13 Things I Learned from 2013

2013 is long and gone and I can't help but look back at 2013 and be extremely thankful for what I have been able to accomplish, for all the things I've learned and the relationships I've developed through the love of photography.  I wouldn't go as far as to call myself a professional, since I don't derive more than 50% of my income from gigs and I am an accountant by trade, but I would definitely call myself a self-taught advanced amateur.  The beauty of being a self-taught photographer, in this day in age where information is abundant and free,  is that it's FREE.  Everyone has an opinion on what is the "best" camera, the "must-have" lighting equipment, the "ideal" shooting technique and so-forth.  However, the problem with free information, is that it's free.  Anyone with enough charisma and on-camera charm can convince you that you need the latest and greatest lightsphere or that you need to have a full-frame camera to take good pictures.  As I impart the 13 lessons I have learned from 2013, please keep in mind this could be utterly and completely useless to you.  However, I've made enough mistakes and had too many "a-ha" moments that I felt inclined to share with you all hoping that it could somehow help. 

1. Always have enough business cards in your wallet or gear bag.  Not too long ago, I was hired to do a beauty pageant.  I was expected to take photographs of the contestants and take candid shots of the guests.  It was a 12 hour event and I had several opportunities to get to know everyone and I happily did.  Many wanted to know where they could see my work or know how to contact me for quotes.  Well, I regrettably forgot to restock my bag with business cards and only had 4 of them to pass out to the several hundred guests I interacted with. Talk about missed opportunities and lack of professionalism (too harsh?).  

2. Have a checklist.  Whenever I go on road trips or travel, I always create a checklist of things to bring.  Toiletries, socks, change of clothes, UNDERWEAR (never want to leave home without enough underwear).  Nothing feels worse than going to an assignment missing a key piece of your equipment.  I recall going to an event bringing only one set of batteries for my flash.  Thankfully it lasted the whole event, but the fear of it not working during critical moments is awful.  Part of my workflow includes a planning phase with my clients regarding their expectations.  From this meeting, I get a better idea what I need to bring for a particular shoot.  For example, I had a couple that wanted their photos taken under the Santa Monica Pier.  I knew that the lighting conditions would not be ideal, so bringing my flash with radio transmitter/receiver for off camera lighting was a necessity.  The night before, I gather all I need and physically check off my list.  I never pack the day of the event, as I hate the feeling of being in scramble mode, plus I like going to an event feeling cool, calm and composed.   
   

Without the flash, I would have had a very dark image. 

 3. Give the clients shots they didn't know they want.  I have to give Heather all the credit for this saying.  My friends asked me to shoot their wedding, something I thought and said I would never do, and agreed to doing it because they wanted something simple.  Just a "couple" snaps in the court house and a handful outdoors with the family.  I agreed to shoot their wedding, not because it was simple but because I adore them to pieces.  Heather constantly reminded me I was charged with shooting the most important day of their lives and that I should go beyond what they want.  I had every intention of doing so, but she really hammered the idea home.  In fact, she took my camera from me while I was fixing the groom's tie and captured what was a very special moment between me and a good friend.  

A beautiful Albanian tradition - She was glad this was taken

4. Paid jobs are great and they allow you to purchase the newest shiniest gear, but they are not always the most fulfilling from a creative standpoint.  I had so much fun shooting the following Crossfit Christmas photo because it incorporated so many things I love with the people I care for.  I didn't feel pressure to get a certain look because they weren't paying me =).  I was able to dictate the session and try out different lighting techniques and poses.  At the end of the day, the "client" was extremely happy with the unexpected look and my photographic juices were recharged.  

5. Use whatever you have at home to practice and try out new things.  Whether it's a new lens or a new modifier for your flash, I tend to test it out my new gear on things or people (Heather) that are readily available to me. I tend to use Megaman as my test subject because it has features similar to a human face but just at smaller scale.  Light will wrap around his face in the same manner it would with a human model, except Megaman won't complain about being hungry or being irritated by the flash =).      

I never get tired of shooting Megaman

6. PRINT.  Print your work.  Just do it.  The feel of the image changes for reasons I cannot put into words and makes your work really pop.  Although prints on photo paper are great, I highly recommend canvas prints.  

Hand delivered a canvas print to a good friend - this phone shot does not do the print justice

7. Shoot what you love and don't be afraid to share it.  This has been a very sensitive subject for me, as I tend to get rather self-conscious as a photographer, especially when sharing my work on Facebook.  For those who are new to the blog, I am a huge fan of the Mad T Party band.  I enjoy photographing the shows, but have not made some of my shots public out of fear of typecasting myself as a concert photographer, being labeled a one-trick pony or thinking it's not "good enough" compared to the many talented photographers at Disneyland.  As unusual as this sounds, I have met and befriended several photographers who feel this way.  As I continue to struggle with this, I have promised myself going forward into 2014 to drop these insecurities and just share photographs that I think meet my standards.  Photographs are meant to be shared and not kept on your hard drive.  

No point being shy - Mad T Party Band

8. Don't be afraid to copy work.  I've attempted to recreate creative shots I've seen around the internet on several occasions, not out of malice; rather, I wanted to learn the technique to achieve that particular style.  I always go out of my way to give credit where credit is due.  I feel that only when I have mastered other peoples techniques can I really apply the the principles I've learned into my personal style.   I try to learn all the classic rules so I can break them later on.

I saw this particular shot in a Disney blog and had every intention of copying it

9. Learn to shoot manually.  When I bought the Panasonic GF-1 from my brother back in 2011, the first 2 lenses he gave me were the Panny 20mm f1.7 and the all manual OM Olympus 50mm f1.4 lens. It was my first and absolutely favorite manual focus lens that gave me a greater understanding of what it means to shoot at different apertures and how it affects light gathering and depth of field.  I became obsessed with understanding how every aspect of the exposure triangle worked.  It wasn't until I started photographing crossfit athletes did I truly understand how important it is to adjust each component separately.    Some of the things I commonly see when beginners shoot in Auto is that the camera sets the incorrect ISO for a particular situation, say a sunny, midday outdoor shoot. I've seen EXIF files with ISO 1000/1600, when the shot could have been taken at ISO 100/200.  There's no reason to rob your images of their quality, when the aperture could be opened wider or shutter lengthened to gather more light.  I've relied on manual on more occasions than I've expected and it really paid off in the end. Think of manual mode as a friend.  The more time spent together, the greater the bond and an even better understanding of what makes it snap =).   

An impromptu shot taken before the big game.  Shot manually, only exposing for the background

10. Never go to an event or gig with untested gear.  I must admit, I was blind to all the other cameras I've seen after the GF-1. I really didn't care to upgrade my rig because I was extremely happy with the photos I was able to make.  The 50mm prime fit the bill for my medium-telephoto needs and the 20mm was wide enough to be a great all-around lens.  It wasn't until I saw the Olympus OMD E-M5 did I suffer from the worst case of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome).  I just needed...err WANTED to have that camera.  It came out around the same time as Comic Con and I wanted to have it for the week.  I ordered the camera and paid a hefty premium to get it over-nighted to my place just in time for the con.  I "broke-in" the camera at San Diego Comic Con and attempted to learn all of its features, missing some key shots along the way.  I distinctly remember excitedly taking a photo of nerd celebritiy, Kevin Pereira, anticipating a legendary photo only to realize it was back focused when I got home to review my work.  From that point on, I promised myself I would never go to a shoot or an event with untested gear. 

The happiest place on earth, San Diego Comic Con

11. Volunteer and assist other photographers.  I know what you are thinking, another tip that doesn't make me money.  My approach to photography is akin to that of a master and apprentice. I've always looked up to friends who've truly mastered the art of light and composition.  In a way, their dedication to the craft attracts me and I know that surrounding myself with people like that will only make me a better photographer.  As elementary as it may sound, pro photographer, Joe Gunawan taught me the basics of light stands, c-stands, differences between light modifiers and the importance of having gaffers tape.  I hear Trey Ratcliff is putting this idea into practice with the Arcanum.  You can bet I'm going to sign myself up for that.     

12. Pay it forward.  I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for the handful of people who took the time to teach me the basics of photography.  My brother is and will forever will be the biggest influence in my life.  He not only helped me realize the beauty of photography, he also helped me experience the wonderful glory of capturing that perfect shot.  Although I can't claim to have done the same for someone else, I've happily helped others get to know their camera and get out of Auto.  The biggest lesson I've learned from my brother is just be kind to your fellow photographer because it's the good and right thing to do.  

My brother

13. If you ever find a good photo assistant.  Drop whatever you're doing and Marry Her. That's what I plan on doing, February of 2015. 

She said yes =)

I had a lot of reservation writing this particular blog post because I didn't want to come off preachy.  In fact, I think this blog post was more for me, as my way to reflect on the wonderful year that has come and gone.  These 13 lessons aren't scripture, rather things I have learned along the way of honing my skills.  This is possibly one of the most long winded posts I have ever written and I thank you for taking time out of your life to read my ramblings.  Now go out there and take some photos.

So say we all,
Dino

Olympus answers our "issues" with long exposure noise

I know it has been a while since I've posted anything to the blog.  I have been extremely fortunate to have had event photography gigs and engagement sessions to keep me extremely busy during the winter holiday.  Although I wish I could make photography a full-time job, my current 9-5 position keeps the bills paid and the hobby going, thus the blogs neglect. I appreciate those of you following for being patient and understanding.  

Not too long ago, I posted a blog post about long exposure noise with the Olympus OMD E-M1 with the camera set to Noise Reduction off.  Well, it seems Olympus was listening to our complaints, but not in the way some astro-photographers would appreciate.  Below is a list of all the updates Olympus has made with Version 1.1:

• Live Bulb image quality while noise reduction is on has been           improved 

• Improved AF operation 

• Image stabilisation in sports, children mode and C-AF has been        improved 

• Chromatic aberration caused by LUMIX G VARIO 14-140mm         1:3.5-5.6 ASPH/POWER O.I.S (H-FS14140)

It is quite interesting to see a firmware upgrade that addresses an issue that crosses lens brands in the Panasonic 14-140mm. However, I find it puzzling that they did not address a major complaint that many photographers have made on forums about the noise issue when taking long exposures.  As a quick reminder, many astro-photographers choose not to turn the NR On, as it doubles the length to process a LE shot (IE - a 10 second shot takes 20 seconds to write to the memory card).  This is problematic for shooting star trails or certain landscapes.  Again, NOT a problem for me, as I shoot mainly landscapes and structures that do not move.  It's still early in the E-M1's lifecycle to worry that this will not be fixed. The following images were all taken at night with exposures longer than 5 seconds.  There seems to be a certain range where hot pixels and noise becomes truly apparent, but I haven't found a definitive length.  

Despite my apparent complaint about the camera, I must admit, after several months of use I am floored about the usability of the camera.  The button layouts and the dedicated HDR/Bracketing function facilitates its use and makes it a joy to shoot in bracketing mode.  When I had the E-M5, I remember it being a chore navigating in and out of the menus to get to the desired HDR mode; heck, the Panasonic G5 did a better job in this department.  With the E-M1, I now think about HDR as a primary goal during an outing rather than an afterthought or "something cool and different to try out".  I went to Disneyworld with every intention of trying this out and I think it functioned like a dream.
    

Thanks again for stopping by.  I definitely plan on being more up to date and active on the blog in 2014.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and an even better new year.    

So say we all,
Dino

Long Exposures and HDR with the Olympus OMD E-M1

The moment we booked our trip to Orlando, I knew I would be taking a ton of pictures to document our experience/pilgrimage to Disneyworld.  Among the many things I wanted to do, taking long exposures and creating HDR shots was something I really wanted to delve into as I hardly get the opportunity to do so.  When the OMD featured a dedicated button to help facilitate taking bracketed shots, I was ecstatic because it was such a chore to get into bracketing mode with the E-M5.  I think the worst part of it all is I would forget that I left it on and would be wondering why my shots would be so over/under exposed.  I welcome this one click on/off feature on the E-M1. 

So this post does not come without any frustration, which is mostly my fault and I'm not talking about lugging around 3.5 pound tripod for 8+ hours a day.  Going into this trip, I knew I would be taking long exposures, ranging anywhere from 1 second to 60 seconds depending on the time of day.  I normally always set my camera to reduce noise for long exposures (or LENR - Long Exposure Noise Reduction) as a default.  I know many people on micro four thirds forums have complained about the hot pixels and snow effect that the E-M1 produces on these long shots and I can confirm this has happened to me.  It is a fact that the E-M5 handles these types of photos a lot better whether or not the LENR is turned off (some even think that off does not necessarily mean off, but I haven't found evidence to prove this). Some expect the removal of the Low Pass filter is the cause of this, but I have definitely ruined some shots by not turning this feature on.  See the sample shot below to understand what I am talking about.  You will clearly see both the hot pixels (Red and Blue), in addition to the white specks littered throughout the building and sky.

 Take a closer look and you will see issues - White Snow and Hot Pixels

This effects are really only a problem at exposures 10 seconds or longer. I can confirm that turning on LENR does solve any problems I had. I performed two tests: 1)Taking a 30 second shot with the lens cap on and 2) Taking a 60 second shot with very little light.  The files are clean and free of any unusual noise.  So what does that mean for me or for you?  Does this make it a deal breaker for the E-M1? For me, I can say absolutely not.  With LENR turned on, it takes double the time to process a long exposure shot, so a 30 second exposure will take 60 seconds to completely write on your memory card.  This may pose a problem to Astro Photographers and I can see how this is a massive let down for a flagship camera.  Even as a self-proclaimed Olympus Fanboy, I can't help but feel a little disappointed. I know that cameras are tools and you always have to use the right tool for the right job, but it's a shame that I would, in theory, have to switch over to the E-M5 if I ever wanted to delve into shooting the stars.  At the end of the day, I would still pick up the E-M1 99% of the time, as I feel this small setback does not outweigh its plethora of improvements.  

Another view of Cinderella's Castle, but from the back - Truly sexy clouds

To a certain extent, I feel the forums have blown this issue way out of proportion, since you can remedy the problem with one simple move in the settings.  I understand how this camera is not usable to some because of this issue, but you have to ask yourself how often you plan on do Astro Photography or any other photography that requires a shorter window between shots.  The beauty is we have options and that's a good thing.  I will continue to praise and recommend this camera to both pros and prosumers alike.  Will I continue to take Long Exposures and bracketed shots at night? You bet.  Lucky for me most of my shots are static.  

When I come back, I will be eating here at Be Our Guest in the Magic Kingdom

The LENR feature can be found in Section E of the E-M1 menu, under the heading Noise Reduction.  I will be sure to post an update after spending a little more time with the camera.  Thanks for stopping by.

So Say We All,
Dino  

Traveling Light with the Micro Four Thirds

Cinderella's beautiful castle

The blog has been fairly quiet for the last couple of weeks and for good reason.  I recently made a pilgrimage to the motherland. That's right, Disneyworld, out in Orlando, Florida.  I know that Disneyland was the first to open back in 1955, but this was my very first trip back to Florida since the early 90's.  My only real memory of Disneyland was going to Cape Canaveral and EPCOT with my family (special points to those who know what EPCOT stands for without googling it).  Sadly I don't remember much of the trip, so I knew this was going to be something truly special

My girlfriend and I have been planning for this trip for approximately 2 years and wanted to tie this in with our running goals.  Disney offers a special Coast to Coast medal to runners who complete a half/full marathon in California and Florida within one calendar year.  I will save my thoughts about the race for another post, but I highly recommend taking a trip out to Orlando for their night races.  I would say that it's one of the best, if not the best race I have ever participated since I've started running (more on that another day).   I knew that this trip was going to be extraordinary and I wanted to document as much of it as I could.  Deciding what gear to bring was probably the hardest thing to decide, but luckily the micro four thirds bodies and glass lends itself as being the best travel equipment any enthusiast/pro can bring.  It's light, it's fairly durable, doesn't take up much real estate and you don't sacrifice much on the image quality end.  Below was a list of camera related gear we brought along in our backpacks:

- Olympus OMD E-M1 (I was thrilled this came in before the trip)

- Panasonic GX-1 (for Heather)

- Olympus 75mm f1.8 (wanted to bring it for the shows)

- Panasonic 25mm f1.4

- Sigma 30mm f2.8 (a review on this later)

- Olympus 17mm f1.8

- Lenovo Yoga Ultrabook (the perfect travel laptop and workhorse)

- Manfrotto Tripod (heaviest part of my gear, weighing a little over 3 pounds)

Animal Kingdom from Expedition Everest - Do you see the Tree of Life?

Looking at this list, you might think I would need a special carry-on for all of this gear, but I didn't.  At the risk of beating a dead horse, it really was no sweat off my back lugging all of this around, save the ultrabook, the entire trip.  In fact, it was the tripod that eventual got the best of me towards the end.  Not once did I ever complain about having too many lenses or feeling like my camera was too heavy.  It was the perfect companion.  I ALMOST considered running the half marathon with the GX-1 like I did in the last Disneyland 10k (but with the OMD), but decided against it.  In retrospect, I would have brought the camera, especially since the after-race Wine and Dine Festival was just fantastic.

The Spectacle of Lights - Hollywood Studios. Yes, we ran through this as well

I never appreciated the significance of traveling light until I went on this trip. Not only was getting through the airport a breeze, having a light camera set-up with almost no compromises (in my case, absolutely nothing) on multiple 10 hour (plus) days throughout the Disneyworld resort was invaluable.  I am really beginning to believe that mirrorless is the future and will soon be the go-to camera for travelers.  All in all, it was a fantastic trip and I can't wait to share my photos and experimentation with HDR with you all.  Thanks for stopping by.

So say we all,
Dino