Armed, but not dangerous, at least not yet….

So as I have said in an earlier post my camera is coming along more often. As much as I love my camera bag and everything that I can bring along sometimes it is just not as shoulder friendly as I would like it to be. So I am trying to cut down on what I bring and trying to go camera only. Half the time it feels as if I am walking around naked, I miss the bag that much. While it took a little bit of getting used to it made it easier to get some shots as I didn’t have an unwieldy bag to haul around. Fully loaded for a day trip my bag probably weighs more than it should and I guess that is my fault for wanting to be prepared for everything. I am horrible at packing suitcases too, not just camera bags.  With just my camera, my 18-200mm lens, a few filters, and lens cloths it is a much lighter load, so I can get around a bit easier and stay active a little bit longer as the weight doesn’t drag me down. I went to USJ and hit the local park like this. Even forgoing my tripod! I have to say on one hand I am happy with some of my shots, while on the other I was longing for the bag and every little bit of magic it contains.
So since there is a little blur in Mel’s diner, don’t hold it against me! Shot in the cold, without a tripod, shaking hands were kind of a problem.

I also hit up my local park and was able to use my Kenko Pro 1D AC CLOSE-UP #3. The effect it gave was varied and it created a kind of “slice” of focus which was very hard to work with. I think I really need to hit the gym more also to help take care of this shaking hands. Not sure if it’s just me or if everyone’s hands get shaky after holding up the 7D for long periods of time. Needless to say the tripod would have probably came in handy again here but I didn’t have it on me.

As you can see very little is actually in sharp focus. So this little guy will take a lot more work to get decent at.

While I like the effect on flowers, I’m not quite sure what else I will use it on.

So while I have been using it more and going to try to get it out even more often I find that I always want my bag when I don’t have it. And and I don’t want to carry it when I do. Such is life I guess.

Daytrippin Bag, What do I carry?

This is sorta a what’s in my bag but not really as this is more specific for traveling all in one bag. Much harder than it sounds! Especially as a woman! So its more of a what you SHOULD have in your bag for day trips! (photos in this post were taken with the HTC One)

I recently just took a 3 day adventure with

http://www.Centrair.Jp/en/japantravel/
http://Go-centraljapan.Jp/en/
https://www.facebook.com/Centraljapan.Jp and https://www.facebook.com/japantravel.nagoya?refid=17

You can check out my photos on my FB or G+(Anne Vornbrock) as I am in the process of uploading them.

 

Here in Japan a lot of travel is done by train and bus so you are a little limited space wise. You shouldn’t have something that is too bulky or too big  or awkward you know just something would become a concern to others. For my 3 day adventure I decided to break in my new bag!! it was the first trip with this monster and I am ever so happy I decided to get it. Well thats not true, it was a gift for our 2yr anniversary from the BF, but all the same I am happy I insisted on this one! And even happier it was on sale when we bought it and IT WAS THE LAST ONE! So I am sincerely thankful to whatever photo deities were watching out for me on that day. I have a Kata Bumblebee 222-UL.

 

The bag is gorgeous in my opinion and fits my needs. Of course there are a few things I would change but I won’t get into that too much here. The two big things I would change are: I would attach the weather and rain cover somewhere on the bag permanently! Secondly I wish I could get some type of cover for the straps! They are amazing don’t get me wrong I have never had a bag that felt as nice as this one does on but let me tell you that material will rip your hair out. It just seems to catch it. You can check out more about the bag here –>> http://www.kata-bags.com/bumblebee-222-ul-for-1-2-pro-dslr-w-70-200-lens-4-lenses

Anyway the first thing I pack is…. Bug repellant! Sounds funny I know but nothing is worse than sitting in the grass to get a shot and getting eaten alive while doing so! In Japan they make these nice little devices you can wear or attach to whatever you like that look much like an oversized wristwatch that keep everything away. It’s light, lasts for hours, no smell and no chemicals on your skin! So I dont have to worry about touching my equipment or reapplying it. I just attach mine to my bag and go for the most part. If I know I am going to be moving into a highly infested area such as tall grass I will move it to my ankle or wrist and then I am good to go. The device looks like this

There are a few other things I always have in my bag that have been lifesavers or well camera savers! The first is rain gear for my baby. There are many different types and I guess it depends on what you will be exposing your camera too. I didnt want it to take up much room or cost me an arm and a leg. So I went with a soft type I can fold and stick in a pocket. This means that though I shouldn’t pull out my camera in the driving rain I can get by. I usually carry an umbrella also so this isn’t a huge deal but it gives me piece of mind. On the body without a lens it looks like this.

Of course I will need my camera. Here is a shot of the Canon 7D and strap. I love this camera! I started out with Canon Rebel XTi when it first came out. I stuck with it until my sister needed a camera and I wanted an upgrade. So I passed it down and went almost a year without a camera! Needless to say this is my second baby, my dog being my first 😉

 

Now all the camera stuff that I bring on a day trip or a 3 day trip. Here is my everyday head out with the camera stuff.  I always have an extra battery which I forgot to throw in this photo but I do carry one extra fully charged battery. Of course my battery charger for the just in case I blow through two. My two travel lenses which are a 18-200mm and a prime 50mm. I have found these two work best for my needs and that way I don’t have to carry extra weight. I of course carry an array of filters. On the 18-200mm I usually have my Kenko C-PL W filter on and ready but I also carry a macro, a ND 8(w), and 8x-cross for the 72mm and just a ND 4 for the 58mm. I carry my lens cleaners in a small clutch thing because well, I have a dog who sheds, and sheds small light brownish-red hair that gets EVERYWHERE and so as an extra step of protection I keep them in their own little pouch. Same with the blue bag. It holds an air blower and a Hakuba Sensor Klear 2 which I use on everything BUT my sensor!! It great for cleaning the eyepiece or getting a difficult smudge off glass. It works great for that!  IF I am going to do a sensor cleaning I buy a brand new one and use it once and then it goes into the blue bag. I am terrified of ruining  my sensor so to say the least I am paranoid about cleaning it. The blue bag also carries two extra cards in their own cases in case I fill my main one. You will notice I don’t have a speed light! I am hopefully getting one this month and then that will also be added to this pile along with a soft cover~

 

Following all the camera stuff there is of course my personal basics that I usually don’t leave home without for the most part whether it’s in the camera bag or in the purse. Some of these are specific to living in Japan while others are not. So we will start top left and just go around and around until we reach the center! Sound good? Good! Get ready! Here we go! First is a face powder, not that I’m vain but this powder also helps keep the grease off the LCD of the camera not to mention a matte face 😉 Then I always carry a pen! Black ink and this one is 1.0. I love the look it gives my crazy handwriting and if i need to jot something down it is readily available. Of course I have my phone charger. Its micro USB so it also works for two more things in this mess, bonus points for you if you can guess them! I have a mini-man fan! This fan is particularly aimed at men here in Japan its small and black but it fits my needs perfectly and boy do you need it some days in japan! I also carry a watch and sunglasses. Not just to be on time and look cool but so I also can plan out when to be where.  I then have a mirror, again for the vain part of me but also to help reflect light and in some cases act as a backdrop to something small. Going along with the small things I always carry a mini tripod so I don’t need to worry about setting my directly on the ground. Sand in the battery compartment is a serious issue! I try to carry a travel toothbrush and toothpaste because well… it just seems nice to do. It’s hard to see but yes that brown thing underneath the toothbrush is actually my house key. Can’t leave home without it! I also carry my train IC cards. Not only to get from place to place but these lovely things also work in convenience stores here in Japan making a run for a bottle a lot easier than fumbling for change. I of course carry my Kindle for relaxing on the train at night when I can’t really get a nice shot or just if I need a little down time. The white thing which is a little blown-out (sorry) is an extra battery for anything that you can use an USB cable with. Bonus points awarded to you if you guessed these to items! They can be charged using a micro-usb charger! I tend to also carry a wet wipe. These help for sticky fingers after lunch. The bright red case is mints, again why not? The small pink cloth is a necessity here in Japan as many bathrooms don’t have hand dryers or towels so its pretty much bring your own! I usually also have tissues, because along with no dryers or towels many bathrooms also do not have toilet paper… a definitely scary prospect if you are ever caught without! Next is my camera remote just in case I need a night shot or a selfie. The white thing its on is actually a stack of blank business cards which are great for carrying and jotting things down.  I haven’t gotten around to designing my own business cards yet but it’s on my to-do list for this year! A hair band! My hair is the longest its been since I was a child so I need this, always!  A business card holder is the small black and silver things just in case I get handed one. Chapstick! Again not vain but a necessity when traveling in trains and buses as it is usually dry, dry, dry, air. A small LED flashlight for pin pointing night shots or light painting or even illuminating the path ahead! FLOSS!! Beyond its capability of also acting as string 😉 It is also another thing that well why not? Finally my i-pod just in case the Kindle isn’t enough to relax me. Very hard to see but under the i-pod is a small container which contains ibuprofen for those days when lighting seems to strike and thunder seems to pound in my head.  That is all that I carry in more of a personal arena. It may seem like a lot but for me everything is kind of an necessity. The only other thing I can think of, but I had used all of it and thrown the container away, is sunscreen it is a MUST in my book!

 

That is all I regularly carry in my bag for small trips not including clothes and make-up and other things that surprisingly fit in this bag very well! I usually dont bring my tripod as it makes the bag a little unwieldy. This again though depends on the trip and if I think it is a necessity to get the shots I want! Going on day trips is something I greatly enjoy here in Japan. Its the perfect country for it if you don’t mind the train! If you are over here or make it over here and want to go on a photo trip just drop me a line! I’m always up for travel even if it’s some place I have been before! Hope you travel safe and prepared for whatever the world throws at you and your camera!

 

Remember it isn’t the camera that makes the photographer, it’s the eye behind it.

~Anne

On Being Professional

Sunday, August 25th, I did photography for a wedding.  While not the first wedding I’ve worked, it was definitely the biggest.  I’ve learned a lot from the experience and am going to pass that learning on to you, dear readers.

First thing is to make sure you have your own ideas to bring to the table.  Just because your clients want certain things doesn’t mean they won’t also want something you suggest.  On top of that, who hires someone who doesn’t add to the job with their expertise?  Going hand and hand with having your own ideas is accepting that your client is the one that’s really in charge.  You may have the expertise and equipment, but it’s ultimately them that need to be happy with the photos.  

For example, since my forte is natural light, I had a spot picked out where I wanted to take Mike and Missy’s first look photos.  It was out next to the lake, by the hotel’s outdoor area to their restaurant.  As pretty as I thought the location was, and as sure as I was that I could get an amazing shot, Missy just was not comfortable being in a position where so many strangers would see her in her wedding dress (which was stunningly beautiful, by the way) and have to deal with all of the attention.  Even if she had agreed to the location, I wouldn’t have gotten that shot out of it because Missy would have been uncomfortable.  It’s a give and take between photographer and client.

Don’t be afraid to make requests, either.  I was lucky enough to be able to attend the rehearsal before the wedding and quickly found out that with the way the chairs were set up, I wouldn’t be able to move down the right-hand aisle without getting in the way.  The wedding coordinator, also named Missy, was able to adjust the chair placements with hotel staff before the actual ceremony and I was able to move around with ease.

Speaking of being lucky enough to attend the rehearsal, don’t pass up any opportunity you might have to prepare for a job.  I was able to assess the lighting situation beforehand, and knew what to expect from the setup.  I knew where I needed to be and when I needed to be there to capture the best moments.  I was far less prepared at previous weddings and I feel that the extra preparation really paid off.

Another example: I was on location in Walker, MN, and completely unfamiliar with the area.  The bride and groom wanted to have their family and bridal party photos outside.  I was able to go with them and their wedding coordinator before the wedding day and we picked out locations close to the hotel, decided what photos would be where, and went over a list of must-have photos.  The day of the wedding, it was a scorching 119° F outside.  Even in the shade, it felt like we were melting.  Because of the preparations done earlier, I was able to save family and bridal party alike from waiting out in the heat for their turn to be in pictures.  We had allotted two hours for bridal party and family pictures, and we ended up only taking an hour and a half, maybe a bit less.  Those not needed to be in photos immediately were able to stay cool and wait inside, and because of the list of who was needed in what pictures, no one really needed to stay outside longer than 15 minutes.  With the exception of yours truly.  But, being the professional that I am, I powered through it and got beautiful results.

Lastly, I want to touch on doing paid jobs for friends.  If you’re just starting out in the photography-for-money world, more likely than not you’ll end up working gigs for your friends first before getting more business from outside your personal connections.  The wedding I worked over the weekend was actually the wedding of one of my best friends.  He was constantly encouraging me to take it easy and not work so hard, asking if I needed a break or if I was okay.  While part of my work ethic on his wedding was absolutely because Mike is a very dear friend to me and I wanted him to both have fabulous photos and get the biggest bang for his buck, an equal part was simply because I was being paid to do a job and I would be damned if I didn’t do it to the absolute best of my ability.  I learned the hard way on a previous wedding job with another friend how easy it is to take advantage of a friendship, as either the photographer or the client.  I was able to enjoy the reception once my duties as wedding photographer were done, and I will admit to breaking my professionalism once during the ceremony (c’mon, who doesn’t cry when one of their best friends gets married to the woman of his dreams?).

In these situations it’s a fine balance between friendship and professionalism.  And while my favorite couple is honeymooning in St Lucia, I will soon be sorting through all the photos and editing where needed.  A photographer’s work is never done!

Be professional when you get out there and shoot!

-Kate

P.S. All the best wishes and happiness in the world to Mike and Missy!

Being Mobile

Almost everyone has a camera on them. If you are reading this you probably own and have with you at this moment at least one or two cameras. One would probably be on your computer or tablet or whatever you are reading this on and the other would be on your cell phone/mobile. I am sure many of you have heard of the Chicago Sun-Times firing the whole photography staff and then giving out iphones to make up the “new” staff. It was a shock to the photo community as a whole and in a way a sign of the things to come. What is interesting is when you come down to it being a “photographer” is the easiest job to get in the world because all you technically need is a camera, preferably you also have talent but its art, so again subjective. Instagram fame aside apps like Flickr’s, Streamzoo, 500px, Lightbox, Muzy, and We heart it, all point to a new direction in photography. Social sites like G+ and Facebook have a heavy emphasis on photos and even offer automatic uploading from your mobile device. The new trend is towards social photography. We enjoy “hearting” or “thumbing” to show our appreciation but let us not lie….. we also greatly enjoy being a critic, and an anonymous critic at that, no chance for backlash well not a great chance, you can always block them. Using these services in a way also limits the photographer. They no longer have to think about how to show this photo to the best of their ability. This also affects how we see things and what we expect in a photo. When everything is laid out cleanly we become more attracted to it because it’s easier to process and able to be processed quicker. Instagram for example only works in one frame, that of a square, all members of the community must operate within that square. So when we pull up IG it automatically appeals to us because everything is uniform. Though the pictures are different the layout is always the same. When you move over to Streamzoo for example the “photographer” has the option of using their original photo or cropping it. It doesnt seem as visually appealing for this simple reason. But social photo-sharing sites and services aside. How else is this changing photography and what are some key points to remember when you are out and about and only have your mobile available?

What are some simple tips to great, well decent, mobile photos you ask? Well most our common sense and a few are some that are always optional.

1. CLEAN YOUR CAMERA! Let me just say that my phone resides for most of the day at the bottom of my purse, and well… I think I still have a few M&M escapees down there too…>.>  Among other things. But needless to say I have found this clears up quite a lot of my “cloudy” photos. Whether you decide to go all out with a case or to just carry around a small cloth for cleaning it will definitely will help you out!

2. Check your case. If you have a case do a little test. Take a photo with the case on and the same photo with the case off. You might be surprised but the photos may actually be quite different. Due to lighting, shadows, focusing in & out, and how secure you case is there could be a difference even if slight in the quality of your photos. I have to take off my case if I plan on doing a short video or a shadowed scene or sometimes depending on the light a bright as my case is red and reflects a bit the light in my photos also changes.

3. Check your settings. No I’m not talking about your “night mode” or “portrait mode” I am referring to all the other options your phone may have. In my case I have a global HTC One ❤ which I love! Not sure how fond of the “ultra pixel” I am yet… more on that later. However, as for optional settings I can control my Crop, Quality, In phone Image adjustments, ISO, White Balance, Lock focus, Auto smile capture, Geo tagging, face detection, auto uploads, Touch to capture, Grid, Continuous shooting, default filter, and Flash just to name a few. These settings can be personalized to your style to help you get the photos you want.

4. Get the Light! Lets face it, you aren’t carrying around a mini-DSLR here. All phones are different but lets just say that the sensors are all about the same size… for the most part. Don’t expect amazing HDR photos or superb night shots because it’s just not going to happen. Read the light, change the light, use the flash! Whatever you need to help brighten your subject the better it will look.

5. Now go on and check your mode. Most smartphones today come with different modes, or filters. These can both help or hinder you…. but they are there! USE THEM IF YOU NEED THEM!

These are probably the most common sense things once you read them but I doubt you have seen many people clean off the lens after they pull it out of their pocket before they take the shot. Now I can’t tell you how to take your shot only that these will help you get that shot!

Last but not least depending on your phone and your style you might want to get or invest in a phone photo editor. I enjoy Snapseed. It works great for me.

I will leave you with a few shots that were shot by my HTC One and minor edits in Snapseed.

Up or Down~ Illusion

Squishy Nose~ It’s her ball

Remember it isn’t the camera that makes the photographer, it’s the eye behind it.

~Anne

It’s the little things

Perfect perfect! I cant wait to get home and get it off the camera. *later* WHAT??!! It didn’t look like that on the camera display!

Ever had one of those shots? They are probably the most common type of shots. Its why most of us have 500+ photos from a trip we went on and only publish 20. I have them all the time! I hate them! They are the bane of my existence, well at least the bane of my computer storage. So here are a few tips that help bring that 20/500 ratio to a more solid 250/500. You friends and family will then be overwhelmed with all the photos you took!

The first problem is how the display on your camera shows the photos. This varies from camera to camera, brand to brand, and greatly affects how  you see your photos! Now the first question is did you change anything in the Picture Styles(C)/Picture controls(N) in your camera? Did you know you could? That would be the first thing to check. The second is do you shoot in RAW or in JPEG. To K.I.S.S. on the difference between RAW and JPEG lets just say that the RAW file is bigger/better for the simple reason that it contains more data. I can’t get into all the deep details in this post because it would be epically long but it would be in your best interest to dig  more into you camera settings themselves. As Kate has a Nikon and I have a Canon maybe we will do a collab post in the future on our settings.

The second problem, lets be honest, is being in focus. There is no amount of sharpening that can fix an unfocused photo. There is no option to go back and hit that exact same spot at the exact same time under the exact same conditions. So take your time, no rush, and FOCUS. Also if you are doing manual focus make sure you dont bump, or do if you need to, the little +/- dial thingy (no idea what its called diopter adjustment dial). It might also help, especially if you are going to be printing or submitting to a contest to buy a LCD loupe. Now if you know photography you know that a loupe is typically used to look at negatives up close, you also might recognize it as what your cartoon favorites always pull out to inspect diamonds. Now if you are going to have a diamond sharp photo you need one of these to check your focus before you are all packed up and enjoying a nice drink in front of your computer. They can run between 15$ and 100$ depending on what you want.

The third most common problem is from your computer to paper, PRINTING! It can suck. The first thing you should invest in after your camera and computer is a monitor calibration tool. Now many people will tell you they can trust their eyes or know what their prints will look like and to you I say….

How many white or was it black dots do you see?

As you can see, between our eyes and our brains there can be some variance in communication. When you spend three or four hours in front of your computer this can become exacerbated. Colors may even begin to switch on you, even if you just sat down. Even blue light cutting glasses won’t save you here!

If you stare at the blinking pink dots, you will see only one color, pink. If you look at the the + in the center, you’ll see a circle of pink dots and a rotating green dot. Now, stare at the + without moving your eyes. After ten seconds scroll down a bit and watch a bright green circle appear to move with you *Click on the image to be taken to the site its from*

The last and but not least remember you can adjust your white balance and exposure when you do it get home. Many find it helpful to shoot +1 or more exposure wise because you can always go in and darken what you need to, while on the other hand its a lot harder to bring things out of the shadows.

Here is a before and after of the same version and while it may not be a big difference, it is big enough to post or to trash in my opinion.

Before

As you can see dull, gray and boring. I like the darkness of it myself and the shadows in the background but this photo doesn’t say Japanese Sakura like it should.

After

As you can see in the second photo a bit brighter, colors with a little more pop and not so heavy on the shadows. All changes were done in Camera Raw itself and didn’t step into full photoshop.

Its the little changes and steps that make a difference in your photos. Its the time you take and the effort you make.

-Don’t be afraid to push the button, go on, PUSH IT!

~Anne