My final collection for assignment one

Editing: exercise 4

In summary, through this exercise I’ve learnt a lot about working on themes and making selections. Perhaps my most useful learning is about achieving a better composition, reading and understanding an image, what happens within a single photographic frame and how different elements of an image relate to each other.

1.      Some images appear to work better in a vertical format rather than horizontal. It is worth considering both kinds of images during editing.

2.      Diagonal lines might introduce an element of movement, dynamic and action in the picture.

3.      Curves might accentuate an element of smoothness in the image.

4.      Using a triangle shape to position subjects within a frame might strengthen the composition.

5.      A colour could be used to provide a point of focus in the picture.   

6.      Frame formats (horizontal and vertical) and subject’s positioning within a frame affect the frame dynamics and could create dynamic movements or tensions. It helps to be aware of how these movements and tensions affect the final image. 

Editing: exercise 4

Once the images have been downloaded, I followed the exercise step by step starting from the technical edit and progressing to my final image collection. I worked in Adobe Lightroom and used a Flag function to make my selections. Because the number of my original images was high I went through 1 extra stage of Selects (1^st Selects and 2^nd Selects). My 2^nd Selects collection consisted of 50 images (out of the original 166). I managed to narrow my choice down to 16 in my First Selects collection.

Editing: exercise 4

For this exercise I started with a set of 166 images. The subject of my photo session was a flower bouquet and all the images were taken in a single sitting on 10^th May. All images explored the subject varying lighting sources and background drops, and looking for an improvement of subject’s positioning.

Histogram (exercise 3): summary and lessons learnt

Following the exercise I looked at a variety of different images and histograms to practice reading the pixel values. I am including 3 of these images below - there are clear differences in how the values are recorded in their histograms. After completing the exercise I feel more confident with my ability to read histogram values and make adjustments to my images where necessary.

Histogram (exercise 3): summary and lessons learnt

Histogram is one of my favourite tools and I am pleased that this exercise helped me to understand and use it more effectively in my work.

The dynamic range of many life situations and images covers around 8 different levels (stops). Most modern cameras are able to record the values within the range of about 5 stops. Histogram is irreplaceable when making a decision on which part of the dynamic range of an image needs to be recorded accurately. It helps to exercise creative control over the image and the way it is recorded.

There are other tools and aids that might help with coping with a wide dynamic range of an image. In challenging lighting conditions it is possible to use some filters (a graduated neutral density filter for example) or a fill in flash to compensate for a wider that usual dynamic range.  It is also possible to use Photomatix and other similar software packages to merge multiple exposures digitally. However, histogram is the most versatile build-in camera tool that offers a full control at hand and it helps to understand how to use it.

Exercise 3: Histogram

Following the exercise brief, I took some low, average and high contrast images making sure that I have an averagely exposed, one f-stop darker and one f-stop lighter versions for each type of contrast.

I carried out histogram and highlight warning checks when shooting images for this exercise.

I then examined the images in Adobe Lightroom using histogram, highlight and shadow warning functions. This note summarises my learning from the exercise.

My Canon EOS 5D has facilities for displaying two types of histogram: Brightness and RGB. The former shows the exposure level distribution and overall brightness and the latter is for checking the colour saturation and gradation.

Checking a Brightness histogram and highlights warning is a part of my usual routine. I usually look for any imbalances (too many pixels on the right or left) which might indicate loss of detail in shadow or highlight areas. I also check the breadth of the brightness levels (how far each level goes up vertically). Where I spot any colour imbalances I also check the RGB histogram to see the colour’s saturation. I find the histogram function very useful.

I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for processing my images. Both programmes have histogram facilities and I find them helpful for making adjustments to my images.

Exercise 2: summary and lessons learnt

I feel more confident in using the workflow after completing my second exercise. Trying the two different approaches (detailed plan and open-ended) has given me a headway start in finding the right balance between planning prescriptively and being totally flexible and open-ended. A quote from Fil Hunter comes to mind: 'The more you accomplish with your head, the less work you have to do with your hands - you can think faster than you can move.' I am in agreement with Fil.

In my own practice I find planning and visualisation very useful. I also understand that any creative media including photography would require a sufficient level of flexibility. I’ve learnt through the exercises that having some unstructured time and space set free creativity and imagination. I’ve also learnt that some advance planning keeps the technical elements in order. The combination of the two approaches gives a winning combination.   

After completing my second exercise I feel I can achieve satisfactory results following the workflow process. I am also confident that it will further improve with practice.

Lessons learnt:

1. An open ended approach might better suit those types of assignment where there is less control over the environment or subject and / or where there is a greater need for flexibility, e.g. street photography. It worked really well for my trip to Scotland where the weather conditions happened to get on the way of my planning. 

2.  There are some differences between the two approaches but essentially the same structure can be used for both, as long as there is an understanding that the process is applied flexibly. Always be prepared to depart from the plan if necessary.

3. For outdoor workflow, some extra steps / reminders might be used to aid composing shots on location. These may include:

- Find suitable foreground interest

- Identify and use lead in lines where possible

- Consider applying the rule of thirds to compose the shot

My reflection on applying the workflow (exercise 2): Image selection and editing in Adobe Lightroom

I used the tried and tested process from Exercise 1 for selecting and editing my images in Adobe Lightroom.

After the initial assessment in Grid View I eliminated those images that were not technically sound. A selection process followed, with 2 extra (intermediary) stages. The extra collections were necessary considering the total number of original images (191).  

The First Selects collection  includes 22 images (out of the original 191).
The last two stages of my workflow were the same as in Exercise 1. All images were saved and archived, and a web gallery with the final selection of images was prepared.

My Final Selection has 6 images: these are shown below. I’ve chosen these images because:

- I believe they work well together and complement each other

- They capture collectively the mood and atmosphere of the place

- They depict well the notions of movement and stillness

- They offer a variety of angles, show the subject in B&W and colour, pick up details and present an overview.

On location: exercise 2

Reflecting back on the trip I think that the open-ended nature of this exercise was a blessing. It would have probably been impossible to do much planning because of the bad weather. As it rained most of the time whilst I was in Scotland, my only photo session lasted about 3.5 hours instead of a number of sessions spread over 2 days. In this fairly limited time I managed to visit two locations and wiz through some 190 frames working at roughly at 55 frames per hour. To make the best of my session I decided to focus on one theme - to capture movement and stillness using water and its surroundings as the main subject. My locations were a nearby river and a small waterfall. All images were taken on a tripod but I often composed manually to save time and compare different angles and positioning before making my final shot. As far as this exercise is concerned, the most useful part of my workflow was my ‘add flash’ routine. I think it helped to achieve a good variety of images with a fair balance of horizontal & vertical, close up & overview shots. I experimented with different shutter speeds, focal lengths and angles to achieve desired results.  For example, the image below was taken from above the river stream and at a slow shutter speed (30 sec at f22) to juxtapose the fast moving water against the still tree trunk and rocks.
 

Despite the fact that my approach throughout the whole session remained quite intuitive, I found myself following the same key steps of my workflow, perhaps with a little more flexibility. I also found skipping some non essential checks altogether but spending more time on some other tasks. For example, as part of my on-the-spot image improvement and editing I regularly checked the histogram and highlights warning function. The lighting conditions were changeable and at times challenging and I found these two camera functions indispensible when making the exposure adjustments. I mostly used long exposures on the day and regularly checked the sharpness of my images with the loupe tool. This ongoing review and editing process was necessary. For example, because of difficult access and awkward angle the above image was taken 3 times before I achieved the desired sharpness.   

At the end of the session I reviewed all my images again to check that I achieved what I wanted and that my key images were of good quality. I was relatively pleased with the results. I thought I made the best of such a brief session and was looking forward to seeing the pictures on a computer screen back home.    

Workflow for an outdoor location photo session: exercise 2

For the Exercise 2 I devised a workflow based on an outdoor photo assignment. Similar to Exercise 1, this workflow covers all stages of my photographic session from ‘the day before’ preparations to the finished product. There are many similarities between the two workflows that I devised; the flowchart that I used for Exercise 1, equally applies to Exercise 2.

However, there are also some differences between the two processes which I would like to mention in this note.    

My outdoor session was to record my 2 day visit to Perth and Kinross, Scotland. As per the exercise brief, the assignment was “unstructured and open-ended” and “the number of images unpredictable but probably many”. The workflow allowed for some ongoing review of images during the shoot.

My workflow started with a planning and preparation stage. As before, I spent some time thinking through the aims, locations and timing but this time I took a much more flexible approach. Because of the nature of my trip to Scotland and many uncertainties involved (including the weather and road conditions etc) it would have been wasteful to prepare a detailed plan. In comparison to Exercise 1, I outlined my aims only very broadly.  I spent some time thinking through the possible locations to establish some options of ‘where’ and ‘when’ the session(s) might take place. For example, I checked potential locations ahead of time, how to get there and where to park, and whether there are any challenges to accessing the area. Maps and GPS played an important role in this process.  

Equally important was to check the weather, sunrise and sunset times and select equipment suitable to the weather conditions expected on the day.

Never leave for Scotland without a waterproof! The weather forecast was for plenty of rain so I packed my waterproof cases and some spare supermarket carrier bags which are useful for protecting lenses and cameras from spray.

The rest of preparations were similar to the ones carried out in Exercise 1 but less demanding because this assignment was designed to be open-ended and there were no lighting equipment or backdrops to worry about.

Exercise 1: summary and lessons

Overall, I felt very comfortable following the key workflow stages. I was impressed with how much my time management has improved as a result of this exercise. Having all the technical aspects of the assignment in place meant that I was able to concentrate purely on the creative side of the process which helped to achieve satisfactory results. The workflow was sufficiently suitable for an indoor studio photo session and I will use it again in the future. I am confident that it will further improve with practice.

Lessons learnt:

1. Using the workflow was enjoyable and satisfying and I did not feel restricted or limited in any way. I’ve learnt the importance of achieving a balance between having a structure in place and leaving enough room for flexibility. I’ve also learnt to be always prepared to depart from the plan if necessary.

2. Advance preparation saves time where you’d need it most - on location. Visualising the session in advance helped to focus on achieving my aims.

3. Add FLASH, Review and Repeat routine is very useful on location but could be equally helpful for making selections (particularly collections).    

4. It helps to have a flowchart and to follow a summary of actions rather then having to plough through pages of tasks.

My reflections on applying the workflow: Image selection and editing in Adobe Lightroom (exercise 1)

I used Adobe Lightroom to select and edit the images. After transferring images from the memory card to the hard drive I first examined the images in Grid View (Library Mode). I was pleased that none of the images were technically faulty although I was slightly disappointed with how the images 1 to 5 turned out.  I decided not to discard them at this stage as I did not think they were totally unsuitable.  I then applied a Flag function in Compare View (Library Mode) to choose my Selects. When making the selection I was looking out for different angles and for improvements in the subject positioning. I was strongly guided by the aims of the session outlined in my workflow: the feelings and moods that I wanted to convey thought these pictures. After taking out duplicates and similar shots, it did not take me long to make the selection.  The Selects collection is shown below and includes 24 images out of the original 54.

My next task was to make my First Selects collection. I used Compare and Survey Views to choose 9 images.

Finally, I selected 2 images as required in the Exercise. I was not easy to make the final selection from the 9 technically sound and strong images. I’ve chosen these two images for a number of reasons. In terms of a composition, I wanted to keep one overall and one close up shot of the flower. The key was to find the images that fulfil the aims that I set myself to achieve - to capture the distinct shape and bright attractive colours, and also to convey the qualities that these flowers evoked in me: gentleness, purity and natural harmony. I think the images below fulfil these aims.

The last two stages of my workflow were easy to manage. I saved and archived my images following my usual routine. I prepared a web gallery for each step of my selection process (some screenshots are used here). 

My reflections on applying the workflow. Stage 2: work on location

 a) Time-limited shot

The day turned out to be bright and sunny so there was plenty of natural light. I did not use artificial lighting equipment and it only took a few minutes to get the set ready. I used a couple of white reflectors and a studio light tent. I chose to use white background to complement the subject.

I have in the past used a similar framework and have developed a level of familiarity with the process. This made it easy for me to follow the workflow instructions.  

I usually compose my images manually, move around looking for different angles and meter exposure before setting my camera on a tripod. I find that this approach works really well for me.  

All 54 images that my session generated are shown below. I think the collection demonstrates the benefits of having a structured approach such as a workflow. For example, the ‘Add FLASH, Review and Repeat’ was a very useful reminder as it helped me to achieve better diversity in my image collection.  I experimented with a range of apertures (e.g. frames 7&8, 12&13, 21&23), distance to the subject (frames 12, 14 and 19 for example), and tried positioning the subject differently (frames 38 and 47).  

A prompt to shoot horizontal and vertical formats was particularly valuable as I usually tend to have more horizontal images.

Overall, I felt very comfortable following the workflow and was impressed with my time management of the session - I started at 12:20 and finished shooting by 12:40 so the whole session lasted less then 25 minutes. 

b) On-the-spot development and improvement of composition was very much a natural part of the process.  I am used to checking histogram and highlights warning, it’s a part of my usual routine so I had no troubles with making these checks for the assignment.

 I found it a bit hard to use the loupe tool because of the size of my LCD but I thought I made a reasonable effort.

I did not make many alterations to the process but I skipped some of the stages as I progressed through the assignment. For example, whilst some exposure adjustments were necessary at the beginning of the session (see frames 1 to 6), it was no longer relevant later on.

I don’t always check all images straight after each session so I was glad to be reminded about this step and found the process very satisfying. I will definitely include it in my future practice. 

Designing and putting to practice a workflow for an indoor still life photo session

I have just completed the Exercise 1 (Part One) of the Digital Photographic Practice module and found the whole process very helpful. The purpose of the exercise was to design a workflow and I chose to practice on an indoor still life studio photo session.

Still life photography is part of my regular practice. I enjoy photographing plants and flowers indoors using natural daylight and applying diffusers and reflectors where necessary. For the purpose of this exercise I designed a workflow that covered all stages of my indoor photographic session from ‘the day before’ preparations to a finished product. 

My reflections on using the workflow follow the process stage by stage and I will start with…

‘The Day Before' preparations

Visualising was the key part of my preparation. Having a mental picture of my session made it easy and straightforward to complete the rest of ‘the day before’ tasks.  I will definitely use it in my regular practice.

I then planned the entire session, starting with aims and also looked at my location and timing.

Generally, it was helpful to follow the workflow at the planning stage: it encouraged me to think through the details and set clear and achievable goals for my session. The most challenging task was to decide what it is I want to do and why, i.e. to define the aims of my photo session. As soon as the aims were established, the rest of the plan fell into place. I was surprised how easy it was then to decide on the number of images, time, location etc.  

My aims: This session was about photographing some garden flowers that I picked on the day. The aim was to capture the distinct shape and bright attractive colours, and also to convey the qualities that these flowers evoked in me: gentleness, purity and natural harmony.

Number of images: I aimed to have 2 to 5 images as my final selection. I expected the total number of frames to be 40 to 50 including bracketed shots.

How long: I planned to have 30 min for this session.

Where (location): The location for this session was a room with plenty of space for my equipment and for moving around. 

When: The session was planned to take place between 10 and 2 pm on the next day.

Checking equipment is a part of my usual routine and I find it easy and straight forward.

Having a checklist at hand helped to save time. I checked my cameras, lenses, tripods and tripod heads. I also recharged batteries and cleared memory cards. I checked some lighting equipment in case of bad weather. I dusted and cleaned all lenses and screens.Checking camera settings is a part of my usual routine and is really so simple!  I ‘ve learnt from my own experience that skipping this stage might lead to devastating outcomes.

Finally, I spent some more time visualising the whole session. I saw this as a very important step and did not find it repetitive. I found that my mental image of my photographic session has gained detail and I was now really looking forward to getting my camera out and doing some work.

Going through the planning process made me realise that:

- Simple, ideally natural lighting suited my subject and the aims of my session very well

- I did not need to use complicated lights for my session so there was no need to draw a picture of the set.