Exposure

Exposure, is basically, the amount of light that hits the sensor of a digital camera or the film in a film camera. The main reason for correct exposure is to have the photo correctly balanced to the way the eye actually sees the moment captured. There may be some reasons why you would over or under expose a photo, but the most important aspect to a good looking photo, other than composition, would be the exposure.

In a digital camera, such as my Nikon D80, there is a light meter that reads the input of the light. This meter, wants to automatically adjust the light to a 18% gray scale (white balance). This is the auto calibration, and when it sees something, it automatically wants to adjust it to that color. This has to be manually adjusted in most instances, because the camera does not know what the subject is.

The exposure in a camera can be helped determined by using different apertures in the lenses, different ISOs or light sensitivity that the sensor can detect, and the shutter speed. By adjusting all of these, a correct exposure can be found. For example, in lower lights, you will most likely use a longer shutter speed, with a wider aperture, and quite possibly a higher iso. While in brighter lights, a quicker shutter speed can be used with lower ISOs and a smaller aperture if necessary.

My Nikon D80 has manual controls and automatic controls to make the adjustments made easier for the photographer. The A, S, and M modes are most used on my D80. The A mode, allows the aperture to be adjusted, while the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed. The S mode adjusts the aperture, while you adjust to shutter speed to create a properly exposed photo. The manual feature, is probably the hardest to use on the camera, but it gives complete control to the photographer. By using this mode, the exposure completely depends on the photographers take on the light and how they feel it should be represented.

Exposure is a very important part of photography and must not be overlooked. By knowing the basics, it is easy to come up with a good photograph with good color, tones, and detail added to it.

Iphone Photography

http://iphonephoto.us/

I have decided to blog about this site, which shows how people take photos with a very simple camera, such as the iphone. By using a camera such as this, you are very limited to what and how you photgraphy objects. This phone allows you to think outside the box to create a great photograph. With all the attention to all the high specs and the great cameras, sometimes it might be good to just step back and simplify what they are doing. This site allows people to upload photographs from their iphone to the site. By doing this, we can grasp more creative, fundamental pictures, that most people pass up because they can edit it later with photoshop. I believe that by taking an approach such as this, we can learn how to take better photographs. By slowing down and allowing ourselves to really comprehend what we need to shoot, there will be better overall photographs.

Trail Running

This week I decided to use my roommate as a model for me. I had him sign the release forms before we went on the photo shoot. The snow made this project really difficult for me, because I did not know where I could do this project that could work out well, yet I didn't want to go to a place such as the rims where someone could easily slip.

In the morning at late sunrise, we went out and I had him jog around some places down our alley and a few other streets. This was not to interesting to me, and I felt like there was better options out there. We decided that he would run inside the ditch next to 13th and Poly, so I could obtain a more interesting viewpoint. With so much snow around, the exposure was sort of difficult for me to get, and there was some instances where I really blew out the highlights in the snow, which I know is easy to do. Because of this, I decided some of the photos were better edited in a different color format such as black and white, which would keep the white snow, but really show the contrast with the runner.

I feel some of these photos show a different angle, which enhances the photo by making it more unique. It was interesting to try and figure out how I could make some of these shots work, and trying to be creative. It was good practice to take me out of my comfort zone. I feel that the more I do in this style will be able to help me progress and overall be a better photographer.

2009 St Patricks Day Parade

Yellowstone Touring Busses

This past St Patricks Day parade I tagged along with my father and two other people during the parade in downtown Billings. In this parade we showcased our 1927 Ford Lincoln touring car. There were 7 cars with ours being the prized edition!! These cars are being restored by the Busses of Yellowstone Preservation Trust.

I have never photographed these buses and was very excited to when I had a chance with all of them together. I think someone told me it was the first time all these busses have been together in Billings since the 30's at the latest, which was exciting to see history starting to be preserved.

While taking these photos, I tried to give the cars a vintage look, but keep the beauty that these machines are known for. It was fun being able to shoot these by being able to represent history, that not many people get to see.

An article from the Billings Gazette can be found here.

Property Release Form

This form along with the Model release form below is based off of the forms found Here. These forms are free to use and offer many different types of forms in different languages. The reason I favored using these as a template were that they were very descriptive and and contained a lot of information that is there to protect both parties. I took out very little in these, mainly to avoid clutter here on the site and to simplify it somewhat, but if I was to have someone sign this, I would most likely use the whole form.

Property Release

Property Release – January 2010

As owner or authorized representative of the Property and by

signing this release, I give Ben Sherman and

Assigns my permission to create and use the Content depicting the

Property in any Media, for any purpose (excluding defamation and

/ or pornography) which may include, among others, advertising,

promotion, marketing and packaging for any product or service. I

agree that the Content may be combined with other content, text

and graphics and cropped, altered or modified. I agree that all

rights to the Content belong to the Ben Sherman and /

or Assigns.

I agree that I have received Consideration for the rights granted in

this release. I acknowledge and agree that I have no further right

to additional Consideration or accounting, and that I will make no

further claim for any reason to Ben Sherman and / or

Assigns. I acknowledge and agree that this release is binding upon

my heirs if applicable, assigns or any person claiming an interest in

the Property. I agree that this release is irrevocable, worldwide and

perpetual, and will be governed by the laws (excluding the law of

conflicts) of the country / state from the following list that is nearest

to the address of the owner or authorized representative given

opposite: New York, Alberta, England, Australia and New Zealand.

It is agreed that my personal information will not be made publicly

available but may only be used directly in relation to the licensing

of the relevant Content where necessary (e.g. to defend claims,

protect rights or notify trade unions) and may be retained as long

as necessary to fulfill this purpose, including by being shared with

sub-licensees / assignees of the Photographer / Filmmaker and

transferred to countries with differing data protection and privacy

laws where it may be stored, accessed and used.

I represent and warrant that I am at least 18 years of age. I have

the full legal capacity and right to execute this release and grant the

rights herein granted with respect to the Property, and to bind all

persons claiming an interest in the Property.

Photographer/Filmmaker Information

Name (print) _____________________________________________________

Signature _______________________________________________________

Date signed (DD/MM/YEAR) ___________________________________________

Shoot Description/Ref. (if applicable) ____________________________________

Shoot Date (DD/MM/YEAR) ____________________________________________

Property Information (Describe property covered by release including address if real

estate or, if intellectual property, details of any registration / other description.)

Description ______________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________

City __________________________________ State/Province _____________

Country _____________________________ Zip/Postal Code _____________

Ownership Information (check one box as applicable)

Individual Owner Corporate Owner

Authorized Representative of Corporate Owner

Individual or Employee Name (print) __________________________________

Name of Corporation (if applicable) ____________________________________

Title/Position (if applicable) ___________________________________________

Signature _______________________________________________________

Date signed (DD/MM/YEAR) ___________________________________________

Contact Phone ___________________________________________________

Contact Email ____________________________________________________

Witness (NOTE: All persons signing and witnessing must be of legal age and capacity in the

area in which this Release is signed. A person cannot witness their own release.)

Name (print) _____________________________________________________

Signature _______________________________________________________

Date signed (DD/MM/YEAR) ___________________________________________

Model Release Form

This form along with the property release form above is based off of the forms found Here. These forms are free to use and offer many different types of forms in different languages. The reason I favored using these as a template were that they were very descriptive and and contained a lot of information that is there to protect both parties. The interesting thing with this form is that it does tie a minor release into the the adult release form. I took out very little in these, mainly to avoid clutter here on the site and to simplify it somewhat, but if I was to have someone sign this, I would most likely use the whole form.

Adult Model Release with Minor option

For Consideration herein acknowledged as received, and by signing

this release I hereby give Ben Sherman and Assigns

my permission to license the Content and to use the Content in any

Media for any purpose (except pornographic or defamatory) which

may include, among others, advertising, promotion, marketing and

packaging for any product or service. I agree that the Content may be

combined with other images, text, graphics, film, audio, audio-visual

works; and may be cropped, altered or modified. I acknowledge

and agree that I have consented to publication of my ethnicity(ies)

as indicated below, but understand that other ethnicities may be

associated with and / or Assigned for descriptive purposes by

Ben Sherman.

I agree that I have no rights to the Content, and all rights to the

Content belong to Ben Sherman and Assigns. I

acknowledge and agree that I have no further right to additional

consideration or accounting, and that I will make no further claim

for any reason to Ben Sherman and / or Assigns. I

acknowledge and agree that this release is binding upon my heirs

and assigns. I agree that this release is irrevocable, worldwide and

perpetual, and will be governed by the laws (excluding the law of

conflicts) of the country/state from the following list that is nearest

to the address of the Model (or Parent*) given opposite: New York,

Alberta, England, Australia and New Zealand.

It is agreed that my personal information will not be made publicly

available but may only be used directly in relation to the licensing of

the Content where necessary (e.g. to defend claims, protect rights

or notify trade unions) and may be retained as long as necessary

to fulfill this purpose, including by being shared with sub-licensees

/ assignees of Ben Sherman and transferred to

countries with differing data protection and privacy laws where it may

be stored, accessed and used. I represent and warrant that I am at

least 18 years of age and have the full legal capacity to execute this

release.

Photographer/Filmmaker Information

Name (print) _________________________________________________

Signature ___________________________________________________

Date signed (DD/MM/YEAR) _______________________________________

Shoot Date __________________________________________________

Shoot Country & Region/State __________________________________

Shoot Description/Ref. (if applicable) ________________________________

Model Information

Name (print) _____________________________________________________

Date of Birth (DD/MM/YEAR) ___________________________________________

Gender: male female

Model (or Parent*) Information

Residence Address _______________________________________________

City __________________________________ State/Province _____________

Country _____________________________ Zip/Postal Code _____________

Phone _______________________ Email _____________________________

Signature _______________________________________________________

Date signed (DD/MM/YEAR) ___________________________________________

*If Model is a minor or lacks capacity in the jurisdiction of residence, Parent

warrants and represents that Parent is the legal guardian of Model, and has

the full legal capacity to consent to the Shoot and to execute this release OF

ALL RIGHTS IN MODEL’S CONTENT. If you are signing in this capacity, please

enter your details above and your name below.

Parent Name:___________________________________________________

if applicable.

Witness (NOTE: All persons signing and witnessing must be of legal age and

capacity in the area in which this Release is signed. A person cannot witness their

own release)

Name (print) _____________________________________________________

Signature _______________________________________________________

Date signed (DD/MM/YEAR) ___________________________________________

Adult & Minor Release - January 2010

John Dougall

While looking for a skiing photographer I came across another blogger on this site named John Dougall. His site can be found here.

http://ski-photography-john-dougall.blogspot.com/

John Dougall has helped change the way skiing has been photographed. He uses different techniques that allow him to ski along with the skier and take great photos of them in action, all while staying out of the way of the skier themselves. This type of photography is interesting, because he gets some very good action results of the skiers and has some very interesting photos of the skier being natural. Most photographers will ski with the subject and take the photos while skiing with them. John on the other hand skis downhill and waits for the subject that he is going to be shooting. He calls this technique the "downhill biathalon." I would recommend looking this site over, because it gives insight on how to shoot the action, without getting in the way, while also showing that going against the grain in some aspects of photography can work. He shows that you dont have to do what others are doing, and by creating this technique, he creates a unique perspective of the great sport of skiing.