Notindoor photography magazine may 2016

NOTINDOOR

LANDSCAPEANDFINEARTPHOTOGRAPHYMAGAZINE

+ What It Takes to Be A Wildelife Photographer + A Woman To Look Up To + If I Were Ansel Adams + Photo of the Month + Sunset Adventures + Gear Review

photo by Jiří Jurczak

and much more!

NOTINDOORPHOTOGRAPHY | Issue #6 | 5.1.2016 | Los Angeles, CA

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FIRST WORDS /

Moshe Levis

Right now, I’m writing you when I’m home away from home.

You see, I live in Los Angeles and I went to Israel without my wife this time, for a whole month, to visit my family and take care of a few things, and she has been extremely supportive. Even though we haven’t seen each other for a month now I can feel her strong and infinite love. She’s keeping me alive!

Just like her, our readers and contributors are the ones keeping this magazine alive. Your love for photography and the environment keeps feeding NOTINDOOR magazine and giving the world a taste of what we love doing the most - sharing our vision.

For that reason, we sent out a special offer for 48 hours, for our readers to have gold memberships and the positive response was amazing!

Thank you everyone!

As part of our Gold Members, we offer to build you a free website, so if you have a gold membership do not hesitate to send us an email to info@notindoorphotography.com to claim your website. After all, you probably need it if you don’t have one ;) This month I would like to introduce you to our new contributor Stephan Smit from the Netherlands. We found his writing and photos really worth spreading, wiht his new article “It’s Not Just Black and White”, where he talks about his take on black and white and gives us a few tips.

Among the articles we have this month you’ll find Dirk Ross’s interesting article “Can A Cellphone Really Hang?” where he’s testing the capabilities of his cellphone vs a DSLR. So what do you think? Can a cellphone really hang?

Find out more about macro photography, portraits and new adventures and on the way get to read the stories behind certain images.

Lastly, we promised to give more attention to national parks, so we are happy to feature Jevgenija Sitik’s article about a beautiful place called Karula.

Fun fact - In Hebrew, Karula means “they called her”

Until the next time, Moshe Levis and the NOTINDOOR team 2 NOTINDOOR

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PHOTOOFTHEMONTH click here to submit your photos to next month’s contest. You can win a Hoya filter and a placement right here.

ABIQUAFALLS BY ADRIAN BLAIR - Congratulations on this placement and the Hoya filter 4 NOTINDOOR

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For More From Adrian: Website

CAMERA: Canon 6D • LENS: 17-40mm f/4 SETTINGS: 17mm • f/16 • 2 sec • ISO 100 LOCATION: Abiqua Falls, Marion County, Oregon

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FEATURED THIS MONTH

Moshe Levis

John Fredricks

Photographer /Writer / Founder / CEO

Photographer / Writer

It’s all about the beauty of our world. I capture photos of whatever attracts me and inspires me. I shoot portraits, wildlife, macro, landscapes and many personal and original projects.

John Fredricks is a photographer and journalist currently based in the Los Angeles area. Lord willing, he hopes to impact his generation through a visual medium, and put the spotlight on subjects around the world.

We started NOTINDOOR in December of 2015 and we’ll keep making it better!

Allan Pudlitzke

Heidi Horvath

Living in Northwest my entire life kept the fire of traveling burning.

Camping, hiking and sports help my photography skills as I do it part time while being a technology consultant.

Amongst owning her own Photo Studio, Heidi is well experienced shooting Rock Stars, Actors, Celebrities, Nature and more. Heidi is also a staff Photographer for 4 online Music magazines, and has had many of her photographs and articles published.

Photographer / Writer / COO

Photographer / Writer

Vishpala Kadam

Bill Dobbins

Photographer /Writer

Photographer / Writer

I am a photographer and travel blogger who loves to roam around, take pictures, write travel blogs and show the world through my lens - the reason for my portfolio ‘Speaking Lens’.

Bill Dobbins THE BODY PHOTOGAPHER became well known for his male and female physique photos - images of the aesthetic, athletic body. Using the same distinctive personal style, characterized by strong graphics and a classic look in both color and BW...

Indu M

Erick Monrrigo

Though I express myself through painting and writing, photography is the most comfortable medium for me. I am drawn to anything under the sun and enjoy the thought process behind creating each image.

Erick Giovanni Monrrigo is a creative animal with an adventurous heart. He’s a writer foremost and photographer second, but that changes every week. He graduated with a bachelors in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside but has been writing since the womb.

Photographer /Writer

Photographer / Writer

Dirk Ross

Adrian Blair

I live in a small village 65 km west of Munich. Although I have used cameras since 1987, I have only been photographing seriously since June of 2014. I love to shoot landscapes, but really photograph anything aside from people at the moment.

I’m 37 years old and I live in Happy Valley, Oregon. I have a 12 year old (about to be 13 on May 7th) daughter named Ashlyn, an awesome girlfriend named Jessica, and two cats, Tigerlily and Bailey.

I snowboard in the winter, play softball in the summer, and take pictures year round.

Photographer /Writer

Jevgenija Sitik

Photographer/Writer

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Stephan Smit

Photographer / Writer

Steven Servantez

Photographer / Writer

Karl Girardet

Photographer / Writer

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Photographer / Writer

David Hinnen

Photographer / Writer

Mark Cote

Photographer / Writer

George Delimosis

Photographer / Writer

FEATURED ARTICLES

contents

IF I WERE ANSEL ADAMS / Vishpala Kadam

SHOOTING FLAT / Bill Dobbins

IT’S MORE THAN JUST BLACK & WHITE / Stephan Smit

A WOMAN TO LOOK UP TO / John Fredricks

WHAT ABOUT MOSHE?! (INTERVIEW) / Allan Pudlitzke

CAN A CELLPHONE REALLY HANG? / Dirk Ross 7

FEATURED ARTICLES

BEYOND COLORS / Indu M

KARULA / Jevgenija Sitik

MACRO / Heidi Horvath

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER / Steven Servantez

SUNSET ADVENTURES / Allan Pudlitzke

PHOTO STORY - ARGENTINA / Karl Girardet

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PHOTOS & STORIES

PHOTOS & STORIES

PHOTOS & STORIES

PHOTOS & STORIES

SUPER AWESOME GIVEAWAY

JOIN OUR MEETUP GROUP

JOIN OUR 500PX GROUP

STAFF PICK

JOIN THE AFFILIATE PROGRAM

GEAR REVIEW

SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST

FINISHING WITH...

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K C PI FF ST A For More From David: Facebook Page | Website | Instagram

MAGICREWARD BY DAVID HINNEN 12 NOTINDOOR

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O O G

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GOOD READS

Can A Cellphone

? g n a

Really A few weeks ago I told Allan at NotIndoor about my short trip to South Tyrol.

Despite forgetting my camera bag, I was able to shoot some acceptable panorama photos just using my old cellphone.

During this conversation we came up with the idea to write an article about testing if a cell phone camera can really hang with a DSLR. I shot these photos with my Sony Xperia Z1, and ended up

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stitching the 8 individual shots together together in Adobe Lightroom. If you have never used Adobe Lightroom, let me first say the program incredibly powerful and has the advantage that it accepts DNG (RAW) files which offer you much better editing possibilities than a normal JPEG. When you dig a bit deeper into the technical details, you begin to realize that a cellphone can make great photos, when the environment is exactly what the original programmer

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had in mind when writing the code for the mobile app.

However, even just comparing your cell phone with modern beginner DSLR’s, you begin to notice the limitations of the cell phone that come into play.

First and foremost, with a cell phone you really only have one optical focal length and with most you also are stuck with a fixed aperture.

Most cellphones only feature a few automatic modes, and the device won’t tell you what they are doing. Even if you think of purchasing a better mobile app to override the built in software, like Fv Cam for example, it still does work to the level of what you can get with a DSLR. With the upgraded application you will begin to see what the camera is doing, and you can change some of the rough settings, but it’s not nearly enough to even hold a candle to my DSLR. When you change to a faster exposure, there are still several limitations on the speeds it can reach due to the limits within the hardware. With the in app ISO settings, you also run into similar limitations, likely due to limitations in the devices hardware. While the app it not terrible per cellphone expectations, don’t expect it to work wonders.

Seconds at an f/10 aperture and 200 ISO. Additionally, I utilized my Haida ND 1000 filter, which brings up my last important point. If you want to use polarizers, GND and/or ND filters, you cannot do this with your cellphone.

Where you really run into issue is when you want to shoot seriously.

There is no optical zoom and that counts much more in my opinion.

Aside from maybe 4 phones on the market you also don’t have a RAW or DNG support. What that means is you must rely on the programmed JPEG engines of the device.

Essentially, a JPEG disseminates a predefined compression algorithm on your photos. If you only post your shots online, this likely won’t be an issue, however, if you want a larger print, or want to zoom in on the finalized image, you will be very disappointed in regards to the quality.

To put things together, in situations where you have enough light, and the automatic settings do exactly what they should by surprise, your results will look unexpectedly good. But when you come into situations where you want to have total control about your cameras behavior, you won’t have much luck. For the most part, the pre-programmed automatic options will leave you disappointed and begging for more.

To emphasize the variance in quality between the DSLR and my cellphone I want to show you three pics that really no cellphone is capable of creating. The first shot is a macro photo made with the amazing Tamron 90mm f/2.8. Look at the depth of field. It would be impossible to get this with a fixed focal length of roughly 30mm, a fixed aperture and the lack of a massive image sensor.

So what’s my final take? If you remember a day that you saw a beautiful light at the sky, an awesome landscape or anything else worth to shooting and you didn’t have your gear it probably stunk. I mean it probably was frustrating, am I right?

Just remember this… “The best camera is the camera you have with you…“ So why not use your cellphone if it is all you have? Learn how you to tweak your app settings, or even get a app like Fv Cam or something similar as this would be better than missing the image entirely.

I think a picture made by a experienced motivated photographer, also if its isn’t perfect, is better like a never made picture and a lost memory of this great moment.

I think even if a picture by an experienced motivated photographer isn’t perfect, it is still better than not having a way to create a photo and never having the opportunity to relive that memory.

Dirk Ross click here to comment on this article ->

My second shot is of the moon. This was created with my Tamron 150-600. The camera was set up with spot metering, f/9, 200 ISO and a 1/320 second shutter… You wouldn’t see something like this done with a cellphones focal length limitations, it would probably just come out as a small yellow spec. The last pic shows Lake Senftenberg. It was a lengthy exposure of about 30 17

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R A P

S K R

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Karula

NATIONAL PARKS

I have arrived in the smallest national park in Estonia (123km2) - Karula National Park. Here you will find lots of interesting information about many things, but it would be much better to see it all with your own eyes, and this is why I decide definitely visit that place.

covered in forests,fields and grasslands. Local residents have maintained a very strong connection to land and nature.

Landscape

The relative and absolute heights of Karula uplands are not great. The difference between absolute heights is seventy meters (from 68 to 138 meters) while most of the territory is Rebäse Landscape Trail 75 to 100 meters above sea level. The highest hill of the park Rebäse trail begins near the Rebäse observation tower is Tower Hill 137.8m in Rebäsemõisa. Cultural landscapes of passed by Parson’s Lake full of water-lilies, and an exeptionally Karula are a type of landscape, which have formed as a result large alder, which is under protection. of human activities during hundreds of years. Dispersed villages and farms are separated by fields, coppices, marshes and You can test yourself by climbing our local Hill Ararat (103m grasslands. The face of the land has been determined by the above sea level). location of plots suitable for cultivation; thus the forest grows on tops and sides of steep hillocks and is circularly surroundKarula National Park is situated on the border of Valga and Võru Counties on the land of Antsla, Karula, Mõniste and Varstu municipalities. The land protection area created in 1979 became a national park in 1993.

Karula National Park was created for the preservation of the reliefs,nature,cultural heritage and the typical hilly landscape of Southern Estonia that is rich in lakes and forests. Karula National Park belongs to the Europe-wide Natura 2000 Network.

The unique hilly landscape of Karula National Park is the result of the uneven melting of the continental glacier. There are small bogs, swamps and 40 lakes between the hills that are 20 NOTINDOOR

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ed by fields or grasslands. Cultural landscapes cover about thirty per cent of park’s territory.

Waters in Karula

It was a great day in Karula National Park. Another amazing location for photographers. Land of open landscapes and amazing reflections captured on a forest lakes!!!

A great number of lakes formed in Karula uplands when the ice-sheets started to retreat,forty of the lakes are in the boundaries of Karula National Park.

Bogs and fens

Six per cent of Karula National Park is covered with bogs.

About two thirds of bogs have formed as a result of lakes growing over, most of these bogs are located in cupola areas.

More than half of the bogs near eskers are also overgrown lakes. Paludification has dominated only in the plains. On the steep slopes of large cupolas some spring bogs can be found.

Forests

Forests cover seventy per cent of the national park.Threes separate areas can be distinguished in the forest: 1. Heath forests and pristine forests on low northern cupolas.

These are undivided forests with little variety in habitat types;differences in forests associations rise primarily due to age differences of forest stands.

2. Crescent-shaped forest area of Rebäsemõisa-Mähkli-Kaika-Jõeperä reaching from the west to the east.Cupolas are covered with different forest types that grow on mineral soils,while touchwood forests and swamp woods grow between the cupolas. These are cultural landscapes, which have been affected by human habitation for a small groves on the tops and sides of the cupolas ad are divided by fields and meadows.

3. Southern forests are characterized by a wide variety of forest types, resulting from the peculiarities of the relief.

Bigger part of the forests is natural. This area covers almost half of the park’s territory. Most of the special management zones and the only nature reserve in the national park are in the area. Natural forests are preserved so well because difficult landscape complicates forestry works.

The most widespread forest types are heath forests, transition mire woods and bog woodlands.

Plants

431 different vascular plants have been found in Karula National Park. Thirty-eight of the species belong to tree and shrub layers, two of the species, namely the mezereon (daphne mezereum) and the European white alm (ulmus laevis), are under protection. 393 of the found species belong to herb layer. Thirty plants in this list are protected in Estonia, eight of them are red-listed, including the Baltic orchid (dactylorhiza baltica), flecked marsh orchid (d. cruenta), narrow-leaved marsh orchid (d. russowii), broad buckler-fern (dryopteris dilatata), fragrant orchid (gymnadenia conopsea), fen orchid (liparis loeselii), pincushion flower (scabiosa columbaria), and least water-lily (nuphar pumila). A very rare species in Estonia – the daisyleaf grape fern (botrychium matricariifolium) – grows in only three known locations and one of these is in Karula.

Jevgenija Sitik

click here to comment on this article ->

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O T S &

S E I R O

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PHOTOS & STORIES

Bridges This last week we decided to head down to the Oregon Coast to check out the rocky shores near Cape Perpetua. It is actually quite astonishing when you see the massive sea rocks scattered across the beach. They create mazes of walkways along the shore with heights just tall enough for you to get lost in. After we escaped the maze we came across a bend in the shore that lead way back to this bridge.

The scene was serene… This was a fresh water inlet that likely led to the creek just behind our campsite. From colossal rocks to a clearing beyond the bridge that opened to a scene that didn’t seem to even resemble the coast whatsoever.

At one point I though I had heard bats in the forefront caves, however it just turned out to be a few noisy birds with spring fever. If you are ever at the Oregon coast near Yachats, be sure to stop by and check out Cape Perpetua, it is definitely worth the visit.

Allan Pudlitzke

Canon 60d Tokina 12-28mm F/4 12mm, ƒ/10, 1/400s, ISO 320 click here to comment on this article ->

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PHOTOS & STORIES

Wooden Shoe Tulips Listen…. I’m not really a flower guy, and I know most beginning photographers find flowers to be a great starting point when learning how to shoot. They don’t move unless it’s really windy or you pick them and toss them, so what better way learn that on a subject that is already beautiful, stationary, and incredibly bright. Without talking too much about flowers, I will bring up my trip to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm.

the right angles in a mass of hyperactive children and side tracked adults can make it damn near impossible sometimes. I did manage to grab a couple of photos I personally loved. The color seemed right, the focus was great, and they had a nice soft touch of bokeh to go along with it.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival, Oregon… Google it… You won’t regret the trip especially if you like taking photos of little kids Every year they do this insane Tulip festival that brings people dressed to the nines and a ton of flowers. in by the masses. A field with rows and rows of brightly, and, color coordinated tulips immediately draws your attention.

They have every mom and pop dragging their poor little kid out for spring photographs, because what could be a better background for your cute little kids than a bunch or bright, fully blossomed tulips?

Allan Pudlitzke I am not a macro photographer… In fact, I don’t think I have ever shot anything close to macro like. I use a whole two lenses in my arsenal most of the time… One is a super wide, and the other a telephoto… I figured what the hell? Lets try and do as close a shot with the tulips as I can get with my telephoto and just see what I can come up with.

Like I said before, shooting flowers was not tough, but getting

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PHOTOS & STORIES

Lost In The Fog B&W This was taken on the 4th of July above the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. I had driven over there because I wanted to capture the fire works in San Francisco from across the bay.

What was special about the lighting is it was clear behind me with the fog rolling in through the Gate and across the city in front of me. The Sun was to the right which gave a nice effect on the fog.

This was a handheld shot using a Nikon D610 with a Nikon 16-35 lens. This photo is unique because of the location of the Sun and fog to the Bay and the Bridge also the conversion to black and white brought out the contrasts and lighting in a unique way.

I did not get any fire works photos that night because the fog covered the city.

Mark Cote

click here to comment on this article ->

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PHOTOS & STORIES

Anthony Queen He lives alone and he is selling tissues for a living.

I have met him on the streets.

I told him “one day I want to shoot you”. His answer; “why, now you can’t?”

The day I asked him to shoot him some big men were annoying. They made him angry.

I took him to the side to calm him down and then we had this conversation.

One click. Then I show him the photo and he told me: My name is Anthony Queen!

George Delimosis

click here to comment on this article ->

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BLACK&WHITE

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BLACK AND WHITE

Beyond

Colors

“Colour is descriptive. Black and white is interpretive.” – Elliott Erwitt

that there will be handfuls of artistically invaluable black and white images.

Colours make this world more picturesque. Each article is inherently attached to its colour; like sky to blue and leaves to green. Colours impart identity to them. When colours are omitted, and replaced by black and white, you will try to identify with the object in a different manner. Normally we won’t see monochromatic scenes in nature. It is very rare in paintings too. All photographs and cinemas were in monochrome in former era. Now cinematography is mostly in colour format. But black and white photography withstands passage of time and technology and still fascinates artists. What would have made it possible?

Every now and then we won’t create monochrome images.

Only when there is a potential situation we will go for it.

Powerful composition, high contrast and wide tonal range are the triad to be taken care off. Effect of good composition is enhanced by the contrast of image. Contrast between different areas can be increased by changing intensity and direction of light. In the absence of colours, viewer’s concentration will be more on shapes and patterns. Shadows define the shape of an object. So pay attention to both dark and light areas. A range of grey tones between pure white and pure black add beauty to these types of images. Tonal range can be widened by post processing, especially by dodging and burning tools.

Fine details or texture of subject always add a crispy feeling to pictures. Side lighting method is the best way to pop up the texture.

The images with only black and white shades compel for a more analytic vision and extract more details that we normally miss out in the aura of colours. If Eugene Smith’s “Walk to paradise garden” had created in multiple shades, we would have mesmerized by the blossoming garden. Because this picture is in black and white, we clearly notice a walk away from darkness which may symbolise exodus of young generation from darker Second World War period to a brighter post war phase. Mere absence of colours may not elevate the vibes of image; it differs for each image. Imagine Steve McCurry’s afghan girl without the shining greenish tint in her eyes. Can you embrace the image with same intensity in that case? It is not crucial whether you shoot exclusively in black and white or not. Medium should match with the subject.

Many artists had proved that black and white medium is suitable for various genre of photography ranging from landscape to portrait. Number of black and white photographs made, compared to number of colour photographs, is very less. But if you check your own image collections, you will get surprised 34 NOTINDOOR

High key or low key images are two variants in black and white category. High key images are overexposed one and touch you in a subtle manner. It set up some kind of fantasy world. Compared to high key, low key images are purposefully underexposed and it is wrapped in a mysterious feeling. They are effective in isolating the subject of interest and masking unwanted details. Chiaroscuro effect will better go with this black and white type of imaging. Unlike high key and low key images mid tone photos are neither underexposed nor overexposed.

It is better to capture the image in colour format and then convert to black and white. Compared to in camera monochrome JPEG or JPEG conversion to BW image, RAW file conversion to black and white image possess more details.

There are numerous ways to convert an image from colour to

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BLACK AND WHITE

black and white; and most conversion methods work reasonably well.

When composition and emotion can overweigh effect of colour, that image will be successful in monochrome. (But if colour factor is the one which evoke the emotions, then don’t give a try.) Colours can distract viewers from minor compromises in images. So selection of subject and image making should be more critical in case of black and white medium.

What may be the most idealistic situation to opt omission of colours? I think the idealistic situation is when colours have nothing to do with the enhancement of image. One of the best and recent examples i can point out is world press photo of the year 2015 by Warren Richardson.

Black and white photography is a meditation, for both photographer and the spectator. It removes all distractions help to focus on bare minimum or core essence of the image.

Indu M

click here to comment on this article ->

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BLACK AND WHITE

I

If Were

Ansel Adams

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BLACK AND WHITE

Rewinding 15 years back from today, whole new photography world was opened to professional photographers and high end consumers with introduction of Digital SLR camera by leading manufacturers. I was getting introduced to photography back then. I still used to click photographs using film cameras, only handful photographs as it costed lot of money to buy film, get it developed and printed. At around same 40 NOTINDOOR

time, I read an article about Ansel Adams on his birth anniversary. I was totally impressed. My mind was completely occupied by the photography of Ansel Adams. I went on reading few more articles and searched for more photographs taken by him. And I started thinking, If I were Ansel Adams‌ If I were Ansel Adams, I thought, I would have visualized my

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photographs before clicking. The mere thought of ‘If I were Ansel Adams’ became my mentor. It started teaching me numerous ways to improve my photography. The visualization technique changed my whole perspective about the photography. I started emphasizing composition and light. Results were dramatic, I started getting more pleasure photographing the same landscapes more than ever!

Reading more about him, I read one of his famous quote - A good photograph is knowing where to stand. I again thought, if I were Ansel Adams, I would have known known my perspective better. I would have gone extra mile to get a perfect shot. I would have known how to position camera to make interesting composition. I would think more and shoot less.

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I kept on clicking landscapes for months together, before I stumbled upon two more quotes of Ansel Adams that got me thinking deep. First one is There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept. This was quite an eye opener for me. I kept thinking on it for few days and it struck me that I have found something that was missing in my photos! I started calling it ‘Photographer’s Vision’. If photographer has no vision behind the photo, then extraordinary subject or perfect lighting or latest gear is can not be of much use.

The vision brings a story to the photograph. Vision also brings emotions to the photo.

Ansel Adam’s quote - You don’t take a photograph, you make it – is I call a ‘Photographer’s Vision’. If I have to put it in 80-20 rule; vision, story, emotions and those 42 NOTINDOOR

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little moments counts 80% and lighting conditions, gear and subject only counts 20% when it comes to making or breaking the photographs.

On the technical side, introduction to zone system was a huge help in visualization process. Human eye can see a lot more dynamic range than even today’s high end digital SLRs. So it is a special skill for human eye to see what camera will see. Zone system developed by Ansel Adams makes this process lot easier. Knowing all the possible zones in the photo helps not only in black and white photography but also in color format. I loved to read how he spent hours together in dark room developing the prints, using burning and dodging techniques and actually painting on the negative. It helped me to get over a thought that post processing is not an art form.

Fast forward 15 years and coming to the present, I still think, if I were Ansel Adams, I would have visualized my photographs before clicking, I would have known where to stand and I would have clicked the photos with crystal clear concepts.

Every thought of ‘If I were Ansel Adams’, takes my passion for photography to next level. Every thought of ‘If I were Ansel Adams’, makes me to retrospect my style, enriches my knowledge, provides me with an opportunity to sharpen my skills, compels me to bag new tools and techniques. Every thought of ‘If I were Ansel Adams’, also reminds me that I am not ‘The Ansel Adams’ yet and will never be!!!

Vishpala Kadam click here to comment on this article ->

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BLACK AND WHITE

Its More

ThenJust

type of photography distractions you can tell more about the story or feeling you try to send to the viewer. This elimination is a big part of B&W. So as told above by highlighting a certain subject and removing distractions you can make the story tell anything you like, for what is possible within the frame.

Black and White

We photographers roam the world and see everything from beautiful architecture to nature made formations with stunning sunsets. These moments we try to capture with all the colors in it possible.

But today i want to point out the power of Black and White photography.

One thing that I find pleasant is to take the frame up close to my subject or taken wide. This can give more detail for example an expression on a persons face. When you get up close you can see much more and you will achieve more “feelings” rather then have taken it wide. The wide shot will give the viewer more meaning because of the information of the surroundings. For example a couple walking on the beach hand in hand Wide shots can give the viewer more information about the story, a close shot can show happiness, loneliness, freedom etc.

A lot of people change “bad” photographs into B&W because it tends to look “good enough”.

In my eyes the power of B&W is that we as photographers can “highlight” a certain subject in our frame. For example two buildings with the sun being blocked but just the street between is covered with light and someone is walking across the street you perfectly “highlight” your subject.

When I look at these photographs I tend to give more attention to the story then the details (of course the detail do matter).

For a deeper understanding about storytelling try to do some research about the early photographers that shot with film and had no way to capture colors. Here you will see how and what they did to capture the story they were aiming for.

Check out these amazing photographers: Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier Bresson, Diane Arbus and Dorothea Lange.

Also remember to really think about the tittle. A photograph can become so much better if you give your viewer a direction to it with the tittle.

Texture and Contrast The Story

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I won’t go into this to seriously because this subject is a personal taste in photography.

You can enhance all the details to a extreme or make it very smooth this is all up to you.

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One thing that I find important is that you should really pay attention to the color contrast.

In LR you have the Black and White mix panel. When altering the colors you will notice that you can change the overall look by highlighting or eliminating parts of the subject. Try to play with this panel the next time you do a B&W session.

The Sky

These days architecture has become very popular with long exposed sky that creates a very unique result and shadows playing with you own perspective about space. Thinking about the sky, this is very important with B&W. A beautiful photograph of a building with an “empty” sky will just not do it. You really have to pay attention to this. Because it can make or brake your photo.

Below I have an example of the difference.

Don’t forget the sky!!

Some Creative Tips

Add a Vignette to pull in the viewers attention. Be careful that you don’t make it too dark.

Add a “little” color to your B&W with Sepia or a Deep Sea Blue.

You could also bring one colour back to life. By doing this you can add a mood to your photo.

One thing to remember is that with B&W you can go out 45

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and shoot with any type of weather. A cloudy day is perfect for it. You can balance your shots more even without over or under exposing to much.

A landscape photographer might think he will stay inside but for B&W GO OUTSIDE!!!

Stephan Smit click here to comment on this article ->

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LIVING SMALL

Macro When I first started into my world of Photography, I was immediately drawn into the beauty of all that which Nature holds. Which is why Macro Photography is one of my favorite types of photography to shoot! Seeing the detail in the smallest of ways and capturing that, is how I found myself in love with it. I found a great definition of what it exactly is.

The Real definition of macro photography

Although most people think of macro photography as just another name for closeup photography, this is not technically correct. I could get 20cm from a flower with an ultrawide angle lens on the camera and it would not be macro however I could be 50cm away with a 180mm macro lens, and this would be true macro.

The term macro relates to the magnification of the image as it appears on the sensor. For example, if you have a small metal ball 10mm in diameter and the image cast onto the image sensor is 10mm as well, then this is called 1:1 magnification (life size). If it is 5mm on the sensor it is 1:2 (half magnification), and if it more than fills the sensor such that it would be 50mm across it is 5:1 (5x magnification).

Traditionally, macro meant anything that was 1:1 or higher, although it is widely accepted that 1:2 (0.5 magnification) is still considered macro.

In the world of compact cameras, the term macro has come to mean a camera’s ability to focus very closely on an object.

Of course you can increase the magnification when you print the image onto paper. One definition I’ve seen for macro is being able to get a lifesize image when printed at 6x4”. This is not really macro at all as with a crop sensor camera such as on most Canon or Nikon DSLRs, this would only require a magnification of less than 1:6.

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LIVING SMALL

So did all that technical terminology get you confused? If so I will show you some of my close up shots, tell you a bit about my experiences. I have taken many of my Macro shots actually with my Nikon 18200mm zoom lens, my 50mm, and my 70200mm zoom lens.

There are a few things to think about when you are doing Macro Photography . The 2 main problems when shooting so close are:

1. Getting even illumination of the subject when very

close to it

2. Getting the image in sharp focus as the depthoffield

is so shallow When shooting at such a close range to the subject (a few inches only) or zooming into frame to the closest area of the subject, it can create a problem with the lighting or illumination. This reason being, the camera and lens being so close, can create shadows, loss of lighting, and/or can block the ambient light. I don’t recommend using a flash, but if so, use a diffuser or a ring diffuser.

or, beauty and crispness is my goal. This can be the challenge since the depth of field (DoF) is so shallow.

A non moving object is much easier to shoot of course, than a moving object such as a bee. Either way, the challenge is what makes it so fun! The results of all your work will be appreciated. So, get out there and just start trying different shots of subjects that would look even more amazingly incredible, Up Mostly, I have shot outdoors using the natural light, or in some cases with a flash in the dark early morning hours. Each Close! Perhaps, just maybe, you too will fall in love with Macro Photography. gives such an incredible type of shot. I suggest not using a hood, for this can create problems of not letting enough light into the sensor (when not using a flash) such as taking a shot in the shade, or creating loss of light, due to shadowing on the subject using natural light.

Finding a subject that is intriguing to shoot, with details, col52 NOTINDOOR

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GOOD READS

Sunset Adventures

So this wasn’t planned… In fact, most of my photo shoots never are… It usually goes like this: The night before I tell myself I am going to get up early and hit that golden hour sunrise to take my next masterpiece, or in my case, first one. I doze off on the couch watching Game of Thrones with my wife, get dragged to bed around 2 or 3am and finish my sleep from the comfort of our memory foam king. The alarm goes off, I hit the snooze; repeat this about 10 times afterwards. It is not 9:47am and I am still in my PJ’s with not an ounce of coffee in my body. I guess I will get up now. This time I decided to hit a local spot, this I have photographed many times, Moulton Falls. By the time I arrive, the parking lot is already jam packed (by jam packed I mean a small 10 car lot, filled with Subaru’s. We love Subaru’s in the PNW, and, dogs, and trees, and marijuana now I guess too). A bit of inside information about me, I am impatient, and my wife would attest. So with this in mind, waiting for a parking spot was not an option for me. So what else do I do aside from venture even further out into the wilderness, alone?

I arrive at Sunset to an empty lot! Not a soul in the park, so I grab my gear and head down to start taking a few shots of the falls. About five minutes in I here a bit of chatter up stream above the fall sounding like a group of people either swimming or participating in some other sort of aquatic outdoor adventure. I decide to hang by and see what all the fuss is about and to my surprise, this complete superhero badass, comes firing down the river and launches off of this waterfall on his shiny orange kayak. Did I get the shot? Hell yes I got the shot, and it is now one of my favorite photos.

Sunset Falls campground is only a winding 7 miles beyond Moulton, so I decided I would check it out for the first time.

This is where things start to get interesting. About 5 miles down the road I spot a giant kitty-cat. Except it wasn’t a kitty-cat, it was a freaking bobcat. Now for some of you photographers, a bobcat would be no big deal. But for me, this was like seeing bigfoot. I freaked in excitement (likely squealing like a little girl too) and slammed on my brakes in the middle of the road. He was hiding and stalking me from the bushes. I proceed to try and call the damn thing like it was a house cat, no dice. Best I could do as take this blurry ass picture of him taunting me from behind the tree, just camouflaged enough me lens couldn’t quite get in sharp. Now I proceed en-route to my aforementioned destination, Sunset Falls.

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GOOD READS

After seeing this I was intrigued to the one millionth degree and decided to dangle around a bit longer. Maniac after maniac shooting over the falls, I was shooting as fast as my crappy little Canon 60d would let me. At this point I didn’t care about the waterfall one bit, I was zoned in on the nut jobs launching off of it trying to capture as many Red Bull’esque photos that I could. Like pros, they would plummet to the depths, swim to the side and go back for more like some sort of waterfall crack junkies. I must had taken 100-200 photos up until the time one of the kayaks flipped around backwards, and capsized the unsuspecting rider underneath the fall. After a few minutes of panic and struggling he was able to right his ship and swim to the side visibly shaken.

I continued to loiter as the did this for about 15 to 20 minutes longer than shot back downstream leaving me with nothing but the disappointing leftovers of a lonely sunset falls. Sometimes just venturing a bit further is the key. And I guess you could say that sleeping in and hitting that snooze button 10 times paid of in the end after all.

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Allan Pudlitzke

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THE HUMAN RACE

A Woman What do Huffington Post’s 30 most influential photographers on the Internet, competitive figure skating, and the best selling iPhone camera app of all time have in common? The answer is Canadian photographer Lisa Bettany.

t o

Look Up To

Bettany, 35, is one of a kind.

In her late teens, she was a competitive figure skater training to represent her country in the Olympics until she succumbed to a horrific back injury at age 21. It was while she was recovering in the hospital that she turned to photography as a way of expression. It gave her the motivation to move forward in the healing process and it fed her passions for life and travel.

When the topic of photographic genre is brought up, Bettany would describe her main subjects as travel and landscape photography, but moving into the direction of fine art.

Her inspiration? The outdoors.

“Nature inspires me and my photography,” said Bettany in an interview with Dodho Magazine.

her landscapes, and before she picks up her camera she has in mind what she wants out of her images.

When she is not creating camera applications for smart phones, her photography is being featured in many publiLandscape and travel photography is a common subject amongst photographers, but in viewing Bettany’s work, she is cations including The New York Times, Toronto Star, Elle set apart from the rest. Her images contain strong composition Magazine, Huffington Post, and Forbes. because she knows how to direct the focus of those viewing her work to a main focal point in her photographs while maintain- Viewing her blog, one will be quick to notice that she enjoys teaching other photographers how to appreciate and obtain ing the theme of calmness. better images in travel and landscape with whatever camera The scenes she captures remind us that the simplicity of nature they own. in the geographical sense can be one of the most beautiful things witnessed in lifetime. She is careful not to incorporate “Photographs of landscapes with one main focal point are much stronger than those that include too much in the distractions into her work that might offset the attention of 60 NOTINDOOR

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frame. The best landscapes move your eye in one direction with a perfect leading line with no distractions in between,” she shared with writer Máximo Panés Though Bettany never leaves home without her Canon 5d Mark 2 and 3, she will always be on top of her game as an avid iPhone photographer. “I am a photographer first, but I have spent the last 8 years working in technology developing 5 iPhone apps.” She said to Dohdo.

In cofounding the Camera+ app, a $.99 downloadable enhancement for iPhone cameras, Bettany and her development team brought in almost $2 million dollars within the first year of release in 2010. “ I am so used to being poor,” she told Entrepreneur Magazine in 2011. ““Now my bank calls me up all the time and asks, “What’s all this money?’”

for Bettany as she pursues travel photography projects, sharing photo tips on her blog, and finishing up book she has been working on for the last few years. Being labeled as one of the most influential photographers on the web, the worldwide photography community is excited to see what will come out of this woman’s camera next.

John Fredricks click here to comment on this article ->

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Shooting

THE HUMAN RACE

Flat

And Other Tips for Digital Photography

Learning anything involves gradually improving your skills in whatever area you are working. That is usually a fairly slow, incremental process. Re-learning a skill you have already acquired can be more complicated because you have to replace old skills that are already ingrained habits with no ones - that often involve contradictory procedures.

Surprisingly, after decades of shooting film the transition I made to digital in 1999 was not that difficult. At least, not when it came to actually shooting the images. What was new and challenging to digital photography was all the rest: things like naming, storing and backing up photos, digital asset management, processing with Photoshop (and later Lightroom).

One of my first outdoor shoots was in the desert at sunrise.

With film, I tended to use warming filters. With digital, that was unnecessary and produced tiles that were way too red.

But once I realized I should be shoot in RAW, that was no longer a consideration.

But back in the day my color photos were almost all done with transparencies. These produced really dramatic and rich 62 NOTINDOOR

images - with slightly different looks depending on the kind of film used - but were relatively limited in how much they could be altered using exposure and development. Pushing increased contrast, pulling reduced it and cross-processing (developing the film in the “wrong� chemicals) could yield interesting and often bizarre results. But for the most part you got what the film and chemical companies intended you would get.

Working as I did most often for art directors, I preferred as much as possible to make any many of the creative choices as possible. So I would usually light to make my images as contrasty and saturated as possible. I would crop in tight to exactly where I wanted so the creative department would have little choice in how to use the photos. And I would shoot relatively few images - and then edit carefully before turning in the results. The fewer alternatives I could give an art director or picture editor the better, was my attitude.

But over time as I got more experience with digital I have had to change my habits and approaches for best outcome. For

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one thing, RAW digital files are like negatives, not transparencies. Shooting flatter, with less contrast and saturation, means you lose nothing - because you can get exactly what you need with the movement of a slider and no loss of quality. It is easier to increase the drama of a photo than it is to back off and make it more flat. Flat generally means you lose no information.

I liked to slightly under-expose transparencies. But with digital there is a lot more information available in the brighter areas of the photo so slightly over-exposing (slightly!) gives you a better file.

Cropping is a different matter as well. If you crop too close there is no way to restore lost areas of the image - without way too much Photoshoping. So it makes more sense to leave more space than you need and then crop in post. This also avoids shooting mistakes like inadvertently cropping off things like toes at the bottom of the photo or other peripheral elements. Now that I have control of the cropping before I send the file to a client, I am trying to school myself not to 63

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crop too close in the camera.

Another good practice is not to rely too much on the image you see on the back of the camera. These can be useful - as Polaroid used to be - but they are simply jpeg representations on a piece of plastic of what is actually a high-pixel RAW file full of a huge amount of data. Jpegs are processed images so you can’t look at the back of the camera and know exactly what your card is actually recording. Look at it, sure. But also check out the histogram so see what the range of color and light is actually being captured.

There are two changes in approach I am still working on.

One is ISO. After so long being tied to the ISO rating of a given type of film and limited to most usually pushing no more than two stops, I still have trouble accepting the fact that my Canon 5D Mark III can easily shoot at 2000 ISO and above with very little distracting noise. I have so many failed images shot at events where I either didn’t hold the camera still enough or the subject moved too quickly. Shooting at 2000 or 3000 ISO (or above) is not ideal for photos intended to be blown up the size of a wall, but for most purposes an image that is slightly grainy is better than one that just isn’t sharp.

The other is that I am still reluctant to a lot of shots or vari-

ations of an image once I think I’ve got it nailed. I should develop a workflow in which I shoot more and then just select the best ones to process in Lightroom. You can never use a photo you didn’t shoot and deleting a digital image involves no more than a touch of a button.

Bill Dobbins

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INTERVIEW WITH...

What About

Moshe?!

it to succeed as much, if not more than I do myself.

So what a better way to celebrate 6 months than to learn a little about the man behind the project? He has been at it through thick and thin, poured in dollars, had gear stolen and recovered, and kept me on track the last 6 months with my projects. Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, I present Mr. Moshe Levis…

The Man Behind the Curtain

AP: Moshe, if you could, let us hear a little about your back

Being the backbone of things can pull you directly out of the limelight and you usually become the most underappreciated component of the process. It is also a lot of weight to hold on your shoulders being the person that the deadline depends on when everyone else has the freedom of leaving the job once the day or duty is complete.

story… You are not originally from LA correct?

ML: That’s true Mr. Allan (I start calling Allan, Mr. Allan because of watching the TV show The Flash haha). I was born and raised in Israel, where there are only camels and sand dunes. Just kidding, Israel is a very advanced country believe it or not.

I met Moshe through 500px in November of last year, and it was one of the most refreshing scenarios of my entire photography career. In a rut, succumbing to the popularity contests that many photo sites create, I received an invite from Moshe Levis asking me to join the NotIndoor group on the site. At the time there was maybe 20-30 people total in that group. All of us seemed to be experiencing the same roadblocks that I was, or looking to gain exposure for our work. Like the others, I took the jump and committed to being a part of what is blossoming into an amazing photography community.

I moved to Los Angeles when I was 22 years old and had no connection to photography whatsoever. I wasn’t born with a camera in my hands. Haha.

AP: What was your inspiration for starting a platform like NotIndoor, a publication that gives all photographers the chance to be recognized?

ML: That could be a long story, but I’ll give you the shorter version (sort of). I started NOTINDOOR magazine almost out of the blue. Because I never had the chance of getting a degree in photography I had to learn everything from videos, Over the last six months, my relationship with Moshe has books and magazines, and the more magazines I was browsgrown significantly… We talk everyday about the magazine, ing, the more I got to the conclusion that they are a bit messy, shoot ideas of each other, and rely on each other for help full of ads and pretty expensive. Did you know that about when it is needed. He has put his heart and soul into the 25% of the contents of most magazines (even those that cost magazine and hasn’t asked for an ounce of recognition for it… money) are ads?

Maybe he is just shy, or maybe not…. Nonetheless, his drive, ethics, and passion for this magazine is the sole reason I deA few years back, I had an idea for a platform for photogravote as much time to it as I do… The reason… I know he want phers that could easily make a better platform than 500px 68 NOTINDOOR

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I’m actually designing and developing a product as we speak. I hope to show it soon. Stay tuned.

AP: Which photo have you taken that is your personal favorite? Why? Care to share it?

ML: What a tough question. Now I understand how hard it is to answer when I ask other photographers about it. Hmm...

So after taking a break from the interview, making a cup of coffee and going through my photos I decided that one of my favorite photos is one that most people don’t really care about as much.

The photos is called “Just Stop” and Flickr (which are the largest sites) but I did not have the money or help to make it happen so I put it aside - for now.

The overall inspiration for NOTINDOOR came from all the things I needed to have as a photographer but somehow couldn’t get.

I needed my work to be seen as much as possible. I wanted to have articles and photo stories in photography magazines. I wanted to win photo contests and I wanted to get paid for the landscape and find art photography that I do.

None of the above happened to me personally so I came up with my own magazine and worked hard to make all of the above possible for other photographers.

I wanted to create a community where photographers get paid for showcasing their photos (unlike any other photo sharing website). I wanted photographers, to have a good source for quality articles, interviews and tutorials for free. I wanted photographers to show their works in galleries around the world.

I wanted to help others get all the things I couldn’t.

AP: What do you do for work, aside from the insane amount of hours you spend on the magazine?

ML: Well, I mainly do photography, graphic design, web design and teaching Photoshop, which are all of what needed for creating a photography magazine. Other than that, I always have ideas for new businesses, projects and products.

Why is it my favorite? Hard to point really. The photo doesn’t really follow any photography rules and there is no specific focus, even though I was focusing on the Bay Bridge. Maybe it’s because I really love San Francisco, the most photogenic city (so far). The vibe I get from San Francisco always make me feel good. Maybe I like the photo so much because you can see the soul of the city. You can see the new (high-rise buildings) and the old (the rail system and the Bay Bridge). You can also see the wavy roads that San Francisco is famous for.

Or maybe it just looks like a scene from a movie. Whatever it is, it’s working for me.

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INTERVIEW WITH...

AP: What are your aspirations for this magazine?

Where do you see it going in the next 5-10 years?

ML: I have so many plans for this magazine. Big plans! I can honestly see it being one of the best photography magazines in the world. Just need some more help :) In 5 years from now, I see NOTINDOOR a fully operating publication with a large staff, number of local offices and a mobile app. In 10 years, I see offices around the world, hundreds of reporters and millions of readers. Plus, who knows what new technology will be developed by then.

AP: What is your favorite part about putting the magazine together every month? What is it that continues to push you to keep moving NotIndoor forward?

ML: One of my favorite parts that keeps pushing me is the fact that people like what they see and read, and every month is a new challenge. You never know if you’ll have enough articles to publish, enough downloads when you’re done (at least because we’re still in the beginning). Also, the fact that I’m actually helping photographers feel good about their work means more than anything. They get a stage and also get paid.

I never got paid for putting my photos on different websites.

away from your excitement in a way. You become a “landscape snob”. The fact that you see amazing places makes you ignore many places that others think are stunning. But that’s just me maybe. Did ever happen to you?

AP: Why is the success of NotIndoor so important to you?

ML: The success of NOTINDOOR magazine is important to me because I really want to do something that can help.

I want it to spread more awareness on our hurting parks, oceans and wildlife and I want it to really create a community where photographers get paid for their beautiful work, not just get “likes” for it.

AP: What is the single greatest moment in all of your photogThe things that keeps moving NOTINDOOR forward are the raphy career?

ML: Believe it or not, it took me a few days to think about fact that I keep making new friends from around the world this question and I finally have an answer. I think that the sinand that I simply not allowing myself to give up on it. I have gle greatest moment in all of my photography career was the no problems to admit that I failed a lot, but that’s the only way to success. This is how we learn. NOTINDOOR will not move from Israel to Los Angeles, about seven years ago. fail because I’m giving it all I got!

Only after being here in Los Angeles for about two years, my hunger for capturing the world had started and became one AP: If you could only shoot a single genre of photography, of the biggest parts in my life. what would it be? And why?

ML: Landscapes will always be the answer for me. Without AP: If you could go back and tell the beginner Moshe any even thinking. Why? Because it just makes me feel good. piece of advice, what would it be?

Landscapes don’t stress you out when you shoot them, they ML: I would tell myself to go and get a degree in Photography. are never rude to you, you are not limited with time (sort of) Although it is not mandatory to get a degree in photography, and if you messed up, landscape will never complain. Landscape photography teaches you how to see the world with new in order to take great photos, it is probably something that every photographer can benefit from, learning more about set of eyes and you appreciate your surroundings a lot more. lights, film, techniques, history etc. We can all learn these Of course there are withdraws to landscape photography. You things online but still, a degree gives you a different feel and shapes you a different way. I think. have to deal with “bad weather, getting to far away locations, get up before the sun, go to sleep after the moon etc.

AP: Who are your greatest supporters? And why?

There is one thing in landscape photography that also taking ML: My greatest supporters in the magazine? If so, these would be our readers and contributors because without them 70 NOTINDOOR

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there would be no point keeping this magazine up and running. Other than the readers, I’m really grateful for you Mr. Allan, who takes so much of his own time helping with the magazine in so many ways. I’m also grateful for our new local writers: John Fredricks and Erick Monrrigo. And last but not least, my wife, who’s giving me so much love and freedom to do whatever it takes in order to succeed. Seriously, can we get her a reward or something? ;) AP: What are your passions outside of photography and the magazine?

ML: I actually have many other passions. Maybe too many.

Haha. I love writing (I initially moved to LA to write feature films), I love drawing (which I haven’t done in a long time), I love writing lyrics and design products that do not exist yet.

I guess it all comes down to one general passion - creating things.

AP: Do you have any family?

ML: Yes, I do. My new family (my wife, and good friends) here in LA with me and while my parents, siblings, grandparents etc in Israel.

AP: What locations are on your bucket list to photograph in your lifetime? Why? ML: O’ crap, there are so many! Australia, New Zealand, New York, Germany, Thailand, Alaska, The Swiss Alps, Ireland...

Wow the list is too freakin’ long. Why? Because I’m curious to experience them in person, through my own eyes and see what I can capture that no one else had.

AP: Lastly… If you could change anything about the world today, what would it be?

ML: Man! I would probably just move to a different universe!

Just kidding (hmm...). I would probably fix the ozone layer (first) in a blink of an eye and maintain it indefinitely.

Here are Our Favorite Moshe Photos!

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WILD THING

To

What’s It Like

Be

A Wildlife Photographer

Wildlife photography is the area of photography encompassing the documentation of various forms of wildlife in their natural habitat. It can be one of the more challenging forms of photography. Sound technical skills, such as being able to expose correctly, choosing the correct equipment, braving various weather conditions and knowing your subjects are all skills that are needed to be a successful wildlife photographer.

Some animals are difficult to approach and thus knowledge of the animal’s behavior is needed in order to be able to predict it’s actions. Photographing some species may require stalking skills or the use of blinds for concealment. There are potential hazards such as weather, rough terrain, and dangerous subjects.

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scapes. Be willing to photograph all the wonders of the world.

I have been photographing wildlife for over 30 years and have some tips that have worked successfully for me.

First, what are the intended purposes of the photographs? I, personally, shoot for my own satisfaction. If I like the photograph, I am successful. If the intention is to sell photographs, know your market and aim to exploit that avenue.

Second, have and know how to use the correct equipment. I am primarily an avian photographer. I have invested in many large and powerful lenses, tripods, clothing and other gear to maximize success. Know your equipment’s strengths and weaknesses. It is important to know how to use your equip-

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ment quickly and efficiently.

When shooting animals, you may not have the time to adjust settings on cameras, tripods, etc. Animals can be quick and elusive; you may not get a second chance.

Third, know your subject. If you are photographing animals, know their behaviors.

Maximize your success by learning eating habits, nesting behavior, feeding behavior and breeding behavior. Great photographs happen in an instance, make sure you are ready! If shooting flowers and plants, know when blooms are at the greatest, when blooms open and close, when the sun hits and highlights the petals at their maximum.

If photographing landscapes, know sunrises and sunsets.

Familiarize yourself where suns and moons will be in your photographs. I study my landscapes for days and envision how I want the photograph to look and feel. The “golden hour” is fleeting, be ready when it is time to shoot! There are many tables online that will guide you on sunrise/sunsets.

of photos, but that should be for a different discussion. I feel that post production that makes a photograph better without disrupting the essential aspects of the photograph is what photographers have been doing since the inception of photography.

Lastly, share your photographs with others! It doesn’t matter Four, dress for the event! I have photographed owls in North- whether you sell your photographs or take them for yourself, ern Wisconsin when the daytime temperatures dropped to 20 documenting our natural world and its beauty should be below zero! I have photographed in Bora Bora with temperashared with friends, families and all who appreciate photogratures reached 105 degrees (I was not complaining!). Protecting phy. Don’t stay indoors, get out and enjoy NOTINDOORS! yourself and your equipment is essential at these extremes.

Batteries will die, condensation on lenses will happen, fingers will freeze, sweat will drip, skin will burn (cold or hot), mosquitoes, flies, poison ivy, poison oak, etc., etc. If it sounds terrible, it is what we signed up for and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

Five, study your photographs. I learned from a great photographer years ago. He forced me to shoot over 100 black and white hand rolled canisters in the course of 2 months. I hand processed each roll and sat and discussed each photograph!

What did I do right, what did I do wrong. This discipline will make you a better photographer. In the age of digital photography, it is easy to shoot thousands of photographs and only look at a few. I encourage you to look at all and really understand the process of what makes the photograph good, bad or great!

Six, spend time in post production. In the past, the darkroom was essential to photography. Today, it still is, but post production is digital! Learn and embrace Photoshop (or other alternatives). There is a great controversy over manipulation

Steven Servantez click here to comment on this article ->

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PHOTO

Argentina Karl Girardet

STORY

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GEAR REVIEW

Canon AE-1 Program SLR You’re in a massive outdoor Mercado somewhere in South America, looking for the right moment, the right scene to take. In your hands is a Canon AE-1 Program SLR. It’s old and heavy, but you like the weight. It’s substantial. You take a few shots here and there, some greatly inspired, some bland and all too common, but still likable. The market is a sprawl.

If it we’re alive you’d envision a giant octopus, dense in its center and reaching to the outer limits of town. You have at least 3 shots left, but you’re hesitant. What do I want to portray? You walk past the wooden goods, stumble over the ponchos and leather fabrics, squeeze though the alleyways of people. Just when you think you’ve failed, you bend over to tie your shoe, the weight of the camera pulls your neck forward. Then you see it. You position yourself, pull the lever, adjust your settings, aim patiently, and wait.

closet drawer with a ton of dust and film. Looking deeper I saw the shiny glint of a lens, then the camera. When I first held it, it felt like some type of weapon. It was heavy, made out of metal and some enforced plastic. It didn’t work, but it made a nice paperweight for a while. A couple of years later, while looking at old National Geographic photos and seeing the names of the artists, I wondered what kind of cameras they used. Then I remembered the dusty antique, sitting patiently. I got it fixed and starting shooting.

Canon AE-1. Click!

I had no idea what I was doing, but it was fun, and it was fully automatic. Since then I’ve learned to shoot in Manual, slowed down to observe more, and learned the hard and expensive warrior’s way of photography. Here’s what I know:

About five years ago, buried beneath heaps of dust and old family tapes, was a Canon AE-1 Program that my mom had stashed away since the 70’s. I remember the first time I saw it, a silver antique of a different era. I was looking for something or other, or maybe I was messing around, when I opened a top 86 NOTINDOOR

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The Canon AE-1 Program was produced to be used by any consumer. It’s predecessor, the AE-1, shot only in manual mode and, despite its popularity, was not user friendly. Canon then decided to step up its game. In 1981, Canon released the AE-1 Program which boasted fully automatic shutter speed and aperture. Basically P mode. This made it easier for anyone to shoot great photos without worrying about any specific setting, the computer did it all for you. However, it does take some trial and error to understand film and photography. Not all photos will come out great.

meaningful in the sense of opportunity and decision. It’s easy to erase a digital image and try again, but you only have a single opportunity in film. It’s that decision making, the expense, and the patience that makes a roll of film more artistic.

It’s like a beautiful secret is inside the roll, and only you can hear what it says.

Still, it is a full frame camera, a desirable quality that only some professional grade DSLRs maintain. It has a beautiful look, aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The sound of the shutter click is incredible, but can get squeaky over time. It weighs about 700 grams (or 1.5 lbs.) with a FD 50mm f/1.8 lens.

Ergonomic and sturdy, made out of aluminum and can take a beating (please don’t though). Almost all Canon FD mounts can fit on this hefty model, and you can find them cheap on ebay or used camera stores. There is only one dial on the AE-1P, its shutter-speed and mode dial. It is easy to flip it with one fingertip. The film counter and ASA dial are more legible than most manual-focus cameras, and it boasts one of the brightest viewfinders. It’s a great introduction to film photography, especially in its simplicity. But it is not economic, at least not anymore.

Film has been a niche market for some time, but according to Google Trends, has been growing into a deep and expensive fad. To develop one roll of film, at least in Los Angeles, costs about $26.57. That’s one roll of 24 shots on semi-glossy 4×6 print. In total, each shot costs around 0.85 cents. But because we live in a digitalized, social media world, you would also need to mount the images on a CD/USB, which is an extra five dollars. Compare this to digital, which costs 0.10 cents per print, and you understand how expensive this niche can be.

Despite the inflated prices and the scarcity of places that develop, film is a timeless means of photography, and it shows.

The image quality, though it may not be ridiculously sharp, has a deep color that cannot be reproduced in digital cameras. There is something about the images that feel different, more meaningful. In fact, I would argue that they are more

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