.
This newsletter would not be
possible without the time and
effort put in by a very talented
team of photographers and
writers.
A special thanks to Bharat Mistry
at q-vision who developed the
graphics used throughout this
newsletter.
27 RAF Hawk's celebrate the Queen's
Diamond Jubilee
by Des McKee
Published by Des McKee on
behalf of the Oshawa Camera
Club. Email questions and
comments to:
[email protected]
The articles and photographs in this newsletter are copyrighted and are not to be reproduced or modified
without the creator's written permission. For more information or a release, please contact the editor at:
[email protected]