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Friday
20Nov2009

What the heck? Using a Gray Card w/ Auto White Balance

DateFri, November 20, 2009

Today Damien Franco is guest posting.  Below he provides a GREAT explanation on how to use a gray card with auto white balance.

 

Damien Franco is an art photographer living in West Texas who hosts a photography tutorials blog.

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What is Auto White Balance (AWB)?

Simply put AWB is a setting in your camera's menu that allows the camera to use a "best-guess" algorithm to decide which color temperature to choose by measuring the light falling onto the subject/subjects in your scene.

With very advancement in camera technology we get better results from this algorithm.  This is a good thing and it can save you a ton of time when it comes to post processing your photos not to mention the advantage of ending up with images that are truer in color to the scene that was originally captured.

Here are three steps that will help you get truer colors from your photos and save you tons of time in the process.

1. RAW is your friend.  While not every digital camera comes with the ability to shoot in RAW most of the newer and more expensive ones will.  The real benefit of shooting in RAW is that you end up with an image file that has much more information than a JPG.  This ultimately translates to a wider range of color correction and the ability to get truer colors with more vibrancy and tonal range.

Shoot in RAW.  Yes, it takes up more space.  No big deal really, hard drives are getting cheaper and cheaper by the day and external hard drives are a snap to set up.

While it can be a little intimidating to begin the transition to shooting in RAW it's not really much different if you have a good post processing work flow.  


2. Gray cards rock.  Why?  It's because your camera actually wants to see that gray card.  It craves it.  When your camera is looking for something to use as a base for its algorithms (that super split second when it's balancing exposure and color) it's looking for a neutral 18% gray in your scene as a base.  If you don't have a neutral 18% gray in your scene it will find something as close as possible and compensate exposure and color balance.

This is why we can see dramatic color shifts in the same room with the same lighting and the only thing that's changed is the person in the photograph.  The camera is reading a very different scene in a bridal portrait with a white dress compared to a groom in a black tux.  Same room.  Same background.  Same lighting.  Different results.  

Do you absolutely need a gray card?  Not really, but it helps in many situations.  I use a gray card when I know I will be in one room with consistent light for many shots.  I don't use a gray card when I'm running around town on a photo-walk or shooting images of my crazy kiddos.  It's good to have one handy though at all times.

Shooting an image of the gray card in a consistent lighting situation allows you to have a reference point and it only takes a second.  This'll come in handy on the next step.

3. Batch processing will free your life.  There are a number of image editing software programs out there.  I'm not here to tell you which one is better (this is always a personal preference) I will refer to Adobe's Lightroom because it's what I'm most familiar with.

Simply open the image that contains the gray card and adjust the white balance (WB) using the dropper.  You should get an instantly great result with neutral or "true to life" colors.  At that point you can "fine tune" a little if needed.  Then you save those settings as a preset.  Select all of the other images that were shot in that same lighting scenario and sync them with that preset.  BAM!  You just adjusted the lighting on several/dozens/hundreds/thousands of images with lightning quick precision. Much better than adjusting every single image one at a time.  Sure, it's possible that exposure may need to be adjusted on some of the images, but the skin tones will match much more closely.  You won't have one person looking seasick in one image and another with a bad case of jaundice.  Nice.

Bonus Tip:

Remember that our eyes are easily fooled and adjust to color temperatures around us.  Having a properly color calibrated monitor for your computer will help to ensure that what you're seeing on your screen is accurate.
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Please be sure to visit Your Photo Tips.  It is a GREAT resource for photographers.

AuthorKim | CommentPost a Comment | Reference1 Reference |
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Wednesday
18Nov2009

Beautiful Blues - Long Island Family Photographer

DateWed, November 18, 2009

I had the pleasure of photographing the T Family two weekends ago.  We had unseasonably warm weather so I took the opportunity to take the photographs outside.  I am so happy I did, the lighting was spectacular and the camera loved their faces.




Thank you again to the T family for allowing me to photograph your family!!

To see more of the photographs from this session, head over to my Facebook Fan page..

AuthorKim | Comment6 Comments |
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Friday
06Nov2009

What the heck? Paying it forward..

DateFri, November 6, 2009

Over the past few months I have shared with you all how I try to give back to those in need.  I truly believe that paying it forward makes the world a better place.  It also helps with refilling my bucket.  That bucket is what I turn to when I am running low on energy, or creativity, even spiritually.

I belong to Think Pink Photography network, The Singe Parent Project network, and recently I joined a network called Help-Portrait. (please click on those links to learn about each of them)

Help Portrait is something I firmly believe in..  here is there mission statement:

"Help-portrait is a movement of photographers, who are using their time, equipment and experience to give back to those who are less fortunate during the holiday season."

On December 12th, 2009 I will hopefully book photo sessions for people in need.  I know a photograph will not solve their problems, but it is my way of giving.  A photograph can heal, I know it can.  I ask you to look around your house right now, look at your potraits, your snap shots.  I bet you smile at 99% of them recalling the memory captured, or the look on your son/daughter's face, or even seeing how fast time moves and having that memory of that time is golden.

I will charge nothing from these sessions.
I will pay for the prints out of my pocket.
I will then deliver the prints for them to keep. Forever.

It is my way of filling my bucket.
And maybe helping someone fill there bucket.

If you know someone that is having a really hard time this holiday season please have them reach out to me.  I will also be contacting a Mom I met through my sons school who works at a Women's Abuse Shelter to see if I can volunteer December 12, 2009.  I hope that in my small way of giving back, I can bring someone a smile and make them realize just how beautiful they and life are..



AuthorKim | Comment8 Comments |
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Tuesday
03Nov2009

Exciting Times with Amazing Artists..

DateTue, November 3, 2009

Outside of portrait work I am extremely interested in fine art photography.  I am driven by the beauty found just about everywhere you go on Long Island. It also helps center my portrait work.

In the past year I joined an online community called Long Island Photo Gallery.  It allows me to sell my fine art work (click on that link to see my images) as well as participate with some extremely talented photographers on photography trips, trade tips & advice and most important meet other photographers.

An opportunity has come up where the Long Island Photo Gallery Members were invited to exhibit their best fine art work at Empire State Studios in Oceanside, NY from 12/5/2009 - 1/31/2009.

I will be exhibiting with LIPG members Jim Cook, Debra Moody, Turtle MacDermott, Jessica Hirschmann and Joanne Henig.

If you are interested in attending, please email me at Kim(at)KimPacePhotography(dot)com, I can provide you with the details of the event. 

Here are some of my images that I display in the Long Island Photo Gallery site:




 Thanks to my family and friends for their continue support!
Happy Shooting!!

AuthorKim | Comment1 Comment |
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Sunday
01Nov2009

Winner of the Crayola Giveaway.. 

DateSun, November 1, 2009

Drum roll please....

As promised, here is the winner of the six month code to the Crayola Lights, Camera, Color!!

Random.org was used to pick the winner:

Here are your random numbers:

1

Timestamp: 2009-11-02 03:47:52 UTC

WOO HOO TO Rosemary!!!  I hope you enjoy it.. ! (I will contact you via email to get the information over to you!!)

And because I started editing Halloween photos I had to share this one of my little cop..

 

AuthorKim | Comment2 Comments |
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Friday
30Oct2009

What the heck? Who are your inspirations?

DateFri, October 30, 2009

Last week I received an awesome email asking me who my favorite photographers are, and where do I draw inspiration from.  It is something I have yet to talk about here.. finding other photographers that inspire you to push forward.. to see differently.. to shoot differently..

Diane Arbus is one of my all-time favorite photograhers.  It was not only her body of work that peaks my interest, it is her life story that pulls all the pieces together.  If you are not familiar with Diane Arbus, you could check out some of her work here..

Richard Avedon is another brilliant photographer.  His quote in one sentence sums up how I feel about photography.. "If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up."  He has a book that is published called "Portraits", the raw emotion in the photos speaks to me.  I strive to push to do that in my work.

And lastly there is Pamela Hanson.  Her lifestyle photography is a GREAT reference to the work I would love to create.  You can tell she just let her clients be who they are, and not pose or ask them to smile at all. 

I draw upon a ton of creativity and ideas from all over the internet. I have a page on this blog that shows the majority of the photography blogs I follow.  You can check them out over here....HERE  (scroll down until you see Photography Blogs).

If you have a love for photography I truly suggest heading to your local library or book store and sitting down for two hours just grabbing books upon books off the shelves of famous, documented photographers.  By the time you leave you will start to get some insight to what draws you into certain photos.  They will almost speak to you.  I can clearly remember opening Diane Arbus's book and having my breath taken away.  Same with Richard Avedon. They have a way of drawing the soul out in their photographs.

I would love to hear if any of you have any famous or blogs that you follow that inspire you?  It would be great to be able to share because you never know where inspiration can be found.

Happy Shooting.

AuthorKim | Comment1 Comment |
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Sunday
25Oct2009

Meet Gav - Long Island Newborn Photographer

DateSun, October 25, 2009

My friend Andrew and his wife Amy recently welcomed their son into the world. It was a big deal to me to photograph this moment, especially since I been friends with Andrew since Junior High..Their little man was trying to hold up his head at ten days old!...! He was such a little model!! Thank you to both Andrew & Amy!





To see more of the photographs from this session, head over to my Facebook Fan page..

AuthorKim | Comment14 Comments |
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Friday
23Oct2009

What the heck? A tough post to share, but my first failure to deliver..

DateFri, October 23, 2009

It happened to me a month ago and my ego is still bruised from it.  My first client to ever say she was not happy with her photographs.

There I said it outloud.  Ouch. 

It still stings. 

Here is how the day unfolded. 

The little boy was barely four months old and I was taking Christening shots.  I had explained in my conversation to her to have the baby fed and rested when I got to her home because it makes taking photographs easier for everyone if the baby is happy with a full belly.

After setting up all my equipment, she got him dressed in his outfit.  He looked adorable but the second we put him in the bean bag to start shooting he started to cry.  I did my little forehead trick to help calm him down and that seemed to work, but only enough for me to fire off about two shots.  When he started to fuss more she told me he did not take a nap so he is probably tired. 

I told her I was not on a clock to see if he wanted to rest.  He fell asleep within minutes.  I took some really sweet shots of him sleeping but Mom really wanted him awake.  And I have to agree at four months they are so interactive that I wanted to capture him smiling.

He slept for about 40 minutes.  The woman was the sister of a friend so we just chatted while he slept.  You can tell she felt bad about him sleeping, and I offered to come back for a reshoot.  She said she would try to wake him because he is always happy when he wakes up. 

That was not the case.  We tried an outfit change, and moving outside.  I should share that I did capture some shots that I liked, but you could see he reached his limit. 

He was definitely over stimulated and tired.

I called the day because I can see he had enough.  When I got home I edited the photos and realized I captured some really sweet shots.

However, I was alone with that thought. 

After I sent the link of photographs to the Mom she sent me back an email and the first line said:

"I'm not really happy with these".

I nearly threw up.

It was the first time a client has ever said that to me. Let me tell you I just stared at the screen, over and over again.

Her critiques were she did not see all the photos I shot (different backgrounds, angles, positions) and she didn't like the tight crops I do.  I explained to her that as a photographer that I only display the best of the session and not every shot makes it into the final selection.

Thankfully, the session was free because she was a friends sister and as I mentioned before on my blog I do still do some portfolio building to help build my experience and eye. 

I offered to do a re-shoot and she accepted. She did ended up ordering $160 worth of photographs/announcements.  However, it still haunts me.  I want every person to say WOW when they see their portraits for the first time. 

To this day she has cancelled the re-shoot twice. 

My lesson in all this and why I am sharing this on my What the heck post?  Because I need to learn to realize not everyone is going to be happy.  Had she paid for the session fee I would have refunded her money and hoped for the opportunity to do a re-shoot.  I know some photographers offer to show all unedited images to the client and then edit only the ones they like. I may or may not go down that road.  That can be a double edge sword in my eyes. 

Another lesson, call the shoot when your instinct is telling you too.  I should have listened to my gut and just said I would come back another day.  I went off the Mom and realized that is because she wants the shots.  And I totally get that.  But after having enough kid sessions under my belt, I need to trust me more.

Have any of you guys ever had this kind of experience? 
If you have, can you still recall every detail in your head like me? :)

PS.  Happy Shooting

AuthorKim | Comment12 Comments |
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Sunday
18Oct2009

Portraits of Sweet Girl L- Long Island Child Portraits

DateSun, October 18, 2009

A week after Sweet L's 2nd birthday I had the pleasure of taking her portraits.  I cannot say enough about this little girl.  The camera loved her adorable little face.  Here are my favorite shots from the session:





Thank you again to the T family for allowing me to photograph your beautiful little girl.

 To see more of the photographs from this session, head over to my Facebook Fan page..

AuthorKim | Comment4 Comments |
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Thursday
15Oct2009

What the heck? Two Simple Shares

DateThu, October 15, 2009

This week I wanted to share two simple tips.  Sorry to be a little all over the place, but each of these tips don't really deserve a full post, so I am going to throw them all together and hope for the best!! :)

Toddler Tip:  When I am photographing a child that I am just meeting for the first time, I take a few seconds to say hello.  If they are old enough to realize that you are a stranger, it can be difficult when they are shy or reserve.  I always ask the parents before the shoot what they are interested in.  What is there favorite TV show, or character they love.  If I don't already know the show, I make sure before I go to the photo session to know the main characters.  If I can, I go to Target or Walmart and if they have a little Dora, or Pony for $4.00 I will pick it up.  It helps break the ice.  Also you can use the small character to make them look at you.  Keep the little toy in your hand and have them "find" it.  Put the toy on top of the camera, make the toy disappear and then re-appear (always makes them sad and then smile!) If I can't get to the store, or I am short on cash, I ALWAYS try to bring bubbles.  Bubbles are awesome.  Have the parents blow the bubbles for you and then go to where the bubbles are floating and you can usually get great eye contact with the camera.  I have never used candy on a photo session because I am always concerned how the parents would feel about that tactic.

 Camera Tip:  Never, ever, ever leave your camera down near the air conditioning vent on the way over to a photo session.  On a photo session I had during the summer it took about 40 minutes to drive to the location and it was HOT and Humid outside.  I had my camera bag on the front seat floor of my truck and I had the air conditioning on full blast.  When I got out of my truck I was calm, very cool and ready to shoot, except my camera was not.  When I took my camera out of the bag it had condensation on the lens.  It took about 20 minutes for the camera to finally be ready for shooting.  Very, very stressful and very big lesson learned.  PS.. it also happens when going from really hot to really cold.  Learned that this weekend while I was upstate and it was 20 degrees out and my car was at a toasty 80 degrees.  Now some of you may have already known this, but I did not, so maybe, just maybe there is one other photographer I can help.. :)

It has been a crazy week on my end here, but if you guys have any questions you want to ask, you can email me at kim (at) kimpacephotography (dot) com.

Happy Shooting!!

AuthorKim | Comment2 Comments |
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