Giving your flower shots dramatic lighting.

Oftentimes you see flower shots from calendars or websites that have a very dark background...usually all black. These kinds of shots are very simple to do. All you are going to need is:

A studio light with a modeling lamp, or continous lighting.

A tripod.

A camera (of course)

A dark background...it's not necessary but it helps a lot.

A snoot, or barn door...again it's not necessary but it helps.

A reflector...a white piece of cardboard will do.

 I love doing dramatic lighting shots. Sometimes it takes away all the distractions and focuses mainly on your subject.

Attach the snoot or barn door to the light, place it around 45 degrees on top of the subject, either left or right, it's up to your personal preference. Turn the modeling light on, or if you are using a continous light just turn it on and focus the light into the subject. Adjust the light so that most of the hard shadows in the shot are gone. Remember, shadows are the key to a good dramatic lighting. The right amount of shadows will define your subject. 

If you are using a dark background, place it behind the subject. The farther the better. For flower shots I usually place them around 3 feet of more behind the subject.

Attach you camera to your tripod and frame your subject to how you want it. If your camera has live view, use it. Turn on live view and zoom into the part of the subject where you want it focused. Move your focus ring till the subject gets really sharp. You should be using manual focus for this. After focus has been set turn live view off. If you don't have live view, focus on the subject by using the viewfinder.

  

For these shots I used a 70mm macro. Macro lenses give you a razor sharp image with a wide open aperture. 

Set your camera to manual mode. Set your desired aperture. For these kinds of shots, I close the aperture a bit to get maximum sharpness. It's up to your taste how you want to set your aperture. Look at your meter and set your shutter. The meter should be around the 0 mark. Oftentimes I dial in my shutter to be a bit above the 0 mark but not too much. 

If you are shooting alone you need to hold your reflector towards the subject to minimize the harsh shadows. Try adjusting the reflector to however you want it. When you finally see the reflector position you want, try to remember that. Or an easier way is to just attach your reflector to a stand and let the stand hold it for you.

Set your camera to timer and press the shutter. While the timer is counting down, position your reflector to where you remembered the best position for it. Wait till the shutter opens and closes before making any drastic moves. Remember you are not using strobes for this shot. Check the image and tweak your settings to your desire.

If any of the background is showing, you can basically post process it to make it look darker.

The Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM

The Canon 50mm f/1.4 attached to my Canon 5D MKII.

50mm lenses are really popular lenses among photographers. They are usually small, fast, and cheap...well, not unless you're into the f/1.2 range anyways. But these lenses are usually a step up from your usual kit lens that comes with your body.

My first 50mm lens was the Canon 50mm f/1.8 mk2 lens. It was $99 when I bought it. It was one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used. The lens was so simple in its design that no mechanism in the lens itself got in the way of the superior sharpness that you can get from it. It was basically glass with an autofocus mechanism in it. With the $99 price tag also came with a plastic body and an almost useless manual focus grip. I didn't mind the plastic construction and the mount, it was just way too flimsy for some photographers. The 1.8 maximum aperture on it was no joke either. It gave me a very shallow depth of field for use with portraits with natural lighting. I loved the 1.8 maximum aperture so I wondered if a 1.4 aperture would even be better.

The Canon 50mm f/1.4 is so compact that I love just bringing my camera with it attached.

Enter the Canon 50mm f/1.4...a normal compact lens loaded with superior optics and a USM motor for fast precise focusing. I decided to get one and try it myself as I have heard a lot of good things about it. I managed to get one used from bh photo. It ran me around less than $300. Of course I had to buy a separate lens hood for it which I spent another $20 on. Three days later my lens came and I tested it out.

The 50mm f/1.4 with the ES-71 II lens hood that had to be bought separately.

The Canon 50mm f/1.4 is plastic on the outside. Although the construction is a bit better than the 50mm f/1.8, this version has a metal mount in it. It's also a tad heavier but still pretty light. The focus ring is wider than the f/1.8 version and is now in the barrel and not on the tip of the lens. The front element is recessed deep into the barrel like the f/1.8 version. A lot of people don't use a UV filter for this lens because of the recessed front, I still do. 

The front element is recessed like in the f/1.8 version.

I put it on my 5D MK2 body and like it's cheaper version, it's still pretty compact. It fits better than the f/1.8 version I think because of the metal mount. The cheaper version does twist a bit when mounted. This one stays in place. The focus ring is a bit loose but still better than the tiny one from the f/1.8 version. The front element moves forward while you change focus, but not that much. If the hood is attached, you won't see it moving. The hood fits in nicely and locks in place. It also mounts in reverse for stowing the lens away in a bag. The autofocus switch is on the side and it has a focus scale. That's pretty much what it is on the outside.

The Canon 50mm f/1.4 features a focus scale, USM motor with full time manual focusing.

The Canon 50mm f/1.4 does not have ring USM, instead it has micro USM. Micro USM is kind of a cheaper USM version. It somewhat in between a ring USM and a micromotor. It's quiet and fast but not as smooth as a ring USM used in more expensive Canon lenses. You can tell by listening to it while it focuses that it's not as smooth as a ring USM, although it still features FTM or full time manual focusing which means you don't have to switch to manual focus when you want to tweak your focus after it locks. The focus ring does not rotate on autofocus.

One of my first few shots on my 50mm f/1.4

Shooting the 50mm f/1.4 in the studio, it really was not that much different from the f/1.8 version, if not better. Basically with studio lights, I cannot open my aperture to it's maximum, unless I use a neutral density filter. So for this use, I pretty much am using the old 50mm that I have. The results were pretty good. A lot of sharpness with good color rendition. 

Since it is not a macro lens, the 50mm f/1.4 can only go 1.5 feet for it's minimum focus distance. Not bad for studio use.

Autofocus was really responsive in the studio with the modeling lights on. It is pretty quiet and fast. On this aspect, the 1.4 outshines the 1.8 on speed and quietness of the focus mechanism. The 1.8 version isn't a slouch when focusing though, but not a lot of photographers like the whiny sound of its micro motor.

With natural lighting only. This is where the 1.4 is awesome.

Using only natural lighting, this is where the 1.4 shines. With very low light, you can now open your aperture to the maximum setting. On very low light, the 1.4 rarely seeks with auto focus. This is a pretty good indoor lens. With the sample shots that I provided, I tried opening the aperture to 1.4 to test out the limits of this lens.  

Shot wide open. Where the focus is, the details are still pretty sharp.

Shot wide open, this lens has mixed reviews. I myself never really had a big problem shooting this lens wide open. 1.4 is really shallow and usually when you get to 1.4 and beyond most lenses gets softer. I see the softness of the lens on some shots, but it never really bothered me at all. Compared to the 1.8 version of this lens when shot both at f/1.8, the cheaper version wins. Although, not by much. Bokeh...or the out of focus areas are pretty smooth. Almost similar to a 70-200 f2.8 when shot wide open. It is one of the strongest points of this lens. When I shoot this lens wide open, when focus is where I want it to be, a little post processing brings the details to life. I never shoot test charts...I try out my lenses shooting real objects in real shooting conditions. 

Another image shot wide open. A little post processing brought the focus point to how I want it to be. 

This lens paired with a full frame camera is phenominal. I got it for use with my 5D MK2. A full frame body with a 50mm attached to it is very light, and compact. Also the 50mm focal point is not so narrow but also not so wide that basically can be used for any shots. That's why they call 50mm's normal lenses. I can still use it with my cropped Canon 50D, although it becomes an 80mm, which is not so useful as a walkaround lens. It still is a very good lens for aps-c bodies. 

So the thing is, why would you want to spend another $200 for a lens that is softer than the cheaper version of it? A lot of photographers will pay thousands of dollars for an extra stop. I paid for the 1.4 aperture because I know that it will be useful when I take portraits using only natural light. Also I know that this lens will be so much useful for indoor shots which require very little light. You'll never see the beauty of a shallow depth of field till you attempt to do it yourself. I got this lens and most of the time I tried it out, I shot mostly wide open. Of course in real world photography, I wouldn't be able to do that all the time but when I do, I know that that extra stop will make a lot of difference from using a slower lens. 

Stopped down, the sharpness of this lens is phenominal.

My advice, if you already have the 1.8 lens and if you are looking for a faster one, get this. If you are happy with your 1.8 lens, then keep that instead. I was happy with mine but I was curious about trying out the 1.4, and boy I was happy with it. For the price of this gem you really can't let this one go. 

More bird shots from the Canon 400mm f/5.6

The 400mm's sharpness is so visible in most shots like in this one. The feather details are still seen from this bird from about 20 feet away.

Fall is almost here and I am scrambling to get the most use out of my Canon 400mm f/5.6 lens. As you all know, the 400mm is not your everyday lens. You only use it for specific stuff like birds, and some sports. I don't do a lot of sports shots, so I mainly use it for birding.

Every weekend I try to go to my favorite nature centers to photograph wildlife. Some weekends I have luck some weekends I don't. Patience is a trait that you should have when birding and I have trained myself heavily to have lots of it when birding. If you have the right tools, the patience and the luck, then birding is a very nice hobby.

This bird was shot in our front yard. It didn't really mind having its photo taken.

A lot of times, I didn't even have to go to a nature center. All I had to do is wait in our front yard and the birds come along. So somehow it really is just pure luck. I have photographed closeups of birds in our front yard. Sometimes they get spooked by the flash, but a lot of times they really don't pay attention to it.

As I have said in a previous post, a nice thing to have when birding is a flash extender. Flashes when used correctly give the birds a lot of color and contrast. It's also a perfect tool to correctly expose birds when you are shooting them against the light, especially when they are flying.

 This fellow kept on coming back for the free food.

 I heard splashing then I saw this guy with a frog in its beak.

 This one just went into a branch above me and stayed till I pressed the shutter.

 This fellow was kinda shy.

This one kept on going back and forth the tree trunk and the feeder.

In the next couple of weeks I'm going to try to get the most out of my 400mm this season. Then I suppose it's time to put it away when the snow comes. Hopefully birds are still around when there is snow so I can continue to use it.

Butterflies at the garden

This fellow just waited in front of me. Never really minded being photographed.

It was one really hot summer day when we went to Glencoe Illinois for a very special event. It was the Butterflies and Blooms event at the Chicago Botanic Garden. We went around the garden till we saw the tent where the butterflies were and went in. 

When you're going to something like this, make sure you bring your macro lens to capture these creatures up close.

We went around for about an hour and a half. There were tons of butterflies to look at!

Members get a discount for the event. Were so lucky to be given memberships as christmas gifts from the in laws every year so we get to enjoy perks like discounts and free parking everytime we go to the garden. I recommend getting a membership to your local botanic garden so you can take photos of everything in the garden all year round for free.

This little one was busy sucking nectar from this flower.

When we got in, we were advised to watch where we step because the butterflies sometimes walk on the ground. It would be really sad if you accidentally step on one of these beautiful creatures. Also the butterflies have the tendency to land on you. If they do, you can just blow on them to shoo them away. Never ever touch them.

This one stayed in front of me for the longest time.

I used my Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM for these shots. I needed to get close to the butterflies so the 100mm macro was my lens of choice. Macro lenses come in pretty handy in situations like these. We basically enjoyed looking at the butterflies the rest of the day. 

This one was so friendly that it just stayed into my wife's lens while she was standing still.

Of course...I had to take a shot of this.

Before we exited the tent, there were people by the exits checking everybody if there were stragglers holding on to their clothing. It's just to prevent the butterflies from escaping from the tent.

The event ended on September 3rd. We plan on returning next year. It was a really fun experience seeing all the butterflies and taking shots of them.

Great photography tells stories contest

One life has this contest for photographers called "Great photography tells stories".  It ended on August 28 2012. I managed to upload some of my portraits for the contest.

Right now the pre judging has begun. Hopefully I make it as a finalist.

http://hardcoreboy.see.me/onelife2012

Long grove Illinois Strawberry festival

Long Grove is a suburb of Chicago located northwest of Chicago. It's famous for its preservation of old style shops and its fun festivals such as the chocolate festival and the strawberry festival. Last June we visited the place to checkout their strawberry festival. 

 The Village Tavern...a famous American Bar/Pub in Long Grove.

It was around 90-95 degrees outside...pretty hot for the festival. Though it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The festival had plenty of stalls selling a ton of food from brats to chocolate flavored bananas. Of course there was a lot of beer. Hahahaha.

 Near the center of the town. This had a couple of shops in one spot.

There was a ton of people walking around, although it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be. Some roads had to be closed for the festival which was nice as you can just walk in the streets without having to worry if a car will just drive and run you over. There were plenty of police officers to keep the pedestrians in order.

 The village fountain where a lot of people were just hanging out resting from the heat.

It was just fun taking shots of the event. From the vendors, to the band, there was just enough photo opportunities to keep any photographer busy. I used my 17-40mm F/4L to capture some beautiful shops around the area. It was pretty bright out so I didn't have to worry about lighting. I just set my camera to aperture priority and just left it there most of the time. 

I just had to pause and shoot this scene. It was too good to just let it pass.

Long Grove has a lot of shops to go to and a lot of fun events during the summer and fall. I highly recommend going here during festivals or to just check out the neat shops. Make sure you have your wide angle lens ready! Next event that we might go to is the Long Grove apple fest in September.

Visual Echoes FX5 Better Beamer Flash Extender

The FX5 flash extender attached to my Canon 430 EXII.

I was curious about these flash extenders that I always see on photographers flashes. Especially birders. I always thought it didn't really work and it's a hassle to lug around. So I decided to do research on it and look for sample shots. I browsed around the web and found a ton of articles about it.

Side view of the extender attached to my flash. It's a couple of inches shorter than my 400mm attached.

After getting my Canon 400m f/5.6 lens, I wanted to try out the extender on my flash. Hours of reading all the articles about it made me decide to try it out. So I went to BH photo to get myself one. After 3 days of waiting, the package arrived and I can't wait to try it out.

The fresnel screen attached to the end of the extender. It's actually a magnifying glass but plastic.

I then attached it to my Canon 430 EXII. By the way, the extenders come in different sizes so if you are planning to buy one make sure that it fits your flash. It is not universal. 

It comes with a velcro backing that  you'd have to attach to the underside of your flash. This will keep the extender firmly mounted into your flash. I then wrapped the velcro around my flash and the extender was firmly secured on the flash head. It was a perfect fit. 

The piece of velcro that you have to attach on the underside of the flash head.

You then have to attach the fresnel screen to the end of both the left and right side of the extender. This attaches via a thin strip of velcro. The mount is pretty secure. After the entire extender is attached, the flash is now like 4 times longer. Although the extender is so light that it does not put a lot of weight into the flash head. Unlike some flash modifiers such as the light sphere. 

The set includes the left and right mount, the fresnel screen and the velcro piece. The fresnel screen even has its own sleeve.

The instruction says to set your flash to 50mm. I'm not sure why it has to be at the 50mm position but it seems to work rather than having the flash head zoom together with your telephoto. So when the extender is in my flash, the head is always at the 50mm position no matter what the focal length of the lens is.

I then headed out to one of my favorite nature centers to try this baby out. Walking with it with my camera attached to a monopod, it really didn't get in the way. There was basically no additional weight because the extender is so light anyway that you don't feel its there.

 The extender seems to give birds red eye from the flash. This can be corrected in post processing.

 This was one of the birds I shot in Maine. It's very well lit considering its distance from us.

 Here's a sample of with and without the use of the flash extender. This one is with the flash on.

This is a sample when the flash is off. The difference is night and day. 

The Visual Echoes FX5 Better Beamer Flash Extender does a pretty good job in lighting up birds from a distance. There are cases when the birds eyes have their version of red eyes in humans. You can just easily fix that in post processing. The flash also gives your subjects more color compared to not using a flash at all.

 The flash gives the bird a splash of color. Notice how contrasty the bird is.

On darker days, the flash helps you isolate your subject from the background.

After testing it out a couple of times, the Visual Echoes FX5 Better Beamer Flash Extender seems to be really worth the purchase. You can also make your own if you don't want to fork out around $30-$40. I chose to just save myself the trouble and just purchase one. With a long birding season ahead I know it's really worth it. Don't leave home without when when you are going on a birding tour!