Category » Starting Out Archives – Pikku Arkki Valokuvaus : Little Ark Photography « : Pikku Arkki Valokuvaus : Little Ark Photography

Feb

05

Starting Out: Buying the right camera

The most frequent question I get pertaining to photography is “What kind of camera should I buy?”

And I get it. Buying a camera is a huge investment- not only in terms of dollars or euros, but in your memories. If you buy a camera you hate, your photos will suffer. And if photos suffer, scrapbooks suffer. And if scrapbooks suffer, nostalgia suffers. And no one wants nostalgia to suffer.

No one.

The trouble is that I’ve bought the raddest camera around (Canon 5D Mark II- it’s a professional camera. I don’t recommend buying one until you really know what you’re doing. It’s a POWERFUL machine), so I don’t look at cameras or lenses anymore. I’d love to add to my lens collection, but that’s going to be a next year purchase. This year I want to be solvent.

And new camera models come out ALL THE TIME. It’s kind of crazy how often Nikon or Canon releases a new hobby DSLR. As far as I can tell, they’re the same old camera, just with new names. So, in this post, I’m not going to direct you towards a particular brand or model. What I WILL do, however, is give you guidelines- tell you what to look for when purchasing a new camera.

The first thing you want to ask yourself is, “Self, do I have any intention of learning how to use this camera?” Because if you don’t (and it’s totally okay if you don’t want to), save your money and space and get a good point and shoot. Seriously.

I know, I know. Everyone is getting a DSLR these days. And they look awesome. And expensive. And make a great sound when you take a photo. I totally get the appeal. Trust me.

But DSLR cameras are enormous. And heavy. And don’t fit in your purse. So, really, if you’re not going to learn how to use the controls, if you’re not going to use your focus points, if you don’t care a thing about ISO, f-stops, or shutter speed, then stick with a top-range point and shoot.

And to find out what point and shoot is the best at this particular point in time, simply Google, “best point and shoot.” At this point and time, PC World rates the Canon PowerShot S100 as the best point and shoot around.

But if you DO want to learn how to use a camera, here’s what you want to think about:

*How well does the camera work in low-light situations? Because remember, the light from a pop up flash doesn’t flatter anyone.

*Does the camera autofocus with all available lenses? My first camera, a Nikon D60, didn’t AF with the cheap 50mm lens I bought. And since I wanted to shoot with my 50mm (pretty much exclusively), the D60 became useless to me, and I had to upgrade.

*Do you intend to shoot video with the camera? If so, you’ll want a DSLR that has AF in video mode (the Nikon D90, for instance, doesn’t)

*How many focus points does it have? Some cameras have as little as three. Some have as much as 45. Three is too little. 45 might not be necessary.

*How fantastic are the brand’s lenses? Because remember, you’re not just investing the 500 bucks in a camera. If this becomes more serious, you’ll be investing in lenses. And if you’re shooting with a Canon, you’re going to need Canon lenses. Pretty soon, you’ve invested thousands in a brand, and it becomes difficult to switch halfway through.

*Is the newest Canon/Nikon/Sony the best it offers? Just because it’s newer doesn’t mean it’s better. I still maintain the Nikon D90 is some of the best value for money you’ll get. It’s the body of a Nikon D300 at half the cost. And since it’s older, it might be cheaper than some of the newer models out there. Does it have it’s drawbacks? Of course. It doesn’t AF in video mode, for one. But it’s still an EXCELLENT camera.

My takeaway message is this: Before you buy a camera, Google it. Google the reviews. See what people are saying. See if people are saying, “Save your money and buy a refurbished camera.” Reviews are so, so helpful.

Whatever camera you buy, DSLR or point and shoot- I suggest you spend a few hours learning how to use it. And *shameless plug* what better way to learn than with a Starting Out Workshop offered by yours truly? I offer fancy camera and point and shoot classes for those just starting out on their photography adventure!

Good luck! And happy shooting!

Posted by sarah | 2 comments

Jan

30

Starting Out: Backlight

Starting Out

A few people have asked about backlight recently, and since I a) try to answer questions from my loyal readership and b) am happy to find an excuse to look over photos from when there was actual LIGHT to backlight photos because it gives me hope that there will someday, once again, be light in this country- I thought NOW would be an excellent time to talk about backlight.

Backlight is exactly what it sounds like- lighting your photo from the back. It means shooting INTO the sun. It means your background might be rather bright, but your subject is lit well.

Here are some examples:

Some benefits of backlighting your photos:

1. If your subject is looking at you, then they are facing away from the sun. No squinty eyes from looking INTO the sun. Lovely, natural faces.

2. Beautiful pastel tones.

3. Convenient. There isn’t always a huge rock or building to provide open shade. You don’t have to put away your camera just because the light is too intense. Just backlight.

Jose Villa- a brilliant, brilliant photographer- takes it one step further when he backlights. He tries to get something behind his subjects to break up the sun- branches from a tree, a fence, whatever. Just so the backlighting isn’t so dramatic.

For instance:

Things to remember when backlighting your photos:

1. You need to expose for the face. You need to expose for the face. YOU NEED TO EXPOSE FOR THE FACE. This means that no matter what is going on in the background- no matter how bright it is- the subject’s face needs to be properly lit. If your subject’s face is too dark, it’s just not going to look good.

2. Sometimes properly exposing for your subject means you have to sacrifice the background, which is something I don’t mind doing AT ALL. For instance:

The sea is behind my groom. But because I wanted his face to be well lit, I had to sacrifice the blue of the sea. I don’t care. I love my groom. He looks great. I’d sacrifice the sea again in a heartbeat so he’d look good.

(Sidenote: if you want both to be exposed properly, you’d use your flash or a reflector- great if you can find a natural reflector like pavement or sand. But that’s a whole different post, because now I’ve just confused you, haven’t I?)

The way to make sure your subject is lit properly is switch the settings on your camera to SPOT METERING. Look it up in your manual. What SPOT METERING does is it gauges the light of your focus area. It doesn’t matter if it’s bright as the Fourth of July behind your subject- it’ll sense the light reflecting off of your subject only. That way the face will be properly exposed no matter what the rest of your photo is doing.

I hope I’ve answered more questions than I’ve created with this post. If anything is unclear, you know where to find me!

Posted by sarah | 1 comments

Nov

07

Starting Out: Play Nice

Starting Out

I think this post is more of a “life lesson” post than a simple photography post. So, everyone- EVERYONE- gather around.

Ps. This is not posted because I’ve had a bad experience. On the contrary. My mother always taught me, “Save it for the car.” That is, if you have something bad to say about someone, keep it to yourself until you’re in the car and you’re SURE no one can hear you. If you forget it by the time you get to the car, it wasn’t worth saying. If you remember in the car, it STILL might not be worth saying.

Here’s the lesson- be nice. All the time. Nice.

Smile at the cashier. Say thank you to the bus driver. Hold the door open for strangers. Tip your waiter. Wave to the mailman.

Because you never know who they are. You never know who they know. You never know who’s watching you.

Imagine this: someone cuts you off to get into the bus faster than you. You swear, you spit, you stick out your tongue. You make it known in a very immature fashion that this person has made you angry.

Then you turn up to the wedding you’re shooting the next week and he’s the father of the bride.

Awkward.

Or imagine this: Someone is considering hiring you, Googles you, finds your blog, your Twitter feed, your FB page, etc.- finds that ugly comment you made about that friend you USED to have, that one who now makes your life miserable. And after reading said ugly comment, potential customer is totally put off and doesn’t hire you at all.

Oops.

I’m not saying we should all be pushovers. I’m not saying we should walk on eggshells just in case a potential client HAPPENS to see us randomly in the street.

I’m saying there’s a time and place and a proper way to handle situations.

I’m saying you have to pick your battles and the way you fight them.

I am saying that YOU are your business. YOU are your selling point. Be mature, be polite, be NICE.

And now for a photo of the three nicest boys I know.

Posted by sarah | 1 comments

Oct

31

Starting Out Workshops in November!

Starting Out

Starting Out Workshops have been scheduled! So, bust out your point and shoot or fancy camera and let’s get learning!

Posted by sarah | 0 comments

Oct

24

Starting Out: Friendly Reminder

Starting Out

Here’s a friendly reminder that I really cannot emphasize enough.

Direct sunlight? Not a good idea.

Blotchy shade created by trees? Also not a good idea.

Intense backlight? Better, but not awesome.

Backlight broken up by some leaves in the background? Better, especially considering this was shot at noon in a VERY SUNNY PLACE. (Note: Don’t shoot at noon. Not a good idea)

Nice, safe open shade? Always a sure bet, especially at high noon in downtown Phoenix.

Europeans! I’m back! If you’d like to schedule a Starting Out Seminar, contact me at sarah (at) pikkuarkki.com

Posted by sarah | 1 comments

Oct

14

Starting Out: Keep it Simple

Starting Out

I know the tempting thing when choosing a place to hold a photo shoot is to find an exotic location with all sorts of cute backgrounds.

But I’m here to tell you that cute backgrounds aren’t the most important thing.

These photos were taken outside a strip mall coffee shop during a Starting Out Seminar I taught a couple of weeks ago.

The simple background allowed the relationship between mother and daughter to come out. There weren’t any colors to clash with their awesome coordinating outfits. The light that was reflecting off the sidewalk (read: ugly concrete) in front of Evelyn and Ellissa provided awesome natural reflectors.

I can’t imagine I’d have liked this photo any more if had been in front of a fancy-schmancy farmhouse. Or a mansion. Or the jungles of the Amazon. It’s a simple photo about the relationship.

I’m not the only photographer who thinks this. My photography idols also prove this point here and here.

For more Starting Out tutorial posts, head here. To book your own Starting Out Workshop, email me at sarah (at) pikkuarkki.com . (Remember, have work will travel, so if you want a workshop, we’ll make it happen!)

Posted by sarah | 0 comments

Oct

06

Staring Out: Getting Better- a Follow-up

Starting Out

This quote from Ira Glass has really stuck with me since I read it:

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”

Don’t get discouraged. Just get better.

Posted by sarah | 0 comments

Oct

03

Starting Out: Get Better

Starting Out

Okay, the third Starting Out Post in a row! Crazy, right?

Well, what can I say? I just love photo tutorials. And I might be too lazy to go and find my card reader to upload newly taken photos to form a blog post with newly taken photos and newly occurring stories.

And thus we have the third Starting Out post in a row.

With old photos.

Nevermind.

Today’s topic is pretty stinking simple- GET BETTER.

If you don’t look at your past photos and cringe, then you haven’t gotten better. I, for one, look at my past photos and want to HIDE UNDER THE TABLE.

Example A from one of my first trial photo shoots back, back, WAY back.

Notice the complete over processing:

Notice the complete lack of appropriate exposure (it’s back when I CONSTANTLY forgot to change my shutter speed when I changed light- I thought I’d NEVER get it!)

They weren’t ALL bad, of course. In fact, apart from being overly processed, this still remains one of my favorite photos ever taken:

It’s just that 1/100 or so photos was actually GOOD.

But I read blogs of photographers who had LOTS of GOOD photos. And sometimes I got REALLY discouraged. ”I’ll never be as good as them- I know that.”

But Denise said, “I will. I’m going to be as good them someday.”

And I marveled at her confidence.

Everyday, I’d look at their photos. I’d see what I loved about them, I’d think how I might be able to incorporate their styles while still staying true to my own. I’d notice my favorite poses weren’t really poses. I thought less about creating pictures and more about creating moments. I tweaked my exposure settings. I worked and worked and worked.

And I got better.

I’m still not as good as them. There’s a reason they charge 10,000 a wedding and I don’t.

But someday, I MIGHT be.

Posted by sarah | 3 comments

Sep

27

Starting Out : Go, team, go!

Starting Out

Last weekend I had the honor of attending Jake’s flag football game. Imagine, if you will, total chaos. Kids running helter skelter, willy nilly, this way and that way, round and round all while their parents, coaches, siblings, and friends cheer them on.

And photograph them.

The average, I’d guess, was 10 cameras per kid.

Of course, I was also there with my own camera. My own camera and my own two kids for whom I was the sole responsible adult. And although my camera is a fancy one, I don’t have a zoom lens- I have portrait lenses, so it wasn’t as if having a fancy camera alone was going to produce better pictures (Side note- having a fancy camera alone NEVER guarantees better pictures. If you don’t learn how to use your fancy camera, you should save your money and stick with a point and shoot. Point and shoots are actually excellent cameras and super small, so you’ll always have them with you. And a point and shoot maximized might actually perform a fancy camera that has gone un-maximized. And now on with the show).

So although Jake isn’t actually my kid, I definitely had the “photograph my kid whilst watching my other kids with an inadequate camera” experience.

I thought I’d pass on my tips.

#1- Get down to their level. Remember this Starting Out Post? Yeah, it’s no less true with sports events. Don’t tower over them. Kneel down, get at their eye level and start photographing.

#2- Position yourself in the good light and wait for them to come to you. Henry was STRAPPED TO MY CHEST. And I had to keep Benjy in my line of sight on the sidelines. There was no way I was going to be able to run around, chasing the action. Plus, by the time that I would be able to find the right light, adjust my settings, and then take the shot, the action would have long been over. So, I simply walked over to the good light (in this case , they needed to be backlit. Remember how unflattering direct sunlight is…), knelt down and waited. It didn’t take long before they were running willy nilly in my direction.

#3- Get close. You’re not going to be able to see anyone’s face in the photo if you sit waaaay back in your folding chair. Get as close to the action as you’re allowed.

#4- Quit while you’re ahead. Seriously? Five minutes of photos will do it. It’s enough time to get the idea- kids running around, having NO CLUE what they’re supposed to be doing, all while being ridiculously adorable. Twenty frames’ll do it. Then sit back, grab a Capri Sun and enjoy the rest of the game.

To book you’re own Starting Out Seminar, email me at sarah (at) pikkuarkki.com . There are still spots available for this Saturday’s Starting Out Seminar in Chandler, Arizona.

Posted by sarah | 0 comments

Sep

26

Starting Out: Confined

Starting Out

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know me and you know my style. Life as it happens. Real moments. The good and the bad.

This means that I don’t really like posed portraits. I like following kids (mine or others’) around and documenting what they do. Or at least making it look like that…

Because the truth is that just following a kid around, hoping they’ll (a) do something cute (b) while staying still enough for my camera to focus is really leaving too much to chance. I’m hired to make kids look great on camera. And while blurry photos CAN be super cute, it’s best if they’re not ALL blurry.

And so.

Here’s what I do.

I confine them.

You’ll notice a lot of photos of my kids are when they’re CONFINED by objects. Since I photograph them when I don’t have anyone else to help confine them, I use high chairs (eating, drawing, being cute) or the crib or the bathtub.

I’ll put Henry down with something that will keep him occupied for half a second.

If there’s an adult on hand, I’ll use them.

I’ll go with the standard “Quick! Pick ‘em up and hold ‘em!”

And book reading is nice.

Snuggling on couches or beds.

All of these things pretty much guarantee lovely, in-focus photos.

I’ll tell you what DO NOT guarantee lovely, in-focus photos. Balls. Swings. Slides. Wild games of tag. I would say that out of 100 photos I’ll take of any of these activities, 3-4 are good enough to share.

Again, I’m not discounting photos of crazy movement. Not every photo needs to be focused. But if you want SOME that are, it’s all about confinement.

Posted by sarah | 1 comments

I wish you love

05

Starting Out: Buying the right camera

30

Starting Out: Backlight

07

Starting Out: Play Nice

31

Starting Out Workshops in November!

24

Starting Out: Friendly Reminder

14

Starting Out: Keep it Simple

06

Staring Out: Getting Better- a Follow-up

03

Starting Out: Get Better

27

Starting Out : Go, team, go!

26

Starting Out: Confined

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